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The Importance and Benefits of Small Business Certifications

There are many important benefits and advantages available to businesses owned by women and/or minorities, but in order to qualify for them a business must become certified as a minority- or woman-owned enterprise. Connections, marketing assistance, and technical training are just some of the benefits that come with certification, says Susan Rittscher, president and CEO of the Center for Women & Enterprise, the New England affiliate of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a leading certifier of women-owned businesses. (Others include the National Women Business Owners Corporation and the National Association of Women Business Owners.)

“First and foremost, if the diverse-owned business is interested in pursuing bids or contracts with a large corporation with a supplier diversity program, a state agency, or a federal agency, they must be certified in order to count toward supplier diversity goals,” Rittscher says. Another benefit of certification is connections to other certified businesses, which can be a powerful network of potential partners, clients, and advisors and mentors. “Certification is a strong marketing and selling tool for business owners when leveraged effectively,” she adds. Certified businesses may also have access to exclusive programs and services such as professional development workshops and networking and matchmaking events.

Tom Greco, vice president of ThomasNet.com, a free platform with a database of more than 610,000 companies, notes that there are many different ownership/diversity certifications that provide a competitive advantage to qualifying companies, and many businesses and government agencies are anxious to do business with them. “Indeed, 72 percent of buyers recently surveyed by CAPS, a research arm of the Institute for Supply Management, said they would be increasing their spending with diverse suppliers. Diverse businesses include Women-Owned Businesses and Minority-Owned Businesses as well as Veteran-Owned Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, HUBZone Businesses, and Service-Disabled Veteran Businesses,” he says.

While the process for obtaining various kinds of certification varies, Greco suggests that a business seeking any of the certifications mentioned above start by self-registering with the federal government’s System for Awards Management (SAM), since that is a requirement for most types of certification. Next, seek out one of the major certification organizations for your diversity group—such as WBENC for a women-owned business or the National Minority Supplier Development Council for a minority-owned firm. In most cases, minority-owned business certification falls under the purview of the individual states. Check out this useful list of certifying agencies by state to learn more.

It is important to note that in order to qualify for minority- or women-owned certification, the business must not only be owned by minorities or women but also controlled by them, says Dean dt ogilvie [ed. note: lack of capitalization is intentional and should be retained], the dean and a professor of business strategy at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Saunders College of Business. “They have to be the ones making the decisions about strategy, business, and structure. They can’t just be figureheads to get the certification,” she warns. Owners must provide required documentation to prove ownership and control; they must have contributed capital and/or expertise to the business; they must be U.S. citizens (or, for some programs, resident aliens); and they must be independent in decision-making, Rittscher says.

Lisa Firestone is president and owner of Managed Care Advisors (MCA), a woman-owned employee benefits and disability management consulting and workers’ compensation case management firm based in Bethesda, Maryland, and she believes certifications and the set-asides to which they provide access play an important role in leveling the playing field for companies like hers. MCA is a certified minority business enterprise in Maryland and several other states and a WBENC-certified woman-owned business. In 2012 it also became certified as an Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business. “Honestly, before my business entered into government contracting, certifications and set-asides were unfamiliar concepts, and ones that made me a bit uncomfortable,” she says. “But what I have learned is that there really is no ‘special consideration,’ but just an opportunity to level the playing field and compete effectively. Certifications can get your business noticed, but they are not a direct conduit to a contract. You still have to get out there, compete for that business, and win it.”

eleanordrury310 May 15, 2014 Today's Businessaccounting, business_finances, business_growth, business_plan, cash_flow, cash_flow_control, cash_flow_management, cash_management, finances, financing, The Importance and Benefits of Small Business Certifications 0 Read more >

Using Your Benefits of Certification To Advance Your Business

eleanordrury310 April 30, 2014 Today's Businessaccounting, business_finances, business_growth, business_plan, cash_flow, cash_flow_control, cash_flow_management, cash_management, finances, financing, Using Your Benefits of Certification To Advance Your Business 0 Read more >

Trying Not To Get Above Your Business

Trying Not To Get Above Your Business

Young men after they get through their business training, or apprenticeship, instead of pursuing their avocation and rising in their business, will often lie about doing nothing. They say; “I have learned my business, but I am not going to be a hireling; what is the object of learning my trade or profession, unless I establish myself?'”

“Have you capital to start with?”

“No, but I am going to have it.”

“How are you going to get it?”

“I will tell you confidentially; I have a wealthy old aunt, and she will die pretty soon; but if she does not, I expect to find some rich old man who will lend me a few thousands to give me a start. If I only get the money to start with I will do well.”

There is no greater mistake than when a young man believes he will succeed with borrowed money. Why? Because every man’s experience coincides with that of Mr. Astor, who said, “it was more difficult for him to accumulate his first thousand dollars, than all the succeeding millions that made up his colossal fortune.” Money is good for nothing unless you know the value of it by experience. Give a boy twenty thousand dollars and put him in business, and the chances are that he will lose every dollar of it before he is a year older. Like buying a ticket in the lottery; and drawing a prize, it is “easy come, easy go.”

He does not know the value of it; nothing is worth anything, unless it costs effort. Without self-denial and economy; patience and perseverance, and commencing with capital which you have not earned, you are not sure to succeed in accumulating. Young men, instead of “waiting for dead men’s shoes,” should be up and doing, for there is no class of persons who are so unaccommodating in regard to dying as these rich old people, and it is fortunate for the expectant heirs that it is so.

Nine out of ten of the rich men of our country to-day, started out in life as poor boys, with determined wills, industry, perseverance, economy and good habits. They went on gradually, made their own money and saved it; and this is the best way to acquire a fortune. Stephen Girard started life as a poor cabin boy, and died worth nine million dollars. A.T.

Stewart was a poor Irish boy; and he paid taxes on a million and a half dollars of income, per year. John Jacob Astor was a poor farmer boy, and died worth twenty millions. Cornelius Vanderbilt began life rowing a boat from Staten Island to New York; he presented our government with a steamship worth a million of dollars, and died worth fifty million.
“There is no royal road to learning,” says the proverb, and I may say it is equally true, “there is no royal road to wealth.” But I think there is a royal road to both. The road to learning is a royal one; the road that enables the student to expand his intellect and add every day to his stock of knowledge, until, in the pleasant process of intellectual growth, he is able to solve the most profound problems, to count the stars, to analyze every atom of the globe, and to measure the firmament this is a regal highway, and it is the only road worth traveling.

