Archive for February, 2012
When It’s Time for an Accountant
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When you become a solopreneur there are a million things that you are responsible for. If you can, outsource your needs to those who are better qualified to handle it for you. One of those individuals could be an accountant.
As a solopreneur you may not need an accountant starting out. With the advent of bookkeeping software like QuickBooks, you can enter your financial information. There are instructions to help you keep everything organized.
As your business grows you may hire others to work for you – full time, part time or on a contract basis. There are additional tax concerns as well as financial obligations. If you don’t have time to deal with it, then it may be time to work with someone else.
Hiring an Accountant
You have options for accounting services: hire an accountant firm or hire an individual accountant on a consulting basis. Depending on the scope of your need, you may want to start out with the latter. As the company grows bigger, you can then consider bigger issues like investing company funds, retirement accounts and such.
To find the right person for you at this time, here are some tips.
Know what you need – Accounting firms can handle such responsibilities as tax return preparation, analyzing your books and preparing fiscal statements. A part-time accountant can deal with the more day-to-day activities like balancing the books, taking care of payroll and bill payment.
Check their credentials – You want a person who is qualified for the job to handle your financial needs. Whether using a firm or contracting an accountant, know how they have been trained. Interview them. Ask for certification verification, work history and recommendations. Also ask about their specialty in accounting if they have one.
Check their work history – What type of accounts have they handled? Were they large or small?
Time commitment – Even if they are working on a consulting basis, does the accountant have time to handle your work? You will need some face-to-face time with them. If that can’t be managed when you need help, then maybe you will want to find someone else.
Ask for referrals – Do you know other small business owners? Who do they use for their accounting needs? Use this as a starting point.
Check references – Ask questions about your potential accountant. Be diligent in your pursuit. You want to find the right person who will handle your job with as much attention as any of their larger accounts.
At some point, your business may need the services of an accountant. Choosing the right one to handle your financial affairs is necessary to keep you in the black. Use the above tips to make the best choice possible.
The Ultimate Social Media Giveaway has drawn hundreds of happy marketers!
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You can now get instant access to 350+ Social Media and Internet Marketing gifts absolutely FREE.
Stephanie Mulac, Queen of Giveaways, is returning for her second giveaway event of 2012. The Ultimate Social Media Giveaway is a time limited event with a MASSIVE collection of FREE Social Media and Internet Marketing products and services….
You’ve heard it from me many times…
Social Media is HOT right now with millions of users worldwide logging into popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ each and every day.
9000+ jobs were created last year thanks to Social Media – so I think it’s fair to say that having the necessary knowledge and skills needed to use a range of Social Media sites, is definitely something you will benefit from!
The Ultimate Social Media Giveaway hosted by Kerry Russell, Stephanie Mulac and Paul Teague will only be open for a VERY LIMITED TIME – just a few weeks in fact! So if you don’t want to get left behind in 2012, then you need to jump on board as soon as you can.
Here’s just a small sample of the 100s of FREE gifts that are available for you to download instantly once you join the event with your name and email address:
* Social Media Marketing Sniper – Paul Mueller
* Create Your Social Media Success – Ruthi Backenroth
* How To Get 10,000 REAL YouTube Views In A Week! – Karl Reynisson
* The Ultimate Twitter Pack – Mieke Janssens
* 30 Free Ways to Get Traffic in 30 Minutes or Less – Suzanne Morrison
* Social Media 45 Day Traffic Plan – Lianda Ludwig
And 3 items from me…
*Looking Good on LinkedIn
*How to Do Facebook Marketing the Right Way and
*Pinterest for Biz!
Here’s the link to get whatever you need for YOUR social media marketing.
Like any giveaway of this size, you will need to spend some time sorting through the offers to find the gems, but I am sure it will be well worth it. This REALLY is the largest collection of Social Media and Internet Marketing information you have ever seen!
Hope to see you there 
Thinking Positively for Maximum Growth
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Turn on the news and you’ll get an earful of how bad things are – not only in your community but around the world. Head to the coffee shop and conversations will battle for your attention as folks around you discuss their woes. The financial situation and the disposition of people around you are enough to make you want to bury your head in the sand.
Yet, when you can harness a positive mindset, the sky is the limit. A positive mindset not only helps you get through the tough times, it helps you profit from them and continue to grow and succeed. The trick, of course, is actually being able to think positively in tough times. Here are a few tips and ideas to help.
Gratitude
Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions human beings are capable of. It’s right up there with love as a potent and significant emotion. One of the easiest ways to stay in a state of gratitude is to create a gratitude habit. Start or end each day by listing the things you’re grateful for. Also consider turning to gratitude when you feel negative emotions sneaking in and taking over.
Focus on What Is Working
If something is always going wrong, rest assured something is also going right. The trick is to focus on the things that are working. So make a list. Right now, make a list of the things that are going right in your life, in your business, and in your relationships. Print the list and hang it in a place where you often feel overwhelmed. When negative thoughts begin to creep in, take a glance at your list. Read it aloud if it helps. Absorb it and change your thoughts.
