Business Discussions

Hello! I'm not sure if I'm reaching for the moon to have both a dynamic AND affordable social media person to take over my social media (sojournbox.com), however, I thought what better place to turn, but QB Community!  :)  A bit of what I'm looking for:+ Manage Instagram/Facebook+ Possibly manage Mailchimp campaigns+ Would love them to be Bay Area based (but definitely not a must) Have any of you attempted to hire out this work? Good experience? Less than good experience? Interns?  I would LOVE love LOVE any feedback. Many thanks in advance!Warmly,Joanna

Names: Liz Castelli, Adette Contreras & Erica Taylor Haskins​, Founding Partners QB Community member name: TINSEL Business: TINSEL Experiential Design Location: Brooklyn, NY Launched: 2010​ The event design team at TINSEL has been making beautiful music together since they were in college. Erica Taylor Haskins, Liz Castelli and Adette Contreras originally met while singing with the The GW Vibes at The George Washington University. Many years, and a few day jobs later, the three now run a successful business designing high-end events for clients including Squarespace, Botkier, Swarovski and KLM Airlines. Early on in their entrepreneurial adventure, the co-founders laid out 15 core values for their business. Clearly defining those values has helped them grow TINSEL from a wedding planning side-business into a full-time luxury “experiential design” firm working with a collective of 80+ creatives, all while staying true to their company culture and mission. We spoke with Erica, Liz

  Name: Lynda Artesani QB Community member name: lynda Business: Artesani Bookkeeping Location: Estero, Florida Launched: 1999 as Rhode Island Bookkeeping; 2007 as Artesani Bookkeeping   If you’ve spent any time in here in the QB Community, you’ll be familiar with Lynda, one of our most active and engaged members. Chances are, if you’ve asked a QuickBooks-related question, Lynda, a QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor, has answered it. Why is Lynda so generous with what she knows? It’s simple. She likes helping others, and she loves what she does. We spoke with Lynda about keeping books for other people and running her own side business, too. Plus, she shares hot tips for dealing with Self-Employed Taxes. Lynda, how did you become a bookkeeping entrepreneur? Accounting was always my thing, even way back in high school. Later, when my children were small, I had several jobs as a bookkeeper. I ended up working full-time as a building manager in Providence, RI, managing 300 uni

  "In order to grow big, you have to THINK big."                    - Julie Gordon White   Sometimes we could really use a little help from our friends. Would you love some help thinking big? Julie Gordon White and the QB Community are here for you. Join the Momentum to $1 Million Group launching on Monday, April 2! Click here to join now!   Julie Gordon White Helps Businesses Owners "Think Big and Grow Big" So They Can Sell Big  

I have a condo Assoc who received a 1099S for sale of an easement.  Unfortunately, the Condo association does not own the land but is the individual members. Can the condo association issue a 1099S to each of the landowners for their portion of the proceeds?

A few of my clients routinely run late on paying their invoices. They are repeat customers who always pay eventually, but their inconsistency makes it difficult for me to plan ahead. Any recommendations on wording for the note on my reminder invoice? I want to convey that I appreciate their business while also reinforcing that I need these invoices to be paid on time!

Even the most promising startups can be derailed by supply chain drama. Case in point: ice cream sandwich entrepreneurs Paula and Chris White of 600 lb gorillas.   The couple quit their desk jobs and started 600 lb gorillas in 2000, selling all-natural frozen cookie dough. The product was a hit and, at the urging of their buyer at BJ’s Wholesale Clubs, the Whites expanded into the ice cream sandwich business. They hired a production outfit called Mister Cookie Face to manufacture ice cream sandwiches from their cookie dough and premium ice cream sourced from a Vermont supplier. Customers loved it. Sales soared.   Then Mister Cookie Face was acquired by Fieldbrook Foods, a major ice cream producer. Fieldbrook Foods made the Whites a tempting offer: “Why not cut costs by letting us make your ice cream for you?” No formal contract - just a few product specifications and a handshake.   Things didn’t go well. Customers complained of inferior ice cream taste and texture, and

QB Community members love exchanging ideas, insights and inspiration. Not a member here yet? Click HERE to register, and join the conversation today! Name: Leane Reelfs QB Community member name: @CarGirlLeane Business: Helming’s Auto Repair Founded: Leane and her husband, Mike, bought the existing shop in 2001 Leane Reelfs never imagined she’d one day own an auto repair shop. Sure, her husband, Mike, had worked for the original owner for a decade. But Leane, who’d previously worked in food service and in publishing, knew making the transition from employee (and employee’s wife) to small business owners could be tricky. Turns out, they were up for the challenge. Today, Mike focuses on the service in the back of the Mountain View, CA-based shop. Leane manages all aspects of the front – from customer service to marketing to accounting. She’s an ASE Certified Service Advisor, too. More importantly, she’s known for providing a warm, friendly “Leane Experience,” making her Silicon Valley cu

