Author: Complete Controller

Entrepreneurs often embark on new ventures driven by a passion for a specific industry. However, at the core of any business lies the fundamental goal of revenue generation and creating an asset that can be sold for a substantial profit. Equity, a critical concept in business and personal finance, represents the owner’s stake in an asset.

Beyond its intrinsic value, equity plays a pivotal role in the world of business. It serves as a valuable resource for financial expansion. For instance, when a company chooses to issue shares, it effectively offers equity to investors in exchange for capital, which is subsequently channeled into fueling growth. Equity financing efficiently allows businesses to access substantial resources without incurring debt.

Numerous methods exist to bolster your business’s financial foundation, ranging from conventional to innovative. Here’s a compilation of practical strategies to facilitate the expansion of your business.

Build Strategic Partnerships

Establishing strategic partnerships is a powerful avenue for business growth. Nurturing amicable ties with vendors, suppliers, and trade associations can fortify your sales pipeline and elevate your business’s worth. As an illustration, consider a sports medicine practitioner who secures the position of the official athletic trainer for a local high school or college sports program. Such an exclusive arrangement represents an invaluable asset that sets them apart from competitors and cannot be readily replicated.

Diversify Your Business

Diversifying your business represents another excellent strategy to boost the value of your equity. For example, imagine a restaurant owner who ventures into the catering business using their existing resources. This strategic diversification breathes new life into the business by opening doors to fresh sales opportunities and expanding brand visibility across various platforms. While such a business expansion demands meticulous planning, when executed with precision, it presents innovative pathways to augment revenue and ultimately enhance the market value of the business.

Ensure Continuity

Ensuring business continuity is paramount when prospective buyers are interested in your enterprise. It necessitates a well-thought-out transition plan. Questions arise regarding the fate of you and your employees post-sale: will you all depart, and if so, how can you be assured that the new owner will manage the business as adeptly as you and your team have?

It’s vital to assess your employees’ competencies and determine if the business heavily relies on one or two individuals for specific tasks. In addition, you might consider incentivizing vital employees to remain with the company for a few years to maintain operational stability. Offering annual bonuses as part of this arrangement can be a compelling motivator. The presence of a well-crafted transition plan, tailored to the specifics of your business, can streamline the entire process, rendering it seamless for both you and your prospective buyer.

Produce Transferable Value

Creating transferable value is paramount to establishing a business that can be sold at market value. The crux of this endeavor lies in developing business equity that extends well beyond the numbers on your balance sheet, culminating in an asset that can seamlessly transition to a new owner.

The litmus test of your success in this endeavor is your confidence in selling the company to a capable buyer who can steer it profitably and with the same efficiency as you did. If such confidence is lacking, it signifies that the right kind of equity hasn’t been cultivated within your business, thereby hindering the attainment of an optimal selling price.

Strategically Manage Your Business

Strategic management of your business is a critical factor when preparing to transition or sell your company. Prospective buyers will scrutinize your current, historical, and long-term financial performance. When trying to optimize your business’s value and elevate the selling price, it’s imperative to implement a well-thought-out capital strategy. Key areas that require your attention encompass:

• Maintaining a strong balance sheet.
• Prudently planning cash flow.
• Efficiently managing accounts receivable.
• Optimizing debt service.
• Accruing operational capital.
• Prudent management of investments.

A consistent practice of maintaining low debt levels over several years and establishing cash reserves can substantially enhance the value and equity of your business. Additionally, consider the possibility of postponing salary increases for existing employees during the final years of your business. Redirecting these funds toward keeping debt low and cash reserves high can result in a more significant personal gain when the business is eventually sold.

The decision regarding which strategy to adopt is pivotal. The outlined procedures undoubtedly have the potential to yield a valuable return when pursued with commitment. Neglecting these crucial aspects may lead to a higher rate of business attrition.

For entrepreneurs whose business model relies on equity, it is imperative to possess a comprehensive understanding of this concept before venturing wholeheartedly into the business world.

Conclusion

In summary, entrepreneurship thrives on both passion and profitability. Equity, representing ownership in a business, plays a central role in this dynamic. Strategic partnerships, diversification, business continuity, transferable value creation, and smart financial management are crucial to enhancing the value of one’s business and equity. When diligently applied, these strategies set the stage for a successful entrepreneurial journey, harmonizing the love for an industry with sustainable business growth. Understanding equity is critical to this balance. 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.

