Author: Jennifer Brazer

Whether you are currently a leader or plan to work your way into leadership, everyone can develop leadership skills. While some people have natural leadership skills, others may not have natural skills, but all can have their skills trained or enhanced. Here are eight useful tips for becoming an effective leader.

Lead by Example

The only time you see leadership that is “do as I say and not as I do” is when you are looking at dictatorships or those engaging in totalitarianism. In all other cases where leadership is successful and effective, there is leading by example. A good leader doesn’t just sit from on high delegating work. They are constantly finding ways to increase productivity and employee satisfaction overall. You will find great leaders leading by example, in every successful business where the employees are productive and happy.

Even if a leader has to ask their employees to do something difficult or strenuous, it will put the employees at ease and make them more eager to accomplish the tasks if they are leading by example. Every great leader is an example of integrity, productivity, respect, and an understanding of their employees.

Be Goal-Oriented

Whether a leader or not, every successful person is goal-oriented; setting goals for themselves is the number one priority because this will lead to setting goals for their employees. Organization and planning require goalsetting. Having goals clarifies what every objective is for the business, for each employee, and productivity.

Setting goals also helps both leaders and employees plan for possible challenges. When you set your goals, it is with the idea that you will make a plan to reach those goals. During the planning process is when possible, issues can be discussed. Of course, you can’t plan for every issue that may arise, but everyone being aware of the goals will lead to success.

Take Responsibility

Being a good leader means taking responsibility even when it’s one of your employees who made a mistake. While you will still need to address the issue with the individual or the team that made a mistake or took incorrect actions, as the leader, you always have to take leadership responsibility for those you lead. If you intend to improve your team, if you are throwing them under the bus when something goes wrong, they will never trust you, and your team will never thrive. It is important that a leader takes responsibility upfront and deals with the issues behind the scenes.

Share the Recognition

When it comes to accomplishments as a team, some leaders find it appropriate to take all of the credit. However, a good and effective leader will always share the recognition. A good leader will give each member of the team the acknowledgment they deserve when there is an opportunity to do so. By sharing the recognition, your team will give you respect and admire you as a leader. This respect and admiration are important because a team that feels valued will be more productive, happier, and more present.

Developing Your Team

Developing an effective and productive team should be the number one goal of any leader. This is done first by building a top-notch team at the time of hiring. When in the interview process, you should not only be asking questions regarding experience, but you should also be probing them for work ethic and their personality as it would fit into your team. Some employees may have every skill necessary to do a great job, but they will still be ineffective if they do not fit into the team.

Once you have your team in place, you must have ongoing training and coaching and counseling as necessary. You always want to be moving your team towards the highest level of productivity and employee satisfaction. An effective leader will always be looking for ways to improve themselves and their team.

Be a Great Communicator

Communication is perhaps the most important trait we have as human beings. It is important in every relationship we have, whether it be family, friends, spouses, or coworkers. Communication is especially important for leaders. If you have poor communication with your team, they will fail time and time again. However, if you are an effective communicator, you can push your team to the highest heights. If this is an area that you are not strong in, there are multitudes of books and training sources on how to be a better communicator as a leader. This needs to be a top focus when you are developing yourself to be an effective leader.

Be Assertive

Being a good leader does not mean you have to be bossy or a tyrant. Some do not distinguish the difference between aggressive and assertive. Someone aggressive is confrontational and direct in an inappropriate way. Someone assertive is putting forth a level of power that still allows the recipient of what they’re bringing forward to be a part of it. If employees are intimidated, they will not perform well and, in some cases, may quit. Being assertive means that you are positively getting your point across with confidence and self-assuredness.

Be Confident

Confidence is very similar to assertiveness. The difference between the two is that assertiveness is whenever you try to get things done and put that forward. Confidence is your overall attitude and the way you carry yourself at every moment. People do not want to be led by someone meek or fearful. They will always want to be led by someone confident and strong. The most effective leaders are confident without being cocky, and even better, they boost the confidence in everyone they work with without question.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Now more than ever, people are looking to start their own small businesses. Entrepreneurs may have the desire but not the money to start a business. This lack of funding should not deter anyone wanting to start their own small business. Here are five great money-making small businesses that you can start for less than $100.