So in regard to wealth. Go on in confidence, study the rules, and above all things, study human nature; for “the proper study of mankind is man,” and you will find that while expanding the intellect and the muscles, your enlarged experience will enable you every day to accumulate more and more principal, which will increase itself by interest and otherwise, until you arrive at a state of independence. You will find, as a general thing, that the poor boys get rich and the rich boys get poor. For instance, a rich man at his decease, leaves a large estate to his family. His eldest sons, who have helped him earn his
fortune, know by experience the value of money; and they take their inheritance and add to it. The separate portions of the young children are placed at interest, and the little fellows are patted on the head, and told a dozen times a day, “you are rich; you will never have to work, you can always have whatever you wish, for you were born with a golden spoon in your mouth.”

The young heir soon finds out what that means; he has the finest dresses and playthings; he is crammed with sugar candies and almost “killed with kindness,” and he passes from school to school, petted and flattered. He becomes arrogant and self-conceited, abuses his teachers, and carries everything with a high hand. He knows nothing of the real value of money, having never earned any; but he knows all about the “golden spoon” business.
At college, he invites his poor fellow-students to his room, where he “wines and dines” them. He is cajoled and caressed, and called a glorious good follow, because he is so lavish of his money. He gives his game suppers, drives his fast horses, invites his chums to fetes and parties, determined to
have lots of “good times.” He spends the night in frolics and debauchery, and leads off his companions with the familiar song, “we won’t go home till morning.” He gets them to join him in pulling down signs, taking gates from their hinges and throwing them into back yards and horse-ponds. If the police arrest them, he knocks them down, is taken to the lockup, and joyfully foots the bills.

“Ah! my boys,” he cries, “what is the use of being rich, if you can’t enjoy yourself?”

He might more truly say, “if you can’t make a fool of yourself;” but he is “fast,” hates slow things, and doesn’t “see it.” Young men loaded down with other people’s money are almost sure to lose all they inherit, and they acquire all sorts of bad habits which, in the majority of cases, ruin them in health, purse and character. In this country, one generation follows another, and the poor of to-day are rich in the next generation, or the third. Their experience leads them on, and they become rich, and they leave vast riches to their young children. These children, having been reared in luxury, are inexperienced and get poor; and after long experience another generation comes on and gathers up riches again in turn. And thus “history repeats itself,” and happy is he who by listening to the experience of others avoids the rocks and shoals on which so many have been wrecked.

“In England, the business makes the man.” If a man in that country is a mechanic or working-man, he is not recognized as a gentleman. On the occasion of my first appearance before Queen Victoria, the Duke of Wellington asked me what sphere in life General Tom Thumb’s parents were in.

“His father is a carpenter,” I replied.

“Oh! I had heard he was a gentleman,” was the response of His Grace.

In this Republican country, the man makes the business. No matter whether he is a blacksmith, a shoemaker, a farmer, banker or lawyer, so long as his business is legitimate, he may be a gentleman. So any “legitimate” business is a double blessing it helps the man engaged in it, and also helps others. The Farmer supports his own family, but he also benefits the merchant or mechanic who needs the products of his farm. The tailor not only makes a living by his trade, but he also benefits the farmer, the clergyman and others who cannot make their own clothing. But all these classes often may be gentlemen.

The great ambition should be to excel all others engaged in the same occupation.

The college-student who was about graduating, said to an old lawyer:

“I have not yet decided which profession I will follow. Is your profession full?”

“The basement is much crowded, but there is plenty of room up-stairs,” was the witty and truthful reply.

No profession, trade, or calling, is overcrowded in the upper story. Wherever you find the most honest and intelligent merchant or banker, or the best lawyer, the best doctor, the best clergyman, the best shoemaker, carpenter, or anything else, that man is most sought for, and has always enough to do. As a nation, Americans are too superficial– they are striving to get rich quickly, and do not generally do their business as substantially and thoroughly as they should, but whoever excels all others in his own line, if his habits are good and his integrity undoubted, cannot fail to secure abundant patronage, and the wealth that naturally follows. Let your motto then always be “Excelsior,” for by living up to it there is no such word as fail.

eleanordrury310 February 6, 2014 Today's Businessaccounting, advertising, banker lawyer, branding, business, Business-Opportunities, Careers, Construction, consulting, customer service, died worth, dollars, Employment Careers, entrepreneurs, Equipment, ethics, experience, franchise, home-based business, human resource, management, Marketing, men, million dollars, money, Negotiation, networking, old, outsourcing, planning, poor, Presentation, profession, Project-Management, public relations, Resumes-Cover-Letters, rich, royal road, sales, sales training, Sales-Teleselling, Small Business, started life poor, Strategic-Planning, team building, Training-Development, Trying Not To Get Above Your Business, value, workplace 0 Read more >

Why A LLC Limited Liability Company The Right Formation for Your Business

Why A LLC Limited Liability Company The Right Formation for Your Business
Should you operate your business as a corporation? Or is there another, simpler alternative. You’ve probably noticed that in the past decade there are more and more businesses with their names followed by the letters “LLC” instead of “Inc.”. “LLC” stands for Limited Liability Company, is the newest type of legal entity that exists in the United States, and for many entrepreneurs it is the ideal marriage between the tax advantages of the limited partnership and the limited liability feature of the corporation. Now available in all 50 states—even to non-U.S. citizens–most likely the LLC should have a key place in your business structure. Why A LLC Limited Liability Company The Right Formation for Your Business

When it comes to legal entities for conducting business, limited liability companies are the newest kid on the block in the United States. The state of Wyoming was the first to pass legislation, in 1977, to establish this new entity. By 1999 all fifty states in the United States had enacted legislation to allow the formation of this exciting new legal entity.

But why is the LLC so attractive, so irresistible to legislators? And why have so many entrepreneurs opted for the LLC instead of a “C” corporation, or even an “S” corporation? And most important, how do you decide if it’s right for you?

Perhaps the most important reason is for the popularity of the LLC that the it satisfies the demands of both accountants and attorneys. Accountants tend to prefer the Limited Partnership (“LP”) because they are concerned about the dangers of “double taxation” if their clients use a corporation: If your corporation pays dividends, the corporation pays taxes on its profits, and its shareholders pay taxes again on those same profits when they are taxed on the dividends they receive. By contrast, attorneys usually prefer the greater asset protection offered by the limited liability that the corporation has to offer to all its owners.

