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Best Business Practices

How to Improve the Value of Your Business Before You Retire

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Inspired mature grey-haired woman fashion designer thinking on new creative ideas at workplace. Smiling beautiful elegant classy middle aged older lady small business owner dreaming in atelier studio.Retirement is a milestone many business owners dream about—but selling or transitioning your business isn’t just about handing over the keys. To ensure a profitable exit, it’s essential to increase your business’s value before you step away. Whether you’re planning to sell to a third party, transition to family, or install a management team, enhancing your business’s worth will make the process smoother and more lucrative.

Here’s a strategic roadmap to help you improve the value of your business before retirement:

1. Start With a Clear Exit Plan
The earlier you plan your exit, the better. Ideally, give yourself 3–5 years. Determine your goals: Do you want to maximize price? Maintain your legacy? Ensure job security for employees? The answers will influence the steps you take.
Action Step: Work with a financial advisor and business consultant to develop an exit strategy aligned with your personal and financial goals.

2. Get a Business Valuation
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. A formal business valuation gives you a realistic view of what your business is currently worth and what factors influence that number.
Action Step: Hire a valuation expert to identify key value drivers and areas for improvement.

3. Strengthen Financial Performance
Buyers look closely at profitability, cash flow, and financial records. Clean, organized, and transparent financials not only boost value but also inspire buyer confidence.
Action Step: Improve your profit margins, reduce debt, and eliminate unnecessary expenses. Implement sound financial reporting systems.

4. Systematize and Document Operations
A business that runs smoothly without its owner is far more attractive than one dependent on a single person. Systems create scalability and reduce perceived risk.
Action Step: Document key processes, create training manuals, and establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) across departments.

5. Build a Strong Management Team
A capable leadership team that can run the business in your absence adds significant value. It shows potential buyers that the business can thrive post-transition.
Action Step: Identify, train, and retain key personnel. Consider offering performance incentives or equity to keep them motivated and committed.

6. Diversify Your Customer Base
Over-reliance on a few clients can be a red flag. Buyers worry about what might happen if a major customer leaves.
Action Step: Expand your marketing efforts to attract new clients, and create a strategy to nurture and retain existing ones.

7. Protect Intellectual Property and Brand Assets
Your brand, trademarks, patents, customer lists, and proprietary systems are valuable assets. Protecting them can significantly increase your company’s appeal and value.
Action Step: Conduct an intellectual property audit and ensure all legal protections are in place.

8. Reduce Owner Dependency
If your name, face, or personal relationships are central to the business, it may be harder to sell. Buyers want a business, not a job.
Action Step: Gradually delegate responsibilities, and shift key relationships to other team members.

9. Address Legal and Compliance Issues
Unresolved legal issues or outdated licenses can derail a deal. Make sure your business is in full compliance.
Action Step: Review contracts, employee agreements, and regulatory filings with a legal advisor to ensure everything is current and enforceable.

10. Increase Recurring Revenue
Predictable, recurring income streams are incredibly attractive. They reduce risk and provide buyers with future cash flow certainty.
Action Step: Introduce or expand subscription models, service contracts, or maintenance agreements where possible.

Final Thought
Enhancing the value of your business before retirement isn’t just about a higher sale price—it’s about creating a legacy, protecting your life’s work, and setting up the next chapter for success. With careful planning and focused improvements, you can exit confidently and profitably, knowing you’ve set your business—and yourself—up for a bright future.

Managing Remote and Hybrid Workers

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Whether or not the number of people working from office buildings ever returns to pre-COVID levels, one thing appears certain: Remote and hybrid work models are here to stay. Business owners and other managers who rely on individuals who are working remotely full- or part-time are refining and elevating their management skills so that they get the best out of their employees.

While managing remote and hybrid workers bears many similarities to managing fixed-base teams, it also has some unique aspects. Here are several best practices you may want to consider and apply to your own situation, no matter your level of experience in prior management of remote workers.

Make Your Expectations Clear and Simple
Clarify the hours when employees should be available and accessible. Give employees performance goals and metrics that define success in meeting those goals. Lay out clear guidelines when it comes to after-hours work-related emails and text messages. You want employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance, one that prevents burnout, and ultimately, keeps them working at peak capacity for your business.

Communicate Regularly
Employees want to know how they are performing and whether they are on track to meet the goals you set for them. Check in regularly with them and communicate your satisfaction or your concerns about how they are doing. Regular check-ins are important; just be aware that you can overdo it, since too much oversight may be resented by employees who feel they are not trusted. It’s important to keep them in the loop about any changes in company policy when it comes to wages, benefits, job openings, promotion opportunities, and other changes that may impact them.

