The importance of hiring a good accountant for your business

Choosing the right bean counter

A great accountant can make a difference to the underlying profitability of your business, as well as its future success. So choose your accountants wisely – especially as it's so hard to break up with a bean counter once they are filing your tax returns and looking after your accounts. Donna Stone, founder of bookkeeping service Consulting & Bookkeeping, says most accountants have the same skills and expertise. "The difference is about how they do business, their customer service practices and the extras that make them stand them out from the average. "When looking for an accountant, don't just go for someone who is simply geographically handy," she says. "A better way is to ask around and get referred to a good one, who may be in your suburb, but maybe not. Look for a recommendation from a person who you admire as a successful person in business.

Read the full article at: http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/managing/choosing-the-right-bean-counter-20130527-2n6oq.html

Living in the present, the past no longer exists

Don't dwell on the past

Shechtman says “when bad things happen, as bad as they are, you never have to do it again,”. You've got to emphasize the importance of thinking of the future instead of dwelling on the past. Entrepreneurship can be disheartening and exhausting. For women entrepreneurs, especially those balancing pregnancy and motherhood, it can be even more so. However, “You do it, you get through it,” says Brown. “Just like anything in life, [take parenthood] one second at a time.”

Read the full article at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229493

Do you know the differences between men & women in communication?

Differences in gender communication

One of the mistakes women can make is expecting men to speak, hear, communicate and listen in the same way we do. They don't. They never will. They are not being difficult. They are simply different. Our key as women in business is to celebrate and appreciate men for what they bring to the working environment, but not to try to copy them. We will always have far more power by being women than we'll ever have in trying to behave like men. Our brains generally work at a much faster rate than men's, therefore we are able to assimilate lots of information at the same time and make sense of it. Whereby men will prefer to hear one thing at a time with space to process and think through. This can cause all sorts of issues between the sexes! Men think we go off on tangents rather than sticking to the point and we think they need to hurry up and keep with the programme!
The key is in celebrating and respecting each others differences.

Read the full article at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/k-day/top-ten-tips-for-women-in_3_b_3604042.html

5 Easy Ways to Get More Leads

Lots of leads come from informal relationships that have nothing to do with business. Whether you’re in the gym, at your place of worship or at your kid’s school, keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities and people who may be prospects for your business.

What is the key to success in new companies?

A couple years ago, Coyne commissioned a report that analyzed the strategies of successful women-owned business. She discovered that financial knowledge does matter.

5 Easy Ways to Get More Leads

Partner with other businesses.

“Co-opetition” is a great way to work with a complimentary business to generate leads. Find a related but not directly competitive business that shares your same customer base, and figure out ways you can cross-promote each other’s products or services. For example, if you own an accounting firm targeting small businesses, you could partner with a law firm that targets the same clientele. Refer customers to each other, put brochures and business cards in your waiting area touting the other’s services, and post ads for each other on your websites.

Read the full article at: http://forum.web.com/5-easy-ways-to-get-more-leads/