Business Discussions

In the world of digital marketing, did you know Instagram reigns supreme with its massive user base and daily engagement stats? But with such fierce competition, standing out requires savvy strategies. Our article today from Entrepreneur shared a few points on maximizing ROI on Instagram. Let's check it out!   Define Clear Goals: Set specific objectives for your Instagram Stories to drive traffic, boost engagement, or create buzz. Gain Followers: Set realistic follower goals and target the right audience to grow your following steadily. Provide Information: Use the "swipe up" feature to direct users to your website or landing page effortlessly. Go Live: Generate excitement and urgency by going live, encouraging active participation from your audience. Embrace Storytelling: Create visually compelling stories to build brand awareness and emotional connections with your audience. Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with micro and nano influencers to amplify your brand's reach an

Hello QuickBooks Community! I wanted to share a short yet simple encouragement if you are struggling with taking the next steps.   Embarking on a new journey often requires courage, but taking the next steps is crucial for personal growth. It's a chance to transcend comfort zones, embrace challenges, and unlock untapped potential. Whether in business, relationships, or personal development, each step forward is a brushstroke on the canvas of progress.   Embrace uncertainty, for it is the bridge to new opportunities. Set clear goals, cultivate resilience, and let curiosity be your compass. Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; take it, and let each subsequent stride lead you to the remarkable destination that awaits.I hope you have a great day! And if you needed a sign today, you got it! Take the Step.

Good afternoon everyone! I hope all is well! Today, our QuickBooks Community blog shared a piece entitled " Small business, big heart: Stories of courage from the Black small business community." I will share some highlights, but I do encourage you to check the stories they shared in detail.   It is mentioned that small businesses have an essential role in communities and society. It emphasizes the unique ability of small businesses to make a significant impact beyond mere profit generation. The narrative underscores the personal touch and community-oriented approach that black small businesses often bring, fostering connections and relationships that transcend mere transactions.   They went out to share real-life examples to showcase how small black businesses go above and beyond to support their communities. From providing employment opportunities to contributing to local charities and causes, small businesses are portrayed as integral pillars of support and sources of ins

Hello out there, Community! I'm glad you're here. Today I'm sharing an article from inc.com the showcases an interview with Mark Cuban, from Shark Tank, where he tells us all about how to be an irreplaceable employee.   First and foremost, Cuban says, "The greatest value you can offer a boss is to reduce their stress." Here's how:   Take care of your mental health and well-being. "Mental health is a vast topic with many aspects to consider. However, leaders should focus on employees who prioritize their self-care for workplace application. These individuals structure their schedules to prioritize their well-being while maintaining high-performance levels. Run away from workplace drama. "Getting caught in the whirlwind of workplace drama will overload your attention and take your focus away from what is most important--your work! Time lost to workplace drama could be costing your business a lot of money." Practice emotional intelligence. "Emotion

Welcome back to the Business Discussion board! Today I'm stopping by to share a list of a few common mistakes small businesses make for you to keep in mind...   Not knowing your competition Constant Self-promotion Setting unrealistic goals Not strategizing Not checking for grammatical errors Not measuring your efforts No interaction with customers   Not too painful! But keeping these fresh in your mind will certainly help in daily small business life. What would you add? What's a mistake that you made that you wish someone would have told you about? Let's talk about!

Are you looking to merge with another business and not knowing what to expect? No need to worry! Our Firms of the Future shared this interview with Becky Munson, who shared the experiences and practices she uses that have led her to be successful. Here is a brief synopsis of what was discussed:     Becky Munson provides valuable insights from her experience leading change initiatives, particularly in merging Client Accounting Service (CAS) practices. Munson emphasizes finding common ground among teams, maintaining client focus amidst organizational changes, and fostering transparent communication to ease transition complexities. Acknowledging incoming teams' challenges during mergers, she advocates for understanding their workload realities and providing supportive structures to ensure a smooth integration process. Her leadership highlights the importance of authenticity, empathy, and proactive communication in successful change management within CAS practices.   Success

Happy Friday, QuickBooks Community! Are you excited about the weekend? I know I am. A better question, though, is, are you looking to sell on Etsy? Well, Entrepreneur shared a comprehensive guide on how to do so. Here are a few tips they mentioned:       Decided if Etsy is the right platform. The key point here is to do careful research to ensure you will have the best outcome. Create your account and open your Etsy storefront. Upload your first product listing Choose your payment method. Customerize your storefront.   And there you have it! Be sure to review fees as well when having this storefront! But you will be on your way. I hope this was helpful to those thinking about it and using it as a sign! Until next time, folks, be safe and take care.

