Accounting and Bookkeeping Articles

Take Steps to Prevent Injuries Cause by Repetitive Movements

Accountants generally spend the majority of their day at a desk, working on their computers.  While you may not expect white-collar workers to experience any serious work-related injuries, the repetitive movements required by a computer can cause any number of symptoms and/or injuries, including carpal tunnel, tenosynovitis (trigger finger), tennis elbow, and thoractic outlet syndrome (TOS).

Brian Bentow, author of The Computer Athlete’s Handbook, explains that many of these ailments can be prevented when small business owners take the initiative to ensure computer safety.  He says, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In more extreme cases, there could be permanent nerve damage. Treatment depends on the type and severity of your injury. [This can range from] rest, physical therapy, massage, and time to medical intervention. It is much simpler and less expensive to avoid and prevent injury than it is to treat it once you, or one of your employees, are injured.”

If you spend more than 5 hours a day on the computer, you are at risk of developing computer-related injuries. In fact, you may already be experiencing symptoms like wrist and elbow pain, tingling in the fingers and forearms, numb and cold fingers, neck, shoulder and back pain, and insomnia. While these symptoms are not conclusive evidence that your ailment is computer-related, it could be a signal that you need to take care in how you approach desk-time.

Bentow’s books focuses on 5 different areas that will enable you to alleviate, and in many cases prevent, these computer-related injuries.

1. Equipment and Usage

Ensure that your working environment is ergonomic, meaning that equipment is designed to provide workers with comfort and safety.  Ergonomic chairs, desks and keyboards provide users with the ability to alter the equipment so that it fits their height and size.  Your keyboard should be neither too high nor too low, causing unnecessary straining.

2. Self-Awareness and Self-care

Bentow recommends that you listen to your body and notice when you’re uncomfortable or in pain.  To prevent injury, one of Bentow’s biggest tips is to keep your body in a neutral position.  He explains, “In general, the neutral position for a joint is the most natural position for that joint. It also requires the least amount of effort and is typically the midpoint in the range of that joint. For your wrists the neutral position is straight, in line, and roughly parallel to the floor. For your elbows and knees, it is at a 90-degree angle. When all your individual body parts (head, shoulders, knees, hands, wrists, forearms, back, hips, etc.) are in a neutral position, then you have reached the goal of having your body in a neutral position.”

3. Nutrition

You’re familiar with all these tips, but it’s helpful to recognize that good nutrition can help prevent computer-related injuries as well as ensure good health.  Get adequate rest, eat well, and remain hydrated.  And while caffeinated beverages may trick you into thinking you have more energy, they really dehydrate your body and prevent proper healing.

4. Strength and Conditioning

Strengthening your muscles will enable you to maintain a good posture, which is paramount in preventing computer-related injuries.  Slouching, sitting on your legs, or working from your laptop in bed, all compromise good posture which negatively impacts your spinal alignment.  When you exercise regularly, you ensure muscle elasticity and strength which support your physical frame even when working at your computer.

5. Stress Management

Countless studies have shown that emotional health is directly tied to physical health.  In fact, stress itself has been named the culprit in numerous illnesses.  When you effectively manage your stress, you manage your health.  Take the necessary steps to ensure that you acknowledge and release stress before it compounds any sickness or injury in your body.

Final Tip: Bentow warns that “…one of the worst things to do is take anti-inflammatories or pain medication when you’re in pain from using the computer. Taking medication may let you work past your normal pain threshold but that can lead to serious injury or even permanent nerve damage.”

Taking the necessary precautions to ensure that your computer-time doesn’t turn into sick leave will work to your advantage in the end.  Following these five simple tips just might save you from pain, sleep deprivation and nerve damage.  It also may help you secure peace of mind and greater prosperity in your business.

QuickBooks Made Profitable

Knowing how to make the most of your accounting software could save you hours of working on the computer.  Consider purchasing Universal Accounting Center’s QuickBooks Made Profitable (QBMP).  For next to nothing you can use your QuickBooks expertise to attract more clients and increase your bottom line!