1. Blogging:

Blogging is a business that can be easily started and usually for less than $50, depending on what measures you take at startup. There are multiple ways that you can earn money from being a blogger.

• You can earn money advertising
• You can earn money selling digital products such as e-books
• You can earn money with affiliate links
• You can earn money cross-linking to other monetized sites

The main cost to start a blog is getting your domain name and setting up web hosting. In most cases, there are sites where you can build free websites that look amazing. But if you don’t feel confident in creating your site, there may be some additional cost if you hire someone to build your website. Not only is the cost low to start a blog, but if you already have the money to pay for your domain and hosting, you can get started immediately.

2. Consulting:

Consulting is another business that you can start almost immediately. Most people who have been in the workforce or have received an education or degree can say that they are an expert somehow. Those looking to start their own small business can use this education, degree, or experience to become a consultant, otherwise known as an expert.

Because consulting is usually considered a highly professional job, it will be necessary to invest in appearances. You’ll need to invest in sharp-looking business cards and clothing. You will also need a professional level website. For the business cards and the wardrobe, you should be able to keep your cost fairly low if you shop around. Again, the website can be done for free, and purchasing the domain name and hosting is fairly inexpensive. You may also need to invest a bit of money in advertising or marketing; however, there are free to very low-cost sites you can advertise your business. You can also use your social media platforms to promote your consulting business.

3. Freelance Writer:

Becoming a freelance writer requires only one thing that you are an excellent writer. Beyond that, the money needed to start your own freelance writing business can be little to nothing. You should have samples of your work, and if you are not already published, you should create work to use as examples for potential clients.

If any, the costs will be inputting yourself on various websites that help you promote your writing business. You can also use social media and free to low cost classified ad sites. Freelance writers don’t even require to have a website to get business. However, it would only boost your business to have a website, which can be done for free on multiple platforms. If you have the skills as a writer, you can start immediately with little to no money.

4. Event planner:

Event planning is another business that can be started fairly quickly. To start an event planning business, you will need to get a website that can be done for free and purchase your domain name and web hosting. You will also need to do some marketing level; however, you can use social media and free to little cost marketing avenues. An event planner may need to start small if you don’t have any experience putting together a larger event. However, if you have planned larger events in previous work environments, you may jump right into larger event planning.

The advantage of starting an event planning business is they are paying you to put everything together, but they are also paying for the expenses, so there is no overhead to get started. To get yourself some events under your belt, you can offer to plan events for friends or family for little or no fee. This will give you references and experience.

5. Professional Organizer:

Starting a business as a professional organizer can be profitable and cost little to no money to start. People often need help purging and organizing their home or office due to a lack of time or energy to get it done. If you are great at organizing, you will need to run ads, which can be done for free or little cost, and use social media. You can also create flyers to use in your area to inform people of your services. Having a website may be helpful but would not be necessary to start the business or maintain it.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

When it comes to your business, having a website is extremely important. There are several reasons why you must get a website immediately when starting your business. The main reason is that it gives your business credibility. Whether your business is new or has been around for a while, it is common for people to look at your website before deciding whether to do business with you. Here are seven important steps to take for an effective business website.

Build your own or hire a developer

When building a website for your company, you first must decide if you want to hire someone to design your website and develop it or if you want to build your site. The main question you need to ask yourself is how you will be using the site. If it simply provides information about your business with no call to action or purchasing ability, it is suggested that you build your own.

Building your site can be done for little money through websites that offer free templates. These sites are readily available, and you can have your site built within minutes. However, if your site will be more interactive and include making purchases, it is highly recommended that you hire a professional web designer and developer. Generally, it is one upfront cost that can vary depending on the web designer and then regular payments if the developer hosts your site.

Pick a web domain

Whether you hire a web designer or build your site, you will need to obtain your domain name. The domain name is the URL that represents your site. Generally, it is your business’s name because there are so many businesses with similar names you may not be able to get that name, or you may have to pay someone else who owns it. In the cases where the name is taken, you can generally do some manipulation of the name to get it as close as you can to your business’s name.

