Computer Networking Business

Clients

The computer networking business is very competitive and is very dependent upon promotion. You need to implement promotional strategies that will distinguish you from the competition, including word of mouth, advertising, publicity and networking.

Word Of Mouth And Networking

Successful networking is all about creating relationships. If you find businesses in your network and figure out ways you can help them, these same businesses will probably want to help you in the future. Organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club are great for networking, as are your child's school, church, your alma mater, relatives and friends. These groups can all give you good word-of-mouth for your community and help build your business in the future.

Advertise!

A computer networking business will probably have to depend on things beyond referrals, which is a great time to use advertising. Internet and e-mail advertising provide great opportunities for business. E-mails should be sent to prospects that have given you permission to send mail to them, and can be a great outreach plan because it is entirely free.

You should also think about using the yellow pages, newspapers, radio and television. If these mediums are overwhelming, you may want to consider hiring an advertising agency to help you. This type of advertising is useful because it reaches a very specific market, but it can be expensive.

Publicity As Free Advertising

Publicity is a great free tool for a computer networking business. Send articles to the local newspaper on computer networking, or press releases to a newspaper or magazine editor when a computer networking business opens for business, hires a new important position or launches a new product. People trust information provided by the media much more than a straight advertisement.

Consider all types of promotion when starting an advertising and networking campaign. Networking, advertising and publicity will all tell people about your company in the community and generate business.

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Business & Human Resources

Business & Human Resources

LLC Basics

Limited liability companies combine the best parts of partnerships and corporations.

A limited liability company (LLC) offers protection from personal liability for business debts, just like a corporation. However, unlike a corporation, which must pay its own taxes, an LLC is a pass-through tax entity: The profits and losses of the business pass through to its owners, who report them on their personal tax returns just as they would if they owned a partnership or sole proprietorship. Moreover, while setting up an LLC is more difficult than creating a partnership or sole proprietorship, running one is significantly easier than running a corporation.

Here are the main features of an LLC:

Limited Personal Liability

Like shareholders of a corporation, all LLC owners are protected from personal liability for business debts and claims. This means that if the business itself can't pay a creditor -- such as a supplier, a lender, or a landlord -- the creditor cannot legally come after an LLC member's house, car, or other personal possessions. Because only LLC assets are used to pay off business debts, LLC owners stand to lose only the money that they've invested in the LLC. This feature is often called "limited liability."

Exceptions to Limited Liability

While LLC owners enjoy limited personal liability for many of their business transactions, this protection is not absolute. This drawback is not unique to LLCs, however -- the same exceptions apply to corporations. An LLC owner can be held personally liable if he or she:

• personally and directly injures someone
• personally guarantees a bank loan or a business debt on which the LLC defaults
• fails to deposit taxes withheld from employees' wages
• intentionally does something fraudulent, illegal, or reckless that causes harm to the company or to someone else, or
• treats the LLC as an extension of his or her personal affairs, rather than as a separate legal entity.

This last exception is the most important. If owners don't treat the LLC as a separate business, a court might decide that the LLC doesn't really exist and find that its owners are really doing business as individuals who are personally liable for their acts. To keep this from happening, make sure you and your co-owners:

• Act fairly and legally. Do not conceal or misrepresent material facts or the state of your finances to vendors, creditors, or other outsiders.
• Fund your LLC adequately. Invest enough cash in the business so that your LLC can meet foreseeable expenses and liabilities.
• Keep LLC and personal business separate. Get a federal employer identification number, open up a business-only checking account, and keep your personal finances out of your LLC accounting books.
• Create an operating agreement. Having a formal written operating agreement lends credibility to your LLC's separate existence. For more on this, see Creating an LLC Operating Agreement.

Additional Protection: Business Insurance

A good liability insurance policy can shield your personal assets when limited liability protection does not. For instance, if you are a massage therapist and you accidentally injure a client's back, your liability insurance policy should cover you. Insurance can also protect your personal assets in the event that your limited liability status is ignored by a court.

In addition to protecting your personal assets in such situations, insurance can protect the LLC's assets from lawsuits and claims. But your LLC won't be protected if it doesn't pay its bills: Commercial insurance usually does not protect personal or corporate assets from unpaid business debts, whether or not they're personally guaranteed.

