Leveraging Your Vendor Relationships to Cut Costs
By Anna Masker In standard6th June, 2018
Five key points to remember before you ask Of the many ways to cut business costs, vendor negotiation can be one of the simplest and quickest paths to improve cash flow. And it’s often overlooked. Sometimes a simple email to your sales rep asking if a lower price is available can yield instant savings. More
Can You Afford to Give Yourself a Raise?
By Anna Masker In standard15th May, 2018
Not until you get your financial ducks in a row You had an idea. Just a germ, a spark. So, you threw caution to the wind and started a company. Things are going well. Really well. Maybe it’s time to give yourself a little reward in the form of a raise. Not so fast. Before
Be the Smart Guy, Not the Nice Guy
By Anna Masker In standard9th May, 2018
Don’t downplay the risks of extending credit to clients It’s tempting to be the nice guy. The one who gives a twenty to a lonely stranger at the bus station who just needs a ride. The one who lends the wacky uncle a couple thousand for that “can’t miss” investment opportunity. The one who funds
Is it Time to Expand Your Business?
By Anna Masker In standard2nd May, 2018
Without proper cash-flow planning, growing, otherwise-profitable businesses can find themselves in big trouble Cash flow is your business’s lifeblood. Even if yours is growing and profitable, it can still go under if you don’t take the right precautions. In fact, lack of cash kills around a quarter of all small businesses, including many companies that would
It’s Okay – Walk Away
By Anna Masker In standard25th April, 2018
When to get rid of a client (and why) Sometimes, a relationship comes to the end of the road. You’ve tried talking, cajoling, and maybe even shouting. But it’s clear that there is no fix. No therapist’s couch, no heart-to-heart, no intervention from friends. It’s over. It’s time to break up with your client. This
Thank You, Uncle Sam, for the New Hire Subsidy
By Anna Masker In standard17th April, 2018
Ready to grow your business? The government may be able to help It’s an exciting and daunting moment when your small business is ready to grow. New staff can be expensive to hire and it can be tempting to keep things status quo, remain a lean-and-mean operation, and take on more than your current staff
When it Comes to Downsizing, Use a Scalpel, Not an Axe
By Anna Masker In standard4th April, 2018
Cutting carefully preserves the essentials and sets you up for success down the road Downsizing. It’s a situation no business owner or CEO wants to face, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. The economy falters, profits tumble, and you must find a quick way to reduce costs. That could mean cutting jobs, cutting services, and maybe even
Keeping Your Employees’ Hands out of Your Cookie Jar
By Anna Masker In standard28th March, 2018
3 proven strategies to prevent internal fraud and embezzlement “Good one!” I thought, as a colleague of mine in the payroll industry was describing how one of her client’s employees creatively embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company. The scheme was so ingenious, I added it to our internal “watch list” for future
4 Pricing Strategies You Can Take to the Bank
By Anna Masker In standard22nd March, 2018
Maximize profits and keep customers satisfied using these effective techniques Pricing. It’s the million-dollar question that can make or break a company. Aside from being able to cover your costs and make a profit, do you know that your pricing is a strategic tool you can use to gain market share or send a signal
Half of New Businesses Fail Within Three Years
By Anna Masker In standard20th March, 2018
… and cash flow is a common culprit All business owners have heard envious comments like “Oh, I’d love to have my own business!” or “It must be great being your own boss!” What few of these entrepreneurial admirers appreciate is the fact that business ownership requires intense effort and a fierce commitment to solving