Business Discussions

For many of us, 'tis the season to start thinking about holiday retail. And for others, 'tis the season to hire seasonal workers (or make more permanent hires before the holiday crazy), wrap up loose ends on projects (before the holiday crazy), or get busy making plans for workflow/inventory/purchasing/sales & promotions/customer and client appreciation...before the holiday crazy. Am I sensing a theme here?   What's your one - or two! - word theme for October?

I’m Leslie Barber, QB Community Leader and host of Community Conversations! In this ongoing series, I sit down with small business owners to talk about what’s great and what’s tough about working for yourself. You’ll hear loads of ideas, insights and inspiration. We invite you to sit back, listen and learn!   Here’s what you’ll find in this episode of Community Conversations ...   Michael Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work, talks about creating workplaces that are welcoming, balanced and equitable – and why he’s convinced that fairness in the workplace is critical for a healthy business ROI.   Media personality, business coach and motivational speaker Maxie McCoy shares some of her ideas around the particular challenges facing women in business. Spoiler alert: The biggest obstacle may be right between your ears!   Want more from Michael and Maxie? You’ll find it right here in QB Community: 8 Tips for Taking Care of Your Employees from Michael Bush, CEO of A Great

Sometimes we think we should rename QB Community “Epiphanies R Us!” As countless community members have told us, you just never know when an idea will pop into your head and BOOM! A seed of an idea grows and blossoms into a successful business. Of course, that flash of inspiration is just the first tiny step on any entrepreneurial journey – but without it, you might not be taking a journey at all. Here are just a few tales from QB Community about epiphanies, ah-ha moments and lightning bolts of inspiration. After you read them, please share yours! Romy Taormina, founder of Psi Solutions, suffered such terrible morning sickness during her pregnancies she created fashion-forward Psi Bands for nausea relief. Heidi Withers, co-founder of Heidi’s Salsa, won a salsa-making contest using her family recipe! Sandee Ferman, founder of No Tox Life, never forgot the angry welts that appeared on her skin as a child when she tried a new lotion. Sharon Coleman, founder of Lemon and Honey

  You'd think that with this beautiful boardwalk just minutes from my home office I'd have no trouble hauling myself outside every once in a while.   Annnnnd … you'd be wrong.   Here are the top five reasons why I rarely let myself go out for a stroll during my typical workday. (Spoiler alert: These might be on your list, too.)   1. I'm too busy. Are you an air traffic controller landing a jetliner? A heart surgeon? The color commentator covering the second overtime at game seven of the AFC playoffs? No? Me neither. Then we both have 15 minutes to get up outta’ that seat.   2. I just need to finish this one thing. Get real: You're self-employed, which means you will never be "finished." There is always another task to complete. Set a timer on your phone. When you hear the ding, get up and go (outside, that is).   3. The phone/email/everything won't stop ringing/pinging/dinging. Embrace the power of technology by letting the world know you are "out of offi

My company has been on a ongoing up/down spiral for three years. I have to work contracts myself and work as the administrator, coordinator, recruiter, plus boss and have to work assignments. I'm at a love hate relationship with my business. I would just like a few pointers on what I'm  doing wrong and how I can make it work.

We hear all the time in this community about the mindset that helps entrepreneurs succeed in business. One thing is clear: Working for yourself means thinking differently about every aspect of, well, “work” – what it means to you (everything), when you do it (always), when you put it aside (rarely). Below are some of the insights you’ve shared. Do you recognize yourself in any of these hard-working entrepreneurs? Of course, you do! “People who work traditional jobs go home when the workday is over. They can take vacations and have weekends off. Entrepreneurs have to work whenever it’s necessary, which might mean no regular days off for four years or longer. As an entrepreneur, you have to be able to get things don e– not half done and not when someone else is ready to do it for you. You have to be willing to do what it takes to get it done.” – Sandee Ferman, founder of No Tox Life “I work all the time now, even when I watch a movie or walk my dog or

Hi,I am looking to find an accountant in the Pennsylvania area to help me run my nexus correctly.  My business is based out of Wisconsin, but I also have a nexus in Pennsylvania.  My accountant in Wisconsin doesn't know Pennsylvania law.  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thank you!

