Is it normal for a broker to request a deposit prior to conducting a due diligence?

Hello. I was wondering if this is simply standard practice of business brokers as I've never used one before. The brokerage firm that brokered a deal between a seller & myself is requesting them I send them a certified check for $5000 prior to conducting my due diligence. The broker said it's simply a good faith deposit that will be refunded once I complete the due diligence whether I commit to the purchase or not. However, I found it odd given it's a non-binding agreement so I thought the deposit had no bearing since I not committing to anything. I mean what would be the reason they keep it other than if I not show up? Do all brokers do this or just a select few? Thank you for any feedback that you can provide.

Treading water in Colorado

I have owned my coffee shop for nearly six years, raised it from the ground. Don't get me wrong, I consider it a success, but every year it seems harder and harder to survive as a small, independent business in our present economy, while large corporations just get larger - as do my bills, somehow. I am 25 and run it on my own. Feeling a little overwhelmed and just thought I'd reach out. After six years, I'd like to think I have some knowledge to offer, and maybe I do. But mostly, I still have so many questions and hoped to find individuals here who might have advise. Much love from the beautiful western slope of Colorado!

The Best Online Business For Beginners

I wanted to make a post for anyone who's looking to start an online business, but doesn't know where to start; and looking at a lot of the posts in this forum, it's clear that a lot of people are in that arena.



So, I'll just get straight to the point, while there are A LOT of online business that a beginner can take part in, in my opinion, Affiliate Marketing is by far one of the best for beginner to get into, and here's why:



1. Low Start Up Cost



2. Recurring Income



I'm completely aware that there are online businesses that offer both of these incentives that do not fall into the category of Affiliate Marketing, however, there are very few that can provide someone with the FREEDOM that comes with being a successful Affiliate Marketer, and this freedom comes by making a conscious decision to market a product/service that offers RECURRING INCOME.



Recurring income, simply put, will pay you many times for making one sale. So if you are marketing a product/service that charges a monthly fee, you will receive a commission every time the customer is charged for the service. So you would only need to make one sale, in order to receive payment for that sale every month as long as the customer stays subscribed to the product/service.



Imagine if you marketed a product/service that charged $50 a month to be a part of, and you received a 40% commission on each sale you made. That means for every sale you made, you received $20 in commission every month as long as the customer stayed subscribed to the product/service. If you only made 100 sales and quit marketing, you would make an additional $2000 a month, every month!



Clearly there is a lot of potential to getting involved in Affiliate Marketing and there are many websites that teach how to successful become an Affiliate. I'd recommend visiting Clickbank's website (I am NOT an affiliate for clickbank) to better understand what products/services you can market that will bring you a recurring income. Also, I'd like to stress that this is just MY OPINION of Affiliate Marketing, but it's something that I truly believe in. Of course, there is work that is involved to make your business successful, but if you stick with it, you will find that the work was well worth it. :D

Does my situation sound like I should make a non-profit or corporation?

So I run multiple websites (with FB pages and hosted programs and in-person consultations) explaining autism to the public and helping people on the autism spectrum. I do not make any profit from these and do not plan to, at least not in the immediate future. My father suggested I do something to limit my liability in case I were to, whatever reason, get sued. We live in a rather litigious society, so while there's no reason for anyone to sue me, things can happen and the website and my related work is only going to expand in the future so I'd rather be prepared. (While I try to play it very neutral in the websites, the autism community is a very controversial place and people literally get death threats for particularly controversial views, so I figure a lawsuit wouldn't be out of the question either.)



My question is, what kind of organization should I start? It's just me running it at this point, with limited consultation from another person. And for a non-profit it seems like you need a board of directors? So I don't know if that's possible. But a corporation seems, well, to be implying that I'm making money from this. And I'm not.



I'm sure you all know much more about this than me, which is why I'm turning here for advice. What do you all think best suits my situation?



Thanks!

Astu : A platform for finding your next big business idea.

Hi All,

I had posted on this forum a couple of weeks back as to what is the most important thing for small business. I got a couple of feedback where people were interested

in finding out what people want.



What is Astu:

Astu is a platform for both end users, enterprenuer or any one who wants to start a business.







1 ) Astu is a platform were end users tell their requirements , the problems they face on a day to day basis and if there are any existing products which doesn't work for them.





2) As an enterprenuer you want to build something which people use rather than something which is cool but of no use. Astu provides you with that information in making required decisions looking at the data.



3) If you have a solution to the problem which people are describing you can create a business on Astu which solves their problem







Please let me know you feedback on this.



Thanks.

Moved from sole proprietorship to single member LLC, tax questions

In late 2012 I started to make and sell metal puzzles. I did not expect to make much money off these but at the end of the year I received about 2k in sales. Midway through 2013 I established a sole member LLC, setup a bank account and started selling these under this in an effort to keep expenses separate from my own.



I'm not not sure what needs to be done tax-wise for this situation. I carried inventory into the LLC. How do I report this? Also how do I report that the sole proprietorship operation is no longer operating so I don't have to keep submitting taxes for this in coming years?

putting myself on payroll

I am owner/operator of a small autobody shop LLC should I put myself on payroll? The previous owner had his wife on the payroll but not himself. What are the pros/cons of doing/not doing so? Our situation would allow me to put my wife on payroll just unsure if this is wise for tax reasons. Any insight will be greatly appreciated!

How to get a Domain Name and cost

This would be my first time of actually having MY OWN business, and not runing someone elses, and I have a lot more to learn than I thought. I dont know where to turn for the answers, so I hope this will be a start. My question for now is, where do you go to actually get your domain name, how do you pick who will host it, and how much do these 2 seperate services approx. cost. Also, is the company that hosts the website, will they also keep track of how many visits your site gets, how many times it gets bookmarked, etc. all of the fact and figures that lets you know the effectnivness or lack of, or the site, and advertising, pricing, etc.. In my case it would be a retail site. Im sorry so many questions, but if someone could muddle through all I spewed out on the page, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Hey Guys

Thanks for having me here guys, can't Waite to share ideas and learn new things



Started marketing online in 2011, it used to be very stressful at times for me.



Glad to be around people who know exactly what it takes to run a business and what it takes to be successful.



My niche is helping people to drive traffic to their websites. It does not matter if you have a small business, if you are a writer trying to market your product or whatever your product or brand may be. A business can not be successful without having quality traffic. I used to spend money with my online business buying solo ads and pay per click ads from vendors.



Now, I have mastered getting traffic with a opt in rate of 47%.

Enough rambling, guys feel free to message me if this is something your business may need help with and I too look forward to learning from you all as well.

E-commerce website legal question

I'm new here and I'm grateful there is a community that could help me.



I have a small e-commerce website that I originally made for my sister to sell her paintings, she end up not helping me at all and not paying any interest. I feel like the website has a lot of potential and I made an offer to friend if she could feature her paintings on the website as well for a commission. She love the idea and we are in the process of adding her artwork.



My question, should I create a LLC for the website? I haven't made any income yet and only applying for a LLC would be almost $200. But I don't want to get in trouble with IRS.



I was thinking to create some kind of contract with my friend to confirm the commission and all the terms, I finding it hard to find this kind of contract sample online, do you know any source where I could get inspired for the contract?



My situation is a little tricky and would appreciate any help!



Thank you so much!

web site feedback please

I would greatly appreciate any comments or feedback on our web site.

thanks

BIRDBRAIN PARROTS

Related to SMM

Hello



Tell me about some steps how will we do SMM on Facebook and Twitter? If any links regarding SMM let me know as soon as possible.



Thanks

Social Media and The Hiring progress

Hello my name is Victoria Jones,



I am a student and Columbia College Chicago majoring in Radio. My audio documentary class is doing a project on social media and it's effects on relationships and identity.

My sub topic is





Professionalism and Social Media



So I general would like to talk to either a employer who uses social media as part of the hiring process and/or someone who's job was at risk because of their postings on Facebook or any other social platform.



If interested please shoot me an email at Victoria.jones@loop.colum.edu



Help is totally needed.

Feedback on Raising Capital for a Heavy Equipment Business

Hi everyone, I'm looking to raise capital for my heavy equipment rental business, and I'd be very interested in hearing your feedback. My partner and I are seeking investors who would be interested in a unique financial structure- our pitch is below. It would be terrrific to hear your thoughts!



