Category: Content

Unlike working in a company with limited liability on your shoulders, entrepreneurship requires determination, hard work, commitment, and the will to keep going, irrespective of the hurdles. A startup meets different challenges, especially initially, as one is often inexperienced and needs insights into the market. However, the startup stage demands one to stay put, make tireless efforts, and kick-start the venture! Let us hear the secret recipe for a great startup!

Develop a Business Idea

The first step is knowing where to start! Everyone is good at something or the other, and knowing it is the key to a great business idea. What is it that the team can do that nobody else can? It means listing down the key strengths and expertise of the team members or the individual entrepreneur. Some people are good at writing and can start being great bloggers. Some people have a taste for fashion and can run a designer house. Some people are exceptional with desserts and can run a successful pastry house. The business idea should often come from one’s comfort zone and passion!

Explore the Platforms

Often, entrepreneurs mistake following the trends and forget to align the processes with their business ideas. Even though the e-commerce industry is booming, it does not mean one must jump into an online business. Social media has become the primary marketing platform, but it does not mean it is great for every business. You must carefully choose the operations venues as they determine the company’s potential. If the industry targets an aging population, it might still want to stick to the traditional marketing channels; however, the business must vigorously adapt to the trends if it targets the younger lot.

Analyze the Feasibility of the Idea

A creative business idea does not necessarily mean it’s a great idea. The blogging may not go viral if the content is not focused on the target audience. The designer house may fail if the apparel is just another collection in the market. The pastry house may struggle to generate enough revenue if the customers do not like the taste. Hence, a feasibility report is needed to analyze the idea’s potential. It will assist in knowing the idea’s potential, target market characteristics, competitors’ strengths, industry trends, business name, location, and projected sales in the first few years. However, the feasibility report must be based on statistics and facts of the market, not on hopes and wishes of success!

Analyze the Need for Financing

While the feasibility report is on its way, the finances required for the startup will start getting more apparent. Although one generalizes how much it would need to set up the business, the estimations often need to be considered. One will likely ignore the costs associated with several minor tasks and activities, which later add to the burden. However, once the finances required to start and run a business are calculated, it’s time to know whether the required amount is available or not. And if not, how will the amount be achieved? Consider contacting an angel investor, trying to raise money from family and friends, or taking a loan from the bank.

Explore the Legalities

Every business must undergo certain legalities, such as registering the company with the relevant authority, patenting the idea, and so on! Different permits and licenses apply to other businesses; one must be meticulous about them. Several business and legal advisors help entrepreneurs get through the legal stage in exchange for a fee. They are well-versed with licenses and permits and save one from the trouble of running through the streets!

Develop your Team

An efficient and enthusiastic team is a must-have for a startup. Before the business officially starts its operations, it must have a solid and skilled team committed, proactive, and in love with the company. You must make this decision wisely!

And finally, open the doors to the customers!

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 platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO 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.

Suppose you are inexperienced and have not attended many interviews in the past. All the uncertainty that you think of only leads to adding your jitters. But if you follow these simple steps, you can easily rock any interview.

We need a proper budget for our financial management. We must search for a job with an appropriate schedule of tips. Implementing each tip daily will maximize your job search for getting your dream job. It doesn’t mean that you are going to learn 30 tips today.

Deliberately concentrate your job search journey from the initial stage to the final stage. The first includes resume creation, contract access within your industry, etc. The second includes interview preparation, thank you notes, job approval, and rejection. Implement each job search recommendation daily, resulting in less stress and more concentration on your dream job.

Do Your Research

Never forget to do a little research on the company before you head to their office. Would it not be a shame that you got hired to a place where you don’t want to work? You can do the very least to research what the company is providing and what it is offering.

Some vital information you can Google is the workers’ latest projects, how well the company treats the employees, and how financially stable the workers are.

Prepare Stories to Tell

Marketing your skills and experience is part of a successful job interview regarding whether they relate to the job described. Stories allow you to engage and show your personality and good communication skills.

Combined with the job description, your research must let you know which specific skills the employer prefers. While keeping that in mind, refresh your memories that can show off your qualifications the best.

Formulate Questions

A pet peeve of a classic recruiter is usually when they wonder if you have any questions for them, and you give them a simple reply by saying no, and usually, that simple question is a big strike against you.

When you have questions to ask them, asking questions lets your interviewer know that you are eager to learn more about this job and company. It also indicates that you are interested in this company and is a sign that you have done your homework.

