StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |what does a server do|What Does a Server Do and Why Does Your Small Business Need One?

What Does a Server Do and Why Does Your Small Business Need One?

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |what does a server do|What Does a Server Do and Why Does Your Small Business Need One?What does a server do? You could be wondering about how to set up a server and how is it suitable for your small business needs.

Implementing the use of servers could be the ideal strategy for the growth of your business.

Read along to learn about servers and how to decide if this technology is right for you.

What Does a Server Do?

A server is a computer program that stores and retrieves data. It transmits computer files and data to multiple computers on a network.

In other words, a server serves information to computers that are connected to it. These computers are known as clients.

How can you establish a connection to a server? Generally, businesses use clients to connect to a server using a local area network or through the worldwide network of the Internet.

Why Do You Need One?

Instead of storing your files on a disk, you can use a server, which is right for the functionality and productivity of your business.

Before you choose a server, think about your business goals and the benefits you need. There are various server types such as application servers, mail servers, virtual servers, and more.

Introducing a server to your business may help to improve the way your employees perform their daily tasks.

Servers Protect Your Business

A common reason to use a server is that it is reliable and keeps your information secure. This is essential if you use various types of devices for your business.

You don’t have to worry about hackers stealing your information when you’re using powerful dedicated servers that protect your business data.

With the installation of firewall software, you can monitor your incoming and outgoing traffic. This is an effective way for you to stay track of malicious activity and to block hackers.

To protect your business from vulnerabilities, you need to perform regular updates for your firewall software.

It Prevents Data Loss

If you’re not in the habit of backing up your computer devices, you’re at high risk of losing your data.
Data loss can also slow down the progression of your business. That is why it is beneficial for you to prevent this problem by using a server.

In the event of a hard drive accident, your small business server can backup and restore your files, folders, and databases that are on your network.

Having a backup server reduces the time it takes for you to recover from a hard drive disaster.

File Sharing and Network Security

File access is a critical role for a file server. You have the option to store your business documents, share documents, and you can also authorize certain individuals to read documents.

A file server saves you time and effort. It makes the process easy for you to manage your file access from one system.

Use a Server to Operate Your Business with Ease

Nowadays, businesses are making use of the latest technologies to increase their operations.

With stiff competition in various business sectors, you can stand apart from your competition using servers.
If you enjoyed reading this article about what does a server do, visit our website to learn more strategies for your business.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |LLC|How Is an LLC Taxed?

How Is an LLC Taxed?

StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |LLC|How Is an LLC Taxed?Easily one of the most daunting parts of being an entrepreneur, tax season can be complicated if you’ve never been exposed to doing business taxes before.

In this article, we’ll explore how LLC taxation works, so as an LLC owner, you neither overpay nor underpay the government.

Before We Discuss LLC Taxation

Before we get into the nitty-gritty details of LLC taxation, it’s important to first understand what an LLC is.
A Limited Liability Company is one of the simplest ways for a new employee to structure their business and have it recognized as a commercial entity in the government’s eyes. The requirements to form an LLC are low, making it the path of least resistance for budding entrepreneurship to achieve legal status.

Forming LLC (through an attorney or online service) enables owners to protect themselves with limitations of the risk their personal assets face, should something untoward happen with the company. In addition, starting fees are relatively small (less than $200 in most states).

The principal benefit of LLCs, however, lies in the discussion of LLC taxes. LLC’s are single taxation entities, meaning that unlike corporations, the income can only be taxed at one level (business or personal income).

How is an LLC Taxed?

The answer to this question technically depends on how the company is structured. If the company is structured as a collection of multiple partners, then the LLC’s income is taxed only at the personal income level.

That means that each of the shareholders in the LLC report income from the LLC as their personal income, and they file individual tax returns. No additional forms have to be completed for the LLC itself.

However, if the LLC is structured as a C corp or S corp, which it can elect to do after it’s created, then it will be required to submit additional documentation. The IRS Form 8832 is used for the LLC to elect to submit taxes as either a C corp or an S corp. The documentation submitted thereafter will determine what additional forms the LLC uses to be taxed (Form 2553 for an S corp and Form 1120 for a C corp).

Without corporation status, the LLC’s income is classified as “pass-through” which means that it just goes into each owner’s personal income return.

Do LLC’s Pay State Income Tax?

Some states require that LLC’s pay income tax at the state level. This is fairly common, and will often take the form of a franchise fee.

The franchise fee is an annual fee submitted whenever the LLC submits its annual report. The annual report contains information regarding total revenues, total operational expenditures, philanthropic expenditures, etc..

