Business Discussions

Trying to understand personal property tax for business in Wa state. Do I list every paperclip, file folder and packs of copier paper? Or just big things  like desks and shelves? 

I have small consulting agency, and I understand that I need good website for my clients. I found the freelancer and he tell me that it will cost around $1500. Than I found another variant, it is to use professional theme for creation, for example from templatemonster - https://www.templatemonster.com/ there are many good templates and themes. I like something like this - https://www.templatemonster.com/wordpress-themes/63375.html it is theme for WP. How do you think it is good chose? And another question, can I make all this work by myself? Or I need to find some help?

We want to track orders at trade shows then import back into our QB Premier file at HQ. Is there any applications that allow for this? I know you can use a couple of mobile apps (like QB mobile app) that interface with QB online but we are using Quickbooks Premier Manufacturing so this would not work for us.

  If you’re an accountant or a bookkeeper, you’re so good at number-crunching you can probably do it in your sleep. As a finance professional, you know that plenty of small business owners don’t have the time, skills or inclination to track every one of their dollars and cents with accuracy and precision. That’s why they hire you!   Of course, entrepreneurs aren’t alone in this lack of interest and understanding about money matters. Financial Literacy Month (FLM) was created to help address this nation-wide concern. For accountants, FLM is a 30-day opportunity to spread awareness about the importance of financial literacy and to give it a boost, both for your current and prospective clients.   Here are four strategies to consider for this FLM and beyond.   Offer some free services. Everyone, not just business owners, benefits from better understanding their finances. Spread the word about FLM by offering a free introductory workshop or seminar about the servi

Hey, it's Coach Julie from the Momentum to $1 Million group right here in the QuickBooks community! If you've got a burning business question...or just feeling a bit burned out and need a little boost, I'm in the M2$1M group RIGHT NOW for a real-time chat about whatever's on your mind, so click over and see you there!! J. 

Hey, it's Coach Julie from the Momentum to $1 Million group right here in the QuickBooks community! If you've got a burning business question...or just feeling a bit burned out and need a little boost, I'll be in the M2$1M group in just a few minutes for a real-time chat about whatever's on your mind - today at 11 AM Pacific/2 PM Eastern. See you there!! J. 

QB Community members love exchanging ideas, insights and inspiration. Not yet a member? Click HERE to register, and join the conversation today!   Crowdfunding sites like Indiegogo and Kickstarter can help launch new products with the help of a few (or a few thousand) investors. Some enterprising entrepreneurs, like the ones featured below, rely on crowdsourced money to bring to market eco-friendly products designed to generate profits and help make the world a better place. All of the following campaigns were successfully funded between 2012 and 2017. We checked in on them to see where they are today. Read on -- and get ready to be amazed!     Product: WakaWaka Portable Light and Power Founders: Maurits Groen & Camille van Gestel Year launched: 2014 Funding/backers: Raised $296,588 from 2,257 backers on Kickstarter What is it? WakaWaka means “shine bright” in Swahili, which is a perfect name for this solar-powered portable light and power pack. Globally, more

Many consumers today are willing to pay more for sustainably produced goods (see: Why Green Business is the New Cash Crop), so it’s no wonder businesses are eager to brand themselves as being some shade of green. As a small business owner, you know there’s no shortage of eco-terms (see: Defining Eco-Business Terms), eco-certifications and eco-credentials to consider when you’re choosing a supplier, looking for a manufacturer or branding your own product or service.   In the comments section below, tell us:     Here are some of the eco-terms we see most often: Sustainable Environmentally-friendly/conscious Green Eco-minded Recycled Upcycled

March was Women’s History Month, which gave us a chance to shine the spotlight on some of the amazing women business owners in our community and beyond. On April 10th, we acknowledge Equal Pay Day*. The date itself is a somber reminder of the significant gender-based pay-gap in the United States, since the date marks how far into 2018 a woman needs to work to earn what a man was paid in 2017. Based on 2016 U.S. Census data, women make 80 cents for every dollar a man earns, and moms earn even less -- 70 cents for every dollar paid to a dad.   The bad news gets even worse when we consider ethnicity, with African-American women averaging 63 cents on the dollar, Native American women bringing in 57 cents and Latinas getting only 54 cents for every dollar earned by a white, non-Hispanic man. Asian-American women average only 87 cents.   These grim statistics got us wondering:      Thanks for sharing your experiences in the space below.   (*

... four/4 legs, here are four (4) of the very best podcasts that I personally listen to.     https://thegogiver.com/podcast/   https://www.rickcoplin.com/podcast/   http://www.richdad.com/radio   https://www.success.com/podcasts     Of course, there are others, and another chair/table will be offered up at a future/TBD date/post :)   Be exceptionally wonderfully well!

Certain roles call for certain skill-sets or personalities. Sometimes there is no choice - we hire out of need.   In a perfect scenario, which kind of worker would you prefer to hire?