You can measure a business’s success by numerous factors, including a low interest rate on credits, business credit cards, and supplier financing. Additionally, a good business score can get you high credit limits and low insurance premiums and provide more credit opportunities from lenders.  

However, managing finances can be trivial for any small business owner. They can slip into severe financial debts if they do not have enough capacity to manage the business finances efficiently. With lenders securing the reins on borrowers for everything from materials to rising prices, many small company owners fall under the weight of growing debt.

There can be several reasons a small business goes into colossal debt. Some of them can be strategic, while others can be extraordinarily complex. For instance, if a company conjectures a productive business opportunity and borrows valuable money to invest. After putting in the capital, if the company cannot generate enough revenue to compensate for the loan amount, it can make the company fall into a crucial debt situation.

For many small companies, borrowing can be coherent when it gets essential to bolster finance growth or expansion of cash flow. While these loans can be beneficial, a large amount can be counterproductive. Indulging in serious loans can be a corrupting situation for any small company’s ambitions.

To avoid a similar fate, here is a list of valuable strategies coined by business experts and successful entrepreneurs worldwide to help small businesses lift out of severe financial crises without filing for bankruptcy.  

Reconsider Your Budget

Before addressing business debts, you need to have a firm understanding of your present financial status. Consider your business budget and how it can efficiently manage the expenses. Knowing your business budget will help you make the best use of it. For instance, you can contemplate the monthly and annual costs, including all the variable expenses.

If you need a hand to assist you in figuring out the budget, seek professional help from your accountant, or you can connect with non-profit associations for business counseling or mentoring. Summarizing, assessing, and considering must be a primary step in executing a plan for achieving your debt–elimination goals.

Diminish Your Expenses

Once you have thoroughly considered your budget, take a sneak peek at the operating costs. Decide which operations and services are essential for the daily management of your business and cut off the rest.

Consider some of the enormous expenditures you induce monthly in your business, including rental workspace and utilities, and try to diminish them by moving into a more affordable workplace. Appraise the regular insurance payments and distinguish if they can be consolidated (while maintaining adequate coverage).

Lastly, terminate the extra expenses, including digital subscriptions, and utilize those funds to support debt payments.

Consolidate Your Debts

If you’ve multiple equipment loans, bank advances, credit cards, and others, it might be strategic to consolidate all the debts into a single loan. It is relatively effortless, and many financial institutes support businesses that practically want to do this. Additionally, managing a single debt payment is comparatively easier than dealing with multiple different ones.

Despite the benefits of debt consolidation, seek advice from your accountant or financial adviser before making any decision.

Build a Relationship with Creditors

Develop a relationship with creditors from the start and try to maintain it till the recovery of the debt. Building such a relationship can benefit you if you have planned to refinance your loan for a better interest rate. Your lenders might encourage you to avail yourself of such an opportunity. If your revenue dwindles precipitously, and you can no longer make your debt payments on initial terms, discuss the trivial situation with your lenders. You can renegotiate the words so that you will continue repaying the loan.

Regardless of the result of these strategies, you still have numerous options. Small businesses that cannot manage their debts might want to liquidate their assets or file for bankruptcy. Fortunately, a valuable solution is available for every turmoil of the business. 

Conclusion 

While the journey to financial recovery for small businesses in serious debt may be demanding, these strategies offer a roadmap to stability and sustainability. By implementing prudent financial management, reducing unnecessary expenses, and maintaining open communication with creditors, you can pave the way toward a brighter financial future for your business. The key is to stay resilient, adapt to changing circumstances, and seek out the best path to secure your company’s financial well-being. 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 advent of social media has made human communication and information sharing faster than ever before. Nowadays, on the internet, mindshare is the most valuable currency; unless you can always keep the people’s attention on your brand, you will get left in the dust. Websites want new content to keep their audience engaged and consistently bring fresh eyes; this is where digital marketing excels. 

Brands will assemble internal digital marketing teams or outsource the responsibility to external digital marketing firms specializing in the field. Because the cycle of content on the internet is ever-flowing, work is always ongoing for those working in digital marketing. With such an intense and demanding workload, digital marketers must be consistently productive. 

Here are four ways to boost your digital marketing team’s productivity.

Targeting Existing Customers

Growing your consumer base is essential for long-term sustainability, but in the short term, keeping existing customers engaged with your brand is easier; this goes back to the marketing concept of the ‘buyer’s journey. 

