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The Most Profitable Small Businesses

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What was your Fiscal Year 2015 net pofit margin? Did you reach your projection? Are you solvent and able to manage your accounts payable, business and household? Were you able to buy useful and comprehensive medical and dental insurance?  Were you able to deposit $10 K  or more into your retirement account? Did you travel to some nice location during the year and reward yourself with a vacation?

If the answer to two or more of those questions is no,  I respectfully suggest that you think about your Freelance consulting venture.  If you were able to put $7500 into your retirement account but you’ve not taken a real vacation in 5 years,  it does not raise a red flag in my estimation.  But if you have trouble paying bills, you have only the cheapest health insurance available and you infrequently or never pay into your retirement fund,  then you need to devise a way to make more money.  One of your options may be not just to tweak your business model and engineer a pivot. You may need to go into another type of venture altogether, one with greater profit-making potential.

Take heed– Sageworks, a financial data service located in Raleigh, NC, analyzed the net profit margins of 16,000 small businesses that earned less than $10 million between September 2014 and August 2015.  The average net profit across all industries in that time period was  7.2%.

Note that this list of top performers consists almost entirely of Freelancer-friendly service industries.  Despite the challenges of selling services, especially intangible services,  to either B2B or B2C clients,  Sagework’s list demonstrates that it is possible  to make money as a self-employed service provider.

Some industries are more soloprenuer-Freelancer friendly than others.  Accountants/bookkeepers, real estate sellers, lawyers,  landlords,  health  practitioners (physical therapists, chiropractors, podiatrists, etc.), graphics/industrial designers and architects/(structural) engineers are all able to operate a one-person shop quite well, perhaps with a single employee to provide administrative help.  Physicians, I’m sorry to say,  can no longer maintain a solo practice in big cities.

Educational requirements and professional credentials pose a formidable barrier to entry for several of these high-yield business opportunities, with medicine, dentistry, law, architecture, engineering, chiropractic and accounting (CPA or certified financial analyst) leading the list.  In contrast, real estate sales requires only the right relationships,  a license to do business and no real selling skills if you are in a hot market.  If someone with a real estate broker’s license brings you into the business,  you can work under the umbrella of that person’s credential.

I confess that I look askance at the stated prospects for attorneys.  There have been many mergers between big law firms and as a result, many lay-offs. I’ve personally known a couple of lawyers who had a hard time finding employment and when it was obtained, the job was an assistant district attorney that pays maybe $50 K a year.

I’ve read about lawyers with degrees from Ivy League schools (UPenn and Columbia) saddled with six figure debt and no job.  I recently read about a young lady who sued her (accredited but undistinguished) law school,  claiming that the advertised post-grad job statistics are false and also charging that the career services department was useless. She lost her case,  but I suspect that her argument is valid nevertheless.

From a former employee of a very prestigious law firm who was let go four or five years ago (and started her own profitable boutique firm),  recent law school grads who were hired by prestigious firms over the past couple of years have been subjected to a shocking bait & switch game—from a law firm, no less!  An offer letter is sent, in which the new hire learns that s/he will not start the dream job for two years.  Oh, and the salary will be $20K less than was originally negotiated.

While some attorneys do quite well, like my friend, many  self-employed lawyers in solo or small enterprises struggle as the big firms shed employees. Welcome to the new normal. Below are the small businesses that in the U.S. that on average have the healthiest profit margins.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Business                                                                                   Net profit margin

Accounting / Bookkeeping                                                             18.4%a

Real estate sales                                                                                15.2%

Lawyer’s office                                                                                   14.5%

Dentist’s office                                                                                  14.4%

Landlords                                                                                             14%

Health practioners (chiropractors, etc)                                      13.3%

Physican’s office                                                                                13%

Business or technical consulting                                                   12%

Graphic and industrial design                                                         11.4%

Administrative services (billing, etc.)                                           11.3%

Architectural / structural engineering services                          11%

Real estate oproperty services (landscaping,cleaning, etc.).  10.1%

 

 

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It’s in the Bank

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Are you happy with your bank? Do you consider what you pay in fees to be a good value for the services provided? Do you consider your bank to be a source of support for your business? If the answer to any of these question is “no” or “maybe”, read on.