__________________________________________________ _________

Regency Equipment Rental (RER) is a heavy construction equipment leasing company. We are seeking capital to expand our fleet. Examples of equipment that will be purchased are Skid Steers, Excavators, Man Lifts and other equipment from world renowned companies such as Deere, Caterpillar and Case.



RER uses an innovative investment structure that offers both income and the security of owning a hard asset with a robust secondary market. Each investor will form their own Special Purpose Entity (SPE) to purchase and own all equipment funded by that investor. This SPE will be 100% owned by the investor. RER will advise the investor what equipment to purchase, and arrange the entire purchase, taking advantage of our bulk buying power and industry knowledge. Prior to the purchase, RER will net lease the equipment for a pre-defined term, providing immediate income to the investor. During the lease period, RER will be responsible for all upkeep and maintenance costs of the equipment. At the end of the lease, the equipment will be sold by RER with the proceeds split between investor and RER.



This investment structure offers advantages to the investor over a traditional loan or equity investment:

1. Security - Assets are 100% investor owned. Heavy Equipment has a vibrant secondary market, similar to used cars.

2. Tax Benefits* - There are many tax advantages to owning the equipment. One can depreciate the equipment or be able to claim a home business and take advantage of self-employment or other tax breaks.

3. Flexibility - Investors can structure their company as they please.

4. Financing- Investors may qualify for favorable financing terms.

5. Scalability- Our investors, can scale up, or down, at their discretion.

Desktop Scheduling / Package Business software

Looking for scheduling / package sales software for our business. We run an instructional baseball facility. We have instructors that give private lessons and we have indoor batting cages. The majority of our purchases are what we call packages (bulk hours of private lessons or batting cage rentals). What we need is software that can handle package sales and track their usage/deductions of that package. Secondly we would like this to be incorporated with a scheduling system. So that when a client, who has purchased a package, has scheduled a lesson, the remainder of their package shows. Most importantly, the schedule shows if that client's package is close to expiring so we know to ask them about purchasing a new package. We need the software to be desktop capable, not web or online software. We also would like the software to possibly work with quickbooks.



The only software I have seen similar to what we need is Tanning Salon software?



My main problem in searching for the right software is I don't know the name given to software that tracks package sales.



Thanks in advance!

Site with very high competitors

I am working on a site "nepalvolunteerdirect.org" which consists of very high competitors. I have done both on page and off page optimization but still this site is not getting any traffic at all. What should i do further to generate traffic for this site?

Hey Everyone!!!

Hi this is mindstreak. Eager to know more about the forums and information around!!!!

Question about GS1 UPC's

I have a handmade soap company and would like to eventually sell on amazon but the problem is that GS1 UPC codes cost around $750+ each. My question is, can I list multiple products under that UPC? For instance if I have an olive oil based soap with an almond mix, and then one with a coconut mix. But they all use the same base ingredients. This isn't a problem for vendor fairs such as craft shows and farmers markets. Its more so to do with wholesale accounts and getting onto big eCommerce sites.

Product Licensing with Marvel/Disney

Hi there. I am wondering what the process will be like to obtain a product licensing agreement with Marvel. I was told that I will be required to pay an up-front payment in addition to a per unit percentage. Is there any easy way to find out this information before calling them? They are hard to get on the phone. Any tips, advice or information on the entire process of obtaining a product licensing agreement would be awesome :cool:

Using Groupon To Market Your Business

Hi. I have a family member who started a touring business where he rents a coach bus and creates a tour to historic cities across the midwest and east coast. The business has been very lucrative and he's been able to market the business by word of mouth and ads in newspapers. However, he recently attempted offer a special on Groupon that would allow people to purchase a ticket that would cover the bus fair and a hotel room for a two day one night tour to a historic location.



It sounded good on paper, but Groupon wanted him to give buyers a 50% discount for the ticket. Once the ticket was purchased, Groupon would then take 50% of purchase price and leave my family member with only 25% of what he would normally charge for a ticket. This, of course, means he would be losing money. So my question is, to anyone who has dealt with Groupon in the past, how do companies using Groupon make a profit? And can you give any tips on how to successfully use Groupon without losing money?



Groupon is an excellent way to market a business, but if you losing money, then it's kind of pointless.

Could a 13 yo Start a Small Business?

Guys, I'm looking to start a sort of "landscaping" business. I have all the tools. Is there a way I could obtain a business permit, and all that other legal stuff? Also, I live near Athens, Texas, if that helps any.

Patent questions...

Ok, getting ready to submit a patent, however, I have a few questions. I want to wait to have the patent formalized via an attorney before submitting the idea to be cleaned up by an engineer, designer, etc.



From what I understand is that the "concept" or "idea" is what is patented, correct? So that if by the time a designer, prototype process is complete, if it functions the same but asthetically looks different than the designs submitted during the patent process, it should still be good, correct?

How to account for paypal payments from personal account to business account

Hi, I'm a newbie here and not an accountant or with any accounting experience, so forgive this painfully stupid question.



My business is part time and I have a full time job from which I draw a salary.



My small business often has the need, when paying vendors and so on, to move money from my personal paypal account to my business paypal account in order to have sufficient funds -- usually because I have a lot of expenses all due at the same time but have not made sufficient sales to cover them. Once the funds build up in my business paypal account, I often repay myself by moving some funds back again, but not on a dollar for dollar basis.



It occurs to me though that I am being taxed twice on that money though -- once for payment to me by my employer and then again when I move the money into my business paypal account. I imagine that there must be some form of accounting to prevent that, but paypal prepares a 1099 and sends it to the government every year, in which my payments to myself are counted as income. How to I sort this all out in my accounting?

BBB Rating

We have been in business for just over 5 years. We became accredited with the BBB, but because of a few complaints (less that 0.5% of our customer base), our rating went from an A+ to a C+...is there any known way to quickly bring up our rating that anyone is aware of? According to the BBB it takes 3 years for the complaint to drop off -- but I have seen our competitors go from a F rating to an A+ rating overnight.



Any thoughts/ideas would be appreciated!

Heavy Equipment Rental Business Seeking Investors

Regency Equipment Rental (RER) is a heavy construction equipment leasing company. We are seeking capital to expand our fleet. Examples of equipment that will be purchased are Skid Steers, Excavators, Man Lifts and other equipment from world renowned companies such as Deere, Caterpillar and Case.



RER uses an innovative investment structure that offers both income and the security of owning a hard asset with a robust secondary market. Each investor will form their own Special Purpose Entity (SPE) to purchase and own all equipment funded by that investor. This SPE will be 100% owned by the investor. RER will advise the investor what equipment to purchase, and arrange the entire purchase, taking advantage of our bulk buying power and industry knowledge. Prior to the purchase, RER will net lease the equipment for a pre-defined term, providing immediate income to the investor. During the lease period, RER will be responsible for all upkeep and maintenance costs of the equipment. At the end of the lease, the equipment will be sold by RER with the proceeds split between investor and RER.



The typical purchase price of this equipment ranges from $40,000-$500,000. Dealer financing can often be obtained with down payments ranging from 0%- 20% and interest rates of 0%-5% for 3-5 year terms.



This investment structure offers advantages to the investor over a traditional loan or equity investment:

1. Security - Assets are 100% investor owned. Heavy Equipment has a vibrant secondary market, similar to used cars.

2. Tax Benefits* - There are many tax advantages to owning the equipment. One can depreciate the equipment or be able to claim a home business and take advantage of self-employment or other tax breaks.

3. Flexibility - Investors can structure their company as they please.

4. Financing- Investors may qualify for favorable financing terms.

5. Scalability- Our investors, can scale up, or down, at their discretion.





Please contact us anytime to learn more.



Best,



Kevin Henrick

701-390-9685

bakkenequipment@gmail.com

Regency Equipment Rental





*Talk to your CPA. We do not offer any tax advice.

Transportation Service Startup Suggestions

Hello Everyone,

I am considering starting a public transportation service (taxi service). Thank you in advance to anyone that may provide information, suggestions, etc.

Interesting information

I recently stumbled across this video and thought a lot about what it had to ask.

There are a lot of things that the business owner thinks is going on with his/her customers/clients but usually it is far from it.

There is a lack of communication between the owner(s) of the business and it's clients/customers.

And a lot of the things that the business owners do, as far as marketing, is exactly what every other business does in order to get new customers/clients.