For instance, if someone has reached the ‘customer‘ stage of their journey, where they have already paid for a good or service from the brand before, it is easier to lead them toward the ‘loyalty‘ stage than it would be to take a new buyer from the awareness stage to the customer stage. 

For this reason, digital marketers may find it more efficient to boost their and the team’s productivity by focusing on existing customers. Focusing on the right customer is effective when the business finds itself in a downward slump, but the downside is that it can stagnate in the long term. 

Team Unity through Goal Setting

Working together in a large team can be challenging; every team member must unify under an agreed-upon set of short-and long-term goals. After establishing these goals, you must regularly check in with your team. Weekly team meetings help keep every member aligned with how these goals are progressing and the next step. If anyone part of the process falls short, the team can work together to map out contingencies and decide what they will do collectively to correct course. 

In larger organizations, the goals of every company level can get lost in translation. Often, senior management needs to remember to convey such messages and decisions so that lower-level employees receive changes and new information positively. A business that can keep its staff unified with the same goals will see higher productivity levels in the long run. 

Digital Marketing Tools

These days, there are many exceptional digital marketing tools for employees to use, and new ones are released yearly. Such devices can help boost individual productivity and encourage more vital employee teamwork. Your digital marketing team’s tools may vary depending on your business’s exact nature and field or that of your clients. 

Automation is already an industry-standard in digital marketing; every digital marketing team relies on some form of virtual tools to help them do their job. Such devices can help strengthen communication between team members and clients. It can make new markets more readily available and even help foster creative thinking and sharing ideas as a group. 

Balancing Employee Well-Being and Company Goals

Naturally, a company’s goals would be more significant than every employee. Large organizations consist of several moving parts and must consider various metrics for success. Such organizations rely on operating like a well-oiled machine with consistent daily output. 

Humans, on the other hand, are not machines. A business might require each employee to maintain a certain level of productivity every day, but the fact is that some days are better than others. On some days, people are less productive than they usually are; this is especially true for jobs that require people to be creative. Creativity is difficult to harness consistently, and the obligation to do so can cause employees to become demotivated, leading to decreased productivity. 

Businesses may find value in focusing more on their employees’ emotional and mental well-being instead of solely on analytics and traditional metrics for productivity. Employees who feel cared for and heard by their employers are more likely to stay motivated to work, producing higher output and higher quality work. 

Bottom line

Hopefully, these tips were of some use to you. Maintaining employee productivity can be challenging, especially in an industry as competitive as digital marketing. What matters most is talking to your employees. Remember that they are humans, consider their feelings, and understand what inspires them; this will lead to significant productivity and more positive outcomes in the long run. 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 creating content for your business blog, there is a fundamental step. It is about the definition and creation of an editorial line.

Planning the content you publish thoughtfully, and the categories they include is necessary. Otherwise, attracting your potential customer’s attention and much less retaining them will not be easy.

What are the Steps to Follow to Create the Editorial Line of Your Business Blog?

You must first understand that the editorial line is never burned. On the contrary, it is a moldable tool that will evolve based on the response of your audience and the development of your own business.

Understand Your Audience

First, it is vital to understand your target audience. Your prospects, or what is the same, your potential clients will value and disseminate the published content.

Corporate blogs often contain content about the company, its products, services, and achievements. However, all those posts and articles may lack interest from your audience.

Before writing a single word, creating a prototypical profile of your ideal client is necessary. Put yourself in their place and try to identify their needs and areas of interest. What are your problems? How can your business help you?

Avoid focusing solely and exclusively on topics related to your products or services. On the contrary, it interrelates various areas that may interest your potential customers. They will know how to reward you.

SEO Research and Competitive Analysis

If you want to take the first steps in developing your editorial line on safe ground, the best advice is to carry out a good market study. The measures include thoroughly examining the keywords that arouse more interest among Internet users and monitoring the competition.

Creating your first posts based on the most searched keywords will guarantee, at least, that what you write about arouses the interest of the public. The quality with which you develop these topics and promotions will be the one that later determines your success.

The study of competition -also known as benchmarking– will allow you to benefit from your work, check what has been successful and what has failed, and, above all, incorporate differentiating elements that would enable you to create an identity for your business.

