BUSINESS TIPS OF THE MONTH

Ok… so it’s not really a “tip” but it is helpful…
I have been asked by some clients to re-post the Sales Tax rates for the local areas—so here you go:

Sonoma	7.750 %	Agua Caliente
Sonoma	7.750 %	Annapolis
Sonoma	7.750 %	Asti
Sonoma	7.750 %	Bodega
Sonoma	7.750 %	Bodega Bay
Sonoma	7.750 %	Boyes Hot Springs
Sonoma	7.750 %	Camp Meeker
Sonoma	7.750 %	Cazadero
Sonoma	7.750 %	Cloverdale*
Sonoma	7.750 %	Cotati*
Sonoma	7.750 %	Duncans Mills
Sonoma	7.750 %	El Verano
Sonoma	7.750 %	Eldridge
Sonoma	7.750 %	Forestville
Sonoma	7.750 %	Freestone
Sonoma	7.750 %	Fulton
Sonoma	7.750 %	Geyserville
Sonoma	7.750 %	Glen Ellen
Sonoma	7.750 %	Graton
Sonoma	7.750 %	Guerneville
Sonoma	7.750 %	Healdsburg*
Sonoma	7.750 %	Jenner
Sonoma	7.750 %	Kenwood
Sonoma	7.750 %	Korbel
Sonoma	7.750 %	Larkfield
Sonoma	7.750 %	Monte Rio
Sonoma	7.750 %	Occidental
Sonoma	7.750 %	Penngrove
Sonoma	7.750 %	Petaluma*
Sonoma	7.750 %	Rio Nido
Sonoma	7.750 %	Rohnert Park*
Sonoma	7.750 %	Sea Ranch
Sonoma	7.750 %	Sonoma*
Sonoma	7.750 %	Stewarts Point
Sonoma	7.750 %	Two Rock Coast Guard Station
Sonoma	7.750 %	Valley Ford
Sonoma	7.750 %	Villa Grande
Sonoma	7.750 %	Vineburg
Sonoma	7.750 %	Windsor*
Sonoma	8.000 %	Luther Burbank (Santa Rosa*)
Sonoma	8.000 %	Roseland (Santa Rosa*)
Sonoma	8.000 %	Santa Rosa*
Sonoma	8.000 %	Sebastopol*

* Incorporated City

If you need more info for other areas in the State… please visit the CA State Board of Equalization's website at www.boe.ca.gov/cgi-bin/rates.cgi, You can select the city or the county you wish to view.

ORGANIZATIONS—PERSONAL TIDBITS
Team In Training news: I want to extend a big “Thank You” to those who have already donated to support my efforts so far this year. We are going to start our longer rides this Saturday—somewhere around 40 or 50 miles. A few weeks ago we rode in the rain—not my personal favorite—but it wasn’t too bad. At least it stopped for a little while! And the cool part is I’m developing a faster pace, which is fun!!

I am still accepting donations and will be doing so through May. My ride is on March 7th. If you want to take a peek at my Team in Training website, please click on http://pages.teamintraining.org/rw/ambbr09/jdavisa63u. My goal is to raise $2500 by March 1st. This, of course, is a 100% tax deductible donation. If you would like to donate to support my efforts, please click on the link above and then hit donate.

*** Also… if you would prefer to help another way… You can download and print out our flyer (TWFlyer2009.pdf) and go to Tex Wasabi’s on March 19th for a Dine and Donate event. Tex Wasabi’s will donate 25% of your tab to Team in Training. I can always find a reason to EAT! ***

GROWING MY BUSINESS
What small business owner do you know who needs to know where their financials stand on an ongoing basis? In these tough times, having financial statements accurate and up-to-date can make the difference between staying in business… or not. Please let them know that I am ready to review their bookkeeping system to help them reach that point.

VIRTUAL JEANNIE VIRTUAL SPOTLIGHT
This month’s Spotlight is on Juan Hernandez and the folks at Mawson Computers, Inc. I recently purchased a server from Mawson, and Juan assisted me with both the choice of system and the setup. The server has expanded my flexibility by allowing me to truly work virtually—I can log in remotely when I need to be home with my family. He also reviewed my other systems, both desktop and laptop, to make sure they were “talking” to one another. And he verified the security of my network by making sure my firewall and virus protection features were the most up-to-date versions, so that all the financial data I work with is secure—an absolute must in my business. Juan is honest, dependable and gives you the straight story. (And he’s fun too!)

Mawson Computer Center, Inc.

Juan M. Hernandez purchased Mawson Computer Center in 2006, and has since revitalized this venerable Santa Rosa company. Under Juan’s management, Mawson has seen a steady increase in business even in the current, difficult, economy. This success has been due to three commitments Mawson makes to their customers: a focus on client education and understanding their client’s needs; a commitment to providing prompt and professional service; and perhaps most important for clients in this economy—by lowering costs where other companies have increased theirs.

Mawson Computer Center is a one-stop shop for all your computing needs. Mawson will build a custom system from scratch or sell you brand-name computers and printers from Dell to HP. They will set up your system infrastructure: whether cabled or wireless; a single computer or a multi-computer network. They can do all levels of service repair—both for your printer and computer—whether recovering a crashed hard drive or soldering the power supply on your laptop should it fail. They also offer both one-time and contract maintenance, from trouble-shooting a virus problem to updating your software and maintaining your computer efficiency. Mawson is proud to be the only Diamond Certified Printer and Computer Repair Company in the North Bay.

One of the things that sets Mawson apart from other computer consultants is their reputation for actually listening to you. They do an extensive, free “audit” to find out how you work, so the configuration they suggest is the one that best fits the needs of your business. Their top priority is in developing a long-term relationship with you, and it shows in their customer-service.

Mawson Computer Center is a family-run business; when you call you will either talk with Juan’s wife Cindy, or daughter, Cecilia. Mawson Computer Center is also very active in our county. Currently Mawson is partnering up with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County and the City of Santa Rosa’s Community Outreach program, to start a unique training program for low-income families. This program not only trains families on computer literacy, but also allows the families to keep the systems they train on, by using donated and refurbished computers for the program. So if you have a complete computer system—that is, a Desktop, Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse—and no longer need it, please consider giving it to a good cause.

In order to facilitate this venture, Mawson Computer Center, Inc., has now moved to a new location at 350 College Ave., Ste. 100, Santa Rosa, CA 95401. Our phone number has stayed the same: 707-528-2841.
Mawson’s motto is: “We talk with YOU, not at YOU”—and they mean it.