The interviewer will also take you more seriously. Be sure to take a pencil and paper and note down what questions you would like answered. You can also add to the questions you have during the interview.

Dress for Success

When your skill and experience stand independently, start with your clothing items to own an effective job interview. Try dressing one level above the job you are looking for. It is never about how expensive or luxurious the suite is — it is about looking as if you are a part of the company and wearing well-fitted, clean clothes.

You better decide what you will wear to the interview one night before so you do not have to rush at the last moment. Lay down your clothes and make sure they are perfectly pressed and cleaned.

Bring Everything You Need

Even though you might have already emailed your CV or resume, there is no problem in taking your paper copies for your interviewer and you to refer to. Having a copy of your reference list is also not a bad idea. These should almost always be with you in a separate file and not on your resume.

Conclusion

The difference between a good and a great interview is preparation and understanding the process. You may not know precisely what the person will ask or the temperament of the interviewer. However, you can be prepared enough to handle any situation.

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 platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO 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.

Whenever you consider a bank, you will see a place to make deposits, track your savings account, etc. True, but another type of bank focuses on stocks, securities, and other financial instruments. These financial organizations may be subsidiaries of larger firms that offer banking and financial services. Still, they play an essential role in the financial industry, considerably impacting the whole economy.

Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs is one of the most prominent investment banks in the world. It is a more than 150-year-old public organization with about $2.5 trillion in assets under supervision at the end of 2021. Goldman Sachs has hosted several high-ranking government leaders. There are Treasury secretaries from the United States, White House advisers, and leaders from central banks and governments throughout them. As a result, it is a significant power center on Wall Street.

The bank has been involved in several scandals, notably its participation in the 2008 financial crisis, but it also participates in various social activities.

JP Morgan

JPMorgan Chase is one of the world’s most powerful financial institutions. This enormous corporation is divided into two parts. The Chase part of the firm is a commercial and business bank. JPMorgan concentrates its efforts on investments, especially investment banking. At the end of 2021, the company reported total assets of $3.7 trillion.

Barclays

Barclays may not be the most well-known bank on our side of the Atlantic, but it is well-known in the United Kingdom. Based in London, Barclays was founded in 1690 and currently has £1.5 trillion in assets (almost USD 2.0 trillion).

Barclay’s credit cards are well-known in the United States, and the corporation is developing consumer financial services for the nation. It is well-represented in New York and other major financial centers worldwide, both inside and outside Europe.

Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is a big investment bank founded in the United States in 1935.

Morgan Stanley is a financial services firm based in Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Discover & Co. merged with Dean Witter Discover & Co. in 1997. Dean Witter Discover & Co. Morgan Stanley was renamed Morgan Stanley in 2001. With $6.9 trillion in assets under management, it is part of the “too large to fail” financial stable.

The three main sections of an international investment bank are institutional securities, wealth management, and investment management. The wealth management segment caters to individual investors. Most of this gap was caused by Smith Barney’s acquisition of the famed investment bank Salomon Brothers, which Smith Barney had previously purchased.

Bank of America

This investment bank, a subsidiary of Bank of America, was founded through a period of consolidation, the latest of which is Bank of America’s absorption of significant investment bank Merrill Lynch amid the financial crisis of 2008. Bank of America is the second-largest bank in the United States, with assets of $3.3 trillion. Its offices are in Bangkok, Edinburgh, and New Jersey, among other places worldwide.

Credit Suisse

Investors typically seek the Swiss franc as a haven when the U.S. dollar looks unstable. Regarding significant financial transactions, Swiss banks have a reputation for expertise and discretion. Credit Suisse, which dates to 1856, is a leader among Swiss banks.

Deutsche Bank

Deutsche Bank is a diversified financial company that was founded in 1870. Its investment banking branch is powerful and influential. Deutsche Bank, headquartered in Frankfurt, has around 1.3 trillion euros in investments, making it one of Europe’s top ten investment banks.

Deutsche Bank is the best player in the U.S. and across the world. Its operations in the mortgage bonds market had a crucial role in the financial crisis of 2008, earning it a $7.2 billion fine in 2017.

RBC Capital Markets

In Toronto, Canada, RBC Capital Markets is RBC’s investment bank. RBC, or Royal Bank of Canada, has assets of CAD 1.7 trillion, with origins dating back to 1869. This significant bank is also one of the largest in North America and globally, with offices in the United States and other nations. 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 platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO 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.

