CAPEBUSINESSMAG.COM
2018 - Vol. 1
Cape Coral Landmark is a Family Tradition
Zak’s Jewelry is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Cape Coral’s first jewelry store continues to convey a friendly, hometown ambiance, offering retail sales, custom design and services including repairs and appraisals. “People come in and tell me stories about my grandfather,” says Alison Polo, a thirdgeneration Zak’s proprietor. “He still lives through the memories of the community.” Contact our Economic Development team to find your business’s best location in one of the fastest-growing cities. 1314 Cape Coral Parkway East, Cape Coral, FL 33904 • zaksjewelry.com
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Cape Coral Economic Development Office +1 (239) 574-0444 ecodev@capecoral.net bizcapecoral.com
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CONTENTS
Marketing
What’s in a Name?
A powerful name creates brand identity and a foundation for success Exit Strategy
Don’t Lock The Door
The Value Of Cash Flow In Your Business Finance
Tax Reform Moves to Next Stage
Release of reform framework bring tax debate to the forefront Insurance
Commercial Automobile Insurance Protect Your Company Fleet with Comprehensive Management
Planning for Capital Needs Entrepreneur 101
Who are you listening to? Non-Profit Sector
How to Plan a Profitable Fundraising Event Relationships
Play Well With Co-Workers Legal
Who Needs a Lawyer 2 (TOO)? Accounting
Best of Both Worlds
Put Your QuickBooks for Windows Desktop in the Cloud Technology
What should you expect from your IT Professional
Publishers Note
We’re thrilled to be able to get the next issue of Cape Business Magazine back on the streets. We had planned to put our 2nd issue of the magazine out last September, then we had this little weather event called Irma hit us and at that point we decided to put the magazine on temporary hold until 2018. We have made a few changes to the look and feel of the print magazine but have kept the same great content from some of the leading local experts in their respective fields. We have had significant interest from businesses outside of Cape Coral in a magazine like this, so were are looking at possibly making this a Lee County magazine. This will give current and future advertisers far more opportunity and reach within all of Lee County. Make sure you like our FaceBook Page CAPEBUSINESSMAG and website CAPEBUSINESSMAG.COM. We update these regularly with relevant local business content. Kevin
Once
COVER
again
our
Illustrator Mark Herron knocks it out of the park with this awesome cover.
There’s even a story that goes with this.
You can read it at:
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Marketing
What’s in a Name?
Submitted by MerriBeth Farnham
A powerful name creates brand identity and a foundation for success Whether it’s a startup or existing business looking to rebrand, I feel lucky whenever I get the chance to be in on the ground floor. Why all the fuss over a name?
Picture a cool new business opening next door – the name is
great; the logo looks amazing. But what does the company do?
Does the name or logo tell anything about the company or its personality?
If I had stuck with Farnham & Associates, Inc., my corporate
name, my business could be filled with accountants rather than
creatives. I’m not asking you to file new corporate paperwork— but isn’t it worth considering whether your business name is the right fit? Get a small brainstorming group together and be creative:
• What is your mission and message?
•What makes your product(s) or service(s) unique?
• What do you want people to think and
Other considerations: • Avoid names that are confusing, hard to spell, or that might
give the wrong impression (i.e. 'boredpanda' points to an IT
company called IT Scrap. Their website was: Itscrap.com.)
• .com is still the main go-to, so make that your first choice.
Consider .org or .net if you’re a nonprofit or as secondary domains if you think people will search for you this way.
• Buy domain names that are common alternatives for your business (i.e. Coca-Cola also goes by coke.com).
• Make sure your website is mobile friendly. One more reason
In each issue of Cape Coral
Business Magazine, the HD PR
Group team will offer our take on three areas of business and offer
suggestions to give your company a creative business boost.
feel about the name?
• Who, exactly, are you targeting and what would they find
for a short name: people are hunting and
pecking on phones rather than typing on
computers during many searches.
One of the easiest sites to use to check domain
name availability: GoDaddy.com.