Let’s begin with an understanding of what the limited liability company is. Basically it is a partnership among its owners, who are called “members”. The LLC is like a limited partnership (and an S-corporation), because it is a “pass-through entity”–each partner’s or member’s share of the net gain or loss for the year “flows through” to the individual tax-payer’s 1040 individual tax return. There is no separate tax to which the LLC itself is subject. On the other hand, the LLC is also like a corporation, because unlike the limited partnership–which requires a general partner, who is responsible for all results of all decisions and actions of the partners–all its owners benefit from limited liability.

People choose to form LLCs basically for the same reasons that they would elect to set up an S-corporation or a limited partnership. The LLC, like the S-corporation, is attractive if you have earned income that puts you in a high tax bracket, and you would like to be able to offset that income with the losses that you can normally expect to incur in your first years in a business. When I formed my first business entity twenty years ago, my husband and I selected the S-corporation. We both had salary income that placed us in a high tax bracket, and we knew that our new consulting business would incur significant capital expenses in the first few years. After all, we would have to purchase new equipment such as a fax machine, a laser printer, personal computers, and the replaceable supplies to operate them. We were also aware that it would take some time to build a clientele, so our income from the business would take a few years to take off. The S-corporation allowed us to carry the losses we incurred onto our individual 1040 tax returns. The losses were deducted from our gross personal salary income, and we paid dramatically lower taxes.

If you can get this advantage from an S-corporation, why would you bother with an LLC? The LLC has a number of advantages over the S-corporation:

1. First, LLC does not have the limitations that the S-corporation has on who can be a member of the LLC. Only individuals, estates, some trusts, and other S-corporations can be members of an S-corporation. Individuals (shareholders) must be either U.S. citizens or residents. By contrast, the LLC is not subject to these limitations. Thus, it is an ideal entity that you can combine with other entities in your business structure. For example, you can have a corporation or other legal entity be a member of an LLC. Why A LLC Limited Liability Company The Right Formation for Your Business

2. The LLC has much greater flexibility for allocation of rights, profits, and assets than the S-corporation. The S-corporation can have only one class of stock: In other words each share of stock has the same rights as every other share. This means that the allocation of profits and assets is extremely rigid. If Parties A and B are equal shareholders in a corporation, and the corporation decides to distribute its profits of $10,000, then A and B must each receive $5,000. This might not necessarily be equitable if one partner was much more active and produced a much greater share of the profits than the other. The LLC allows for A to receive, say, $8,000 if its business activities generated 80% of the profit, leaving B with the remaining 20%, or $2,000. This can be very attractive in a partnership in which there is a significant difference in the amount of capital and ongoing business activity that the partners are contributing to the business.

3. The LLC is not subject to the same corporate formalities that are required of the S or C corporation. While the LLC must still maintain appropriate LLC records and bookkeeping, it is not required to be managed by a board of directors and maintain minutes of regular board of directors meetings.

4. Unlike the S-corporation, liquidation of an LLC is generally not a taxable event. As your personal and business financial situation change over time, you may determine that it is no longer in your interest to maintain a “pass through” entity for your business. Once your business begins to turn a regular profit after the relatively high costs of the first year or two, you may decide that a C-corporation that is taxed at a maximum of 25% (unless it is a personal service corporation) would be more advantageous to you. If you have been operating as an S-corporation and you liquidate it by selling the liquidated assets to the shareholder(s) at their fair market value, the liquidation will be a taxable event. This does not apply to the LLC. This is one of the factors that makes the LLC particularly attractive for holding real estate. Why A LLC Limited Liability Company The Right Formation for Your Business
5. The concept of the charging order makes the LLC especially effective for asset protection. This makes it a particularly attractive entity for holding real estate. The corporation should not be used to hold real estate, because if the corporation is sued, the court might award shares in the corporation in the judgment. Control of the corporation translates into control of the property, and you effectively lose control over your real estate holdings. By contrast, the charging order, used with Limited Liability Companies as with Limited Partnerships, gives the plaintiff only the right to receive income distributions from the interest of the party or parties against whom the suit was brought. The charging order grants no voting rights or management powers. Thus, the existing managers or members could vote simply not to distribute income, thus leaving the plaintiff with no recourse; yet the plaintiff will have to pay taxes on the income allocated to her, even though the funds were not distributed(!). This offers a strong incentive for the plaintiff to negotiate for a settlement.

Clearly, the LLC is a powerful tool for protecting your assets against financial predators. If you use it for real estate holdings, you can maximize this protection by holding each piece of real estate in a separate LLC. Thus, if one LLC comes under attack from financial predators, the operations affecting only a single property will be affected.
Disadvantages of the Limited Liability Company

Needless to say, there are some disadvantages with the LLC–otherwise there would not be remain so many other attractive options for structuring your business. Why might the LLC not be the best option for you?

1. Increased taxes for LLC members in high tax brackets. Once your LLC is making a profit, its income passes through the individual members, who are taxed directly on that income, whether it is actually taken out of the LLC or not. Thus, members who are in a high tax bracket might pay higher taxes than they would if they used a C-corporation, which is subject to lower marginal tax rates. Proper planning of disbursements for expenses and other aspects of the business could overcome this disadvantage.

2. Higher initial filing fees for LLCs in some states. Some states may levy heavier tax obligations on LLCs in their initial years. Our home state of California requires that an LLC pay a minimum $800 tax in its first year, while corporations are exempt in their first year–whether the business has any earnings or not! It can still be worthwhile for you to start an LLC: If you have high start up costs, tax savings in the thousands of dollars will outweigh these higher filing fees.

3. Unlike corporations, LLCs do not have continuity of life, that is they are limited usually to a specific period of time (say, 50 years) depending on the state.
If an LLC member dies, the remaining members may vote to continue the LLC business. LLC interests can be gifted to other family members; and the LLC can have a trust or family limited partnership as a member, thus providing for effective estate planning.

4. The LLC is a relatively untested entity. There is the large body of case law on corporations but on LLCs. We may also expect to see changes in the laws governing LLCs as the implications of this new entity become more apparent to legislators.

