Business Discussions

Hello Community! We did it again, we made it to Thursday! After a week of cloudy skies and rain, the sun is finally out and my peonies have bloomed! It’s going to be a good day. :) Today I’d like to give you some of the most important tips from small business owners. Let’s get to it!   Be meticulous with your recordsPretty self explanatory but one of the keys to a successful business is having accurate and complete records. This includes payroll, transactions, reporting, etc. Accurate records means having a realistic view of how your business is actually doing while also making sure you have the information you need to make important decisions. You’ll be so thankful during tax season!   BudgetYes yes, this is not a strong point for everyone but budgeting is important because without it, you aren’t able to plan for future expenses. Give yourself a healthy look at where your money is going, where you can cut back, and maybe an area that needs a little attention. Budgeting

  Managing PayPal Bank Feeds can be tricky for any QuickBooks user, but Intuit Champion and Advanced QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor Steve Chase is here to help! Join Steve right here in this thread on Tuesday, May 25th, to get answers to your questions on: Recording PayPal Bank Feeds Expenses and Transfers Recording Paypal Sales transactions Customizing the Connect with Paypal App Settings How to Download Paypal Statements for Monthly Reconciliations ...and more!    Post your PayPal Bank Feed questions in the comments below and Steve will answer them live on Tuesday from 8 am - 10 am PT. 

Chances are at some point in your life you have been asked about your hobbies or interests - it is a fairly common ice breaker for work meetings and a staple of online group applications.  And if you are like me, then you can sometimes scramble to come up with an answer.  I mean, sure, I knit, but does that count as a hobby?  And can you count travel as a hobby when you only do it a time or two a year?     But recently I came across an article about how people have been spending their time during quarantine and I thought that it'd be fun to ask people what their more interesting or unusual (to them or to the world) hobbies or interests are.   Read on to see what the team had to say.       ++++++ From Lisa:  Ok, so I am definitely a bit of a magpie when it comes to hobbies and/or interests, jumping from shiny to shiny as easily as can be.  But here are some of the ones that have stuck around for a bit:  I have

It's finally Friday! The weather has been so nice lately and I can't wait to be outside all weekend! How about you, what are your plans? Before you switch over to weekend mode, I've got an article for you to check out. I found it on inc.com and it covers a few ways to help your employees be truly engaged in the workplace. Here are the key points:   Culture CodeYour company culture encompasses everything the business stands for. This includes the mission and values that are to be clearly defined early on and mentioned often. As stated in the article, "Your values and mission statement need to be more than just a memo at the bottom of a training packet. They should be communicated to team members on a regular basis so that they remain top of mind. When the entire team is mindful of company values and goals, it will be easier for them to work toward this higher purpose."   Strong CommunicationAs a Comm. major, this one is near and dear to me. Communication plays such a

    Darren Root and John Mitchell of Rootworks identify the 13 core business model elements for firm leaders to follow as they create their modern accounting business.    

Happy Wednesday Community! Hope the first half of your week is going well and giving you that energy to get to the weekend.  We’ve talked a lot about connecting with your customers and how to engage with them, but let’s turn the focus on you. Do you have connections in your industry? Do you find it hard to find other business owners to talk to? Never fear, I have some ways for you to get out there and meet likeminded people. Let’s get started: OnlineYou probably saw this one coming, huh? But the truth is networking this easy has got to be a priority. Reaching out online to other business owners, or finding Facebook groups literally requires minimal effort and …you can do it from home in your pajamas. Search for businesses locally to connect and even cross promote each other. Maybe you do house painting and find someone else locally who does roofing. This is an easy way to get your name out there, even when you aren’t physically with that customer. ConferencesYes we’

Hello Community and Happy Friday! We did it, we really did it. :) Some weeks speed by and others feel like they’ve barely moved. Work piles up, little things slip through the cracks and before you know it, you’re behind. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when this happens but never fear! You know we always have your back here in the Community. I found an article from Fast Company to help us out today. Here are some tips and tricks when you’re dealing with too much work.       This article starts by talking about “hell week” during Navy Seal training. Researchers found there were two types of people during this time: taskers and optimizers. Taskers take one job at a time and the goal is to complete that one and then deal with the rest. Optimizers looks at all of the tasks at one time and try to figure out how to approach each one. The question then became, who’s more like to drop out?   The optimizers made up a large majority of drop outs, hands down. Surprised? Looking

