Business Discussions

  Dana was diagnosed with breast cancer the day before her 28th birthday and two months before her wedding. Following reconstructive surgery and a grueling regimen of chemotherapy, Dana realized her body no longer fit in traditional lingerie and bras. So, she took her degree in fashion and design and turned it into AnaOno Intimates — a line of bras, underwear and accessories designed for women just like her. Now she's dedicated to helping breast cancer survivors of all ages feel beautiful and confident again. And as one of our recent Small Business Big Game top 10 finalists, we just had to learn more about her story. Take it away, Dana!     Name: Dana Donofree Business: AnaOno Intimates   What has most surprised you the most so far about running your own business? The outpour and outreach that I've received from other women who have bought and worn my product has truly been the most surprising.  They not only really love the way t

What makes your customers open up their wallets? Let's share what we know with each other in the comments below :-) 

 

Do you regularly adjust your pricing to account for market changes, inflation or other factors specific to your client base? Tell us about when and why you change your prices and how it's worked out for you!

  Name: Danielle Vincent Business: Outlaw Soaps Founded: 2013   Danielle Vincent was more than two years into a steady, well-paying job as a product manager for the Oprah Winfrey Network when she realized (okay, admitted) she was miserable. Professionally speaking, she was bored, unchallenged and, in her words, “grossly underutilized.” Pining for a dusty, rugged life in the great outdoors, Danielle and her husband, Russ, set out to develop a line of scented soaps that provided a whiff – literally – of campfires, whiskey and free-range living. Their “side hustle” culminated in a sell-out launch party. When they received their first official PO a short time later, Danielle gave three weeks’ notice before quitting corporate life for good. She and Russ ditched L.A. and headed for them thar’ hills in Northern California. Outlaw Soaps – including Unicorn Poop, Bacon and Blazing Saddles – was ready to roam.     What was the tipping point that inspired you to turn your “si

....and if so, profitable! For those of us here who are developing our ideas, learning from you is so valuable. :smileyvery-happy:

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Is it common for accountants to sell reports to their clients?  I would like to sell additional custom PDF's and sharable custom reports.  Does anyone have any suggestions on this?  I believe when I share a report with one of my client he then saves it.  How do "unshare" it?  

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tell me about quick book 

I have some past due payroll taxes (Form 941) from 2012-2013. The IRS is aware as much as I am. I also have not paid my 2016-2017 941 taxes. I am hoping to get this straight with a payment plan through the IRS. My question is in regard to my current payroll and taxes that I have due now. If I go on to EFTPS and schedule a payment towards the 2017/3 quarter, will the IRS keep it there because that's how I designated it, or will they move it back to my earliest past due balance from 2012? Once a payment plan is set up for the past due taxes, I imagine this wouldn't be an issue, but in the mean time, until a plan is set up, I worry they will try to apply to prior periods despite my designation...and that may mess things up more!Thanks for any feedback!

...or growing from 10 to 100? Something else? Share -- we want to know!

  Laura Ugokwe is a registered dietitian with her own nutrition consulting business. She started her virtual coaching practice four years ago and ever since then has been steadily growing her client roster.   Laura first attended QuickBooks Connect in 2014 after learning about it through a local women's networking alliance group. We asked Laura to share more about why the experience was so valuable for her and what she's hoping to take away from this year's event.     Name: Laura Ugokwe   Business: Results Professional Food Coaching   Started: 2012     What originally inspired you to start your own business?   My background is in nutrition and I worked in a gym setting for a long time as a coach.    Due to a variety of circumstances, I ended up having to move away from the area. I wanted to maintain my amazing client base, so I decided to start a virtual practice.    Today, I&

  How much fun did you have this summer? We hope you took some time out during the hottest months to relax, recharge and reboot. If you’re a parent as well as a business owner, we know it’s pretty likely you put your regular work schedule on hold (not always an easy thing, of course) to keep your kiddos happy and entertained.   But let’s face it: We’re already counting down to the first day back at school. That means you’ll soon be deep into your crazy, caffeinated, 24/7 routine, too. The transition from downtime to go-time isn’t always easy. Instead of wistfully watching the leaves begin to turn, consider these tips from your fellow entrepreneurs on how to jump back into a routine that can help you stay motivated, productive and organized – in winter, spring, summer and fall.   Routine matters   Have you thought much about how you start each busy business day? Our sources (that’s all of you!) swear their first-thing-in-the-morning routine is critical for getting t

  Tessa Worley knew early on that she wanted to create art to express her individual style and personality. So, from her studio apartment in Eugene, Oregon, she started doing just that with her handmade stationery business.    We asked Tessa to share her experiences (and struggles) with us and how she's learned to set milestones in her business.    Let's hear her story!                       Name: Tessa Worley Business: Fox and Bear Paper Company Started: March 2015   What inspired you to create Fox and Bear Paper Company? I'm currently a part-time student here in Eugene, Oregon. I've worked in a lot of retail jobs because, unfortunately, it’s really the only thing I can get. But, I’ve never really been satisfied at those jobs. When my husband and I moved to Eugene, I was at a crossroads in my life.   At the time, I was really unhappy with my job and I was struggling with depr