Outline your pages

There are usually multiple pages on a website. Whether you have multiple pages depends on what type of business you have and what you want your website to do. Some websites have a landing page with a call to action, while others will have a landing page that is simply information. Depending on your website, you can add additional pages such as the company description page, contact page, blog page, and pages for products if you will be selling directly from your website. There may be other pages depending on what you need your website to do.

Make necessary information easy to find

It would be best if you made vital information easily found on your website. This would include location and contact information if you have a brick-and-mortar business. You should also include your phone number and any other pertinent information. This information should be easy to find on your website. Your landing page should include this information as well as a call to action if needed.

Connect your social media profiles

You must link all your social media platforms for the business to your website. Most people are on one or more of the most prominent social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, so linking your social media platforms can bring you the traffic you might not normally get.

Encourage users to subscribe

You should encourage people to subscribe to your website if you intend to have content such as a blog that will be changed or added. Is this will ensure that customers will be notified any time you add new content. Through subscriptions, you can also notify your customers of new products or services, sales, and coupons that can drive customers into your business or make purchases online if you can make purchases on your site.

Use your website to its’ fullest potential

The main point of a website is to provide credibility, but it can go beyond that if you need it. You can use it for sales, marketing, interaction, and information. A website can be an effective and vital tool if you use it to it’s fullest potential.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Usually, business owners are going to run into bookkeeping and accounting mistakes from time to time. But some balance sheet blunders are the major ones, according to experts. The best way to avoid such issues is to learn the common mistakes people make on their business balance sheets.

A balance sheet is a financial statement that indicates the company’s progress. The business balance sheet consists of three categories. They are assets that you own, the equity left-over after excluding expenses, and the liabilities you owe. A balance sheet is a formula: Assets = Equity + Liabilities. Your balance sheet must be accurate due to its importance as a key to understanding your business’s progress. Here are four common business balance sheet mistakes and how to fix them.

Incorrect data classification

The most common balance sheet mistake happens during the recording of transactions. The accountant will write transactions on the balance sheet as a liability or an asset but can make an error while classifying it. Incorrect data classification on the business balance sheet means it is invalid due to the errors.

Physical or non-physical property are your assets as they add value to your business. They include commercial transport, computers, trademarks, etc. There can be multiple asset accounts that involve petty cash, accounts receivable, and inventory, etc.

Businesses accumulate debt by owing money to sources like government agencies, organizations, vendors, companies, employees, etc. Your current debts are categorized as your business liabilities. There will be higher liabilities depending on how much you owe. Mistakes can be made while writing your liability’s exact amount on the business balance sheet that can be long-term and short-term. Both long-term and short-term liabilities include mortgages, supplies, loans, invoices, etc.

Depending on how many transactions your business does daily, weekly, or monthly, entering transactions can be overwhelming. Even if you have an accountant or use accurate software, there is a dependency on entering the information on the balance sheet accurately. If a transaction gets classified incorrectly, this can cause major issues and be costly and confusing. Once the mistake is discovered, you must do an audit and get the balance sheet corrected immediately.

Omitting transactions

Again, depending on how many transactions your business does daily, weekly, and monthly, a large volume of transactions can be entered onto a balance sheet. Accountants can overlook transactions or forget to enter transactions into the business balance sheet. Even one missing transaction can throw the entire balance sheet off and can cause major issues. Considering your transactions, including expenses, supplies, cash flow, and inventory, are all put into the balance sheet as transactions happen. It can be easy to figure out what is omitted.

While mistakes happen, it can be costly and time-consuming to correct the error. The best way to handle it is to make sure you or your accountant enters every transaction as soon as it occurs and doesn’t accumulate them throughout the day and enter them all at once.

This mistake may not be discovered, and if that is the case, your balance sheet will not be an accurate depiction of your company’s progress. This error must be avoided by entering transactions immediately, or the balance sheet will be pointless.

