Most people are generous by nature. We love to see the look on someone’s face when he or she gets the perfect gift—especially when that someone is a business associate with whom we’re eager to keep a good relationship. Unfortunately, the IRS tax laws limit tax deductions for business gifts to a total of $25 [...]
Your mission is the driving force of your company. It guides how you develop products or services, what materials you use, and the office culture you create. It should also guide the way you market your small business. Here are five tips for incorporating your mission into your small business marketing materials: 1. Evaluate all [...]
When you’re car shopping and comparing price tags, buying a used car might initially seem like the best choice. If you buy used instead of new, you’ll be saving money. In addition, by buying used you might be able to afford a nicer model because even cars that are just a year old are usually [...]
Over the years, I have worked with all kinds of wild and wonderful clients. Some of them have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams, while others have failed miserably. What’s the big difference between the successes and failures? A business plan. Small business advice: Tips for creating a business plan Creating a business plan is well [...]
At one of my jobs long ago, I arranged to have $25 taken out of each monthly paycheck to buy a $50 U.S. savings bond. The money wasn’t missed, and the savings added up to $600 worth of long-term savings for only a $300 annual investment. These days, my clients and readers don’t ask about [...]
As a small business owner, I spend a great deal of my time in front of groups of people, delivering workshops, facilitating planning sessions, convening and leading large group engagement events, and consulting on critical client business issues. Until about 10 years ago, I believed that my ability to multitask was one of the things [...]
This year has been a particularly busy one for me. My husband and I have been involved in six separate real estate deals in 2013, including purchase, sale, and refinance transactions. Because 2013 has been a year of continued recovery for the mortgage industry, I paid close attention to the home financing options available and [...]
As a homeowner, you can reduce the amount of tax you will owe on April 15 if you take some simple steps before the end of the 2013 tax-filing season. It’s important to get your ducks in a row now—if you wait until the new year dawns, you’ll have to wait a full year to [...]
The holidays are one of my favorite times of year to give myself a gift—rewards from my credit card purchases. These rewards add up over time and help our family save money on travel, merchandise, and gift cards. Our family tends to puts a little extra money on our cards during the winter months to [...]