One of the main questions that was asked is, "what separates your business from your competition?"

Great question because I am sure that you, the business owner, can answer right off the top of your head. But what would your customers/clients say? After all they are the businesses bread and butter that keeps the business going. Sometimes you have to step outside of the box and learn something new and incorporate new technology to get an edge over the competition.

One big thing that business owners must understand is that it cost them in order to get that customer or customers. But the real value is to get them coming back more often through marketing to increase the customers lifetime value thereby lowering the cost of acquiring the customer(s) in the first place.

Marketing never ends. When it does you are out of business.

Anyway, here is the link that will open your eyes.

http://ift.tt/1flxQVh

Enjoy.

Very eye opening

Feedback requested on our new business

Hello everyone. We have had our business up and running for almost a year and so far so good. We have received some great feedback and have leveraged Google Survey to conduct some specific market research, but are now looking to reach out to a broader audience of small business owners and aspiring small business owners to gain a better understanding of un-met needs so that we can improve our product in the future.



You can go to our site, the link is in our signature, and help us out by taking a quick survey. To make it worth your time we are offering a free business analysis report from our website. This is a non-selling no strings attached initiative, we are just trying to get better. Feel free to communicate to any one that may be interested in helping us out.



Thanks!



John

How to find a reliable website designer

Hello everybody! I am starting my own business selling an electronic product invented by our team. I am looking for a website designer to build our website. How can we find effective web design professionals? I searched "website designers" through google, and a batch of ads came out. Should I trust the internet advertisements or do I have any other ways to find them? How did you find your website designers Thanks!



Warm regards

Selling in the lower price

Hello



How important is the price in B2B selling?



Let's say company1 has bought products from company2 for years.



Then company3 offers exactly the same products to company1 but 20% cheaper than company2.



What the company1 will do (What most of companies1 will do)?



Do they begin to buy from company3 or not? Do they contact to company2 and ask 25% or more cheaper prices?



Thank you if you can help

How exactly does taxation of an LLC work?

Hello! Without going into too much detail I will try to give a quick rundown of the scenario I am in (or rather my significant other) to better explain the questions I have. My longtime girlfriends parents started a business several years ago hiring my girlfriend as an employee from the beginning. They quickly grew the business from the 3 of them to about 25 employees. My girlfriends parents recently got an offer to sell the company which they accepted, selling for a sum of money in the lower 8 figures. My girlfriend had no ownership in the company, and subsequently received none of the money from the sale of the company, which was a little upsetting to her. To our surprise, her parents approached her yesterday asking if she wanted them to help her start her own business (forming the LLC, working as temporary employees, etc), telling her that she knows as much if not more then them about the business. We talked about it last night and see it as an excellent opportunity, but I have a few questions regarding how taxing an LLC is handled. I know both of her parents have the answers to these questions, but we won't be talking to them until next week about this, so I wanted to get a bit of info on the subject before hand.



From what I've found, a single member LLC is not taxed like a corporation, but is taxed through the members personal income taxes. What I'm wondering is, what exactly gets taxed? Would total gross income get taxed, prior to any expenses such as employee pay? The best way I know to ask is through examples, so let me give one.



My girlfriend hires 1 employee to help her. She and this employee both work from home using their own equipment, and the total employee cost will be about $6000 a month with pay and benefits. (I'm not including any other costs or money set aside for the company in this example simply to make it more simple. Also, these figures were quickly made, and aren't accurate.)



The company brings in a total gross profit a month of $20,000. After paying her employee $6,000, she is left with $14,000. Is this $14,000 taxed or would the $20,000 of gross profit for the business be taxed? At the end of the year, she could be responsible for the taxation of $168,000 or $240,000.



Also, what is the tax percentage for an LLC? Are there separate tax brackets for an LLC or is she simply taxed based on federal income tax brackets? I should also note that we live in Arizona, and from I have read there is no special tax or fees for LLCs, you simply pay sales tax on your gross profits. And again with state tax, would she be taxed prior to or after paying employees, etc?



Thanks in advance, I hope this wasn't too long or hard to follow.

New Website

Hello everyone,





I just launched our new website, and I wanted to see what you guys think of it.



PCDesktopRX - PCDesktopRX Home







Thanks!

Here's a rather scary and aggressive Google penalty...

This is insane. Period Matt Cutts on why Doc Sheldon's penalty was valid



Very interesting discussion.



The TL;DR version: Hispanic SEO copywriting blog allows a guest post on social media best practices, and that guest post includes a link to a Latino big-data organization with descriptive (and useful) anchor text. Matt Cutts says that because it's an SEO blog and not a social media blog, the manual penalty to the entire site was justified because the content was unrelated to SEO copywriting.

new tag line...opinions?

im getting my new logo finalized right now with Wozcreative(she did a great job)



Ive never had a tag line I liked.....but I wanted one to go along w/ my new logo...



my wife came up with this one and I like it





Waukesha Plumbing,llc

Relax, we've got it under control.







the tag line doesn't matter very much for my builder/remodeler customers.....so its more for homeowners who call me...most home owner jobs have an emergency element to it, so I think it works for selling to that fear of having an emergency.



opinions? or a different/better version on the theme?



thanks!

Greetings!

Hello everyone,





My name is Matthew Ruff with PCDesktopRX. A little about myself: I love fishing, hiking, & music. I am new small business owner, who enjoys the tips and conversation here. Cheers!

The Free Marketing Gravy Train on Facebook is over

That's the title of a new article in Time magazine, and it's true.

I have definitely noticed that pages barely have any reach with their own followers. On my pages I'm lucky to see a 10% reach without boosting a post.

Quote:

---

Over the past several months, Facebook has been reducing the organic reach of Pages. Even if a person Likes a company or organization on the social network, they’re unlikely to naturally see that Page’s content in their News Feed. In a recent study of more than 100 brand Pages, Ogilvy & Mather found that companies’ posts dropped from reaching 12% of their followers in October to just 6% by February. The tech blog Valleywag reports that Facebook is planning to dial reach down to 1% to 2% of followers eventually.

---

Personally I think that's BS, but what are you going to do? FB is free, someone else owns it and they don't owe us anything.



Here's the article:

Facebook Is Making It Harder to Reach Audiences Without Paying - TIME

Import Export Business

If I’m Ready to Get Started Building My Import Export Business What Do I Really Need To Get Started?

New Responsive Design

I have redesigned my property pages so that they are responsive to the browser size and device type. The same page now works on cellphone, tablets, and desktops. On the desktop you can display the page at everything between a small side bar to full screen and still have access to all the main features. I have checked in on several android, Iphone and windows devices and the major browsers. I'm now ready for a another level of checking, releasing it to a controlled population of users.



Try it and let me know what you think.



Thanks for any feedback.



http://ift.tt/1jBPabR



Only the page above has been redesigned. Other pages link have not yet been reworked.

Secrets About The Internet They Dont Want You To Know About

Hello,



My name is Prince and this is my first official post besides introduction.



I just wanted to talk about the internet and how it is young guys like



me and some of my colleagues taking the market share.







For one...if you have not expanded your business online...you are



literally missing out on sales upon sales and leaving massive amounts of



money on the table.







I have consulted with many business owners here in Dallas sharing my knowledge



about doing business online and I will share some tips here that I know off the top of



my head:









Tip #1: BUILD A LIST FOR YOUR BUSINESS - This is crucial if you want to expand your business online



with each year...more consumer shopping is taking place online then it is in the physical stores.. YOU MUST



hop on this.







Build your audience online and feed them valuable information about your services and product. Doing so



you will have people who like and trust your business and brand, who are ready to buy when you ask!











Tip#2: LEARN INTERNET MARKETING







I cannot stress this important tip anymore! More and more consumers are shopping online! Just take A look at



sites such as eBay or Amazon! As A matter of fact in 2012 50% of consumer shopping was done online!



People want ease and convenience to access products and services!





If your not making the consumer experience A smooth and easy one...they will go to someone else who



can provide them that value!















Tip #3: LEARN TO OUTSOURCE MUNDANE TASK



Doing so will enable you to get more work done, cut on cost and achieve more in A timely manner!



If you don't think outsourcing is A good idea...then you must be the type of person who says "I can do it better"



The truth is...we are only human and to me it just makes more sense to take the stress load off and hire



A professional mundane tasker then to do it yourself.





