Idea of the Day®
December 21, 2024
First Day of Winter: Preparedness
Today is the first day of winter. It’s a good day to think about how winter weather will impact workers. OSHA offers tips on winter preparedness to keep workers safe. These include: training workers, providing engineering controls, implementing safe work practices, and providing protective clothing that provides warmth. Monitor weather conditions by checking with NOAA Weather Radio for information about winter storms. #IdeaoftheDay
Big Ideas for Your Business
Resources For Your Business
December 20, 2024
When it comes to running a business, whether you’re a freelancer, small business owner, or part of a larger team, one thing is for sure: you need estimates. They’re a crucial part of how you communicate with clients, manage expectations, and, ultimately, get paid. But creating estimates from scratch every time? That’s a time-consuming hassle. […]
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December 19, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
Between January 7, 2024, and November 7, 2024, there were 127 federally-declared disasters. It seems that the number of these disasters has been growing over the years. If your business is damaged or destroyed in a disaster, the government may be able to help, but do you know what to do to secure this assistance? […]
December 18, 2024
By James Thompson
Handling the realm of managing payrolls can be quite daunting for businesses as they strive to maintain precision and adhere to regulations while maximizing efficiency. Payroll software presents a solution; however, it is essential to choose the most appropriate one. Optimizing a payroll software free trial could play a role in making a well-informed decision. […]
December 17, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
The National Retail Federation predicts that gift card sales—a popular holiday purchase—could reach $28 billion this holiday season. “The average shopper will purchase three to four gift cards and spend $51.18 per gift card ($170.48 per person).” If you already offer gift cards or want to do so, be sure you’re doing things correctly. Benefits […]
December 16, 2024
By Jack Shaw
Team-building events can be an effective strategy if hosted correctly and everyone’s a willing participant. However, they can go wrong. Perhaps you’ve participated in a meet and greet followed by a barbecue and got nothing out of it, or maybe you’ve done an all-in challenge with group tasks to “beat” everybody into a unit. Nobody […]
December 13, 2024
By James Thompson
Businesses—even small ones—are going global, and money is changing hands. This can involve global mass payouts, which entail transferring substantial payment volumes to individuals or entities across international borders. Global mass payouts are crucial for firms operating on an international scale, reimbursing wages, vendor bills, or customer repayments across borders. Managing global mass payouts can […]
December 12, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
Several years ago, a Harvard Business Review study found that having a business plan makes you more likely to succeed. “Entrepreneurs who write formal plans are 16% more likely to achieve viability than the otherwise identical nonplanning entrepreneurs.” With the year drawing to a close, it’s a great time to revise an existing business plan or […]
December 11, 2024
As the holiday season and a new year approach, it’s the perfect time to reflect on all your business has achieved. Whether you’ve hit new sales milestones, rolled out exciting new products or services, or expanded into new markets, none of it would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of your team. […]
December 10, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
On November 25, 2024, Walmart announced it was rolling back its DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies. This follows similar moves—abandoning or revising DEI policies—by Ford, Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s, John Deere, Toyota, and others. Some of these companies have also ended their participation in the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equity Index, which reports on policies related […]
December 5, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
Retirement plans are an important way to help employees build financial security. There is great flexibility for employers in choosing the plan best suited to their company’s situation (e.g., number of employees, financial position of the business, corporate culture). Yet, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported earlier this year that only 57% of companies with fewer […]
December 3, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
A September 2024 report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce entitled The Impact of Technology on U.S. Small Business found some very interesting things: 99% of small businesses use at least one technology platform. 40% of small businesses said they use generative AI—up from 23% in 2023. 91% of businesses actively using AI expect it will help […]
November 28, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” ~ Henry David Thoreau The annual national holiday of Thanksgiving for many businesses is the official start of the holiday shopping season. For some businesses, this period represents their peak sales for the year. But there are many reasons why I’m grateful […]
November 26, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
“Yesterday is gone, tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today, let us begin.” ~ Mother Teresa Many of the tax rules that were put in place through prior legislation are now being questioned (yesterday). The new Administration and new Congress have big plans for the future (tomorrow). But businesses have to operate under […]