Categories and Themes

As you understand the needs and interests of your audience, you will find it relatively easy to include them in general topics or categories, which you will use to organize the blog’s content.

Categories will be beneficial for SEO and help visitors to your blog find the information they seek more quickly. It would be best if you put it easy.

Define Your Style

Likewise, every editorial line needs to have a certain uniformity and coherence. Defining includes the style of writing the texts, the creation of personal or collective authorship, the treatment and selection of images, and, in general, the details that can help identify your business’s brand with the blog content.

As pointed out, the editorial line can (and should) evolve. Still, if you want to keep your potential clients loyal, you must propose a coherent framework that You can quickly identify. In this way, they will recognize the contents at first sight, identify with who writes them, feel confident, and subscribe to the blog.

Editorial Calendar

Finally, planning a publishing calendar is essential if you want to be successful with your business blog. A calendar will not only allow you to establish milestones and objectives that help you systematically create content, but it will also help educate your audience.

Your posts or articles must be published with a particular frequency so that your subscribers know when they will have access to the new content and look for them at the appropriate time.

Conclusion 

Crafting an effective editorial line for a business blog is an ongoing process that evolves with the audience and business. It involves understanding the target audience, conducting SEO research, and maintaining a unique style. Organizing content into categories and following a consistent publishing calendar helps engage and educate readers. 

Dedicating time to defining your editorial line attracts potential customers and retains their interest. In the digital landscape, adaptability and relevance are crucial for success. So, keep refining your editorial line, stay connected with your audience, and watch your business blog thrive. 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.

Asking for a mortgage may seem like an arduous and tedious task, but it will not be so much if you take it seriously and are prepared to face the negotiation of the bank loan with the necessary tools. It is better and more accessible to request a mortgage in five simple steps if you are clear about how to request a mortgage.

Get Informed

If you are considering buying a home with a mortgage, you should take the first step to document yourself to make the best possible decision. Get up to date on the mortgage market: search, compare, and study all the offers you can. It is a good idea to prepare a table with the pros and cons of each proposal.

During this first phase, it is advisable to write down any doubts you may have and then ask the professionals. For example, the terms of a mortgage contract may sound foreign if you are unfamiliar with some words.

Also, consider which mortgage best suits your needs and your profile. Remember that it is a loan for several decades, and you must face monthly payments. Analyze the repayment term, study your savings, and add some margin for unforeseen expenses. 

Interest Rate Options

There are three interest rates, among which you can choose when applying for a loan. In fixed–rate mortgages, the monthly installment you must pay and the interest rate will not change during the life of the loan. You will pay the same monthly amount, even if interest rates vary.

In the United States, variable–rate mortgages are linked to a benchmark, often the prevailing interest rate published by financial institutions. This rate mirrors the average at which American banks lend money to one another for short–term transactions. Understanding that your monthly mortgage payment will vary based on shifts in this benchmark rate is crucial.

Understanding Interest

It is time to consider the mortgage cost and the meaning of the terms Nominal Interest Rate (TIN) and Variable Annual Rate (APR). There are several critical differences between TIN and APR.

The Nominal Interest Rate (TIN) is the fixed percentage you pay in exchange for receiving a loan for a specific period. It does not consider other expenses associated with a loan, such as commissions or other related payments.

Analyze Commissions

Analyzing bank fees is an essential step before asking for a mortgage. The commissions are free, and each bank establishes what it deems appropriate. In your comparison of loan offers, it is advisable to add a column for commissions. There is an exhaustive catalog, but the most common are three.

Opening commission. You pay at the beginning of the loan as compensation to the bank for the formalities of the mortgage, and it is calculated on the total amount you are requesting.

You have an associated account commission. Some banks charge a commission to open an account to manage monthly mortgage payments if you are not a regular customer of the entity. If you are already a customer, it does not usually exist.

Commission for partial or total amortization. The bank charges you this fee if you want to repay the loan in advance, in part or the total you have left to pay. They consider that it covers the administrative procedures of the entity and what they cease to enter in the interest of the money that remains to be returned.

Consider Linking Products

Mandatory bonding is the last element you should consider before applying for a mortgage. The bank values ​​the relationship with you that involves a long–term loan. Therefore, it will try to hire other products, such as a payroll account or insurance, that are sometimes part of the mortgage grant.