Put A legitimate value on your time!

Prince from Dallas

Hi,



My name is Prince. I run A business online and I have specialized in internet marketing for quite a while.



Many people have come to me for advice on how to generate FRESH and Highly quality leads on the internet...



I have been sharing my knowledge on how to do so for awile now.







Personally in my career I used to be A door to door solicitor...one day I got really tired of cold calling



on people with no proven marketing plan. I ran into problems such as....

• Running low on gas


• Running low on people to call on


• Losing motivation


• Facing fear and rejection

So one day I went home and tried to figure out ways to do business better. Anyways...that is A bit of my



story. I will be sharing here what I know on the internet and try and help as many people as I can.



Thank you for the chance to join this forum!

Should I Have A Toll Free Number?

Hello SBF Community! ;)



I am starting an international trading marketplace here, covalty.com, and I am stuck. I want to buy a cheap 866 number, forward it to my Skype, and answer calls from there. However, I don't know if I should. I only get 10 unique visitors a day. This 866 number would be an everything number until I get more money from the site so I can make that number a consumer number then order an 888 number for technical support and some others.



Should I order this number? The site is just started development...I just made the header.



Thanks! :D

Which items can i deduct?

I started a business last year with a couple employees and have a couple questions about tax filing as sole proprietorship.



1. I hired a contractor to do $2000 worth of work but I never submitted a 1099 to him or IRS. Can I deduct that expense?



2. I also hired a bank to do payroll taxes. I just received year end tax report with forms



W3: wages – 20k, Fed income tax – 375, Social Security tax – 1235, Medicare tax – 290

944: Fed income tax – 375, Social Security tax – 2475, Medicare tax – 580

940: FUTA tax – 250



I would like to know which expenses can I deduct on these forms. Thank you for your help!

Corporate Giving Program

Hi.

I am an exchange student from Norway that’s in Houston TX for three months, and studying at Rice University.

I wonder about your meaning and opinion about what kind of value or benefits your company are needed for joining a “non-profits Corporate Giving Program?



Example:

- Networking with other top leaders and companies.

- PR, marketing on websites and in the community/society.

- CSR value/promo

And so on.. “what`s in it for your company?”.



I appreciate all answers and meanings, thanks a lot for your help.





Marius Vodrup

sales tax ?

I received a deposit for a Macaw yesterday to someone in New Hampshire..we are in NY. The sales tax here is 8.625 % . New Hampshire has no sales tax. Customer said she never pays sales tax when purchasing from state that has sales tax. Does anyone know if this is true and how this works when I do my quarterly sales tax. In 8 years I have never run across this before and I have sold outside my state about 1/2 dozen times.

thanks in advance for any input.

Adding partner to an existing business.

I am a sole proprietor of a existing small business and am the sole owner. I am considering adding another designer as a partner. The new partner would like to have the option of owning the store entirely one day but does not have the capital to do so. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to do this fairly? The business has been in existence for 18 years and has established clients and accounts. Thank you!

Bank Guarantee and instrument

we are end provider for bank guarantee, sblc, mt103 collateral one way and 2 ways, dlc, irdlc, mt799, icbpo 799 pay order swifts.

we can provide also freshcut, seasoned and lease bgs and sblc.

intrested party contact skype cvctrading3

email : cvctrading3@gmail.com

Which CRM for field based staff?

I'm looking for some feedback on which CRM system is most widely used by small businesses to support field based workers.



I suspect SugarCRM would be right up there but I'm sure there are plenty of others.



I'm particularly interested in what systems are used to support field based workers as I'm looking to roll out a mobile based app to connect these workers to whatever CRM system they currently use.

New Here...

Hi All,

New to this forum.



Been starting, growing, selling, scaling, franchising small businesses for 28 years, and have been helping other small business owners do the same for the last 15.

Glad to be here....look forward to contributing!



Thanks!

Member of LLC and Employee/Manager of Another Similar Company

So, I am one of a two member LLC with my sister. We are a new business (one year). I am pretty much researching and figuring out things as I go. We are a wedding floral design business, so the overhead is fairly small and we have tried to keep everything manageable while I figure it all out. I'm starting to feel more comfortable with everything. I set up the LLC, figured out invoicing, accounting, sales tax, website, advertising, etc.



I just met a girl who is also a wedding florist. I've already referred business to her when we couldn't take the order. She's a little loose when it comes to the business side of things and needs help. She asked if I could help her with set up, accounting and client management of her business. This is something I would like to do and have time for, but it seems weird and conflicting to work for two directly competing businesses. I've been trying to think through what I should do to protect myself and her interests in the event that I do help her manage her business. I'm also trying to figure out the best compensation schedule. She's pretty open to my suggestions.



The other thing is that I just found out my sister may not want to continue with our business long term or even short term. She is the florist of my floral design business and as we are becoming more successful, she is starting to get overwhelmed. I think she likes the idea of doing it as a hobby, but not as an actual business. I, on the other hand, want to have my own business and grow it the best I can. I told her that we could hire some help, especially for big weddings. I help her out, but I'm not a florist and I don't really want to be. I like ordering, managing and dealing with clients. I'm wondering if it would be a crazy idea to ask this other wedding florist I have been talking to about joining us. She has her own name and a website, but hasn't even set up a business. She needs a lot of help in that area. I am wondering if it is possible to have both dbas under my umbrella LLC. Each of "my" florists would be able to keep their same business names, logos and websites, but I could manage both and buy materials and everything under the parent company. That way I can help either florist, hire help as needed and if my sister decides she is done, I won't be up a creek, so to speak. That dba would just close up and we would continue under the other florist.



I will definitely be consulting an accountant and/or an attorney before actually making any decisions, but I want to think out my options and see what suggestions you guys had.



Also, if I hire help, am I correct in classifying them as an independent contractor. They would only work on weddings that they are available for and would be extra hands on an as needed basis.

Trying to start a cleaning business in the Atlanta area! (legal inquiries)

Hey how's it going? I'm a 20 year old looking to begin a cleaning business in the Atlanta area, I was just wondering what I would need to start taking on employees, especially insurance wise, I understand that in the state of Georgia I do not have to pay Worker's Compensation Taxes on my Housekeeping employees? Is it possible to bundle general liability business insurance and fidelity bonds? how much would that cost for a 20 year old running a (at the moment) residential home based cleaning service in the Atlanta area with no years of experience in this field and a negligible credit history? Are these all the legal aspects that I need to protect myself and begin hiring? Thank you for your time and help

HELP!! Starting a small business in Tennessee

Hello! Hopefully someone can give me some good direction to go in! I am currently selling fishing lures on a website.(Bayou Bug Custom Jigs - Home) I registered with Rutherford County, Tn under Sole Proprietorship. According to Rutherford County, if I make $3,000 or less annually I do not have to register the business with the state. But then some places say you have to go through the dept. of revenue with the state no matter how much you do.



So basically what I am asking is, what is my next step that I take after I have registered with Rutherford County under Sole Proprietorship?

Data collection forms

I'm looking for some sample data collection forms (paper based) used by businesses for field sales, surveys, supervisory checklists etc.



We've developed a mobile app to replace paper forms and would like to add some real-life sample forms to help demo our app. Ideally the forms should be reasonably brief so as to suit a mobile app.



Any help would be appreciated and any identifying or personal info will be removed if necessary.

Ruku vs Chromecast and cutting the cord

I've been contemplating this idea of cutting the cord. Getting rid of cable TV. Right now I pay about $220 a month for cable and internet. Most of that is internet at $120 a month. However, for 150mbps I'm not complaining about that.



To me on the TV thing, it's principle. I don't have any premium channels. Just basic. So the idea of paying for commercial TV irritates me.



Ruku announced recently a new streaming stick ( like Chromecast) with access to 1200 channels of programming. http://www.roku.com/



Far more than Chromecast offers Chromecast, and the reviews on Roku have been great over the years. People seem to really like it. On reviews and benchmark tests CNET, and others rate the Roku superior to Chromecast.



Additionally, some of the channels that they offer I want anyway, and would be an upgrade to my current cable plan..basically paying for more channels that I don't want to advertise to me, just to get the 1 or 2 more that I do want.



That's another thing that's BS to me about cable. Why do I have to take 15 Hispanic channels that are in a language that I don't speak, and 25 other channels that I don't want, just to get The Big 10 Network?