80% of small businesses use Intuit’s QuickBooks software.  Once you complete QuickBooks Made Profitable, you will be able to use our proven system to attract more clients with your QuickBooks expertise.  Not only that, but when you add QuickBooks setup, help and consultation services to your menu, you enhance your financial service offerings and widen your customer appeal.

Take advantage of this marvelous opportunity to increase your bottom line.  Order now!

Resources

Lesonsky, Rieva.  “Is Your Computer Killing You Softly?” 23 April 2009.  The Small Business Blog at allbusiness.com

“The Computer Athlete Central.”  http://computerathlete.net/

Preparing for the Worst

A few years ago it was avian flu; currently swine flu is the most visible threat.  The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that regardless of the form it takes, we are in danger of encountering a pandemic reminiscent to the one experienced in 1918 where nearly 50 million people died.  Whether it be this year or next, or maybe even 5 to 10 years into the future, such a threat might cause travel bans, fear of sickness or contagion, possible quarantines and widespread illness, all of which could severely damage a small business if caught unawares.

If that were to happen, how would your business fair?  Are you prepared to respond to such a threat, and would your practice continue to function even in the worst of these circumstances?  Here are four questions you might ask to determine how ready you are:

1. Have you encouraged employees to stay home when feeling ill?

Many employees are willing to suffer through illness at work, and often it’s the employers who encourage such behavior.  Unfortunately, that’s the perfect environment for a pandemic, where the infected population intermingles with the uninfected.  In this scenario, it won’t take long before the entire office is sick and out of commission.  To prevent widespread illness in your office, it’s important that you encourage employees to stay home when they’re feeling sick.  While this may seem to threaten productivity, especially during flu season, it will ultimately save you money in the end, with fewer overall employee absences.

2. Have you made good personal hygiene a priority?

The WHO reminds us that personal hygiene can go far in helping us avoid sickness.  Frequent hand-washing can ensure that harmful germs never invade the body in the first place.  You can make this a priority by ensuring that your office stocks plenty of antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer.  And like most professional establishments, you can even include a reminder over your bathroom sink that employees properly wash their hands after using the restroom.

3. Do you have a Business Continuity Plan (BCP), also known as a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)?

You may never need to use it, but having a BCP can help your business successfully endure most disasters, including a pandemic.  Things to include on your BCP are personnel who perform daily necessary functions, employees who could telecommute, critical business documents, and a contingency location should your business become inaccessible.  Once you have a plan in place, you can test it to see how well it works and determine what needs to be altered.

4. Are your clients prepared to interact with you during a potential crisis?

An accounting practice is simple to manage from home.  If you’ve already devised a process through which clients can transmit necessary information to you electronically, chances are you could continue to work through even the worst-case scenario of swine flu.  If not, you should device such a process now.  Not only will it enable your business to plow through a pandemic, but it could make your current procedures more productive and efficient as well.

Online Forums

When it comes to topics like this one, it can be difficult to find a group of small business owners with whom you can ask questions, share insights, and offer advice.  Luckily there are online discussions groups, listservs and forums to help you connect with these individuals.  Universal Accounting Center has developed a forum for accountants and tax preparers to provide just that community environment you may have been searching for.  Please join us and make our community stronger, and to “talk” about issues that matter to you.  Members are free to ask questions, provide resources and take advantage of the resources others may offer.  Join us today!

Moving from Traditional Employment to Self-Employment with Ease

Victoria Richardson had just had her second child and knew that her employment situation needed to change in order for her to parent as she desired. She explained, “…my list of wants and needs included: complete flexibility to be able to be with my children when they needed me… I needed to be making at least $60,000 a year. I needed to be able to have a lot of flexibility, and wanted to work an abbreviated work week. And what I found was that there was nothing out there that was willing to give me that package.  I discovered that the only option that was available for me was to be able to start my own business.”

So Victoria began the process of launching her own accounting practice, and her first step ensured a happy solution for her and her current employer.

