Well, is it? If you are struggling a little with that let’s talk about how to turn that around. Online businesses have two main challenges: Inventory Management Promotion/advertising Management Really both of these areas stem from the same core problem. What’s that you say? Allright, I’ll just say it again. In order to have a successful online business, you only need to solve one problem. What is that one problem? Cash Management! So what are you thinking at this point? You probably want to ask, “Ok smarty pants, why do you think that’s the problem?” Fine, I’ll tell you… Inventory Management What is the definition of inventory? Most…

  Have you ever asked yourself this question? There are several reasons this is important: Do you like your customers? Some we really like, some we tolerate, some we dread every time the phone rings. So in other words, some customers suck up energy and some give us energy. Which can you do your very best work with? Duh… The Pie Is Usually Big Enough I love pie, don’t you? Let’s compare your market segment(s) to a pie. Every market pie has a certain size. It’s impossible to serve the entire market (or eat the entire pie). It’s too big, or at least it should…

  It’s ok, you can be totally honest with me. And I will be honest with you, too.  Most business owners hardly ever look at their financials. There are several reasons for that: The financials are not very accurate It’s difficult to read the financials because they are so messy looking It’s difficult to understand how those financial results ended up on the financials The info on the financials is too old to be useful How in the world can you implement our Profit First Cash Management System (PFCMS) without accurate financials? Answer: It’s almost impossible.  Let’s look at your financials one by one. You good with that? Let’s…

  Such a question!! And the answer changes about every 15 minutes. Some economists say yes, some are not so sure. Isn’t it strange that we keep listening to disciplines that never have to be right? Economists and weathermen! People we love to hate!! So what should we do about this? Here are two steps you can take NOW to minimize the impact of a recession on your business. Interested? Yea, I thought you might be…  Step 1: Get out a 4 burner stove and put a pot on each burner. Yes, I’m being serious!! Each pot represents a market segment in your business. You…

In school, our parents and grandparents studied the 3R’s. Do you know them? Reading, Righting, and Rithmetic. There is even a song about it called “School Days.” How about putting a more modern spin on it? 'Reading' “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” This has nothing to do with eyesight. I’m talking about your openness and desire to see what really needs to be seen in your business. It’s easy to see things like our daily tasks (Send an email, make phone calls, etc). But how good are you at reading your business? Do you have a clear picture…

  We love to focus on profit and business growth. But sometimes (for all sorts of reasons) we still need to shut down a business. This needs to be done and planned well.  It will take several months and the steps will vary based on location and situation. The following steps are designed for a Canadian incorporated business, but the general steps may be similar in other locations as well. Cease Trading. It's important to have all operations completed. If you’re still accepting orders or doing the odd job this will stretch out this process. Make sure that your website reflects your non-trading status (we recently had…

One look at my name and you’ll know that I have an Italian background. You should also know that I’m from Chicago, and yes, I really do have an Uncle Vito. So I speak with some authority when talking about a “Mafia Offer". What is a mafia offer? It’s an offer too good to refuse. And it’s one of the most powerful ways of increasing sales and margins at the same time. The problem: We constantly hear from customers that their biggest concern is cost. I’m not about to suggest that cost is not important. But focusing sales efforts on beating the competition…

  Businesses tend to progress more consistently if the owner sets financial goals and makes a plan to achieve them. The new year is a natural time to decide what you want to achieve and how. With that in mind, read on to learn the steps for setting financial goals for your business for 2023. 1. Review and evaluate your 2022 goals You’ve got to see where you’re coming from to know where you can realistically go. At year’s end, review the goals you set last year and use your numbers to see how your business measured up. Whether or not you met your…

  CashFlow is the Fuel That Keeps Your Business Running For contractors, the idea of cash flow management can seem overwhelming. But with the right strategies, you can ensure that your business has the necessary funds to cover expenses and remain profitable. With Profit First, you can learn how to manage your cash flow so that you always have the right amount of cash in the right place, at the right time. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how Profit First can help contractors make sure their businesses stay solvent and profitable. Understanding Cash Flow Management for Contractors and Specialty…

