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How much fun did you have this summer? We hope you took some time out during the hottest months to relax, recharge and reboot. If you’re a parent as well as a business owner, we know it’s pretty likely you put your regular work schedule on hold (not always an easy thing, of course) to keep your kiddos happy and entertained. But let’s face it: We’re already counting down to the first day back at school. That means you’ll soon be deep into your crazy, caffeinated, 24/7 routine, too. The transition from downtime to go-time isn’t always easy. Instead of wistfully watching the leaves begin to turn, consider these tips from your fellow entrepreneurs on how to jump back into a routine that can help you stay motivated, productive and organized – in winter, spring, summer and fall. Routine matters Have you thought much about how you start each busy business day? Our sources (that’s all of you!) swear their first-thing-in-the-morning routine is critical for getting t
Tessa Worley knew early on that she wanted to create art to express her individual style and personality. So, from her studio apartment in Eugene, Oregon, she started doing just that with her handmade stationery business. We asked Tessa to share her experiences (and struggles) with us and how she's learned to set milestones in her business. Let's hear her story! Name: Tessa Worley Business: Fox and Bear Paper Company Started: March 2015 What inspired you to create Fox and Bear Paper Company? I'm currently a part-time student here in Eugene, Oregon. I've worked in a lot of retail jobs because, unfortunately, it’s really the only thing I can get. But, I’ve never really been satisfied at those jobs. When my husband and I moved to Eugene, I was at a crossroads in my life. At the time, I was really unhappy with my job and I was struggling with depr
Good evening all! I've purchased 2 pieces of equipment and two web domains with a years pre paid website subscription. Total amounts to just under £400 so we're not talking big transactions here. I paid for these using my personal account due to my business account not being set up yet. I'm now up and running and would like to know how best to claim these expenses back.https://community.intuit.com/articles/1145751-paying-for-business-expenses-with-personal-funds This page shows how theoretically to justify it, but I just wanted to know if there are any real world examples from you guys. Will I just log it as suggested in the link, and simply make the transfer or will I hit any problems there? Thank you!Daniel
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Hi, I am not an accountant (please don't answer "this is why people should use accountants they're not capable" type answers :) I'm the trustee and record keeper (AUSTRALIA). This year for the very first time my Australian Trust is given $664 worth of Australian publicly listed shares that also come with $285 in Australian franking credits instead of an actual real cash payment as its yearly dividend. By the end of the Australian tax year of 30th June, I am to distribute the trust income including Australian franking credits to the beneficiary but as the trust has only received $664 dollars worth of shares and $285 in franking credits, no actual physical real cash, how do I treat the above distribution to the beneficiary in the set of accounts? Taking a long term view Ideally I'd want the shares to remain in the trust and be allowed to grow in value, not distribute them out to the individual tax payer. However am I better to change the DRP arrangement back to a cash
Being laid off seems like the worst thing that could possibly happen to any professional. And while that may be true in certain cases, losing your job can offer newfound freedom and that’s otherwise impossible to attain. So if you find yourself in this situation, here are a few things to keep in mind as you navigate this uncertain time: Calm down. It’s okay to be emotional about being laid off, but don’t let those emotions override your practical judgment. Don’t take to social media to rant. Don’t badmouth the company to everyone you meet. Instead, take the high road. Let yourself experience the emotions you’re feeling, but do so in private and with as much perspective as you can muster. For some, calming down may take a while or simply a quick 15-minute rant in the car in your garage. Everyone processes experiences at their own pace. Just know that letting your emotions get the best of you may do more harm than good. Collect your belongings. Sometimes you won’t have much time to gath
Etsy shop owner Amanda Williams started YarnHouseCreations while she was pregnant with her son, and she's been creating her quirky and colorful crocheted hats and mandalas ever since. Balancing a full-time job as a mother of two *and* growing her online store has been tough, but we love the creative ways that Amanda has learned to balance the work she loves with family life. In a recent chat with us, Amanda shared her own experiences with starting a business and why she's focusing next on turning her Instagram followers into customers who keep coming back for more. Read on to hear her story! Name: Amanda Williams Business: YarnHouseCreations on Etsy Started: October 2015 How did you create your awesome job? I was always interested in crochet, but that interest really kicked into overdrive when I was pregnant with my son. I never put my hook down! I spent tons of ti
Hi guys! So I've recently started my etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoodNightFoxStudio and I'm wondering if anyone has experience getting their products featured in other business owners subscription boxes. I'm trying to get my products out there both to get feedback and to do some marketing but I'm not sure if it's weird to just email a bunch of business owners and ask if they'll feature my products? I'm also wondering how much feels like too much to give away for free in terms of marketing. Thanks!
