Winckler Personal Business

Gentle reminder

Your invoice could have been forgotten, misplaced or buried in a pile on your client’s desk. If they have gone past your due date, email – or call depending on what is most comfortable for you – a gentle reminder asking them the status of payment.

If you use QuickBooks or QuickBooks Online, you can also email a statement directly from the system.

Be personal

If you’ve reminded the client and no payment has come, it is time for either another email or a phone call. Your client may tell you that he is very busy and apologizes that he “forgot” again.

Explain that cash flow is very important to your small business and that you can not afford to carry the unpaid invoice any longer.

Always remember to make it easy for your client to pay you. Tell him that you are happy to be paid via wire, PayPal, credit card – offer him all the options and be sure that you have more than just “send a check” available. Make it as easy as possible!

Be the “squeaky wheel”

If your client is having his own cash flow issues, he may need to make hard choices … Read the rest

• Get in motion by eliminating the procrastinator’s best friend: “Messy Desk/Office Syndrome.” If that is something you’re plagued with, you’ll find slaying the beast a lot easier if you take what I call the “The 3 D System” approach to organization which directs that you look at what is on your desk or what is cluttering your office and either Dump it, Deal with it or Delegate it.
• Outsource everything that is not the best use of your time. Look at where you make your money, and if it’s not at bookkeeping, Web site maintenance, or writing marketing materials, for example, farm those tasks out to someone who can do them far more quickly and efficiently than you can.
• Take things from your “to-do” list and block off actual times for working on specific items. For example, 10-10:30 AM might be for returning phone calls; 1-2:00 PM for working on an article; 2-3:00 PM could be for updating your marketing plan or for researching business networking events. You’ll be amazed at how much more you get done when you assign specific times for doing things.
• Resist the temptation to answer the phone every time it rings as a new conversation

Start-up Phase

Start-up phase is that phase during which a business comes into existence. It is during this phase that plans are conceptualized and implemented regarding how the business should be set up, how it should be run, where to get the start up capital from and how to keep the cash flow going. During the start up phase, legalities of setting up the business are taken care of. Every business, which is starting up will normally require a large investment of capital, lots of time and effort, setting up of good profitable and stable customer base, money to buy raw materials, manpower recruitment etc. Businesses usually arrange for their own limited resources to run their activities. At first, demand is assessed and/or created for the products or services the business wishes to offer. Then manufacturing facility and processes are established (if it is a business engaged in manufacturing) or processes for providing service are established (if the business will be service provider) or goods for sale are purchased (if it will be business engaged in trade).

Growth Phase

During this phase of its existence, businesses experience expansion of its activities and enhancement of its customer base. It is an … Read the rest

After you have your business plan completed you can start working on your company’s funding. The first funding options that you have for raising the capital needed to start your company are to apply for federal grants and to apply for private small business grants. Each grant that is offered will have its own set of requirements and each will have their own application process. To qualify for small business grants you will need to have a solid business plan, a marketable product, and in some cases your own money to invest in your company.

There are a lot of financing options available for small businesses besides small business grants. Small business loans are a great option for people who have a good credit history and a great idea for a business. These loans are offered by most major banks. If you are interested in applying for a small business loan from the Small Business Administration then you will still need to submit your application material to a bank. This is because the SBA no longer funds small business loans, they only insure them.

… Read the rest

To set the record straight, I’m certainly not an attorney, nor am I in the business of dispensing legal advice. But as someone who’s been involved in – and burned by – a couple of partnership ventures gone sour, I do have opinions. I’d like to share those with you here if you’ll let me.

Most would-be partners see themselves going into business with friends or family members. Many times those involved have known each other for years. But knowing someone for a long time is not the same as knowing them well. At least not well enough to become partners with them. But that’s only the first drawback.

Drawback #2: Many would-be partners believe they can put a deal together with little more than a verbal agreement and a hand shake. Wrong! The only safe way to do it, if do it you must, is with a detailed written Partnership Agreement. One drawn up by an impartial attorney all partners agree on.

Drawback #3: Even before you get to that point, you should know that partners can be held jointly and severably liable for the obligations of the partnership. Simply put, that means either or all of you may … Read the rest

When preparing your business for sale, keep the following in mind:

• Selling your business is risky, so start the preparations at least one year in advance. You have to tie up all loose ends, make proper inventory of assets before you sell.
• Go through audits and financial statements to chart growth. Ensure the financial records are up to date.
• Formalize records and document all business dealings for the convenience of buyers. This will also help avoid confusion when the new management takes over.
• Don’t keep any pending accounts of a customer open; tie up all loose ends before handing over the company.
• Take care of the contract details with suppliers and franchisees. This will eliminate problems for the new management.
• Get a proper handbook of company rules and guidelines printed. Unwritten rules are hard to follow.
• Review leases and real estate deals. You do not want the location to affect the sale of your business. If the location can be a hindrance to sale, then consider moving to a better location before selling.
• Take care of the equipment leases and return equipment once lease period is over.
• Make an inventory of all the company assets, moveable as well as immoveable.

Performing administrative tasks for others is a popular home based business option. If you’re gifted with a good variety of office skills and you’re comfortable with the internet, perhaps you would be well suited to start a Virtual Assistant business.

Virtual Assistants provide all kinds of support services to others, mostly to other small business entrepreneurs and internet marketers. Customer service, telephone and email support, data entry, website maintenance, internet research, and media relations are just a few common tasks.

You don’t have to have all of the above skills, you can choose to focus on a specialty in your own business and offer the tasks that you do best. You’ll attract the clients who need what you have to offer.

Clients do like to work with one VA who understands their business really well, so over time you will want to develop new skills so that you can fulfill as many of their needs as possible. But remember why you wanted to be your own boss; it isn’t so that you can spend all of your time doing what you do not enjoy. You can always networking and outsource tasks that you don’t like to other virtual assistants.

A … Read the rest

• Live in existing moment
  This is a critical expertise one ought to have. However, as far as we could tell we are meandering the mountains of Himalayan or we are contemplating the most recent night birthday gathering of one of our dearest companion. The more centered you are around the place of occurrence, the more easier it will be for you to decide on it. The more information we see about the episode, the more easier it is to decide on it, on the grounds that we have an unmistakable picture of that issue.
• Remain icy as ice
  Be cool and remain quiet. Never take cruel choices. Have control over your psyche while taking decisions. The greatest advantage is that it allows you to watch and get it. That is difficult to do when the psyche is always stirring and responding. This is the reason why consideration and contemplation are prevalent: they moderate the psyche down and separate the thinking from the watching.
• Investigate the circumstances
  In most situations, this can be an extreme easy/fast process, nevertheless, this will rely upon the particular conditions of the case e.g. whether the actualities are questioned or clear and the earnestness of the

Have a contract or client agreement

You should have some form of contract or client agreement which states, at a minimum, your work hours, your hourly fee (if you charge by the hour), payment terms, a statement regarding confidentiality, your status as an independent contractor, an “out” clause (e.g., either party may terminate the agreement with 14 days notice) and any other data that you feel pertinent (such as an arbitration clause).

If you choose to have a contract or client agreement, it is in your best interest to insure that your client signs and returns it before any work is performed – remember to send your client a signed copy back.

Create Client Service Plans

If you’re not sure how many hours a client will require each month, you may want to consider creating “Client Service Plans” which allows clients to know they have purchased a certain amount of your time for any given month.

For example, if you are a coach, you could charge $X/month for three 30-minute calls and email support. Or $Y/month for three 45-minute calls and email support.

If you are a virtual assistant, you could charge $X per hour for clients who commit to … Read the rest