Did you know that only half of all small businesses last for longer than five years?

Between creating products and services, investing in marketing, and maintaining day-to-day operations, business ownership gets very overwhelming. It’s no wonder that many businesses don’t make it past their first few years of existence.

One thing you can do to lighten the load is to automate your accounting process. You’ve probably heard of other small business owners using QuickBooks, but if you haven’t used it yourself, you may be wondering whether it’s right for you.

Here, we break down some of the main benefits of using Quickbooks, the types of businesses it works best for, and why it pays to start automating your business finances.

It Helps You Stay Organized

Have you ever had a dispute over an invoice and had a hard time navigating your business’s financial records? Do you spend countless hours each month going through transactions and resolving errors? Do you dread tax season more than any other time of year?

When you use Quickbooks, all of this stress goes away. With automated invoice creation, tax preparation, and even check signing functionality, you’ll spend less time tracking your money and more time focusing on your business.

You Can Access Your Data Anywhere

QuickBooks offers both desktop and cloud-based versions of their software. However, if you work with other employees or contractors, the cloud-based version is the right choice for you.

It allows you to access all your financial data from anywhere, using any device. It’s perfect for business owners on the go and makes it easy to share information with contractors whenever you need to.

It Scales With You

Quickbooks has a lot of capabilities, including integration with other systems, in-depth business plans, and other customizable features. However, you don’t have to pay for the features until you need them.

Quickbooks also offers scaled pricing to make sure you’re getting the best value possible and only pay for what you need. After all, Quickbooks was built with small businesses in mind. They understand the budgetary constraints that come with running a startup or small business.

Using QuickBooks Is Easy From Day One

Quickbooks was built with the customer in mind, and their goal is to make your financial accounting easier. They understand that you may not have a Finance or Accounting degree but that you still need to manage your company’s finances.

That’s why they prioritize the usability of their software, and there’s plenty of help out there for when you need it. You can take courses and certifications in Quickbooks. And because 80% of businesses use QuickBooks, you’re sure to know someone in your professional community who can help you out.

Get Started With QuickBooks Today

As you can see, there are many advantages to using QuickBooks for your business accounting needs. Its storage options, organization, and ease of use all make it a great choice for small business owners looking to make their day-to-day financial lives a little easier.

Looking for more of the latest business news? Take a look at the other articles on our site!

 

Having a company that you can call a success for many years is something you may well have dreamed of.

With that thought in mind, what actions will it take on your end to improve the odds your company makes a go of it?

Remember, the last thing you want or need is to be a failed small business at the end of the day? 

Make the Right Choices from Day One

In doing all you can to enhance your chances for success, start by looking at how you structure the business?

You want to get out of the gates on the right foot. Part of that means you have a structure in place. This is one that can provide your company with benefits and not obstacles.

One option to look at would be starting an LLC in Delaware.

Should you choose to do so, know that you could put your company in position to have advantages other do not.

This can include things such as a better legal setting should your business need to go to court. You could also see a reduction in your tax expenses. This would be given the First State has friendlier tax codes for many businesses. Those are but two of the advantages setting up an LLC there are worth your time and effort looking into.

When it comes to best positioning your company to make a long go of it, you also want to look at how you handle finances.

Yes, being smart with money goes a long way in determining what kind of run you will have as a business owner.

If you are careful with money, odds are you will be in a better financial spot to withstand any bumps in the road.

So, be careful when it comes to avoiding any sizable debt over time. This often means you avoid running up one or more credit cards as time goes by. In the event you need to take out a small business loan or two over time, do your homework. The goal should always be to land the best loan with the best terms.

From where you start your business to best financing it and more, do all you can to give it a chance to make it.

Get the Word Out and Keep Spreading it

Even when you have done all you can to open the company the proper way and manage money, there is more to do.

That said you want to do your best when it comes to spreading the word of what your company has to offer.

So, make sure you use all the resources at your disposal.

This will be your website, social media pages, an online store should you opt for one, a small business app and more. You also want to be active in the local community whenever you get the chance to do so.

By doing all you can to alert consumers to what you have to offer, you improve chances of your company making it.

Even with all the responsibilities you have, know hard work and determination can help you do it.

As you take a few moments to assess where your business is at these days, could you foresee any change coming?

While many changes could be of the smaller variety, others can have quite an impact on one’s business.

With that in mind, what change might be in store for all you’ve worked for?

