Heads Above the Rest - Are You a Good Leader?

This month we celebrate the President’s Day Holiday, a holiday which recognizes the birthdays of two of our country’s great Presidents. However, it is also a reminder about the historical leadership from which this country has benefited. So, what defines a leader and what leadership skills can small business owners practice to help their company achieve success?

1. Establish a Clear Vision and Goals- In today’s rapidly changing business climate, it is easy to become easily distracted by the “next best thing” or new way of thinking. Having an established vision for your company as well as predetermined goals helps small business owners and presidents remain focused on where they are going. For example, an established revenue goal provides the barometer for you to evaluate if performing a certain function is in line with accomplishing that pre-established goal.

2. Take Holistic View of Your Company- Recognize that corporate success is not determined by a single business aspect. Revenue and profitability figures alone do not tell the complete story of whether a company is on the right track. View financial metrics in conjunction with other cross departmental metrics, key product offerings and customer satisfaction.

3. Build Strong Teams- Successful leaders have the support of strong teams. They recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and build complementary teams of individuals who can provide specific areas of expertise to help move their business forward. A small business owner may possess creativity for developing new product ideas but may need to surround themselves with colleagues that have financial expertise to execute those business plans or market those products.

4. Empower Your Employees- Empathize with your employees (and customers!) and put yourself in their shoes. Acknowledge challenges they may face and be open to suggestions on a better way to perform certain functions. You will establish trust within your organization and be able to get the most from your employees, in a positive way. Empowering employees to offer recommendations, suggestions and decisions will create internal buy-in within your organization thereby fostering realization of a single common goal.

5. Recognize and Embrace Change- Today’s business environment is constantly changing. New technologies for enhancing productivity are consistently introduced. Recognize these technological improvements and use them to your advantage to promote productivity in your workplace. Technological improvements do not replace human capital and ideas; rather, they often streamline operations and allow you to better leverage employee resources and intelligence.

As a small business, our team is striving towards implementing these same practices. We are currently offering a free analysis of your business processes and accounting system. If you would like to learn more on how Analytix Solutions can enhance your business processes in 2012, please call me directly at 781.503.9004 or email me at snpatel@aixsol.com

Satish Patel, CPA
President, Analytix Solutions
Satish Patel, Founder-CEO of Analytix Solutions, has more than two decades of experience as a CPA. He has also advised small and mid-sized businesses on diverse matters such as valuation, accounting, and finance. His experience extends to raising capital and arranging for finance from angel investors.

Outsourcing accounting: 6 things you need to know for your small business

The many advantages of outsourcing accounting are attracting a lot of attention of small business owners. Outsourcing accounting functions has the potential of saving small businesses thousands of dollars per year, which they spend on hiring, training and retention of in-house accounting professionals. Due to its recent popularity, many accounting firms have started offering customized accounting solutions especially for small businesses. However, before deciding to go for outsourcing accounting for your small business, there are some pointers you should keep in mind. The following are some of them:

1. One of the first things you need to be aware of while outsourcing accounting is to have a clear idea of what you want from your accounting firm. To make a success of your small business accounting, you need to have clear expectations and make your accounting firm understand them. Many outsourced accounting projects fail due to misconceptions and lack of communications between the small business owner and the accounting firm.


2. Don't trust an accounting firm blindly when you are outsourcing accounting functions for your business. No matter how much their services are recommended, you need to take things in your hands and check things out. In case you decide to use online accounting services, you need to ensure that the firm which you are using for outsourcing accounting uses adequate security measures to protect your accounting data. If your accounting firm is an offshore one, ensure that the staff working there is qualified enough to take care of your accounting requirements.


3. While outsourcing accounting functions, be sure to ask for references of past clients from the accounting firm concerned. You will get an idea about the quality of work as well as the experience and skills of accounting staff by looking at past work of the firm.


4. Enter into a clear contract with your outsourced accounting firm so that the terms and conditions are specified right from the beginning. A written contract goes a long way in ensuring transparency in your dealings with your accounting firm.


5. You can start the outsourcing accounting project by giving the accounting firm limited responsibilities. This will allow you to set the workflow and judge the caliber of the outsourced accounting firm. Allow the firm to prove its potential and take things forward from there.


6. While outsourcing accounting's main benefit is cost savings, it is should not be the only factor in selecting the accounting firm. Cheap is not always the best option for your accounting services; if the quality of work is not up to the mark, it may cost you much more later on to correct the mistakes of a cheap accounting firm. Outsourcing accounting should not only save you costs, it should also be high in the qualitative factor.

Outsourcing accounting will probably become the most useful business decision you will take for your small business. While it has benefits as well as risks associated with it, if you make informed decisions, the benefits will far exceed the risks for your small business. Find an experienced accounting firm which can become your partner in expanding your business and making it more profitable.