  As a small business owner, you’ve worked hard to build a recognizable brand based on your unique product or your special service. Whether you sell a tangible product (kid-sized furniture or a healthful granola, perhaps) or offer a valuable service like being a motivational speaker or creating and sending custom greeting cards, it might be wise to protect your idea from competitors or copycats.   There are three options for protecting your intellectual property: patents, copyrights and trademarks. The latter two are often confused, so this post will help you understand which one best applies to your business.   Let’s talk copyrights     A copyright protects original literary and artistic work such as books, reports, videos and audio recordings, as well as things like poems, sculpture or a piece of music. Technically speaking, copyright applies to works or creations that are “fixed in a tangible medium of expression.”   A copyright gives you the exclusive

    We asked four numbers-minded entrepreneurs in the QB Community how and why they started up their own accounting and consulting firms. Here’s what they told us…       Andrew Berg, co-founder of Berg Partners, accounting & consulting: “My partner and I decided when we started the business that we didn’t want to work a million hours during tax season to provide our clients with one piece of paper, then walk away and not talk to them again for an entire year. So, our focus shifted to business management and consulting.”   “We help our clients with financial decisions, marketing decisions, HR decisions, strategic decisions, budget, planning — literally anything you can think of that you don't know the answer to. If you want good advice based on your unique financial situation, we’re the people to talk to.”   Read Andrew’s full story: "The Numbers Should Tell the Whole Story." Andrew Berg Shares His Tips for Picking the Right Account    

  You may know them as red-carpet stars and entertainment icons, but these famous folks are good old-fashioned inventors at heart. Read below to see which patents these celebrity inventors own – and click the patent number to see the detailed application forms they each submitted!   Eddie Van Halen invented a support for a guitar (or any stringed instrument) that lets your fingers fly across the fretboard without having to also support the neck of the instrument (US4656917).   Jamie Lee Curtis designed and patented a disposable diaper that does double-duty by storing baby wipes in a waterproof pocket. If any diaper company ever starts making biodegradable diapers, she says she might be willing to license the clever product (US4753647).   Francis Ford Coppola may be famous for directing and producing the Godfather movies (and many more), but if you’ve got a hard-to-reach itch to scratch, his invention might help. Coppola holds the patent (US20060191053) for a t-shi

  You’ve had a brilliant idea for a product and decided to build a business around it. You’ve conducted some research and development (R&D) and confirmed consumers love what you’ve come up with. Congratulations! Now it’s time to ask yourself an important question: Should you get a patent for your invention? Maybe … or maybe not. To help you decide, let’s find out some of the basics of investing in a legal protection plan for your product.   What is a patent? When you are granted a patent in the United States, you earn the legal right to stop others from making, marketing, selling or importing your invention in this country, usually for 20 years from the filing date. You can apply for one of three types of patents:   Utility patents are issued most commonly and given to folks who invent machines, processes, improvements or articles made from a manufacturing process. If you’ve invented a new type of software, computer hardware or a pharmaceutical product, a util

  Welcome to Community Conversations! In this ongoing series, I have the pleasure of sitting down with small business owners to talk about what’s great and what’s tough about working for yourself. You’ll hear loads of ideas, insights and inspiration. We invite you to sit back, listen and learn! Here’s what you’ll find in this episode of Community Conversations ...   Kimberly Cavccavo is cofounder of GRACEDBYGRIT, a multimillion dollar athletic wear company dedicated to helping, protecting and empowering women. Kimberly talks about how life’s grittiest moments help us build true grace. She says this realization has fundamentally shaped both her company and her approach to doing business.   Julie Gordon White is an award-winning entrepreneur, business coach, bestselling author and host of QB Community’s Momentum to $1 Million group. Julie says intuition + data is the GPS of every great business, and she explains why “no” may be the most important word

Different people must be using different approaches towards their accounting practices, but when it comes to the choice of accounting software, they have a unified solution in the form of QuickBooks hosting.   With the introduction of the cloud in the accounting practices, the people from the accounting industry were quite delighted because they were expecting the same level of benefit which it had delivered in other sectors of the industry. But surprisingly, the cloud accounting solution surpassed the expectation of everyone as it came with a bucket of benefits and that too at an affordable price[LINK REMOVED].   The QuickBooks soon was shifted to the cloud platform in the form of QuickBooks hosting and it became a popular name among both professionals and newbies. But many people consider this solution as the entry level of accounting software and that’s why they think that it won’t be able to serve the purpose of accountants while others think that it is very advanced soft

We have a Small LLC.  One owner and one employee.  we do not cary any health or dental insurance.  What are options for paying for employees unexpected dental expenses.  Some work has been done ~ $400 Additionally, Emploee needs crown/root canal  approx $2500.  Thanks in advance.