The choice of a bank is a serious decision in our personal and business lives and size matters,  as regards the account,  business or personal,  and the bank as an entity. As with all planning,  the expected needs of the individual and/or the business must be considered when choices are made. Banks have become competitive and expensive over the past couple of decades and as a consumer and a businessperson, you owe it to yourself to get the most for your money and your needs met as you do.

As a private citizen,  you may want to buy or refinance a home,  make home upgrades, or finance your child’s education.  As a business owner or Freelance consultant,  you may have equipment or technology upgrades,  growth and expansion plans that will benefit from outside financing.  Whatever your financial plans,  a helpful banker will be an essential building block toward the realization of  your goals and obligations.

How should Freelancers and business owners choose a bank?  A good way to start is to identify two community banks,  two regional and two large national outfits and pay each a visit.  Walk in and ask to meet the business banker,  who is also usually the commercial loan officer.  If you need an appointment make one,  so that you will have time to talk.  Tell this individual about your business and your plans and perceived needs.  How can the bank augment and support your business?

If business credit is a priority, ask these two questions:

  1.  What is the amount of the credit line that the business banker can personally approve?
  2.  Does the bank offer SBA loans and is it a Preferred SBA Lender and able to approve and underwrite such loans independently.  How much SBA loan business is done and what percentage of applications are approved?

Below is a general guideline as to what type of bank is likely to be appropriate for your business venture.  Remember to ask about merchant credit card processing fees if you accept cards.

Community banks

  • Freelancers, small  and medium businesses
  • Fees can be on the high side
  • Technology can be slow or not comprehensive
  • Service is typically excellent. This is old-fashioned banking.  Customers are taken care of. The tellers and managers know you.
  • Loaning decisions are made locally. They know you and your business. They want to help.  Your character will count.

Regional banks

  • Small – medium size businesses that plan to grow
  • Fees are average
  • Technology will meet expectations, the basics will be available
  • Service is usually good, the regionals are capable of delivering personalized service
  • Loan decisions will be made with an eye to the local economy, along with what your financials indicate about your ability to repay

National banks

  • Medium-large business that do out-of-state and/or international business
  • Fees are usually the lowest available, the result of economies of scale
  • Technology will be the most cutting-edge available. Banking can be almost entirely done online.
  • Service is often impersonal because staff turn-over is often high. No one knows you for long. Decisions are not made locally at the branch level.
  • Loans are issued strictly by the numbers, the manager will not be able to give you the benefit of the doubt.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

 

 

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Dialing In: Conference Call Meetings

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Meetings are an essential forum for exchanging information and making plans.  The ability to run an efficient and productive meeting is a marker of good leadership (please see my post Meeting Maestro January 26).  From time to time,  at least one meeting participant must conference in by telephone, FaceTime,  or Skype.  In some meetings,  none of the participants will be in the same room and they may not be in the same time zone.  Last week I chaired a meeting of six and three dialed in.  Can we take a minute to make sure we are managing our conference call meetings to bring about optimal results?

The ability to dial in to a meeting is so convenient and absolutely necessary when team members reside in far-flung locales.  The primary downsides of distance are the lack of visual cues and diminished subtleties of voices impacted by telecommunications equipment.  FaceTime and Skype bring real-time images,  but the out-of-sequence movements are less than ideal.  There is no remedy for the missing personal vibe.  Communications experts recommend that we accept these limitation and maximize the advantages.  The secret to running  a successful conference call meeting is to KISS Keep It Simple and Serious–all business and limited small talk.

Step 1 is to schedule the call, send the dial in and access codes to participants and attach the meeting agenda.  Step 2 is to send a reminder notice 24 hours ahead of the call time and to remind participants to have available the agenda and any additional hand-outs you’ve attached.