So I'm going to do the test. The Roku won't ship until sometime in April. And I just ordered a digital antenna. If I can get local stations crystal clear with the antenna (which many people in the area keep telling me I can), and the Roku is as great as the other Roku products....I'm ditching cable TV.



I already have Netflix, and Amazon Prime accounts. Even if I add a Hulu Plus account and one more, it's still cheaper than cable. But it's more than that.

Even if I pay for $50 a month of upgrades or premium channels via Roku...I'm getting premium channels. As opposed to $80 a month with cable and no premium channels and commercials.





Anyone else ever contemplated cutting the cord from the cable company?

Need some advice

My store ( BirdBrain Parrots) after 18 months is breaking even at the end of each month. We carry food & supplies for all animals but my main focus is parrots. I have always felt that this is my expertise and the profit margin is better on the bird supplies. We sell parrots, reptiles and small animals. No dogs or cats but I do have a puppy broker when someone wants a dog.

My husband feels that we need to concentrate more on the puppy/dog end. The profit margin is awful for a small business that is 100 sq feet( not a big enough order to get good prices) and since I only carry premium food the sell by date is a lot shorter then the really popular brands. Plus dog stuff takes up a lot of real estate space. The issue is that dogs are the most popular pet owned. I have signs on the window saying we carry dog, cat etc as well as bird stuff. People don't seem to like to read anymore though.

The question is the name of our business needing to be changed? I have decided to compromise and have hired someone to do some graphics for the window that has dog and cat as well as bird images. The other issue is that I consider us a specialty store and I don't want to sell crap yet its the crap that people buy because they don't know any better. They don't realize that by products can make your pet ill and that lots of the popular brands have recalls often ( often voluntary for the merchant) but the brands I sell have them very infrequently.

So the matter at hand is....I am torn...I opened the store with the intentions of being a voice and educating people as to how to care for their pet properly. I am a business and need to make money but I never wanted to be you typical pet store that sells stuff just because we can. I need to put this all into perspective so I can make a decision. I have read lots of posts here that always lean toward..sell what sells but in this case we are talking about live animals that become family members.

I would appreciate any of your feed back on this subject.

Just came across an interesting business offer...

http://ift.tt/1r50T85



Long time reader, first time poster.





Interesting site/business generating more revenue per month than the auction is listed for. Seems like a no brainer. Don't have the cash on hand to go for something in this price range right now (I'm broke), but if this interests any of you guys and you take a stab at it, let me know how the process works, and how everything turns out.

TRIZ innovation application in a manufacturing business

What are practical benefits of TRIZ innovation application in a manufacturing business with the commitment to offer the best quality product?

how can I Remove spam link

Hello i have new website Raptor power systems . And now i found some Spam backlink. Suggest me to removed spam link.

Hello from China!

Hi everyone,



We are actually a small business helping other small businesses. We recently started a website where small and medium-sized Western business owners can ask China law questions for free and get a genuinely useful answer from a licensed Chinese lawyer. In other words, we are trying to help keep small businesses from getting screwed on their business deals with Chinese companies and help out those that do --- without all the usual nonsense.



The whole site is designed with Western business owners in mind -- it's simple, easy to use and safe. The service is completely free and totally confidential. The site itself is protected by high-grade SSL encryption and hosted on servers in the USA and Europe (not China).



Your welcome to visit the site at http://ift.tt/1r3QIAA and ask your questions confidentially but we will also try to answer question in the legal section of this site.



Great to meet all of you!



George

"Partner" dragging ass...where to go from here?

Well a family member and I (although it was my idea - they assisted in perfecting it) have been working on a product that is basically done, and has been done for quite some time. Every time I ask them are we moving forward (which involves MONEY) they get wishy washy and always say they will let me know. The latest one is they will see after they get their taxes. Its not like they don't have money to try a venture. Recently my "partner" indicated his spouse is pregnant, which I can see where that is going...



Anyways, I have been doing all the leg work, checking with engineers, lawyers, patents info, manufacturers, etc. while they continue to say that they are the "brains" of the operation and won't lift a finger outside of prototyping.



I really don't know what to do at this point. I continue to ask them what is going on, and I keep getting "I will get back to you"... I am almost to the point that I will move forward on the patent, engineer, and other expenses, and if they bitch, basically say that they need to buy in half... thoughts? I guess what happens if they say they are not buying in but want some type of royalty? Like I said, it was originally my idea, they just assisted with metal work, etc.... circuits, etc. are also my design...

7 Ways to Destroy Your Business Website

Saw this today in Website Mag and thought it was worth sharing.



Many of these things I was doing a while back and some I still need to work on. A business website should always be a work in progress to continue making improvements just as your business improves.



It's a quick read:



Destroy Your Business Website

Questions about buying an existing business?

Helllo All,



I had a question i was viewing some businesses on Craig's List that are for sale, mainly looking at the business that been owned for 15 plus years with a good track record and previous customer base. Such as Fitness Gyms,Pool Service, Lock Smith, Landscape, Cleaning Carpet Service...ETC that people are retiring or need to get out of for a specific reason. I have been approved for a loan and do have some initial capital. Most of these business i look at offer full proided training two weeks before purchase to see if you would enjoy it.

Does anyone have any thoughts on purchasing a known business if you could get it for a very low price?



Or would starting my own be a better off bet?

Do people actually leave profitable businesses or are they usually selling them because they are lying and going bankrupt?



Thanks

Hello Everyone, Just a friendly Background of me!

I am a motivated,passionate, young go gett-er and have always been interested in entrepreneurship. I am 21 and have had some business experience. I recently got out of my latest business venture which was owning a small landscape company. It was fairly profitable where we had about 10 regular clients we did various task for every other week or so. I got out of that business because of the labor preformed, i don't mind it i just would rather do something with bigger profitable margins and my partner and i were having issues on which way we saw our company going so he offered me a buyout. I finished up at a JC in California and am eager to make my next step. Not sure whether to jump back into school and get into student loans route at a state or UC. Or just try and start up my own business. I have lots of ideas, and feel like i have lots of good skills sets necessary. But would lack reputability starting another business model because of my age.



anythoughts?



thanks and interested in meeting you all!

Corporate taxes: deducting for business mileage and reimbursing yourself

My husband and I have a small LLC that's being taxed as an S-Corp (web development business). We are 50/50 members. We give him all the paychecks (to keep it clean and easy--and since I have another job) and we split any dividends between us. For the past several years our accountant would take our business mileage driven and but it on Part V (listed property) of 4562 (depreciation and amortization) and under Section B - Information on Use of Vehicles. Then the deductible amount was then placed on Form 1120S under "Other Deductions" as automobile and truck expense. Our accountant then told us that we could write a check to reimburse ourselves for that mileage. We did this every year from 2008-2012.



Now this year we have a new accountant who is telling us that we cannot both deduct business mileage and reimburse ourselves for it--that we would be double dipping.



I've exhausted the web for info about this and cannot find any conclusive answers. I tried to ask my old accountant and basically he said I'd have to hire him to get his opinion.



So I ask my humble forum participants... what do you think? I don't want to break any tax rules!



Thanks for any help or guidance you can provide.

Sincerely yours,

Grace

Equity Financing

Hi All - So I understand the concept of equity financing in theory but I have a few questions I'm trying to get straight. I think the best way would be to offer some scenarios and to try to get answers.



Scenario 1:

So, let's say that I take my personal savings and use it to start a business (I imagine this is the way most start-ups begin at some point). I invest $10,000 of my own money and I would record $10,000 in shareholder's equity on my balance sheet - representing 100% of my company value. The company grows substantially, netting an amazing return on equity and the company book value is now $1,000,000. However, a substantial amount of the book value of the company is in fixed assets and low cash flow is hindering company growth so I decide to sell 25% of my company.



Here is my question: As 100% owner in the company, doesn't the sale of my 25% equity represent a liquidation of MY personal portion of the company and wouldn't those funds go to MY personal account and not the corporate/company account? To raise corporate funds via equity, would I sell my personal equity portion and then write myself a payable note?