Space does not permit coverage of all the advantages and disadvantages of LLCs, but clearly the LLC can be a powerful tool for operating your business, protecting your assets, and planning your estate. It is easy and inexpensive to set up on your own, if you use one or more of the items. Why A LLC Limited Liability Company The Right Formation for Your Business

eleanordrury310 December 17, 2013 Today's Businessaccounting, business law, corporation, deductions, estate planning, home-based business, incorporate, irs, Limited Liability Company (LLC), llc, Small Business, taxes, Why A LLC Limited Liability Company The Right Formation for Your Business 0 Read more >

Creating a Living Business Plan

Creating a Living Business Plan

To strengthen your focus and prospects for growth, commit your strategy to paper—and let it live off the page.Creating a Living Business Plan

1. Introduction: Plan Because You Need To

Staff members at the Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC) receive frequent calls for help in creating a business plan. The trouble is, the entrepreneurs who seek this assistance often aren’t launching new companies. They’ve been running existing companies without a business plan and sit down to write one only when forced to by banks or other lenders who need that document to process a financing application.

That approach deprives the company of a resource that can play an important role in driving and guiding growth. “The plan is really a management tool for the business owner,” says Joyce Krech, the SBDC’s director. “It’s a great piece of the lending package, as well, but we would prefer that they be doing it for their own purposes and not because they’re being asked to do it.”Creating a Living Business Plan

2. Stay On Course and On Target

Capturing your business planning process in writing gives you a solid analysis of the company’s mission, income, financial obligations, and paths to growth. Companies that operate without a written plan run the risk of getting distracted and thrown off course by opportunities that may seem interesting but aren’t really germane to their core business and function.

“They lose their focus, which just deters them from growth,” says Gwen Moran, founder of Biziversity, an online information resource for small businesses, and co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Business Plans (second edition, Alpha). “A business plan acts as your touchstone to keep you on track, to make sure that your business is performing in the way that you expected it to perform. Without a business plan, it’s very difficult to gauge those metrics and to know exactly what your business needs are at any given time.” Creating a Living Business Plan

Once the plan is written, how do you keep it in play and optimize its value to your business? Experts recommend that you revisit your plan each time you review the company’s performance—whether that means at annual or quarterly meetings or in regularly scheduled conferences with your financial advisor. That helps business owners to hold themselves accountable to their plans and look objectively at whether the company is on course in terms of liquidity, credit, human resources, pay scales, production capabilities, distribution and logistics systems, risk management, and marketing.

“A good accountant will be able to help you fine-tune your plan and see opportunities and pitfalls that you might not even see because you’re so in the day-to-day of your business,” Moran says. Other options include SBDCs, the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), or non-competing business owners who are interested in providing mutual support. “You’ll get insights from different industries and new ways of thinking about doing things.” Whichever option you choose, make sure you select advisors who are willing to stand up to you and make sure you engage in all the critical thinking necessary to maximize the company’s potential for success. Creating a Living Business Plan

3. Know How to Answer, “What If?”

These reviews will help you to assess not only how well your company is performing, but how thorough the plan is in anticipating what could go wrong and how you’ll handle those scenarios. “It could be a resource issue. It could be a competitive issue. The law could change,” says management consultant and business planning specialist Jenifer Grant. “There should always be a risk section in the business plan. And then you can assess, what happens if a key person goes away? What happens if the costs of our main ingredients go up? What if I need to hire people, and I can’t find them? You need to assess all the different risks that could have an impact on your business.”

And those if-then analyses aren’t limited to worst-case scenarios. You should also consider what you’ll do if, for example, your product takes off so much faster than anticipated that you suddenly need to ramp up production and contend with cash flow issues and staffing shortages. “Fast growth can be as much of a stressor as slow growth, or even more so,” Moran says. “You have demands placed on your business, and if you can’t meet the demands of your customers, you’re ultimately going to disappoint them, and they’re going to turn elsewhere.” Creating a Living Business Plan

Comparing what’s written in the plan with what’s happening day to day can even produce insights about entry into new markets or expansion of your customer base. “Then you start thinking, as one of my clients did, ‘I never thought about this particular type of customer for my product before, because I had one vision in mind, one road on my roadmap. I didn’t see this other parallel customer base that I can tap into at very little cost,’” Krech says. In that scenario, too, a business plan is an invaluable resource in helping the company to modify its course and take advantage of those additional opportunities. Creating a Living Business Plan

4. Bring the Whole Team on Board

But the business plan is not just a resource for entrepreneurs and executives. It’s a big challenge, but to get the biggest return on your investment in the plan, you’ve got to look for ways to make it live throughout the organization and ensure that it is supported by every employee. “On a day- to-day basis, you come in, you do your job, whatever it is,” Grant says. “It has to resonate with what you do—you, the individual employee.”

As a business owner, part of your job is to communicate the plan’s importance through your actions and behavior. “As you begin to fulfill your plan, it’s your job to talk to your employees, to talk to your team members, to get them as excited about your business as you are,” Moran says. She advises business owners to make sure their employees understand the solution that the company offers in its market and also the strategy you’re pursuing to achieve your market share. In addition, all employees should know their roles in the business and how they are important to the overall corporate vision. “That’s how you get buy-in. You need to be excited about your plan. If you’re not, then you need to go back to the drawing board until you find what makes you excited about your business, something that you can communicate to the people in your organization to get them excited about the difference that they’ll make in this process.” Creating a Living Business Plan

Moran offers the example of the CEO of a mid-sized manufacturing company who each month invites a small group of employees to his office for coffee, donuts, and conversation about the business. Giving employees that kind of access to a business owner who knows their names and asks after their families is a morale booster. It also gives staff members a chance to see how committed the boss is to the company. “When you see someone who’s truly excited or truly passionate about something, it’s hard not to care about that,” she says. “You get that great one-on-one face time. You get that opportunity to convey excitement, to convey enthusiasm, to let people know that they’re part of a winning team. And everybody wants to be part of a winning team.”