Positioning Your Company to Do Well

As you go about thinking of what change may be coming and in fact needed for your business, here are a few to ponder:

1. Changing your physical location – If you rent or own workspace somewhere, how happy are you with it? You may be at a point now where you want to change the physical location of where you work from. If this is true, be sure to do your research. Among the things you’d want to know would be how such a change can impact customers. In the event you have employees coming to work for you, how would a move impact them? You also want to look at costs involved in a potential move. Would you be paying more to rent or buy the space you are thinking of moving to? Weigh all the pros and cons of a potential relocation before moving ahead with it.

2. Redoing how you structure – Another change can be the structure of your business. As an example, you may be toying with the idea of going from an LLC to C corp. If you are thinking along those lines, research is critical. Be sure to delve into how this kind of structure change can impact your company moving ahead. Find professionals with expertise in this area to help guide you. You might also want to talk to some other business owners you have contact with who’ve made such a change. Getting their two cents can help you better decide if such a move is for you.

3. Bringing employees to help – If you’ve been running it all on your own, you may feel it is time to get employees. In the event that is true, take the time to make the right decisions. Those you hire more times than not will play an important role in your company’s ability to succeed. As such, you want to get these hires right. While the occasional bad hire tends not to be the end of the world, too many bad hires can spell trouble. Take the time to do background searches for one on any potential hires. You want to know as much as possible of those you are thinking of putting on your payroll.

4. Doing more with brand promotions – Last, how good of a job do you tend to do when it comes to promoting your brand? Such promotions are key to getting more consumers aware of what it is you have to offer. So, be sure you use all the promotional tools at your disposal. As word spreads about your business, odds are you will see more chances of sales and revenue come your way.

In changes coming to your business, what will have the most impact on all you have worked for?

Buying a startup could be seen as a risky proposition by some people.

That said how much confidence do you have your startup of choice will get off the ground with flying colors?

By making the right moves and with a little luck, you could position your startup for success in the years to come.

How Good Are Your Money Management Skills?

When giving your startup the best possible chance to succeed, one of the keys of course will be finances.

With that in mind, will you make the right financial decisions to place your startup in good position?

Before starting a company, you want to be as sure as you can that financial issues will not cloud the situation.

For example, what do your finances look like these days?

In the event you are having financial struggles, is starting a company now in your best interests? You may decide it is better to wait further down the road. That is with the hope things will trend better for you financially sooner than later.

Since you want your startup’s performance to be good right out of the gate, what resources can help you measure it?

One option is to turn to a SaaS valuation calculator.

That Software as a Service (SaaS) calculator gives you a better read on the value of your startup. Such information can help you when it comes to making any key decisions tied to your startup.

When looking at your ability to manage money in a startup, you also want to not have a cloud of debt hanging over you.

Such debt can saddle you with trouble now and down the road if not careful.

That debt can be the product of having too many outstanding loans to pay off. It can also be a product of sizable credit card debt you’ve not efficiently addressed.

No matter the reason for the debt you’re carrying, your focus should be on getting it down as soon as possible.

When you look at money management, the hope is you do not see a lot of red flags staring you in the face.

Where Will Your Startup Operate Out of?

One of the big choices facing you when it comes to your startup will be where to operate out of.

Yes, this is a decision that can and likely will have a financial impact on you. As a result, it is important to decide correctly. 

One option would be to rent or buy office space away from your home. This can be even more of a need if you will have employees working under you. The same is true if you will have customers coming to you to buy goods and services.

If you will not have employees and everything in your startup is online, you may opt to work full-time at home. This can be more convenient for you for several reasons. Among them would be no long commutes to and from work and the comfort of being under your own roof. Both can save you money over time.

Think it over and decide what is best for your startup needs.

As you push ahead with a startup, are you confident finances will fall into place?

If you have the passion and ability to start a business, how confident are you it will fall into place?

Yes, running a business is a major undertaking for most people. That said it can be one of the best decisions they end up making over time.

So, are you ready to get the ball rolling and set yourself up for potential success for many years to come?

What Will it Take for Success?

In coming up with the right game plan to increase odds of success for your business, hone in on the following tips:

1. Know how to position for success – You won’t get far in the business world if you do not position things for success. That starts with being a good money manager. The failure to properly manage funds can be catastrophic at the end of the day. From avoiding overspending to running up debt and more, be smart when it comes to your money needs. How you structure your company is also key. That said you also want to know what is a C corporation and other definitions of a company. Knowing these kinds of things can help you structure your business, avoid tax issues and more. When you have shareholders involved, keeping them happy is important too. Do your research in setting up your business so that it gets off the ground and running in the right direction.