Step 3 is to be punctual.  The convener should have the call live 5-7 minutes ahead of time and those who dial in should call in by phone or set up their computer 3-5 minutes ahead of the scheduled time.

As callers sign on, signaled by the chime,  the convener will greet callers and ask each to identify themselves and thank them for joining the call.  As new callers arrive,  review who is already on the call.  Make introductions of name, title,  role and reason for being invited to the call as needed, so that everyone is fully apprised of who has what purpose and who might answer which questions.

As noted above, jokes and banter tend to fall flat in telephone or video meetings.  Just matter-of-factly get down to business. Convey information;  ask questions;  settle on next steps and the timetable. Everyone will appreciate that you’ve done so.

Because verbal skills are all that is available in conference calls (and to a lesser extent,  verbal prevails in video calls as well),  communications experts stress that the convener must speak clearly,  loudly enough to be heard and with authority.  Think newscaster.  It’s also recommended that those who speak should be able to hold the floor a little longer than perhaps would be done in a face-to-face meeting.  Also, wait two seconds after the last person has finished speaking before you start to speak.  Simultaneous speaking goes over even less well in a conference call.

Step 4 is that the convener must control the pace of the meeting,  whether all or some of the participants have dialed in.  Pay attention and focus on what the callers say.  Step 5 is to take notes and repeat important points as you go along.  At  the call’s conclusion, thank participants once again for their participation.  Step 6 is to recap key decisions, actions and timetables and adjourn the meeting.  Send around the meeting notes within five days

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Meeting Maestro

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The ability to run a good meeting is widely regarded as a hallmark of a competent leader.  Meetings are important forums for communication and the development of goals and strategies that will move an organization forward.  When designed and conducted correctly, they promote understanding, cooperation and bonding and lay the groundwork for productive and satisfying teamwork.  Yet unfortunately, many meetings are useless time-wasters that result less in action and more in frustration.

I facilitate meetings for a living (mostly strategy planning, at for-profit and not-for-profit organizations) and I think the reason I’ve chosen this path is because I’ve been forced to attend so many meetings that have been a complete insult, such a huge waste of time that years later, the bad memories continue to haunt me.

Respectfully, I offer readers suggestions on how to run a meeting that will make you look good, from pre-meeting preparation, to your opening remarks and the conclusion.

I.      Create an agenda

People want to know what to expect and understand why they’ve been asked to attend.

II.     Invite stakeholders only

People want to feel that their presence at the meeting is crucial to the development of a resolution.  Be selective in who you include; most meetings should not be open forums.  Invite those who care about the outcome of the subject under discussion and are willing and able to contribute to its resolution.

III.    Arrange a convenient date, place and time

Send an email and propose two or three possible meeting dates and times.  If there are any on your invite list who must be in attendance, clear the dates with them first, then invite a wider circle.

IV.     Send a meeting reminder, attach the agenda and hand-outs

Two or three days before the meeting, send out a reminder and attach the agenda and meeting hand-outs.

V.      Confirm the meeting room and A/V equipment

It is advisable to first check the availability of the preferred meeting location and once specifics are confirmed, quickly reserve the room and audiovisual equipment that you will use (sreen, microphone, podium, LCD for Power Point, etc.). Just before you send out your meeting reminder, confirm that what you’ll need will be in the room.

VI.     Verify that A/V equipment works

Audiovisual equipment loves to malfunction.  Do a test run and de-bug the system if necessary.  Your mission is to make the transition from participant arrival to the meeting’s start seamless.

VII.    Bring hard copies of the agenda and hand-outs

Precious few people will print out the meeting materials and bring them along.

VIII.   Start on time

Be respectful of participant’s time.  Starting 5 minutes late is OK, start sooner if all have arrived.

IX.     Welcome and purpose statement

Thank everyone for making the time to attend and then state what the meeting will help to achieve.  Keep the purpose statement simple, ideally something that can be stated in two or three sentences, tops.

