Tax Perks for Business Trips | All Business

February 18, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Good news. If you’re self-employed, a sole proprietor, or a freelancer, there are a number of travel and business-related expenses you can take advantage of to help reduce your taxable income. Keep in mind: in order for a travel expense to be deductible, you have to be away from your “tax home” (AKA your regular place of business).

So, when are you considered traveling away from your “tax home”? You are away from your tax home if:

Your job duties require you to be away from the general area of your tax home, substantially longer than an ordinary day’s work, AND . . .

You need to sleep or rest to meet the demands of your work while away from home.

Focused Entrepreneurial Mindset | Business Tips

February 17, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Growing up, how many times did one of your friend’s eyes light up right before they declared, “I have a great idea”? In elementary school, that statement was probably followed by a pitch on why your group of buddies should have a contest to see who could chug their lunch milk the fastest (trying to be the one who kept it down was the real challenge). Now, that one sentence – I have a great idea – is more often followed by an actual good idea and if you’re reading this, chances are one of them came from you. Making that idea more than just a fleeting moment of inspiration is the hard part. Becoming a business owner takes more than smarts and knowing people. It requires an extremely disciplined and ever-motivated mindset that not everyone knows how to get into. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur though, it’s important that you do. Below are some tips to help you get there.

Secure Future Custom: 4 Ways to Keep a Client |CoolBusinessIdeas.com

February 17, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Whether you have an award-winning sales team or the most competitive prices on the market, the most important part of business is keeping your past and present clients interested in your service. You need to make sure that your customers are regularly reminded of your service to them and steer them away from the opposition. This is where we come in, as we have put together some top tips on how to retain business from your best customers.

It’s Official – Google is Evil | Peter Mehit

February 16, 2015February 17, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When we moved to our new apartment, Cox cable gave us our new phone number. We had only been in the apartment for a day when the phone began ringing almost hourly. First, it was the silence of autodialers checking for sentient beings on the other end of the line. This went on for a few days. Next, we began getting twice daily pitches from Google’s call center asking us to claim our Google listing. When we informed them that we were a residence, we were practically called liars.

“This is a dentist’s office,” said one of the call center jockeys, with a condescending tone.

“I can tell you, with all assurance, I am standing in the living room of my apartment,” I retorted.

Continue reading “It’s Official – Google is Evil | Peter Mehit” →

3 Struggles Entrepreneurs Are Afraid to Admit | Entrepreneur

February 16, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

You have to be confident to be an entrepreneur. Not 100 percent of the time, but it takes confidence to leave the security of a steady paycheck every week for the uncertainty of entrepreneurship. We know the stats about business-failure, which is why that confidence and fearless attitude are so important.

Too often, however, entrepreneurs use that confidence to cover up what they are struggling with inside. They don’t want to admit or show any weakness. They think they can “work it out” or that those struggles will magically go away on their own. They don’t want the outside world to see in cracks in the armor.

Questions to ask before starting a business in 2015 | mashable

February 16, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Ready to launch your own business in 2015? You’re not alone: Each year at CorpNet we see an uptick of new businesses formed in January. The New Year marks a new beginning, and what can be more fulfilling and exciting than making things happen with your own business?

As a serial entrepreneur myself, I wouldn’t trade the opportunities and exhilaration for anything in the world, but I also realize that launching and running a business isn’t for everyone. While you can’t prepare yourself for every aspect of the entrepreneurial lifestyle, here are six important questions to ask before you quit your day job and dive in:

1. What’s your motivation?

People are drawn to start their own business for a variety of business. Some hate having a boss, are tired of the morning commute, and feel they can do it better on their own. Others want to see the startup riches: get sold to Google, get tons of cash and retire early.

Make Your Advertising Dollars Work Harder: 5 Critical Steps | Forbes

February 16, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Whether you have a million-dollar marketing budget or are just launching your startup, making your advertising dollar work harder for you can make or break your growth. Following these five steps will help ensure that you get the results you need.

Identify Your Audience

You may have heard someone say, “She is such a good sales person. She could sell ice to an eskimo.” While that skill can come in handy, persuading prospects to go against their natural inclinations can result in higher acquisition costs for new customers. Instead, start with an understanding of who is currently buying your product or service. To do this, look at past sales data for demographic indicators: Where do they live? Are they primarily families? What is their gender?

You don’t want your potential audience to become so narrow that it is impossible to reach them, but these types of answers can give you a great jumping-off point for structuring your campaign.

How to Think Like Your Customer | Page 19

February 13, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

To make sound business decisions, you need empathy. Here’s how to get your employees to use it wisely and make it the coolest part of your company.

One of the biggest criticisms executives face is that they’re too removed from their customers’ needs and wants – and oftentimes, that’s a totally valid statement. After all, what do the analytical minds at a corporation like Jell-O have in common with the 5-year-olds who obsess over the colorful, wiggly product?

In Wired to Care, authors Dev Patnaik and Peter Mortensen discuss how empathy provides a connection to customers that helps generate new insights and greater success. When Jell-O experienced a drop in sales, executives spent hours poring over data to figure out why it happened. But the truth was, no trend report or market analysis could bring them the right answer – because none of them had eaten Jell-O in the past six months. That’s right: the cold, hard, jiggle-free truth was that they lacked the ability to put themselves in their customers’ shoes.

Business Couple Peter and Lydia Mehit Talk Tips In Starting a Business | UC Irvine Blackstone LaunchPad

February 13, 2015 ~ CBPS ~ Leave a comment

Lydia mentioned to always have targets. When people talk to their weak ties, they need to have a specific person they are trying to reach for. It’s important to look up whom they want to work with.

“Once you have the connection, you have to tell people exactly how you want them to help you,” Peter said. “You need to be specific. I wish I had learned this sooner.”

Peter later mentioned the importance of learning your business idea well enough that you can talk about it without any hesitation. He also said to not let other people’s limitations stop you from doing what you need to get done.