Archive for August, 2009

A Live Virtual Receptionist Is A Smart Solution Forn Small Business

August 31st, 2009 admin

For many companies who need quality administrative services, but cannot afford to find, train, and employ a full-time receptionist, live virtual receptionists are an invaluable resource. A live virtual receptionist handles incoming phone calls, either connecting them to you or taking and forwarding appropriate messages. Live virtual receptionists also sort and prioritize email, set appointments, and provide many other services you would expect from a front-desk receptionist at a fraction of the cost. If you run a business from home, or simply have limited office space and limited resources, a live virtual receptionist may be the flexible solution you are looking for.

Front Desk offers live virtual receptionist services from trained live virtual receptionists who are educated about your company and want to provide you with the quality services you are looking for. Your calls, emails and other correspondence will be handled by their live virtual receptionists with utmost professionalism and courtesy. Their live virtual receptionists give your clients and customers a pleasant business experience with a real person instead of an automated system. Unless you specify otherwise, callers will never know they are dealing with a live virtual receptionist in place of someone at the front desk of your business.

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The Comment Box

August 30th, 2009 admin

You know the feeling of excitement you get when you open your mailbox and discover a letter from an old friend? That’s the same feeling bloggers get when they see someone’s left them a comment. Lately I’ve been wondering: what if we applied the Golden Rule to commenting and sent more “hand-written notes” to brighten each other’s day?
After all, blogging isn’t just about speaking your mind; it’s about joining a conversation, reaching out to new people and exposing yourself to new ideas and cultures. When you read a smart, funny or engaging blog post, there are a lot of different reason to leave a comment: to learn, to convince, to reinforce, or just to be part of a community.
Plus, not only does commenting let the person whose post you’re reading know what you’re thinking, you may also attract a few new friends, neighbors… and comments of your own! And, if you’re not sure what to say, [this is good] is a quick and easy way to let someone know you enjoyed her post.
Leaving comments will likely get you more comments in return, but if you want to ensure you get more comments from your friends and neighbors, here are a few simple things you can do:

Ask for them. Pose questions. Be open-ended.

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Small Business Inventory Control and Asset Tracking Resource

August 28th, 2009 admin

Inventory control & asset tracking can be among the most laborious and frustrating tasks you have as a small business owner. However ….. here’s a software package designed to make all that stress disappear …. and enhance the efficiency of your small business tracking needs.

RVB Systems Group has developed a low-cost easy-to-use inventory and fixed asset tracking application named Track’Em. The STANDARD version ($895) comes with the portable and rugged Unitech HT630 PDT laser barcode scanner. The LITE version ($395) comes with the equally rugged Unitech MS210 USB corded CCD barcode scanner.

Unlike some asset / inventory tracking applications, Track’Em is ready to go right out of the box. It includes an ACCESS 2003 database, dozens of reports and data entry screens. A FREE RUNTIME VERSION of Access 2003 is provided along with Track’Em. Track’Em can be run on a stand-alone PC, or over a network on an unlimited number of workstations. Track’Em Standard comes with a portable barcode scanner that is pre-programmed to easily collect information regarding assets (i.e., non-consumable items with different numbers, like the serial numbers on PC’s, documents, tools and equipment) and products / inventory (i.e., consumable items with the same number, like the barcode number on a case of copy paper).

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SBA Launches YouTube; Channel Aim is to Reach Larger Audience through Popular Site

August 27th, 2009 admin

We at the Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida look forward to some convenient and helpful video content as announced by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Keep in mind that this series is not intended to replace live workshops and we continue to encourage clients to attend classes like the ones you can find here.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration has begun posting informational videos on YouTube as it joins an increasing trend within the federal government to use the popular video-sharing web platform to reach a larger audience. YouTube is a highly popular Web site, especially among younger people.
SBA is intent on reaching this audience with its message of entrepreneurship, the importance of small business to the nation’s economy, and information on the agency’s programs and services.
“With millions of visitors, most of them under 35, YouTube offers a prime opportunity to use current technology and the appeal of a popular online platform to further promote the agency’s programs and services,” said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills.

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Five Facts about the Home Office Deduction from the IRS

August 27th, 2009 admin








With technology making it easier than ever for people to operate a business out of their house, many taxpayers, entrepreneurs and small business people may be able to take a home office deduction when filing their 2009 federal tax return next year.

Here are five important things the IRS wants you to know about claiming the home office deduction.

1. Generally, in order to claim a business deduction for your home, you must use

part of your home exclusively and regularly:

  • As your principal place of business, or
  • As a place to meet or deal with patients, clients or customers in the normal course of your business, or
  • In the case of a separate structure which is not attached to your home, it must be used in connection with your trade or business For certain storage use, rental use or daycare-facility use, you are required to use the property regularly but not exclusively.

2.

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Small Biz Health Care Daily: Another Reality Check on White House Reality Check

August 27th, 2009 admin

On the White House’s “Health Insurance Reform Reality Check,” Linda Douglass of the White House Office of Health Reform recently answered a question about more government involvement in health care possibly limiting consumer choices. Douglass declared that no such thing would happen. Not only would choices expand, but there would more choice and at lower costs.