X.      Encourage participation

Bringing out good ideas is what meetings are all about: capitalizing on the creativity, resourcefulness and ingenuity that group synergy can produce.

XI.     De-fuse agitators and hijackers

Meeting hogs are to be discouraged. There may be someone in the room (alas, perhaps an ally) who is genius at pulling the meeting off-agenda and dragging it into the weeds on subjects that may be worthwhile, but would be best discussed in another venue.  Should such a statement be made, thank the person for bringing it up, since it’s probably related to the topic, but simply state that time must be devoted to the agenda and other off-shoots will benefit from discussion at another time and forum.

XII.   Sum up and end on time

Whenever possible, end the meeting on time and early is even better.  Most of all, achieve the meeting objectives.  Review and confirm all action items and individual or team responsibilities.  Within a week, send the meeting minutes to all who attended (and maybe a higher-up who should be kept in the loop), taking care to put all agreements and time tables in writing.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

 

 

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Stepping Up Your Game: Office Space

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Working space matters.  We spend many hours at work and the place where we do our job can impact the quantity and quality of the work produced therein.  Freelancers often brag about our ability to work from home,  or the coffee shop,  library,  vacation house,  or wherever,  but these environments may bring many distractions that have the potential to de-rail concentration or creativity.  Furthermore,  none are a suitable location into which an A-list prospective client can be invited for a serious meeting.

If you find that you need an office outside of your home,  perhaps it’s because you’ve hired others to work with you and a home office is no longer practical and appropriate?  Your office,  regardless of the configuration that you can afford,  is an extension of your brand.  It must represent you well.

If your goal is to attract bigger budget clients,  then you must demonstrate in many ways that your operation is capable of delivering more complex products or services.  You must instill confidence in those who you ask to hire you. That will almost certainly entail contracting for good office space.  At last,  it’s time to move out of the house.

Co-working space

This is often the first place that Freelancers and entrepreneurs consider when it’s time to move from a home to a formal office.  Think of co-working as moving in with roommates.  Lay-outs vary,  but you’ll have dedicated work space that will feature a greater or lesser degree of privacy.

Besides your discrete work area,  all other spaces are common and amenities are shared. You’ll gain the use of resources such as a photocopy machine,  scanner,  conference room with basic audiovisual equipment like LCD for Power Point presentations and a screen.  There will probably be a kitchen,  or at least a coffee and tea maker, microwave and a refrigerator.

Many co-working spaces are exclusive to a particular industry (tech, usually).  They’re designed to encourage networking and referral building,  because they are populated by small operators who tend to outsource functions such as website building,  graphic arts,  accounting,  HR,  or bookkeeping, for example.

But like living with roommates,  privacy can be a challenge because so much is out in the open,  including perhaps the desk space.  Book the conference room for important meetings.  Or maybe confidential meetings could be held in a local coffee shop, ironically,  where anonymity could work in your favor.

Shared prestige

Some co-working spaces are in luxury commercial buildings that have lost a big client and the owners make up the lost revenue by renting out to those who seek the prestige of a great office,  but only for a fixed amount of time each month,  when they need to impress a client or prospect.  An office share is probably a more accurate term.

Typically,  there is a receptionist who calls when an appointment arrives and you come out to the desk and greet your VIP,  pretending that you can afford an elegant office on a full-time basis.  You’ll most likely have the use of a lovely conference room or maybe two.  You will have a proper office with a door that closes,  giving privacy.  You’ll have a great kitchen,  high-end photocopy machine and other standard office amenities,  too.  The receptionist may also answer your office land line and then forward calls to you,  which you can return at your convenience.  If it’s set up correctly,  no one will know that you’re in a share.

Private office

An office suite,  even a small space,  is a big financial commitment; commercial leases are often three years and difficult to break.  You must have a good handle on your projected revenues.