Taglines Help Drive a Point Home
What if your company name is a family business that needs to
appealing?
be upheld? There are still ways to drive home what you do—
Keep in mind:
company by pointing out what makes your firm unique.
even with a generic name. Taglines help to differentiate your
• The name should be simple and clear, avoiding hyphens and special symbols • Easy to pronounce and remember
• Give a hint about what the business does
• Be different from the competition
• Be legally available
To check corporate names, or register a fictitious name under
your corporation, visit sunbiz.org. Keep Your Website Name Short
One of the best ways to make yourself easy to find online is to
have a short, memorable website name, or URL. If you can’t
match your company name, perhaps it can be a shortened version that still captures the idea.
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If you own Hudson & Sons, think about a phrase that captures
who you are in just a few words. Brainstorm adjectives
describing what you do best. Stick with words that people know – think pharmacy, not apothecary.
The tagline for FedEx is “The World on Time.” This tells me
punctuality is a priority and each package means ‘the world’ to
its recipients. Strong slogans answer the question “what’s in it
for me?”
You are likely to have to live with your company name, website
domain and tagline for years to come. Isn’t it worth some extra
planning up front?
MerriBeth Farnham brings 26-plus years of public relations and marketing expertise through HD PR Group, based in Cape Coral.
Exit Strategy
Don’t Lock The Door
Submitted by Michael Monnot
The Value Of Cash Flow In Your Business
We see this way more often than we should. A business owner,
for any one of a myriad of reasons, decides that the time has come to step away from their role as the owner of their business.
Perhaps they’ve decided it’s time to retire. Maybe they were
hoping to pass the business on to children who have decided to follow another path, perhaps they are in the midst of a personal/family emergency that will require too much of their
time and energy to keep the business afloat. The solution they come up with when it comes to their business? Sell some
physical assets, lock the doors and walk away.
This is a massive and very costly mistake, and here’s why -
existing businesses are worth far more than just the value of the
tangible assets because an existing business has cash flow. Cash flow has it’s own value and is a highly sought-after commodity,
day one instead of a risk-filled empty space, and you get a financial return on all you have invested in your business.
If you don’t really have a plan for your exit as the owner of your
business, it might be a good idea to talk to a business broker
about what options you may have, what kind of timetable you are considering and for what amount businesses like yours have recently sold. Asking questions now will give you the
information you need to make the smart choice - the choice to sell your business when the time is right.
Michael Monnot •941.518.7138 Mike@infinitybusinessbrokers.com 12995 South Cleveland Avenue, Suite 249 Fort Myers, FL 33907 http://www.infinitybusinessbrokers.com
especially if your business is in a healthy market and has the potential for growth.
Ok, so cash flow has value - but who would want to buy my
business?
Desktop in the Cloud
Lots of people would; budding entrepreneurs who want a safer
bet than starting from scratch, veteran business owners who
want a change of pace and are looking for businesses with room
to grow, foreign investors who are looking to move to the United
States by buying a business - just to name a few.
Think of it this way - someone who wants to own their own business has two options. They can make a very risky and very
large monetary investment in an unproven location, with an unproven business model and unproven products and services
- or they can buy a business who has already overcome those initial hurdles. A buyer knows your location, business model,
products and services work because your doors are open and
your books show growth. They get an operating business from
At work, at home, or on-the-go, stay connected with your business! Our cloud-hosted version of QuickBooks Desktop is compatible with multiple devices so you can collaborate with multiple users. Works with Apple, Windows, and Android devices.
Contact us today!
239.443.5179 info@bookkeepersplus.us
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Finance
Protecting Yourself From Tax Identity Fraud
Tax identity fraud commonly refers to the practice of using a stolen Social Security number to file a false tax return and claim a fraudulent refund. This scam costs taxpayers billions of dollars per year and can ruin its victims’ finances and credit rating. This month’s Wealth Management Insights looks at what you can do to protect yourself from this kind of fraud. What you should know: 1. Protecting physical documentation is essential. • Monitor your bank and credit card statements. If you don’t regularly reconcile each purchase, at least make sure the merchants listed on each statement are ones you have visited. • Safeguard your Social Security card, all tax documents and all bank and credit card receipts. File what you need and shred what you don’t. • Update your employer, financial institutions and the Internal Revenue Service each time you move. Having tax documents mailed to an old address opens the door to tax identity theft.