Depending on the demographic makeup of your remote employees, you may have to refine your communication style. Talk with your employees and solicit their opinions on what works best for them — texts, Zoom calls, or other forms of instant messaging.

Listen Attentively
Closely related to good communication skills is the ability to listen carefully and attentively to what your employees are saying. You want to give them the opportunity to express what they think about their workloads and talk about any stresses or frustrations they may be feeling. When you listen carefully to what your employees are saying, you are communicating trust and respect.

Build a Sense of Community
Some workers thrive in environments where they can interact and engage with fellow workers face-to-face. That engagement is less important to other workers. One of your goals managing a remote workforce should be to build connections to workers who feel isolated and out of the loop. Employees who feel this way typically do not perform at their highest level. By staying in touch and by organizing the occasional virtual — or in-person — get together in which you build connections and a shared sense of purpose with employees, you can create a sense of community that can have a positive impact on employees and their level of engagement.

Embrace Flexibility
A rigid approach to managing your remote employees may be limiting and not as effective as a more flexible approach. For example, once you determine that the work is being completed on time and is of a high quality, you may want to give employees some leeway as to the specific times they are working.

The work world has changed in numerous ways over the past couple of years. Your management approach has to stay ahead of these changes, especially when it comes to remote work, if your business is to continue to grow and thrive.

What Businesses Should Expect From Higher Interest Rates

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When interest rates rise, many small businesses feel the pain. Here’s a look at the potential impact on small businesses and some steps they may need to take to ensure their viability.

Prepare for a Decline in Sales
Paying more interest to lenders can leave customers with less disposable income, forcing them to cut back on their spending. This, in turn, will reduce sales and earnings for many businesses. Businesses that sell luxury goods and services may be hit particularly hard since consumers typically cut back on these items first.

Anticipate Paying More for Business Loans
As rates rise, it will become more expensive for your company to borrow money. A review of your company’s current debt payment schedule and future borrowing needs can help you analyze the potential impact of higher rates on your company’s finances.

Reevaluate Expansion Plans
If you had plans for expanding your physical or online footprint, you may have to reconsider. The additional expenses involved in financing the expansion combined with a decline in consumer spending could make any plans for expansion less feasible.

Focus on Cash Flow
Although the direction of the economy is difficult to predict, it may be smart to look for areas where your business can reduce expenses to conserve money and build up its cash reserves. Your business could also see if it can renegotiate some loans, especially those with variable interest rates.

Tighten Accounts Receivable
Some of your customers may respond to rising interest rates by waiting longer to settle outstanding bills. If you experience an uptick in customer payment delays, you may need to tighten your payment systems so that customers are billed immediately after receiving goods or services and are then contacted every 10 days or so with a new bill. Consider adding late charges after nonpayment beyond 30 days.

A period of rising interest rates is uncharted territory for many small businesses. It can help to have the input of an experienced financial professional as you try to navigate challenging times.

Transform Your Business Operations by Harnessing the Power of AI

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Handshake of man and robot. Modern technologies. Art collage.Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in virtually every industry, revolutionizing the way businesses operate and interact with their customers. From streamlining processes to unlocking valuable insights, the potential applications of AI are vast and varied. In this article, we explore how AI can help improve a business across multiple dimensions, driving efficiency, innovation, and growth.

Enhanced Decision-Making with Data Analytics

One of the most significant advantages of AI for businesses is its ability to analyze vast amounts of data quickly and accurately. AI-powered analytics tools can sift through complex datasets to uncover actionable insights, enabling informed decision-making at every level of the organization. By leveraging predictive analytics, businesses can anticipate market trends, identify opportunities, and mitigate risks, gaining a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced business landscape.

Personalized Customer Experiences

AI-driven technologies, such as machine learning algorithms and natural language processing, have revolutionized the way businesses interact with their customers. Through personalized recommendations, chatbots, and virtual assistants, companies can deliver tailored experiences that resonate with individual preferences and needs. By harnessing the power of AI to understand customer behavior and sentiment, businesses can build deeper, more meaningful relationships, driving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Streamlined Operations and Automation

Automation lies at the heart of AI-driven transformation, offering businesses the opportunity to streamline operations and improve efficiency. AI-powered software robots can perform repetitive tasks with speed and accuracy, freeing up human resources to focus on more strategic initiatives. Whether automating invoice processing, supply chain management, or customer service inquiries, AI enables businesses to reduce costs, minimize errors, and scale operations more effectively.

Predictive Maintenance and Asset Management

In industries such as manufacturing, energy, and transportation, AI plays a critical role in predictive maintenance and asset management. By analyzing sensor data in real-time, AI algorithms can detect anomalies and predict equipment failures before they occur, enabling proactive maintenance and minimizing downtime. This predictive approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also extends the lifespan of assets, resulting in significant cost savings over time.