There are many ways to create content, but some are better than others. And there are life hacks that allow you to increase efficiency further and attract a wider audience. This article has analyzed all the trending methods, from simple to the most complex. A fundamental economic hack is a toothpaste with another non-standard application method. It copes well with drying inflammation and various pimples, as it contains anti-inflammatory and antibacterial substances. Sometimes, toothpaste is also used to treat minor burns.

Learn to Work in Microsoft Excel

Take the time to learn how to use MS Excel because it is an essential tool in the finance and auditing fields. Don’t be hesitant; don’t assume it’ll be simple; you’ll figure it out as soon as you secure a job or an apprenticeship. Excel, believe us, is a beautiful tool that will make your work a lot more successful. Start taking Excel courses if you’re not a specialist, and augment what you learn using online learning materials. It is appropriate for any business or science graduate who wishes to devote time to personal growth and broaden their perspective on the matter, situations, and individuals.

Looking For a Part-Time Job

Experience in real life is superior. Nothing can replace it. Even if this job doesn’t suit you, you can learn a lot as a beginner. The corporate world has a lot to teach you.

Keep Doing Your Hobbies

When you have work that you enjoy, it is a dream come true. But what about unstructured time? Why not explore those talents or hobbies you’ve always wanted to pursue but may have had to give up during your education if you’re a trainee or have recently done your exams? It can include mountain climbing, entertainment, presentation skills, drawing, kung fu, poetry, and writing.

Learn The Language!

This task is not for everyone, but for most of us, learning a language can be a plus, primarily if you work for a foreign corporation, go abroad, or start studying another language.

Lifehack generally means a little trick, folk wisdom, or helpful advice to help solve everyday problems. It is a set of methods and techniques for “hacking” the surrounding life to simplify achieving your goals with the help of various helpful tips and tricks. Usually, a life hacker does not create new techniques but masters existing ones. A few economic hacks that we don’t know are:

1. Did you know that one battery is enough for the remote control?
2. If you need to take a photo together, and there is nowhere to put your smartphone, a shoe and improvised items can help you.
3. IKEA bags are so durable that they are great for carrying firewood.
4. You can replace the keychain (puller) on the slider with a simple eyelet from a can.
5. A box from Tic Tac can be a convenient container for storing hairpins or any other small items that are always out of place.
6. A potato peeler is excellent for cutting hard cheese into thin slices.

If you don’t know how to eliminate the smell from the cat litter, you can add some baking soda to it. Or that warm rice, put in a bag and then in a sock, will save you from pain because it is an excellent thermal remedy. – Probably not, which is why today, on our site of interesting facts for you, a selection of life hacks for every day. Another hack is to make the mascara easier to apply; you should douse the brush with warm water—no need to poke the brush up/down inside the tube. Before using the next layer of mascara, it is better to rotate the brush in a circle. Removing bags under the eyes will help with the usual ointment for hemorrhoids. It contains active substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect. They help to narrow the blood vessels, thus reducing the flow of blood to this place. It is essential to ensure that the ointment does not get on the mucous membranes, for example, in the eyes.

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 platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO 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.

Personal finance. It is a subject that is part of anyone’s routine, but have you ever thought college is an excellent time to start establishing a healthy relationship with money? After all, if you reach this stage still young, the chances of achieving a quiet financial situation during adulthood and old age are much higher!

As if it were not enough to worry about the grades at the end of each semester, one of most university students’ significant problems is dealing with the lack of money. It is difficult to pay for college, rent, books, transportation, and food. It also excludes the other activities included in the student’s daily life!

Has this scenario seemed too familiar to you? To help organize your financial life, here are several tips for keeping your accounts in order and saving for a better future. Check out!

How to Organize Personal Finances Early?

Have you ever wondered if you had taken a course called Financial Planning for Beginners in elementary or high school? No doubt you could consider yourself privileged! After all, most students do not have any contact with financial education during their primary education.

That is why, when they reach youth and adulthood, people find it difficult to start saving, even knowing the basics about how to make investments. In the family, financial education is a topic that tends to pass well away from the conversations. Due to these shortcomings, people get into debt quickly. They often live with the rope around their necks to close the accounts at the end of the month.

But beware: even with this unfavorable track record in the country, you’re not required to go that route, okay? Quite the opposite: you can take advantage of college time to start your financial planning and thus not suffer from the lack of money in the future.