What is always in front of you but can’t ever be seen?  Yup, the future. None of us have a crystal ball where we can clearly see the future. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be response-able to meet any challenges that are thrust upon us. Sounds simple? It is simple, but it’s not easy. Preparing for the future requires 2 things: A Plan Discipline to execute the plan First the plan  What components should be in your business plan: A 3-5 vision statement 1-year strategic objectives 90-day Rocks 3-5 year Vision Statement This is a statement of clarity. We recommend a compound sentence that covers the following: Revenue targets Market segment(s) Product/…

  A business that involves inventory is exciting to set up, but it also comes with its share of challenges. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by inventory management. Adopting some helpful tools and strategies will make the inventory management process much easier. Read on for some tips on how to improve your inventory processes. Use barcodes It’s typical for a small business to start out with simple price tags because they’re inexpensive and relatively simple. Something quickly stamped out of a pricing gun or even handwritten is common. However, there will come a time when this practice starts to hurt you. The margin…

“Five frogs are sitting on a log. Four DECIDE to jump off. How many are left? Five, because deciding is different than doing.” What is the meaning of this riddle? Allow me to state the obvious. Just because four frogs “decide” to jump off the log doesn’t mean any of them actually jumped.  Does this ever happen in your business? A decision is made to go in a certain direction, or take on a particular project. Everyone is smiling and nodding their head at the meeting. But afterwards nothing happens. Why???  Commitment. Deciding IS different than doing. Ask yourself these questions. Does everyone have: Clarity:…

Few business owners enjoy breaking the news of an upcoming price increase. However, when you own a business you have to deal with ever-increasing costs. Although inflation is an unpleasant part of life, it is still part of life. Price increases are inevitable for a sustainable business. If you want to stay afloat, you’ll have to do them – and regularly. Read on for some tips on how to determine how much you should raise your prices. Company costs The type of business you run will determine how much it costs to stay in business. If you’re service-based, you will need to…

Upgrading or changing your payroll system comes with a ton of wonderful benefits. Saving time and money, making everyone’s lives easier, and better integration are all good reasons to consider a change. But if the switch is mishandled, the results can be catastrophic and lead to long-lasting problems. Read on for some tips on how to avoid a disastrous payroll system migration. 1. Give the project the time it needs It’s true that people may enjoy coming to work. But for most people, earning money is the main reason they seek out employment. Our jobs make the world go round, and support…

In a world with endless distractions, it’s no wonder that we find it difficult to complete tasks. Focus is hard to come by these days. This is especially true when you’re working from home. Household tasks that would otherwise be out of sight and out of mind are suddenly in your workspace. With that said, there are some proven methods to help you get things done. Time blocking and Time boxing are the two main techniques, though there are some others as well. Read on to find out what might work best for you. Time Blocking You’re probably most familiar with time…

There are a few different methods that employers use to pay their employees, and while they may have similarities, they each also have their own implications for your business and its employees. On top of that, there may be a blended model at play, in which you offer two types of compensation at once, such as a wage and bonuses. How you pay your employees will impact your finances and your reporting requirements. Read on to learn the differences between the main ways of earning money in the workplace. Wages Most entry-level positions offer an hourly wage in exchange for work. An…

There comes a time for every small business to raise their prices. While it may seem scary, remember that it’s your job to keep prices fair, both for you and your customers. That means you have to charge prices that work for you and allow you to remain in business. Read on for six reasons to raise your prices. Your costs have grown The thing about inflation is that everyone is going to feel the pinch – including you. If your business supplies are now more costly than they were before, you have to pass those costs on. Otherwise you’re the one losing…

From calculating taxes on online sales to inventory management to figuring out shipping logistics, running an eCommerce Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA) business comes with a whole host of challenges and considerations. Your bookkeeping and accounting solution needs to be able to keep up. As experts, we at Fuel Accountants want to help our clients by ensuring their books are clean so that you can run your business efficiently.

Recently I was asked ‘what is the best piece of advice you would give to a business owner for staying inspired?’. I could list stacks of ideas that would cover all the usual things like, getting a mentor, reading good books, going to conferences etc etc. But the truth is that business owners are incredibly busy and often to do these things comes at the cost of stopping something more important to fit it in.

The thing that has been the number one regular source of inspiration for me in my business life has been listening to great Podcasts.