Money is one of the essential pillars of a home. Therefore, it is imperative to learn about the habits of managing money. First, I would like to clarify a false philosophy. Some say that money is evil. People who make these types of comments do not have money. You know, money is good. Money does not choose what to do; it only obeys the one who owns it. The behavior of the person who owns the money is responsible for its use. You must learn the habits for managing money.
Here are five practices for managing money that are the most important.
Money is Good
Avoid being critical of money or feeling some resentment toward economically successful people. Money is a way of reflecting the contribution people make to society. It also reflects compensation for the problems they solved. Usually, the more money a person has, the more problems they solve through their product or service.
Develop a Monthly Budget
Create a monthly budget at the beginning of each month, and living within the budget is the most important habit. Where the money from all the income will go will be crucial. What payments will be made this month? What will be bought? As the writer John C. Maxwell said, “A budget when you tell your money where to go, instead of finding out where it went.” Months ago, I developed an easy form to make your monthly budget. You can download it for free here.
If you do not comprehend what you are spending your cash on, in what capacity will you know where your money is going? You may end up toward the month’s end, thinking about what occurred to your well-deserved salary. In this way, track your spending, every bit of it! You can set up a spreadsheet or utilize an application like Mint that will follow it for you. You interface it to your records, which will do all the challenging work for you. Planning applications are incredible for individuals who often utilize their Visas to buy things.
Do Not Lend Money to Family and Friends
Before, I believed that I should lend if a relative had money. How wrong I was! Of course, if a family member has, they save and reflect on how much they have worked. With time, I realized that lending money, in general, is a terrible idea. In most cases, it ends up affecting relationships. Please do not do it!
Do Not Abuse Credit
Credit is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, credit makes buying easier without counting money in advance. The terrible thing is that the more credit you use, the more indebted you become. It is easy to get into debt but challenging to get out of debt. If you buy on credit, limit the amount and make sure you can pay in full the balance at the end of the month.
Try to be in a position where you are ready to pay your charge card off every month. When you can do that, you are prepared to exploit the accommodation of a Visa, yet the advantages like money back and carrier miles that a few cards offer as well.
Acquire Life Insurance
The middle class and the wealthy use life insurance to protect their assets. Life insurance must have enough money coverage to pay ALL the debts. Debts like mortgages, automobiles, education of children, and funeral costs, among others, can significantly impact personal finances. Life is precious, and therefore, you better plan in case of an unexpected death. The reality is that we are all going to die; the difference is that some are ready, and others are not. Prepare and protect your family.
Conclusion
There are many other habits for money management, but I want to keep the article short. So, you can reflect on these five habits. I recommend starting with one or two at a time. Personal finances are crucial to the well-being of a home. You are the only person who can give your family a better future.
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.
Effective Real Estate Investment Strategies for Success
Real estate investment strategies provide structured pathways to build wealth through rental properties, house hacking, REITs, wholesaling, and geographic diversification—each offering distinct advantages based on your capital, time commitment, and risk tolerance. The most successful approaches combine market research, conservative leverage, and clear investment goals to generate consistent returns while protecting against downside risk.
After guiding thousands of business owners through financial decisions over 20 years as CEO of Complete Controller, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the right real estate strategy transforms portfolios and creates generational wealth. Whether you’re seeking passive income through REITs or active appreciation through value-add properties, this guide delivers proven tactics that help you invest smarter, minimize risks, and achieve meaningful financial independence.
What are effective real estate investment strategies, and how can you use them for success?
The most effective strategies include buy-and-hold rentals, house hacking, REITs, wholesaling, and property-type diversification
Buy-and-hold rentals generate steady cash flow, appreciation, and tax advantages through long-term ownership
House hacking reduces living expenses while building equity by renting out portions of your primary residence
REITs offer passive real estate exposure with daily liquidity and professional management
Geographic and property-type diversification protects portfolios from local market downturns
Proven Real Estate Investment Strategies for Long-Term Wealth
Buy-and-hold rental properties remain the foundation of real estate wealth building, generating average returns of 4% to 10% annually from rental income alone. This strategy involves acquiring properties, maintaining them as long-term rentals, and benefiting from monthly cash flow plus appreciation over time.
The power of buy-and-hold investing lies in leverage—using borrowed capital to control assets worth multiple times your initial investment. When tenants pay down your mortgage while property values rise with inflation, you create wealth through three simultaneous mechanisms: cash flow, principal paydown, and appreciation.
Key steps for buy-and-hold success:
Research markets with strong population and job growth
Analyze properties using cap rate and cash-on-cash return metrics
Screen tenants thoroughly using credit checks and references
Maintain adequate reserves for repairs and vacancies
Consider professional property management for scalability
My clients who’ve built the most substantial real estate portfolios started with single buy-and-hold properties, reinvesting cash flow into additional acquisitions. One client began with a duplex in 2005 and now owns 47 rental units generating over $30,000 monthly in passive income.