Think carefully about your staffing needs to determine the square feet that you’ll rent.  Do you anticipate hiring an administrative assistant and others to work with you in some capacity? There must be space to accommodate these workers,  even if they are not in-house 52 weeks/year.  Whether or not they are likely to all be in the office simultaneously is another consideration.

The types of work stations that different workers will require is another important consideration (as are the computer software programs they’ll need to do their jobs).  The size of the desks and the type of chairs matters,  as well. Ergonomics count,  as its use decreases the risk of developing back and neck aches and promotes productivity.

Finally,  there is the issue of the floor plan.  Open plans are popular,  but the office cubby gives more privacy.  Will you,  the boss,  have a private office,  or will the open plan work for you as well,  communicating that you are a team player?  Will you need a conference room?  Speaking with an office planning specialist could be money well spent.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

 

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2015 Year-End Tax Planning Thoughts

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It’s mid-November and time for Freelancers to think about how much money we will hand over to the tax man this year. Tax planning is usually at top of mind as the year ends, but be advised that obsessing over taxes is not always useful. New York City CPA and small business tax specialist Michael Hanley recommends that you take a breath and consider the impact that aggressive tax strategies would have on your financial circumstances.

Hanley cautions small business owners and Freelancers against inflated spending on business expenses just to give themselves a lower tax bill, because tax deductions are not a dollar-for-dollar benefit. Every dollar written off as a deduction yields on average only 30 cents in tax savings (depending on your tax bracket and legal structure of the business). If you have a big-ticket item to buy and you anticipate that this year’s income and next year’s will be about the same, then buy when you can get the best price on the item, be it in this year or next. Your savings could be worth more than the tax deduction.

Hanley also addresses the apparently common tactic of zeroing out one’s business bank account by December 31. Paying for business expenses, adding to your retirement account, or purchasing business equipment or supplies will likely make the zero balance bank account tactic work. Paying yourself a bonus, taking a shareholder distribution if your business is a corporate entity, paying down your credit line at the bank, or paying off business credit cards will not give you legitimate tax deductions.

Professional development education is tax-deductible, so if you’re holding money and there is a potentially useful workshop or symposium offered late in the year, do register and attend. You might also consider throwing a Christmas party for clients, prospective clients, referral sources and selected business colleagues (meaning, no one who might steal a client!). Your Christmas party could turn out to be a networking bonanza that creates billable hours for you in the coming year (and beyond).

Clients and referral sources could come away with more business as well and that will make their relationship with you more valuable to them. If you can grab a big table or a private room in a restaurant that needn’t be fancy, but has a good reputation, then plan your party with Evite, even if a Monday night is all you can reserve.  Allow 7-14 days for the RSVP—last minute invitations can be just fine. Spontaneity has its charms, especially at this time of year.

To make sure that the social swirl and networking will be effective, invite 30 and expect 12 to show. Set out five or six finger foods and arrange for a signature cocktail. If someone asks for beer or wine, let them have it. Your party can run 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Most people will have two drinks, the restaurant will tell you how much food to set out. You will probably spend $60/pp, meaning that a table of 12 will cost less than $750.

You might also consider inviting your Linked-In connections to a party. It would be a wonderful way to introduce your colleagues to one another and billable hours could be created as a result. You may want to make this a pizza, salad, beer and wine affair, but so what? It’s a great idea, regardless. If you have 100 connections, plan on 25 showing up.

If it’s too late to host a party this year, the cards and stamps used for the December greetings that you’ll send to clients and referral sources are tax-deductible. If you act now,  there will be time to order specially printed cards for your business (you will still add a personal message).

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Dr. Freud and the Interpretation of Your Vacation

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Happy summer! Finally, that sweet season is here. Outdoor activities, gardens in full bloom, warm breezes, early sunrise and late sunset are ours to enjoy. But projects often conclude in June and July – August billable hours shrink. What’s a Freelancer to do? Reviewing your client list and thinking about how to create business in the fourth quarter is always useful. Another option is to take a vacation, If you can afford it.