Neglecting to record inventory variations

One of the more common errors on the balance sheet is when it comes to recording your inventory transactions. Having an accurate inventory entered on your balance sheet will give an overview of what does well and what doesn’t. It will also give you an idea of the success of certain products for development purposes. This is why you must have a regular accounting of your inventory.

Making transposition error

Another fairly common mistake is to transpose numbers when entering in amounts to the balance sheet. While seemingly small in reality, this mistake can be big because the balance sheet will not be accurate. This is another mistake that can go undetected and make the balance sheet an inaccurate accounting of the company’s progress.

The key to having an accurate and useful balance sheet is to enter in information as you go and to check and double-check everything you enter. If even one of these mistakes occur and go undetected, you present an inaccurate report of your company’s progress.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

When it comes to personal finances, most have difficulty with money management and making the most of their income. Money issues are the number one issue that most people will say causes them stress and sleep loss. Whether it be making ends meet or paying for unexpected expenses, living paycheck to paycheck is difficult when it comes to managing your money. Here are six ways you can make the most of your money and personal finances.

Make the Most of Your Full-Time Job

Suppose you are gainfully employed and still having difficulty making your ends meet. That could mean that you are not making the most of your full-time job. In many cases, people are making far less than what they are worth and the job they put forward. This is not because their company is unwilling to pay them more; however, they are running a business and will likely keep you at your same salary until you ask for a raise. Some companies have built-in yearly evaluations and raise potential; however, most do not exist outside corporate America.

You need to oversee your salary and go for those promotions and raises. Often, if you are a good employee that works hard and is productive, they are just waiting for you to ask or take the initiative to ask. We can count on those that manage us to push us to do those things or offer us those raises and promotions. It is rare to have a boss that offers those things without you asking.

Start A Side Hustle

If you are not crazy about your job and do not want to put in more time or seek a promotion, you can start a side hustle. In the simplest of terms, a side hustle is a job you do on the side to supplement your income. Side hustle or gigs have become extremely popular. You can be a rideshare driver, a food delivery driver, a freelance writer, a freelance photographer, and so much more. The greatest thing about the side hustle or gig job is that you pick and choose when you work and how much you want to earn. Many in-depth turning their side hustle into their full-time business. This can be done once the side hustle replaces 70% of your income.

Start Budgeting

Chances are, even if you are a financially responsible adult, you do not have a budget. Not having a budget can put undue stress on you about your personal finances. Many money problems stem from not having a simple budget. Most people think it is complicated or that a budget will point out that they must cut many things out of their life. That could not be further from the truth. A budget helps you see where your money is being spent, where you can save, and what you can live without and what you need. It helps consolidate everything in one place that affects you in your personal finances.

If you have not started a budget, you should start one today. Keep it simple. Gather everything that brings you income and gather everything that costs you money that is steadily coming out each month and figure out what your monthly grocery bills are and gas. Once you have gathered all this information, you can. Put it into a spreadsheet or use a notebook. The most important things to include are the dates that you receive income, the dates that the bills are due, the bill’s names, and the budget for the bill. You will also want to add a column that is the actual cost. Once you have a working budget, you can begin to look at ways to save money and make the most of it. If you find your expenses exceed your income, you will have to make changes in your spending or bring in more income.

Get Out of Debt

Even the most financially responsible adults will have issues with debt. This is because we are a society that largely depends on credit to make purchases. If you are diligent about paying back any loans or lines of credit you have and credit card debt, this usually is not an issue. What generally occurs to get someone in debt is that they max out their credit cards and cannot pay it back, or unexpected expenses cause the inability to pay certain bills or credit lines. To make the most of your money and control your personal finances, paying down debt should be your number one priority outside of paying your bills.

To accomplish this goal, you may have to make some entertainment sacrifices and any spending that is not on necessities. Generally, this sacrifice will be temporary; therefore, there is no excuse for you to give a few things up to get out of debt.

Plan for Emergencies

If you have no other savings in place, you should have an emergency fund. The quickest way to lose control of your money and personal finances is to have an emergency expense you cannot cover without sacrificing other bills. If you have an emergency fund on hand, it can cover you while you earn the extra money to replace the emergency fund you took out. It is suggested that you first make a goal to save $1,000, then work your way up to an amount that is equal to six months of your income. This will cover you for job loss or catastrophic medical issues. Some will take it even further and cover themselves for up to a year.

