business Archives » Checkbox Accounting

22Feb 2018 by Fred Crooks No Comments

How to judge your business success

Business Advisory, Fundamentals, Small Business

Once you’ve checked your business vitals (see our previous post, Why You Need to Regularly Check Your Business Vitals ) the next step in assessing the health and performance of your organization is to begin comparing your key business metrics with your competitors.Now, every industry has its own challenges, and its own means of measuring success, but there are a few universal standards that can be relied upon when making such comparisons.In particular, you should look at gross profit and break-even analysis.Gross profit is rather simple - it’s your sales minus the cost of goods sold (the direct cost of the production of goods sold or service provided).The break-even analysis, however, is a little more complex. It is designed to help you analyze the various aspects of your business to…

14Dec 2017 by Fred Crooks No Comments

Is your business ill?

Business Advisory, Small Business

When a doctor first examines a patient, they’ll typically check their vital signs. This includes the pulse or heart rate, body temperature, respiration rate, and blood pressure. Taken together, these help indicate the state of the patient’s essential body functions. If any - or all - offer some cause for concern, the doctor can start diagnosing the patient more thoroughly, before suggesting a course of action... And now we’ve arrived at the part where you’re wondering why we’re discussing basic medical practice. Well, this idea of ‘vital signs’ is something that can be comfortably extended to your business. Your company’s financial health should be examined regularly to make sure there are no underlying maladies that will only grow worse if left untreated. Knowing What to Look For These financial ‘vital…

15Aug 2017 by Fred Crooks No Comments

Don’t Be Afraid to Work Together

Uncategorized

Owning and operating a small business can be a lonely endeavor. Long days, longer nights, and no-one to talk to when the going gets tough - it can feel isolating and demoralizing. But there is a solution: speak and share with other business owners. Many small business owners actively fear working with other businesses, worried that they may take advantage of them rather than offering guidance and advice. However, the rewards can be terrific. By tapping into your local network of fellow entrepreneurs, you have the opportunity to become more knowledgeable, understanding, and efficient. Why Should I Reach Out? There’s no two ways about it; being a small business owner is stressful. All the responsibility, all the decisions, the planning, strategy, and execution; it all falls squarely at your feet.…

20Jun 2017 by Fred Crooks No Comments

The Four Biggest Questions You’ll Ask Yourself as a Business Owner

Uncategorized

There are many reasons for starting a business. Perhaps you’ve spotted a gap in the market. Maybe you’ve grown weary of working for someone else. Or it might just be the fulfilment of a lifelong dream to be your own boss. No matter your reason for taking the leap as an entrepreneur, you will encounter a number of concerns as you progress. It’s important that you know how to recognize and handle these concerns so as to avoid derailing your business. In dealing with many small and medium-sized businesses over the years, we have been able to distill some of these concerns down to four of the most common questions. At some point in your business journey, you will find yourself asking a variation of the following: How will I…

23Feb 2017 by Fred Crooks No Comments

A Guide to Selecting the Right Business Loan

Business Advisory, Business Loans

You might be in front of your laptop in a coffee shop, scribbling notes for a new startup venture. Or maybe you’re between boardroom meetings, planning the growth and expansion of an existing company. No matter where you are in the lifecycle of your business, one thing will always ring true. You will need cash. After all, cash is king. But it’s not always readily available. That’s why it’s fundamentally important that you, as a business leader, understand the ins and outs of business loans. In this series of three posts, we’ll provide you with an overview of the available loan types; the concerns you may experience as a borrower; the various push backs that can come from lenders; the benefits of SBA loans; and the pros and cons of…

12Mar 2014 by Fred Crooks

Introduction to Operation: Rescue Main Street

Operation: Rescue Main Street

Our very own Fred Crooks at CPA Corporation contributed to the book Six Steps to Small Business Success, a book designed to meet you, the business owner, right where you are. Whether developing a business idea or looking to sell an enterprise you have been building for years, this book can assist you in arriving at your destination. The following questions are developed and answered within the book as we take the journey with you in Operation: Rescue Main Street. Step 1: Pre-Business Planning - Have you selected the right business for you? - Do you have a business plan in place? - Do you have a strategic marketing plan in place? - How do you coordinate business and family life? Step 2: Start-Up: Finances, Budgets, and Numbers - Do…

23May 2013 by Fred Crooks

Having Your Business Stand Out Within Social Media

Business Advisory, Marketing

By Fred Crooks Businesses worry on how to make themselves stand out within social media due to the Internet being a competitive place to have your business stand out in. With a few tips, you can have your business be more recognizable amongst your other competitors. Start by creating a name or URL that includes the search terms that you want people to find you by as well as having a catchy name that people will remember. You don't want a name that is difficult for people to search for due to the Internet being so broad. Make sure there is consistency within your name and URL if you are using different social networks as well as websites. On the social media sites, include a brief information paragraph about your business…

24Apr 2013 by Fred Crooks

The Truth About Intelligent Business Relationships

Communication

As a business owner, your desire is to develop and keep your professional relationships. But how do you do this successfully? To start, look at your personal relationships -- these will provide perspective into how a business relationship is also created and maintained. Ask yourself the following questions: How do you meet and keep your friends? How do you react to comments or criticism? How do you show you genuinely care? Take a look at these following tips; they will help ensure you that you and your professional relationships will not only last, but THRIVE! Make an Appealing First Impression First impressions mean everything! A first impression sets the foundation for your business relationship. Are you projecting yourself in a manner that will make somebody want to shake your hand…

Tag: business