Business Discussions

What’s on your mind right now? We know folks who work for themselves have plenty to say about the business of doing business. That’s why we want to share your insights, ideas and best practices. Today, we’re spending a few minutes with Pascal Depuhl, a photographer and videographer who’s also an active member of this community. The last time we spoke with Pascal, he explained why his professional title at Photography by Depuhl is “Chief Mindchanger” and why he believes we all have a moral and professional obligation to give back. Given Pascal's focus on doing good, it was no surprise we caught up with him as he was recovering from jet lag after a whirlwind trip to Nepal. That’s where he’d been working with an organization dedicated to helping remote mountain communities get access to life-saving medical services. Pascal tells us why and how he got there. He also shares an unexpected realization that changed the way he thinks about, and provides, customer service. Pascal, tell u

Hello community, I just started my LLC a few months ago which is a business renting out lighting equipment to the film industry. So far I already had three jobs through the same client and I charged sales tax on the first two invoices. On the third invoice my client sent me a Form ST-120 Resale Certificate asking that I don't charge sales tax to them anymore. So far so good. We did not amend the first two invoices and just stopped charging sales tax from the third invoice/job on. However, I was never aware that I had to have a 'Certificate of Authority' in order to charge sales tax and I am now worried about what to do.   What can happen to my business based on the fact that I charged sales tax twice without the 'Certificate of Authority'? Do I still need to apply for the 'Certificate of Authority' although my client (which will most likely stay my only client) sent me a Form ST-120 Resale Certificate? I would appreciate some

   

Thinking about sending a holiday card to employees, clients and suppliers this year? If so, you may be weighing the time, cost and impact of sending a handwritten, personalized greeting vs. a more generic “thank you” or “happy holidays” message (email or otherwise). This dilemma got us thinking: Do *you* send out handwritten holiday cards?   If not, how else do you show your customers you care during the busy season? Do you send gifts or reach out with a personalized message? Something else?   We can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this one!

After the Gulf oil spill brought Tippy Tippens to New Orleans, she opened a design-for-good store that combined her background in both environmentalism and product design. Her company, Goods that Matter, donates 10% of all proceeds to causes that impact the health, happiness, and sustainability of local, regional and global communities.  In this “OWN IT. Every day.” series from QuickBooks, Tippy shares pieces of her small business journey. Enjoy! Learn more about Goods that Matter and Tippy right here.   We’d love to learn more about you and your business. Take a moment and tell us some of your story! How did you get your start? How do you get through tough times? How do you make time for your family? How does your business give back? What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs?

Hello , I’m trying to start my own store and my own eyelashes brand . Who should I look for that can help creat my eyelashes and my own clothing for my store

   

Stacia's handmade skincare kits might be great at soothing chapped lips, but their purpose goes well beyond the superficial. She's learned through trial and error that when her customers — who are primarily young women — use her kits, they're also gaining confidence and nourishing their passions. We caught up with Stacia to discuss how she learned to price her products early on and why redesigning her packaging was the best decision she ever made for her business. Plus, read on to find out what she's hoping to learn next from you! Name: Stacia Guzzo Business: Handcrafted Honey Bee Started: January 2014 What inspired you to start Handcrafted Honey Bee? I started making skincare products a little over five years ago and became an entrepreneur by accident. My husband and I moved from LA to the mountains near Tehachapi to get away from city life. We bought some land and a few chickens, planted a vegetable garden and decided to take up beekeeping for fun.  We had a very good hone

   

I shared this over FB live, so I thought I would share it with you too. 1) Focus your year-end marketing on the ONE service or product that will help YOUR CLIENT finish strong because if they win, you win. 2) Reach out to top prospects INDIVIDUALLY, not through broadcasts. This is the one time during the year that people actually want to talk to each other (ha!) so pick up the phone and say hello. 3) Start NOW! While everyone else is using the excuse of business slowing down during holidays, you can get a jump on 2018 and when January rolls around, you'll be 30 days ahead of the game! OK, those are my 3, what are yours?