Scenario 2:

This one is less complicated in my eyes. If 4 people start a company as equal partners, so each agreeing to a 25% ownership share, and the company generates $200,000 in profits, so each person has claim to $50,000 - how is the decision made as to the portion of profits reinvested in the company? Would this be something handled at the inception of the firm in some sort of company charter - like a majority vote dictates what is reinvested in the company versus paid to partners? On that note, lets say that the company was not profitable in its first few years and more capital was needed to keep it going. If one person was in a position to contribute and others were not, would the firm write that person a payable note or perhaps that person would "buy" equity from the other partners (but then this goes to scenario 1 as to whether the buyout of other partners generates cash for the firm or the other partner...)



Thanks all.

Telling people that thier idea won't work the way they're doing it.

One of the hardest things about building websites for people who think they have a great idea is getting them to understand that they haven't thought it through. You don't want to discourage people, but some are very unrealistic about how much it takes to make something work online.



Everyone looks at the end result of successes, and most never give any thought to the path that they took to get there, or the amount of resources that it takes to actually run and grow it.



Personally, if asked my opinion I will tell them what I know, what I've done and how certain things work. Once that is done, I'm still going to build the site for them, the way they want it, and give it 110%. After all it's their money and they are the boss.



It's especially difficult when you're dealing with someone who is successful in one area of business and thinks that is enough to dominate another....with no experience, education or knowledge of the industry. I used to go through this all of the time with new bar owners here in Vegas.



My question is, if it were you..would you be appreciative that someone is trying to steer you in the right direction?

If so, what would it take for someone to get you to actually listen?

Here it starts! Greetings from Florida!

Greetings everyone:



My name is Jamaal Ephriam from Florida, and I’m here for a few things. First, I’d like to connect and learn from other aspiring and current successful small business professionals. Two, promote my own businesses or (if need be) offer my own knowledge and services for businesses and finally, look for some additional help for my business if possible.



A little about me, well for starters, I’m an all around artist who loves to breath interactive media and entertainment industry. I run a small freelance audio production company specializing in music mixing, production, voice acting, and mastering. We have our own equipment and much of it is commercial standard. I’m hoping to build on this as I acquire more clients. You can find most of my work at Key Jay's Spotlight page on SoundCloud - Hear the world.



The business I’m working on heavily at the moment is KJC Comix, an american independent comic book and manga publisher / developer group. You can find us at KJC Comix | Nuthin but the X!. Our site is about to be renovated soon so pardon the content desert. You can also find us on Facebook aka http://fb.com/kjccomix . There, we frequently highlight the artist community so if you like cool art and you want to know some background about artists we found, its a good thing to check out. We update that religiously every Tuesday. Content ranges from classical art to Mr.Impossible vs Dr.Gru, to Static Shock homage pieces, to “skeuomorphic surrealism”. We’re also going to be starting interviews soon as well.



I’m actually looking for help with KJC Comix and I’m hoping I can find it here. I’m looking for people that can really become active help. I have A LOT of passive help, but I’m looking for some (more) individuals that I can consider THE core. If you’re in Florida, that’s a huge bonus. If you’re interested, we can discuss what we have, where we’re going, what we’ve done, (within reason of course), etc, privately.



I hope the above content is suitable for the board rules x_x else, where should be the best place to post this?



With that said, it’s a pleasure to meet you all (Dozo!), and I’m looking forward to working with those that are willing to contribute.



Lets make our better work lives happen, OUR way :D

microworkers

welcome all friends,hello.welcome microworkers helpful site.this site good. 100% payment proof site.I like this.

Barcode Advice

Hi all. I'm starting a small retail bakery business, and I have a POS that allows me to product numbers as barcodes. I'd like to use a scanner to simplify checkout, like at any store. I don't have any requirements for age of the item, or anything like that; it's just to identify what the item is. I expect to have about 300 items in total.



My question is, should I have simple codes that are essentially integers starting from 1? I was thinking of having almost-human-readable codes, but now I think that's kind of pointless. Also some articles have claimed that short barcodes have less scanning errors. To illustrate, should I have:



CROISSANTALMONDLARGE

CROISSANTALMONDSMALL



or else



CROISS001

CROISS002



Thanks.

Marc and a newbie in every sense of the word

Greetings all!



First some background. My name is Marc, and I live in Chicago. I'm 47 and want to be my own boss. Since I've never been in the same job for more than 7 years, I'll likely be looking for the “next job” in perpetuity, which doesn't appeal to me at all. I understand the risks of starting a new business are great, especially in retail, but I'm a risk taker and willing to take the plunge if it’s feasible.



When I see a small business doing what I'd like to do, sell sports team apparel and whatnot, I wonder to myself (1) how have they stayed in business all of these years because, when I shop there, I'm the only customer in the store, and (2) why can't I do it, too?



The first thing I did was sit down and do a quick feasibility assessment. The numbers, namely, the volume of product I need to sell monthly, really took me aback. After some brainstorming, I was wondering if anyone here does business as an outlet? I could contact the suppliers and agree to sell their products exclusively. Of course, I’d ask for a discount beyond what they offer online for direct purchases. If you have done this, or do this now, what pitfalls might arise especially if the supplier is located overseas.



Thanks in advance for the input!



Marc

Kashif Khan

Hello,,





Guys I am from Pakistan,, I am doing work on SEO projects since last two



years,,, and I am here to find some good friends.



I hope that I will be welcomed harmfully by this cooperative group.







Thanks.

A big hello to everyone!

Hey Guys!



Greeting! I am Prateek from India. I love reading about different businesses and hope to build a great relation with folks here.



Regards,

Prateek

Small Business Owners Website

Hi, I am putting together a web design package specifically for small business owners. It will be a completely done-for-you package with a monthly fee. I would like to hear from small business owners about the difficulties they have had in setting up their website either themselves or with a web developer. Also small business owners that have resisted getting a website because it was too much hassle...I would like to know what hassles?



The websites will have just one purpose really and that is to generate leads and enquiries. They will be fully responsive in a very neat way. You can check out a live site at Perth Pool Care I would also appreciate any honest feedback on this site, just in case I have missed something.



Thanks



P.s. If you are a SBO in Australia and give me some good feedback on this post I will send you a special discount coupon that you can use when I launch the service.

cleaning business in sydeny

Hi friend this is James form Sydney Aus. I am new here.:o

Finding land for a restaurant

If I were to open a restaurant, how might I go about finding the land to build it on?



Thank you

How to move forward with a landing page and product?

The catch-22 is that my product is finished as far as a prototype. Looks nice, but will look a whole lot better when professionally manufactured.



Three things that I would like to do, but the big question is viability - which I think there will be demand. It's an outdoor/camping/survival component.



Anyways, the three things that I was planning on doing is: patent, engineering drawing compiled, manufacturing.



However, after reading several small business sites, etc. they recommend a "landing page" before moving forward with the more expensive (above) steps.



The big question is, do I screw myself my creating a landing page, before securing intellectual content, or should I not be concerned about that, since I would only show pics, and maybe a video on how it works - or should I be concerned?



What is the best option to move people to the landing page to get a good cross section of online users, etc. to actually record how many people visit, and potentially interested? Advertising? If so, best exposure method?



What would be the best option to implement the viability with costs, to make sure the product has a customer base before dumping **** tons of money into it? Thanks.

Hi looking to help

My name is Dean. I'm from Wisconsin and I work for a company that can handle anything internet marketing or traditional marketing. Have a combined 75 years of experience in these arenas. And yes huge fantasy baseball nerd. Let's see if I can help you

Do you need to register your business if it's small...

I've seen a lot of people selling things online though their website and am about to do this myself. Is it necessary to register your business in the very beginning stages of the business still being built? I have a checklist of things I would like to have done before even attempting to make a sale such as a website, finances, marketing, suppliers etc. Do I need to register my brand name at this point or can I do this once I gain some momentum?

Becoming an independent contractor. I need advice re: expenses, credit cards, taxes

I've done independent contract / freelance work for years, but only in an 'on the side' basis.



Well my 'on the side' work has grown into a highly demanded skill, and a company wants me to work for them 20 hours a week minimum as an independent contractor, with this and my existing 'side work' I'll be transitioning to full-time as an independent contractor working for myself.



So.... it's time to officially start treating myself (and my skill) as a business.

This leads to a few questions:

• Do I need a business license if *I* am the business?


• How do I figure out how much tax I'm supposed to pay and how often do I set those taxes aside?


