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Let’s be honest - running a business right now, or being the leader of anything right now, is a nightmare. It seems as though there are changes daily that we must stay on top of, plus keeping our employees motivated with positive energy, and striving to meet the needs of our clients - it can be a lot to take on some days. On the flip side, being employed right now can feel like walking on ice, and you may keep your fingers crossed on a regular basis. Plus, aren’t we all just tired? How can you - owners, employees, individuals - continue to stay motivated? How can you continue to show up and put 110% in when the future seems so foggy? For the days you’d rather watch reruns of your favorite show and accomplish nothing, here are some pick-me-ups that may just give you the boost you need. 

Many businesses have reopened their doors, while others have no plans of requiring their workers to report to their on-site locations. Employers are learning some job functions and positions simply cannot be done from home, while others can run entirely within a person’s own four walls. We’ve been working from home for a few months now, and we have compiled some helpful tips for anyone who still hasn’t quite gotten the hang of WFH. 

Whether you’re opening a brand new business from scratch or re-opening after a temporary closure, there are some financial “don’ts” for getting your business up and running. It can be easy to become overwhelmed, get lost in poor habits, or take on too much when you’re so focused on becoming successful and profitable as soon as you can. 

Saving money requires discipline and repetition. Whether you’re saving for a purpose or to simply stop spending as much money, it takes dedication and consistency. There are plenty of ways to save, but it never hurts to remind yourself of the ways you can actively improve your financial situation on a daily basis. 

Businesses across the country are giving a whirl at reopening, or attempting to go back to “normal” by opening their locations for staff, clients, and customers. It’s no secret small and mid-size businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a country-wide shutdown for businesses. Owners were forced to adapt, and are still determining and learning the best practices to follow. As we as a whole try to find our bearings in getting our businesses either back up and running, or maintaining a healthy flow, it’s going to be important not to get lost in the complexities of running, tracking, and analyzing the financials of your business. We would like you to focus on the basics of bookkeeping as you get your business back to where it was, and beyond. 

Track your cash. There is no way to track the cash you spend unless you do it yourself. Make sure you keep receipts when cash is spent and log them that day or the next so your books are as accurate as possible. 

With the current state of the world, it’s hard to believe people would actively try to make it worse, but of course, hackers and scammers never cease! There has been a rise of scammers since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and 

There are several kinds of scams out there - text,  robocalls, email, romance, charity, and more. Scammers typically flow with the headlines, so the messages will seem timely and urgent, pertaining to what is happening right now - but, do not click! That is rule #1. Do not click something you are not familiar with. If it looks suspicious, don’t do it! It’s like stranger danger, but with links. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. If you receive an odd link from a friend, call them and ask if they sent you something. It’s not uncommon for someone’s social media accounts to be hacked. 

The basic acts of hiring an employee or letting them go has always been quite the process, one that requires focus, discussion, and contemplation - but it’s been made even more challenging due to the impact of COVID-19. We’re finding ourselves getting creative to find ways to adapt to continue running our business and hitting our goals. Maintaining your team is always part of running a business, so it’s time to discuss how things will be different moving forward. 

Business owners have found themselves scrambling to find ways to adapt as quickly as possible to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. News is changing everyday, and it’s important to know what guidelines business owners must now follow, and what any changes may mean for you. Keep in mind the news is ever changing, and scientists are learning new things about this virus every day. We’re sharing some reputable resources to reference during this uncertain time. 

Talks of businesses reopening are becoming more and more real as time passes. We will eventually be allowed to go back to work, in some fashion, although it will likely never be the same, not for a long while. It’s time we seriously prepare to reopen, and the only way to do that is to establish a plan that everyone follows. If you want to reopen, you need to get real about what that means. 

Redesign the office to fit social distancing guidelines. 

Owners and/or managers need to visit your place of work prior to everyone returning so you can redesign the office to fit social distancing guidelines. Everyone needs their own space, and nobody should be closer than six feet apart at any point. In areas of typical high congestion, consider leaving markings on the floor to establish where people should be standing to maintain  safe distance. 