2. Know where you will work from – Don’t overlook the importance of knowing where you will base your work out of. Depending on the size and scope of the business, you may or may not need a physical workspace outside of your home. If you do decide to base things away from home, will you look to rent or buy work space? Having your own building can put you in firmer control of things. That said it can also prove much more expensive. Should you decide to rent a workspace, look for good terms and conditions. Given you are at the mercy of someone else, you do not want it negatively impacting your ability to do business. In coming up with a permanent workspace, will you have customers coming to visit you? If yes, think about how your choice of a location will impact them. The same goes if you will have employees coming to work for you.

3. Know how to reach the public – Finally, you can’t expect to do much when it comes to sales if too few consumers know you. That said do all you can to get the word out about your business offerings. Putting the web in play, be active in the community and providing good service are but a few of the ways to go about this. The hope is many folks will see you as a better alternative to your competition and want to do business with you.

As you go about beginning a business, will you make all the right moves starting from day one?

Growing your business is one of the key things you can do over time when you are the head of the operation.

With that thought in mind, what will it take for you to position your business for growth as the years go by?

From being in a good financial spot to marketing the heck out of your business, there are things you need to be on top of.

So, how confident are you in your abilities to score growth for all you’ve worked for?

Position Your Business for Success

When it comes to growth and ultimately success for your business, here are three keys to hone in on:

  1. Monitoring finances – It goes without saying you won’t be around too long if you do not have a good sense of finances. Too many financial miscues can put you out of business before you know it. That said you want to keep a close eye on your financial books. Look for any red flags that can in fact land you in the red all too often if not careful. While most companies go through a few peaks and valleys in sales and revenue, you do not want to be mired in the red. Also look to pay down any sizable company debt you have. Too much debt can saddle you with tough times. The most notable would be if you have major credit card debt. You also want to be sure you are getting good deals. When buying company supplies from vendors; do your best to get deals.
  2. Deciding when change is needed– You also want to keep your eye on the prize when it comes time to make any major changes. As an example, do you have visions of changing your business from an LLC to C corp? If yes, you want to be sure and determine when it is best to do this. Doing so can help you with going after more capital, finding more tax benefits and so on. You also need to be on top of when it may be time to expand your business to a bigger office. If space is tight, you are feeling cramped? Also, is it impacting your bottom line when it comes to money and production? If yes, a bigger space may be the way to go. Having your finger on the pulse of change is key so you do not miss out on opportunities to grow.
  3. Spread the word each day – Finally, can you imagine how challenging it would be to grow if too few folks knew about you? Yes, not doing a good job of marketing your brand can be a real killer for you and your business. That said use all the tools available at your disposal to get the word out. Also make it a point to give good customer service each time out. This can be the easiest and best way to grow your business. Happy customers tend to tell other people they know about specific brands. That of course can lead to more sales and revenue.

When growing your business is a big priority for you, how will you tackle this major project?

Hiring employees can be one of the more challenging things a business owner has to do.

With that in mind, are you confident you’ve been doing a good job in bringing people into your operation?

By making good hires as often as you can, you are doing something positive for all you have worked for.

Don’t Let Bad Hires Ruin Your Operation

In doing the best you can to get the right people in the right positions at work, here are a few things to focus in on:

  1. Qualifications and personalities – Most employers focus on one’s qualifications for a job. That said personalities matter too. The last thing you want is to hire one who is quite qualified and yet is a bad fit for your office. Take the time during interviews to get a good sense of one’s personality. Although it can be challenging to do in such a short time, at least get a feel for them and how they’d fit in with others. You can also do this when checking references they provide you with.
  2. Making sure they are responsible – You also want to put a big emphasis on one being responsible at work. As an example, what if you are looking to hire someone for deliveries? What if the individual you hire will have to drive often to meet with clients? You want someone that you can trust to get the job done and not be a potential liability when they get behind the wheel. If in Texas or elsewhere and considering hiring one from Texas, do a Texas license plate lookup. Doing this can move you closer to finding out key details. That is about one’s driving background, vehicle and more. If a prospective employee has a dicey record, it may give you pause to think about hiring them at the end of the day.
  3. Someone with drive – Even though many go to work each day and give it 100 percent, the same can’t be said for some. With that in mind, do your best to find those with drive. You want employees to go that extra mile. That is with customers and helping out their fellow employees when needed. Someone only going through the motions at work is not going to be a good fit for you over time.

Even with all you have to do in getting the right people in the right positions at your company, there is still more to do.

Keep in mind it is important for you to provide employees with the resources to be successful.

That means you do all you can to put people in position to succeed.

It also means you give employees with good-paying jobs, benefits where needed, room to grow and so on.

By having a good relationship with each employee, you do something positive for you.

So, if looking to do some hiring, make sure you have your mind focused on what it takes to get the best people each time out.