REITs and Passive Investment Vehicles
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) provide exposure to professionally managed real estate portfolios without direct property ownership. These securities trade on major exchanges like stocks, offering immediate liquidity while paying dividends from rental income.
REITs demonstrated total returns of 8.8% in 2024, with expectations for 9.5% returns in 2025—approaching the 10% long-term historical average. Different REIT sectors show varying performance: data center REITs returned 25.2% in 2024 reflecting AI infrastructure demand, while healthcare REITs gained 24.2% from demographic tailwinds.
Types of passive real estate investment include:
Equity REITs – Own and operate income-producing properties
Mortgage REITs – Invest in real estate debt and mortgages
Private real estate funds – Pooled investments in specific projects
Real estate crowdfunding – Online platforms for fractional ownership
The main advantage of passive real estate investment strategies lies in professional management and diversification across hundreds of properties—something individual investors rarely achieve independently.
House hacking and live-in-then-rent
House hacking transforms your primary residence into an income-generating asset by renting out portions of the property. This strategy works with single-family homes (renting rooms), duplexes (living in one unit), or even Airbnb rentals of spare bedrooms.
The financial impact can be dramatic—many house hackers eliminate their housing expenses entirely through rental income. Starting with owner-occupied financing provides access to lower down payments (as little as 3.5% with FHA loans) and better interest rates than investment property loans.
A client of mine purchased a triplex in North Carolina, lived in one unit, and rented the other two for $1,200 each. The $2,400 monthly rental income exceeded her $1,800 mortgage payment, essentially paying her $600 monthly to own a appreciating asset.
House hacking variations:
Traditional – Rent rooms in your single-family home
ADU strategy – Add accessory dwelling units for rental income
Live-in flip – Renovate while living there, then rent or sell
Building a Diversified Real Estate Portfolio
Geographic and property-type diversification
Geographic diversification dramatically reduces portfolio risk by spreading investments across multiple markets with different economic drivers. During the 2008 financial crisis, real estate returns varied from +12.7% in certain international markets to -35.3% in others—a globally diversified portfolio would have lost only 7.7%.
Smart geographic diversification targets three market types: growth markets with rising populations, stable markets with consistent demand, and emerging markets offering higher yields. The Sunbelt region, holding 50% of U.S. population with projections reaching 55% by 2040, represents a compelling growth market opportunity.
Specialty – Self-storage, mobile home parks, student housing
Mixed portfolios – Combining multiple property types for stability
Low-rise apartments generate the highest one-year ROI at 9.0%, while industrial properties achieve 9.5% returns. Single-family homes offer lower immediate returns (1.32% for new construction) but provide stronger long-term appreciation potential.
Real estate portfolio strategies and risk management
Successful real estate portfolio strategies balance return potential against risk through careful asset allocation and conservative leverage. Professional investors maintain loan-to-value ratios under 80% for buy-and-hold properties, with even lower leverage for higher-risk projects.
Stress testing your portfolio against adverse scenarios protects against market downturns. Calculate whether properties remain cash-flow positive if interest rates rise 2-3% or vacancy rates double—if not, your leverage may be excessive.
Risk management best practices:
Maintain 6-12 months of operating expenses in reserves
Diversify across markets, property types, and tenant profiles
Use fixed-rate financing to protect against rate increases
Purchase adequate insurance including umbrella policies
Regular property inspections to prevent deferred maintenance
Leveraging Networks and Market Knowledge
The power of real estate networking
Building strong networks accelerates deal flow and provides crucial market intelligence. Successful investors like Grant Cardone, who built a billion-dollar portfolio, attribute much of their success to strategic partnerships and consistent networking efforts.
Join local real estate investment associations (REIAs) where experienced investors share strategies and deals. Online communities and masterminds connect you with investors nationwide, expanding your market knowledge beyond local opportunities.
Networking strategies that generate deals:
Attend REIA meetings and volunteer for leadership roles
Build relationships with agents specializing in investment properties
Connect with property managers who know off-market opportunities
Partner with contractors who encounter distressed properties
Cultivate relationships with portfolio lenders and hard money lenders
Identifying emerging markets and opportunities
Market selection often determines investment success more than property selection. Emerging suburban markets now show appreciation rates rivaling major metros, driven by remote work adoption and affordability concerns.
Technology has democratized market research—AI-powered tools analyze demographic trends, employment data, and supply constraints to identify high-potential markets. Virtual tours and 3D staging enable remote property evaluation without travel expenses.
North Carolina exemplifies an emerging market opportunity, with median home prices at $365,000 and steady 3-4% annual appreciation. Smaller communities like Arden and Waxhaw attract buyers seeking affordability and quality of life, creating sustained rental demand.
