Home Wealth Project
Extensive Research On How To Build Wealth From The Comfort Of Your Own Home.
Soccer Practice Plans and Drills – An Entire Season Plan
Apr 8th
Soccer Season Outsourced includes 20 pre-planned practices, plus a separate section with hundreds of drill variations. Plan youth soccer practice this season, next season and beyond!
Soccer Practice Plans and Drills – An Entire Season Plan
The Blockbuster Retail Holiday Season of 2010 – Fluke, or Trend?
Jan 19th
There was a lot of nervousness going into the holiday season. Would shoppers finally come out and spend? The answer turned out to be a big “yes.”
Cautious forecasts such as the 3.3 percent predicted by the National Retail Federation were blown out by the reality — retail sales were nearly 6 percent higher in December than in December 2009.
The question is, was that a blip on the retail radar, or is the recovery finally arriving for retailers?
I’ll give you an anecdotal report that explains why I think it’s the start of something big.
I live on a small island with only 25,000 in population, which means restaurants are always struggling to stay in business. We just don’t have quite enough residents for many eateries to stay afloat.
Yet I took my family out to the new Japanese restaurant recently on a weekday night — and we couldn’t get in, because they were completely booked. I mean, jammed to the walls!
Another recent evening, we tried the new Northwest/locally sourced/organic dining emporium. They also were booked up.
Finally, this week, we tried a long-established waterfront bar and grill. It’ll be a half-hour for a table, we were told.
Three sold-out restaurants in a row, all on weeknights? I’ve never seen the like in 15 years of living here.
My gut says: Things are turning around. There’s a rule in retail that consumers can only sit on their wallets so long before clothes look worn, appliances break, and pent-up demand for new products starts driving consumption again.
I think that point has arrived.
The case for gloom
There is a body of more measured, national evidence for the idea that the holidays were merely a bright spot in what might continue to be a gloomy retail picture.
For instance, the Conference Board’s confidence index remains low, and declined in December.
Also, consumers’ savings continue to shrink. That could trigger another round of budget-cutting at kitchen tables across America.
So shoppers may have just gone in for a burst of retail therapy to brighten their winter days, and a crash could be ahead.
Do you think retail has bounced back, or were the holidays a fluke? Leave a comment and let us know.
View full post on Entrepreneur.com – Daily Dose
Protect Your Business From Credit Card Fraud This Season
Dec 8th
Image: The Truth About Credit Cards/Flickr
This is a guest post by Fee Fighters’ Stella Fayman.
The holiday season is the best time of the year for opportunistic retailers. Unfortunately, it is also the most wonderful time of the year for people specializing in fraud. Luckily, there are some easy ways to protect your business, whether brick and mortar, from credit card fraud:
Nip the fraudsters in the bud- Take preventative measures such as having customers sign receipt and checking signatures on the back of each and every card. Ecommerce merchants should always use an Address Verification Service (AVS) and have customers enter the 3 digit security code on the back of each card (called the CVV). More helpful tips can be found in this comprehensive article.
Be patient- As the holidays near, tensions run high as popular items are high in demand and low in supply. Maintaining a level of excellence in customer service will make sure customers don’t get belligerent and make your life more difficult (think chargebacks).
Be prepared- Make sure to know the policies and procedures around chargebacks—when a customer disputes a charge on his/her credit card. Reach out to your merchant account provider before one occurs, and then use that information to develop a stand policy in your business about who handles and how to handle chargebacks.
FeeFighters.com is the comparison shopping site for credit card processors. FeeFighters lets business owners compare top quality processors on an apples-to-apples basis, similar to using Priceline for travel. If you have any questions, feel free to email Stella at stella (AT) feefighters (DOT) com.
View full post on Business Pundit
Does Your Business Have Reason to Celebrate This Holiday Season?
Dec 2nd
I was a little surprised by the results of a study that recently came across my desk: Fewer companies plan to host holiday celebrations this year than at any time in the past 22 years, according to Amrop Battalia Winston, which has been tracking holiday party trends since 1989. Seventy-nine percent of businesses surveyed this year say they will hold some type of holiday celebration, down from 81 percent in both 2009 and 2008.
What’s the reason for the Scrooge-like attitude on the part of some businesses? It’s not all about money; just 27 percent are nixing the party to cut costs. But more than half (55 percent) of those who aren’t planning a party say it’s “not appropriate” to celebrate in today’s economy. In contrast, 37 percent of those hosting an event are doing it to celebrate a good 2010, 33 percent to boost employee morale, and 29 percent to show their optimism about 2011.
Personally, I think making it through these past few challenging years is reason enough to celebrate. So if you can afford it, it just seems foolish to me not to host some type of holiday event.
I’m a big believer in letting employees know how much you value them. Especially in today’s economy, when your staff is working long and hard to help your business succeed, what’s more “appropriate” than giving them some type of reward? While a holiday party may seem like a small thing, it’s an important occasion for bonding, team-building and looking forward.
Worried that your staff will criticize you for spending money on a holiday party when they’d rather have cash? If that’s a concern, use the money you would have spent on a caterer for bonuses—but don’t skip the event altogether. Have everyone chip in to hold a holiday potluck or cake baking contest. Get your employees involved in planning, and it just might be one of the most fun times you ever have.
Celebrating sends an optimistic message. And in fact “optimism” seems to be key here. In announcing the results of the survey, Amrop Battalia Winston CEO Dale Winston noted, “There remains a deep divide in organizations’ economic outlook and how they perceive their 2010 performance. Fundamentally, those having holiday parties this year are much more optimistic about the year ahead, while those not having parties are more pessimistic.”