Remember that the deeper your relationship with the bank, you can get better conditions for the mortgage.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, while requesting a mortgage may initially appear daunting, it becomes far more manageable when approached with seriousness and the right tools. The key to a successful mortgage application lies in these five essential steps.

Approaching the mortgage application process with these five steps will significantly enhance your ability to navigate the complexities and secure the best possible mortgage for your needs. Remember that preparation and understanding are your allies in this financial endeavor. 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.

A financial planner is a professional in money management and investments. Just as the architect of the house of your dreams does more than draw lines and create structures, the financial planner’s work goes beyond helping you get more return on your investments. 

A good financial planner is a financial partner, a trustworthy person who will help shape your economic future and improve your relationship with money. Here are five ways a financial planner can improve your financial health.

Save More

Without savings, there is no possibility of achieving financial freedom. Whether you already save or not, a financial planner will help you balance your budget and save more for your financial goals.

The first thing the financial planner will ask you to do is create a budget that will allow you to know the flow of your money and help you save more. Knowing how you spend your income will allow you to make informed decisions. In addition, the financial planner will ask you to allocate some of your money to savings directly.

Tracking Your Finances

A financial planner will help you track your finances through budgeting and bookkeeping. Most people who work without a budget have no idea where all their money is going. Therefore, you will know exactly where every penny of your income is going with a budget and bookkeeping.

Financial tracking will also let you and your financial planner see where you are wasting money and perhaps need to make changes.

Avoid Big Financial Mistakes

A financial planner will help with budgets, allocation, savings, and investments, but it can also help you avoid making big financial mistakes. Depending on how much you rely on your financial planner, they can save you from making large purchases or overspending on vacations or loans. 

A well–rounded financial planner can help you with every aspect of your financial goals. Their expertise will lead to savings, setting you up for financial freedom that will last you the rest of your life if done right.

A financial planner can also help you avoid investing in ruinous businesses. A financial planner may not be an expert in all companies, but they understand financial management. They can give you an educated opinion on the business you want to undertake and if your finances can support it.

Investment Planning

A financial planner will tell you whether or not you are investing your money well and will help you get more out of your savings to take advantage of the power of compound interest. They will create a plan tailored to you and tell you what products you should invest in based on your objectives. 

A financial planner will evaluate the investment proposals and assess whether you should invest. They help you to know what risks to take at each stage of your life. They base their advice and planning on the investments you want to make your finances, and other factors.

Achieve Your Financial Goals

A financial planner will help you organize your financial objectives according to your priorities. While considering these goals, they will make recommendations that may sometimes differ from your plans. 

Once they help you establish a plan according to your goals, they help you stay on the path to financial freedom. If you lose focus, they can refocus you and help you correct any mistakes. Ultimately, a financial planner gives you the peace of mind knowing that your savings are professionally managed. 

A financial planner goes beyond budgets and investments. They are professionals who can help you with all aspects of your financial goals. Many people believe financial planners are too expensive. However, the cost will be covered with the amount of money they will save you. 

Conclusion

In summary, a financial planner is a professional in money management and investments and a trusted partner in shaping your financial future and fostering a healthier relationship with money. They offer many benefits, such as helping you save more, tracking your finances, avoiding major financial mistakes, offering expert investment planning, and assisting in achieving your financial goals.

This financial expert guides you through budgeting, bookkeeping, and financial tracking, enabling you to make informed decisions and avoid wasteful spending. They provide invaluable insights to help you steer clear of significant financial blunders, saving you from impulsive purchases and ill-advised investments. 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 conditions self-employed individuals face remain significantly distinct from those of traditional employees. There is still considerable progress to be made in creating policies that genuinely bolster self-employment and small enterprises.

I advocate for the establishment of a tax and contribution system that doesn’t burden self-employed individuals before they even start for two compelling reasons:

Many individuals resort to off-the-books or underground economies not out of ill intent but out of necessity. This informal economy plays a vital role in supporting a fundamental component of our nation’s economic engine: microenterprises. The brutal change of habits and even the lifestyle that it supposes, you have another obstacle to saving when you look at your head. It is unnatural because wealth is generated only from what overflows, not what is scarce. However, we must remember that a good part of what you earn, fortunately, goes to services we all benefit from.

Furthermore, the drastic shift in lifestyle and habits imposed by these financial obligations is an additional barrier to savings. Taxing them heavily from the start hinders their ability to cover immediate financial burdens, impacting their ability to invest and grow. Wealth is created from abundance, not scarcity, but we must remember that our earnings also contribute to essential services. However, we must not forget that most of our earnings contribute to services that benefit us all.