by Rebecca Ross
2. Consider what information you’re making available online. • Any information you enter – like usernames and passwords – on public Wi-Fi can be easily intercepted. Don’t reuse passwords and save sensitive financial transactions like electronic banking or tax return filing for when you’re on a secure, private connection. • While you once could identify email scams from spelling and other language errors, criminals have become more sophisticated over time. If you’re unsure of the validity of a request or are being pressured to act immediately, contact the institution offline. • Safeguard your Social Security number. If con artists can link up a name with a Social Security number, they have enough information to file a fraudulent tax return. Remember, most legitimate financial institutions will not ask for your Social Security number online or over the phone. 3. Know when you’re being scammed. • Be wary of anyone contacting you over the phone or by email claiming to be from the IRS. The IRS will never initiate contact with you via telephone or email – only by letter. • If the IRS receives two electronic returns for the same Social Security number, it will reject the second one. Filing your return promptly can thwart would-be thieves. • If the IRS notifies you of a second return filed on your behalf or a discrepancy in your earned wages, it can pay to respond quickly. Contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit and the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) regarding potential fraudulent activity. What you should do now: While the potential for tax identity fraud can never be eliminated, following a few commonsense guidelines can dramatically reduce your likelihood of becoming a victim. Your Baird Financial Advisor has additional insight into how you can keep your finances and identity safe in an increasingly online world.
(239) 673-9041 | www.cheetah-printing.com 804 Nicholas Parkway E, Ste 5 Cape Coral, Florida 33990
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Article provided by Rebecca Ross, Vice President and Financial Advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co., member SIPC. She has 32 years of financial services industry experience, and can be reached at 239-541-9090 or rross@rwbaird.com.
Submitted by Frank V Bonsignore
Insurance
Protect Your Company Fleet with Comprehensive Commercial Automobile Insurance
With the rapid rise in prices for just about everything, the cost of doing business – any type of business – is becoming extremely expensive. And while this is not news to anyone who has been paying attention to the headlines on the financial pages for the past couple of years, the sad fact is that the economy is not where anyone would like it to make money and achieve success. In these troubled economic times, it can be especially tempting for a small business (or even just a business) owner to look for all possible ways of cutting financial corners, in order to secure and stabilize their bottom lines. And usually, after many of the easy things that can be cut are done away with, one of the first things to go is insurance. Why pay for insurance in case something goes wrong, if your company might not even be there down the road? But it is vitally important that you do not succumb to this line of thinking. Especially with the insurance on your company’s fleet of automobiles and vehicles, you need a comprehensive insurance policy in place in order to protect your ultimate financial interests in the matter.
Personal Injury Protection Many commercial auto insurance policies will also cover the injuries of you or your employees up to a certain point, depending on the level of coverage you include in the policy. Note, too, that with comprehensive commercial automobile insurance coverage, you will be protecting your entire fleet of vehicles, and you can also likely get a break on other forms of commercial insurance if you bundle all of your plans into one policy through a single insurance provider. But, do your research and find the best commercial auto insurance coverage policy that is right for you and your business.
There is much, much more to a Commercial Auto Insurance Policy in Florida, and the best way to understand how it will protect your business is to Request a Quote to discuss your unique situation.
Frank V Bonsignore is the Agency Owner & Your Agent at FLB Insurance Agency 1716 Cape Coral Pkwy East 239-205-1500
Bodily Injury Liability Protection Commercial automobile insurance can protect you from a variety of different claims, but the most important one is bodily injury resulting from an accident that you or any of your employees are involved in while driving a company vehicle on company business. Bodily injury protection covers the medical costs that are incurred by other parties that are involved in an accident with either you or one of your employees, up to the limits of your policy. Collision Coverage Most commercial automobile insurance policies will also cover the damages inflicted to your vehicle or vehicles during an accident, leaving you to pay whatever deductible you set for your policy. Remember, the lower your deductible, the higher your monthly premium will be. In this way, commercial auto insurance is not all that different from individual auto insurance, except that a commercial policy will cover a fleet of vehicles and all of your employees under one policy. Damages for Property Liability Commercial auto insurance policies will also cover claims for damages that are incurred to personal property during an accident with you or one of your employees in a company vehicle. The rate to which the policy will pay is predetermined amount.