Signals of emerging market opportunity:
Population growth exceeding national averages
Major employer expansions or relocations
Infrastructure investment in transportation and utilities
Below-average price-to-rent ratios
Limited new construction relative to demand
Advanced Strategies for Experienced Investors
Commercial real estate and value-add investments
Value-add strategies acquire underperforming properties, implement improvements, and increase net operating income through better management or physical upgrades. These strategies sit between conservative core investments and speculative development, offering attractive risk-adjusted returns.
The multifamily sector demonstrates value-add potential, with nationwide vacancies at 6.4% creating opportunities to acquire and reposition underperforming properties. B- and C-class apartments show only 5.0% vacancy, indicating strong demand for workforce housing.
A Houston investor exemplified value-add success by acquiring a vacant office building, upgrading amenities, and securing quality tenants. Over five years, rental income tripled and property value increased 40%, demonstrating how active management creates exponential returns.
Real estate wholesaling
Wholesaling involves securing properties under contract at below-market prices, then assigning those contracts to end buyers for a fee. This strategy requires minimal capital but demands strong negotiation skills and relentless deal sourcing.
Successful wholesalers focus on distressed properties, motivated sellers, and quick transaction execution. Average wholesale fees range from $5,000 to $15,000 per deal, with experienced wholesalers completing multiple transactions monthly.
Wholesaling success factors:
Direct marketing to find motivated sellers
Accurate after-repair value (ARV) estimation
Strong buyer’s list of active investors
Understanding of contract assignment laws
Speed in analyzing and securing deals
Active real estate investment strategies like wholesaling and flipping generated average returns of 30.4% in recent quarters, though conservative expectations of 10-20% ROI better reflect typical results after all costs.
Conclusion
Real estate investment success requires matching strategies to your goals, capital, and involvement level—from passive REIT investing to active wholesaling, each path offers distinct advantages. The strategies outlined here, refined through two decades of guiding business owners at Complete Controller, provide frameworks for building lasting wealth through real estate.
Start by defining clear investment objectives, then select strategies aligning with your resources and risk tolerance. Build your network, research markets thoroughly, and maintain conservative leverage to protect against downturns. Most importantly, take action—analysis paralysis prevents more wealth creation than any market condition.
Ready to optimize your real estate investments with professional financial guidance? The experts at Complete Controller provide comprehensive bookkeeping and financial strategy services that help real estate investors maximize returns and minimize tax obligations. Contact us today to discover how proper financial management accelerates your investment success.
Frequently Asked Questions About Real Estate Investment Strategies
What is the minimum investment needed to start in real estate?
You can start with as little as $1,000 through REITs or real estate crowdfunding platforms, while house hacking with FHA loans requires only 3.5% down payment on owner-occupied properties.
How do I choose between active and passive real estate investment strategies?
Consider your available time, expertise, and capital—passive strategies like REITs suit busy professionals, while active strategies like wholesaling or flipping reward those with time to find and manage deals.
What are the tax advantages of real estate investing?
Real estate offers depreciation deductions, 1031 exchanges for tax-deferred growth, mortgage interest deductions, and potential capital gains exclusions on primary residences, significantly reducing tax obligations.
How can beginners avoid common real estate investment mistakes?
Start with thorough market research, maintain adequate reserves, avoid over-leveraging, properly screen tenants, and consider partnering with experienced investors or hiring professional property management.
Which real estate investment strategy produces the highest returns?
Returns vary by market and execution, but value-add commercial strategies and successful fix-and-flip projects often generate 20-30% returns, while buy-and-hold properties typically produce 4-10% annual returns with lower risk.
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.
Jennifer BrazerFounder/CEO
Jennifer is the author of From Cubicle to Cloud and Founder/CEO of Complete Controller, a pioneering financial services firm that helps entrepreneurs break free of traditional constraints and scale their businesses to new heights.
Brittany McMillen is a seasoned Marketing Manager with a sharp eye for strategy and storytelling. With a background in digital marketing, brand development, and customer engagement, she brings a results-driven mindset to every project. Brittany specializes in crafting compelling content and optimizing user experiences that convert. When she’s not reviewing content, she’s exploring the latest marketing trends or championing small business success.
As the old saying goes, “Crime does not pay.” Or does it? For example, in the federal government in the United States, fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) are primarily measured, widespread, and a growing drain on citizens and taxpayers, consequently reducing the effectiveness of government services. Identifying and measuring fraudulent activities is already too complicated.
On top of that, measuring the actual monetary loss is also unknown. Still, the United States government makes more than $140 billion of improper payments – these payments are defined as funds that do not go to the right place. The amount received by the recipient is either not documented or recorded improperly.
Tackling Financial Losses
Many of the payments made have significant and evident errors in paperwork. In addition, these actions resulted in 40% monetary losses to government agencies. According to many experts, suppose we add the fees that are not spent wisely or to the wrong recipient. In that case, the federal government undertakes nearly $150 billion in losses, more than the initial budget.