Most states will use the federal tax liability as a starting point for their own tax determination. Look up your individual state’s LLC tax law to figure out how much you’ll be liable for this April.

Don’t Mess Up Your Taxes!

Few things can kill a growing company’s momentum than falling on the wrong side of the IRS. Take the right steps to ensure that you’re completing your LLC taxation correctly — look up state laws, fill out the right forms, and consider calling a professional if you need help.

Once you’ve gotten through this tax season, make sure to come back and subscribe for more small business advice!

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business | Entrepreneurship | Building up Your Business the Right Way

Building up Your Business the Right Way

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business | Entrepreneurship | Building up Your Business the Right WayMaking it past the first anniversary of your business is a huge achievement; all the hard work and long hours you put in will have paid off. However, the hard work shouldn’t stop there. As the owner of a business, you should constantly be striving to build, grow and improve your company because that is exactly what your competitors will be doing. In order to have the continued success of the previous year, you have to ensure that you are not just building your business up but that you are doing so the right way.

Become more visible online

Having a website and social media platforms might have got your name out there, but now is the time to start taking what you have and making it better. You can ensure the necessary growth your business wants by focusing on SEO strategies implemented by an experienced agency such as Pearl Digital Marketing. They will be able to conduct an audit of your website and make it optimized for search engines and large volumes of traffic. Increasing your visibility online will help you to outgrow your competition and appear on the first page of the SERPs which is a gold dust spot for many companies.

Work on goals for this year

All businesses need to have yearly goals. As you move into your second year of business, this is the perfect time to reassess the goals of last year. Did you meet them? Were they achievable? What have you learned from it? Without first assessing these, you cannot possibly move on to build up your business in the right way.

If the goal is to increase sales and make an even bigger profit, then you need to ensure that you have the means to do so. For example, if your product line is doubling in size, do you have the staff numbers to oversee this? Hiring more employees at this point will give you peace of mind that you will be able to cope.

Thank loyal customers

Focusing on the customers this year and how you can make their experience even better should take precedence above all else. After all, your customers are what have helped you survive over the last year, so be sure to thank them for their continued support. Send them an email offering a discount on your products or services as a way of thanking them for their loyal support. By thanking loyal customers, this way, you can be assured that through reviews and word-of-mouth, your business’ name will spread and all for the right reasons. This, in itself, brings about the prospect of new customers.

Make the most of networking

Networking is a fantastic way to build up your company without needing to spend as much money. But as your company grows, so should the number of contacts you have to hand. Building up a bigger network will bring about more opportunities that your business can benefit from such as making the most of new technologies and software or investing in discounted but high-quality equipment. There is no harm in having contacts with lots of businesses and professionals. They will appreciate it as much as you do. You can offer them something in return just as they can you.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Entrepreneurship | Eight Tasks To Outsource When Running A Small Business

Eight Tasks To Outsource When Running A Small Business

All entrepreneurs should know how valuable time is. When you waste it, you put a strain on the entire business. Anyone starting a new venture understandably wants to be active in every aspect of the company. However, trying to do everything yourself, especially when you’re not qualified, is risky. Even if you avoid making mistakes, success will take longer and cost more to achieve. Because of this, every business should outsource. Not only is this cheaper, but it causes less hassle. With that in mind, here are eight tasks to outsource in small business.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Entrepreneurship | Eight Tasks To Outsource When Running A Small Business

1. Employee Training

Outsourcing in business doesn’t have to mean giving up employees entirely. Certain tasks are much better performed in-house. However, if you insist on having employees, you must provide the proper training. Having inexperienced workers in your business can cause many problems. Untrained staff members are dangerous, but wasteful too. Thankfully, you can outsource the training of your team to an expert, which avoids any problems and ensures the task is done well.

2. Market Research

Before making any changes in business, you must conduct market research. After all, you don’t want the changes that you make to put current or potential customers off. Marketing research is also essential in learning about competitors and customers. While market research seems relatively simple, many businesses make mistakes that lead to incorrect results. Outsourcing to an expert is recommended because third-party companies can provide entirely objective data.

3. Receptionist Duties

Most people start a business to make a difference. Unfortunately, that will be difficult to do when you’re chained to a phone all day. The good news is, you can outsource many receptionist duties, including answering phone calls. Many answering services, like the Ivy answering service, offer value for money by providing you with experienced and professional virtual receptionists. What’s more, you aren’t stuck in a contract, so you can change the service to suit your needs.