Raymond J. Keating, chief economist for the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, said:

“I find it interesting to click over to the White House’s ‘Health Reform Reality Check’ site now and then due to the fact that it is completely devoid of substantive analysis and sound economics. It is merely a collection of videos of various administration members parroting the talking points about how great more government control over health care supposedly would be. Ms. Douglass asserts that this health care agenda, which is focused on more government spending, regulations and mandates, would expand choice and reduce cost. But how this miraculous feat would actually be accomplished – especially given the fact that Economics 101 and history tell us the exact opposite occurs with more government – remains a complete mystery.”

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GDP Numbers Updated

August 27th, 2009 admin

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis came out with its second estimate of second quarter GDP today.

The top line number was unchanged, with real GDP growth in the second quarter registering -1.0%.

However, it needs to be recognized that government investment and consumption played a big part in making the GDP number look better than it otherwise was. Federal government spending was up 11%, and state and local government by 3.6%.

So, real private sector GDP growth – that is, quality GDP growth – actually came in at a grim -2.27%.

The theory on more government spending in recession is that it will somehow spark the private sector. The reality? Government merely crowds out the private sector.

Raymond J. Keating
Chief Economist
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council

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Tips on How to Make Your Business Prosper

August 27th, 2009 admin
Effective Business Strategies to Stay Active in the Business Industry

Business plan shows your proposed idea on what and how the business will be. Strategies are effective ways on how to run the business and how to make it grow. Planning involves coming up with effective business strategies that will help the business remain active in this unstable economy. The competition is fierce, not having sufficient weapon and strategic attacking skill will render your business handicapped even before you taste victory. To achieve success, gather your team and produce a highly feasible business strategy. Any business plan can be brilliantly outlined, but not having a strategy is the same as putting the business for burial.

Anticipate any possible barrier of success, when you are still in the stage of business strategic planning which include solutions on how best to handle obstacles. Strategy is said to be an art of how you can best carry out a plan. The mission of putting your business plan to action is very crucial when you are investing not only your time and money but as well as your credibility on the line.

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Small Biz Health Care Daily: McCain and Market Reforms

August 26th, 2009 admin

On August 26, CNN.com reported: “Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said Tuesday that President Obama’s efforts to reform health care have sparked ‘a peaceful revolt in America.’ … Though McCain firmly rejected the idea of a government-run insurance option, saying it would eventually drive private insurers out of business and lead to a full government takeover of health care, he echoed his 2008 campaign platform and said it would be irresponsible to simply ‘do nothing’ — especially with the threat of Medicare and Social Security going broke. ‘So let’s go back with constructive, free-market incentives to improve the quality of health care and the affordability and availability,’ he said.”

Raymond J. Keating, chief economist for the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, points out:

“Senator McCain is absolutely correct. Free-market incentives are the correct answers to the current woes in our health care system – not more government spending and control. For example, smart reforms would include medical malpractice reform; allowing cross-border purchasing of health insurance so consumers can shop across the nation for affordable health coverage; allowing small businesses to join Small Business Health Plans that offer another choice and could make coverage less costly; and eliminate inequities in current tax law that penalizes small business owners regarding their health care premiums.”

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Competition Among the States for Business

August 26th, 2009 admin

USA Today has published a short piece on states competing to attract business. It notes how Nevada is pitted against California, New Hampshire vs. Massachusetts, Indiana taking on some of its neighbors, and New Jersey against New York.

This phenomenon can be a plus or a minus for business and the economy. If it focuses on politicians picking winners and losers, and doling out subsidies (taking resources from one business, for example, to hand it over to another), then it’s a negative. If it focuses on broadly lower taxes and reduced regulation that helps all businesses and entrepreneurs, then it’s a big positive.

Of course, it’s always handy to check out the SBE Council’s “Small Business Survival Index” to see where the states rank in terms of their public policy climates for entrepreneurship and small business.

Raymond J. Keating
Chief Economist
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council

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Small Business Link of the Week: Kickstarter

August 26th, 2009 admin


We found this site through an article about Kickstarter in the New York Times written by Jenna Wortham.


Kickstarter is a funding platform for artists, designers, filmmakers, musicians, journalists, inventors and explorers to make their case to attract patron investment into their projects. This is a different model than traditional fundraising orpeer to peer networks. According to the N.Y. Times article, Kickstarter is “a start-up based in Brooklyn that uses the Web to match aspiring da Vincis and Spielbergs with mini-Medicis who are willing to chip in a few dollars toward their projects. Unlike similar sites that simply solicit donations, patrons on Kickstarter get an insider’s access to the projects they finance, and in most cases, some tangible memento of their contribution. The artists and inventors, meanwhile, are able to gauge in real time the commercial appeal of their ideas before they invest a lot of effort — and cash.”

This is a great way for people to both support and participate in the creative process.

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Small Business Resource ….. Your Local Library

August 26th, 2009 admin

Here’s an easy, simple, and maybe surprising suggestion for a small business resource. I recommend the local library.

Too often we think of the library as a place for books and recreation, but it offers much more than that. Most public libraries have electronic resources available for business patrons – just ask a reference librarian.

For example, in Michigan, where I’m from, the Michigan Electronic Library offers the Business and Company Resource Center, which is accessible online to anyone with a Michigan driver’s license (see link below). This database provides industry overviews, company profiles, investment reports, financials, etc. And it’s all FREE.

In addition to the public library, I also recommend the local university library, especially if you live near a good business school. Publicly funded university libraries are open to the public; however, not all provide access to their databases. A librarian can advise you. And don’t forget about your alma mater! Some alumni associations include online library access privileges as part of alumni membership.

There are also online business libraries that charge a fee for resources.

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