Accounting Services: A Means For Focusing More On Your Small Business

Using accounting services has become a common practice with small and mid-sized businesses, which have fewer resources to manage their business with. A professional accounting service provider has the potential of saving small businesses up to 40% in costs, which can be used to develop the business further. However, using an accounting firm to maintain books of accounts is not just a way to reduce costs; it has many other benefits also.

Focus on your main business activity

The most important reason you should use accounting services from a professional is that you can then focus on your main business activity. Maintaining your books of accounts is not your specialty, and you should hence not spend time doing that. If you have an accounting firm taking care of all your accounting and bookkeeping, you can stop worrying about it and spend more time on core activities which can increase business for you. Handing over all your accounting tasks to an experienced accounting service provider will free valuable time for you which can be a crucial factor for making your small business successful.

Reduce employee-related issues

Many businesses face a lot of issues related to hiring, training and retaining in-house employees. Sometimes, in case of bigger problems, businesses face employee-related lawsuits, which are time consuming. When you use accounting services from a service provider, you don’t have to worry about any issue related to employees, as you are using services and not employing people directly. An accounting firm hence ensures that you save on time and resources of hiring in-house employees.

Experts at your service

Using accounting services from a professional ensures that your books of accounts are being taken care of by experts in the field of accounting and bookkeeping. Accounting firms hire experts who are efficient and experienced at what they do and will work better than an in-house accountant. With such experts working on your accounting, there will also be less likelihood of mistakes in the work that is completed. You hence not only save cost of hiring an accountant, but also get a much more experienced staff to complete your accounting.

Save on office space and resources

The space that your in-house accountant would utilize for maintaining your books of accounts can be saved if you use outsourced accounting services. Accounting firms generally provide online accounting, which eliminates the requirement of any office space. You hence save on rent of an office or the space occupied by your accountant, which you can utilize elsewhere in your business.

No last minute problems

An accounting service provider updates transactions in your books of accounts on daily basis. You can hence stop worrying about pending tasks or last minute glitches at the time of tax filing and annual audits. Your books will be up to date at any given point of time, which eliminates the hassles of last-minute problems which are typically faced at the time of filing of tax.

An experienced accounting firm can reduce your burden of everyday activities, so that you can develop your business according to the vision you have. You may benefit even more if your accounting service provider has some experience in dealing with businesses similar to yours.

Accounting Services: An Integral Part Of Your Small Business Growth

Are you an expert accountant? Most small business owners aren't, and that's why they need the help of a professional who provides accounting services. Hiring such professionals for accounting services can ensure that your books of accounts are in the right hands, so that you can focus on your business. Small business owners are generally tempted to take care of their own accounting. However, hiring a professional for small business accounting services holds some aces over do-it-yourself accounting.

Why a professional for accounting services?

Until recently, small businesses used to hire in-house staff to take care of their accounting for them. This was the only option available to small businesses, as there were few professional accounting service providers available. However, small business owners are increasingly starting to use outsourced accounting services due to the various advantages it offers. The number of service providers for small business accounting has also increased exponentially in the past few years.

Using accounting services can save precious resources, especially for small businesses. The cost of hiring and training an in-house accountant is huge, and an accounting service provider may help save as much as 40% of the cost of such recruitment. A professional company for small business accounting is an expert at what it does, so you need not worry about the quality of work being done. Such an accounting firm is also available 24x7 through phone, email, teleconferencing etc., so accessibility is also not an issue. If an accounting service provider is giving you a cheaper deal and taking care of all your accounting requirements efficiently, why should you hire in-house staff for accounting?

What to expect when you use accounting services?

A professional accounting service provider will be completely dedicated to maintaining your books of accounts. So instead of one single accountant in-house, you will have a whole company at your service. Most accounting service providers provide customized accounting services, which will be completely tailored as per your requirements. A company specializing in small business accounting will also have the latest software and experts to make sure the job is completed properly.

Most accounting service providers offer other services as well. For example, an accounting firm may also be offering bookkeeping services, tax preparation services etc. When you are checking out the company's service portfolio, see other service offerings they have over and above accounting services. If you see anything that applies to your business in addition to small business accounting, have that added in your package.

Accounting firms also provide completely scalable services, so you can change your package or requirements at any time you want. However, you need to discuss the scalability of services with the accounting service provider in question. You may also be thinking about the security of your financial information when you use accounting services from a third party. But you can rest assured that an experienced company providing accounting services will have adequate security measures to keep all your data safe. Ask your accounting service provider about the security measure it takes to keep all your data safe.

Online Accounting: How small businesses can benefit from it

As a small business owner, you may be facing a tough task of managing all departments of your business at once. Running a small business is a tough task as it is; add to that the responsibility of handling small business accounting and bookkeeping, and it may become an impossible one. If hiring in-house staff for handling your books of accounts is not an option for you, consider hiring the services of an online accounting service provider. Online accounting is known for its benefits, especially for small businesses. Some of the benefits of online accounting are as mentioned below:

Cost Effective
The first, foremost and most important advantage of online accounting is its cost effectiveness. Not only does hiring online bookkeeping service save you the cost of hiring in-house resources, it also ensures that additional resources like office space, rent etc. are not wasted. You can then invest the money and resources saved through online accounting into the business to ensure its profitability.

Quick Turnaround
Online accounting service providers provide a very quick turnaround as they have dedicated personnel working on your books of accounts. In many cases, the online bookkeeping service provider gives an assurance of updating your books of accounts within 24 hours of receipt of the documents. Such speedy work ensures that accounting and bookkeeping of your small business is up to date at all times.

Experts at Work
Let’s admit it: you do business well, but maintaining books of accounts like a pro is not your cup of tea. When you hire online accounting services, you can rest assured that there is an experienced professional working on your books. Such experts also ensure that the work done is impeccable and there are less chances of any mistake in your small business accounting.

Easy to Use
Online accounting services make your work very easy with a simple procedure. You just need to send your documents to your online bookkeeping service provider via email; the rest is all taken care of by online accounting professionals on the other end. You can hence stop worrying about your business financials the minute you email the document and concentrate on running your small business.

Efficient Record-Keeping
Online accounting or online bookkeeping gives a lot of importance to record-keeping. When you hire a professional for online accounting, you need not maintain separate records for your own reference. The latest and most accurate accounting information will be maintained by professionals when you decide to use online bookkeeping services. You can get access to these records 24x7, which is a facility given by most service providers today.

Online accounting has the potential of aiding you in running your business efficiently and reducing your overall responsibilities. There are many online bookkeeping service providers today which offer customized packages. You can select the one that best suits your small business requirements.

Tips For Selecting An Accounting And Bookkeeping Service Provider For Women Entrepreneurs

Women entrepreneurs are today running more small businesses than ever before and are poised to surpass the number of small businesses run by men. We were thinking since some time to include some accounting services related tips with a special focus on women entrepreneurs, as accounting and bookkeeping remains one of the few areas women face difficulties in. This post is hence dedicated to accounting and bookkeeping for women entrepreneurs.

There are certain differences in the way women do business and this needs to be kept in mind while planning to hire a company for accounting services:

1. Women are essentially different in the way they manage their business. It is observed in general that they like to balance all the other activities of their life alongside their business, whereas men tend to focus totally on their small business. Due to this necessity to divide their time in various commitments, women entrepreneurs need to rope in a strong advisor in the form of an experienced bookkeeping and accounting service provider to manage their business finances properly. Women are also likely to consult more often with the firm they hire for their small business accounting as compared to men for accounting and bookkeeping matters related to their business.


2. Women are also not very comfortable with the financial aspect of the business and tend to depend on a bookkeeping and accounting service provider for expert advice on managing their books. Due to this dependence, the accounting service provider becomes an integral and important part of a woman-owned business and also a base for the success of that business.

Due to these differences in the way women conduct business, they need a dependable and expert bookkeeping and accounting service provider, who can sit with them, understand their business as well as has some experience working with similar businesses. The accounting service provider should also be trustworthy, so that the women entrepreneurs can divulge confidential information without fear of leakage.

If you are a woman entrepreneur who is wondering how to find an ideal bookkeeping and accounting service provider for your business, read on for some tips to select one:

1. Choose an Expert - Cheap Can be Expensive

It's an industry known fact that outsourcing accounting and bookkeeping can save you cost. Since you don't need anybody in-house on your payroll, you can save yourself a lot of money. But many a times, in a bid to save cost, women entrepreneurs tend to compromise on the expertise and experience of accounting service providers. This can be a huge mistake for a woman-owned business. A company offering you a discount of up to 40% can be legitimate; however, don't take the discount thing too far by opting for "80-90% off" offers - such offers can be an expensive mistake. Experience in similar kinds of businesses counts the most towards good accounting and bookkeeping of your business. So when you are searching for a firm providing accounting services, ask specifically about their experience in your industry.



2. Check Out the Accounting Firm's Support Services

You might need to consult with the firm you hire for accounting services several times in a week. You hence need to ensure that he/she is available on phone, email, chat and even personally in case of urgent matters. Make sure that the accounting service company is based within the U.S. and not thousands of miles away, or else you might have a tough time contacting it when you want.



3. Make Sure their Services are Flexible

You may need to scale your bookkeeping and accounting services up or down according to your business requirements. Your service provider needs to be flexible enough to agree to this. Many women entrepreneurs tend to hire the first accounting firm or accounting company they interview. This is a wrong decision; interview several accounting service providers and check out the options they are giving you. Don't go for anything but the best amongst them.

Choosing the correct bookkeeping and accounting service provider is vital - if you go wrong it can make or break your dream business venture. You need to hence choose yours carefully, so that you can empower your business with strong accounting and bookkeeping and impeccable recordkeeping.

Outsourced Accounting Services: What To Expect

The success of many small businesses has been credited to the use of an accounting service provider. The advantage of outsourcing small business accounting is an integral part of the success of all businesses. As a small business owner, you might be thinking of going down the same path for your business too. However, you will want to examine and be aware of the process and how the advantages will benefit your business. The following are some of the distinct advantages of outsourcing accounting services:

1. Qualified Professionals



The first and foremost advantage of hiring a firm for accounting services is its obvious expertise in small business accounting. Reputed accounting firms hire only the most qualified and the most experienced professionals in the industry. You can hence rest assured that when you hire such a firm, your accounting and bookkeeping functions will be taken care of by expert professionals. Having such experienced staff at work will also reduce the number of errors made in calculations, so that at the end of a financial year, your books are in perfect shape.



2. Cost Savings



Another major plus point of outsourcing accounting services is that it saves costs of up to 30-40%, which is an invaluable resource for small businesses. Entrepreneurs can save costs associated with in-house hiring like training, pension plans, holiday pay etc. Hiring a third party for small business accounting also ensures that you save on renting space, as all of the work is done at another location.



3. Save Time



A lot of small business owners spend a lot of time ensuring that their books of accounts are maintained properly, even when they hire in-house staff. But handing over the accounting and bookkeeping functions to an accounting service provider ensures that entrepreneurs can focus on what they do best: business. The time saved from looking at small business accounting can be spent in business-related functions like customer service, expansion etc.



4. Customized Services



Professional firms for accounting services now provide custom-made packages for accounting and bookkeeping of small businesses. This allows business owners to avail of only those services which their business requires instead of settling for the one-for-all packages that were available before. Such customized services and personal attention ensure the accounting services are of utmost benefit to your business.

A Word of Caution

The only thing you need to be careful about while hiring a firm for your small business accounting is steering clear of the shady firms. You need to sort through the flood of bookkeeping and accounting service providers available today and find the one that is suitable to your small business. You also need to ensure that your data is protected at all times by the accounting service provider you hire.

If you manage to find the appropriate firm to hire for accounting services, your business can have all the benefits mentioned above. The service provider will, in turn, become an asset for you and increase the profitability of your small business in the longer run.

Is Using Outsourced Accounting Services the Right Step for Your Small Business?

For a long time, using outsourced accounting services was an option only for larger corporations. However, of late, the cost effectiveness of outsourcing accounting functionalities has made it an attractive prospect for small businesses as well. A small business owner is generally burdened with taking care of all the functions of the business with very little resources at his/her disposal. Outsourcing to expert accounting service providers has the potential of saving a lot of resources and hence is an attractive proposition for small business owners.

But the question most small business owners are pondering over is: Does hiring a bookkeeping and accounting service provider make sense for small businesses? Judging the answer to this question is tricky and requires evaluating the pros and cons of outsourcing accounting.

There are advantages attached to hiring an outsourced accounting service provider which are especially applicable to small businesses:

1. The main advantage of outsourcing accounting functions is its cost effectiveness, which can save your small business up to 40% costs as compared to in-house staff
2. Accounting service providers have expert staff who can handle all your small business accounting requirements with ease
3. You can choose to hire only those services which are applicable to your business
4. Outsourcing accounting frees up valuable time which you can dedicate to the core business activities
5. You are relieved from the hassles of hiring, training and retaining in-house staff

There is only one small disadvantage when it comes to hiring outsourced accounting services: Too many companies providing accounting services which makes it tough to decide which one to hire. If you hire an inefficient service provider, it may cost your business a lot more. So select an accounting service provider with a lot of care, taking into consideration the following factors:

1. Is the bookkeeping and accounting service provider experienced in your industry?
2. Can the firm give valid references of its current/past clients?
3. Does the firm have a reputation of providing accounting services for small businesses?
4. Can the firm assure a doorstep service if required or is it purely outsourcing company based miles away within US or outside US?
5. Is the accounting firm ready to give written documents regarding guarantee of service, terms and conditions etc?
6. Is the accounting service provider flexible enough to allow you to scale your bookkeeping and accounting requirements up or down?
7. Does the firm providing outsourced accounting service have suitable data security measures to protect sensitive information related to your small business?

If you get satisfactory replies to all of the above questions, you should rest assured that the accounting service provider you are considering to hire is suitable for your small business.

The advantages of outsourcing small business accounting far surpass the disadvantages of outsourcing accounting functionalities. If you work with the right service provider, it can become a valuable asset to your small business. As a small business owner, you should hence consider availing the services of a professional bookkeeping and accounting service provider so that they can focus on the core activities of the business and grow it appropriately.