Expanding Your Small Business

Top Ten Reason to Use Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2

1. Protect your business and prevent data loss. SBS 2003 R2 offers a more secure infrastructure that helps protect your business from unauthorized users and data loss.

2. Get the ” green check ” of software health. Automated patch and update management keeps your PCs and servers up-to-date, and a daily status report is e-mailed so you (or your IT consultant) can identify issues before they occur. A “green check” indicates that your computers are up-to- date or the report details actions necessary for attaining the “green check” status.

3. Keep your business up and running with a reliable network. Built on Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 technology, the most reliable network operating system Microsoft has ever produced, Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 delivers an operating system you can depend on.

4. Optimize your Windows investment. Built on Windows technology, SBS 2003 R2 enables you to benefit from efficiencies and savings inherent in having an integrated network.

5. Increase productivity with one central location for company data. Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 provides a central location to store your company data so employees can quickly find the right information, share record-keeping , communicate and collaborate on group projects.

6. Present a more professional image. Get the tools you need to help create a strong brand, including a customized Web site that resides on your server — no sharing of your domain name with a Web hosting company.

7. Access business information and resources from virtually anywhere, anytime. Be productive whether you’re out of the office, at home, or on the road.

8. Reduce costs by sharing printers, Internet access, faxes, and more. As a complete network solution, Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 enables your business to get more done with what you already have.

9. Stay connected to your customers and serve them better. With Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2, you can stay connected, present a professional appearance, and manage your customer relationships more effectively. Server technology can streamline customer communications!

10. Get a platform that is easy to grow for today and tomorrow. Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 is a robust, flexible platform that can be customized to your needs. Affordable today, and scalable for tomorrow, it provides a solid “technology building block” for future technology enhancements to your business. Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 has the flexibility to grow with your company. As your business expands, you can add additional servers and transition seamlessly to the full line of Microsoft Windows Server System ™ products.

Small Business IP PBX Phone Systems

The new generation IP phone system is quite different from conventional systems. VOIP (voice over internet protocol) or IP phone is a high speed internet based telephone communication service offering highly beneficial options for small business enterprises. The IP phone service is also known as digital phone service or broadband phone service. The major advantage of IP PBX phone systems is that the service is available at minimum monthly service charges while enjoying state-of-the-art communication facilities.

PBX Business Communication Systems

PBX or Private Branch Exchange phone system incorporates several features that help in systematic internal and external small business communication.

• Auto attendant: this system helps in managing all incoming calls, ruling out the need of live receptionists at the office. This system facilitates receiving multiple calls simultaneously with recorded greetings. With such an efficient system in place, your phone never becomes engaged. The callers are efficiently routed to the right extensions.

• Voicemail: if a call is left unattended, the caller will be provided with the voicemail option; then callers can leave their messages in the voicemail box. The voicemail messages produce alerts in the user’s cell phone or e-mail account.

• Fax service: provides a stand alone fax service solution for small business enterprises without changing the existing fax number. Faxes are automatically sent to your e-mail account, so this service is also known as e-mail fax service.

Expand Your Business Image with Toll Free Numbers

Toll free numbers give a good image to your small business venture, making it appear reliable and solid while securing it nationwide exposure. Service providers offer toll free numbers as part of their telephone service along with a host of other facilities such as call forwarding, voice to mail, caller ID, web administration, custom menus, alerts on cell phone, pager notification and lots more.

With the advent of new technological devices and systems, many service providers offer systematic and affordable IP PBX phone systems for small business enterprises.

Tips For Small Business Costs

Many first-time business owners are completely overwhelmed or unprepared by the amount of small business costs associated with operating a business. Small business costs often lead to the failure of many businesses, especially during the first year, or they even prevent them from getting started in the first place. Through a wide array of government and private programs, however, many small business owners have helpful options to help them finance their mounting small business costs.

A business plan is a necessity for obtaining business startup loans and funding for your business. Without one, most banks and investors will not even consider providing you with business startup loans or other funding for your new business. But a business plan provides more than just the opportunity to receive funding. Properly done it is also a blueprint for you to map out your future success in a written plan that you can stick to.

A business plan for the sole purpose of receiving a small business startup loan must contain several components. The first few pages include the Executive Summary and the Table of Contents. After this is the company description. This is one of the most important sections of a business plan. Your company description will give potential investors a short history of your small business along with the future you are planning for it. It describes plans you might have to expand your business. For purposes of getting small business startup loans, this is one of the sections that loan providers and investors are most interested in.

In the company description, you will want to avoid mentioning that your business is a startup business. Startup businesses are considered very risky investments by most investors. As an alternative, outline details of what you have contributed to the industry that you are currently in or plan on entering. Without sounding arrogant, mention some details or things that you have changed or something you have done differently than others in your market that has proved to be successful. Also, discuss how your business has grown in recent months or years and don’t be shy about your predicted growth. Your excitement and passion regarding your new business needs to be seen in the writing of your business plan to help increase your chances of getting a business startup loan.

One of the last parts of a well-written business plan, but certainly not the least important, is your marketing plan analysis. This is an explanation of your demographics using facts and figures and a study done about your new, potential customers and clients. This section also explains your advertising plans, especially your target market and how you intend to reach them. This section must show that you have done extensive research, appropriate with your market to ensure that your product or service has a large demand. In order to obtain small business startup loans, you will also need to include a sound financial plan, including pro-forma financial statements for your new business.

Small business costs can be a large concern for entrepreneurs and first-time business owners. Fortunately, small business owners have access to business startup loans as well as other forms of business startup funding to help them overcome their financial stress. A business plan is an ideal way to show investors that you are serious about your new venture and that you know how to make it a success. With a some extra financial help, most small businesses can pull through the tough times and remain a viable business.