Welcome back to the Business Discussion Board! I have a quick question for you. When last have you told your customers thank you or shown appreciation for them? And I'm not talking about the generic ones like " Thank you for your services" but more personalized ones. The reason for mentioning this is that it shows the customer that you value them and the relationship you have built.     Let's be honest, who doesn't love a nice thank you letter or note. When I receive one, it makes me feel appreciated and valued. This simple act of kindness can increase the customer's experience, making them share your superb services with others. I would even include vendors you interact with. These qualities would make companies and customers want to work or purchase your services more. Here are some tips when it comes to creating this:   Handwrite or type your thank you card to send to your customers/vendors by mail, social media, or email. When starting,  verify that you have

We have already talked about our favorite splurges, and how we keep our budgets under control during the holidays, so it seemed like a good time to talk about budgeting for planned expenses.   Whether it is for something fun like a vacation get away, or something practical like a new appliance, it's always better to plan and budget for it if you can, so I asked some of my teammates to chime in on their best budget plans and tips, and here is what they had to say:    ++++++   From Sasha:  Since I will be graduating in 2022 with my MBA, I found it fitting to treat myself to a vacation. After a lot of convincing from my college friend (who lived there) and researching, I have decided to go to the Philippines. Once I got a general idea of the plane ticket prices, the adventures I want to go on, and other factors, I realized that I would have to save a lot of money and I took the first step of opening a traveling account. This account, as the name indicates, w

 Happy Wednesday!  and welcome back to our discussion page. Recently, I have been seeking ways to improve my personal and professional development. I was encouraged to watch a youtube video by Randy Paush call the "The Last Lecture." This was my first time learning about this person, and I wish someone told me about him sooner.     Just a little back story, he was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon who change the game as we know. He was later diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Once discovering this, he was inspired to leave a legacy behind, and that is where this inspirational lecture called "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" came to life. Today, I wanted to share one statement from this that really resonated with me.    "The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the peop

Happy Friday Community! This week may have felt like it moved at a snail’s pace but we finally made it. :) I’m looking forward to having a relaxing weekend and celebrating the wonderful mothers I have in my life. While there are so many factors that make someone successful, some common denominators exist that may surprise you. It all starts with…(drumroll please)…..How you begin your morning. It’s not all about hustle, who you know in the biz, or your education. What exactly are successful people doing in the morning? Let’s dive into it! They wake up early (but get enough sleep)This can be a hard one but getting up early consistently is great for being productive and giving you time to prepare for the day. Equally important is getting the recommended 7 to 8 hours so that when you wake up, your body is recharged and set up for success. Sleep has been linked to so many health benefits and even helps with stress. Get your sleep, start your day early, then make some money. T

Good Afternoon, QuickBooks Community! How are you feeling today? As one of my favorite songs lyric goes,  " I'm feeling blessed, never stressed...". Anyway, since it is Small Business Week, I decided to dedicate this post to you. For those who may not know what Small Business Week is, the US Small Business Administration celebrates this time to recognize the contributions of entrepreneurs and small business owners.     I would like to personally thank every one of you that help make this economy what it is. Interestingly enough, there are 27 million small businesses in this country, and you generate about 50 percent of our Gross Domestic Product.  Aside from this, I appreciate you creating jobs, being innovative and creative, and providing opportunities for many people. I encourage you to take the time to celebrate all that you have been through the years.   With 2020 being a challenging year especially, you did the best you could do. Some were able to adapt

Happy Wednesday to all! I’m loving the extra daylight we’re getting and sunny skies! The best job anyone can have is one where you enjoy the people you work with and who you work for. As an owner, you can totally foster that team spirit with your employees and create a positive environment where people enjoy being there. I was recently thinking about how important this is especially after 2020 where so much was going on for everyone. So let’s get to some ways to boost morale!     One on One MeetingsMeetings are really important to get everyone on the same page with certain practices or give necessary updates. But they don’t replace you sitting down individually and talking with your people. This is an opportunity for your employee to ask you questions, get feedback, and maybe even express interest in other positions or responsibilities. This can also be a time to just connect and talk about day-to-day things as well.   AppreciationFood is the way to anyone’s heart but s

As more and more of the country is moving firmly into Spring territory, I asked around to find out how my teammates spend their time when they aren't working, here is what they have to say:      ++++++   @SashaMC I'm not sure if you consider this an outdoor activity, but boy, do I love road trips. This week my best friend and I decided to drive all the way to Crystal River, Fl, and Yankeetown, Fl to chase the sunset! Nothing like having the windows down, hair blowing in the wind, and blasting some old-school reggae music. The vibes are simply immaculate, but the best part about it is the beach and the appreciation for nature.         It was fascinating to see the full moon and the sun out at the same time! We even found an abandoned boat, but we were too chicken to take a closer look. From these moments, it feels like all your stressing and worrying fades away, and it's total bliss after that! Here are some shots I took from our adventure! &nb

Happy Friday, QuickBooks Community! I hope you guys are having a productive day. In honor of Earth Day, I want to share a project that Outside (parent company of Podium Runner) did with Soles4Souls to help keep "old sneakers out of the landfill." I will be honest with you, growing up in the Caribbean, I have never heard about Earth Day or celebrated it. If there was mentioned of those words, it was in reference to someone's birthday. We would say Happy Earth Strong Day! It wasn't until recently ( like three days ago) I learned about this. While researching, I have seen companies such as Lowes hosting a SpringFest giving away free garden-to-go kits during April to support the climate. However, the Outside company efforts stood out to me the most.       How many of you have old sneakers or boots lying around in your closet or bins? I will say I have about one or two. Over time active gears remain a problem, especially when it comes to recycling because it can be very cost

I am interested in receiving bank statements automatically via email with my clients bank accounts. This is coming from a bookkeeper's workflow.  I am wondering if this is even possible with Wells Fargo, Chase, Paypal, and AmEX. I know the technology is there to have emails automatically scheduled and delivered on the 1st of each month to a specified email. But since I haven't seen this feature I wonder if the banks don't support this because of security reasons. Perhaps I'm wrong and someone is doing it. If you are a bookkeeper, what is your system or process of receiving bank statements from your clients? Steve Chase

It’s another beautiful spring day here in Idaho and what better month to celebrate Earth Day than April! The bees are buzzing, the plants are budding, and hopefully, your business is booming! Now, you’ve heard us over and over tell you the importance of social media for your small business. You’ve created your social pages, you’ve got your “likes” and followers….now what?     Well, any holiday or “National Day of” is a great way to engage with your customers and fans to get some traction on your page. People love seeing the person behind the business so Earth Day is an opportunity to show yourself and make the world a better place. It’s a win/win.   Here are some ideas on how to celebrate Earth Day in your business:   Clean up a local park (or like, anywhere)Grab your employees, kids, or whoever is free and pick up some trash! Here in Idaho, our numbers are soaring which unfortunately means more trash around our roads and parks. Taking a trash bag and cle

Happy Friday Community! Hope everyone had a productive week and can now look forward to the weekend.     Now that Instagram has perfected its algorithm to figure me out, I’m constantly getting ads that are perfectly geared towards my interests. With so many companies trying to convince me to go with their product, where’s the number one place I go to help me decide? To the people! Well, to the company’s social media page. :)  That’s where I can see who has bought what and their thoughts on their purchase. Was that necklace really “high quality”? Did that face lotion really “dimmish fine lines and wrinkles”? Am I really about to buy another beauty product? (The answer is yes).   The importance of our peer’s opinions doesn’t stop at personal relationships. It flows right into social media. Our favorite bloggers/influencers are always suggesting products or services to buy, and the proof is in the numbers. According to Trustpilot’s ‘The Psychology Behind Trust Si