4. Website Design

A website is a powerful digital marketing tool for any small business. Even if you don’t intend to sell online, you should still have a company website to connect with customers and raise brand awareness. Unless you have web design experts in-house, you must bring in professional help. The only problem worse than having no website is having an unprofessional one. Rather than choosing the first design company you find, therefore, you must research to find the best one.

5. Content Creation

No website in today’s market is complete without a blog. Most company websites use blogs to educate customers and clients about what the business does. Blog content can also optimize websites for search engines and attract more customers. The trouble is, producing and publishing content that converts will take time. For this reason, many companies outsource the task to freelancers. Although this isn’t free, the rewards of doing so far outweigh any expenses.

6. Inventory Management

All businesses typically begin with a small and manageable inventory. With so few units to keep track of, you can manage your stock on a simple spreadsheet. However, with any luck, your marketing campaigns will pay off. When that happens, the orders will multiply, which will make inventory management much harder. Rather than risk losing stock, you must minimize shrinkage by outsourcing this task. Doing so will reduce operating and staffing expenses, among others.

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7. Customer Support

Unless you’re sure you have enough time to handle customer support, you shouldn’t be doing it. Customer service is perhaps the most important aspect of business. After all, without loyal customers, your company wouldn’t stay afloat. Outsourcing customer support will ensure that you have access to any resources necessary to provide excellent service. Unlike in-house customer service, you will also have the capacity to expand quickly and support efficient growth.

8. Tax Planning

Money keeps the business world alive. While there are many reasons why a business might fail, all those reasons typically boil down to lack of capital. Because of this, you must take care with accounting tasks, like tax planning. Even a small mistake can cause huge problems for your business. Entrepreneurs can save money and hours every week by using an outsourced bookkeeper. What’s more, you will have peace of mind that your finances are in trained hands.

When done the right way, outsourcing in business will save money, time, and plenty of hassle. Rather than taking on every area of business yourself, you should hand over certain tasks to the experts. Hopefully, with the advice above, you have an idea of which tasks to start with.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Strategy|Achieving Time-Efficiency And Cost-Efficiency To Ensure Steady Business Expansion

Achieving Time-Efficiency And Cost-Efficiency To Ensure Steady Business Expansion

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Strategy|Achieving Time-Efficiency And Cost-Efficiency To Ensure Steady Business ExpansionBuilding a successful business requires a well-planned and efficient strategy. You need to consider the way in which you use your time and resources on a daily basis if you want to maximize the growth of your company and its profits. Having an innovative idea for your products and services, of course, will help you to succeed. And having motivated workers will help you, too. But if your company operates inefficiently, then you’ll be squandering your opportunities for growth in the future. Or, at the very least, you’ll be slowing the rate at which you grow. In this article, we’ll look at some ways in which you could achieve time-efficiency and cost-efficiency to ensure steady business expansion.

Help your team to work productively.

The first way in which you could make your business more time-efficient and cost-efficient is by helping your team to work productively. Firstly, of course, you need to ensure that every single employee is engaged with their specific job role. Hiring professional candidates will help, but they need to be passionate about their careers. If you feel that your members of staff have become apathetic towards their jobs, then you might want to help your team by offering incentives for hard work. Recognition in the form of an “employee of the month” award and perhaps even a bonus could encourage staff members to work hard in the hope of being noticed and rewarded. You have to give workers a reason to do more than the bare minimum.

Of course, even motivated employees need a bit of help from time to time. Even if your workers are pushing themselves to be highly-productive, you might not be maximizing efficiency. After all, there’s only so much that people can achieve on their own. So, you might want to use technology to improve your operations. Make sure every employee is connected to the company’s central network through their devices, so as to make communication easier. You might want to do some research on mobile malware. It’s important that workers know how to keep their devices secure and prevent infiltration of the main company network. You might also want to get automated software to handle administrative tasks. That way, your employees will have more time to focus on important aspects of their job roles. This will help to make your business more productive on a daily basis.

Reduce wasteful overhead costs.

If you want to ensure steady business expansion, then you should also reduce wasteful overhead costs. You might be pulling in plenty of sales from happy customers, and that’s great. However, if your expenses are excessively high, then this will erode your profit margins. In turn, that will give you less money to invest in your company. Your growth will be slower. So, pay attention to wastefulness in your budget. You could reduce your office’s energy bills, for starters. Thicker window glazing and even wall or roof insulation could help to trap heat and reduce energy consumption. You could also stop buying paper and start creating documents entirely digitally. In 2019, going paper-free is easier than ever. Everything’s done digitally in the modern age, after all.