   

“Accurately forecasting the right production size is an art, not a science.” -- Leslie Barber, QB Community Leader & small business co-owner.   Are you, like Leslie, a bit of an artist when it comes to your business? If you can relate to this, we’ve got some great reading for you.   Check out this three-part series about managing relationships (of all sorts) with suppliers:   Invoicing: How to Put Your Mighty Invoice to Work Invoicing: Make Every Invoice Work Faster and Better Than Ever Before Invoicing: Frustrated By Late Payments? Some Tips for Tracking Down Your Dollars   Have any lingering questions? What about solutions to invoicing that work for you? Share what you know in the reply section below ;-)  

"Success isn't owned. It's leased, and rent is due every day." -- JJ Watt   Do you agree? If so, how do you put the time in toward earning success each day? If not, how do you describe the process of getting where you want to be in business?

What is the best method to earn online?

How do you keep track of your finances?

Got any good Black Friday stories? Share those, too!

Does any one have experience with setting up accounts for partnership with customer where you provide the hardware and they are providing software instead of the customer paying for the hardware we are to receive a percentage of the sales. So my company will remain the owners of the hardware. I am not sure how to set this asset up and account for COGS.  Any direction is helpful. Thank youLeslie

 In this Ways to Grow episode, Sonja and Meeka of One of A Kind Hats give their two cents on what traits make a small business owner successful.   “Have nerve, guts. That’s what it takes.”     What do you think? Just starting out? What questions do you have about how to kick-off your awesome business idea?  Share in the space below :-)

      We couldn't help but be curious when we heard that brothers Adam and Shaun Lee quit their day jobs to make oil-can guitars. We had to hear their story.   Like many entrepreneurs, they decided to run a Kickstarter campaign to help them get their company, Bohemian Guitars, off the ground. Never in a million years did they guess they would raise 168% of their original goal, or struggle with fulfilling the perks they promised their backers. Here they share with us their lessons learned running a crowdfunding campaign and partnering with famous musicians like Hozier.   We'll let Adam and Shaun take it from here...       Name: Adam & Shaun Lee Business: Bohemian Guitars Started: 2012   You both grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. How did you end up starting Bohemian Guitars in Atlanta?   Johannesburg has one of the highest crime rates in the world, so our parents moved us to Atlanta when

Your "elevator pitch" is the way you quickly and concisely describe your business or services, say, in the few seconds it takes to ride an elevator with a prospective client, investor or other interested party.   Having one can help a lot when opportunities knock, expectedly or unexpectedly.     What's yours? Share it with the Community below :-)

  Becoming successfully self-employed is no easy feat. However, after talking to so many of you about how you created your jobs and how you found your first customers, we passionately believe in the opportunity to tap into this powerful community to successfully make the leap to self-employment.   Whether you want to hone your skills as an independent contractor, kick off freelance work, work from home or sell on Etsy, your fellow members and their stories enable all of us to learn faster and realize success sooner with fewer mistakes along the way.   If you haven't checked out The Handbook for How to Be Self-Employed, Part Oneor Part Two that covers launching your business, stop right here and head there first (spoilers ahead!). In this section we'll be covering a few of the hardest questions we've had around growing a business on your own. That includes word-of-mouth advertising, making money and building a reputation.   The Handbook for How toBe Self-Employed: P

This discussion has been moved to "Do More with QuickBooks."

    As Thanksgiving approaches, we (in the United States, at least) tend to keep gratitude in our thoughts a little more than usual. That’s great! One of the many awesome things about giving thanks is what we think of as the “boomerang effect.” When you send some appreciation out into the world, more often than not, a little appreciation will come right back atcha’.   With this in mind, here are some ideas to noodle over this November – and beyond. Don’t be fooled into thinking only big gestures matter when it comes to giving thanks. A little effort really does go a long way.   Thank your customers!   Plenty of our community members have shared tips for reminding customers how much you value them (this post has lots of great ideas). Here are eight ways entrepreneurs can say, Thanks for your business!   Offer a surprise gift with a minimum purchase Provide no-charge delivery for a minimum order or for any referral Create a challenge or contest and reward