From Ex-Employer to First Client

Victoria’s strategy proved to be successful.  Instead of giving her boss two-week’s notice, Victoria presented him with a win-win situation.  He would continue to enjoy her accounting expertise as a contract accountant while she would be free to enjoy a flexible work schedule with her ex-employer acting as her first client.

Her confidence makes freelance work a lucrative business for Victoria.  She said, “I know what they want to hear, I know what’s going to make them feel comfortable, and I know what their concerns are. And the Universal Accounting courses taught…a lot of it has to do with…semantics; it’s the language that you present it in. When I talk to them about increasing their profitability, they listen. It makes sense to them. I can feel confident in helping them discover what problem areas they have, and… ways they can work through that, so it’s not a situation where I feel like, you know, anybody else is coming in and giving them that because… that’s what they’re looking for and they’re not finding it anywhere. I can come in and do it, and I can do it and save them money.”

But she’s not the only one who has recognized the value of this transitional strategy.  In today’s market where employers are looking to cut back, many recognize the value in reworking their relationship with an employer so that it benefits both of them.  In changing your position from full-time accountant to contract accountant, you save your previous employer money while enabling yourself to start your own accounting practice with one solid client and the opportunity to have that client refer many more.

David de la Rosa did the same thing with Motorola.  He explained, “I started my business ten years ago. I was doing computer training work for Motorola and found myself caught in a downsize. I approached management about letting me serve as a resource by referring me to their clients. That way, instead of Motorola having to carry me on their payroll, Motorola’s customers could pay me instead. They liked the idea-it was a perfect arrangement that offered a great transition for both of us.”

What Do You Need to Get Started?

Like Victoria you need a plan and the confidence with which to back it.  The Universal Practice Builder program is designed to provide you with a blueprint to success.  Not only will we teach you how to market your valuable skills to the right people, but we’ll also teach you how to act as the Profit Expert Victoria described, by enhancing your clients’ profitability with your analysis of crucial accounting data.

This phenomenal program also includes the following:

• A guarantee of $30,000 in new annualized billings in only 12 months
• Tactical goal planning and setting
• The generation of 15 to 25 qualified leads per month
• Phone marketing instruction and training
• Training in the benefits of newsletters and websites
• 12 proven marketing strategies
• Financing options

Take advantage of the recession by redefining yourself as a contract accountant.  You current employer just might welcome the change, and your professional future will be all the brighter as a result.  Learn how to launch your practice today by enrolling in the Universal Practice Builder program.

Resources

De la Rosa, David.  “FastTrac Entrepreneur Stories.” FastTrac.com

When you brand your business, you make it easily identifiable by all prospective clients.  When used effectively, branding is a great marketing tool.  You can either brand your business strategically or let it happen by accident.  We suggest you take deliberate steps to brand your practice in order to get more positive exposure.  Here are 6 ways to brand your business like a super star:

1. Website

Competitive businesses have professional websites.  If you don’t have one, you should invest in one soon.  Current and prospective clients appreciate learning more about your business and your services through a reliable website.  You want your business to stand out from the competition, and this is one way to do that.  Ensure that your business name, logo, and mission are clear.  These characteristics will typify your brand and make it recognizable.

2. Memorable Numbers

Scott Gerber, author of a recent post on Entrepreneur.com, suggests using vanity numbers in order to better brand your business and make your practice more memorable.  It sounds campy, but many businesses are memorable because their phone numbers are impossible to forget.  1-800-account is easy to recall long after a prospective client sees your advertisement in the phone book or hears it on the radio.

3. Automated Phone System

Gerber also suggests getting an automated phone system.  Using toll-free numbers and virtual assistants, your small business will sound like an upscale, big business.  Even though you may be working from your home office, when using an automated phone system, your current and prospective clients will imagine a more professional storefront.

4. Business Card

Every professional recognizes the value of a business card, but have you used your business card as another means to fortify your brand?  Like everything else about your accounting practice, your business card should stand out and make a memorable impression.  Use color, high-quality paper, and even size to differentiate your business card from the rest; the cost will be well worth it.  Also remember to carry your theme (logo, slogan, etc.) throughout your business card as well.

