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What to do when you have your own business and work for another company F/T and the F/T job is in the same field as your own small business. It could definitely be called a conflict of interest. I find myself calling out at times to run my business. It needs the attention for me to grow it. It can't only work at the wee hours of the night after putting in 8-9 hours at my day job. Yes, it's not the right thing to do. But I feel you need to be a little selfish when it comes to your endeavors. A friend once said to me, you work business P/T you get P/T results. I believe their some truth to that statment. I'm challenged. When I'm working at my company inspiration, passion and ideas flow. When I go to day-to-day job the momemtum drops. Yes, I need to work to maintain the family. My wife is very supportive and wants to see me happy in whatever I do. The question I'm looking at for 2018, take a leap of faith and work on the business F/T? Or take a P
"I'm not going to be afraid of having it, I'm not going to be afraid of earning it, I'm not going to be afraid of making a mistake with it, I'm going to just be very aware. I'm going to take the risks that I truly believe will pay off for me." Any guesses what Nate Berkus is talking about here? You got it -- money. Hear his thoughts about money, business and much much more right here in this video from the Main Stage at QuickBooks Connect 2017 in San Jose, California. Are you afraid of money? Share the way your thoughts about money shape (or don't shape!) your financial actions and decisions.
What do popsicles, lipstick, sustainably raised meat and a run-down flower truck have in common? Two things. First, they’re all products featured in crowdfunding campaigns launched by enterprising entrepreneurs. Second – and most notably – these are just some of the campaigns that have received a critical funding boost thanks to the “Backed by QuickBooks” initiative. In this awesome campaign, Team QuickBooks selects standout ideas from small business owners and helps them reach their crowdfunding goals with a surprise infusion of cash. The campaigns selected so far all demonstrate the hallmarks of a successful crowdfunding effort: a solid product, a dynamic video telling their story, robust social media integration and ongoing updates for funders throughout the entire campaign. The backer perks are pretty sweet, too. Who wouldn’t want fresh local flowers or a sausage sampler for your next cocktail party? (By the way, many investors report the greatest per
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Name: Katharine Huber Business: Wit Design Founded: October 2017 Architect Katharine Huber always loved watching her busy toddler interact with furniture in “weirdly wonderful ways.” Little Margaret wiggled in her chair, climbed up on it to sit on her feet and even carried her seat from place to place. Epiphany struck, and Katharine designed a set of lightweight, Margaret-sized chairs, plus a stool and a table. A fellow architect built the wooden furniture, and Katharine’s two kids (and all their rambunctious friends) used them for years before the set was retired to an upstairs bedroom. Fast forward to 2013. Margaret was all grown up, and Katharine had ditched her daily commute and opened her own full-service architectural business in her home office in Connecticut. She wanted a new project to complement her practice. She knew the furniture in Margaret’s bedroom had more than withstood the test of time (and tykes). What would it take to bring her designs to market? Katharine decided
So much happens during the course of a year. Priorities shift, goals change, business models get refined. When you think about the past 12 months working for yourself, did your expectations stack up to reality? Tell us: Did you meet your stated goals for business in 2017? If not, what will you differently in 2018? We can’t wait to hear how you did -- and what you plan to do!
It’s hard enough juggling family and business the other eleven months of the year. When December rolls in, personal and professional responsibilities ratchet up, making the challenge greater than ever. Tell us: How do you balance your business and your family during the holidays? Whether you swear off travel, refuse to cook or find some way to do it all, we want to know your secret to staying sane this month. We can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this one!
Sarah Herron is the founder of SheLift, a non-profit that helps girls with physical differences build self-esteem and connect with peers. In this pair of Ways to Grow episodes, Sarah talks discusses her business and how passion drives her work. Does passion drive your business? How does passion inspire the work you do? Share your experience in the comments below!
I build websites for companies. I want to acentuate the postive and minimize the negative aspects of working with someone like me. What are some things that I should always remember to do? What are some bad experiences that you've had?
Has anyone gone through a natural disaster with their small business and recovered? I live in Sonoma and I'm witnessing the tragedies and triumphs of many local businesses in the Napa and Sonoma area trying to get back on their feet. I'd love to hear any stories or perspectives on recovering and staying focused and inspired after a disaster or tragedy.
Eyona Mitchell had a plethora of unused beauty products living under her bathroom sink, leaving her husband questioning her purchases. Determined to find suitable hair and skin care products once and for all, she decided to do some research. What she she found was that beauty products are a lot more complicated for women of color, because they don't have a lot of options to choose from. That’s when Eyona decided to set up My Color of Beauty, a Shopify website selling makeup for women with darker skin tones. Now she's figured out how to keep her bathroom cabinet clear -- and keep her husband happy. We caught up with Eyona to chat about how using Shopify and Pinterest is working for her small business and how she stays focused in her day-to-day by tackling small goals that always lead to achieving her main goal. Name: Eyona Mitchell Business: My Color of Beauty Started: August 2014 How did you create your awesome job?
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You’ve no doubt heard of popular crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, Indiegogo or GoFundMe. But name-recognition is one thing. Understanding if crowdfunding is right for your business is something else entirely. Even more important? Figuring out how to plan and launch a successful campaign. Let’s start with the basics. Crowdfunding involves taking your idea or product to the masses and asking them, through a 30-60-day online, often multimedia campaign, to help fund its creation in exchange for a reward. Said reward could be as sweet as a free box of cupcakes from a fledgling bakery or as enticing as an equity stake in your growing company. A crowdfunding campaign typically has three key components. You’ll be explaining: Your story (who you are and what you do) Your “ask” (what do you need and how much will it cost) Your reward (what will you offer your backers if you meet your goal) While there’s no foolproof formula for getting funded,
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 Pascal Depuhl, a photographer and videographer who’s also an active member of this community. The last time we spoke with Pascal, he explained why his professional title at Photography by Depuhl is “Chief Mindchanger” and why he believes we all have a moral and professional obligation to give back. Given Pascal's focus on doing good, it was no surprise we caught up with him as he was recovering from jet lag after a whirlwind trip to Nepal. That’s where he’d been working with an organization dedicated to helping remote mountain communities get access to life-saving medical services. Pascal tells us why and how he got there. He also shares an unexpected realization that changed the way he thinks about, and provides, customer service. Pascal, tell u
Hello community, I just started my LLC a few months ago which is a business renting out lighting equipment to the film industry. So far I already had three jobs through the same client and I charged sales tax on the first two invoices. On the third invoice my client sent me a Form ST-120 Resale Certificate asking that I don't charge sales tax to them anymore. So far so good. We did not amend the first two invoices and just stopped charging sales tax from the third invoice/job on. However, I was never aware that I had to have a 'Certificate of Authority' in order to charge sales tax and I am now worried about what to do. What can happen to my business based on the fact that I charged sales tax twice without the 'Certificate of Authority'? Do I still need to apply for the 'Certificate of Authority' although my client (which will most likely stay my only client) sent me a Form ST-120 Resale Certificate? I would appreciate some
