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Strategies for Certified Public Accountants to Grow Their Business

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As a business owner, you have a lot on your mind. There’s never a dull moment and if it’s not one fire you’re putting out, it’s another. That’s why you need a plan in place for managing your business and workload.

As a small business, you don’t have the luxury of calling upon a handful of employees to help you out. One area that’s always intriguing is how to expand your company. It’s important you have a solid foundation first before you try to develop further. See strategies for Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) to grow their business.

Networking

In order to grow your business you have to be willing to put yourself out there and meet new people. You want individuals in your company to know who you are and where your business is located. Be involved in the community and join organizations and clubs that keep you engaged with others. Attend networking events and conferences where you can meet new faces and share information about your business and services.

Training & Education

You need to have the proper training and knowledge in place before you start advertising additional services and growing. For example, there are IRS approved tax preparation courses that will help you gain more clients, and you’ll be included in the Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with credentials and select qualifications. You’ll be provided with crystal clear high definition video based courses that meet IRS standards and include the latest tax law updates and exceptional tax tips. This is a great opportunity to improve your skills and increase your knowledge on topics that will help you advance in your career and grow your business.

Social Media

Use social media and the Internet to target your specific audience and find customers who are going to benefit from your services. Open accounts on various platforms and create a company page with information about what you do and how you can help your clients. If you have the capacity, be available to answer customer service type questions online and post content that will help them better understand the industry and what they need to know as a taxpayer. Be open to advertising your business on social media and bringing in more clients through a digital media strategy.

Focus on Customer Service

A proven way to grow your business is to deliver exceptional customer service and, therefore, be awarded with referrals and recommendations from satisfied clients. Even though you may be a small operation, be sure to give each customer your undivided attention that they deserve. Be on time for meetings, return messages and fix issues promptly. Your customers need to be your number one focus, and then you can worry about expanding and growing your business. Take pride in knowing your clients are happy and continue to do business with you.

Conclusion

Use these tips for creating a plan to expand your company. Keeping your customers pleased is one area of your business that’s worth focusing on. Without them you aren’t going to get too far with your company. These are strategies for CPAs to grow their business.

How Businesses Can Become More Accessible

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Most businesses are trying to do more to make their environment more accessible for customers and employees alike. There is a degree of pressure upon businesses to use their funding to ensure that everyone has the support and access they need, particularly if they have a mental or physical disability. There are several ways in which businesses can tackle the problem of being inaccessible.

Physical Adjustments

Controversially, there are currently no laws which require businesses to include lifts or ramps- if they currently don’t have employees who need them. However, there are reasonable adjustment laws which state that businesses must commit to making some changes to ensure that disabled employees can work at the business. Reasonable adjustments can include an accessible interview room on the first floor or access to affordable used mobility scooters where necessary. However, businesses should really be proactive about making their office space or shop more accessible for everyone by installing ramps and providing bathrooms for people with disabilities. After all, a more diverse workforce is great for business.

Accessible Support Materials

How many times do you receive a printed presentation at work? When presentations or support materials are printed out and distributed, it’s likely this is done without a second thought. However, the ability to provide support materials in a variety of different formats, such as with large print or written in braille, will ensure that everyone can read them. The same applies to signage around the business, keep it clear and easy to read to ensure that visitors and staff alike can get to where they need to go without difficulty.

Obstruction-Free Spaces

Businesses don’t have to spend a fortune to make their workplace more accessible for everyone; they can simply make sure that all obstructions which could prevent people from moving around the business are removed. Stray wastepaper bins, boxes and plants are common problems that people with disabilities have to navigate around. It’s also worthwhile making your business accommodating towards service animals where possible, particularly if there’s currently a “no dogs” rule implemented. Simple gestures like this can demonstrate that you are a forward-thinking and accommodating business.

Equality Training

Most businesses are proud to offer an equal opportunities environment. However, when it comes to implementing this, many members of staff may be unclear or unconfident about how to best to behave. Employees and employers alike need to be sensitive and informed about disabilities in order to break down these barriers. Providing training which covers how best to help people with limited mobility, or the correct way to interact with service dogs, will provide your staff with the confidence to behave appropriately and make sure that everyone is included and treated equally. The business should also implement people-first and inclusive language, as it is more positive. This simply means that you say “people or person with disabilities”, instead of “disabled person” and you ensure that all training materials and contracts include clauses that refer to people with disabilities too.