While I’ve addressed these concerns, it’s important to recognize that although the system’s flaws exist, it shouldn’t be the sole focus of your thoughts.

Embrace the Essentials

You determine your focus, and your energy and determination lead to results. Suppose you spend too much time dwelling on the fairness or unfairness of the current system when starting a business. In that case, you’re expending energy that could be better directed toward acquiring more customers.

Shift your focus to self–improvement. As you enhance your skills, you’ll achieve better results, translating into increased income, enabling you to meet your tax obligations and lead your desired life.

I’m not suggesting that you disregard your business’s legal and fiscal aspects. In this regard, it’s advisable to consult with a professional who stays updated on legal changes and provides guidance tailored to your specific situation. Employing an advisor saves you time on paperwork and offers peace of mind, knowing that you won’t make costly mistakes.

Legitimacy Equals Reputation and Success

Operating within the bounds of legality enhances your reputation and brand. This reputation is your assurance of conducting sound business and attracting serious partners and clients. You’ll find more opportunities to collaborate with reliable individuals. Everyone will want to work with you, and the chances of working with worthwhile people will increase. 

If your income is currently modest, it’s advisable to consider registering with the tax authorities so you can begin issuing invoices. It is a better approach than operating in the shadows, as legality can provide opportunities. You should establish and grow your business in step with your income level.

If you’re uncertain whether to register due to limited income, a temporary solution is to register with the treasury to issue your initial invoices. It is far more beneficial than remaining hidden, as legality often unlocks doors. The key is not to set up a company with expenses beyond your means but to progress gradually. Your tax status should align with your income level—each step at the right time. Hopefully, governments may introduce progressive tax schemes in the future, but in the meantime, you should keep moving forward.

Pain Fuels Progress

Pain serves as a powerful motivator. The discomfort of financial scarcity compels you to move beyond excuses and strive for increased earnings. When we’re comfortable, we often settle for less.

A substantial portion of your income may be allocated to business expenses and tax obligations. Business costs are essential for nurturing and refining the machinery that generates income. Tax contributions are indispensable for delivering the services we all rely on and are obligated to support.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the disparity between the self–employed and traditional employees persists, underscoring the need for policies advocating self-employment and small businesses. I advocate for a tax system that alleviates the initial burden on the self-employed, understanding that many turn to underground economies out of necessity, supporting the vital microenterprise sector.

While the challenges are acknowledged, it’s crucial not to let them consume our focus. Redirecting our energy toward self–improvement and skill development is the path to achieving better results, increased income, and the ability to meet tax obligations, enabling us to lead the life we aspire to. 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.

A general ledger keeps a record of all the financial transactions within a business. The transactions recorded are then used for bookkeeping and accounting purposes. The general ledger includes all the data needed to produce the company’s income statement, balance sheet, and other financial reports.

Generally, the general ledger will be kept current by the business owner, a professional accountant, or a bookkeeper. All the data in the general ledger must be current and accurate daily as it is crucial to business operations.

Before the digital age, the general ledger was a book where daily accounting information was recorded and balanced by hand. Today, the business accounting person will use accounting and bookkeeping software to record the data and produce financial reports.

Handling the finances of a company can be challenging. While hiring an accounting or bookkeeping professional is suggested, every business owner should understand the general ledger and its function. Here is everything you need to know about a general ledger.

How Does a General Ledger Work?

The general ledger is created to organize data and keep records of each financial transaction of the business. Transactions are posted to individual sub-ledger accounts, as defined by the company’s chart of accounts. Each account is closed at the end and is summarized on the general ledger.

The final balance is then used in the trial balance by the accountant. The general ledger is created by the double-entry method. In the double-entry method, an entry to one account requires an opposite entry to another to balance debit and credit balances.

General ledger accounts are also known as “T accounts” due to the way they are formed. The transactions are first recorded in the journal, known as journal entries, then transferred to ledgers. The most common ledger accounts are sales journals, purchase journals, cash receipt journals, and cash payment journals.

There are many other accounts, but these are the four main journals. The purpose of double-entry accounting is to make sure the primary accounting equation balances. The primary accounting equation is Assets = Owner’s Equity + Liabilities.

Why is a General Ledger Important?