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Management
Planning for Capital Needs
By Mike “Q� Quaintance
I sat down with a business that was creating a business plan for
4. List data monthly for the first year of operation and annually
a large expansion project with external funding needed. In
for the remaining two years. Five years of data used to be typical
short, we are creating a story to sell bankers or investors to get
in planning, but five years is a rather large time frame, which is
them to invest in the project. Typically, the planning process includes business forecasting spanning three-years and out using pro-forma financial statements (income statement, balance sheet, cash flow and budget statements.) Since the business already exists, we chose to utilize both historical and industry data in creating our financial assumptions. Sounds easy, right? Below are a few tips that will support the process of business planning and ultimately garner the interest of bankers or investors.
5. Keep financial information simple.
Use a planning
philosophy that reflects the most-likely scenario and a breakeven scenario. The most-likely scenario reflects reasonable expectations, while the break-even scenario reflects the level of sales required to break-even. 6. Check and double check to make sure the numbers you are using for planning are accurate in order to appear credible to bankers and investors.
7. Make sure that your personal finances can support the
business plan. Sometimes entrepreneurs forget to include
salaries or do not anticipate the proper length of time that living
1. Develop realistic sales projections. Sometimes entrepreneurs are too optimistic, projecting hard-to-believe sales to a banker, venture capitalists or family members. To support the sales projections, use both historical data and industry data to reflect realistic expectations. 2. Construct projections from distinct suppositions about marketing and pricing plans. In other words, explain how marketing is going to generate that 20% or 30% increase in overall sales you are espousing. 3. Use realistic profit margins. You can rely on historical margins, which the business has generated, but they should reflect industry average or provide some evidence why they differ from those averages.
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subject to economic volatility.
See more Articles at
expenses will have to be sustained. Inadequate planning in this step can cause entrepreneurs to deviate from the business plan,
thus effecting business performance. Most businesses require a
three-to-five year period in order to attain a break-even threshold where operations can support owner salaries.
When I was the president of the Chamber, I often asked the Chamber staff to under-promise and over-perform when interacting with members and sponsors. When assembling a start-up or expansion business plan, the same philosophy is appropriate. You want to utilize specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound efforts in order to provide the financial outcomes you are projecting to those bankers and investors who took a risk on your business idea. If you would like to discuss this further, please feel free to email me at mquaintance@kesieruniversity.edu or call me at Keiser University, Fort Myers (239) 277-1336.
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Entrepreneur 101
Who are you listening to?
By Jim Griffiths
Friends encourage us to take routes of little or no risk. If they advise to play it safe and we do, we’ll never know what could have been. There’s no harm done, and they’re safe. If they suggest to play it safe, and you act against their advice, and you crash, they’re still safe. On the flip-side, if they advise you to take a chance and things don’t work out, they could be to blame and the friendship may be on the line. Either way, they are safe if they advise you to avoid risk. It’s different with strangers, there’s no personal risk involved. If you make up your own mind against a friend’s advice, and become a success, they’ll look bad because they didn’t have the ambition to do what you did. That can cause a wall in the friendship. The key to taking advice is qualifying who to take it from. Are they qualified to give you that advice? Is your adviser teaching theory or have they lived it? People only know what they’ve experienced, and unless your friends are going to cover your bills and responsibilities, do your own homework and make your own decisions. This is common when someone gets involved with a multi-level marketing business. While most are legal, moral, and seen as opportunities, our friends have most likely heard of someone's nightmare story, and they think they’re doing you a favor by trying to talk you out of it. When friends find out we’ve joined what they think may be a cult, the advice starts coming in. What they’re usually saying, without realizing it, is “If you chase your dreams and catch them, I’ll look bad because I’m afraid to chase mine. I’m afraid of rejection, I don’t have a lot of confidence in myself, and I’m afraid my friends will laugh at me, or I’d join you.” An important factor is not to think less of your friends if they offer safe advice that holds you back. They don’t know any better. As we merge into a world of friends being a link we click on as opposed to someone we can talk to and trust, people are losing the knowledge of how to be a friend. If they knew how to offer advice, they would. There’s always a “why” when it comes to listening to others. Consider who you’re listening to, and why. CAPE BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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Non-Profit Sector
How to Plan a Profitable Fundraising Event
The key to a great fundraising event is having a plan and timeline. One that will guarantee a solid return on investment. Fundraising events take a lot of time and energy. They are the backbone for many nonprofits to raise funds to support their charitable mission.