5. A Plan for Top Performance

Once you’ve integrated the plan into your company’s day-to-day operations, how often do you need to revisit and re-evaluate it? That depends on your business and its rate of growth. During periods of rapid growth or cash flow crisis, some entrepreneurs and venture capitalists find it necessary to review the business plan weekly to make sure the numbers are on track. And any time you pass a major milestone or hit a certain revenue target, it’s good practice to re-evaluate the plan and make sure that it’s still serving you well. At a minimum, experts say, you must review the plan annually, and a quarterly review is preferable. Creating a Living Business Plan

“When you keep a microscope on those numbers, they’re going to tell the story of your business. And too many business owners don’t,” Moran says. “They let a few financial statement periods go by before they actually look at the numbers. Then they realize that their expenses are far too high and their incoming revenue is far too low, and they start getting into trouble. But when you start following the numbers monthly and then doing a very serious dive into what’s happening in your business according to the metrics on a quarterly basis, that’s when your business plan starts to become a living, breathing document.” Creating a Living Business Plan

Ultimately, that shouldn’t come at the expense of a huge investment of your time. You can achieve these goals without creating a massive document; a few pages can suffice. The objective is to be equipped to compare current operations and numbers with a written projection or benchmark that points out any divide—positive or negative—between the company’s projected and actual performance. And over the long run, a resource that accomplishes that should save you time, keep your company on track, and help ensure that the business delivers on its potential for sustained profitability and growth. Creating a Living Business Plan

eleanordrury310 August 20, 2013 Today's Businessaccounting, business_growth, capital_investments_revenue, Creating a “Living” Business Plan, finances, financing, growth_business_plan, new_business 0 Read more >

Preventing Payment Fraud

Preventing Payment Fraud

Preventing Payment Fraud. Payment fraud is the crime that never goes away. While advances in technology are creating new ways to combat it, those same advances are also creating new ways to commit it. And since it’s constantly evolving, small business owners need to be more vigilant than ever. Click here to download our resource guide on preventing payment fraud.

Payment Fraud is part two of a series of informational resource guides designed to help small businesses understand more about fraud and how to stop it before it starts.

Click here to download part one in this series, Cyber Security: Preventing Data Breach Fraud. This guide deals with potential sources of data breach in your business and how to protect your valuable data. Preventing Payment Fraud. Payment fraud is the crime that never goes away. Defining payment fraud can be complex. Simply put, payment fraud occurs when a transaction is made for gain through identity theft, forgery, counterfeiting or other criminal activity. It usually happens with a credit card or check, but it could be any
form of payment.

Another way to look at payment fraud is that it’s constantly evolving. New payment
types and technologies have emerged recently, changing the tactics used by crooks yet
again. And it’s not only perpetrated by small-timers. Some of the most sophisticated
thieves around commit payment fraud. Preventing Payment Fraud

Small businesses might not be the only victims of this crime, but it could be argued
that they have the most to lose. In 2011, two-thirds of organizations across the country
experienced attempted or actual payment fraud. The typical loss according to one
study was $19,200.1 And most didn’t even know it until much later because another study
reported that it takes an average of 18 months to discover that fraud has been committed.
And in that study, the numbers are even more alarming, with median losses for occupational businesses at $140,000, businesses with fewer than 100 employees at $147,000, and one-fifth of all cases suffered losses of more than $1 million.Preventing Payment Fraud

Lack of vigilance makes small businesses good targets.
According to Javelin, more than half of small business owners use personal accounts
for business-related expenses, and 38% don’t even have separate accounts for their
company.

Another big reason small businesses are targeted is because, in general, they do not
take enough precautions. Just 5% perform background checks on potential hires. Only
18% have installed antivirus software. 3% offer employee training on Internet safety.
38% don’t reconcile accounts monthly. And a whopping 43% don’t have any safeguards
in place at all. Preventing Payment Fraud
Payment fraud comes in many forms.
There are many types of payment fraud. Here are a few of the more popular methods.
Counterfeiting:
With today’s technology, counterfeiting has become easier
for crooks. But there are ways to minimize your risk.
u Only accept money orders, cashier’s checks or
personal checks for an agreed-upon amount –
no more, no less.
u Use magnetic ink so that photocopies can
be detected.
u Make sure signatures are legitimate and not
just printed artificially.
u Look at the checks closely – misspelled
words or obvious changes are
a dead giveaway.
u Look for a Ben Franklin watermark and
vertical security strip on all money orders.
u If you are suspicious, always verify the check
with the financial institution it is drawn from.
Check theft:
One of the fastest ways a criminal can gain access to
your checks is to steal your mail. Once they have the
building blocks of your personal information, it’s only a
matter of time before they start cashing in.
And did you know that blank check stock could be
purchased quickly and easily over the Internet? This
makes it very easy for thieves to mock up fake checks
with your account information on it. Preventing Payment Fraud
Forgery:
One of the most popular forms of fraud is forgery, where
the thief fakes a check owner’s signature in order to gain
access to their money. But that’s not the only way to do
it. Any kind of false writing with the intent to defraud is
considered forgery, but the term writing is not restricted to
handwriting; it could also be typing, printing, engraving and
more. This applies to checks, other negotiable items, wills,
deeds, bonds, receipts, public records and contracts,
to name just a few. Intent is an essential component as
well; it is not forgery if one mistakenly believes what they
are doing is authorized.
Kiting:
Typically, kiting occurs when a bad check is drawn
from one account and deposited into another account
to keep its balance from dipping below zero. In effect,
this form of check fraud is playing with money that’s not
really there, and the crime here is that checks are being
misused as credit instead of as negotiable items. Kiting
can also occur within the same account, as in writing a
bad check for cash and taking it to the bank to deposit
before the account goes below zero. This buys a day or
two of float at a time. However it is accomplished, the
traditional motive behind kiting – in general – is to avoid
bounced checks.
Washing:
One of the most popular types currently is the process
of washing, where checks are physically altered by
using chemicals to remove ink, so that thieves can write
the check from scratch. To discourage this, you might
try using gel or rollerball pens to write checks, since the
ink stands a better chance of bonding with the paper
fibers of the check. Consider also high-security checks –
the combination of a bonding ink with such features as
hologram foil bars and heat-reactive ink circles can offer
you substantially more protection.
Credit card fraud can be devastating.
John L. was happy. His Arkansas computer company had just sent $17,000 worth of
high-end laptops to a buyer out of Denver. That’s a major sale, and would do wonders
for his bottom line.
Later, as the transaction processed, he found that the credit card the buyer used was
stolen. Goodbye, healthy bottom line.
Large orders, especially ones from out of state, should raise red flags for any small business.
Before you commit, check it out. If it’s legitimate, the buyer won’t mind. If not, you are taking a
big chance. In the end, failure to confirm his buyer’s identity cost John L. $17,000. Preventing Payment Fraud
Credit Card Fraud:
Technology is being co-opted in a big way when it comes
to credit cards and gift cards. One of the most inventive
ways is skimming, such as when crooks tap into slide
pads at ATMs so that when you go to make transactions,
you are effectively giving them all the digital information
that is on the card. Then it’s just a matter of transferring
all that information to a blank card, and before you know
it, they’re walking into a store with what amounts to your
credit card. Hidden cameras are usually involved as well
to capture your PIN information.
There are other ways to commit credit card fraud.
Here are just a few:
u The outright stealing of cards and making
purchases.
u Fraudulent purchases made online or
through the mail where a physical card is
not required. This sidesteps the risks of
shopping in a brick-and-mortar store and
security cameras.
u Filling out a credit card application with
someone else’s information
without permission.
u Phishing. Thieves can approach yoyou online
with authentic-looking websites and emails
from your bank or credit cards, asking you
to hand over information.
Don’t do it – initiate contact yourself to
prove that it’s legitimate. Preventing Payment Fraud
Online Payment Fraud: With the Internet being such an integral part of our
modern world, it’s no wonder fraud has flourished there
as well – in fact, an alarming amount of offline fraud
can also be committed online, and there are many ways
thieves can use email, chatrooms, message boards,
websites and more to do it.
One of the most popular is co-opting personal information
to commit identity theft. This can be done by friends
or relatives who have borrowed a legitimate card and
are using it for illegal purposes, or opportunistic thieves
who come across sensitive situations or valid payment
information and decide to act on it. Either way, initial
success could lead these people to repeat their crimes
time and again.
Another popular method of online fraud is stealing credit
card numbers. When it comes to purchasing online or bill
paying, some thieves realize that the only thing you need
to carry this out illegally is credit card numbers. Once
they’ve got your number, it’s incredibly easy to conduct
fraudulent transactions electronically. This is a hallmark
of phishing: Thieves approach you with an official-looking
email or website that asks for personal information. Never
fall for this. Even if you believe them, initiate contact yourself.
Also watch out for internal online fraud, especially where
employees have access to insider customer information.

Fight payment fraud
with these banking solutions.
Take advantage of cutting-edge banking solutions that can help protect you and your
employees from payment fraud.
ONLINE BANKING
u Secure logins. Typically, banks require customers to enter a login ID and
strong password.
u Encryption. Information exchanged is locked down tight with state-of-the-art
encryption such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.
u Firewalls.
u Up-to-date browsers required. Bank systems routinely check visiting browsers
to make sure they’re secure. If not, you are usually prompted to install one
that is built for both safety and privacy.
POSITIVE PAY
With Positive Pay, new transactions are reviewed against a list of approved payments
that you provide to the bank. If the payment is not on that list – it doesn’t get paid,
simple as that.
HIGH-SECURITY CHECKS
u Hologram foil bar – a reflective, 3D graphic that is easy to see, and
is difficult to copy or duplicate.
u Heat-reactive ink circle – this feature fades from color to color when
activated by touch or breath, providing safety from copying and solvents.
u Chemical reactive paper – when treated, visible signs of tampering will
be revealed.
u Fiber security weave – fibers within the check’s fabric can have a unique
design, discouraging counterfeiting, copying and scanning.
u High-resolution borders – detailed, intricate borders make duplication
highly problematic.
u Fugitive inks – washing causes extreme discoloration and fading of
preprinted details.
u Microprinting, fluorescents and more.
AUTOMATED CLEARING HO– — USE (ACH) SERVICES
Increase control over how and when you make and receive payments by engaging the
largest electronic network for financial transactions in the United States. Get improved
cash flow forecasting, greater accuracy, lower expenses and faster collection of funds.
Some banks offer even more protection for your ACH transactions, such as Positive Pay
and blocking or authorization for specific clients. Preventing Payment Fraud
To sum up:
The best defense is a good defense.
There’s a catch-22 when it comes to payment fraud. While advances in technology are
creating new ways to combat it, those same advances are also creating new ways to commit
it. And since it’s constantly evolving, small business owners need to be more vigilant than
ever. Involve your employees. Invest in countermeasures such as the banking solutions
above. Increase your security precautions. Because in this economy, payment fraud isn’t
going to disappear anytime soon. It is in your best interest – and in the interest of your
employees, as well as your customers – to stay prepared.
0To sum up:
The best defense is a good defense.
There’s a catch-22 when it comes to payment fraud. While advances in technology are
creating new ways to combat it, those same advances are also creating new ways to commit
it. And since it’s constantly evolving, small business owners need to be more vigilant than
ever. Involve your employees. Invest in countermeasures such as the banking solutions
above. Increase your security precautions. Because in this economy, payment fraud isn’t
going to disappear anytime soon. It is in your best interest – and in the interest of your
employees, as well as your customers – to stay prepared. Preventing Payment Fraud
To sum up:
The best defense is a good defense.
There’s a catch-22 when it comes to payment fraud. While advances in technology are
creating new ways to combat it, those same advances are also creating new ways to commit
it. And since it’s constantly evolving, small business owners need to be more vigilant than
ever. Involve your employees. Invest in countermeasures such as the banking solutions
above. Increase your security precautions. Because in this economy, payment fraud isn’t
going to disappear anytime soon. It is in your best interest – and in the interest of your
employees, as well as your customers – to stay prepared. Preventing Payment Fraud

eleanordrury310 June 2, 2013 Today's Business_preventing_fraud, accounting, fraud, fraud_guide, payment_fraud, payments_fraud, Preventing Payment Fraud 0 Read more >

7 investment principles for entrepreneurs

7 investment principles for entrepreneurs

by Karl Stark and Bill Stewart

7 investment principles for entrepreneurs. Those of us who have large investments in private businesses aren’t like typical savers. We need a different strategy for our personal investments.

Most personal finance experts tell a fairly consistent story about the need to build a diversified investment portfolio focused on long-term growth. But that type of investment strategy doesn’t necessarily apply to entrepreneurs and owners of private businesses, especially high-growth businesses.

We are a unique lot. Our concentrated investment in a risky but highly attractive company means that our overall investment portfolio is skewed differently than the average investor. One business owner once told us, “My business is my retirement strategy.” This perspective underscores the importance of building a plan that’s unique to your risk profile and your appetite for entrepreneurial opportunities. 7 investment principles for entrepreneurs

7 investment principles for entrepreneurs. Here are seven personal investment principles we have learned to keep in mind when your job is growing a business:

1. Build a “no touch” portfolio.

When you invest in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, put them out of reach by creating “no touch” portfolios in accounts that you will never access. This will reduce the temptation to dip into long-term investments to address a short-term need for a cash infusion if your business is struggling. You can create more protection by loading up your retirement accounts and your kids’ education accounts. These are places where there is a huge financial penalty to accessing those funds, which will keep you honest. 7 investment principles for entrepreneurs

2. Protect your assets.

Structure your investments–and your company–so that creditors can’t reach your money if the business runs into financial or legal peril. In addition to structuring your business appropriately, this also involves transferring assets to spouses and children where possible and investing within retirement accounts and real estate, which in some cases are out of reach. 7 investment principles for entrepreneurs

3. Diversify away from your business.

Seek investments in your portfolio that are counter cyclical to your industry and business cycle. Investing in commodities may be risky in general, but if your business is heavily linked to the broader economy or public equity markets, a counter cyclical asset such as commodities may be attractive.

4. Invest more conservatively outside your business.

Most investment professionals recommend a heavy equity portfolio for younger professionals and a larger fixed-income portfolio for older individuals. Given that an entrepreneur’s business may largely cover her “equity risk,” she may be better off with a more conservative portfolio outside of her business. 7 investment principles for entrepreneurs

5. Build a cash cushion for future entrepreneurial ventures.

Most of us can’t pass up a good deal when it comes along. That’s why we became entrepreneurs in the first place. If you have the luxury of cash outflows from your business, put a sufficient amount aside so that you can keep some dry powder when new opportunities present themselves. 7 investment principles for entrepreneurs

6. Make smart business investments.

The best way to protect your personal finances is to ensure that your business has a sound, balanced approach to investing its capital. Our recent column on a growing business’s investment strategy discussed this in some detail. 7 investment principles for entrepreneurs

7. Build a great business model.

Of course, the best personal investment strategy may be your business itself. After all, your business can be your retirement strategy if it’s successful. Building your business should be what you do best. So focus your time and effort there and leave the investing to a professional. 7 investment principles for entrepreneurs

We should note that although we advise private investors on investing in growth companies, we aren’t investment advisers. We can share our own thoughts and experiences, but for more targeted advice you should seek a professional investment adviser. 7 investment principles for entrepreneurs

eleanordrury310 June 1, 2013 Today's Businessaccounting, assets, budgeting, business_finances, business_model, entrepreneur, investment, personal_investment, portfolio 0 Read more >

Best Practices for Improving Your Payroll Operations

by Iris Dorbian.

It may be among the least sexy aspects of running a small business, but that doesn’t mean that payroll shouldn’t be a priority. An effective and efficient payroll operation facilitates timely and accurate employee pay while withholding taxes correctly in accordance with state and federal regulations. Having a system that fails to perform these basic functions will not only incur the justifiable wrath of employees, but could also result in penalties, audits and other draconian measures that could threaten to end your business.

No doubt, if you’re an experienced small business owner, you already know this and have some kind of payroll system in place. But as the famous writer Oscar Wilde once said, “It is always with the best intentions that the worst work is done.” Suppose your payroll system has experienced some software glitches lately or perhaps was not in compliance with federal and state tax regulations. How do you rectify these errors, ensuring they will never happen again? What best practices should you, as the small business owner, undertake to improve your payroll operations?

Minimize your pay cycles

Having different pay schedules for different types of employees, such as monthly for management or bi-weekly for hourly employees, may be a commonplace practice, but it can lead to duplicating errors in the payroll process.

”The less of these schedules, the better,” says Tiffany Washington, owner/founder of the five-year-old Waldorf, Maryland-based Washington Accounting Services, which specializes in small business payroll and has close to 1,000 clients.

“Minimizing pay cycles can help prevent the duplication of multiple processes so that the payroll department can operate more efficiently,” she continues. “To maximize efficiency, every type of employee should be paid on the same pay schedule (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly). This will allow the payroll department to focus on one task at a given time. Having one pay schedule to maintain instead of three is a lot easier to maintain. It will also lessen the chance for errors to be made during the payroll process.”

Integrate your systems

You may have an online payroll system you consider state-of-the-art, but it will ultimately prove to be counterproductive and costly if it doesn’t mesh with your accounting system. Washington cites a client, with 33 employees, and more than a dozen out-of-state workers, that recently encountered this problem. These distant employees, coupled with the incompatibility of the client’s online payroll and accounting systems (which the client was initially not aware of), was wreaking havoc on the payroll operations, particularly when it came to following out-of-state regulations and administration fees.

Although the withholding of taxes was being done correctly, explains Washington, “the unemployment [taxes weren’t] being coded to the correct state where the employee lived. Instead it was being coded to where this employer was located, which was in Maryland. So everyone was getting unemployment in Maryland instead of it being coordinated to the specific state that they were living in.”

Washington and her staff rectified the situation by filing “two years of amended unemployment returns,” she explains. But not even that cleared things up completely. “There were some penalties that had to be paid because things were not filed in a timely fashion, but we were able to get them up and rolling and in compliance,” she notes.

Outsource your payroll

If you’re a small business owner who doesn’t have the time or energy to invest in building a new payroll system or updating an older one, you may want to consider outsourcing it to a third-party provider. However, before you sign up with any payroll service, do your due diligence and make sure you get referrals from other reputable small businesses or people whom you trust. And remember, the cheapest is not always the best.

“You ‘get what you pay for’ from service providers, and often times, going with a provider based solely on price means you sacrifice important things like customer service or flexible platforms,” says Jason Maxwell, president of MassPay,, a payroll provider for small businesses. “Some companies will simply look online for a payroll service, or use a website to seek out competitive bids. A business owner might find the cheapest deal this way but could easily end up using an out-of-state provider that is not familiar with specific state regulations. Going with the cheapest option may also mean you sacrifice accuracy in processing.”

Washington strongly echoes Maxwell’s sentiments and adds that very small businesses may want to find a payroll or accounting firm that can also offer bookkeeping, accounting, and payroll together. “It can definitely be cost effective,” she says. With outsourcing, small business owners “are no longer accountable for payroll mistakes.” This also applies for not being responsible for legal compliance as well.

Understand state and federal tax guidelines

If you don’t calculate your payroll taxes correctly, you will incur a penalty. The only question will be when and how much.