In the US, fraud, waste, and abuse activities against organizations can be in many forms, including fraudulent documents to take advantage of someone else’s referral, identity theft, wasted expenses, and human services due to competent external providers and lack of recognition of overpayments or payments to organizations that did not occur. More than 70% of these problems come from programs, including payments to foreign residents or third-party providers.
Fortunately, several government organizations have focused on addressing the adverse effects of extortion, waste, and mistreatment by using more sophisticated explanatory strategies to identify additional, unmeasured misfortunes and prevent and treat estimated casualties with more success. Solving how to use these instruments and the necessary capabilities can be challenging. However, when the job is well underway, we have seen performance rates ranging from 10: 1 to 15: 1. These accounts guide effectively improving location and anticipation that are appropriate across a wide range of foundations.
Increasing Data Security Through Data Analytics
To be transparent here, we know that organizations are often fighting cyber terrorists based on what they can rather than what matters most. In a few cases, for instance, measuring any improper payments, their immediate focus is on the simplest thing to count, like admin errors (lack of signature maybe), which, to be honest, does not result in a monetary loss of billions. In other cases, the money left at the office door is often hard to recover. Once it is gone, it is more likely never to come back. In several other cases, the agencies are not efficient enough to control the losses and measure the existing ones. It is sometimes of organized criminal schemes, either internal or external.
To be sure, it is not clear to establish a large-scale means of dealing with cyber security management that uses scientific apparatus and sources of information to enhance discovery and then compose and size the foundation to convey this approach. The data is regularly unstructured, inadequate, and located in warehouses above the organization. The staff is working in disrepair, although handling misrepresentations, waste, and misuse creates special investment funds for the US Treasury. These reserve funds seldom result in a broader financial plan to fund the battle. With conflicting needs, many offices neglect to push for hierarchical changes and support the force to make the change.
Innovative Solutions for Overcoming FWA Challenges
However, they have overcome these difficulties by taking advantage of new testing instruments and medications, creating the necessary hierarchical changes, and recruiting new ranges of capabilities to modify their anti-FWA programs in a resource-constrained situation. By providing additional information, which is just the beginning, a better scientific team, and better driving power, organizations can recognize new false claims, including necessary plans and systems.
For example, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has used new instruments to attract and combine incoming and outgoing information to recognize recent examples of inside information. The organization also switched to AI and content review procedures to apply a survey to a documentation requirement and consistency survey.
Summing Up
There is no question that organizations have a massive opportunity that can help them address current and long-term fraud, waste, and abuse matters. They would need funding to initiate their actions and make actionable decisions. They must also prioritize what matters most, as they can only look in some directions and have a scattered approach. Rather than manage such fraud, waste, and abuse effectively, they need a more focused approach. If they leverage data analytics tools and hire new talent within the agencies, billions of dollars in losses can be prevented within years.
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 Internet of Things (IoT) is now bringing a digital revolution in the world’s manufacturing markets.
There is an increasing mandate for customization for different years, improving the global productivity of the supply chain in the manufacturing sector. Industrial IoT or IoT could impact the manufacturing sector more than any other sector.
Manufacturing plants and factories have initiated investing in building innovative results to remain challenging. Manufacturers utilizing IoT-integrated devices have already started experiencing enhanced supply chains, productivity, and revenue in their business.
So, how does the Internet of Things work, and how does it help the manufacturing sector? Could you have a look into it?
The Internet of Things allows manufacturers to make autonomous networks to rationalize manufacturing procedures while staying cost-effective. Here are the significant advantages of the Internet of Things for manufacturing.
Improved Energy Efficiency
Energy is one of the essential expenditures in manufacturing organizations. The issue with the current industrial energy infrastructure is that it could just track the extreme level of energy consumption.
Your utility bills involve the record of energyconsumption by the whole factory. There is no way to break down the energy consumption to determine device levels to low productivity. Various energy consumption monitoring tools contain data points, and you cannot pinpoint the issue with partial data.
The Internet of Things could lessen the gap by providing energy data at the device level. If there is a failing decision in the network, the instruments will find it and be aware of you to take mandatory actions. The technology could provide insights and approvals on improving other opportunities and energy waste for each saving.
Enhanced Forecasting and Predictive Maintenance
Maintenance is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. Is it not good to have automated signals when the machines require maintenance rather than historical data?
Initiative-taking or positive maintenance can prevent time wastage and effort. You are not required to plan for maintenance. Let the intelligent devices allow you to do the work on your behalf. Sensors could maintain tracking of the machine’s health and alert the operators or managers when maintenance is required.
If the machine does not need replacements or repairs, you could use the resources and time saved elsewhere.
Enhanced Product Quality
Manufacturing enhanced and high-quality products at the lowest cost possible is the vision of each manufacturer. A slight variation in quality could have a far-reaching impact on the manufacturing business.
A high-quality product enhances customer satisfaction, improves sales and profits, and reduces waste. But making superior quality products is not very easy.