I’ve vacationed in every season and personally, I prefer winter get-aways that allow me to visit warm climates and escape  frigid, snowy New England for a week or two. Winter vacations are expensive though, in terms of time and money and they take business owners and Freelancers out of town when clients are in town. Might we lose business as a result?

Skiers are able to take long weekends to nearby locations, but those in search of warm weather must travel much farther and commit a much larger block of time and money. If you’re able, then do so, but many of the self-employed are better served by taking a vacation when clients are likely to be away as well.

Vacations are good for us. We need to get away from our usual workaday routines and refresh our spirits and revitalize our perspectives. Both psychologists and productivity experts espouse the benefits of getting away from it all and short vacations sprinkled throughout the year have been demonstrated to produce greater stress reductions and both creativity and productivity benefits than a single two week vacation. Besides, a serendipitous networking opportunity could fall into your lap while on vacation, or you could possibly come up with a brilliant solution to a problem, once you’ve begun to relax and unwind.

Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis and the father of psychotherapy, was a devotee of the summer vacation. The project of planning his family’s annual summer vacation was a favorite project that he called the “Sommerproblem”. Vacations brought tangible benefits to Dr. Freud.

In July 1895, while summering at Schloss Bellevue, a hotel and spa located in an outer district of Vienna, Freud had the dream that gave rise to his ground-breaking theory that dreams are wish fulfillment. His book On the Interpretation of Dreams was published in 1899 and it is still in print.

In his only visit to the US, in August 1909, Freud combined business with pleasure when he came to Clark University in Worcester, MA to deliver five lectures on psychoanalysis and receive an honorary degree. On his visit, Freud met James Jackson Putnam, professor of neurology at Harvard University and a leader of the movement to professionalize psychotherapy in the US. Putnam invited Freud and two other well-known psychoanalysts who traveled to America with him — Carl Jung, who also lectured and received an honorary degree from Clark and Sandor Ferenczi — to spend a few days at the Putnam family camp in the Adirondacks and visit Niagara Falls.

Several days of hiking and feasting led Freud to later write of “the most important personal relationship which arose from the meeting at Worcester”. Putnam gave credibility to Freud’s theories about psychoanalysis and promoted its use (NY Times August 29,2009). His reputation soared and his practice was set from then on.

On your next vacation, it is unlikely that you will be inspired to author a book that becomes an international best-seller, connect with an influential thought-leader who helps to solidify your professional reputation, or encounter a venture capitalist who provides the funding that takes your fledgling business to the next level. You could find your next client, however, or maybe someone who tells you about an unexpected market for your services. If you plan well and don’t try to overdo, you will relax and feel better, whether you visit a new location or return to a perennial favorite. Whatever you do, have a wonderful time!

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Freelancer Fails You Must Avoid

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Life is a gamble and there are no guarantees. Making one’s living as a Freelance consultant adds an extra measure of unpredictability. Do whatever you can to control that which you can control and lay the groundwork for success in your consultancy.  As they say, don’t shoot yourself in the foot. You will see that most of what you must do right hinges on communication, in one form or another. Here are a few unfortunate practices that will bring down even the most professionally knowledgeable and well-connected consultant:

The service does not make sense

Or, it is poorly communicated and prospective clients don’t understand the service or how to make use of it. The ability to describe one’s services, help a prospective client picture how and when it might be useful to their organization and in the process persuade the prospect that the service is valuable and the Freelancer has the skill to deliver it is how business is created. Finding your sweet spot, defining your value proposition and communicating it well, are vital.

Sometimes, clients don’t know what they need, but they know that they need help. A serendipitous meeting with such an individual could mean a contract for you and perhaps the start of an ongoing business relationship. It is hugely important to be able to effectively communicate to prospects what you do, the problems you can solve or help them avoid and goals you can help them achieve. Doing this well makes you look like an expert who can be trusted. If the money and motive are there, you will be hired.