  Can you smell the pumpkin spice? Fall has officially arrived -- on September 22, to be exact -- and that means crisp days, colorful leaves, warm drinks, sweater paws and new marketing opportunities! With the holiday season fast approaching, there’s no better time than September and October to entice new and current customers to shop with you today -- and come back for more when it’s time for holiday buying.     1. Humor your customers. A lumber store near my house recently changed their marquee to read “Now selling pumpkin spice lumber.” It’s not true, of course, but it is funny! Humor is memorable, so pumpkin spice it up! We can all use some levity, no?   2. Cheer for back to school. Kids have returned to their classrooms, so parents can exhale. Promote a “You survived summer vacation!” deal just for moms and dads.   3. Think seasonally. Tie an autumn sale to the falling leaves. “Our prices are falling just like the leaves outside!” Or vow to “sq

Today, people all around the globe will pause to reflect on what they’re grateful for. Here in QB Community, gratitude is a theme that comes up time and again. We know entrepreneurs and self-employed people feel grateful to be able to work for themselves, even when it means working well, differently than most 9-5ers. (You can read more about how entrepreneurs think about things like work/life balance and making personal sacrifices for the sake of their business in this post). What are you grateful for? We hope you’ll tell us all about it in the comments below. In the meantime, we’ll kick things off by telling you what we on this QB Community team are thinking about on World Gratitude Day. Spoiler alert: We’re all pretty darn delighted to be working with entrepreneurs like you!  Leslie Barber, our QB Community leader, says, “I am so grateful to wake up every day with the goal of doing anything I can to make life a bit easier for the hardest working people I know -- small business

     Here’s one thing just about all small business owners have in common: the need to send invoices. Whether you sell handmade products or offer targeted client services, invoices are key to keeping your business afloat. Problem is, plenty of folks who work for themselves don’t realize, or leverage, the true power of this all-important tool.   Sure, we all know invoices are a direct line to payment. But they’re also a critical communication device that can help you get paid on time (or even early!), every time. An effective invoice builds your brand, strengthens client relationships and keeps you at the top of the list whenever your customer needs help.   Not sure how to put the almighty invoice to work? Read on.   1. Make it personal   These days, information-overload is ubiquitous. No wonder it’s easy to overlook or ignore a standard grey email or a dull printed page. Good news is your invoice doesn’t have to be forgettable. In fact, it shouldn’t

No matter what you sell – a tangible product or a unique service – your business is built around some form of intellectual property. Have you taken steps to protect said property from competitors or, even worse, copycats? We’re curious:   Have you registered for a trademark, copyright or patent? Which protection plan do you have? Did you hire an attorney to help you? What was the process like?   We’d love to hear your insights about this important topic. Sharing your experience will help other members, too. Thanks for taking the time to tell us what you know!  

    We asked six creative entrepreneurs in the QB Community how and why they started their branding and/or marketing agencies. Here is what they told us...       Toby Lewis Thomas, co-owner of Birch, a branding & marketing agency: “While studying photography in school, I became involved in the music industry. I started touring with bands as a videographer/photographer and, shortly after, I decided to pursue it full-time. I rented a studio and started off with really small jobs, but my clients were always happy to recommend me.”   “Back then, content — and particularly video content — was becoming super important. Every brand suddenly wanted to promote itself through video, so finding work wasn’t a problem. The idea of even having "content" was still a reasonably new concept, and brands were looking for advice as well as production skills. I set myself apart from others in the industry by tracking the impact of everything I did. I was committed to fi

All small businesses have a couple of things in common. First, they’re run by a dedicated, determined, passionate entrepreneur. Second, each one of those inspiring self-employed folks had an idea for a product (or a service) and figured how to transform it into something they could sell. We know – and you do, too -- the process of turning an epiphany into a business is never easy. Here’s how some folks in QB Community managed to do it. Katharine Huber, founder of Wit Design, creates stylish, functional, durable furniture for kids: “I did a ton of research online and asked everyone I knew for manufacturer recommendations. I found someone to work with nearby. We were all set to go, but some new equipment created problems in the factory. The plan fell through. Then I found a factory in Vermont, and everything was back on track. Just as production was about to begin, another client gave him a huge order, and he couldn’t make my chairs. I reached out to more than 35 different manufacturers