• I think opening a 'business credit card' and using Mint.com will be the best way to track my business expenses for my end-of-the-year taxes. If I get a credit card that I only use for business expenses (cell phone, software, equipment etc.) then use mint.com to have a detailed list of the expenses for THAT CARD alone.... Is this the best way? And if so:
  
  --A. How much of those aforementioned taxes can I deduct (i.e. how much of my expenses can be deducted)?
  
  --B. What is the best credit card for small businesses? I already have a personal American Express card I'm thinking of just converting to a business card (I don't like having a bunch of cards).


• Thankfully it looks like my insurance will not need to change, but are there any other federal, financial or... well really any downsides or pitfalls to being a full-time independent contractor that I don't know about or should prepare for?

Found new inventory system that works great

I just opened a new store 3 months ago. As I was setting up my store, I was keeping track of my inventory through Excel. Just last month, I found this company called Bloomforth that offers a free inventory management for a small company such as mine. It also has a point of sale system that I use to keep track of what my more in-demand items are.



Just wanted to share this information, I understand the difficulties of starting up a business.

Hello from Gilbert, AZ

Hello everyone! My name is Justin Michael and I just started a company that helps other small businesses with their design and technology needs.



This looks like a great community! I'm excited to read through more of the threads and have some great conversations.

Filing DBA in Texas

I am starting a windshield repair business in Dallas, TX. I want to register my company as an LLC with the Texas Secretary of State(SOS). I was told to file the DBA form before filing for the Certificate of Formation Professional Association.



My question pertains to the DBA form. The form gives me the options: Individual, General Partnership, Limited Partnership, Other(name type). If I want to be an LLC, should I put LLC in the "other" line? From my understanding you have to file with the SOS to become an LLC company so in lies my confusion. Can someone please help?

Looking for business partner opening 2nd smoke shop

I currently own a successful smoke shop in Atlanta GA, and I am looking to expand. If you are interested please email me. :cool:

Attached Images

• hookahs on wall.jpg (41.6 KB)

Hello from Illinois

Good morning everyone. Just a quick introduction about me and my business. We are a small family owned laser manufacturing and custom fabrication business located in the northern suburbs of Chicago. We have been in business for going on 33 years, but have not been overly successful in growing the business. This company was started by my grandfather, my father, and 2 of my uncles. These men are extraordinary workers and they have a vast knowledge of doing the work, however when it comes to being small business owners they lack the fundamentals for creating a sustainable business. They have done a wonderful job of creating and maintaining jobs for themselves but have neglected the business as a whole. I have been part of this company for the past 14 years and just recently acquired stock ownership due to the retirement of my grandfather. This business has tons of potential and is at a cross roads in terms of direction and new beginnings. I am here to gain some insight from other members such as myself to aid me in the successful transformation of this business to ensure that it continues for a long time to come. I am more interested in making this corporation successful and sustainable on its own so that it can reap the benefits of growth and open new doors and possibilities to become a cornerstone of the industry.



I look forward to meeting others who share the same passion for their businesses that I do and learning from them on how I can help better my company.

I have a business idea but I need some advice

Hi All,

I am new to this forum and new to starting a business. I am in the beginning stages of starting a service based business as a Virtual Concierge. A Virtual Concierge is like a Virtual Assistant however a Concierge has a list of contacts, vendors and other service providers that helps get the job done. However, in my case, I will be doing most of the work myself at first. I have researched other businesses like this and it seems to be a very healthy industry. It's something that I do already for many of my family members and friends, pro bono of course, and I have always thought that starting a business doing the stuff others don't have time to do may work. I'm not expecting to bring in millions of dollars, in fact I will be doing this business on the side and keeping my day job but I do hope that at some point it will get me to the point where I can work at it from home full-time.



My question to all the business owners on this site is, what would you be willing to pay a Virtual Concierge to do for you? I am going to focus on Professionals, Small Business Owners, Leaders and others who may benefit from having as-needed administrative services and don't want to hire an employee.



I also want to know if it's even worth marketing to other small business owners. I know that most small business owners would rather do the work themselves than to pay someone else to do it but at the same time you have so much to fit into a 24 hour day that it's almost impossible to do it all on your own.



Once I get started I will start networking with other businesses who provide services that my clients need and build a list of Preferred Vendors that I could refer them to or use when needed. I am still working out the details for the Preferred Vendors program but I would like to get some input on the business idea and who I can target. I have a website and I am testing this out on my friends and family right now. If you have time you can visit it and let me know your thoughts. Just Task - Home. Of course I used a free site option because I don't want to pay for a domain if the business doesn't pan out. Any advice is helpful.

Writing Services for your business

Hi, I am Janine Kelbach and welcome to my freelance writing website. I offer an array of writing services for you. Examples are:



• Content Writing services – If you need more traffic to your website, but ran out of your own content, I can help.

• Product Reviews – Need a review on a new product? I can do that!

• Article writing – Give me the topic you need and I can write a nice article, pinpointing topics you want highlighted.

• Blog Writing – Need a guest blogger? I can help!

• Website Content writing services – Have a small business? I can help you become recognized.

• And more! – From copywriting, editing, and proofreading. I can also check your website with competitors for SEO keywords to rank you higher on Google.



I am a motivated freelance content writer for hire offering exceptional writing and copyediting skills. I am accurate, assertive and an adaptable freelancer who can effectively multi-task in challenging situations and meet critical deadlines.



I am also a hard-working, experienced freelancer focused on being a content writer for website content and blog content. I am dedicated to delivering the highest quality writing services to every client I am reliable and conscientious.



If you need content written for your blog, website, or even product descriptions or reviews, I can help you. I also love to research things I am unfamiliar with, so whatever topic you have, I can work with. Check my rates for more information on my costs.



Beyond freelancing, I am a registered nurse, and have been for eight years. I have a lot of experience with teaching as well. I have samples of my writing work, on the samples page, if needed and my pricing is low compared to my competition. I also compiled some great Testimonials from customers.



I have an in-depth knowledge of pregnancy, childbirth, nursing, breastfeeding, childcare, babies, toddlers, school age kids, marriage and relationship advice, lifestyle, finance advice, pets, fitness, health, wellness, cooking, budget tips, and saving money. I have experience writing content for websites for small businesses or the average blogger.



My expertise is nursing because I have been an RN for 8 years. Beyond that, I’m a mother, pet owner, wife, and a health and fitness guru.



I use SEO optimization when writing articles and content and it is key when you have a website. Using keywords will help when the public searches for your website via Google and other search engines.



Check out my other pages and email me with any questions. I respond always within 24 hours to questions and concerns.

Kneeling Chair?

I'm looking for a recommendation for a kneeling chair. Something I can use for an hour or two at a time that'll help take the stress off my lower back without killing my knees at the same time.



I swear the warranty must have expired on my body parts....

what are benefits of backlinks?

I would like to know what are the benefits of backlinks ?

Serviced Based Business - Hand Writing Thankyou Notes - Feedback /Marketing Ideas

Hi all - I've been lurking these forums for a few weeks now and finally have some questions. I've been kicking around the idea of starting a thank you note writing service as an (initial) side gig. I know one of my pain points is writing thank you notes, and it seems to be a common pain point throughout the internet. I am thinking about selling a service where I supply the card, postage, writing and mailing for a fixed fee - this could probably work both as B2C and B2B, if there is enough demand. I could expand into Christmas cards, events, etc.



Questions -

To get started and start networking, I've thought about contacting area COC's and charities and offering my help pro-bono, for the cost of materials up to a set number - in exchange for a mention at the event I assist with. I've also thought about reaching out to local businesses and extending a similar offer. Can you think of a more effective way to start spreading awareness?



More importantly, since you're all business owners - would this be something you would hypothetically pay for? Maybe to send to your top 10 clients, or your Christmas list. Or does it seem unnecessary?



Thanks for your help and thoughts!

Hootsuite University Social Media Classes. Anyone else try it?

I started using Hootsuite again to manage my social media accounts for my new blog.



I used to use it a few years back, but haven't in a while. It has come a LONG way. They've put together some nice SM management tools and integrations.



For an additional charge they offer classes called "Hootsuite University" on how to better use the tools, and the options available to you on different social media sites, as well as best practices for growing your brand on Social Media.



I'm finished with the first set of classes and got my initial certification. It's very good. I thought it would be cheesy and a bunch of stuff that I already knew, but I'm actually very impressed. They've put together an extensive and well organized collection of tutorials, webinars, downloads and other educational materials that are actually pretty easy to follow.