  Hello Community! Have you ever felt burnout at work?? If so, you’re not alone! To cope with burnout, it is necessary to take proactive measures to manage stress and enhance your work environment. According to an article that I came across on LinkedIn from Calm, it’s important to start with minor changes and gradually work your way up to more significant modifications. Here are 6 ways to deal with burnout that they shared:   Talk to your supervisor about your workload and identify what you can control to reduce stress. Try meditating for a better mindset. Make time for hobbies, exercise, and social activities that recharge you. Schedule regular me-time to do things you love. Set boundaries between work and personal time and create a short shutdown routine to switch off from work. Prioritize sleep and mindful activities like meditation to help manage stress. Take short breaks throughout the day to prevent fatigue and maintain product   These are just a few w

To what Intuit, Inc. address & contact information does a trade reference request from Dun & Bradstreet go? Dun & Bradstreet requires the following for trade reference submissions:Name:Corporate Address:Email:Title:Phone No.: Thank you!

Good afternoon everyone! Tax season is just around the corner. I know I've waited until the last minute previously, and I'm aiming to get a head start this year. That's why I wanted to share this tax prep checklist I found on the QuickBooks Blog. Here are a few points to take note of...   1. Know the types of small business taxes. Income Estimate Excise Self-employment Employment   2. Know what tax forms you need to file. Schedule C Schedule K-1 1099-MISC 1099-NEC   3. Create a tax filing calendar.Be sure to write down filing dates, quarterly taxes, and extension dates.   4. Gather the needed business tax return documents.In general you'll need: Federal Tax ID number Social Security number Previous year’s tax return—up to three years prior for both state and federal   5. Make note of common tax deductions and credits.   6. Request a filing extension if needed.   The full article linked

Hello, friends of the Community! I hope you've had a wonderful work week. On today's post for the Business Discussion board I'd like to share an article from forbes.com that offers a few helpful tips for finding and onboarding new clients. Let's dive in...   Leveraging Your Existing NetworkYour circle may be larger than you realize. When you're ready to begin the onboarding process, think about all of the people that you know and increase that number by at least double. This will take into consideration all of the people your friends, family, and colleagues will be spreading the word to.   Sources To Find Targeted CustomersOnce you've made the people you know aware and asked them to talk about your business, you're ready to explore new areas to reach target customers. Here are a few helpful places to get started:   LinkedIn Events and conventions Local Businesses Advertising online Content marketing Distribution of marketing materials   I invite you to c

I currently use QuickBooks Desktop 2017 (I think). I would like to purchase the desktop again at a new date but it's all online or have an annual subscription. My Internet is not reliable and I refuse to be online for that reason. It's very difficult to run a business without Internet but that's the only choice I have till my area receives Internet access. Is there a desktop version still out there to purchase without using Internet and subscription? Otherwise I need to look elsewhere.

Did you know that in 2017, Deloitte researchers found that companies that focused on their clients were 60% more profitable than those that didn't? Our Firms of the Future shared a few key points from these metrics, and here are my top five takeaways:     Building a people-focused culture involves open communication, a shared vision, and tech support. Adopting a holistic view of clients' journeys helps gather meaningful data for better understanding. Avoiding data silos and proper data management are crucial for practical use. Listening to clients' underlying wants, not just needs, enhances perceived value and fosters referrals. Maintaining an authentic client focus is vital for firms to thrive in the evolving business landscape.   I encourage you to review the article for my insights, and I hope this helps improve your company's focus! Until next time, take care my Community family.

We are using Quick books online for a non-profit.  Technically non-profits have no "Retained Earnings".  Is there a way to force what QB normally posts to retained earnings to the "Correct" account for a non profit titled Unrestricted Net Assets ?

Good afternoon, everyone! I think it's safe to say we hear something about A.I. everyday, or pretty close to it. Although, artificial intelligence has become all the rage, there's a lot to it. I found a great article posted on inc.com that offers some really helpful info. Let's take a look...     A.I."A field of science dedicated to creating machines and computer programs capable of recreating the cognitive functions of the human brain, such as making decisions through logical reasoning, recognizing and categorizing objects, and learning new things." This term can be used as an umbrella to describe a wide range of technology.   Computer algorithmComputer algorithm is defined as, "A set of instructions that a computer follows to perform tasks and process data." Algorithms are commonly used in social media to to analyze the type of content you interact with most often, and then use that information to score every post, video, and ad on the platform by how statist

I just signed up with quickbooks (QB) and am very dissatisfied with customer service. I’ve been trying to schedule an appt for my QB training for over 2 weeks now and no success. All I get is a promise to expedite that someone will call but no one ever does. Anyone else having issues with QB customer service and do you have any suggestions moving forward?Worst experience ever!

Happy hump day everyone. I hope you're staying warm! My region is currently snow-covered and a blustery 23 degrees. Anywho, if you've been in business for a while you know that slow periods and down time are inevitable. I feel like it's about that time of the year now, after the holidays, kind of in between seasons, and there isn't a whole lot of shopping going on. Here are a few ideas to stay proactive when business is slow:     Update your website or portfolio. Repackage your products and/or services. Refine your marketing strategy. Increase your SEO ranking. Take a course to further your skills/education.   These are just a few ideas to stay active and continue to build your business even during down time. How do you remain proactive? Let's talk about it in the comments!