It should be noted that this is not your savings for your future or used for investments to make yourself a nest egg. Those are a separate savings plan. This fund is strictly to cover you for emergencies and loss of income due to unforeseen life events. The emergency savings fund will prevent you from getting a loan and pay interest, especially in those cases where you do not know when you’re going to have a steady income back in your life.

Avoid Impulse Purchases

Impulse purchases are something everyone confronts in their spending. While it is understandable that it is almost impossible to avoid impulse spending completely, you need to avoid it as much as possible. Most budget issues are spending money on things we did not budget for and causing issues with our other bills and responsibilities because that money must come from somewhere. A suggestion would be to build a miscellaneous category into your budget. When you get your budget completed, if you are spending more than your income, it can be a place you can cut. However, if you are well within budget, including some miscellaneous spending, then you can give in to a few of your impulses while remaining within budget.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Working from home has become more popular as technology advances and companies are looking for ways to cut overhead. There are also more people working from home in their own businesses. While there are many advantages to working from home, there are also some difficulties. Though most working people are dedicated to getting work done, the challenges of working from home can affect even the most hard-working people. Here are six ways you can increase productivity working from home.

Keep your workspace and personal space separate

Working from home offers a unique set of issues that you don’t have to consider when you work in an office. Home-based workers often find it difficult to focus if they are working from the kitchen table or using their laptop on the couch. While you may not have a lot of spare space in your home, you need to find a way to separate your personal space from your workspace. Ideally, if you have an extra room or area virtually unused in your home, you should use it as a home office. However, if you do not have that kind of space, there are ways you can create a workspace.

To create a workspace, you will need to find a corner or area where you can fit a desk and other items you need to have everything you need nearby. If you need privacy or a way to indicate you are working with those you live with, you can use a partition to separate your office space from the rest of the room. The important thing is that you have a designated area to work.

Organize clutter and save time

Because you are at home, it is easy to say that you will declutter and organize as you go. This way of thinking is a mistake. You should be working under the structure of a work schedule that would be the same if you worked in an office. You should put yourself in the mindset that you are working in an office, organizing yourself, and having a workspace ready to be productive.

Get dressed for success

The idea that you should dress as though you are going into the office creates some controversy. However, productivity is based on your mindset, and if you are in your pajamas, you are relaxed and slow to get moving. When you get up, you should do your morning routine before you go to work as though you will get in your car and drive to the office. While it is not suggested that you put on a three-piece suit or pantyhose, you should put on clothing that is not what you slept in the night before. You can keep it casual but not so casual that you will want to crawl back in bed.

Invest in ergonomic and beautiful furniture

When setting up your home office, you may need to be economical. However, you can buy affordable furniture that will provide comfort and ergonomically correct support, but it can help with the mindset mentioned before. If you have nice furniture and a nice workspace, it puts you in a positive mindset. Think of a productive office. Generally, they are set up for efficiency, but they are aesthetically pleasing in color and décor. If you are worried about the budget, you can buy second-hand furniture nice for little cost.

Consider working from a co-working space

Working from home can be great when it comes to convenience and commute. It can also be cost-saving for you as the at-home worker and the company for which you work. However, there can be some isolation that can slow-down or even halt productivity. There are amazing co-working spaces in most cities. These shared spaces can give you the feeling of working around others, which can push productivity. Also, sometimes all you need is a change in scenery to get you going. Some of these co-working spaces are free, but others will charge a monthly or yearly fee to use the space as an office away from home. This cost should be considered before deciding to use them.

Know when to stop working

When working from home, you may be on your own when it comes to what time you work and how much. Because you are comfortable in your home, you may keep working well beyond the end of the workday. Understandably, you may need to work beyond your schedule on occasion, but this should not become a habit. You should log out of everything and “go home” when you would if you were in the office. You should also make it clear to those you do business with that you will be unavailable after a certain time and give them the expectation of when you will be available.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Every financially responsible person needs to concern themselves with personal finances. The control of your personal finances is the key to financial freedom and continued financial health into the future. Here are four areas of personal finances that need your focus for good financial health.