Even though I've been dabbling with Social Media since My Space, it's amazing how much I didn't know. It has answered a lot of questions that I've always had about how the big brands do it and now I see the difference between a well managed campaign, and just posting hoping to get lucky.



Has anyone else has taken any of the courses? Or use Hootsuite to manage your accounts?

What song do you use as your ring tone?

Mine is "Yakety Sax" ( The Benny Hill Theme song).



What's yours?

New business

Hi everyone!

My name is Zsolt from Hungary living in Ireland.I`ve been here for more than 6 yrs but can`t make business here,there is no tradition for that.

I`d like to go to USA and try there,I have a few very good idea and inventions.

Could anyone give me advise how to start,company formation and what it`ll cost?

Thank you!

Licensing art work _from_ a company?

Let's suppose I wanted to use part of a fairly old, but still post Berne Convention, drawing in a logo or product (like a software application help screen). It's 30 years old and the company that marketed the long-defunct product it was on has long since been bought and sold by other companies. The attached image is a relevant example. Is it plausible to contact the current copyright holder and attempt to purchase a license? Barring that, how much trouble am I asking for if I draw, or pay an independent artist for, something similar?

Attached Images

• file_27_153.jpg (94.1 KB)

marketing vs advertsing

What is the real difference between marketing and advertising.

As I have been reading some of the posts I thought i saw something pertaining to this and I can't find it.

i actually hired someone today

8 years thinking about it....the day finally came today....I hired my 1st employee



a laborer for $15 an hour- part time



I narrowed it down to 3 applicants



1. was older than me but very experienced...and seemed to have a similar personality..6 years in the army....he has his own part time design business, so its a perfect matchup(he isn't using the job as his only income).....negs- he's old and 155lbs....now sure how he will handle the heavy lifting....I guess its not my problem...he's agreed to it

2. was young. showed up 1/2 hour early......no drivers license, drunk driving 5 years ago, car is all smashed up.....talks stupid(young), said negative stories about himself when I asked about his work history.......pos..he's young/strong and could easily handle things......his work experience would make him an excellent.....neg...his brain and his drunk driving

3. never showed up





I called #1 tonight....he has actually been a plumbers helper.....same hyper personality.....were similar in many ways, but I can tell he's more of a free spirit...51 years old and has earings and had very long hair within the past couple of years (I saw his drivers license)....now hes clean cut(except for the earings)



I think he will be a excellent worker.....we will see if a tiny 150lb 51 year old can carry a water heater by himself......he didn't seem to know if he could or not



I trust him....that's why I didn't look for more...he struck me the right way from his 1st email on



because he has another side job I don't need to guarantee him anything.....if I give him 4 hours he doesn't care....he even said he'd work 2 hours if it were close by

Need your valuable advice :)

Hi, I'm Cosmin from Romania and plan on opening a business in Crete, Greece. I will be selling frozen bananas covered in chocolate, with the help of a custom made tricycle.

The first year i will be mobile until i get to the stage of packaging and wholesale. The name of the company will be Mr.Banana, and i will sell for 2 Euro one product. The initial investment is around 15.000 E and the margin is OK in my opinion, i make each with 50 E cents. I have the proper connections, and up to date with all the health and state requirements. I chose Crete because i know the place well, I'm working there for 6 years, it's a sunny hot island, I speak around 5 foreign languages (a good help in dealing with possible clients from all over Europe), but still I have sweaty palms because it's the first time I start a business, even if I know i have the mindset of an entrepreneur. With 2 or 3 Tricycles I think the first summer should be profitable.

Now what i need from you is input about the business, advices, opinions, whatever you can think of, even a devil's advocate.



In exchange, for a person that can improve my plan, help me with insight, give me ideas, i offer in the summer 2015 a stay of 1 or 2 weeks in Crete at my place.



P.S. : if my English hurts your eyes and your ears, I'm sorry :)

PPD Sponsorships

So I'm launching a new website and have been trying to contact business regarding my structure and plan for the site. I figured it might be good to post here to hear from some small business owners about it, and to get feedback, suggestions, etc, on this idea. Without further adieu:



Basically, the structure is business sponsoring songs and artists. It's on a per download basis, and there are no annoying ads. The users will always know who is sponsoring their favorite musicians, which in turn means you're getting new fans as well (I mean, pop up ads and videos are pesky, but sponsorships make a family, whether consciously or subconsciously). All you do is pay for the download when it happens. In turn, it's like putting your company on a sports jersey, but instead of a jersey, it's a song.



That's the idea in short. Would you basically be willing to pay, per download, to sponsor songs? Of course, the flexibility will be extensive (budgets, personal preferences, etc). If not, what suggestions do you have? It's a collaborative effort, so don't be afraid to offer input and advice =)

Is Paypal enough for payment?

Currently I am only taking paypal, is that a good enough option for a website now a days or do I need more options?

Canadian Grants?

I know they are out there but all my searching has just turned up loans.



Being a paraplegic with no money to startup a business properly I am wondering if anyone knows of a grant available in Canada?



I am slowly starting as I make a little money with the other business I run but it is to little, to slow. I think I have a really great idea I need to fly with... there must be something.



A loan is not really an option for me as I don't have credit or any assets.



Thanks,

Ron

The big question.... Marketing?

I have started a new business making business promotional mugs and more. I use the sublimation process so it is a beautiful full color mug. I have had a site up for a month now and posted on Facebook, Linked in, Twitter.... etc. These are cool to show my friends but how do I get real visitors to my site?



Please tell me what everyone is using that is truly effective online. I know you can't beat word of mouth and am doing my offline marketing but I really need to get the word out to the businesses across Canada and the US. I am also making aluminum and wood photo panels and custom photo gifts on the same site so I also want to get the word out to everyone, not just businesses.



Thanks,

Ron

Preparing for video chat

This made me laugh. I've been in that quick clean situation for a call xD



1920370_10152202194101597_1693341243_n.jpg

Attached Images

• 1920370_10152202194101597_1693341243_n.jpg (34.2 KB)

Learning Quickbooks

Good Evening everyone,



So I just got quickbooks mac for my small business and the tutorial, that comes with it isn't the best. I was wondering if anyone has advice on how to learn this software. Ive checked the local colleges and they don't have any classes on it, Ive looked at craigslist for tutors, special business training centers, ebooks online, lynda.com, and the intuit endorsed dvds. Obviously, the ones like the special business training centers and intuit endorsed courses are uber expensive ($3-400+), with tutors you run the risk of hiring an axe murderer, and books have mixed reviews. Can anyone vouch for a product or method they used to learn this software? Thanks.







-Kila

Concern about nobody is buying my product

I am starting a business to buy/sell import goods from Asia; but I have a very very bad mind set which is the concern that there will be no buyers for my product.



In my case, I am importing construction materials such as aluminum from Asia and try to sell it in North America. My biggest competitive advantage is of course the low price that I can provide to these customers.



Lower price = lower cost = higher profit to them. I don't even know why I am worrying myself.



I am so concern about nobody is going to buy my product because of these 2 main reasons



1. Existing suppliers: My potential customers might already have existing suppliers for their materials. These suppliers might not be able to provide the same low price as I could, but they might have already established a good connection with each other. Therefore, they would not consider switching suppliers.



2. Do not trust a new start-up like me: In their minds, they might be thinking, Why should I trust someone with no previous record? Is the quality of the material up to standard? Is he going to delivery the product on time? or is he going to deliver them at all? etc.



The manufacturer in Asia and I have already gone through all the details and everything is ready to go; but I still haven't contacted any customers yet because of my stupid concern.....



This is really holding my back. Can someone please explain it to me, are these 2 problems even problems at all? or am I just being paranoid?

Hi From Dartmouth Nova Scotia

Hey folks,

new cat in town. From Dartmouth NS. I have a home business selling model kits. We started a year ago. Been having our ups and downs. I figure it would be a good tool to come on here and get some guidance. Lately I have been getting stress out over my clients. Lining me up to the bigger fish in my industry.



Example:

Customer: Well how much is that kit?

Me: $89.95

Customer: Well I can get that kit from the USA for 69.90....



How should I react to such questions? By the time he pays Customs and shipping, it will be more. And then the exchange rate varies. Tons of different factors. I want to make profits, not lose it.



Sorry for the rant,

It's just how I'm feeling lately,

Cheers,

TN2IC