Risk Management and Fraud Detection

AI-powered systems are increasingly being deployed to enhance risk management and fraud detection capabilities. Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of transactional data to identify patterns indicative of fraudulent activity, enabling businesses to mitigate risks and safeguard their assets. Moreover, AI-driven risk models can adapt and evolve in response to changing threats, providing businesses with a proactive defense against emerging risks.

Unlocking Innovation and Creativity

Beyond its practical applications, AI has the potential to unlock new realms of innovation and creativity within organizations. By leveraging AI-driven tools for natural language generation, image recognition, and generative design, businesses can explore new possibilities and push the boundaries of what is possible. Whether designing products, creating content, or optimizing processes, AI empowers businesses to innovate at a pace never before imagined.

In conclusion, AI represents a powerful catalyst for improving business operations across multiple fronts. From data analytics and customer experiences to automation and innovation, the potential applications of AI are limitless. By embracing AI-driven technologies, businesses can unlock new opportunities, drive efficiency, and position themselves for success in an increasingly digital and competitive marketplace.

Starting Your Own Business: The Essentials for New Entrepreneurs

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Young African business owner woman prepare parcel box and standing check online orders for deliver to customer on tablet, laptop Shopping Online concept.Once you have an idea, starting a business can be very exciting, but also daunting. It is important to map everything out before you start to avoid potential pitfalls down the road. Here is a guide to set up your new business for financial success.

Know Your Market

It is crucial to conduct research on the demographic you are targeting with your business. You should survey these people to determine if your product or service is something that can be of use. Make sure to question your actual target market. Many times, asking family and friends can lead to a falsely optimistic view of the targeted market.

Before you invest funds in your idea, you should consider doing a SWOT analysis. This stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Analyzing each of these aspects as if your business were to launch today can help you improve in the long run. Below are some examples to ask yourself in each category:

Strengths

  • What makes our business unique from the competition?
  • What traits/knowledge does our team bring to the table?

Weaknesses

  • What is slowing us down? (labor, technology, etc.)
  • What skills do we lack?

Opportunities

  • Can we market our product/service differently based on a current market need?
  • Can we expand our current services/products to include more?

Threats

  • Are we too similar to our competitors?
  • Are we dependent on a supplier?

Know Your Competitor

Researching your competitors can help in more than one way. You can research your competition to determine how to price your products. Many times, new business owners either under price or over price their products. Knowing what rate your competitors use can allow you to integrate your product to the market at a successful price point.

It is also possible to think of new ideas for your business model once you have seen how much overlap you share with your competitors. If you want your business to stand out, show the gap between your product/service and your competition’s. This can be difficult as you may have to go in a slightly different route for your business plan than you wanted, but it is necessary for the most success.

Create a Sturdy Business Plan

Whether you need investors or are financing your business by yourself, having a business plan to use as a roadmap for establishing your new business can make the process smoother. A business plan gives anyone analyzing your business, the understanding of your foundation and how you intend to develop your business. Forbes has a great guide for entrepreneurs to create a business plan.

Determine How You Want to Structure Your Business for Taxes

Unfortunately, taxes determine the structure of every business. You should consider the different types of structures and how they each affect your operations.

  • Sole Proprietorship – This type of business structure is available to solo business owners. It means that the company and the owner are considered the same. You would be responsible for all legal and tax issues.
  • LLC – This structure can be owned by one or more people. This limits your personal liability for legal and tax issues, unlike the sole proprietorship.
  • LLP – This structure is similar to an LLC but requires a partnership. It is usually used for services from licensed professionals such as accountants.
  • Corporation – Like an LLC, a Corporation is able to limit your liability as a business owner. There are two types of tax corporations: C-Corps and S-Corps. C-Corps are usually for larger companies while S-Corps are for smaller companies.

Register Your Business

Now it is time to officially register your business. Try to think of a name for your business that you feel confident that you will like long-term. You will have a business name, but oftentimes, businesses use a DBA (Doing Business As). This means that the name that the public recognizes may not be the same as what the business legally filed. Some states may require you to file your DBA.

Unless you are a Sole Proprietorship, you will need to collect a sizable amount of tax documents at the time of registering your business. You will need to select a registered agent to accept legal documents for your business. You will also need to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN). This is an easy process you can submit to the IRS.

Figure out Your Finances

The first thing you need to do is open up a business checking account. You should never mix personal and business expenses. Having a separate checking account helps with this distinction. You should pay business expenses and receive income through this account.

If you have a complicated business model, it is recommended that you hire a bookkeeper. This especially helps if you sell a product. You will need help with balancing your ledger with your inventory. Accounting software can also help with this. QuickBooks is a great resource for small businesses to stay on top of all of their tax requirements.