It’s no secret that times are tough right now for individuals everywhere, especially financially. Whether you’re a business owner or just trying to pay your rent for the month, you’ve likely experienced the increased strain on your finances recently. There are ways to make these hard times a bit easier, but it takes dedication and consistency! 

Stay on top of your bills. 

Pay your bills on time and avoid missing a payment. Your credit will be affected by a late payment. If you don’t have the funds to pay in full this month, ask for a payment plan, an extension, or to waive the fees. Keep in mind: this should only be done when absolutely necessary and should be abused. If the fees are waived, you will still have to pay, just not right now. 

It’s more important now than ever to maintain accurate and up-to-date books for your business, whatever it may be. With the state of the economy and everyone adjusting to WFH or not working at all, it can be easy for something like bookkeeping to slip through the cracks. However, neglecting your books during a volatile economy is a sure way to lose sight of where your business is headed and how it’s holding up. To keep it simple: a good business keeps good records. 

Having the ability to pull a report at any time is one benefit to having updated books. You can evaluate the finances of your business at any given point to help make important company decisions. Do you need to cut your budget? Run a report to look at the exact numbers of your business in each area - where can you cut expenses? Are there any underperforming products or services? Or maybe you just want to know if you’ll be able to pay your upcoming bills with your current cash flow. You will not receive accurate numbers on these reports if you do not keep your bookkeeping updated at all times. 

As we become mostly transitioned to working from home (WFH), it makes many of us wonder if this will be our new normal. Can things ever really go back to how they were? One thing we are learning is that the new normal requires a new mindset.

The work-life balance has been a hot topic of discussion lately as many people WFH find themselves extending their workdays, while others are realizing how many hours they spent away from home. Whether at the office or at home, work will consume you if you allow it. It’s important to set a cut off time every day to help maintain your work-life balance. If you’re stressed, stop what you’re doing and clear your head. 

Part of the business world is being a client, and another part is having clients. This can often occur just moments apart - you’ll switch hats for a phone call with an outsourced marketing company where you are the client expecting a service, and then flip to talking with a client about their specific needs. With the strange times, it’s important to remember a few key components to composing yourself as a client and with your clients. 

It’s easy to lose sight of your goals and your sanity when it seems as though most of the country is shut down to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. What are you really supposed to do when no one knows how long this will last? Let’s consider this our Who-Really-Knows Guide into the Unknown. To keep your business goals from slipping through the cracks, we must work to keep the foundation of our business strong. 

Hopefully by now we all have fallen into our schedule of working from home. It may have been an adjustment, but who doesn’t love rolling out of bed and working in their sweats? By now you have probably figured out which tools work for you and which don’t. However, if you’re still struggling to find your rhythm or can’t find anything that works for you, here are some user-friendly resources to help you take your business to the next level while working remotely. 

Due to the closing of many establishments in hopes of slowing the spread of the coronavirus, many people are trying out a lifestyle they had never taken part in before - working from home. Under different circumstances, working from home is considered lucky, but it’s hard to feel that way when there is a global pandemic underway. If you are fortunate enough to be able to continue your work from home, the following are some ways to help you adjust to the change and to maintain productivity:

Your bookkeeper/accountant should be one of the people you most frequently are in contact with, whether it’s making a phone call, sending an email, or sitting one-on-one. It’s vital you communicate the ins and outs of your business on a regular basis - we’d like to say daily, but we know weekly is more realistic. Your bookkeeper can’t do their job if you aren’t constantly keeping them updated with receipts, new employee payroll information, and beyond. The question is: what information should you be relaying?

Your bookkeeping requires regular and detailed maintenance. There’s plenty you should be doing to your bookkeeping on a regular basis, but what exactly should be doing when? Rather than overwhelm yourself by doing everything at one time, break it down into separate sittings.