  Name: Ana Rivera Business: The HVAC Guys Founded: 2016 A couple of years ago, on an otherwise ordinary day, Ana Rivera was working as a property manager in La Habra, CA, when her husband came home from work unhappy. Luis worked for a large heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) company, and he was frustrated by the pressure to replace, rather than fix, HVAC systems in order to meet certain quotas. “It just didn’t sit right with him,” recalls Ana. Within a week, the couple, who are parents to five kids, had made the momentous decision to open their own business. The goal: to build a company around their “family first” values and their commitment to their Orange County community. Ana, you and Luis made a life-changing decision out of the blue and in record time. Is that typical for you guys?   Not at all! Before I make a decision, I like to sit down, make a plan and figure out how to execute it. When Luis left his job and we opened The HVAC Guys a week later, it w

Does anyone know of some funding sources for nonprofits?  We want to establish a line of credit or some other funding source.  We are a small national nonprofit.  

  Name: Aytakin “Ika” Aliyeva Organization: Femigrants Foundation Location: Mountain View, California Launched: March, 2017 Aytakin “Ika” Aliyeva became passionate about pursuing a career in social media after witnessing the organizational power of Twitter and Facebook during the Arab Spring of 2010. So she came to the United States from Azerbaijan, earned a college degree in social media marketing and, with $300 in her pocket, moved to San Francisco. Today, Ika (“eye-kuh”) contracts for Instagram/Facebook and successfully launched Femigrants Foundation to support immigrant women entrepreneurs -- but it was a very lonely and difficult start on the road to achieving her American Dream. We spoke with Ika about building a 2,500-member community of immigrant women, the challenges she has faced and overcome and her ongoing belief in the power of social media. Ika, what did you do before you founded Femigrants? Before I came here I had a good job with an oil company in Azerbaijan, b

We want to share print, scan, and fax among multiple computers. How can we do this?

Are you a "joiner"? If so, what do you get out of being a part of a group? If groups aren't your thing, why not? How do you connect with others in your community, your industry, and your marketplace?

Last July I proclaimed my New Years Resolution for 2018 figuring that I would need the extra couple months of preparation.  With the first of many pending deadlines now passed, I am happy to report that I am holding true to my personal promise.    I wanted to give a shout out to all my fellow accountants during this busy time of year and share the beautiful sunset here in Ventura, CA!  Thanks to QuickBooks Online you could always suffer through taxes out here with Parkway!   During such a busy time of year, it is easy to loose focus on the amazing things that surround us everyday. Remember the say is "Work Hard... to Play Hard"   Tax Countdown 36 Days till March 15th 67 Days till April 15th   68 Days till _______________   Fill in the blank!  What are your plans after tax season?

  What are you doing to acknowlege this important day, one that's celebrated around the globe?  Share your ideas and stories, and you'll inspire others in our community to do the same! 

Good Afternoon, I just recently started a S corporation based in NYC on October 2017. I am going through the software to file the S corporation form 1120s. The S corporation has not made any income, but I have opened a seperate business account and deposited cash. Additionally I purchased goods with that accoutn but has not been sold yet. The cost of good is very low which is only 200 dollar. Would that be included in part of the total asset? Does the total asset include all the cash deposit in the business checking account? Additionally would this be a short tax year from october 2017 to december 2017? Does the Section 263A costs need to be calculated?

Real-life sisters Tara and Crystal Luxmore are "beer sommeliers" who have brewed up a business devoted to tasting, talking, and writing about the sudsy stuff - but they didn't do it alone. The sisters credit networking with like-minded women entrepreneurs in a variety of sectors for their remarkable success in a largely male-dominated industry.        How important is networking for your business development? Does it makes sense for women in business to seek out each other's support, even though they may not work in the same industry?