Poor follow-up or follow-through

Whether one is a Freelancer or traditionally employed, being reliable is a must. if you promise the client that something will be completed by a given date, then do that. Answer calls and emails ASAP, ideally on the same day and most certainly within 24 hours. Even if the client has not asked a question, anticipate what information will reinforce their confidence in and confirm that you are in control and meeting expectations by checking-in and giving periodic updates. Timely communication is reassuring.

Inadequate business development

Freelance consultants are always looking for the next assignment and that may mean helping a current or past client to create that assignment. During your project work, look for additional services you might provide, while their checkbook is open. Take a past client out for coffee and see if you can get back in there, weaving in your objective as you talk about how they’re doing.

Too shy to ask for referrals

Every business needs referrals and word-of-mouth endorsements from a source perceived as trustworthy are the best. The process of obtaining a referral starts with you providing excellent service that exceeds client expectations. Timing is also a factor. Asking for a referral while on the job and definitely not while you’re presenting the final invoice, is the preferred strategy.

Making a referral for the client, either while you’re on assignment or after the fact, will make you golden and increase the chances that the favor will be repaid, if the client knows a colleague who may need your services. Knowledge of the client’s business relationships can help you to tease out a referral. If you know that the client is active in a particular business or professional association and there is a prospect in the group that you would like to meet and try to work with, tell the client that you would appreciate an introduction.

Poor billing practices

If you want to get paid, you must invoice. On some projects, it’s wise to tell the client when you will invoice. If you do so, follow the agreed-upon schedule. Late invoices annoy clients and adversely impact your cash flow and financial management as well. Always describe or itemize the services delivered in your invoice. Specify how the check should be made out, include the tax identification number,  the invoice due date and the address to which the check should be sent.

Inadequate client relationship management

Freelancers need repeat business and that means nurturing relationships is a priority. Do what can be reasonably done to keep communicating with past clients.  Definitely, send December holiday cards to all those with whom you’ve worked in the past 5 years. If you encounter an article that you suspect will be of interest to a former or current client, send an email with the link, along with a friendly message. If a past client is speaking somewhere and you can afford the time and money to attend, do so. Take notes, so that you can ask a question that will make your client look good. Attention spans are short, so it is necessary to stay on the client’s radar screen if you expect to be hired again.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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2Q Pep Talk and Organizing Primer

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Hello there, Freelancer and welcome to second quarter 2015. As a precaution against slowly sliding off-course, let’s take a look at some Freelance consultant basics that will keep stress at bay and you in the mood to work hard and smart to achieve your goals of business success, as you define it. Free or low-cost technology can help.

Budget your income

Poor financial management = sleepless nights and stress.  Your paychecks are irregular and taxes are not withheld.  Check stubs and business expense receipts can be misplaced, making it difficult to track accounts receivable and payable.  How you keep track of your revenue/ income is your choice, but keep track of it you must,  along with deductible business expenses. An Excel spreadsheet is your level one financial management tool.  Whenever you receive a revenue check, get into the habit of recording the payer, amount and date.  Save the check stub as well and keep them all together in a place that you’ll remember. Record also your accounts payable business expenses and save the receipts alongside the revenue checks.

If you are in the mood to pay, Intuit has two choices for you.  QuickBooks is the gold standard of bookkeeping and basic financial management for business ventures large and small. QuickBooks will produce income statements and balance sheets monthly, quarterly and annually and make sure that you know where you stand financially.  For about $10/month,  through a basic QuickBooks app on your smart phone or tablet, you’ll be able to download transactions from your bank account and credit cards; separate your business and personal spending; track all of your IRS Schedule C Profit & Loss From a Business variable expenses; calculate and pay estimated quarterly taxes; do it all with the same security encryption as your bank.

Intuit’s Mint will pull together all of your financial transactions and arrange in colorful and easy-to-decipher graphics that depict your financial picture. Get started for free and add your accounts. Mint will analyze all of your financial transactions: checking and savings account activity, credit and debit card activity, investments like brokerage and retirement accounts, and IRA rollover offers and will make recommendations as to how you can pay less, save more and earn more.