Create Positive Surroundings
Surround yourself with things that you love and people that support you. Emotions are contagious. When the people around you are negative, it’s easy to become negative too. However, the contrary is true too. When you’re surrounded by positive people it’s much easier to feel positive.
And when you’re surrounded by things you love and things that make you feel good, it’s easier to focus on the good. Make your home comfortable. Place personal pictures on your desk. Buy pillows and blankets in colors that you like. Paint your room or office a color that makes you smile. Change your surroundings and change your life.
Personal Care
Taking care of your mind and body makes a huge difference in your ability to stay positive. Exercise, eat well, get plenty of sleep and take time during the day to meditate. A little self-care goes a long way.
When it comes to maintaining a positive attitude, it can be a real challenge during the tough times. Small things matter and can make a big difference. Take care of yourself. Surround yourself with people and things that make you smile and remember to focus on what is good in your life. If you have to, make a list and keep it handy.
Using Google Instant
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Google has done it again. You can help people to find you faster with the use of Google Instant. Keep reading to find to all about it if you haven’t used it already.
What Is Google Instant?
Perhaps you have noticed that when you use Google to search for information on the internet, something different happens. As you type, words pop up under the search box that mimics what you are typing. As you continue to type, frequently used words or phrases are also displayed to help you formulate your subsequent search results.
This is Google Instant. While you are typing your search parameters, you are also given suggestions that can help you narrow your search. This technology is based on the fact that many of us don’t know what to search for in the way of keywords. Now, you are helped along with that so you don’t need to type your entire phrase in the search box.
Advantages of Google Instant
For searcher and business owner alike, the use of pertinent keywords can connect you both. You can benefit from someone finding your business and that person will have enjoyed the searching process, having been made easier with Google Instant.
Here are a few advantages of this search engine marvel.
Faster searches – People didn’t like to have to keep entering new keywords because the search results were unsatisfactory. With this, they save time. They can continue to choose from the possible keyword phrases offered by scrolling down and clicking on them. If they don’t find what they need in the search results, it only takes a few seconds to amend the search.
Intelligent suggestions – Based on just one keyword entered, Google Instant predicts what will be typed in next. By using Google consistently, predictions become more intelligent, tailored to the user.
Rapid results – Before, you may have typed many words into your search that don’t get recognized by the search engines. With Google Instant, at the first keyword, suggestions are offered. They eliminate unnecessary words that can slow down search results. This means that your possible results are returned much faster and with greater precision.
Customizable – If you don’t want suggestions to be shown, you can turn off Google Instant. Simply go to “Preferences” and change your options. When you want it back on, do the same.
Better for business websites – Using the right keywords can help target your traffic. As your keyword is typed in, phrases that include that word will pop up in the suggestions. Clicking on one of the options could result in your site being found on the front page of the rankings.
There are many advantages to using Google Instant for all of your internet searches. See how it can help you complete your tasks faster.
CONTEST: Blog More, While Stressing Less
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Is the thought of blogging for business stressing you out?
Is your blog neglected and in dire need of refreshment?
Do you want to attract the right type of client to your website?
If you answered YES to any of these questions have I got a treat for you! I am giving away ONE seat to Laurie Foley’s class “Blog More, Stress Less: Six Steps to a Sustainable Blog” valued at $497. You can find out more about the program here but now for the best part…how YOU can WIN!
We’re going to have a contest and here’s how it’s going to go:
#1 – To enter, simply create a post on your blog about why you would like to be in the class “Blog More, Stress Less”. You’ll even get bonus points in the contest if you link to Solopreneur.biz and the “Blog More, Stress Less” websites here:
http://blogmorestressless.com/
#2 – After you post to your blog, simply go to our contest page on Solopreneur.biz on Facebook and post a live link to your blog post.
That’s it! You’ll be entered into the contest. We will be reading your posts everyday and promoting them on the Solpreneur.biz on Facebook Wall and we’ll pick the final winner on Friday, March 2nd.
You’ve got nothing to lose (except perhaps STRESS) and everything to gain. Have fun and be creative, which relieves stress too! 
About Laurie Foley:
Laurie Foley is an online business coach with a thriving practice that specializes in branding. She got off to a rough start with her blog – Laurie wanted it to work but felt clueless and unsatisfied for months and months. Then she read in the New York Times that 95% of blogs are abandoned within 4 months, and she knew she wasn’t the only one who had been struggling to sustain a creative and helpful blog.
Laurie then spent a solid year (and a lot of money!) studying blogging to learn how to create a blog that is easy to sustain and helps you achieve more in your business as a coach or consultant. She put what she learned into practice and was awarded one of the “Top Ten Coaching Blogs” from the School of Coaching Mastery in 2009 and 2010 for her blog at lauriefoley.com
About Janet Slack and Solopreneur.biz:
Janet is a Professional Certified Coach, well-known author, speaker and blogger on topics related to running a successful small business. She has mentored, coached and supported hundreds of others as they started or grew their own small businesses. Her passion is coaching people to succeed in life through seeking fun, challenges and rewards whether they are small business owners, women in transition or even those conquering fear and learning to find joy. Her first book, Mind Your Own Biz, is a guide to starting and developing a coaching business. Janet is a coauthor of How the Fierce Handle Fear.