Funding Your Business

Once you figure out how much it costs your business to run, you need to figure out how to startup your business. Many people fund their own businesses from their savings accounts, personal credit cards, or from friends and family. This is a risky way to fund your business as it might leave you in trouble in your personal life if your business were to go south. There are other external options you can explore to fund your business such as small business loans or grants.

Getting Your Business Online

Now that you have figured out most of your business, it is time to create a website to properly showcase your products/services. Having a website is very important as it will get your business leads if marketed correctly. If you have no experience with website strategy, we suggest outsourcing to a web designer rather than making your own weak website. You will want to optimize your website so it will show up in search engines (SEO). A professional-made website will be able to put you in a good spot for this.

Registering your website on local listings can make a huge difference. Prioritize setting up listings for Google and Yelp. Make sure to add proper information in all of the fields. A good bio and pictures of your business and team can go a long way.

Social Media is also a great way to market your business. You should think about your audience and the platforms they mainly use to determine your marketing strategy. For example, if you have a younger target audience like Gen Z or Millennials, Instagram will be the best platform you can use. You do not need to have every social media platform to market your business. Being consistent and patient is the best mindset to have at the end of the day.

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Creating a new business takes a good amount of tedious work but can lead to rewarding results. Using this guide can help you start in the right direction for your business. For more questions, contact us today!

Bookkeeping & Accounting Tips for Small Business Owners

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Young asian female work with financial papers at home count on calculator before paying taxes receipts online, planning budget glad to find chance for economy saving money, audit conceptsRunning a small business is a demanding task, requiring you to wear many hats, from managing operations to marketing and customer service. Among these responsibilities, bookkeeping and accounting are crucial for the financial health and sustainability of your business. While it may seem daunting, effective financial management doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Here are some essential bookkeeping and accounting tips to help small business owners stay organized, compliant, and financially sound.

1. Separate Personal and Business Finances

One of the first steps for any small business owner is to separate personal and business finances. Open a dedicated business bank account and use it exclusively for business transactions. This separation simplifies bookkeeping, aids in tax preparation, and ensures legal protection of personal assets.

2. Use Accounting Software

Investing in accounting software can save you time and reduce the risk of errors. Tools like QuickBooks, Xero, or FreshBooks offer user-friendly interfaces and automate many bookkeeping tasks, such as invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting. Many of these platforms also integrate with your bank account, further streamlining the process.

3. Track All Expenses

Maintain meticulous records of all business expenses. Use your accounting software or apps to capture and categorize receipts immediately. Keeping a detailed record of expenses not only helps in managing cash flow but also ensures you can claim all possible tax deductions.

4. Regularly Reconcile Bank Statements

Reconcile your bank statements at least once a month. This process involves comparing your accounting records with your bank statements to ensure they match. Reconciling accounts helps identify discrepancies, catch errors, and detect potential fraud early.

5. Implement a Consistent Invoicing System

A consistent invoicing system ensures you get paid on time. Send out invoices promptly, set clear payment terms, and follow up on overdue payments. Using accounting software for invoicing can automate reminders and track outstanding invoices.

6. Monitor Cash Flow

Cash flow is the lifeblood of any small business. Regularly monitor your cash flow to ensure you have enough funds to cover operating expenses and invest in growth opportunities. Create cash flow projections to anticipate future needs and adjust your operations accordingly.

7. Set Aside Money for Taxes

Avoid the year-end scramble by setting aside money for taxes throughout the year. Estimate your tax liability and regularly deposit a portion of your revenue into a separate tax account. Consider consulting with a tax professional to understand your tax obligations and maximize deductions.

8. Maintain Accurate Financial Records

Accurate financial records are essential for making informed business decisions. Regularly update your books and keep records of all financial transactions, including sales, purchases, payroll, and other expenses. Accurate records are also crucial for compliance with tax laws and regulations.

9. Prepare for Financial Reporting

Prepare financial statements, such as the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement, on a regular basis. These reports provide insights into your business’s financial health and performance. Use these reports to identify trends, assess profitability, and make strategic decisions.

10. Seek Professional Advice

Consider hiring a professional accountant or bookkeeper, especially if your business finances become complex. A professional can provide valuable insights, ensure compliance with tax laws, and help you optimize your financial strategy. Many small business owners find that the cost of professional advice is outweighed by the benefits of improved financial management and peace of mind.

Effective bookkeeping and accounting are fundamental to the success of any small business. By implementing these tips, small business owners can maintain financial order, make informed decisions, and ensure their business thrives. While it may require an initial investment of time and resources, the long-term benefits of sound financial practices are well worth the effort.