Business Discussions

… said no freelancer ever.

A friend of mine has been paying their nanny through her new small business.  She now knows this is not allowed and going forward will not pay her from the business.  But how does she handle this for 2017?  Should she issue the nanny a 1099 from the business? 

Take a quick minute to let us know how the end-of-year went for you and your business.

  Watch this Ways to Grow episode featuring Demo Diva!   Owner Simone Bruni talks about her passion for people and her New Orleans community. Find out why he she believes she's not really in the demoliton business, but rather the business of being trusted. And lots more!     How does trust enter into the equation for your business? Is it an important element of the work you do? 

What’s on your mind right now? We know folks who work for themselves have plenty to say about the business of doing business. That’s why we want to share your insights, ideas and best practices. Today we hear from Sherrie Bainer, Head of Sales for GRACEDBYGRIT a multimillion-dollar women’s athletic apparel company with a dedication for giving back to women and the community. Two years ago, Sherrie ditched her well-paying, stable corporate job to join a small, fiesty startup. She tells us how her decision to make this giant leap began with a deep passion for the company’s mission -- and for a rockin’ pair of booty shorts. What first attracted you to GRACEDBYGRIT? I'm huge into CrossFit. I was GRACEDBYGRIT’s very first online customer and at their very first trunk show. I remember I bought a pair of booty shorts. I loved the product so much I came back a few days later and bought them in every single color! And I really loved the mission behind the company. How did that

One of the most important factors to winning over clients is by making a good first impression. First Impression rarely change. A good first impression sometimes lasts a lifetime.This applies to all business ventures. Right from Movie making to Computers etc etc.But many of us make a mistake of thinking that people interact in the same way with other people. The first impression we make on each other can often change when it comes to repeated social interactions.  

If “get organized” is one of your resolutions for 2018, we say, bravo!   What organizational apps do you use to help you stay on track? Tell us – and then click below to find out which apps our members swear by!   Stay Organized: Here are a Few of Your Favorite Apps   How about apps you love for your business? Add your thoughts to this conversation!   What's your favorite app for business?

Hi everyone,   As the New Year begins, some of us will be thinking about back pay owed or awaited. Some of the things to remember on this account are: Back pay is the difference between what has been paid to an Employee against what she or he was owed.   How does this apply to wages? Let's say a shift is for 8 hours a day @$7.25 per hour. This minimum wage will differ from state to state. Extra time is applicable when an employee works for more than 40 hours a week, but exceptions apply.   A shift starts from the time, day and date on which you start your work and has nothing to do with when your shift ends (even if it ends the next day, month or year).   Also please refer to the following - https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/backpay and https://www.dol.gov/whd/

Can anyone tell me if wages earned in 2017 but not paid until 2018 are subject to the 2018 minimum wage increase?  All wages were earned in Florida, if so is there any either State of Federal document that I can use to prove my position?

    One of our favorite things about being part of a community of people who work for themselves is fundamentally, we just kind of get each other. Even though we're at different stages of creating, building and growing a business, it's safe to say we all started out at roughly the same place -- with a great idea and a boatload of passion, determination and perseverance.   Something else we all share? We know (or have come to realize!) the critical importance of having well-defined professional goals. When you have a clear, and clearly articulated, three-year vision of success, we say, congratulations. You've nailed your Main Goal.   Like so many things in business (and in life), the more sharply focused your Main Goal, the more likely you are to achieve it. With this guiding principle in mind, let's dive in to help you create your Main Goal. (After that, we'll share some of the awesome insights we've learned from having

Name: Jessica Bruno Business: Organic Bread of Heaven Founded: July 2014 Jessica Bruno and her extended family know all about running a family business. In fact, the Bruno’s Organic Bread of Heaven bakery, based in Gary, IN, takes the concept of “family business” to a whole new level. In 2014, Jessica’s dad started the organic, vegan, Kosher, nut- and soy-free bakery with one goal in mind. He wanted to build an economically sound business to provide jobs for Jessica and her nine siblings, plus all their spouses and children – and help support their local ministry. Today, Jessica’s dad can put a big check mark next to that goal. Organic Bread of Heaven’s home-baked goods are available in nearly 80 stores in and around Chicago and are even sold on Etsy. Jess and her sisters bring their bread, cookies, pies, muffins, granola and more to multiple weekly farmer’s markets and other events. Jessica, who serves as the family accountant and is an active member of the QB Community, tells us ab

I am an independent contractor with good time-management skills (hello, I bill by the hour). One of my regular clients...not so much. She prefers to give me my assignments via phone, and much of these conversations involve her thinking out loud and using me as a sounding board for unrelated projects. This wouldn't be too bad (hello, I bill by the hour) but I manage multiple clients and there simply aren't enough hours in the day for me to engage in these marathon phone conversations AND meet my deliverables. I have suggested multiple times that she communicate her exact project needs via email - saving me time saves her money, after all - but she continues to prefer "brief" phone calls that frankly never are. After years as a contractor I have learned NEVER TO TURN DOWN A GIG but this is getting to be a significant problem that impacts my other work commitments. Any suggestions on how to handle this tactfully?