Mint will essentially do your budgeting for you, by calculating your average spending by category so that you can create a budget based on an accurate assessment of your spending patterns.  This is the way to create and achieve your savings goals, whether for retirement, for a home, or vacation.

Manage your time

Recognize and respect priorities and refuse to allow the time-suckers to take over your life.  Time is totally money for Freelance consultants and we bill by the hour, or on a project basis. Do whatever you can to devise and approach your to-do list with good time management in mind. At the very least, keep a written calendar in which you can see a monthly view of your appointments (it is superior to a weekly view). Record your obligations and the due dates, so that deadlines will be met. On your smart phone, make use of the Notes app, so you can easily jot down important dates or deliverables.

Evernote is a very handy technology tool that works on your desktop or laptop, tablet or smart phone and costs between zero and $10/month. When you’re working on a project, your notes can even be transformed into a screen-friendly graphic lay-out that works for a client meeting. Access attachments, including PDFs, all your notes and images, too. The details of your project will be easily available and readily organized. You will look so professional and in-charge!

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Staying Alive: Business Management Technology That Works

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Business ventures new and old can fail for many reasons and small businesses are especially vulnerable to all manner of threats.  Even outrageous good fortune can kill a business,  when customer demand far outpaces the ability to effectively fulfill the demand. Fortunately, some challenges can be overcome through sound business practices that are aided by technology hardware or software that are not terribly costly.  Here are areas where technology can help Freelancers and small business owners get arms around common business stumbling blocks. There are also sales forecasting and business analysis tools available, typically by contract through a business services company. Are you ready to trade-up from your Excel spreadsheet?

1.  Operational efficiencies Efforts to deliver core products or services can fall short in under-staffed, under-capitalized organizations, especially when the CEO is inexperienced and overwhelmed.  Orders can be incomplete, late or lost altogether.  Payments to suppliers or sub-contractors could be late.  Invoices may not be sent at the agreed-upon time and as a result cash flow will be diminished,  which leads to all manner of problems, including the inability to make payroll, purchase inventory and other vital supplies, or meet work space rent or utilities payments.  There can be quality control issues with the products and services.  Customer service can be tone-deaf or unresponsive.  Employee skills and time may be inappropriately utilized, resulting in burn-out or wasted time.  Fear not, for there are readily available and typically affordable solutions.  Billing software can generate professional looking invoices quickly and accurately as well as manage common bookkeeping functions easily. Other business management tools can help the CEO to analyze key performance indicators that identify seasonal peaks and valleys that can be used to plan staffing needs, inventory and supplies purchases, or other necessities to meet increased or decreased demand.

2.  Mobile workforce Mobility is a must in today’s business world.  Not having access to client information while you’re on the road, perhaps while meeting with the client, is inexcusable and makes it impossible to uphold the quality of your brand. Invest in a tablet computer or  notebook computer that along with your smart phone will be loaded with apps and software that allow you to demonstrate that you are able to service client needs and answer questions wherever and whenever.  Mobile friendly business management tools allow you and your team to be equally effective in or out of the office.  Also, make sure that your website is converted to a responsive design format, so that it can be easily viewed from a smart phone or tablet.

3.  Manage growth Growth is always the goal, but it’s sometimes like drinking from the fire hose for a Freelancer or small business owner.  Serendipitous growth sounds like the answer to our prayers,  when the orders just fall into our laps,  but the concomitant follow-through can trip us up and burn us out as it rolls through like a tsunami.  Resource utilization— time, talent, staffing, money— all change as the business grows. The best growth is planned, which allows for budgeting and incorporation of the right technological tools, staffing, product or service delivery systems, quality control measures and customer service procedures that make us look like a pro and live up to the brand promise.

If you choose a business management platform that will allow you to perform forecasting and analysis,  be careful of the organization that you choose to work with.  Avoid long-term contracts and look for flexibility that allows you to get into and out of management platforms relatively quickly and inexpensively.

Thanks for reading,

Kim