It is noteworthy that, because you are young, you have several advantages that others no longer have, such as time to accumulate resources. In addition, youth is when you can change habits more efficiently and have more energy to overcome challenges. So, anyone who realizes early on the importance of setting economic goals will possibly achieve goals equally soon.

Revenue and Expenses

Revenue can be understood as all the money that goes into your budget, be it salary, internship, remuneration for freelance work, or the result of the sale of products or services, among other diverse possible origins. The expense is the opposite, referring to the amounts that leave your budget. In an ideal scenario, revenues must exceed costs. Otherwise, your budget will turn red.

Savings and Investment

If you strive to leave a scrap of resources every month, you can form a saving – here understood as the result of the act of saving and not like that famous application offered by the banks. Getting into the habit of keeping monthly, you accumulate, little by little, a significant amount. With this, you can go to the investment world to make your money yield.

What to do with Debt?

No matter how rare it is for someone to live without making a debt, this cannot be an excuse for the lack of control of personal finances! The idea is not to have outstanding debt. If you cannot keep it that way, try to adjust the obligations to your income and ability to pay. And without despair because we will explain this relationship later.

While outsiders may think that a student has no reason to have debts, the truth is that graduation requires a lot of spending. For example, only the funding for a particular college already represents a relevant portion of the monthly budget. Even if I can start repaying the principal amount of the loan only after graduating, part of the income will still compromised for four years or even more.

Cash Flow

When faced with so many possibilities of debts, controlling everything that comes in and what goes out of the personal budget is essential when organizing finances. To do so, get used to using a management tool called cash flow – which is much used in the business environment. Believe me: this feature will be very useful in achieving a very bluish financial life!

To make it easier to understand, imagine this tool as an employee of any company’s warehouse who must write down everything that comes in and everything out of stock. In your case, you will use the cash flow to record your budget’s receipts (receipts) and outflows (expenses). Thus, you will know exactly where your money came from and where your money went.

By adopting this strategy, you will not forget the little expenses that usually go unnoticed, making a big difference at the end of the month. We are talking about coffee with cheese bread in the college cafeteria and even that ice cream you drink for dessert every 15 days.

It is quite true that it is not enough to record expenditure. It is necessary to think critically about all expenditures to identify which are essential and necessary but can be postponed and which are superfluous and should be left out.

Moreover, using resources from these sources shows that the university has not adequately controlled its finances!

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 platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO 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.

What would a company be without marketing? Marketing is a fundamental tool for any company at any level. Do not be disappointed with the false idea that marketing is synonymous with television ads. This discipline goes much further.

Then we will discuss a few marketing tips, and you can start up those ideas that flutter in your head for your company and that, for some reason or another, have remained just that. While it is true that marketing strategists and advertising analyze insights to know their consumer audience and generate campaigns capable of creating needs, it is also clear that the consumer is no longer seduced so easily. Four out of ten users of smartphones or smartphones are looking for and being informed of some product directly online to acquire it later, for example.

It means that people with this technology tend to research the product in the network before purchasing it. If the information does not convince you or does not meet your expectations, it could be the decision between choosing our product or not.

Another curious fact is that most people who ask for help, ask a question, or consult expect to receive information almost immediately. Waters!

A recent IBM study among 1,700 leaders in marketing revealed that 32% were not ready for the changes already manifesting in their areas of operation, in contrast to the 48% who said yes, be prepared for the challenges that it will present in the next five years.

• Use several means to advertise. Do not focus on a single medium; if you can invest in mass media such as television and radio, do not focus on a single space. The schedule of your ads varies from time to time.
• Use direct mail. Although digital media is booming, do not forget the effectiveness of physical mail, which produces good results with the right message to the target audience.
• Use a newsletter. Your website provides the opportunity for your customers to subscribe to the news you provide. Undoubtedly, the newsletter is a tool that will help you to reinforce the message you want to send to your clients.
• Email Marketing. Remember to use personalized email: do not send mass emails. You will see that you will get better results if you send individual emails. Always keep your list updated. Remember to get feedback on each campaign you use.
• Impeccable customer service. It is the most crucial thing and begins with answering the phone correctly. When a client has a problem, you must solve it as quickly as possible. It is essential to focus on the client. There is no other day to solve problems: today or never!
• Works of charity. We do not necessarily have to make monetary donations, but we can give our time to help organizations. Remember that the focus is not on your company but on an organization that makes a difference by helping others.
• Participate within your community. Be part of your community, help others, and show your human side to build a company’s positive image.
• Maintain a blog. It is an excellent way to get to know our clients and their thoughts. We can also reduce the distance between the company and the client. Take time to read the comments left by your customers and resolve your questions, complaints, or comments. It is a simple tool, but at the same time, potent; take advantage of it.
• Turn your business into 2.0. Create Twitter and Facebook, and take some time to learn how to use them with all your possibilities, participate and learn. Take advantage of the new opportunities offered by new technologies.
• Use your imagination. If you, more than anyone, know the market, the business, and your customers, dare to innovate, do not be one of the bunches, and be different. With your collaborators, try to create a new way to attract more clients, and you will see that you will obtain magnificent results.

