Who Taught You Business Basics?

Business is pretty easy.  I wish we taught accounting and finance basics in sixth grade.  Alas, I didn’t even learn how to balance a checkbook during my high priced stint at a private college for a Business Administration degree.  However, once I learned business basics – stumbling through our family business and with the help of great [...]

Who Taught You Business Basics?2016-12-01T14:55:15+00:00

How to Clean Up Your Payroll

I’ve spent a lot of time over the last 20 years helping people clean up financial messes.  The messy mess (the smelly smell for Sponge Bob fans) is payroll. Payroll entries are complicated.  There is the expense to you and the cash requirements and the amount you withhold, then submit, for payroll taxes for you and [...]

How to Clean Up Your Payroll2016-12-01T14:55:15+00:00

Lessons From the Shark Tank

Are you obsessed with The Shark Tank? I am! I tune in Friday nights, or catch up on the recorded shows when I miss the new episode. I love Shark Daymond’s suits. I love Barbara Corcoran and her tough-mutha-ly advice. And, don’t you wish you were Mark Cuban? I do! The Sharks give some pretty [...]

Lessons From the Shark Tank2016-12-01T14:55:18+00:00

How to Avoid Employee Theft!

Former worker admits stealing nearly $170,000 from University Plaza Hotel edited news release from U.S. attorney’s office 2:10 p.m. CST, February 22, 2012 SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A former employee of University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday for stealing nearly $170,000 from the hotel. “JM”, 47, of [...]

How to Avoid Employee Theft!2016-12-01T14:55:19+00:00

Tracking Contractor Jobs

Contractors are notorious for shortchanging themselves. They often don’t charge enough per hour. Or, put enough hours in the Job. How about you? Do you know if your prices are right? Do you know if you are properly bidding your Jobs? The bottom line is the bottom line. Hurray for you…if you are making all [...]

Tracking Contractor Jobs2017-02-17T23:33:27+00:00

The Sweet Spot Job

My husband Hot Rod and I were in business together a long time ago. Like many other contractors, we were seduced by the “BIG Job.” A “BIG Job” is one that… Has lots of dollars in the bid. Has lots of hours built in – to keep the team busy for a long time. Once [...]

The Sweet Spot Job2016-12-01T14:55:21+00:00

Are You an Accounting Rookie?

My rookie year… Once upon a time, I quit my real job (restaurant manager – good salary, benefits and someone to cover for me when I wasn’t around) and went to work for my husband, Hot Rod, in his contracting company. It was the dumbest decision I have ever made. It was hell. I left [...]

Are You an Accounting Rookie?2016-12-01T14:55:22+00:00

Offense and Defense in the Small Business Game

In the small business game, making Sales is playing offense. If you play offense well enough, you can make a few mistakes on defense and still win the game. If your Sales are down, playing defense becomes more important. In business, defense is controlling costs. The business owners I know who make money every month [...]

Offense and Defense in the Small Business Game2016-12-01T14:55:22+00:00

What does it take to make a profitable business?

You dreamed of a profitable business, hoping for more…more money, more time, more options. However, now that you are in it, your ‘ball-and-chain’ of a business may be sucking the life out of you. I’ve lived the nightmare. And, I have used simple business planning to build rockin’ businesses and a fantastic lifestyle. No matter [...]

What does it take to make a profitable business?2016-12-01T14:55:22+00:00