Here’s a question you’ll get asked all the time as an entrepreneur: Why did you decide to start your own business? (Thankfully, the other part of the question – what made you crazy enough to think you could start your own business? – is usually just implied!) We’ll help you home in on your answer by sharing some of the top reasons folks in this awesome community have chosen to do their own business thing. Did we omit what motivates you to work for yourself? In the comments below, tell us what inspires you to take the entrepreneurial leap! I want to start a business so I can: Solve a problem: Ben Gucciardi was earning his M.A. in global educational leadership, working in youth development for underserved families and playing a lot of soccer when he had an idea. The California native realized soccer could be a tool to help struggling kids learn to better communicate, connect and collaborate with their peers, parents and teachers. Could he build a program around his favorite sport to he

Who: Erica Liu Williams What: gr8nola When: June 2013 Where: Danville, CA Why: When Erica decided to sell the “clean,” healthful granola she regularly baked for family and friends, she wasn’t planning to turn her side-hustle into a full-fledged business. But just a few months after attending her first farmer’s market, Erica was selected to become an official snack vendor for Google. Suddenly, she needed to make gr8nola on a whole new scale. How did Erica launch her business? Step one: Assess the market, nail the product I had to feel confident that my recipe was exceptional and that it met the needs of not just myself, friends and family but of the market. First and foremost, would people buy it? And more importantly, would they come back and buy again and again? I decided that selling gr8nola at my local farmer’s market would be the quickest way to get this feedback. I also knew my recipe had to be consistent. I had to figure out how to scale up from baking a two-pound batch of gr8

Welcome to Community Conversations! Today I’m sitting down to talk with two amazing women - both of whom happen to be named Julie - about what’s great and what’s tough about working for yourself. You’ll hear loads of ideas, insights and inspiration. Sit back, listen and learn! Here’s what you’ll find in this episode of Community Conversations... Julie Goldman is the founder of the Original Runner Company which sells bespoke, non-skid aisle runners for all of life’s “grand entrances.” Julie shares some of her secrets to building a wildly successful company: Believe in yourself and your product, be persistent and try to provide the best customer service ever.   Julie Gordon White is an award-winning entrepreneur, business coach and host of QB Community’s Momentum to $1 Million group. Julie explains why “high-impact pricing” will help women, in particular, reach new levels of business success and why it’s time to say goodbye to your low-paying clients. Want more from both of th

  There is no better resource for a business owner than another business owner. These are some of the questions your peers are asking about running and growing their businesses. Do you have answers to any of these questions? Great! Do you have questions in need of an answer? Also great! Tell us in the comments below.   GETTING NOTICED & LEVERAGING SOCIAL MEDIA      Stacia Guzzo, owner of The Handcrafted Honeybee, natural skincare products: “A couple of my biggest goals for the business are to grow my social media followers and build my email list. Does anyone here have tips on how to find the right people to target for my products? I’d love to hear them!”     David Minnery, owner of Manzanita Kids, wooden baby toys: “When I have the choice of sitting at a computer or making things in my shop, I always choose the shop. However, this leaves a gap in our marketing. I currently spend roughly 30 minutes a day on social media, but I'm wondering if

You have questions about running a small business, and our QB Community members have answers! Everyone here knows the importance of building meaningful member-to-member relationships, and there’s no better way to learn, discover and get inspired as an entrepreneur. Best of all? When members share what they know, everyone benefits. Check out this recent QB Community conversation, and you’ll see what we mean!     @JTcarpentry  asked: Hello, we are still a newer company but have been in business for 4 years, running as a sole proprietorship. Does anyone have some quick and simple advice as to why maybe an S corp would be beneficial to me?      @Acupuncture4U answered: An S corp or LLC protect you against lawsuits. Your business can be sued but your personal property is protected and untouchable. With a Sole Proprietorship if you are sued your personal property becomes a part of the law suit.   @MorganB answered: I'm glad you turned to us here in th