Ever feel like you’re holding yourself back? Like there’s not enough time in the day and you can’t prioritize? Us too. When it came to running my own small business, I was my own worst enemy. I’d wake up in the morning motivated for the day, but when it came time to leave my office, I felt bad about the things I hadn’t accomplished. Trust me-- we all have self-limiting beliefs that prevent us from moving ahead. Instead of letting negative ideas about yourself dictate how you run your business, take some advice from these QB Community members, who’ve all found ways to overcome their self-limiting beliefs: Sarah Harrison creates regularity and routine If you don’t have a routine, you have to make new decisions each day. It can be exhausting. That’s why QB Community member Sarah Harrison reserves two hours each day — from 6am to 8am — for herself. Sarah has a strict policy that nothing — not even a pesky client or a loomin
There’s no shortage of shiny apps to help you quickly and automatically schedule meetings, track invoices and payments, remember deadlines and communicate with customers. (You can find out which apps your fellow entrepreneurs love here.) But let’s face it: If apps were a fail-proof way to stay on top of all things, all times, well, that messy pile of receipts stacked dangerously high on the corner of your kitchen table – sorry, that’s your desk – wouldn’t even exist, right? Right. But that pile of papers – or whatever the equivalent is in your non-stop self-employed life – is real, and it’s threatening to topple. Which leads us to suspect it takes more than just an app to help you squeeze the most of every minute of your busy day. We’ve pulled together some of your best tips and strategies for managing, and even saving, time. We think all of them may help you achieve some serenity, now. Schedule your life (big time) As a professional videographer specializing in w
I am about to open up an online boutique. The platform I am using for my website is squarespace. Is it possible for me to link quickbooks to it so I am not having to go back and check off the inventory again? Also, I am based out of Florida, I only need to track Sales Tax from FL right? my last question is, if quickbooks was linked to my website, would it automatically input the sales tax at the Checkout page or would I have to manually do that myself?
There are lots of ways to keep on top of the tasks we have to do everyday. If you keep lists, tell us what kind you prefer. If not, what other methods to you employ to keep it all straight? Share away!
I'm starting a new editing and writing business and have begun working on my website. How can I get paid from my website? Is there a button I can add so that clients can click it and pay me once I have invoiced them? I have synced QB and Paypal.
Claudine Hellmuth started her business after a varied career in the craft industry, including features on TV shows and launching a range of instructional DVDs. Here, she explains to us how she adapted her business to focus on just one product in her Etsy store and what she learned after 14 years in the business. Name: Claudine Hellmuth Business: Illustrator and Artist, Owner of Claudine Hellmuth Etsy Shop Started: 2007 How did you create your awesome job? I've wanted to be an illustrator my entire life. I majored in illustration at the Columbus College of Art and Design before transferring to the Corcoran College of Art and Design in DC to study fine art. When I graduated, the Internet was just taking off. I learned how to code and took a job as a website designer. It wasn’t right for me, though, so when I was laid off in 2001, I was relieved that the decision was out of my hands. After that, I started teaching mixed media collag
Hi, I'm Ajay the CEO of Fresh Mind Ideas, a strategic and creative branding agency. I help businesses to brand well and achieve their goals. Here are some top questions that I ask my clients, let me ask it to you. 1. What's your business goal? 2. Do you think you are going on the right path? 3. Do you own a brand or just a business? 4. Show me your website: 5. Are you getting enough traffic on your website? 6. Where you want to see your business in next 2, 3, & 5 year time? I would invite each of you to answer these questions and then I'll spend time for you to position your brand! Let's go...
The first time Bethany went to Guatemala, she had no idea how much it would affect her life, forever. While there, she fell in love with the people living in the La Limonada slum community who had amazing skills, talents and abilities, but were limited by the opportunities available to them. Bethany decided to change her course after several more visits and she started The Root Collective, selling gorgeous women's shoes crafted by a former gang member in the community. We chatted with Bethany about the challenges of pricing a product (and paying her makers fairly) and how she uses hashtags to increase her Instagram following. Name: Bethany Tran Business: The Root Collective Started: November 2013 How did you create your awesome job? My background is in marketing and content development, and I was working in that space when a friend invited me to Guatemala, where she was living at the time. Visiting the slum communities helped me understand that poverty is extremely cultural
When Glen Paramenter lost his job in Idaho, things seemed pretty bleak. But after relocating to Texas, he started working for a company that printed graphics on apparel for colleges and corporations. It wasn’t long before Glen had a business epiphany: I could do this myself! One Etsy store and a few domain names later (ruggedtents and mrhoneypot, to name a few), Glen was on his way to running Majestic Expressions, his eclectic company featuring printed clothing, outdoor and sporting goods, plus a line of natural honey-based products. Name: Glen ParamenterBusiness Name: Majestic ExpressionsFounded: 2016 What has been the biggest challenge of starting your own business?I didn’t have a balance when I first started, and it was pretty difficult. I tried to do everything and anything, with no real sense of direction. I’d be working on my business at the same time as I was trying to spend time with my family. Eventually I had to dial back and really focus on setting
me and my husband just started a business and got a business license. i am a little confused is to how the taxes work. what documents i need to keep track of and im afraid im not doing this right. i dont want to have to owe alot of money at the end of the year because i wasnt prpoerly educated. if anyone has some advice then that woud be helpful im sure. we r just a small business and we dont charge our customers tax nor do we give our employess paychecks...we pay them cash. will this affect our taxes??
I am looking for recommendations on business podcasts in general, but bonus points for those aimed for the bookkeeping audience. Thanks in advance. Steve Chase
Meet QB Community member — Miami-based photographer Pascal Depuhl! After falling into shooting images on a whim as a teen, Pascal honed his art over a number of years before starting his own company about a decade ago. Now he boasts an impressive lineup of clients, including National Geographic, SeaRay and Mars thanks to constant hard work and dedication to his craft. We chatted with Pascal about the first big job that launched his career, how he learned to stand out in a saturated industry and the secret sauce for keeping your happy customers coming back for more. Read on to hear his story! Name: Pascal Depuhl Business: Photography by Depuhl Started: 2004 How did you start your business? I've been getting paid for my photography since my late high-school years. I began assisting and apprenticing after college for four years and got my first full-time job in 1996, but I only launched my company in 2004. I honestly don't know