Name: Thea Villaseñor Business: Thea's Vintage Living Location: Portland, Oregon Launched: 2006   For Thea Villaseñor, “antiques seller” may be an accurate job description, but the real mission behind her business is finding a new home for beloved objects. The daughter of two antique dealers, Thea has been treasure hunting since she was a child. Thea opened her antique store,Thea’s Vintage Living, in 2006, before smartphones and online shopping were the norm. The retail world has changed dramatically in the last decade, and, recently, Thea decided to change her business model. Instead of running a brick-and-mortar antique retail business, she would shift her focus to estate-sales services. We spoke with Thea at the very beginning of her one-year business transition. We will check in with her twice more in the coming year as she transitions. Thea, tell me how you got into the vintage retail business?   I have loved antiques since I was a child. My parents were antique dealer

I've worked in restaurants, food service, retail, and catering establishments where there are lots of moving parts and huge teams. There are times when I have a task that needs doing but I can only be in so many places at once. I trust my leads, but I often wished there was a better way to set tasks and communicate with everyone more efficiently than a radio (no written instructions) or checklist. So over the last month I've been fleshing out an idea for an app that could help with quick task and team management.    But, before I even start with architecture, I have to stop and think about the ramifications of encouraging workers to be on their phones if I were to put out an app.  I'm sure everyone who runs operations in a service environment has come across this problem. Thinking back, I used texts with some teams and never had a problem, but other times it seemed I'd given them an excuse to not pay attention when they're on the floor.    Have you seen an

I am just beginning to clean a medical office. They will be giving me a 1099 at the end of the year.. I need help knowing what I can deduct; ie: food, gas, supplies! I also need to know if I should pay taxes quarterly!! This is all so new .. HELP ME, PLEASE!!!

  Welcome! We’re so happy to see you here. You’ve just discovered the part of the QuickBooks Community where you can always find a wealth of resources, information and tips related to building and growing your own business.   We know getting paid is a top concern for most of us – and for good reason. What can be done right now to ensure you get paid on-time, every time, from now until forever?   Here are three strategies to consider.   1. Optimize your invoices Your invoice is a lot more than just a reminder about payment due. Every invoice you send is an opportunity to positively engage with your customers and reinforce your brand as friendly, professional and reliable. A personalized, well-designed invoice helps you strengthen client relationships – and, as a result, may even keep your business top of mind when a customer needs products or services in the future.   We’ve got three strategies for super-charging your invoice   2. Simplify your systems I

Hi,I was planning to start a Website for Engineering Design Software.People would visit my site and purchase the software straight away by clicking on its pic. I have the reseller ship of this software. Its one of the popular Design Softwares.My company is already registered. I intend to use SEO / PPC / CPM to bolster my campaign along with B2B / AL / BL activities.Any suggestions?

I frequent a very small cafe that orders coffee from a well-known local speciality roaster (whose name shall be stricken from the record). About 2 months ago, the shop started selling 12oz retail bags to customers, ordering about 10 - 15 bags a week.   Today, we were looking at the roast dates on bags and I was shocked - the"new" shipment they received last week was already a month old.  It turns out they've consistently been given old coffee since the beginning.   A month old isn't necessarily "bad," it's totally drinkable. Many people wouldn't care. But it's not ideal - fresh coffee is at its peak for about  2 ~ 3 weeks. I've worked in the industry for +10 years and that was a huge red flag. It feels like they've been bamboozled a bit.    If the shop is paying top dollar for coffee beans, they should be getting a top-shelf product.   The owner and I talked for a bit and agreed that there should be a change. But the owner is having a hard t

It’s Employee Recognition Day! Dr. Bob Nelson, author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, created the day in 1994, so it may surprise you to know that he now thinks it’s a “little silly.” The idea behind the day, he said, is to not only recognize employees one day a year, but to make this the day you have a conversation about recognizing employees all year long.   How important is recognizing employees? It affects employee retention and your bottom line. A survey of full-time employees showed that 50% considered employee recognition as a reason to stay with a company, while another found that 46% of employees surveyed considered recognition in the workplace very important, but only 26% were very satisfied with the level of recognition they received.   Employee recognition not only gives credit where credit is due, it also helps keep costs down - decreasing cost-to-hire and reducing time spent on interviewing, hiring and onboarding a new employee. Happy employees also increase

  Name: Julie Ball QB Community member name: mrsjulieball Business: Sparkle Hustle Grow Location: North Carolina Launched: 2016 Julie Ball is the owner and “Chief Sparkler” of a booming subscription box company, Sparkle Hustle Grow. She is dedicated to inspiring women entrepreneurs to grow not just in their businesses, but in their personal lives, too. We spoke with Julie about how she got started, why she is so passionate about supporting her “tribe” and what’s next for her outside the box. Julie, what did you do for work before you started your own business? The long story short is I spent ten years in corporate America, most recently as a digital sales manager in radio. When I found I was pregnant, I had a mindset shift that I wanted to start my own business. I have a masters in Internet marketing, so I can work anywhere I have an internet connection. I launched a business in 2011 called Grow Web Marketing, a web design and development firm. Fast forward six years, and my bu