The Internet of Things could help you with this. The significant reason behind low-quality products is that you find defective devices that are not maintained, set, or calibrated correctly. The worst part is that intricate details are often ignored, as the product will only look perfect. The product passes quality tests, and it is not until a few months later that your clients face problems.
Consider the number of resources it will take to spot and correct the problem. In an IoT-enabled network, the measuring device detects the slightest variation in the send alert and configuration to the operators. The staff could temporarily halt production and fix the issue before it is too late.
Reduced Downtime
Manufacturing high-quality products is not just enough. The production must be finished on time without any problem. If the device breaks down in the center of the output, it could incur losses.
Imagine the baking device stops working in the center of the baking process. It is not just the downtime you are concerned about but also the natural products in the machine and the ensuing delays. Sometimes, the semi-baked product can be useless, potentially a significant loss.
The Internet of Things saves manufacturers from these losses. The baking device, equipped with sensors, can send signals or warnings when a performance fails. Early detection can assist you in solving the issue and minimizing the losses.
Bottom Line
Streaming these manufacturing procedures with the Internet of Things drives operational competencies benefitting further downstream involving supply chain optimization. Minute percentage variations and performance, with a cascading effect overall, the manufacturer raised the position in the incredible landscape.
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 auto repair industry can be very exhausting and overwhelming. The ones who have operated for time know that clients distrust the industry. Unfortunately, people still have a sense of fear when approaching car maintenance and auto repair experts. Fear comes from those who try to exploit a situation and rip customers off. Auto repair experts must consider all these factors to build trust and increase their clientele while conducting their business.
Auto experts have things to follow, from laying the shop’s foundation to managing the technician team and creating creative ways to bring clients. Successfully running an auto repair shop does not come easy. However, you can keep your business on the right track with the right advice and effort.
Here are tips that will benefit your car maintenance and auto repair business.
Establish Your Online Presence
In this digital age, you need an online presence to ensure you get all potential clients. For people, especially the younger generation, your business does not exist without online availability. Dedicate time and have your business website developed. Promote it on Google using search engine optimization techniques and leverage the power of social media to reach your targeted audience. An online presence lets you get your name out and adds to the business’s legitimacy. Hire a professional developer to create your website and establish your online name now.
Consider Customer Service as Vital
Quality of customer service is the aspect that makes or breaks a business. More than half of the customers remain loyal to a brand or company because of customer service and satisfaction. As businesses have moved to a more customer-centric approach, the demands and expectations have also increased. With these factors in mind, companies must go above their service to each customer for their service. The same goes for the car repair industry, where customers expect high-quality service and parts. Establish a customer engagement and retention strategy to gain genuinely loyal customers.
Consider the Use of Industry-Related Tech
The first thing you can give your customers experience when they visit your shop is to use the right tech. Using industry-related tech not only projects your expertise but also makes your repair and maintenance operations easy. You can use various digital vehicle inspection techs to identify the issue and employ the best management methods. Using the right tech also increases the trust and transparency of your shop.
Connect with Local Businesses
Small businesses have an advantage over large corporations because they can create mutually understanding relationships with local businesses. For example, you can set up an offer for customers to get a discount at a local café. In return, the local café can advertise your business. In this way, the relationship between these two businesses will benefit them and the customers with them. Another benefit you receive is that you earn a good reputation among the local community. Look around the neighborhood and find opportunities with local businesses for mutual benefits.
Offer Value-Added Services
Offering value-added services to customers and staying updated with industry-related trends is another way to benefit your business. While elements of the car repair industry will remain the same, you can add value to other services to keep your customer enticed. For instance, you can offer a free oil change with every scheduled maintenance or similar offer. The idea of providing value-added services is to give your customer a reason to consider you for their repair and maintenance issues.
Go Social
People check a business’s social media page the time to determine its authenticity before visiting. Leveraging the power of social media is the best way to reach a large audience by filtering your desired demographics. Whether you choose Facebook or Instagram, take pictures with satisfied customers, and post them on your page. Celebrate a day with your customers and tell others about it through social media. You have ways to use social media and reach more people, which depends on your creativity. Social media is also a great tool to answer customer concerns and engage them to clear their doubts. You have endless possibilities if you correctly use social media.
Final Word
The above points are the best tips to help you increase your business and clientele. Take these points into consideration and help your business grow in a better and more meaningful way.
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.
We all have a different situation that diverts us from work timely–an ill family member, a friend’s death, a divorce, domestic violence, and more. You cannot be at their best at such times. But as a leader, what can you expect? How can you support that person in taking care of themselves emotionally and ensure they perform their tasks (or as much of them as possible)?
