Monday, November 23, 2009

Starting A Small Business-5 Key Steps

Economists and entrepreneurs would say that the best way to earn and keep your money is not to work for it but to let your money work for you. In the famous book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" distinctions on how people manage their wealth were made between average to poor people and rich people. Rich people stay on top by learning to be their boss in the field of business. Opening a small business requires great effort, resilience, good management skills and of course a little bit of luck. dallas accountant

Planning

Opening a small business starts with planning. Concentrate first on what kind of product or service you want to engage in such as food, retail or real estate. Make sure that you have enough knowledge and passion to back it up. dallas accountant

The last thing you want is to be saddled in a business that you know nothing about and get bored after a year or so. Take the time to research what materials you need and where to get them at the best prices. If you are catering to a specific place ask people around what kind of product or services they are willing to pay for. Know the wants and needs of the community. dallas accountant
Finances

Second, consider your finances. If you are planning to support you business with your salary reflect on how much you are willing to risk on business without compromising your daily expenses.

Besides your salary, there are several options for you to choose from like taking a loan from banks or lending companies or to engage in a partnership. There are people who are more comfortable in investing their money and leave the management and work to other partner. This is where you come in.

Market Research

After deciding on the product or service for your business and settling your finances, the next thing is to survey the community for a good location. Location is a crucial aspect in opening a small business because this will affect your product/service introduction and accessibility. dallas cpa

Choose a place where there are many people like the downtown area, a corner of the street or a place in the mall. Your store serves as your best advertisement to your would be customers. Even without the flyers and banners curious customers will take time to see what is in that new place.

Marketing

Your next step is marketing. Opening a small business requires an extensive marketing strategy from product/service introduction to ways on how to sell it to the people. This is very important because through marketing you will be able to entice people to be your customers and possibly your patrons.

Some entrepreneurs would even go to the trouble of hiring professionals to come up with new and innovative ways on how to establish their product or service to the public. For starters, it is helpful to learn from the experts; however your finances may dictate that you carry out a lot of these tasks yourself but you will learn a lot from these processes-lessons that will serve you very well in the rest of your entrepreneurial career. dallas cpa

You might think of copying the marketing plans including selling methods, pricing and advertising of successful businesses. dallas cpa

Business Plan Execution

After drawing up your plans and strategy to launch your business, you now need to execute your plans. Buy the necessary equipments and materials and hire good employees for your business. For small businesses, it is advisable to have a hands-on management in order for you to familiarize the ins and outs. Most importantly, hire a good and honest dallas accountant to take care of your records and financial statements.

You must always bear in mind that business can be risky. Your business might fail or succeed depending on many factors. Most successful entrepreneurs would tell you that it took them many years and many failed businesses before they arrived to where they are right now. But you do learn from your mistakes and hopefully this will be the start of a hugely successful business career.

Different Types Of Accounting Certifications

Every year around April 15th, one profession in the United States comes into the spotlight more than any other. If you are an accountant, you are undoubtedly at the center of this sudden attention. The early part of the year up to mid-April is a busy time for an accountant as everyone prepares federal and state tax returns to send in to the government. But was does an accountant do for the other eight months of the year? dallas accountant

Accounting is a broad term that includes a wide variety of tasks and specialties, a much wider variety than just taxes. There are also a few different kinds of accountants who deal with different aspects of the financial world. The most common type of accountant is a Certified Public Accountant or CPA. A certified public accountant is licensed in the state of the CPA's residence to provide accounting and auditing services to the public and may be employed by a public accounting firm or self-employed.

A public accountant may also offer services including financial advisory, litigation support, tax services, government regulation advisement including things like arbitrage rebate regulations, etc. In order to receive a CPA license, a person must pass an exam given by the American Institute of Certified Public dallas accountant.

Another form of accountant is a Certified Internal Auditor or CIA. A certified internal auditor is certified by the Institute of Internal Auditors and their job is to verify the accuracy of a company's record keeping and accounts. They may also perform operational audits. In most cases internal auditors are employed by the company they are auditing.

A Certified Management Accountant is also another certification that an accountant may achieve. The certificate is given by the Institute of Management Accountants, which requires applicants to pass a rigorous four-part exam in order to meet the requirements for a certificate granting that person status as a certified management accountant. In most cases, a certified management accountant is employed directly to advise one company on financial planning, budgeting, corporate spending, and taxation compliance. A CMA does not often work with the public and therefore differs from a CPA. dallas cpa

An Accredited Business Accountant or ABA is another type of accounting. This accreditation is granted by the Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation after the candidate passes a rigorous eight hour test. An ABA deals with small and mid-size businesses. They may also advise families and individuals.

Year round, each of these types of accountants helps manage the numbers that keep companies and individuals on the right financial course. dallas cpa