Tom Reahard, CEO of Symmetry Software, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based company that specializes in providing payroll and payroll-related software applications to both small and large businesses, suggests that at the end of each pay cycle, small business owners should “look at their payroll register to make sure the taxes being withheld are correct.” Also, run reports that will show your federal and state liability as well as when those taxes are due.

By following the above tips and paying attention to details, you can improve your payroll operations in no time. Not only will you be thankful for turning this integral aspect of your small business into a well-oiled and reliable machine, but so will your employees.

Disclaimer: Since the details of your situation are unique, you should always seek the services of a qualified CPA, tax advisor, and/or other financial professional.

eleanordrury310 December 14, 2012 Today's Businessaccounting, Best Practices for Improving Your Payroll Operations, small_business, small_business_taxes, tax_management 0 Read more >

Profit Centers: How to know how much money your business needs to survive and grow

Profit Centers: How to know how much money your business needs to survive and grow. Today small business get in trouble by not focusing on the things that make them more profitable – they do not take advantage of their profit centers – as a small business you must know and realize where you make the most profits – KNOW YOUR PROFIT CENTER!

Running a business day to day and figuring out your profit and loss (P&L) usually end up a task for an accountant once or twice a year, however maintaining a healthy business, you have to track all your revenues and expenses for your business at least quarterly to understand your debt, your tax liability, how much to reinvest in your business and build up a cash reserve. You need to know and understand and compare your business every business in your industry.

Here are a few thing you know to be mindful in assessing your profit center.

Trim the fat. Trimming the fat in your business
Know Your Profit Center – You Must Focus on Your Target
Small Business Needs Large Profits
Minimize Overhead Results in Higher Profits
Network Your Business and Use Social Media to Grow

eleanordrury310 October 11, 2012 Today's Businessaccounting, budgeting, business_finances, cash_flow, How to know how much money your business needs to survive and grow, Profit Centers, Profit Centers: How to know how much money your business needs to survive and grow, small_business 13 Read more >

When is the Right Time to Bring Small Business Financial Experts on Staff?

Small Business – When is the Right Time to Bring Small Business Financial Experts on Staff? by Susan Caminiti.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of nearly all entrepreneurs is the passion they bring to their businesses. But whether you’re a skilled butcher, a terrific baker, or the best candlestick maker in town, there are functions of your company that you’ll need help with. And there’s no aspect of running a small business where this is more apparent than your finances for your small business.

“Money is so personal and that makes many entrepreneurs more skittish about handing over control,” observes Mark Koziel, CPA and vice president of the American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the world’s largest association representing the accounting profession. “A small business owner who wouldn’t think twice about reaching out for IT help is often the one who thinks that they, or maybe a bookkeeper, can handle all their finances.”

To figure out the kind of financial expertise your business needs—and when it’s time to hire a controller or even a chief financial officer—experts say it’s essential to answer a few basic questions:

What kind of growth do you envision for your small business? Will it remain a fairly small venture or will the business eventually expand to the point where it requires hiring dozens of employees?
Does the business finance receivables and inventory? Will it need funding for additional locations, offices, and equipment?

Are you looking to attract venture capital or any other type of private equity?

“When I work with small business owners I ask them to honest with me about how big they really want their companies to be,” says Barbara Steinmetz, president of Steinmetz Financial Planning in San Mateo, California. “Not every business owner wants to run a huge company with hundreds of employees.”

In that case, she says, a good bookkeeper is often enough. This person, says Steinmetz, can be full-time or part-time and should be able to keep accurate financial records that are detailed enough to enable an outside accounting firm to prepare your company’s taxes. Don’t wait until tax season, however, to discover that certain information might be lacking. Advises Steinmetz: “Keep in touch with your tax professional throughout the year. Ask if they have the documents they need and if they truly have your company’s complete financial picture.”

Despite what many small business owners may believe, there’s not one milestone revenue figure that signifies it’s time to move beyond a bookkeeper and hire a controller. Even if your business is small sales-wise, if it’s growing quickly and adding customers at a rapid clip, you should hire a controller, says Koziel of the AICPA.

Peter Fazio, executive vice president of Sterling Affair Caterers in New York City, first hired a controller two years ago when he was “done making so many mistakes.” In the early days of his company, he says, having a bookkeeper on staff was enough to handle Sterling’s bills and its receivables. But as his company grew—it now caters nearly 500 events annually—and Sterling began working with more and more vendors, Fazio says he knew it was time to bring in someone who could take a more holistic approach to Sterling’s finances.

For instance, when he was interested in looking for alternatives to the company’s outside payroll vendor, his controller was able to investigate different options and negotiate a better price, saving the company about $15,000 this year. Sterling’s controller was also the person who initiated conversations with different banks to get a better rate on the company’s line of credit. “I may have the idea of different things to look into, but I don’t have the time to follow through,” Fazio explains. “[The controller] has enabled me to take this company to the next level because I have her to focus on all the financial issues while I run the company and plan our events.”

One of the biggest obstacles in hiring any financial expert on staff is the trust factor. Fazio admits it was tough at first. “This employee knows every single thing about your business, including what you pay each employee and how much money you make,” he says. However, he is adamant about one thing: “If you try to segregate out information or just give a controller some information and not all of it, the relationship will fail,” Fazio warns. “Sign whatever confidentiality agreement you have to, but make sure your controller has all the facts.”

In addition, if a company is looking to attract venture capital or any other type of private equity, then it’s likely to need a chief financial officer. Ron Johnson, president of WAGIC, a product design, engineering, and manufacturing company based in Los Gatos, California, has had a CFO on board since his firm’s earliest days in the mid-1980s. “We raised outside capital when we were first starting out and those investors wanted to know we had someone who had plenty of experience managing the finance side of the business,” he says.

Johnson does acknowledge that for many small, early-stage businesses, cost is a factor. “At the end of the day, it does come down to what you can afford,” he explains. “However, spending $3,000 or $4,000 a month to have the services of a part-time CFO may be the best money you’ll ever spend because of the level of financial expertise they bring.”

eleanordrury310 February 24, 2012 Today's Businessaccountant, accounting, accounting_business, accounting_solution, accounting_tips, accounts_receivable, aicpa, business_finances, cpa, finances, financial_advisor, financial_advisory, financial_expert, outsourcing, When is the Right Time to Bring Small Business Financial Experts on Staff? 3 Read more >

Tag Archive: accounting