5. Corporate Overview

In an article entitled “9 Branding Tips for Small Businesses,” Nick Rice suggests creating a corporate overview to leave with all prospective clients.  This one page document shares your mission, your target market, your service benefits and your contact information.  This will provide individuals with something to which they can later refer.

6. Community Participation

Rice also suggests participating in community events to gain more visibility and to solidify your reputation as a business owner interested in supporting local residents and services.

Branding is just one way to promote your business.  And if you want to grow your accounting practice, you’re probably interested in other, more effective ways of attracting new clients.  Unfortunately, many accountants and bookkeepers are unaware of how to market their services effectively.  That’s why, for over 25 years, Universal Accounting Center has been training professionals like you how to promote their businesses.  The Universal Practice Builder program will train you in the following (and much more):

• Increasing your annualized billings by $30,000 within the next 12 months
• 12 proven marketing strategies that will increase your client base
• Techniques that can generate 15 to 25 qualified leads per month
• Creating your own customized marketing plan
• Effective phone marketing techniques

In a matter of hours, you will know exactly what you need to do to grow your business.  Advance your accounting practice to the next level and become the premier firm in your area.  Enroll today!

Resources

Gerber, Scott.  “Look Like a Multimillion Dollar Brand.” 16 April 2009.  Entrepreneur.com

Rice, Nick.  “9 Branding Tips for Small Businesses.” 24 January 2007.  Smallbusinessbranding.com

The recession will eventually end, but how will you know it’s coming?  And until then, what might you do to better weather this economic storm?  Sam Thacker, financial blogger for AllBusiness.com, recently posted his thoughts on “Looking for Light at the End of the Recession.”  He shares methods small business owners have used to prepare for even greater financial adversity.  He then lists key happenings that will indicate the recession’s end.

Countless small (and large) businesses failed last year.  Those that remain are hopeful that with less competition, they are in a better position to outlast the recession, and possibly, see better earnings this year.  However, that doesn’t mean small business owners are in the clear.  Many are taking measures to ensure that, in case this recession deepens, they have the resources to make it through.

After talking with a few small business owners he knows, Thacker noticed common strategies these individuals are using to protect their businesses.  Most of them are reserving safety cash to use in troubling times.  One business owner explained how much he reserves for safety cash: “One month’s worth of payroll and rent, and enough extra cash to cover two week’s worth of vendor purchases.”

Without rent or inventory, an accounting practice operating from a home residence wouldn’t require quite as much of a reserve.  However, it’s important to take whatever precautions you are able in order to ensure your business’s survival.  Many businesses that didn’t endure the initial hit of the recession would attribute their failure to exceeding their credit limitations and being overtaken by debt.  If you haven’t already, streamline your budget, and avoid the temptation to rely on credit cards to manage unnecessary expenses.

Thacker believes that while the economy will eventually recover, there are a number of things that must occur before that happens:

• The employment outlook must start showing steady improvement
• Consumer confidence must improve significantly
• The stock markets must show continued signs of improvement
• Banks must deal with the enormous amount of “toxic assets” on their books
• Average companies need to start showing a profit and increasing sales
• There needs to be a pick up in the residential housing market

A number of these may take a considerable amount of time.  Until then, it’s important to do what you can to safeguard your own business in case the economy worsens.

Are You In the Black?

In the meantime, take advantage of any downtime you’re experiencing by strengthening your own business.  Consider how you might bring your business, and those of your clients, into the black by reading Allen Bostrom’s book, In the Black: 9 Principles to Make Your Business Profitable.  Designed specifically for the small business, this book contains 9 practical principles that will enable you to improve your business’s profitability.  And you don’t have to wait to complete the book before you can start applying these principles.

If you would like to run a more synchronized practice where all three business functions (accounting, marketing, and production) work together, this is the book for you.  See why In the Black has enabled countless small business owners to gain control of their businesses while helping their clients do the same.  Better weather the recession and order your copy today!

Resources

Thacker, Sam.  “Looking for Light at the End of the Recession.”  21 April 2009  AllBusiness.com