Welcome to
Virtual Jeannie's March 2010 News
March Tax Due
Dates
If you would like a
physical copy of this calendar, please let me know
and I will get you one.
QuickBooks Anyone?
The Date is Set: April 23rd
I have reserved April 23rd for my upcoming
QuickBooks class.
Time from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location will be near downtown Sebastopol.
Material we will cover:
• Basic overview of QuickBooks
• Basic (very basic) bookkeeping
terminology
• Navigation
• Types of Accounts
• Creating Accounts
• Entering Data
• Backing Up and Restoring Your File
This is for the “I just bought QuickBooks and don’t
know what to do with it” person.
Course will be $49 per person.
Email me if you’re interested at
virtualj@sonic.net
Business Tips of the Month
Do You Have a Business Plan?
Even in the best of
economies, a business plan is an essential strategy
for your business for many reasons.
Business consultant Joyce Shimetz and I are offering
consulting and training at a special introductory
rate to guide you through the process of writing a
business plan.
Download the "Top
Ten Things You Need To Know To Write A Business Plan"
PDF file for more information.
The cost of this
training is $250. If you would like more
information, please contact Joyce at (707) 542-1003
or myself at (707) 664-1425.
Organizations—Personal Tidbits
Call me “Coach”
I recently started
with my new ride group for Team In Training. I have
four wonderful ladies who have been assigned to me
to train to ride 100 miles. Our first ride out was
fabulous. It didn’t rain (for once) and we had the
pleasure of riding out to and up Pine Flat Rd.
(which it isn’t) out in the Geyserville area. As a
first time coach, I think I did very well, if I do
say so myself! They all enjoyed the ride and are
looking for more! Hopefully, I will have pictures
next month.
It’s still not to
late to donate. So, if you are feeling generous,
please feel free to check out my Team In Training
website and make a donation there. Every dollar
counts. And Thank You To those who have already
donated!
Please visit my
website at:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/rw/ambbr10/jdavisa63u
Growing My Business
Goals, Goals,
Goals…
My goal this year
is to increase my business by $50,000. This means
that during the year, I am looking for four
referrals per month from you and/or your associates.
These referrals would need bookkeeping and/or
payroll services on a monthly basis.
One of my
convenient offerings is flat rate packages. This
allows for easy budgeting for bookkeeping services.
PLUS, those of you who are current clients and refer
me to a paying client will receive a $25 gift card
from one of the following: ITunes, Best Buy, Costco,
Target, or a store of your choosing (I’m flexible).
Virtual Jeannie Virtual Spotlight
David Israel is a fellow BNI Member and an expert in
the HR field. He is the “go to” guy for your
Employee/Employer issues without having to have
someone “on staff.”
The New Risk Management
When considering
risky measures, particularly investing propositions,
we have all heard the saying, “small risk, small
reward, big risk, big reward.” In the business
world, risk has taken on a completely new
definition, one that does not reward people for
taking risks, but for not making mistakes. Making
certain that the assets of an organization have
protection from the threat of a costly lawsuit can
seem like a full-time job in and of itself.
Particularly in the case of small business owners,
human resource functions are seen as a necessary
evil. While companies with less than 50 employees
usually do not have a full-time HR expert on staff,
these operators are not exempt from the increasing
amount of legislation towards compliance. Further,
small business operators are becoming increasingly
wary of the time and resources required to fulfill
all of the administrative functions of operating a
business that uses employees to provide services or
products.
In today’s rocky economy, workers are increasingly
concerned with their positions and the place they
occupy within the organization. While there has been
a sharp spike in employment litigation, the numbers,
when written down, are just staggering. From the
Small Business Administration (SBA), there has been
a 2000% increase in employee cases since 1995, with
the average court settlement at around $200,000 and
litigation costs averaging $50,000 (!!!). The
downside of these increasingly scary numbers is that
there has been an extreme increase in cases settled
out of fear that defending an organization would
prove too costly.
So the question that many are asking is, what
recourse do I have?
There are inexpensive options available to the small
business operators, ones that are cost-effective and
successful in freeing up a great deal of time.
Outsourcing human resources functions to an
experienced, knowledgeable professional is often
dismissed as not being a viable option, but it can
be extremely advantageous to small businesses. Time
previously spent dealing with employee relations
issues, creating training materials, or conducting a
proper search for a new employee can be spent with
clients, customers, networking, or enjoying some
well earned relaxation. An annual evaluation of
management and human resources practices by a third
party should be part of any organization’s strategy.
An evaluation will identify any potential problems
through the eyes of a third party, which has no
influence or association within the organization. In
addition to insuring compliance with the latest
legislation, an evaluation will also observe
management and supervisor practices, and provide
recommendations where applicable.
If you would like to hear more about how outsourcing
your human resources can help your business, do not
hesitate to give me a call at 536-1518. I will be
more than happy to meet with you.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
By David Israel, HR to Go
|