8 Myths About Trading Debunked

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The world of trading can be challenging and confusing, but it also offers you the opportunity to make a lot of money and diversify your investment portfolio so that you can remain financially secure as you get older. But there are some myths about trading that should be debunked, whether you are already involved in trading or you are thinking about getting into it. Keep reading to learn more so you can have a better understanding of what trading is all about.

1. Online Trading Is Not Safe

One of the myths that you may have heard about online trading is that it is not safe and secure. But the truth is that it can actually be totally safe and secure, and it can put you in the driver’s seat of your trades, rather than relying upon a broker, if that is what you desire. With high quality trading platforms like Stern Options, you have a lot of choices that will make getting into the world of trading easier, and you can also keep making money from your trades by doing it all online and from wherever you are located.

2. To Trade Options, You Need to Invest a Lot

When it comes to trading options, many people think that you need to have a lot of money to get started. But the truth is that you really do not need that much money. Every trader has to begin somewhere, and you often only need a few thousand dollars to get started. You can use this small investment to access the market and then reinvest any profits that you make so that you can keep watching your money grow over time. Besides, when you are first starting out and learning the ropes, you do not want to invest a huge chunk of money that you could risk losing.

3. To Trade Stocks, You Need to Be Rich

Too many people think that trading stocks also requires a lot of money, and that the stock market is sort of like a club that only rich people can get into. But with online trading making it easier than ever to research stocks and invest in them whenever you want, this myth is easily debunked.

4. A Popular Company Is Going to Have Great Stocks

When people first enter the stock market to start trading shares, they might assume that the most popular brands are going to be the most successful on the market. But this is not true. Just because you read news about a particular organization doing very well does not mean that you should invest in their stock right away. Instead, it is always wise to conduct a complete analysis prior to investing. You want to look into the company’s financials so that you can see just how sound the brand really is, and so that you can determine if the trend of growth will continue. And you also want to look at the valuation so that you can determine if the stock is valued expensively, cheaply, or fairly.

5. You Should Not Risk More Than 2% Per Trade

A lot of people are also under the impression that you should not invest more than 2% on a trade. This piece of advice is meant to help you avoid spending too much and ruining your entire account. However, the truth is that you should consider a few factors before deciding upon how much you will invest per trade. This includes the trading timeframe, your own tolerance for risk, and the system’s performance.

6. Complex Strategies Are Better Than Simple Ones

Depending upon whom you talk to, you might hear that a complex trading strategy is better than a simple trading strategy, or vice versa. The truth is that there is no one solution to trading. Some individuals are able to make a lot of money by following some pretty complex trading strategies, while offers are able to keep things simple and still make a great return on their investment. Basically, every trader will trade a bit differently than the next trader, and what works for you may not work for someone else, so it is up to you to test the market and try out different strategies until you find the ones that work best for you.

7. Trading Stocks Is Like Gambling

There are many people who, unfortunately, will view trading stocks on the market as the equivalent of gambling at the casino. This is simply not true. When you invest in stocks, you will need to do a good amount of research if you want your assets to grow. The right amount of research and diversification of your investment portfolio will help you minimize your risks and ensure your money will grow. The same can’t be said for gambling, for which there is little rhyme or reason. Besides, when you invest in stocks, you are investing in companies and you are following their profits and losses.

8. Stocks Inevitably Fall

Yet another common myth in the world of stock trading involves this idea that every stock, no matter how high it goes, must eventually come back down. But that does not always happen. If you are able to find a really successful business that has great managers and long-term success, you can ride that wave, and you will not need to worry about the stock price falling. Of course, there will be fluctuations no matter what, but there is no rule that says a stock price has to go back down to its starting point or below that starting point. You can invest and watch your money grow over time, even if you do hit a few days during which the price drops a bit before it recovers.

Now that you have a clearer understanding of some of the most common myths about trading, you can enter the market and start trading in a way that will ensure your money will grow. Remember, stocks go up and stocks go down, so you will hit some losses every now and then. The key is to stick it out and then sell high after buying low.

5 Business Opportunities To Consider In The Healthcare Industry

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article
Photo courtesy of Pexels

When you’re trying to come up with the right idea for your future business, you’re likely to find yourself faced with a range of different options. Not only might you like to go with something that’s going to be a success, ideally it’s also going to be something that you either enjoy, or know a lot about. Because you’re going to have to market it, sell it, and live and breathe it. If you have a medical background, or you’re looking to get into the healthcare industry and you’re willing to train, you might in interested in a health-based business idea. Of which there are many, yet here are five for you to consider.