Here nearby where I live, the #12 startup metro area in America, there are MANY different entities/orgs that put on events for those who are just starting up who wish to hone their idea(s) and receive on the spot feedback. Pitch events can definitely be your friend. They will / can help with these soft skills- as you hone them via ongoing drip development: Public speaking ( thought ) leadership Critical thinking ( ability to think on one's feet ) Discernment Passion & burning desire ( dreams/vision ) Financial wisdom

When you run your own business, time is a precious commodity. What strategies do you use to make the most of every minute? Tell us – and then click on the article below to find out how other members manage their time:   Beyond Apps: Low-Tech Tips For Managing Your Precious Time

... by building strong width & depth based relationships. It's been called social capital. Always put the transactions second to the relationships which you create, cultivate ( seeding/farming ), & sustain, let alone replicate.

Name: SJ Barakony Company: Service Before Self Leadership Founded: 2011 After more than a decade working in the corporate world, SJ Barakony realized he was downright uninspired. Rather than join a truly gloomy statistic – 87% of workers report feeling disengaged from their job – SJ spent some time soul-searching and researching new career options. The upshot? He decided to trade his traditional daily grind for an entrepreneurial adventure as an educational disrupter & innovator and founder of Service Before Self Leadership (SBSL), an educational-solutions provider focused on the intersection of service, leadership and education. What was the tipping point that inspired you to turn your “side passion” into a full-time business? I spent many years as part of the conventional workforce, doing various jobs such as project- and order management and network planning. Then a friend asked me, “Have you considered having more than one source of income?” The floodgates opened. I

There is a clear intersection of economics ( finances/money ) , education ( lifelong learning/non credentialized ) , & entrepreneurship ( ownership ) as you develop your idea. The Gig Economy favors founders who have this kind of vision & it also rewards those who creatively disrupt tired/staid industries.

Hello community, I just started my LLC a few months ago and things have been running smoothly so far. My business is renting out goods and I have had three jobs through the same client so far. I have charged this client sales tax twice already and now for the third invoice they told me they have a resale certificate and also sent it to me.  They have not asked me to pay the collected sales tax from the first 2x invoices back but I am wondering what I should do in this case. I am sure they won't ask me to pay it back but for example they would give me a budget of $5,000 for the first job, which I charged like this: $441 in Sales Tax + $4559 for the rental.  I am sure if I ask them to revise the invoice from the past to $5,000 without sales tax then they might do that for me. Would that be smart to do though? Thank you kindly in advance for the help. Best

 What’s on your mind right now? We know folks who work for themselves have plenty to say about the business of doing business. That’s why we want to share your insights, ideas and best practices. Today, we’re spending a few minutes with Kimberly Caccavo. Kimberly and Kate Nowlan are cofounders of GRACEDBYGRIT, a multimillion dollar company selling premium athletic wear for women. GRACEDBYGRIT has more than 50,000 loyal customers and a rock-solid reputation for giving back to local charities and national organizations, so it’s hard to believe Kimberly and Kate once had to rely on sheer grit -- along with an unwavering belief in their business -- to even get the company off the ground. Here, Kimberly recalls those tough early days of pitching the business to a room of mostly male investors, all with very little interest in doling out dollars to a company led by women.   Kimberly, tell us your early experiences with fundraising for GRACEDBYGRIT. Every entrepreneur is famil

Recently one of our clients has presented a question to us about nonbank trustees and custodians and I am very unfamiliar with the topic.  Does anyone in the community have experience as a Nonbank trustee or custodian that could help provide some guidance?  This is related to self-directed IRA's and other investment activities.   Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated!!  

What will your new year bring? Are you hoping to launch a successful crowdfunding campaign, hire your first employee or simply get better at balancing work and family? Whatever your goal, a new year is always a great time to dream big.  Thing is, we know it’s tough enough to clearly define business goals, let alone meet them. That’s why we’ve asked business owner and consultant Sarah Harrison to share some practical ideas for turning business dreams into reality. Sarah’s wisdom comes from experience: This former product-team manager left her full-time job feeling burned-out and exhausted. When she decided to start working for herself, Sarah applied the same systems she used successfully during her career to to create systems for her own goal-setting, planning and accountability. Here, Sarah explains her tried-and-tested strategies for setting and achieving goals in your business -- or even in your life.  1. Commit to creating syst

   

"Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It's hard work that makes things happen. It's hard work that creates change." -- Shonda Rhimes Watch Shonda on the QB Connect 2017 San Jose Main Stage. Shonda shares about how she determined to take over the world through television, her rejection of the idea of "impostor sydrome" and lots, lots more. Enjoy!

   

Now’s the time of year when everyone vows to make changes for the better. When it comes to improving your business, maybe you’re determined to boost revenue or take email marketing to a new level. But plenty of folks think New Year’s Resolutions are a waste of time. Weigh in:   Will you make New Year's Resolutions for your business? Why -- or why not?      If you’re pro-resolutions, tell us about your goals for 2018. We can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this one!