There’s an old saying every salesperson knows: “Fake it till you make it.” In other words, it’s important to present a good face to the world—and that includes your employees. If you don’t feel confident enough to host some sort of holiday celebration, what does that say about your business’s future?
Does Your Business Have Reason to Celebrate This Holiday Season?
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
5 Link Marketing Strategies for the Holiday Season
Sep 23rd
| Looking for some link marketing strategies to give you the last minute edge on your competitors this holiday season? |
|
||||
View full post on Home Wealth Project Riot!
Baltimore Ravens: Team gears up for social media, high-def media blitzes during season
Sep 11th
| As the regular NFL season gets… convergence of razor-sharp video, the mobile Web and social media sites to give their fans a more personalized experience… |
|
||||
View full post on Home Wealth Project Riot!
This hurricane season, researchers track tweets and other social media
Jun 14th
| As relief workers respond to the… situation – not through weather maps and TV reports, but through photos and messages on social-media websites. |
|
||||
View full post on Home Wealth Project Riot!
The 9 Best ‘Saturday Night Live’ Sketches This Season [VIDs]
May 15th
 |
4 Ways Social Media is Helping Citizens Monitor the Gulf Oil att.com/getlaptopconnect – Get fast access to email, internet, and business… |
|
||||
View full post on Home Wealth Project Riot!
Introducing “Business.gov Insights”: Tax Season Preparedness; Tips for Avoiding Filing Pitfalls
Mar 10th
Did you know that the Small Business Administration offers small business owners an online forum to share information and experiences with other business owners and subject matter experts alike?
Business.gov, which has long operated as the government’s official website for small business, not only brings together resources from across government to help small businesses start-up, operate and grow, it also operates an online Community (with more than 8,000 members) that enables business owners to interact directly with government and industry professionals, while sharing information about starting and running a successful business with each other!
The Community provides a forum for you to connect with other business owners for advice, camaraderie, and even potential partnerships.
Each month we hope to bring you a round-up of what small business owners are talking about in the Community, what our experts have to say, and answers to common questions. We’re kicking off this month with tax season tips and resources!
Tax Season is Here – Get Answers to Common Small Business Tax Questions
No one says that doing your taxes is easy, but a little preparation and planning can make the process less painful. Here are some essential resources and tips from the Business.gov community of small business experts to help you get your arms around your business tax preparation and avoid common pitfalls.
New Tax Laws for the 2009 Filing Season
As you prepare to file your small business tax return, you’ll need to be aware of several new tax laws that went into effect in 2009. Read “Before you File your 2009 Tax Return – Take Note of Major Tax Changes that Apply this Year!”.
Business Income Tax Filing Tips
Small business owners have many questions about filing taxes, but here are answers that address some of the more common areas of confusion:
- A Primer in Taxable Business Income – When filing your business income taxes, you must report all income – not just income from the sale of goods, services, or property. Check out this easy-to-read guide on what is taxable income and what is not.
- Cash vs. Accrual Accounting for Taxable Income and Expenses – Are you filing your taxes and are confused about how to record your business income and expenses? Read on to learn which cash vs. accrual accounting method can work better for your small business.
- An Intro to LLC Tax Law – Whether you are newly registered LLC or have been established for some time, this 101 in LLC Tax Law can help you navigate the constantly changing tax laws that apply to your business structure.
Tax Deductions and Expenses
Tax deductions are tricky to navigate and the laws that govern them are often misinterpreted. Get the facts with these quick reference articles:
- Home-Based Business Deductions – Run your business out of your home? 52 percent of small business owners do. Read “Do you Run Your Business Out of Your Home? You May Qualify for a Tax Deduction” to get the lowdown on whether you qualify for this deduction. And get tips on how to file for this deduction in “How to Claim the Tax Deduction for Business Use of Your Home”.
- Personal Vehicle Deductions – Another important deduction to understand is how to claim a deduction for business-related use of your personal vehicle. Read “Using Your Personal Vehicle for Business Purposes – Tax Deductions, Insurance and the Like!” to help you understand how the deduction works.
- Charitable Donations – The IRS enforces strict tax laws around charitable giving, read “Charitable Giving and the Tax Benefits for Small Businesses” to understand what you can and can’t deduct.
Avoiding Tax Audits
When Avoiding a Tax Audit – the Best Offense is a Good Defense – Though fewer than 1% of taxpayers are selected for a tax audit, business filings that report year-after-year losses, large charitable contributions, or claim large tax deductions may raise red flags for the IRS. Here is some guidance to file your tax return in a way that minimizes your chances of getting audited.
Additional Resources
Visit the Small Business Tax Center on Business.gov. This one-stop shop portal helps business owners stay abreast of tax requirements, tax changes and a whole range of tax tips to help you prepare for the year ahead.
If you have tax questions or tips you want to share with other small business owners, post them on the Business.gov Filing and Paying Taxes Discussion Board.
Introducing “Business.gov Insights”: Tax Season Preparedness; Tips for Avoiding Filing Pitfalls
View full post on Small Business Trends
Top 10 Xmas Gifts for Black Women by Black Women « Thank God I’m Natural
Dec 1st
| If you don’t see… This Holiday Season post, which has a complete listing of black female entreprenuers selling everything from fabulous plus size… |
|
||||