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 platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO 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.

The fashion market is full of opportunities to start. Proof of that is the countless establishments that sell accessories of various styles according to the season’s trends. If you are interested in this segment and want to enter this but do not know how to open a jewelry store, continue reading and understand some crucial criteria to consider.

How to Open a Store: Study the Market

Two ways to maintain an accessories store are through a physical store or e-commerce. Analyzing the market before starting the venture is necessary because you need to face much competition in both cases.

Partner and manager of the Chilean virtual store Accessories, Carolina Ituraea, evaluates that the market is problematic because it is saturated. For her, while there are few e-commerce accessories, there is excellent competition and low prices.

“The online market is promising to the extent that you have a broad mix of categories and know how to deliver a good service, with good prices and offering the novelty factor. That is when you add products constantly, ” he analyzes.

Peculiarities of the Aftermarket

As in any market segment, opening an accessories store involves peculiarities to which the entrepreneur must pay attention. According to Carolina, you must be very informed about the latest trends through social networks, so observing the following season to know what will be imposed by fashion is necessary.

The trade manager of the Argentine store San Pretta, which focuses on handbags, shoes, and accessories, must constantly look for new niches and stand out in the offer. “Maybe the most significant difficulty is differentiating yourself from the competition. There are as many options in the local market as possible customers, “he points out.

According to her, the accessories and the ways to use them are diverse. “You can differentiate yourself in quality, colors, textures, materials, and contrasts and, in this way, generate a good balance between price and quality.

What You Should Analyze Before Opening a Store

You may doubt how to open a jeweler store even knowing the market. Therefore, analyzing some factors before entering the segment is essential.

Before starting the venture, knowing how to help the client is necessary. According to her, many girls need advice, and an accessory can make a difference in the look. “It is essential to understand that you are not only going to sell an accessory, you must also have knowledge and attitude. This is the key to having a store, “he says.

On the other hand, for Carolina, three points are essential. The first is that you like the sector because that makes the entrepreneur persevere in difficult times. “You have to fall in love with the project and be certain of your success.” In addition, she affirms that it is necessary to have an idea that differs from the rest and has an added value.

“Finally, I think it’s important to have a sufficient reserve to create the store in the way it was designed and to cope with the good and bad situations of the first months,” he clarifies.

Having a successful business means surviving amid competition. Incompetent markets such as fashion, offering a differential for customers is essential.

Carolina affirms that it is possible to stand out with an exciting mix of products, with accessories that follow the trend, but that has some peculiarity that makes them different in some way, different from what is found in each corner.

“A great challenge is to look for quality suppliers, with products of the trend, different and at a good price. This last issue is not easy because, unless you buy in large quantities, finding suppliers that meet the four factors is a constant challenge, “he says.

Plan the Store

From analyzing the market, knowing the sector’s peculiarities, and considering the issues mentioned in this text, you will learn how to open a store and start planning the company. Make a business plan, develop a marketing strategy, consider your store’s best location, and plan the initial expenses.

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 platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO 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.

The vast majority of small businesses now use social media and view them as critical to the success of their business, according to the Social Media Marketing Industry Report, which interviews more than 3,500 US entrepreneurs.

Facebook Dominates the Marketing of SMEs on Social Media

More than 93% of respondents use Facebook as a marketing method, compared to 79% on Twitter. Also, 62% of respondents believe they are increasing their investment in Facebook during the year. Instagram and Pinterest remain the social networks with the best growth, doubling their traffic from 2014 to 2015. YouTube remains the preserve of big businesses, while 71% of companies with 100 or more employees use it compared to 38% of self-employed workers.