Savings

Many financially responsible people don’t have a savings account or understand the importance of having one. Everyone should have three savings accounts, each for vastly different purposes. The overall purpose of savings is to put money away for a specific reason. The money used for these accounts could come from a budgeted allotment from your paycheck or from a specific source of income meant to fund The Savings account. The three types of savings accounts everyone should have are:

Emergency Fund Savings

The emergency fund savings account is specifically designed to cover you when you have an emergency or a sudden loss of income. Of the three savings accounts, this should be the first one you save before saving for the others. It is suggested that you save at least $1,000 in the immediate future and save at least six months of your income in case of job loss. Many take it even further and cover themselves for 12 months of income.

Retirement Savings

Retirement savings is specifically savings for the future once you retire from the workforce. There are several ways to save for a retirement savings account. You can contribute to your 401(k), you can have part of your income put into a retirement plan, or you can have another income source outside of your paycheck to fund your retirement plan.

Personal Savings

A personal savings account is generally used when saving for a specific item or reason. The most common reasons are to save the college for your children, to purchase a big-ticket item, or for a family vacation. There are several other reasons people may want to save money, which would all be done under a personal savings account.

Planning

many people have a difficult time planning for tomorrow, let alone the distant future financially. However, it is a mistake to neglect planning for your financial freedom and future. While it is strongly suggested that you hire a professional financial planner, you can plan for your financial future.

The first thing you need to do in planning your financial future is to sit down with everyone in your household with a financial stake in the future and discuss and decide on goals. These goals can be household goals as well as individual goals. Once you have these goals in mind, you’ll need to consider sources of income, expenses, and debts. You will then need to adjust or create a budget with your income, expenses, and debts in mind and your financial goals.

Planning this way will give you an overview of your financial situation and help you adjust your budget to accommodate your goals. This will help you and the entire household reach your financial goals and financial freedom and health.

Investing

The average American worker does not give much thought to investing. This could be for several reasons, such as no income to invest with, fear of investing, or lack of knowledge. With technology and so much information readily available on the Internet, the average person should make investment decisions that they will feel comfortable with. There are also many low-cost, low-risk investments that people can make to boost their income, if only slightly.

If you’re looking to make larger investments, you should hire a professional if you have no experience. Figuring out the best investments and how to go about it can be a daunting task, and having a professional on your side will make sure you make sound investments within your loss tolerance if an investment doesn’t work out. Also, an investment expert will be able to help you choose the right investments for you, your income, and your loss tolerance.

Overspending

Overspending is a quite common malady when it comes to personal finances. Almost every financially responsible person at one time or another has overspent and overextended themselves to the point of stress. If this is just an occasional occurrence, there’s nothing to worry about. However, if this is happening every single paycheck that you earn, you have a problem.

Sometimes the overspending is blatant and obvious. You went out and bought something you could not afford. However, more commonly, people overspend and don’t know how they did it because it was in micro amounts. For example, you may make small purchases such as copy or impulse buys while you’re at the grocery store that seems small when, if you did a forensic audit of your finances, you would discover that these added up greatly.

Having a budget will solve this problem. Your budget will give you insight into where you are spending your money if you stay diligent about entering every expenditure. It is suggested that you keep a handwritten diary of everything you spend your money on, including a candy bar at the convenience store. You must get an overview of where your spending money if you are constantly falling short every paycheck.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Issuing electronic invoices generates an average saving of between 60% and 80% per tax document. Although the savings can be significant, it is not always possible to achieve them due to the electronic invoicing system’s poor implementation.

Moreover, with technological upgrades in the frame, our electronic billing prospects are also on the verge of several upgrades. But, with extensive upgrades, you also open up different ways to make errors. These errors can potentially break your entire business model. Here we share five mistakes you could be making with your electronic billing system and how to avoid them.