The best fundraising event plan is all about return on investment. That’s the only reason you do events – to make money. If you want public relations and community visibility, there are other less painful ways to generate good press. Here is your path to a sane, efficient PROFITABLE event: a timeline that lays out what needs to happen in order for it to all come together and make the most money possible. Your Leadership Who’s in charge of the event? What is the staff ’s role and what is the role of your volunteers? Be sure you are absolutely clear on who has what responsibility. Especially clear up who has what decision making authority – that will prevent conflict and hurt feelings down the road. Nothing upsets a hard-working volunteer more than making a decision and then having it reversed by someone else. I know – it has happened to me. Your Volunteer Committee I am all for a huge volunteer committee. Why? Because they:
• Bring their friends to the event. Your committee gives you reach into your community. • Help bring in sponsors. Your committee’s connections open the door to many more sponsorship opportunities. •Give your event credibility and social status. Their names say whether the event will be full of fun and excitement. My tips: Have a big committee of folks who are well-known and well connected. (Well-liked helps, too!) Bring in committee members of different ages, social and professional networks, regions of your community. Don’t let your committee be a little social group – that will limit your organization’s reach via the event.
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Submitted by Michael Chatman
Your Budget Early on, you need to set important financial parameters for your event.
Your financial goal – never hold an event without a goal. It helps everyone focus. AND with the goal, it’s best to say “all proceeds from this event will go to a specific program.” For example: • All proceeds from this event will underwrite our programs for hungry kids in our community. • Or will help bring meals to lonely older people. • Or will help underwrite our fall performing season. Be sure to put a limit on your event costs – invitations, postage, etc., or those may get out of control too!
Your Sponsorship Committee Getting those sponsorships is probably the most important thing you’ll do. And securing bigger sponsorships requires tons of lead time: • You’ll need to enlist your committee members; • Draw up a prospect list and sponsorship benefits; • Decide who calls on whom; • Make your calls on the prospects; • Follow up to close the “sale,” and; • Get it all done in time to get on the invitation! Your Venue, Food and Beverages Your venue can make or break your event. Don’t let it be too large! Otherwise it will feel like there is no energy! Be sure your food and beverages are ample, even if they are simple! You don’t want to be known as the party that ran out of food or wine.
Don’t forget to negotiate! You have more power than you think when securing a venue!
Bottom Line: Create a Fundraising Event Plan that will bring in the return on investment. Be sure you make tons of money with your event.
If you’d like to find out How to Create an Events Strategy with Return on Investment that enhances your entire fundraising plan, attend the Fundraising Institute, a series of training programs created by the Cape Coral Community Foundation. Michael Chatman is the president & CEO of the Cape Coral Foundation, the global center for generosity. You can follow Michael on Twitter @michaelchatman – or contact him via email: michael@capecoralcf.org
Relationships
Play Well With Co-Workers
Submitted by Robin Griffiths
I have been fortunate enough to work with a variety of people
fight to win the argument.
factory, small mom and pop stores to large corporations has
Many times, misunderstandings can be cleared up by asking
from different walks of life. Working in a donut shop, sewing
taught me about the multitude of personalities in the workplace.
This includes working overseas in a country where I didn’t speak their language. One of the best lessons learned from all these different experiences is that we each have a belief of what is
correct behavior. A co-worker in the Middle East found me rude
because I would say “Bye” rather than say “Goodbye.” Such a
small thing, but upsetting to my co-worker.
We all find people that rub us the wrong way. Sometimes these
Ask questions and make sure you understood.
questions and repeating back what was heard. Better
relationships develop, and sometimes even friendships are
formed, when you listen and ask questions.
You may find these little adjustments may help reduce the stress
of dealing with people that are difficult. You don’t want to waste energy trying to change or control someone. A better strategy is to use that energy to help yourself.
personalities don’t play well with others. And often, it’s due to a
bad attitude. You may know someone like this. They don’t understand teamwork. They want all the glory; they gossip,
spread rumors, try to make others look bad, and are many times
dishonest. What are the options when dealing with this kind of person?