November 22, 2024
Like most consumers, you probably don’t mind spending a little more when you know something is of the highest quality. You want to ensure the product you spend money on is top caliber and adheres to standards assuring this. If you manufacture products, your business should produce the same expectations as big brands, as the […]
November 21, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
For more than 25 years, I’m proud to say my tax book for small businesses has been the go-to guide for owners and tax advisers. The 2025 edition for preparing 2024 returns as well as tax planning for 2025 has been updated to include law changes from earlier tax legislation (e.g., Inflation Reduction Act; SECURE Act […]
November 14, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
The tax picture for 2026 is unknown at this time because many of the tax rules fixed by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expire at the end of 2025. But the rules for 2025 are largely in place, although Congress could tweak some of them. One of the factors that helps to settle tax […]
November 12, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
There has been much talk about the need for tax changes. Many tax rules put in place by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) are set to expire at the end of 2025. And other tax changes that were part of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 […]
Multimedia
Resources For Your Business
Growing Your Business by Bringing In Investors
Growing Your Business by Growing Your Skills
Growing Your Business — Adding New Physical Locations
Good Reasons to Add Professionals to Grow Your Business
Barbara’s Books
By Barbara Weltman
COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO SMALL BUSINESS TAX WRITE-OFFS AND STRATEGIES FROM A LEADING NAME IN TAX If you own a small business, this comprehensive guide explains in easy-to-understand terms the essentials of business taxes to prepare you to work better with your CPA or other tax adviser or handle tax responsibilities on your own. Whether you’re […]
By Barbara Weltman
THE COMPREHENSIVE HANDBOOK FOR AMERICAN TAXPAYERS LOOKING FOR EVERY LEGAL TAX DEDUCTION AND CREDIT This edition of this popular book has been fully updated to reflect the latest law changes, rulings and court decisions impacting 2024 returns. It’s organized in a way that allows you to easily refer to the appropriate deductions and credits for […]
By Barbara Weltman
Ideas you’ll use everyday! With only so many hours in the day, it’s impossible to stay on top of key developments and opportunities to help you run your business better and smarter. 500+ Big Ideas for Your Small Business gives you quick access to resources and tips you can use every day. Whether you’re a […]
By Barbara Weltman
Your GPS to Get You Where You Want to Go in Your Business Do you enjoy driving and being your own boss with flexible work options? Are you looking for a part-time (or full-time) activity that earns good money? Maybe you’ve already discovered that there are great opportunities for making money with your car. Or, […]
By Barbara Weltman
A Step-By-Step Road Map–with Checklists–to Get You Started Up, Profitable, and Successful Whether you want to start up a part-time home-based business or jump in full throttle and work on it full time, you need a start-up guide. A road map! Home-Based Business Start-Up Guide will help you chart your course to work-from-home success. Written […]
What every self-employed person needs to know about their taxes! If you’re self-employed, chances are the majority of your time is spent finding new customers or clients, servicing existing ones, and handling each and every aspect of your business. Freelancers, independent contractors, gig economy participants, and other individuals working for themselves need to be aware […]
By Barbara Weltman and Harvey Bezozi
Created for Uber and Lyft drivers as their GPS — to help them get where they want to go in their business, safely and securely. Note: This e-Book has been updated with a new title and revised content (shown). Do you enjoy driving and being your own boss with flexible work options? Are you looking […]
By Barbara Weltman
Presenting a recently-launched, updated, paperback edition! Barbara Weltman takes an inspired look in Smooth Failing at the hard lessons learned when things go wrong. Through extensive interviews with entrepreneurs whose ventures failed for a variety of reasons — some stunningly unexpected, some painfully inevitable — Weltman gleans valuable insights about the small mistakes that can lead to large scale catastrophe. Smooth Failing seeks to save readers from similar disaster — while empowering those who are learning from failures and adversity to bounce back stronger and wiser on the often rocky road to success.
By Barbara Weltman and Jerry Silberman
12 surefire ways for your business to survive and thrive! Owning a small business can be a fulfilling and financially rewarding experience, but to be successful, you must know what to do while the business is up and running, and, most importantly, what to do when the business runs into trouble. This book is definitely […]
By Barbara Weltman
As Vicki Raeburn of Dun & Bradstreet notes in the forward, “…the successful creation of credit by small business has a significant effect on one of the most important business drivers, namely cash flow. … [This book has] the information needed to understand and build business credit.”
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