It seems appropriate to discuss this topic as the news this week is focused on “returning to work”. I wonder what that will look like for people, I believe it depends on our ability to be flexible, creative, careful, courageous, determined and considerate as we continue to work remotely or create processes for a sustainable remote/onsite system. I was asked to contribute to a recently published online article here is… Read more
The phrase “business advisory” is used a lot in the accounting industry, more now than ever, but what is it really? More and more small business owners and medical practitioners are realizing they want and need more than just an accountant to fill in the boxes on their tax returns, and frankly, they are right, they do need more than just tax compliance! What does business advisory look like for… Read more
I was asked to contribute to this online article as posted by Intuit for other tax professionals. My tip: “We find that our business and individual clients are still confused about how the TCJA affects various issues, such as their overall tax liability, entity structure, retirement benefits and deductible expenses. We will continue to encourage strong communication and engagement with our team of professionals. Our clients are comforted when they see that we are there… Read more
Businesses in all industries deal with similar problems due to the nature of their technology solutions. Many businesses in the financial world use Microsoft Products. If you are one of them, the clock is ticking and you need to do something about upgrading your operating system as your data security could depend on it. Windows 7 support will end January 14, 2020. PCs with Windows 7 will still work, but… Read more
A great way to start the new year is to implement a 90 Day Action Plan for your company/medical practice/business; you may what to enhance that strategy by creating your own Professional Development Action Plan and by helping your employees create their Professional Development Action Plan as well. I love and recommend using a 90 Day Action Plan for this project! An Employee Professional Development Plan can follow all the… Read more
I recorded this video over the summer (right, I am not standing on the beach in this gear in December!) A Plan with Small Actionable Steps Will Help Create the Goals we Have in Mind for Our Business and Ourselves and what better time to put this tip to use than now… This message is just perfect for this time of year. We are all hoping to start 2020 with… Read more
I was asked to write an article for Tax Pro Center for the Intuit ProConnect site, you can click through and read it here: “How to Channel More Positive Energy in Your Tax Firm”. Then watch this video about our firm: Final Thoughts Positive energy resulting from respect, appreciation and support of ideas can bolster most relationships. What works for accounting firms works for other businesses as well. Watch the… Read more
There is “No Time Like the Present” For You to Start Planning for an Amazing 2020 Have you thought about what 2020 holds? Now is the perfect time to book your Business Strategy Session. You’ll get guidance on updating or setting up your Business Plan. It’s hard to believe but the year is almost over! AND…there is “No Time Like the Present” for a Business Strategy Session. We sometimes call… Read more
It’s year end, and time to reflect on the year gone by and plan for the year ahead. But thinking about your business and how to improve it can be stressful. We wrote about the importance of having a solid Vision Statement to help guide you and your staff to a more successful business, with a better business model, more satisfied customers and more focused staff. Need a little prodding?… Read more
There are some things in life that go together well and others that definitely do not! Business and personal finances are in that category of items that should not be mixed. Although it may seem like a headache to keep them separate—who wants to manage all those bank accounts?—your life will be greatly simplified once you separate your personal and your business finances, especially your expenses. Paperwork and taxes will… Read more
The holiday season is once again here, and with it comes time to relax, focus on family and friends and take stock in what is really important in life. What if you are a small business owner who has not worked through your processes to create a business rather than a job? Every small business owner knows that being away from the office can be just as stressful as being… Read more
It was great to end my conference travels right here in New York for the 2019 Long Island Tax Professionals Symposium. I followed my own advice on setting goals for the conferences I attend, but these takeaways and highlights were unexpected! Try to take at least one “in-person” update course per year on the software you use and depend on in your office. I was thrilled that this year we… Read more
It was great to have Elizabeth with me for this conference. We split up for several sessions and have already compared notes. We were even able to spend time while still away to make plans for implementing our joint takeaways: Many businesses today are challenged with recruiting and retaining talented loyal staff. You can start solving staffing problems by looking at the way management is currently interacting with their team.… Read more
I hope you are enjoying my photos and takeaways, please do send feedback if these tips have resonated with you. Please share in the comments if and how you have implemented them in your firm/business/practice, but do not judge me by my “selfie” taking ability, I do feel I am getting better. Conference Day 2 takeaways started as soon as I finished my morning workout: Peloton Bike at the Hotel… Read more
I’m on the road again and sharing insights from the San Jose accounting technology conference I am attending. Liquid Breakfast Today’s conference takeaways started at breakfast, I sat down at a random table and the conversation started with “where are you from?” My computer was in my backpack so that “takeaway” was written on a napkin. Here are my highlights and takeaways from today’s conference: Show your clients you care. It’s… Read more
This week I’m in San Jose for an accounting technology conference and then I’ll be on to Florida and Long Island for specialized industry and tax conferences with my staff members. Sometimes it seems that the best part of the conference is the people you meet along the way… In the Delta Lounge before boarding On the airplane (photo credits go to my row-mate Howard) On the trip to the… Read more
I hope you were able to watch the vlog I posted last week. In the video I discuss the importance of a solid vision statement, one that you and your team create together and believe in. Here is the link to watch the video and read the post in case you missed it. I hope it inspires you to take action. Have you been working to create a successful business/professional… Read more
On the road again, this week I am heading to San Jose for an accounting technology conference; in the next few weeks I am also scheduled to travel to Florida and Long Island for specialized industry and tax conferences with my staff members. Recently I have shared “best practices” for attending conferences and networking events, no need to reiterate, but follow these links for a refresher: Tips for getting the… Read more
Do you want to stay on the path to creating the business you want? Once you can clearly identify your short term and long term goals, use your vision statement to keep you and your team on track. Watch our video below to see what we mean. I hope this video inspires you to take action… Then start creating your business plan using this complimentary resource: how to develop an… Read more
I hope you were able to watch the vlog I posted last week. In the video I discuss how we “create time” by eliminating or reducing administrative tasks with the smart use of technology. My example of an easy win is to implement an automated payroll portal system that eliminates administrative time for the employees and the “boss”. Implementing just this one administrative task can free up time, eliminate notices… Read more