  Name: Chuck Homan II QB Community member name: @257113 Business: Homan Inc. Location: Eagle River, Alaska Launched: 1978   Chuck Homan started his career in construction back in the mid-1970’s working as a laborer for a homebuilder who rarely showed up to the jobsite. Chuck ended up running those jobs, so his father, a banker, suggested he might as well go out on his own. The two Homans, dad and son, started their business in 1978 with the financial backing of Chuck Senior and the construction skills of Chuck Junior, then only 19 years old. Today, 40 years later, Chuck is still remodeling and building homes in the Last Frontier -- a place where materials can be hard to come by and energy bills can go sky-high in the winter. We spoke with Chuck, a Certified Green home builder, about why building with sustainability is good for the planet and makes great financial sense, too. Chuck, what are some of the ups and downs you’ve experienced in your decades as a homebuilder in A

Small closed company with 2 directors, no other employees. t/o 200kDo I need to set up workplace pension?

  When we talk about environmentally-friendly business, all sorts of different terms get tossed around. Knowing what each one means can be downright confusing. Is your “fair trade” coffee “organic,” too? Is this flooring company using “sustainably produced” or “upcycled” materials? Does a corporation have a “social responsibility” plan in place? And what exactly does “green” mean?   The following definitions come straight from reputable sources and will help us better understand some commonly used eco-business terms. ______________________________________________________________________   B Corp: B Corp is to business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee or USDA Organic certification is to milk. B Corps are for-profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. (Source: bcorporation.net)   Carbon-neutral: One way for companies to negate unavoidable carbon emi

Hello all!   I own a Landscaping company and was wondering if I could just get some opinions/advice on 1099's. Is it better to put my employees (5) on a regular payroll, where taxes are taken out and a check is drafted up  or  should I issue 1099's at the end of the month, 3 month, 6 month or yearly and have them be incharge of their taxes.       (Title modified by editor for clarity)

When you run your own business, being financially “literate” means knowing exactly what you own and what you owe, setting and sticking to a realistic budget and saving every month for your retirement – and a whole lot more besides. Whew.   It’s not easy keeping up with all the learning and decision-making around countless money matters. Tell us:   What tools or strategies do you rely on to boost your financial literacy so you can run your business as efficiently and effectively as possible?   Do you rely on an accountant with superpowers? Webinars from your favorite financial guru? A Magic Eight Ball (we hope not!)?  Please share your secrets to boosting your financial literacy.   Want to learn more about financial literacy? Here are three posts you might enjoy. Financial Literacy Basics When You’re Just Starting Out Financial Literacy Basics When You’re Planning for Retirement 4 Ways Accountants Can Put Financial Literacy in the Spotlight Bookmark

Names: Jill Brown, Executive Director & Lauren Lynn, Community Engagement Coordinator QB Community member name: @257197 Organization: Northwest Kidney Kids Launched: 2006 Kidney disease isn’t curable, and families of children with kidney disease will spend months at a time in the hospital, followed by years of managing daily treatment. It’s exhausting and scary, which is exactly why such families need support from people who understand what they’re going through. Northwest Kidney Kids, an Oregon-based non-profit, connects families affected by kidney disease at their annual summer Kidney Kids Camp. This important event is free thanks to two yearly fundraisers -- a gala ball and a fun run. Jill Brown and Lauren Lynn are especially suited for working at NW Kidney Kids  because they both have young children with kidney disease. We spoke with these two women at the start of National Donate Life Month to learn more about planning fundraisers and the very important reasons why

Our very own QB Community business guru Julie Gordon White (@201192) knows a thing or two about helping small companies succeed. After all, she grew her own service business to $5 million and has since helped thousands of women entrepreneurs significantly grow their businesses, too.   Julie offered some valuable (perhaps even priceless!) tips and insights during a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) session. Here are five Qs and As we think our QB Community members will appreciate. 1. Present yourself as premium to charge premium prices   wabiguan: I'm a graphic/web/anything designer, plus I do hand lettering. I have trouble justifying my rates to customers. Do you have any advice on selling the VALUE of creative services? It’s definitely a weak spot in my salesmanship. I believe the issue is the perception that I create things from "nothing,” so it’s less obvious to the customer what my overhead costs are. How do I explain that just because I can draw a snazzy logo on a napkin in

    As independent workers who make a living through self-employment, it makes sense that we save for retirement on our own, too. Logical, sure -- but figuring out how to save for your own retirement can be a  daunting endeavor. Fortunately, there are savings and investment plans specifically tailored for people who work for themselves.   If you’re already saving your hard-earned dollars for your golden years, we give you huge props. However, if you’re in the one-third of small business owners who don’t save for retirement, we have some solid options to help you start saving for tomorrow.   There are four main accounts that self-employed people can use to save for retirement: a Roth/Traditional IRA, a SEP IRA, a Solo 401k and a Personal Defined Benefit Plan (there are other types of accounts, of course, like the SIMPLE IRA for small businesses with up to 100 employees, but we’re focusing on these four today). Here’s what you need to know about each one. Roth/