  Hello Community! As a small business owner, managing your finances and preparing for tax season can be overwhelming. To make it easier, the QuickBooks Blog has put together a simple checklist with six essential steps to help you streamline the process in this article. By staying prepared throughout the year, you'll be ready for tax season and have one less thing to worry about. Here are the 6 steps you should know:   1. Know the types of small business taxes2. Know what tax forms you need to file3. Create a tax filing calendar4. Gather the needed business tax return documents5. Make note of common tax deductions and credits6. Request a filing extension if needed   This tax preparation checklist can simplify the process for small business owners and save time. QuickBooks provides software that helps with documentation, making the process even smoother. For detailed information on this checklist, make sure to check out the full article here. I hope you found t

Currently, I use Quicken to track income and expenses for three business and three rental properties. It is pretty messy. The program auto categorizes expenses and income incorrectly and I don't know how to make it stop. It also will not import transactions for all my accounts. I have to manually add them and this is very time consuming. Is quickbooks more accurate and user friendly? 

Could somebody please explain how to link the "Paycheck Tips" feature of QBO Payroll with the "Undistributed Tips" liability account? It seems intuitive that you would pay tips using the "Paycheck Tips" feature, and they would credit against the "Undistributed Tips" liability account as they are paid, but this does not seem to be the case. What am I missing? It has been suggested that I create and/or use an expense account, but this seems wrong, as the tips are not my expense, but money I am simply holding and owe to another entity, like sales tax or employer taxes. In this case, my employee is the other entity, and their tip payment should not be my expense. Isn't there a way to use the "Paycheck Tips" feature to pay out of the "Undistributed Tips" account, just like with sales tax payments, for example?

Do you believe maintaining workplace harmony is crucial for a leadership team? FastCompany.com interviewed 18 thought leaders to share insights on preventing tension between employees and executives. Here are some of their key advice:    Incentivize Employees' Contributions: Offer financial rewards for hard work, such as a percentage of new business brought in, fostering a sense of ownership. Foster Appreciation and Leadership: Recognize and appreciate all team members, understanding the difference between being a leader and a boss. Fight Uncertainty by Building Trust: Proactively communicate with transparency to establish trust and prevent employee panic during uncertain times. Align Core Values and Vision: Integrate the company's vision with core values, ensuring employees feel part of a larger purpose and fostering trust. Clarify Leadership Expectations: Avoid tension by clearly communicating expectations, acknowledging contributions, a

I have recently found errors in some of my employees wages for 2017. I have already made the corrections but Im confused on what i need to fill out for the W2c and W3c. If I have 10 employees but only made corrections for 2 of my employees, do I only file the W2c and W3c for the two employees wages or do I have to refile every employee I had for 2017? Looking for some help, thanks in advance!

Happy hump day everyone. I hope you're staying warm! My region is currently snow-covered and a blustery 23 degrees. Anywho, if you've been in business for a while you know that slow periods and down time are inevitable. I feel like it's about that time of the year now, after the holidays, kind of in between seasons, and there isn't a whole lot of shopping going on. Here are a few ideas to stay proactive when business is slow:   Update your website or portfolio. Repackage your products and/or services. Refine your marketing strategy. Increase your SEO ranking. Take a course to further your skills/education.   These are just a few ideas to stay active and continue to build your business even during down time. How do you remain proactive? Let's talk about it in the comments!

Happy Tuesday, QuickBooks Community, and thank you for rocking with us! Today, I want to highlight the importance of effective client communication for business success and present a list of the ten best communication tools from our Firm of the Future.    Clear "Contact Us" Page: A straightforward page on your website listing various contact options, including a Google Maps widget. Online Contact Forms: Utilize online form builder plugins, especially on WordPress, to avoid spam and cybersecurity threats associated with public email addresses. Up-to-Date Online Business Listings: Ensure visibility on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and Trustpilot, as online reviews heavily influence potential clients. Virtual Business Phone Services: Consider cloud-based phone systems for flexibility, integration, and accessibility via various devices. Messaging Apps: Sign up for major messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, which have become im

Good afternoon, QuickBooks Community! Do you sometimes see yourself needing some encouragement? No worries, I got you today! Here are some encouraging words to keep you going because I know it can get challenging for sure:     Believe in Yourself: Trust your instincts and abilities. Confidence in your vision is often the driving force behind great achievements. Embrace Change: The business world is constantly evolving. Be open to change, innovation, and new ideas. This flexibility can lead to breakthroughs. Stay Focused: Don't get overwhelmed by the big picture. Set achievable short-term goals and celebrate your successes along the way. Passion Is Your Fuel: Your passion for your business drives you forward, even when the going gets tough. Keep that fire burning; it will inspire your team and customers. Continual Learning: The business world is dynamic and ever-changing. Invest in your own education and stay curious. The more you know, the better equipped you are to navig