B2B Companies Use Social Media Differently from B2C Companies

LinkedIn is the most used platform for B2B companies, while B2C companies are targeting Facebook to reach the mass of consumers present. This is very logical since B2B companies are primarily looking to reach buyers, marketing people, and other users who use LinkedIn a lot to expand their network of contacts. At the same time, Facebook makes it easy to get the majority of consumers around the world. 

Small Businesses Do Not Measure Most Results of Facebook Marketing Efforts

For many small businesses, no effort is made to measure the relevance of Facebook marketing. While 92% of small businesses agree that social media is essential to their business and that most people are marketing to Facebook, the majority have no idea if their marketing efforts on Facebook are giving them anything. Is. The results can be as broad as increased brand recognition or improved customer service. Ultimately, the problem is that many small businesses do not even ask themselves whether the expected results are achieved. Some do it without purpose, which is even worse.

Most small businesses plan to increase their activities on Facebook this year. Even if they are unsure of their effectiveness, most small businesses want to improve their investments on Facebook this year. Even though Facebook has been around since 2006, it is not surprising that most small businesses are still wondering how to use it to make it an effective tool for their business.

Most Small Businesses Spend More Than 6 Hours a Week on Social Media

Because of their many responsibilities, small business owners pay a lot of attention to the time it takes to maintain the various social media in their business. For many companies with 2 to 10 employees, the time spent per week is between 1 and 10 hours, with an average of 6 hours.

Brand recognition is the most important benefit for small businesses.

The effect of getting more visibility via social media is the most significant benefit for small businesses. While this is much more difficult to measure than traffic or bounce rate, small business owners consider it the essential benefit of social media. The other significant benefits, still according to small business owners, are increased website traffic, customer loyalty, and the development of admirers.

The Increase in Website Traffic is a Particularly Important Benefit

A tool like Google Analytics (or any other web analytics tool) will allow you to measure your social media’s impact on your website’s traffic. An important fact is that the greater the use of social media (and the length of time the company uses social media, too), the more significant the impact of increased website traffic. Like most marketing tactics, social media takes time to deliver concrete results.

Social Media Reduces Marketing Spend for Small Businesses

Social media has developed a reputation for reaching a large, low-cost audience. Although since 2014, it has been much more expensive, for example, getting a large audience on Facebook, most small businesses still believe that social media allows them to reduce their marketing expenses.

Direct Sales of SMEs on Social Media Increase Over Time

The goal of any marketing tactic is to increase the number of sales or leads. Measuring sales obtained via social media is still more challenging than, for example, using a Google AdWords campaign or organic SEO. One thing is sure: 70% of companies that have been using social media for more than five years are convinced of the increase in direct sales.

LinkedIn and SlideShare are Underutilized, Especially in B2B

If you are not targeting the public, use LinkedIn and SlideShare immediately to get to know you. Build firm profiles on LinkedIn for your most important employees, join groups on LinkedIn, and be sure to put all your presentations on SlideShare.

Visual Content is Much More Effective

Visual content is much more attractive than text content only. The increase in engagement on Facebook is in the order of 65%, according to Measured. In short, start thinking about video computer graphics and get out of the ordinary.

Finally, SMEs need to be agile when spending their marketing budget, and taking risks on smaller platforms can be very profitable. Your success rate can only increase when all your actions are based on internal data or research. With strong partners who know what they are doing, you can get more than exciting results on social media.

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 platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO 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.

Today, a smart factory is a factory that has adapted to the principles of what has come to be called Industrial Revolution 4.0. It is how all processes are digitalized and part of technological advances, especially from the so-called ERP and business control and management software.

What is an Intelligent Factory?

An intelligent factory consists of one that has first incorporated digitization as a flag. It supposes a factor by which complete control of all the production processes, sectors, and departments involved in its activity can continue. It applies to human resources, machinery, warehouse, stock control, production chain, distribution chain, etc.

An ERP or business management software can gather all the information related to the production of a business space. With this information, it is possible to make better decisions and, in general, to improve the whole business’s efficiency significantly.

For example, knowing the workings of the machines, their time stops, failures in production, consumption, and many other variables can help us adjust their performance as much as possible.

1. Control of the times

 The operators and the machinery comply with times that can be easily adjusted thanks to their knowledge and the control of downtime, breaks, or inefficient periods. With this, we can increase productivity and the quality of work for the operators themselves, making their tasks more dynamic and motivating.