Not Including a Payment Due Date

Though electronic billing itself is one of the more accurate billing systems, there can still be mistakes on the bill. Sending the bill without a payment due date will lead to a myriad of problems. If the customer doesn’t have a specific due date, the bill could never get paid. The electronic invoice should include the due date and have information such as benefits of paying early or in full and fees and penalties if paid late. The customer should be thoroughly informed on the billing date and other relevant information.

Lack of Communication

Before you ever use the electronic billing system, you should communicate billing information in two ways. You should include a thorough and well-written set of terms and conditions that will leave no room for misinterpretation or liability to the company. It would be best to verbalize the expectations when you are creating the invoice and doing the service or providing products to the customer. This communication will help with accuracy and complete understanding on the part of the customer.

Neglecting Future Billing Needs

Since electronic billing is dependent on the software, you must choose the right one from the beginning or be prepared to upgrade down the line. Don’t just choose billing software according to name brands. Choose it according to the utilities and upgrade protocols. It stands to reason that electronic billing will evolve just like all other technology and processes. It is better to put the expense into getting software that will also evolve. If you’re unable to afford software that can be upgraded as needed, be ready to buy new software in the future. Also, make sure you choose software that has features that will be timeless.

Ignoring Security

One of the most important things to consider is security. Many times invoices will have the personal information of the customer on them. Though you will be sending them electronically and not through the mail, it is still important that you be aware of what you are putting on the bill. The protection of your customer and securing their personal information should be of the utmost importance. And if the electronic billing includes anything health-related, you must follow HIPAA regulations or risk violations, which could lead to fines or termination of employment. You should also ensure that all company information is protected as well.

In addition to security on the bill itself, you should be ensuring the security of your network, the software, and the email address. Every business, large or small, should be protecting themselves from hackers and identity thieves.

Duplicate Electronic Billing

though you may be using an electronic billing system, another common error is duplicate billing. Though most software made for electronic invoicing will have built-in safeguards, not all of them do. It is important to put in the correct information in the system and follow up and run billing reports. Creating regular reports will help ensure that no one is receiving duplicate bills.

How You Can Prevent These Mistakes

To prevent these mistakes, you should first choose the right electronic billing software with features that work for your small business. You should also ensure that you run regular reports to avoid duplicate billing. When creating your electronic invoice, ensure that it includes all terms and conditions and all pertinent information, including the payment due date. And remember that every customer you are sending these to relies on you to secure their personal information and be protected from hacking or identity theft.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Welcome back to part 2 of how to embrace the cloud into bite-sized portions from Jennifer Brazer, founder and CEO of a completely cloud-based company based in the US.

Web-based Software 

A simple way to encourage your customers to transition to the cloud is through their accounting software. Most software solutions have web-based options now – even Excel. Getting clients accustomed to anytime-anywhere access to their bookkeeping by leveraging someone else’s technology can pave the path to an open mind.

Tools 

If you want your customers to utilize digital methods, arm them with the tools and support to do so. If you want them to submit records and receipts electronically, provide them with a mobile phone app that contains that functionality.

Records Storage 

While web-based accounting software can acclimatize your customers to the cloud, it is nice to have something sticky that keeps them locked into using your platform, your technology, your service. You might offer records storage that they can access and use as long as they are a client of yours. Structure it as a filing cabinet to facilitate their using it for all of their financial document storage. Then give them access to it through their mobile phone and the desktop environment you host for them.

Connecting Prospects 

When working with prospects, if they know your firm is tech-savvy right from the start, it will be easier to bridge the technology gap when they come on board as a client. They will already be expecting you to change some things, streamline the process, and give them transparency to their bookkeeping and records.

Tech Forward Giveaway 

One way to establish your tech prowess with prospects is to offer them something of value that is tech-forward. Pick a tool or process to share with them. Brand it to your firm and give it away as part of your brand awareness strategy.

Email Touch 

Anyone who starts a prospect relationship with your business and shortly after that receives a helpful, quick touch base by email will be impressed. And then, when they receive another a month later, they will know that you have a relationship touch strategy, and that will position you as a savvy provider.

Alone or in combination, these tools and strategies will position your business as savvy and supportive as you bridge the technology gap.  

I hope you find it useful. 