The general ledger is vital to the financial operations of the business. The data provided in the general ledger ensures that your trial balance calculations are accurate. It also makes filing tax returns easy because you have expenses and income in one place. Additionally, the data provided helps you spot unusual transactions immediately and prevent fraud.

Can Accounting Software be Used to Create a General Ledger?

There is accounting software made specifically to create a general ledger. General ledger software provides a complete record of the financial management of a business, including transactional records.

Using accounting software is beneficial as it is quick and easy. The general ledger software automatically posts entries from respective account ledgers and calculates the current balances according to the specified date. The best accounting tools to create a general ledger are QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise Software, Dynamics 365 Software, Xero, Wave Accounting, Happay, and Brokermint.

Understanding and creating a general ledger in your business accounts is imperative as a general ledger is the foundation of the other accounting activities. A general ledger follows the basic accounting equation, which is:

Assets = Owner’s Equity + Liabilities

The importance of a general ledger is that it provides an accurate record of all financial transactions, and it helps you compile a trial balance so your books balance. It is a way of preventing errors and locating frauds to keep the finances in the business safe and secure.

The data used in the general ledger is used in the business’s income statement, the balance sheet of the business, and other financial records. After completing the general ledger, a trial balance is created to ensure all the transactions recorded are correct. If the trial balance is not balanced, another “T account” is created for bad debts.

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.

A retail store is an open establishment where you can sell commodities, goods, or products directly to individual customers or families. The individual retailer(s) or a manufacturing company manages or operates retail stores. Company-operated retail stores are relatively easier to manage and control as inventory management is pretty stress-free.

Prevent Shoplifting

Shoplifting is a very popular term for an unnoticed theft of goods, merchandise, or retail products from an open retail establishment such as a departmental or convenience store. It typically involves someone looting an item from shelves into their pockets, undergarments, baby strollers, handbags, etc., and leaving the establishment without paying for it. To prevent this corrupt and unethical activity, retail stores can use different psychological tactics and low-tech tips to establish more command and control over their business.

Retail Industry Dynamics

Managing a brick-and-mortar retail store has become extremely challenging these days. No matter how much brain and technology you use to prevent shoplifting, it continues to happen most bizarrely. People are never short on creative ideas to steal products from retail stores, encouraging them to try their luck repeatedly. This opportunistic behavior has reduced the profit margins of retail stores quite significantly. According to 2017 statistics from an American-based retail firm, shoplifting worldwide has cost retailers about $51 billion worth of inventory.

Business entrepreneurs and retailers use different ways and means to prevent shoplifting without breaking the bank. They must develop extraordinary techniques to avoid losses if they expect to manage their operations successfully and remain in the retail business for long. Small retail store owners need to stay more vigilant and closely monitor their customers and employees. Small retailers usually have a limited budget, which means they can’t afford to take high-tech measures to secure their premises from shoplifters or potentially their employees.

Here are some low-tech tips to help prevent shoplifting and save you from potential threats.

Placement of Mirrors

Mirrors more or less work like high-tech cameras for small retail store owners. They can instantly spot shoplifters, making them the most inexpensive yet effective alternative to surveillance cameras. They help you keep a close eye on your customers and employees alike. However, mirrors’ strategic placement is critically important as you can only notice suspicious activities when they are placed at specific angles visible to the owners. Moreover, acquiring mirrors is relatively easy as they are widely available in many markets.

Signage

Installing security signs or displaying products in your store with theft prevention in mind is a low-cost tactic to prevent shoplifting and deter shady characters. Anti-theft signs must be placed in specific crucial spots, such as the retail store’s entrance, on shelves and walls, in fitting rooms, etc. Even if you don’t have cameras in place, you can use surveillance signs to discourage suspicious activity. Using anti-theft signage is one of the best low-tech tips to make a huge difference.

Keep Your Retail Store Organized

Shoplifters feel safer and encouraged to try their luck in retail stores that are messy and disorganized. It gets hard for even a store manager or owner to determine if something is amiss if a store is not organized correctly. By keeping your store organized and products well-placed, you can prevent shoplifting and expect to increase the retail store’s ambiance and aesthetics. Moreover, you must optimize your retail store’s design, arrangement, and layout for theft prevention.