For more information on insurance

Business Grants for Women

Many women in business find that in order to meet their business' financial needs, they turn to searching out a loan source. Business loans for women are widely available through the Small Business Administration and a variety of other sources such as banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. Loans, however, are not the only source for financing. In some instances, business grants for women are available.

Business grants for women are a wonderful option for some women in business. Grants are an excellent source of funding because grants are not repaid. The funding is provided through government resources that have been budgeted for specific needs in our national community. Anyone is open to apply, so business grants for women are available to anyone regardless of gender, race, religion, or background.

The downside of grants is that business grants for women are not widely available. Rather, business grants for women are available only to select businesses and under very strict circumstances, mostly for research or development. Technologically-focused businesses, for example, will find it much easier to qualify for a grant than a craft or retail business. Still, because the money is readily available, even if your business is retail oriented, it may be of benefit to check into business grants for women available for various resources that could assist you in your business.

According to Denouement Solutions and Grants.gov, the United States government and its government organizations offer more 1000 grants totaling more than $400 billion in grant funding every year. Only 10 percent of citizens that qualify for these grants actually apply for grants, despite the fact that many more than that would qualify for a business grant for women. Therefore, even though not every individual or business is eligible for a business grant for women, it certainly can be beneficial to check into business grants for women.

According to grants.gov, the United States government's web site and main resource for grants that are available and can be applied for, there are more than 1000 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies. These programs fall into 21 different categories, as defined by the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. While some agencies may list available grants under multiple grant categories, the Federal government lists these categories of grants as follows:

- Agriculture
- Art
- Business and Commerce
- Community Development
- Consumer Protection
- Disaster Prevention and Relief
- Education
- Employment, Labor, and Training
- Energy
- Environmental Quality
- Food and Nutrition
- Health
- Housing
- Humanities
- Information and Statistics
- Law, Justice, and Legal Service
- Natural Resources
- Regional Development
- Science and Technology
- Social Services and Income Security
- Transportation

Even though the category of Business and Commerce may be what appears to have the largest selection of resources for business grants for women, consider the other categories as well, according to where your business falls. For example, if your business is a restaurant, don't hesitate to check the Food and Nutrition category for grants currently available. If your business is a farm, check the Agriculture section.

Grants aren't available for starting or opening a new business, and they also aren't available for expanding on an existing business. However, business grants for women can offer funding for research or development of the business. Many grants may not be applicable to your particular business or needs, but there may be funds available for research, education, or other things needed for you to operate and improve your business to help you achieve business growth.

In general, when considering the options for a business grant for women, do your homework and read carefully. Look at all grants available that might be related to your particular business. Consider looking into the Business and Commerce section, of Grants.gov, as mentioned, and also look into the different categories of grant fundings. Take the time needed to read the grant qualifications carefully. With any business, check into the Regional Development category, as well as the Community Development category. Depending on your location within the United States, it's possible to qualify for a grant to economically develop certain areas, and expanding a business in one of these areas can possibly assist you in qualifying for a business grant for women.

Additionally, consider applying for an educational grant if returning to school is an option you'd like to consider. Many grants for higher education are offered each year, and not all are awarded. Knowledge is an extremely valuable business tool, and because the money is readily available for those who qualify, and educational grant is an excellent option to consider as a business grant for women.

Contact the specific government agency offering the grant for tips, information, and to ask questions before submitting your application.

Manage Debtors And Creditors To Improve Liquidity

Sales turnover and net profits may follow a rollercoaster pattern familiar to most business but when the cash flow dries up the game is over. Urgent attention to the management of working capital can provide every business with the cash resources to exploit its potential

Most businesses will experience periods of lower sales and times when losses may be incurred as expenses exceed sales income. The situation is recoverable by producing higher sales and reducing costs and expenses. A business that runs out of cash resources is dead in the water.

Debtors and sales income management

The objective is to obtain payment from customers as fast as possible improving cash flow and minimising the risk of bad debts and not being paid at all.

Payment terms offered to customers should be clearly stated and fixed as standard accounting figures according to the amount of funding the business is prepared to offer its clients. Because that is exactly what credit terms to customers is, free cash funding in exchange for eventual sales income.

Consideration should be given to using a cash discount system to encourage sales invoices to be paid faster. In some businesses it would be appropriate to obtain up front deposits and scheduled payments. Review this practise to obtain a greater proportion of payments faster to improve liquidity.