Everybody feelin' good on this lovely Friday? I know I am, and I'm excited for the weekend! Welcome back to the Business Discussion board, where we do just that and talk about all things small business. Today I wanted to share something that I feel is always relevant but may be even more important currently. What is the topic, you ask? Well, we're taking it back to basics and covering the characteristics of great customer service, as presented on indeed.com. Here's what was mentioned...     What is it?A good place to start is always a definition. According to the article, "Customer service is the assistance and advice an employee provides to customers. Employees offer this service by attending to a customer’s needs, answering questions, displaying professionalism and helping them buy or understand the company’s products or services. Good customer service leads to happy clients and customers, which positively affects a company’s growth." Some benefits of good customer s

Original commenter did not share additional details

I was talking with some friends the other day about what we had been splurging on recently and I realized that if you had asked me the same question in 2019, I would have given a completely different answer.   Splurging felt a bit different in the last year or so, but in many ways, giving ourselves that extra little care whatever form it may have taken, became something that helped get us through a rough year.  It seems obvious but it never hurts to repeat - doing something nice for  yourself shouldn't feel like an extravagance.  And I am a firm believer in splurging when you can do so as a treat.     Back then, most of my splurges were travel related, but as we talked I became curious to find out what other people have been splurging on in the past year, and  I put the question to my coworkers.  Here are our responses.    ++++++   @LisaNullar  In the fall of 2019 I was in Dallas with a friend to go to a hockey game.

I’m hoping for some advice about streamlining my bookkeeping for my small biz.  I have a small healthcare biz (sole prop) that also sells retail products.  We charge people after their appointment (so no receivables) and have 2 part-time employees.  We use Quickbooks Desktop for everything - invoices, payments and payroll, and it has basically been our hub of our business since 2003. It’s a stable and highly repetitive business.  Our revenue is almost all credit card payments using Quickbooks, plus a few checks/cash deposited 2x a month.  Except rent, virtually all our expenses are put on 2 credit cards from the same vendors, maybe 80-100 transactions per month.  We write only about 10 checks a year and have no debt or depreciating assets either.  Simple. For the last 10 years, we’ve used a CPA.  I send him the accountant's copy along with the bank & credit card statements.  He has a bookkeeper enter the bank and

It's Friday, and welcome back to the Talk About Your Business Page. Before we get into the discussion for today, I have two questions for you. What is your current lead magnet, and does it work? If you are unfamiliar with the term, Investopedia defines it as "a marketing term for a free item or service that is given away for the purpose of gathering contact details; for example, lead magnets can be trial subscriptions and samples." Entrepreneur shares three interesting reasons why you should stop using your current lead magnet for a quiz. However, if your current lead magnet is doing well, I will pose this as an additional benefit to enhance your business. Here's what they shared:     Interactive ContentTraditionally generating leads is always accompanied by a free gift or item to receive customers' email addresses. With customers frequently seeing offers, they tend to ignore it, or their attention is grabbed by something else. However, creating content such as quizzes capti

Welcome back to another segment of *cue drum rolls and jazz hands* Talk About Your Business! Where we give you all the tea of finding answers and inspiration for your small business. I hope you guys are doing well and are accomplishing everything you have set out to do! Today, I wanted to stop by and share ways to ask your customers, family, friends, basically everyone to support you without spending a dime! This can be especially beneficial to entrepreneurs who are new to the market and need support. Here we go!     Encourage them to Like and Comment on your posts.We have talked many times before about Social Media's importance and the power it holds. If you are creating daily content on your socials, you would like to see likes and people commenting, right? The higher the degree of engagement, the wider your audience gets and the more views you will welcome. For example, with Tik Tok, when one receives many likes and comments for their videos, the algorithm boosts your vid

  Are you self-employed? Do you have questions about filing your self-employed taxes? Ask us anything! The AMA with QuickBooks Self-Employed Product Development and Customer Support begins tomorrow, April 8th from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. PT.Submit your questions as comments below and our team will answer them starting tomorrow morning. We look forward to helping you feel confident about your self-employed taxes!