Train Employees

You must train your employees to greet shoppers when they enter the retail store and remain watchful throughout their stay. They must also be taught different ways to manage suspicious activities or shady visitors. A secret language or code for reporting shady activity is probably the best way to alert the entire staff or owners. Also, they must be told to look after the whole store, including a customer’s belongings such as a handbag, a baby stroller, and other similar things.

Hire a Security Guard

In order to prevent shoplifting, having a security guard on duty may be the most effective solution. Even if other preventative measures have been put in place, a security guard can still be the best bet when dealing with sticky situations. While it may seem like an unnecessary expense for smaller retail stores, hiring a security guard is actually one of the most effective ways to prevent theft. The mere presence of a security guard can deter shoplifters and keep them from attempting to steal from the store. In many cases, it’s more of a psychological deterrent than anything else that keeps shady individuals away from the store.

Conclusion

I am absolutely thrilled to share with you some fantastic low-tech tips and prevention techniques that are sure to make your life as a small retailer a whole lot easier! By implementing a few simple measures, you can effectively keep shoplifters at bay and protect your precious inventory. Let’s dive into these strategies together and keep your retail store safe and secure!

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.

A business owned by a woman was an unfamiliar practice in the near past. But in 2016, it was estimated that there were 11.3 million women-owned businesses in the United States of America. This estimate is a forty-seven percent increase in women-owned businesses since 2007. The scenario can be different in other countries. The success rate of women-owned businesses in America is because of the policies and grants that the federal government provides to women-owned businesses. The rate of turning away women entrepreneurs to get small business loans by the banks has also increased alarmingly. However, it is the government with specific policies and grants to give credits and assist in flourishing women-owned businesses nationwide. Women entrepreneurs are making a marvelous impression on the small-business landscape countrywide.

Understanding Grants

Small business owners want to turn to grants because they think grants are free money and they will not have to pay them back. But these small business grants come with conditions. First, you must find a grant for which you are eligible as a small business owner. Then, you must comply with the application guidelines and wait for its approval until you get an entitlement for the grant. After approval, you still must report on the use of money afterward, genuinely.

Finding Federal and State Grants

Many small business owners think that government grants for small or woman-owned businesses are just a click away. But that is not true. Though there are federal grants in medical research, science, education, and technology progress, no such grants exist, especially for women-owned businesses. Some projects empower women, but these projects are to fund non-profit organizations and not-for-profit companies.

If you are searching for a women-owned business grant, visit the state’s website nearby. Each state website has a business section. Find grants and funding opportunities for women-owned and minority-owned businesses from that business section.

Women Owned-Business Opportunities

When there is more than 51% ownership in a business by a woman or woman, then there are individual facilities and assistance for such companies. Not all female business owners try these options, but many do.

Registering your business as a women’s business enterprise (WBE) will lead to several opportunities. Local governments, states, and federal governments have special programs for women-owned businesses.

The WBE certification process requires the following:

• A woman or women hold more than 51% of ownership
• The business has been in the market for the last six months, at least
• The owner must be a U.S. citizen. If ownership is with a woman who has not received U.S. citizenship yet, she must be a legal resident in the U.S.
• The proof is compulsory to show that the role of capital from the female business owner is genuine and in ratio to her ownership interest
• The female business owner must direct management and business decisions

If you try to pose a male-owned business as a female-owned business

If you are a male-owned business but give your wife 51% of the shares to declare the company as a women-owned business, ensure you will not be getting the benefits of a women-owned business. Auditors will check if the male’s office is more significant than the female’s or if the women are not in direct management and business decisions are not by women.

Loan Options for Female-Owned Business

Pilot Loan Programs assist prospective debtors in developing loan applications and obtaining loans. A Women’s Business Development Center or a Small Business Development Company are examples of such programs.

Private grants for women

Here are a few links to private grants for a woman-owned business.

1. The Eileen Fisher Women-Owned Business Grant Program
2. FedEx Opportunity Knocks Small Business Grant Contest
3. Idea Café Small Business Grant
4. Innovate HER: Innovating for Women Business Challenge
5. Small Business Innovation Research
6. Small Business Technology Transfer Program
7. Zions Bank — Smart Women Grants

Conclusion

The government has particular policies and grants to give loans and assist in flourishing women-owned businesses nationwide. Suppose male entrepreneurs are paving their way and impacting the business economy. A company is a woman-owned business when a woman or woman retains more than 51% of ownership, and the women are the right decision-makers in the industry.

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.