New customers should be subjected to a strict credit check. All new customers where credit check details are not available should be invoiced by the accounting function on a pro forma basis. Any businesses who fail to meet the highest credit score required should remain on a pro forma invoice basis.

The credit control function needs consideration from the first step of issuing customers with a sales invoice, producing customer statements of the debt owed and a set procedure of credit control letters and telephone follow ups that actually achieve the end result of getting the cash in. An essential process in the credit control procedure would be to ensure the accountant or bookkeeper always issues sales invoices and customer statements promptly.

Incorporate into the terms of trade a set of rules to invoke interest payments for late payment and late payment debt recovery costs. In the UK the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 sets out the statutory rights of business to claim interest and costs.

Consider the possibility of factoring sales invoices due from debtors either by selling the sales invoices to a third party or raising cash on the value of those invoices pending payment. Factoring has the disadvantage of often not being cheap but does have the advantage of generating a regular stream of cash.

Bad debts have a double impact on any business and all possible steps should be taken to reduce the risk. A bad debt not only uses valuable resources in chasing the debt with the negative impact on cash flow and liquidity but also is a straight loss to the net profit and a strong indicator that the accounting function is failing the business.

Creditors and expenditure management

The objective is to extend the time allowed for payment of expenses the business incurs.

Consider the frequency of all payments made to suppliers. Small business have alternative payment terms available for the payment of taxes. In the UK value added tax can be paid quarterly or monthly, vat cash accounting can ease the tax liability due in critical periods and paye payments can be paid quarterly rather than monthly for smaller businesses.

Every opportunity should be considered to improve liquidity and that would include the frequency which employee salaries and wages are paid. A sensitive area since it involves the most important people to the business success but adopting a payment period to coincide with the receipt of cash from customers may in some circumstances balance liquidity.

General creditors are a major area to be addressed in terms of both the amount of credit received from suppliers and the time required to pay those creditor accounts. Larger orders on extended payments terms creates a risk area should the goods not be used but can greatly assist cash flow as the business is effectively borrowing free cash from its suppliers.

Stock levels are crucial to financial management of the creditor total. High stock levels use valuable working capital which is offset in part by the level of creditors. Higher levels of stock financed by free credit from creditors lowers the cash flow requirements on the other parts of the business.

Business Can Be Part-Time

Being A Mom Is Always Full-Time

Sometimes it might feel that your business is taking up all of your time. It can be very common to feel as though all you do is work on your business, answer calls, talk to clients and put out fires at the office. In fact, sometimes you may feel as if your family is being shoved to the background because you are too busy with work.

The thing that you need to remember, even when work gets crazy, is that business can be part time, but being a mom is always full time. Once you have children, you are a mom twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for fifty-two weeks of the year. You don’t get time off, you don’t get vacation, and you definitely don’t get sick days. Once you become a mom, you are always a mom, and that’s great! It just means that you need to reprioritize your life.

Depending on your business, you may have the flexibility to work part-time while your children are young, enjoying the best of both worlds. Some businesses allow working women the ability to care for their children, enjoying every moment that being a mother provides, while building a career and a future for that family.

Even if you don’t have the ability to work your business part time while your children are young, you need to remember that business can be part-time and being a mom is always full time. This will never be so apparent than if you get a phone call in the middle of an important meeting that your child is sick at school and you need to come and pick him up. Being a mom means never taking a day off, no matter what!

If you don’t feel like your current position or occupation allows you enough flexibility to spend ample time with your children, it doesn’t hurt to take a look around. They are numerous jobs that allow you to spend time with your children, take care of them when they are sick, and make enough money to maintain your household. Don’t ever feel that you are “stuck” in your current occupation because there are opportunities for everyone out there to make a life that is family-friendly and balanced. Your children are number one, and if your company doesn’t understand that, then you can find a company that does.

Jobsandmoms.com has job postings, books, and other resources that can help you find a desirable, flexible position that works with you and your children.

Need a little inspiration? Check out Kitchen Table Entrepreneurs: How Eleven Women Escaped Poverty and Became Their Own Bosses by Martha Shirk and Anna S. Wadia (available at www.GreatBooksandAudioBooks.com). Kitchen Table Entrepreneurs tells the inspirational stories of eleven low-income women who have marshaled the creative energy, confidence, and capital necessary to start their own small businesses. These women, who have used their entrepreneurial skills as a route out of poverty, give an American face to an economic empowerment tool that has enjoyed great success in developing countries. By becoming their own bosses, they not only provide for their children but also inspire them.