Jennifer Brazer,

Author | CEO | Empowerment Nerd

When starting a small business, one of the most important things you need to do as the business owner besides getting funding is to establish business credit. As we know, establishing credit isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes some time to get it to the level that would allow you to have enough credit to have buying and borrowing power. Though it is not something you can establish overnight, you can establish some things to establish business credit faster. Here are six tried and true methods of establishing business credit fast.

Register Your Business Entity

Business credit history is not the same as personal credit history. Credit history for business is more heavily weighted and not easily dismissed when obtaining capital for your business. Though some small businesses do not need to be incorporated or made into a proprietorship, a business that needs to build business credit registering your business is a must. The bonus is that having your business registered separately from your personal affairs protects your assets and accounts.

Here are the structures you can register your business under:

• C-Corporation: A C-Corporation separates you from your business, financially and legally. A C-Corporation is best for businesses that are planning to issue stock or go public as they grow.
• S-Corporation: An S-Corporation separates you from your business, financially and legally. These are pass-through businesses in which the profits are taxed at the individual level.
• Limited liability company (LLC) – An LLC is an incorporated business with liability protection that separates you financially and legally from your business. An LLC offers more tax protection than a corporation.
• Limited liability partnership (LLP) – An LLP is a registered business that is generally used for businesses that will eventually become a partnership. This type of registration is used a lot among medical and law practices.

When building your business credit, you must choose a structure for your business. If you’re having difficulty figuring out how to structure your business, you can consult an accountant or business attorney.

Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

When establishing your business, it is important to obtain an employer identification number (EIN) for tax and business tracking purposes. It is similar to how a Social Security number works for you and your personal life.

Not every business needs an employer identification number, such as sole proprietorship or single-owner LLC. However, it is suggested that you obtain one for your business, regardless. The employer identification number helps you establish business credit and will be useful when doing your business taxes.

Open a Business Bank Account

Registering your business and obtaining an employer identification number are great ways to help you establish business credit and separate yourself from your personal affairs. However, if you need to continue the separation when it comes to your bank account, many small business owners use the same account for personal and business use, but this can be a mistake. It would be best to separate every aspect of the business to protect your assets and establish your business credit.

Opening a business or merchant account can be done at the same bank you hold your personal account or open at a new bank. Some banks that have personal accounts don’t specialize in business accounts, while others do. If you have any questions, you can consult an accountant. The most important thing is to do your research before opening your business or merchant account.

Establish a Dedicated Business Address and Phone Number

Establishing a dedicated business address is simple if your business is a brick-and-mortar. However, if you will be operating your business out of your home, you will need to establish a virtual business address. This address will help your business stay separated from your home and avoid anyone coming to your home, thinking it’s a brick-and-mortar business. Your virtual business address can receive mail and help you keep your personal and business mail separated.

You should also establish a business phone number. You can do this in several ways. If you have a traditional brick-and-mortar business, you can have a phone installed in the business to use as your business phone number. However, suppose you’re going to be working out of your home. In that case, you can either get a separate cell phone number for your business or establish space a phone number online that will forward to your personal about without revealing your personal phone number. This is not only important for security but also to help you further establish business credit.

Get a Business Credit Card or Line of Credit

Obtaining a business credit card or a business line of credit can help you build your business credit quickly. However, it can be very difficult to get a credit card or line of credit for your business because you have not yet established any credit. If this is the case, you can use your personal credit if it is good to help you obtain either of business credit card or business line of credit. You can also obtain secured credit cards or loans and use them and pay them off immediately to establish credit. Once you build enough credit, you can get a larger limit of unsecured credit cards and loans.

Borrow from Lenders That Report to the Business Credit Bureaus

When you begin to get larger loans, make sure you always use lenders to report to a business credit bureau. Some loans and credit lines do not report, which will not help you establish your business credit. Though lenders that report often have higher interest rates, if you can quickly pay the balances, this won’t be as costly as you think. There are three major business credit bureaus: D&B, Experian, and Equifax. Most traditional lenders and banks who give business loans are associated with one or all of these credit reporting bureaus.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.