In the last few weeks we’ve had the privilege of profiling the 26 awesome women you see above for Women’s History Month. From artists to business owners, inspirational speakers to consultants, all of these women got real about their strengths, challenges and inspirations. We thank them for sharing their insight and wisdom with our QB Community. Here’s a round-up of a few of our favorite quotes from their profile articles. Julie Ball, owner of Sparkle Hustle Grow, on the loneliness of being an entrepreneur: “In my first few years of self-employment, I felt like I was working on a desert island. I knew a lot of solopreneurs get lonely, so when I started discovering these communities filled with other female entrepreneurs who wanted to collaborate and lift each other up, it was a life raft for me.” @mrsjulieball   Leane Reelfs, co-owner of Helming’s Auto Repair, on being a woman in an industry dominated by men: “Having a woman owner puts some people at ease. But not everyone feel

  Whether you’re newly self-employment or have been your own boss for a while, you’ve probably got taxes -- quarterly and otherwise -- on your mind. And well you should: Although we’d all rather spend our time building the business we’re passionate about, we still have to pay Uncle Sam regularly along the way.   That’s why we asked QB Community member Lynda Artesani, a bookkeeper and a QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor, for her top insights and tips on dealing with self-employed taxes. 1. Understand what the self-employment tax is   Self-employment tax (SE tax) is simply Social Security and Medicare tax for individuals who work for themselves. If you were employed traditionally, your employer would contribute half of these taxes, and the other half would be withheld from your paycheck. When you are self-employed, you are responsible for paying the whole amount.   You can figure out your estimated SE taxes by using an accounting program to calculate your ongoing i

Name: Desiree Wood Business: Trucker (owner/operator) and founder of Real Women in Trucking   Founded: Driving and advocating since 2007 When Desiree Wood started training to become a professional truck driver, her goal was simple: The single mom of two grown kids (and grandma to six) wanted to work hard and make a solid, dependable living. Desiree was homeless when she set out to earn her Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), and she was more than willing to spend both her days and her nights inside an 18-wheeler.   Imagine her dismay, then, when she discovered her chosen industry was rife with problems. Deeply concerned about everything from unsafe training standards, anti-trucker legislation and widespread hostility toward female drivers, Desiree turned her anger into action. Since 2007, she has launched Real Women in Trucking to give information and support to female truckers, created a series of video tutorials for beginning and seasoned women drivers and has built a stron

Sad but true: Stay-at-home moms (SAHMs) are half as likely to score a job interview compared to moms who’ve been recently laid off, according to a new study. “People viewed both unemployed applicants and stay-at-home applicants as less capable than continuously employed applicants, perhaps thinking their skills had become rustier while they were not working,” the study’s author wrote in the Harvard Business Review. “Respondents viewed stay-at-home parents as less reliable, less deserving of a job, and — the biggest penalty — less committed to work, compared with unemployed applicants.” At the same time, women are starting their own businesses in record numbers - many of them post-baby. Because we all know how much easier it is to strike out on our own when we’re “less committed to work.” Hmmm. In fact, there’s a very strong argument to be made that the experience of Chief Mommy Officer better prepares women to tackle new business challenges. But I am not going to make that argument. I

I live in Boca Raton - Florida - & need help - with a good accountant ! as I'm still figuring out how to use Quick Books Self Employed - is there someone local - that could help me - get my 2017 taxes done?  -  in time by the deadline ? of April 15th? - the accountant, Josh  - that helped me with my 2016 taxes - has not returned my phone calls - since the beginning of March - when I got a letter - that I faxed to him from the IRS - and his secretary - just point blank  - told me - Josh - your accountant  -  is too busy to help you with the IRS penalty letter - you got for the $98 in Penalties and Late charges - that were submitted - to you - & that because of the way - that Josh did my 2016 taxes  - that's what you got. - His secretary - told me - I should just pay the penalty fees and I will have to wait - to get my 2017 taxes done.  This is my last year - before - I turn 65 and my husband turned 65 last year - & Josh, the

  As a new business owner, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything you need to know – and, sometimes, everything you don’t yet know – about your finances. That’s why we congratulate you on making this stop on your journey to financial literacy. We know managing your money may not be fun or easy, but it’s critically important to your business success.   How critical? According to JP Morgan, 75% of small businesses in the United States only have enough cash on hand to operate for 30 days, and one-quarter are just two weeks (or one payroll cycle) away from bankruptcy.   Don’t be intimidated by these grim statistics. Instead, let them motivate you to better understand and control the financial health of your business.   Know your three key financial statements Business owners have plenty of paperwork to keep track of on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. But you need just three financial statements to see the complete picture of your business’s financial health. Th