Good evening all! I've purchased 2 pieces of equipment and two web domains with a years pre paid website subscription. Total amounts to just under £400 so we're not talking big transactions here. I paid for these using my personal account due to my business account not being set up yet. I'm now up and running and would like to know how best to claim these expenses back.https://community.intuit.com/articles/1145751-paying-for-business-expenses-with-personal-funds This page shows how theoretically to justify it, but I just wanted to know if there are any real world examples from you guys. Will I just log it as suggested in the link, and simply make the transfer or will I hit any problems there?  Thank you!Daniel

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Hi, I am not an accountant (please don't answer "this is why people should use accountants they're not capable" type answers :) I'm the trustee and record keeper (AUSTRALIA). This year for the very first time my Australian Trust is given $664 worth of Australian publicly listed shares that also come with $285 in Australian franking credits instead of an actual real cash payment as its yearly dividend. By the end of the Australian tax year of 30th June, I am to distribute the trust income including Australian franking credits to the beneficiary but as the trust has only received $664 dollars worth of shares and $285 in franking credits, no actual physical real cash, how do I treat the above distribution to the beneficiary in the set of accounts? Taking a long term view Ideally I'd want the shares to remain in the trust and be allowed to grow in value, not distribute them out to the individual tax payer. However am I better to change the DRP arrangement back to a cash

Being laid off seems like the worst thing that could possibly happen to any professional. And while that may be true in certain cases, losing your job can offer newfound freedom and that’s otherwise impossible to attain. So if you find yourself in this situation, here are a few things to keep in mind as you navigate this uncertain time: Calm down. It’s okay to be emotional about being laid off, but don’t let those emotions override your practical judgment. Don’t take to social media to rant. Don’t badmouth the company to everyone you meet. Instead, take the high road. Let yourself experience the emotions you’re feeling, but do so in private and with as much perspective as you can muster. For some, calming down may take a while or simply a quick 15-minute rant in the car in your garage. Everyone processes experiences at their own pace. Just know that letting your emotions get the best of you may do more harm than good. Collect your belongings. Sometimes you won’t have much time to gath

    Etsy shop owner Amanda Williams started YarnHouseCreations while she was pregnant with her son, and she's been creating her quirky and colorful crocheted hats and mandalas ever since. Balancing a full-time job as a mother of two *and* growing her online store has been tough, but we love the creative ways that Amanda has learned to balance the work she loves with family life.    In a recent chat with us, Amanda shared her own experiences with starting a business and why she's focusing next on turning her Instagram followers into customers who keep coming back for more.    Read on to hear her story!    Name: Amanda Williams   Business: YarnHouseCreations on Etsy    Started: October 2015   How did you create your awesome job?   I was always interested in crochet, but that interest really kicked into overdrive when I was pregnant with my son. I never put my hook down! I spent tons of ti

Hi guys! So I've recently started my etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoodNightFoxStudio and I'm wondering if anyone has experience getting their products featured in other business owners subscription boxes. I'm trying to get my products out there both to get feedback and to do some marketing but I'm not sure if it's weird to just email a bunch of business owners and ask if they'll feature my products? I'm also wondering how much feels like too much to give away for free in terms of marketing. Thanks!

  Ever feel like you’re holding yourself back? Like there’s not enough time in the day and you can’t prioritize? Us too.   When it came to running my own small business, I was my own worst enemy. I’d wake up in the morning motivated for the day, but when it came time to leave my office, I felt bad about the things I hadn’t accomplished.   Trust me-- we all have self-limiting beliefs that prevent us from moving ahead.   Instead of letting negative ideas about yourself dictate how you run your business, take some advice from these QB Community members,  who’ve all found ways to overcome their self-limiting beliefs:   Sarah Harrison creates regularity and routine If you don’t have a routine, you have to make new decisions each day. It can be exhausting.   That’s why QB Community member Sarah Harrison reserves two hours each day — from 6am to 8am — for herself. Sarah has a strict policy that nothing — not even a pesky client or a loomin

  There’s no shortage of shiny apps to help you quickly and automatically schedule meetings, track invoices and payments, remember deadlines and communicate with customers. (You can find out which apps your fellow entrepreneurs love here.) But let’s face it: If apps were a fail-proof way to stay on top of all things, all times, well, that messy pile of receipts stacked dangerously high on the corner of your kitchen table – sorry, that’s your desk – wouldn’t even exist, right?   Right. But that pile of papers – or whatever the equivalent is in your non-stop self-employed life – is real, and it’s threatening to topple. Which leads us to suspect it takes more than just an app to help you squeeze the most of every minute of your busy day. We’ve pulled together some of your best tips and strategies for managing, and even saving, time. We think all of them may help you achieve some serenity, now.   Schedule your life (big time) As a professional videographer specializing in w