Real Estate, Business and Life Coach Cheri Alguire has partnered with hundreds of Real Estate Professionals and Small Business Owners to help them become more successful in business and in life. Coach Cheri specializes in Group Coaching for Small Business Owners, Working Mothers, Real Estate Agents and Managers.

All Business Need An Assortment Of Envelopes

When most people talk about a standard or regular envelope they are making reference to a business size envelope (also known as a commercial envelope). These kinds of envelopes come in legal as well as letter size with the legal size being the most popular without question. Of all the sizes that the legal envelope comes in, the # 10 envelope with measurements of 4 1/8 x 9 1/2 is used most frequently for many different types of correspondence.

Envelopes come in a plethora of sizes, styles and forms. For all of your business needs there is an assortment of envelopes, everything from commercial envelopes to booklet envelopes to open-end envelopes to square envelopes and so many more. The choices are many! Not only do envelopes come in an assortment of styles and sizes, large to medium to small, but also in an assortment of colors, everything from brightly colored reds and greens to pink, light yellow and baby blue pastels. White however is still the favored color for envelopes, no matter what size you choose.

Personal correspondence to a large extent takes place via email today but sending letters through the mail service is still commonplace. Where there are letters, envelopes are of an absolute necessity. An important thing to note is that regular mail also goes by the term snail mail, because let's face it, compared to electronic mail, it is very slow!

Always remember to keep the contents of what you are mailing in mind when you are in the process of choosing an appropriate sized envelope. Envelopes should close in a relaxed fashion and not have to be stretched or forced. And you don't want to strain it until the paper rips and then have to start all over again with another envelope!

A-series envelopes, square envelopes and open-end envelopes can be found in the desk drawers of professional people everywhere. Booklets and magazines travel well in both square envelopes, because of the lack of seams in the weave, and in open-end or catalog envelopes because they have a gummed flap that securely keeps the item inside the envelope intact throughout its mail journey. The more upscale the business establishment, the more inclined they will be to use the A-series envelopes which have a fancier look to them and come in 60 lb, 70 lb and 80 lb.

Commercial envelopes are available in more than just the # 10 size. Most stationery stores such as Staples, should be able to point customers looking for business sized # 11, # 12 and # 14 envelopes in the right direction. Shop around for your office supplies, both in person and over the Internet and you should be able to find what you are looking for with relative ease.

Your Local Business

Does Your Local Business Need A Website?

A few days back, on a weekday afternoon, I was chatting with Peter. He is an old time friend of mine. Peter was always passionate about cars and finally he left his mundane insurance company job and started his own Auto accessories shop in North Clark St., Chicago. He is happy with kind of business he is getting since the past two years, but it seems to get stagnant at a point. “Yeah I’m doing well. But Selling to the same customers, same kind of goods… its not much better than those nine-to-five job days of mine”, said Peter.

Finding an opportunity for him, I suggested him to go online with a website. “It will give you new customers, new ways to sell your products online, open more channels of income for you. And you can also profit from your knowledge and passion for cars.” Peter did not take much long to decide. He started off with a website for his store within the next 30 days.

Its over an year now. The last time I had a word with Peter over the phone, he proudly said “guess hows my website doing? Its generating over 50% of my monthly business. And everyday I am getting n’ number of enquiries from customers and other merchants.” Wow! A real nitro-boost for Peter’s auto store.

Yes I feel not only Peter, today every business whether it’s the local owner-operated business, retail store, restaurant, dry cleaner, night club or the dentist – they all need a website. They may not be selling online, but should have an internet presence. In fact all business who have felt the need to get listed in the Yellow Pages sometime or the other, should be present in the internet today. It is the place where there customers are looking for them Today!

I was reading a fantastic report on how useful a website can be for any small, self-owned business. The report also shows you various ways and methods to go about your online business. I would surely like to share it with you some other time.

Today, you can put up a modest website at something around Two-Three Thousand dollars, for a genuine internet business. Not a big deal if you consider the kind of reach and mileage you can get out of it. It will help your prospects gather information from the comfort and privacy of their room. Your site will answer the queries of your prospects, as your most dependable salesperson does on his best day, and that too 24x7.

If you are not that confident in spending a few thousand bucks on a new way of doing business, you can surely try a much easier and affordable way of making your online presence.