Regardless of how professionally managed your business is, one emergency or pandemic could granulate things to a devastating end. This is particularly valid for private or small businesses – lacking assets prevents them from managing the consequences of an emergency or crisis. This outcome in client backfires and diminished deals, impacting the organization’s overall revenue and further staining its integrity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the globe and changed how the world thinks. People are more concerned and careful regarding factors before making decisions.
The situation has altered living, studying, traveling, eating, purchasing, and working. It is a fact that people must work to earn a living. Employees cannot survive without working even for a month or two. Workplaces also require a workforce and fail to bear employees’ expenses if they do not work.
First, Listen, then Suggest
When you speak with a worker regarding their demanding work, “Listen first rather than quickly suggesting some specific course of action.” They might want a sounding board regarding the hurdles of caring for an ill relative or a chance to describe why a divorce has impacted their attention span. If you quickly give suggestions, they take a leave of absence to maintain their schedule, and they might put off if that is not what they were thinking. Instead of asking about the work, offer them to help maintain business productivity during tough times. The worker might suggest a temporary arrangement –time off, transfer the project to a teammate, or more convenient timings for a couple of weeks that are amenable to you.
Keep Health On Priority
Remember that your company or business is nothing alone. However, it combines your employees, clients, and multiple other stakeholders. Therefore, consider things a bit selflessly. Your stakeholders’ health should be the highest priority, and it is only possible by compromising productivity. You should send most employees to work in their personal spaces to keep others and themselves safe from spreading illnesses. It is the most helpful pattern followed by the world.
An organization must think multi-dimensionally and require a strategy for employees who cannot work remotely or must be on the field at any cost. In these circumstances, it is difficult for the company to decide. Companies should be serious about those SOPs. Employees should strictly follow the protocols for better results without compromising health.
Make Yourself Available
They might be embarrassed or overwhelmed, causing them to be continuously late or miss the targeted deadline. A manager leader’s first challenge is often identifying the caution signs that a worker is going through a tough time. Spend time maintaining a good relationship with workers so you will notice any issues early on. Suppose you sustain an environment of compassion in the workplace. In that case, people are more likely to come to you and face tough times proactively.
Consider Workload
You also investigate whether the prolonged absence will impact customers or team members badly. If so, lessen those dangers by simplifying the employees’ workload. If other team members are willing and able to take their projects, transfer them temporarily. Remember to grant rewards for those stepping in—set timelines for any changes you make. Whatever changes you make, be clear regarding your expectations during this period. Be clear regarding what they can achieve and set objectives they can meet.
Bottom Line
Every organization faces a crisis, which might come from natural disasters, pandemic situations, or poor employee performance, worsening the company. Practical ways were discussed with whom to communicate and deal with the employees.
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.
Numerous studies in behavioral science have revealed a pervasive truth: people often struggle to understand the thoughts and feelings of others accurately. This challenge stems from two fundamental reasons. First, a substantial body of Nobel Prize-winning research has demonstrated that cognitive biases deeply influence how we interpret others’ words and actions, often leading our perceptions astray. Second, even when individuals genuinely attempt to set aside their biases and engage in clear thinking, the emotional charge of contentious topics can cloud their reasoning abilities. This dual challenge to mental resilience creates fertile ground for misunderstandings, prompting individuals to perceive and interact with others as if they were threats.
Given these complexities, it becomes crucial to grasp the implications of discussing sensitive issues in the workplace and other inappropriate settings. Serious topics—such as harassment, fraud, discrimination, and professional incompetence—deserve a careful, deliberate approach. For instance, engaging in casual conversations about such matters at the water cooler is unlikely to yield any productive outcomes. It can be hard to envision effectively addressing an issue like harassment during a Zoom meeting that’s primarily focused on strategizing against a competitor. A pinch of emotional intelligence reveals the pitfalls inherent in such situations.
Fortunately, insights from behavioral science can illuminate why certain topics are best avoided in professional environments.
The Presidential Election, Party Politics, and Religion
An age-old adage warns against discussing religion and politics among family and friends. This rule should likewise be applied within the workplace. These topics tend to evoke strong opinions, and individuals are often resistant to changing their views, regardless of the strength of the arguments or evidence presented. A compelling study from University College London indicates that expressing political opinions during discussions typically serves only to entrench opposing stances further. The more vigorously one defends their position, the more entrenched the other side may become, even when data supports a different perspective.
Moreover, behavioral research highlights that religious and political debates can foster a judgmental mindset. Such judgments contribute to a mental vulnerability known as a bias blind spot, where individuals become increasingly unaware of their own irrational thought patterns. This is particularly concerning in a workplace that demands focus and objectivity.
Immigration
The contentious debates surrounding immigration often evoke strong emotions tied to job security. For those feeling threatened in their professional roles, discussions about immigration can create an environment ripe with tension. As previously mentioned, stress stemming from such conversations can diminish performance levels. Therefore, unless an organization directly handles immigration-related matters—like processing immigration applications—it is wise to avoid this topic in workplace discussions.