Robin Griffiths has twenty plus years in multimedia and public relations. She is an expert in business and personal relationship building. She is a published author, public speaker and certified master coach. Robin lives in Southwest Florida with her husband, two rescue dogs and eclectus parrot. You can reach her on her website at www.robinannegriffiths.com
First, let’s start by looking at our own attitude. The following are a few guidelines you may want to adopt. It’s easy to do and will help you adjust how to deal with the difficult people in your life.
You are in control.
One of the best strategies is to know it’s not about you. You alone
have control of your behavior and no one else. Be cautious with your conduct. You have control of your reactions to others.
Remember, other people are projecting their reality, so don’t take
it personally. Be the role model of how you would like to be treated.
Find the right approach.
Another possibility for help is to talk with a trusted friend or
colleague if you are needing more input. Brainstorm ways to
address the situation. Or perhaps have a private discussion with
the person you feel is difficult and see if you can find common ground. When using this approach, be sure to use “I feel”
messages rather than attacking them with “you” messages. Stay
rational when confronting a difficult person. Resist the urge to
CAPE BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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Legal
Submitted by Bruce H. Vanderlaan, Attorney at Law, P.A.
Who Needs a Laywer 2 (TOO)?
I recently told you some reasons why lawyers are expensive, and gave you some examples of how I have seen clients get in trouble. Now, I’d like to give you some thoughts on how to stay out of trouble. To start, give good, hard, serious thought to whether you want to go into business with someone, and who that person is. One of the business coaches with whom i work and consult with, David Ferguson, generally recommends that his clients who are starting a business do so on their own and “outsource” the skills they don’t have to prevent these types of problems. I think we’ve all seen good friendships and even family relationships ruined by trying to do business together. While we would all like to live in a “handshake” world, the truth is we do not. Ask yourself if your potential business partner has the types of skills that can compliment yours. Are they outgoing where you are more reserved? Are they financially savvy where you are not? Are they organized? Are they a marketing wizard or a “natural” salesperson? If you are going to go into business with a partner, then you first need to decide what type of entity you are going to operate under. If you don’t form an LLC or a corporation, then you will be a partnership. Each partner can be liable for the decisions, actions, and inactions of the other partner! And, liability can pass through to each partner individually! If you decide to form a “corporate” entity—which would include Limited Liability Companies as well as C and S Corporations— then you should talk about which type, and why you are choosing that type. Each has advantages and disadvantages. If you have the next great idea and you think you will want to take the company public, then you may want to consider a C Corporation. However, there are potentially negative tax consequences to doing so. A subchapter S Corporation has “better” tax ramifications for smaller businesses (in terms of number of people involved), but there are limitations on who can be involved, how marketable the business itself is if you decide to sell, and there are still formalities
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that must be observed or you run the risk of liabilities passing through to you individually if you do not follow them. Limited Liability Companies are a relatively new corporate animal. They provide the limitation on personal liability that corporations do, but are relatively informal. The rules relating to Limited Liability Companies do not require meetings and minutes like Corporations do. They also do not have limitations on numbers of owners or the types of people or entities that can be owners. Regardless of the type of entity you choose, an agreement on how it will operate is critical. A Partnership, Operating, or Shareholder’s Agreement should define the roles of the partners/members/shareholders. For example, who will take responsibility for taxes? I talk to the Florida Department of Revenue more frequently than anyone should feel comfortable doing. Making sure that the tax liability owner is doing his or her job, and having checks and balances (no pun intended) is important for the other owners to try to limit their own exposure. Owners should try to define their roles, plus how much anyone can spend without approval, how decisions will be made, whether there will be different rules for different levels of decision making, how to bring someone—or at least their money—into the company, how to get them out, and what your end game is. Dispute resolution is something that you should consider before you even start. Having a set procedure for dealing with the inevitable disputes actually helps to prevent or quickly resolve them since there is a procedure and the disagreement is not just left to fester. My agreements include multiple levels of dispute resolution that increase with formality and effort as the problems become more serious or intractable. You can see that, like most projects, the results stemming from starting a business are much better if you do the “prep work” first, rather than just try to slap the paint on as you go. No one can anticipate every situation, but if you give the foundation of your business serious thought, chances are you will keep it strong. Bruce H. Vanderlaan, Attorney at Law, P.A. • 239-220-3326 • Bruce@BruceVanderlaan.com • 1500 Royal Palm Square Suite 101, Fort Myers, FL 33919
By Tony Solgard
Best of Both Worlds
Accounting
Put Your QuickBooks for Windows Desktop in the Cloud If you are new to business accounting, you might only know of
server and made available to multiple users via an internet
QuickBooks as the web-based QuickBooks Online Edition.
connection.
