Newsletter Blogs

We know you're still settling into your post-holiday routine. It seems like just yesterday you were hanging the stockings on the fireplace and singing "Auld Lang Syne." But like it or not, Valentine's Day will be here soon, and there's nothing worse than waiting 'til the last minute to plan for it. If your clients…

Question: I am interviewing a bookkeeper who is familiar with QuickBooks. Is that all I need to know? Answer: No! Setting aside the issues of the complexity of a bookkeeper's former experience, which is the subject of another blog, you need to know more about which QuickBooks this person has used in the past. QuickBooks…

With Amazon preparing to dominate the athletic apparel market, many are wondering if it will live up to the hype. Lately, Amazon has been setting its sights on everything from shipping to cashier-less grocery stores, and there are no signs of stopping. But apparel? Certainly the e-commerce giant can't disrupt an already over-saturated market, right? Wrong. Let's…

I did it. I went direct. I cut out the distributor. I cut out the supplier. I bought directly from China. It wasn’t bad. In fact, it was quite good. Delivery was three weeks. Product quality was excellent. Service was outstanding. English wasn’t a problem. I’ve already ordered a second time. I bought glasses directly…

It's hard to believe that Donald Trump's Inauguration Day is almost here. And while many people are focusing on the actual politics, I always have a different angle. Working in this industry, I know one thing is true—it's all about the promotions. During the election, I took a look at some of the weirdest political…

For those of you who regularly read my blog, I want to caution you that this article tackles some very real and sensitive topics. But I want to share with you how I have been able to use what I’ve experienced in my personal life as motivation, and how you can use even the most…

“Department Stores Are Paying the Price for Underestimating Amazon” Department stores have been dabbling in e-commerce for a long time, but failed to recognize the big shift in consumer shopping preferences. Now, they are paying the price by closing stores en masse and shifting more investments into e-commerce. Amazon has such a large lead online…

Question: Is there a way to view my profit by type of customer? Answer: QuickBooks has a function within it to allow segmenting your business in reports. It is called "classes." You can create a set of classes, which you enter into QuickBooks and apply to customers, vendors or other categories. For instance, you can…

Customer shopping expectations are racing ahead at light speed. We are at the point where buying online is often simpler and preferred over talking with a person. When that happens, new value is created and a new buying preferences are formed. To build your business, you must leverage your relationships while participating in the burgeoning…

Are you ready? Ready to make 2017 your best year ever? Here are seven steps to make it happen. 1. Identify a Big Goal for Your Business. I recommend setting a big sales goal for three to five years out. Identify a specific sales goal and a specific deadline. Then, write it down and read…