Medical Practice

If you’re a trained doctor, or you’re thinking about going to medical school, you could look into opening your own medical practice. Starting your own medical practice might seem like big business, and in a lot of ways, it is. But, it’s also an incredible way to ensure that you’re able to reach your potential as both a medical professional and a business person. If you’re planning on become a doctor, or already work for another practice, your next step along could be to go it alone. So launching your own practice makes a lot of sense.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Or maybe you’re not medically trained, and you’re not looking to wait much longer to get going with your business idea. When that’s the case, you’re going to need to go in a different direction. And that direction could be towards pharmaceutical manufacturing. At this point, you might be wondering if you need either experience or money, this post will give you an honest answer to that, and help you to get started.

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article
Photo courtesy of Pexels

Healthcare Consultancy

You could also think about consultancy. Maybe you’re interested in psychology, or you’re currently finishing up your psychology studies? Then why not think about starting your own therapist’s office, over working for someone else? Perhaps your medical experience is in another field? Well, then you could think about going into consultancy and providing your expertise and insight to hospitals that need the support.

Senior Care

But you could also think more along the lines of the care industry, rather than the medicine side of things. You should be able to find that senior care business opportunities provide you with the career choice you’ve been looking for. Combining both entrepreneurship and healthcare, you’ll be able to start running a profitable business that you can enjoy, as well as provide an incredible service to the seniors in your local area.

Healthcare Facility

Finally, there’s also the idea of starting a healthcare facility, like a senior care home. If you have experience in the elderly care industry and you’ve always wanted to be able to run your own show, this is the idea for you. You will need to find the right location, and look out for reputable staff that can bring your business to life, but if you’re serious about making it a success and creating a place the community can value, it will all be worthwhile.

4 Things You Must Consider Before Starting a Company

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship ArticleStarting a company will never be easy, especially if you are new to the business scene. There are several aspects to consider before beginning which can make things easier from the start. Have a solid idea, but know you may have to bend this to fit obstacles that come your way and you have the right mindset to begin. Friends, family and colleagues will all tell you different things about starting a company, the best people to listen to if you want advice is professionals. Before this, have these things sorted and you will find the transition to becoming a successful company owner a lot smoother.

Understand the Law

This is the boring bit, but unfortunately is such a huge part of owning your own company. If you are lucky enough to already have a law degree then you are pretty much sorted. If you aren’t that lucky (which most of us aren’t!) then the next step is some research. You need to know what regulations your company needs to follow, what taxes will need to be paid and any licenses you may need to have to run your company. There are professionals that can help you when starting your business if you are unsure, such as lawyers and accountants.

Check Your Company Name is Available

This seems like such an obvious step, but can be forgotten within all the legalities and plans you need to consider. The last thing you want is to start a business to find somebody already owns it, after you have put the time and effort into establishing your name and company. An internet search is not enough, as although you cannot find the name on the internet, somebody could have trademarked the name or it is a closed business- this means you are still breaching the law. CFS International Formations offer a trademark search on their website for those interested in offshore company formation.

Be Careful with Money

Knowing how much to put in a company is hard. You can over and under-spend very easily. You need to have the money, and know how much is going to go into your company before starting, as it can be very hard on you and your family. There are things that you will need for your company to be successful depending on what it is offering, and some things you may want to offer, that may have to take a back burner until you are more successful.

Perhaps purchasing adverts is something needed early on, rather than offering customers incentives to join your company, even if that was your original plan. A part-time job could be an option when first starting out, if your company isn’t taking up all of your time whilst it is still finding its feet. If you find spending money in the right places hard, there are many apps that can be used to keep track of your money and help you visualise what you have to spend.

Are You Ready to Begin?

Starting your own company does take a lot of time, effort and cash. Even if it is your dream and you have your idea and you want to get started right now, you need to know you are in the right place to do so. Many people start a business too fast and for this reason, life gets in the way and they may not succeed. Are you in a place where you can give up most of your time to your new company? If something is happening in your personal life, it may be best to sort this out first before venturing into this new adventure. Life will always throw obstacles at us, but we know best when we can cope and with how much. Do not take on so much it overcomes you.

You also need to be aware of money. When thinking about the money you have to put in to your company, your personal life needs to be taken into account also. Have you worked out how much your living costs, transport, rent and any of other bills may take out of your budget? If you cannot afford to live, your company may need to take a time out until you’ve saved up the appropriate amount to look after yourself too.

There are many people out there that can help you when starting your own business, but getting these 4 steps in place before you consult them, can save you a lot of time and money. The most important thing to consider when starting a business is you. You need a good understanding of the legal side, enough money behind you to still have a personal life and the knowledge that starting your own company is going to be stressful and hard, but extremely rewarding.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash