Gross Margin -- The Overlooked Metric
Not too long ago, I was making a presentation to a prospective client, when he asked me which single metric he should stay most focused on. I thou... Read more
Bookkeeping
Recent Bookkeeping Articles
Inventory: Friend or Foe?
Poor inventory management is the bain of profitable businesses, leading financial auditors and bankers to cast a wary eye. You should too. Read more
Placing Your Bets
Managing your pre-season commit percentages is one of the keys to having a profitable season. Read more
SEC Acts to Curb Cash Flow Shenanigans
Once thought to be rock-solid, cash flow statements deserve a second look, a new study finds. Read more
Cycle Counting
Once you're in the habit of continuously cycle counting, you'll probably never have to do a full physical inventory again. Read more
Low Hanging Fruit, Sludge and Everything Else
Strategies for turning dead inventory into cash. Read more
Tax Holiday for Little Guys, Too
Make sure you take advantage of the repatriation tax break just like the big boys. Read more
Is There a Future for Small Retailing?
Writing a regular column, I'm always looking for ideas. Many come from my clients, indirectly, for their questions and concerns are the questions and conc... Read more
The Secret to Formatting Cash Flow Projections
Here are the keys to creating a powerful tool to take control of your cash flow. Read more
How to Spot Trouble in Your Financials
Diagnose what's wrong with your company by zeroing in on your financials. Read more
Cash Flow Projections Made Easy
Here is a 4-step process you can use to create cash flow projections you can trust. Read more
Cash Balance: Avoid the Wimpy Syndrome
Don't put off for tomorrow what you should be doing today. Read more
The 10 Absolutely Must-Follow Cash Flow Rules
The 10 Absolutely Must-Follow Cash Flow Rules When it comes to properly managing the cash flow of your business, the best way to move from wher... Read more
Take the Money
Plenty of cash-strapped start-ups trade for goods and services. But what happens when you try to convert barter clients to cash-paying customers? Read more
What Auditors Look for When Examining a Business
First and foremost, the IRS training manual tells its auditors that they are examining you, not just your tax return. The auditor wants to see how ... Read more
Preparing for an Audit
Who's afraid of the IRS? Almost everyone. The key to surviving a tax audit -- and even coming out on top -- is not to panic, but to prepare. Wha... Read more
The IRS Goes Fishin'
This summer's company outing could get you in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. Read more
Supply Chain Management Becomes a Larger Priority
Industries with extensive and complex manufacturing environments, such as consumer products, high-tech and automotive, know that failing to collaborate wi... Read more
Getting a Purchase on Inventory
Good banking relations allow Martin Guitar to buy big when needed. Read more
Strategies for Your Business's Excess Inventory
If you have items that have been sitting on your shelves for some time, it's costing you money. You're paying storage and other costs and you're missing t... Read more
Four Tips for Navigating Cash-Crunch Times
With a weak economy and uncertain prospects, many companies -- large and small -- are urgently looking for more of two things: customers and cash flow. Read more
Power Up the Payroll Process
Paymaxx's on-line payroll service, PowerPayroll, streamlines the payroll process for small-business owners. Read more
Free Money?
Can you make those enticing credit-card offers work for you? Find out how with this advice from Rhonda Abrams. Read more
Preparing for an Audit
A tax audit will be much less worrisome if you prepare for it. Read more
What Auditors Look for When Examining a Business
Know what an IRS auditor looks for when examining your business and its records. Read more
Self-Employed as Audit Targets
The IRS keeps a close eye on self-employed individuals. Here's what it looks for. Read more
Audit Survival Tips
In an audit, you must convince the IRS that you reported all of your income and were entitled to any credits, deductions, and exemptions that are questioned. Read more
3 Key Record-Keeping Steps to Start the New Year Right
Records are an essential element in claiming deductions on your taxes. Here's how to keep them in order to ensure you don't miss out on savings. Read more
8 Steps to Help You Develop a Disaster Plan
If you' re thinking about creating a contingency or disaster plan for your business, you' re not alone. A contingency plan has always been something that ... Read more
Business Insurance: A 12-Point Checklist
In the weeks since the September 11 tragedies, some formerly mundane business considerations have suddenly become glaring priorities. Adequate business in... Read more
Can I avoid all the hassle of getting a bank loan by financing my small business with credit cards?
Offices & Operations mentor Mie-Yun Lee responds: With the state of the economy, banks and venture capitalists aren't as willing to... Read more
Financial Strategies: The Best of Inc. Magazine
When it comes to questions about business finance, Jill Andresky F... Read more
Bringing Discipline to Pricing
Article abstract: Many otherwise rigorously run companies are disconcertingly lax about pricing. Although a 1 percent improvement in... Read more
When Investors Rein In the Free Spending
The relationship between the founders of Wetzel's Pretzels and their powerful investors has not always been silky smooth. "When the money all comes in, yo... Read more