2. Correcting faults in the production chain

The production chain is the backbone of any factory. That is why you should have great control over it and all the processes involved in it. An ERP is a tool that can allow us to correct failures simply and effectively, thanks to obtaining detailed information on the production chain. It will enable us to detect anomalies and errors in the supply chain in a minimum time to improve them, restore them, or delete them if necessary.

3. Improves the coordination and quality of communication

Another of the points that we must influence to get an intelligent factory is communication and coordination between different work teams, departments, and sectors of our productive space. In this way, we must ensure a continuous flow of information and be as organized and systematized as possible.

In this sense, the control and management software allows us to package the information efficiently to be transmitted and shared between departments and achieve better articulation and excellent performance.

4. Versatility, flexibility, and training

These three are some of the essential features that an intelligent factory should have. Versatility has to do with the ability to offer new answers according to the circumstances—flexibility, with obtaining new limits regarding performance through continuous improvement.

Finally, there is the question of training. It is a characteristic related to the previous two, which depends greatly on the circumstances of our factory or productive space.

It is precisely where, again, an ERP can fulfill an essential function thanks to its modular nature. It allows us to make the most of it specifically because it works by modules and will enable us to create an exclusive scheme for our company and sector. With this, he assures that the other two qualities, the versatility and flexibility of the same, are left overly covered.

5. Reduce costs

Thanks to all the points we have discussed and what ERP must do, they allow us to save on production costs. We minimize the time, waste, defects, and general waste of all kinds in our production. However, along with this, they can also make our business save a lot in losses thanks to the fact that they allow us to improve the quality of our future thanks to making better decisions in less time. In short, they make us much more competitive.

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 platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO 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 starting a new food business, the most common question is, “Where should you put a restaurant?”

Let us tell you that starting a new business is a project that requires planning so that it can thrive quickly and safely.

It is normal to make many mistakes if you do not have the necessary information to start, and that goes from buying useless tools to choosing the wrong location.

Today, we will deal mainly with the location point because it is perhaps the most crucial thing in setting up a restaurant.

Steps to Find the Perfect Location for a Restaurant

Next, we will enumerate the steps for you and develop each one later.

• Do not let yourself be fooled by the price.
• Make a list of possible areas.
• Do a zoning study.
• Compare locations in the area you chose.
• Schedule an appointment and study the premises.
• Study the contract and conditions.
• Start the installation of your restaurant.

Do not get carried away by the price

We understand that this happens because, in the beginning, some want to save a little money and invest it in places that they think are better.

However, even if you have a well-equipped restaurant with good food or service, it will not work if you reside in a good place.

Business Without Clients

The good look of your restaurant, good service, and good food is also crucial, but in order of importance, the location is first.

Suppose many places are cheap because the area they locate is possibly unprofitable. In that case, there are not as many potential clients, and it may even be an area that is not terribly busy because it is dangerous.

So do not let yourself be carried away only by the low prices of some places, you must pay attention to these and other aspects that we will tell you about later.

Make a list of possible areas

There are always different types of zones in which you can establish your restaurant, so you must consider the following:

First. The type of people who are or who frequent the area, that is, their socioeconomic level.

Second. What kind of institutions or jobs are in that area, such as schools, universities, hospitals, government departments, commercial plazas, and subdivisions?

Third. Although we told you earlier that you do not get carried away by the price, it is something that you should consider in the background, so you should also see the average price of the rent of the premises. Eye! It is not the cheapest, but the best cost according to the area average.

Do a zoning study?

The zone study helps define a lot of where to put a restaurant and consists of the following:

• From your list of possible areas, look for available locales.
• Make a list of the available places that you are interested in renting.
• Now, organize your time and visit each location on your list three times: morning, afternoon, and evening.

Visiting the premises in these three schedules will allow you the following: To be able to realize the number of people who transit near the possible local clients.

It will also allow you to know your client’s profile, that is, to see if they are office workers, students, families, professionals, etc.

Compare locations in the area you chose

You could find a bigger room than you expected, but that would involve possibly paying more than you had planned.

For this reason, you must compare the benefits granted by one or another option, not just choose the first one you see, because even in the period you select, better alternatives may appear.

Compare Options

The most important thing is that the place fits as much as possible to what you have in mind because if you do not, you will have to adapt your project to the conditions of the place, which implies changing many things (although sometimes that also works).

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 platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO 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.