Protests
Protests related to vital issues such as voting rights, political unrest, and social divides evoke deep emotional responses. The emotionally charged nature of these discussions can lead to biases that significantly impair workplace performance. Negative feelings arising from conversations about protests can linger long after the discussion has ended, fostering an undercurrent of discord among colleagues.
Your Financial Problems
Discussing personal financial struggles at work can be as detrimental as disclosing medical issues. Such revelations may detract from one’s professional demeanor and become fodder for suspicion, particularly if any valuables go missing in the office. A survey highlighted a staggering reality: 52% of American employees admitted to stealing something from their workplace—this figure only accounts for those who confessed. Sharing financial distress can inadvertently signal deeper issues with money management, raising questions about one’s competence in a professional context.
Bottom Line
Fostering a professional atmosphere in the workplace is essential. This requires a concerted effort to avoid discussions surrounding sensitive topics such as personal beliefs, political opinions, race, and religion. Engaging in these conversations can lead to miscommunication and heightened tensions among colleagues, ultimately disrupting workplace harmony and diminishing productivity. By keeping the focus on professional matters, we can cultivate a more collaborative, efficient work environment conducive to success.
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.
In the current era, nothing is more important for an individual than having multiple sources of income and keeping a healthy savings account. One should always have a healthy amount of savings due to inflation and how the essentials of life are slowly getting out of a person’s financial reach. Medical facilities, for instance, are too expensive these days, and one should have enough savings in their bank account to pay for medical bills in an emergency.
Savings Overview
Saving separates a portion of the monthly income of a home, an organization, or an individual. It aims to accumulate it over time and then allocate it to other purposes. It may be recreational expenses, significant payments, or any eventual payments. Or solve an economic emergency.
Saving is a usual practice and an essential concept in economic theory, understood as the percentage of income or income that is not destined for consumption. That is why there are different forms of savings. Financial instruments whose specific role is to allow or increase the desired financial protection have been designed.
Typically, savings consist of the surplus of money or resources accrued during the production process, whether national, business, family, or personal. However, the excessive desire for savings and sacrifice of significant or necessary expenses that could be covered are linked to greed and are severely viewed culturally.
Its origins as a practice are intricately linked to the source of civilization before the existence of money, so harvest goods were preserved for later consumption. The first savings and loan company emerged during the fifteenth century as part of the new order brought by the Bourgeois Revolutions and was a precursor to the current banks. Saving and capital accumulation were vital in the constitution of early capitalism as an economic system.
Types of Savings
Usually, two forms of savings are distinguished: public and private. The shared savings are the ones that perform the State, from the income of international trade, taxes to its citizens, or other economic activities. The State saves resources by covering its basic needs for operation and assistance (public spending). There is still a surplus or excess of resources. Otherwise, talk about the deficit.
Private savings. Private organizations of diverse types carry it out, that is, those that do not belong to the public sphere. Families, nonprofit institutions, and businesses do it. Savings are given when the basic needs of the company or family are fully covered, and there is a surplus of available resources.
Saving Account Benefits
No one can risk having a massive amount in their houses, so people open savings accounts. They also earn a significant amount of interest. Track your previous calculation. You learn how your savings account lets you increase your money without doing anything additional. Yes, it is not a gratis benefit as you will have to pay taxes and interest earnings. Your regular saving lets you know how you earn or bet leverage of passive income. There are multiple ways of saving money, as you will have the option of liquidity and the convenience of being an account owner.
You can save money based on the long- and short-term goals with a deposit certificate or CD. You can earn the best APY with a CD account by comparing a few savings accounts.
In the case of CD accounts, you can deposit your money in them within a specific time. You will not earn the interest until you pay the penalty before maturity. You will have six monthly withdrawals with a sentence as a CD account benefit.
Selecting any savings account is your best option if you want the safest way to spend your hard-earned money. There are other options where people save their money, such as investment in multiple assets. However, there is a lack of growth and substantial risk regarding stocks or mutual funds. The core benefit of having a savings account is getting consistent interest without any trouble. There is no danger of losing money as well.
You can also ensure your savings accounts, such as FDIC or NCUA. It will help when your bank or lender will no longer secure your money with a limit of 250,000 dollars per account ownership category and per depositor.
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.
It is always better to prevent damage from happening in our daily lives than to repair it later. This logic also applies to our credit history and credit score. There are several factors in achieving a good credit score, and below is a little reason why it is beneficial to have good credit scores.