However, old-timers will know that the “real” small business accounting workhorse for several decades has been Intuit’s flagship product, QuickBooks for Windows Desktop.
Hosting QuickBooks for Windows Desktop in the Cloud is also a superior solution because it can be accessed by a variety of devices, even Mac and Android mobile devices. The software
As businesses grew, they added QuickBooks users through
resides on the server not on the device, eliminating compatibility
computer networks – usually peer-to-peer or client-server
issues.
networks. Acquiring and maintaining a network server turned out to be rather costly, leaving an opening for new solutions.
Cloud-hosted QuickBooks for Windows Desktop is also the best choice from a security perspective. Local desktops and networks
Intuit’s answer was to create a web-based version of QuickBooks
are extremely vulnerable to hardware failures, hackers, and
that could be accessed from anywhere with an internet
natural disasters. With the Cloud, you can choose a host that
connection. Initially, the web version mimicked the desktop
has the highest standards of security from all threats.
program. However, several years ago, QBO underwent a major overhaul (not for the better) and now bears no resemblance to
Bookkeepers Plus offers Cloud-hosted QuickBooks for
the desktop product that had served the small business community so well for so many years. Accountants and business users familiar with both QBO and the Windows desktop program know that the web-based app is difficult to navigate and lacks functionality that comes standard in the Windows desktop program. Fortunately, there is a superior solution for businesses that want to keep the robust functionality of the Windows desktop program without spending an arm and a leg on a server network. It is called “the Cloud.” All your favorite apps, including QuickBooks and Excel, can be hosted on a remote Tony Solgard, a QuickBooks Advanced Certified ProAdvisor, is president of Bookkeepers Plus, located in Cape Coral and Bonita Springs, Florida, and providing bookkeeping services to businesses nationwide.
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Technology
What should you expect from your IT Professional
Submitted by Dusty Shelton
As your company grows, and you need to start looking for an
New servers, computers, and printers can be costly. The
from your IT providers to help your company grow with you.
be...irreplaceable. Along with the monthly monitoring reports,
your IT company should be able to understand and support
prepared for when you may need to replace a hard drive, or if
IT Professional, there are a few things that you should expect
There is always the obvious of having 24/7/365 support, and applications for multiple software and users.
Many customers forget that your IT company should be
monitoring your computer, software and security and provide
a monthly report on the status of the health of your assets. This report will let you know what software updates occurred that month, and the health of your hardware, aka your computers.
This report will help you to know what is going on with your
security, your company and the computers you have in place to run it.
knowledge of knowing when to repair vs replace can you should be able to see the health of your computer and to be the entire computer will need to be replaced. It is your IT
professional's responsibility to advise and educate you on this,
as well as cloud based and other hosted office solution decisions.
Just as you would have a once a year business plan meeting with your accountant or CPA, you should also review your
technological business plan with your IT professional. During
this meeting, you should discuss the current growth of the
business and the expectations over the next 3-5 years. As your
business grows, make sure your IT professional can grow with you and support you properly.
Most importantly, your IT professional should be your point of
contact for your phone system, internet provider, and any other
software you use. Your time is valuable and your IT provider is
there to support you and your company. If you are not happy
with your phone system, you should be able to call your IT
provider and get advice on how to make your current system work for you or on a new system. If you internet is not
supporting your needs, your IT professional should have a direct contact to the internet provider to handle these issues for you.
And if your software is just not performing the way it should,
your IT professional should be able to do the research and
resolve these issues, allowing you time to take care of your business.
So ask yourself, what is your IT provider doing for you??? Dusty Shelton can be reached at It’s IT 239.935.9891 • InFO@ITSITLLC.COM • ITSITLLC.COM
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