5 Ways to Simplify SMB Bookkeeping Practices

1. Flash the Cash

Accrual or Cash? If your business is coming in under $5 million in annual sales and inventory isn’t necessary to account for, there is really no need to use accrual methods of bookkeeping. The IRS advises sole proprietors to instead adopt the simpler cash method of accounting. Not sure? You can always change it later: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p334/ch02.html#en_US_2014_publink1000313285

5 Slip-Ups That Could Destroy Your Startup

Startups are an entrepreneur’s dream. You work for yourself. You develop a product and bring it to market. You hire competent, hard-working employees and create a workplace culture that reflects your values. Now, you're making money. Real money. Here's where many startups bite the dust. They improperly bankroll projects they can't afford yet. They don't build and enforce employee performance standards. They don't manage their workplace efficiency, or their finances.  To protect your growing startup from destruction, read about the most common slip-ups up-and-coming companies make.

Living the Dream Alpaca Farm - Putting the Idea Cafe grant win to work!

Editor Note: As a rule, all Idea Cafe grant winners provide monthly reports on how their business is doing since winning Idea Cafe's Grant. Here is the first update from Lisa Briggs, the owner of Living the Dream Alpaca Farm. Enjoy reading, and don't miss out on the opportunity to be inspired by her entrepreneurial spirit and business wisdom. In a six-month period she will share thoughts on how she uses the grant money in the best possible way in order to take her business to the next level.

Living the Dream Alpaca Farm is so pleased that we won the Idea Café 16th annual grant contest. We entered this with no idea the positive impact this contest would have on our new business. We now have hundreds of people following us on facebook, . We have started our show season  , we are at the Champlain Valley Fair in Northern Vermont and we have had 2 people come up to us and congratulate us on our  victory in the Idea Café  contest. It is amazing the emails we have received after winning the grant from people we have never met The show in Essex Junction Vermont that we are at has been  unbelievable for the first 3 days, far exceeded our expectations . People love our alpaca clothing!!!

Get Dialed-in on International Business

Whether you run a small business or a growing one, the desire to step outside your comfort zone and expand your horizons should always be on the table.

With technology changing how much of the world interacts, both on a personal scale and also on the business level, it is important that your company considers expanding internationally if you have products and/or services that would do well outside the U.S.

Tips On What To Consider Starting A Business Of One`s Own

To start a business of one`s own might sound scary, intimidating but fascinating at the same time. At some point, people may feel like being tired from working for somebody, tired of constant complaints of their bosses. It might even feel like quitting just so there was no need to listen to him/her complaining about something again.

Improve Your Small Business with a Digital Assistant

Stressed-out small business owners can simplify their hectic lives by turning their smartphones into a kind of personal digital assistant to drive productivity and improve time management.

More people are custom-building their own digital assistants these days by assembling clever combinations of productivity applications on their smartphones. Entrepreneurs can rely on smartphone apps to automate a range of mundane tasks and improve their business efficiency. The options for apps are nearly endless, so let’s start with some basic ways to simplify the management of your voice messages and daily tasks.

Is SIP Trunking Going to Impact Your Business?

More businesses are doing away with landline phone systems and converting to the cloud and VoIP technology.

If you haven't already made the switch with your business, you may wonder if it is worth the effort.

You may even question whether it is going to be required in the future and what impact it will have for your bottom line.

Are Your Mobile Subscribers Running Away?

Mobile marketing is now coming into its own.

More businesses are recognizing the benefits of connecting with their customers on their mobile devices. As text marketing becomes something that is taken for granted, it can be easy for business owners to be lulled into complacency.

But what happens when your subscriber base starts bottoming out?

Are Your Business Financials Truly Where They Need to Be?

We think about celebrities and envision the glamorous life, clothes, jewels, exotic vacations, private planes, you know all those things.

However, many of these celebrities are in financial trouble due to too much of those expensive things.

You as a business owner don't want to make these same mistakes.

Tunnel Your Way to a Better Brand

Your marketing funnel is supposed to be designed to turn prospects into customers. However, that is not always the case.

A leaky funnel is more about guess than statistics.

You hope your marketing efforts pay off, but you aren't sure. Your business doesn't have to function that way. Instead, you can make the right moves that ensure prospects convert.

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