Maintaining a Healthy Credit Score Will Help Grow Your Economy
Even if a person is in debt and they are trying to resolve it because they’ve reached an agreement with the financial institution that granted it, in the end, there is a note in their history indicating that they are a higher risk for the credit grantors. It is why preventing and maintaining a credit score brings a person many more long-term benefits; these benefits include the following:
Better interest rates as compared to before
Broader credit lines
Greater diversity in types of financing (forms of payment of your debt)
If someone does not know their credit score, they can check it in the Credit Bureau or Credit Circle. Also, if a person wants to learn more about how the score works, they can check our blog post, “Know your Score in Bureau and Credit Circle.” The factors that a person should always consider in maintaining a good credit score are mentioned below:
Punctuality of the payments
Debt capacity (how much a person can owe without falling into a vicious circle)
Current credit status
When a person asks for a loan, the financial institution will review your credit history. The institutions will set different factors according to their rules and regulations depending on the nature of their credit, whether quick loans without collateral, mortgage or auto loans, or others.
Forming Healthy Management and Financing Habits
Considering the factors that influence a person’s history and how a good credit score can bring benefits, it’s time to start developing healthy habits of managing your income and handling your debts. Maintaining a healthy weight prevents illness, but a wholesome credit history avoids long-term financial problems. According to experts, a person must eat healthily and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight. Healthy eating and exercise for a credit history translate to analyzing income. How much do you earn per month in active and passive income? Does anyone help them with their daily expenses?
How much can a person buy from debt? Remember that the golden rule is that your liability does not exceed 30% of your monthly income. For example, if a person earns around $ 20,000 per month, their debt should not be more than $ 6,000 per month, including all types of credits they must manage. A person should make average estimates for their reasonable expenses and debts. Based on their income, recurring payments, and liabilities, they can assign a budget according to each thing.
Enjoy the fruits of your effort. As time passes, a person will see and receive the benefits of a good credit score.
Resources to Repair Your Credit History
Suppose, for some extraordinary reason, they did not manage to maintain a good credit history. In that case, plan B is talking to the institution that granted them the credit and arriving at terms to pay their debt. People can also use an intermediary to help them plan their finances to save and follow an austerity plan to get out of debt. Remember that even repairing the debt will leave a signal in their credit history.
All in All
A score that ranges from 300 to 850 is considered a good credit score. A score of around 800 or more is considered an excellent credit score. The advantages have already been discussed, such as having a good credit score. Things like paying your bills on time, paying off your debts, keeping your credit card balances low, and not closing unused credit cards are necessary steps that can help you improve your credit score.
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.
Planning your succession is essential; we all agree. However, very few of us talk about it! And it is understandable: evoking death is not already appearing as a person; imagine as an IT consultant. It would be best if you thought of your wealth and your business.
Often, clients postpone this subject until tomorrow. For them, as for you, is talking about succession difficult? Have you thought about your loved ones who could find themselves alone, needy, and overwhelmed by the events after your death?
Protect Your Wealth Through Financial Independence
Being free to decide how to organize your property’s transmission is a natural stage of financial independence. It would help if you had a compelling conversation today rather than months of conflict for your family once you are gone. And then, if you organize your succession during your lifetime, the management of your business will only be more precise.
Admit that you had not considered this angle. Thinking about your future can also secure your financial freedom.
And like any legal action, this requires the knowledge of very different rules. You could find the associated procedures complex with reason. Hiring a business lawyer prevents you from rushing through the process, making mistakes (costly), and penalizing your loved ones. For example, did you know you can leave inheritance property without taxes to your life partner when it is impossible for your children?
After all, I’m talking to you about maintaining your quality of life now and in the future. It deserves you to spend a little time on it.
Organizing Optimal Estate Planning: How to Do It?
Estate planning involves establishing a distribution plan for your assets. And since you are an IT consultant, this includes everything related to your business. The legitimate question you ask yourself is: how do you make it optimal and keep its properties in the family?
Different professionals are there to guide you. The objective is to organize your current management. You thus increase your chances of planning according to your will, with full legal, financial, and tax compliance.
All this upstream work has undeniable legal importance. By continuously improving your business process, we prevent potential conflicts and surprises after your death. Poor planning or management of your business can have serious consequences: relatives who receive nothing and find themselves in financial difficulty, opposition between heirs, inheritance blocked due to anomalies, and so many disputes to spare your entourage.
Our panel of advice is complete. We are here to inform you about your rights, check or dispute tax documents, determine your heirs and trustee (or executor), inventory your property, and pay your debts.
Make a Will Before You Die
What is the will? First, understand this! Legal proof confirms who will be the owner of all your assets after your death. This document authorizes the name of the future proprietor, the date when the court legally allows your property to them, and the conditions of the will.
Will provide instructions to the executor to manage, handle, and control the burden of your asset rightly with excellent efficiency. A will transform your estate into judicial probate. The court will distribute it according to the country’s regulations if you don’t make your will. And it can hand it over to those who don’t have the right to have all your lifetime earnings without any legal authority.
If your children don’t come in the category of adults, you will have to make a guardian for this responsibility with the condition of giving it to them until they become adults. There are lots of ways for estate planning strategies that you can ponder. Individual retirement accounts will help you in this process as they are the most beneficial way to extend your tax status.
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.
Acquire Life Insurance
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.