IBM brings Smarter Business Solutions to SME’s in Bacolod

IBM brings Smarter Business Solutions to SME’s in Bacolod
IBM has organized a geographic expansion roadshow for clients and business partners in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental as part of the company’s commitment to bring smarter business and technology s read more

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Discover a New Way to Success With Small Business Book Keeping

As we notice the type of records a business needs depends very much on its size. There is no point in applying simple and short term book keeping system on big organizations or vice versa. Every business has its own requirements and execution techniques that decide on the applicable accounting and book keeping system. In organizations where infrastructure does not support accounting system, profit level keeps on falling due to lack of productive data. As small businesses need to develop their records in slightly different manner they must understand the importance of tailoring things accordingly. Although some things in small business book keeping system are absolutely wrong but there are a variety of ways to make them right.

Though cash book is the primary record that every small business uses at initial stages but only maintaining cash book is not enough to monitor the cash flow of a small business. Adding records such as job costing, stock analysis and equipment register can help in improving the efficiency of existing book keeping system. These additional records are of specific nature and designed to suit the requirement of every section. If you are a sapling business owner and willing to monitor every transaction yourself then maintaining just a cash book can give you a comprehensive detail of expenses and gains. In organization where business is diversified in various sections, maintaining a cash book is useless therefore a more advanced form of small business book keeping can be put into practice. This advance form of book keeping task includes multiple records; these records refer to each individual section and keep an explanation of cash flow along with profit for the month or year.

As your small business expands, you may start requiring some basic management information to make future strategies for your business. These small business book keeping records enclose explanation regarding marketing expenses and sale estimation that can be beneficial in prepping future strategies. With such an accounting system you can easily get an idea about current position of your organization without indulging too much in book keeping records. It can work as a guide in paving your way for getting good sales and revenues. If at any point of time you realize that your financial records have become gigantic and your limited staff is not able to handle it, you can entrust your bookkeeping task to a small business book keeping service provider. These bookkeeping service providers scrutinize requirements of your business and provide you with exactly what your business requires.

With growing business you will need specialized small business book keeping system to assess the annual revenue of your business. The only purpose of small business book keeping is to prepare annual reports at the end of financial year so that you can see how your business is doing. Erroneous annual records can lead your business to a situation of loss so accuracy of these records is a must to achieve desired target therefore your key concentration should be accuracy and preciseness. Now you will need balance sheet, annual report and fund flow statement to assess reasonable tax; as it is a complex task you can ask your accountants to file the tax return or can take help of a bookkeeping service provider for maintaining accuracy.

The Wisteria celebrates 75th anniversary

The Wisteria celebrates 75th anniversary
The Wisteria Tavern is a favorite hangout for some locals

Read more on Pensacola News Journal

Deep-fried butter and designer mac and cheese some of the wacky food at Ex

Deep-fried butter and designer mac and cheese some of the wacky food at Ex
TORONTO – Deep-fried butter and designer mac and cheese are some of the wacky, waist-expanding ways fair-goers can enjoy the Canadian National Exhibition this year in Toronto as vendors take a creative twist on comfort food.

Read more on Kitchener – Waterloo Record

‘Off With All Their Political Heads’ Introduces a Wonderland of Equal Opportunity Protest Wear at Zazzle

‘Off With All Their Political Heads’ Introduces a Wonderland of Equal Opportunity Protest Wear at Zazzle
Off With All Their Political Heads today announced the availability of 120 new products at Zazzle , the world’s leading platform for quality custom products. Â Products are available for purchase online at www.zazzle.com/offwiththeirheads.

Read more on PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance

Architect presents new Craig Wood clubhouse design

Architect presents new Craig Wood clubhouse design
LAKE PLACID – The North Elba Town Board agreed Tuesday to put off construction of a new clubhouse for the town-owned Craig Wood Golf Course until the fall of 2011.

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7 Ways to Get Small Business Financing

Money is always an issue for small businesses, especially when starting out.  However, the need for cash injections can continue long after you get that first dollar.  Even same industry businesses can differ greatly, but they all have in common the need for money as well as the places they can go to get it.  Here is a look at seven opportunities to get cash for your small business.

Small Business Loan

Probably the most known source for small business cash is the small business loan.  This most often comes from a bank or the SBA; for startup capital or an expansion.  The lender looking at your proposal needs to feel that you are a good investment and you can help them decide in your favor.  Wherever you go to get the loan, there are several things you will need in order to give your business its best chance to get that loan.

Your business plan will tell the lender about your business and you.  They will see how much planning you have done, your grasp of the industry, and how effective the loan will be.

A good cash flow projection tells the lender not only how you will pay them back, but when.  Your best bet is to show hard, but honest numbers.

Your personal financial statement helps the lender to understand where you are coming from and where exactly your business is at.  After all, you’re tied to your business at the hip.

Bring past business tax returns if you have them.  It will show the lender how your business has done and how you have managed money in the past.

Your credit rating is key for establishing trust.  The lender may be giving money to your business, but they are forming a pact with you.  A credit report will fill in the rest of the details of who they are about to trust with their money.

Microloans

From the SBA, the microloan program may be a perfect fit for your current financial needs.  With a maximum of $35,000, a microloan can be less daunting to acquire, if not a little easier than a small business loan.  The most common use for a microloan is short-term working capital and equipment purchases.  Since most microloans require collateral of some kind, the best use is probably equipment, since the equipment can then be the collateral.

Supplier Credit

While this source of income may not work with all businesses, it is ideal for manufacturers and retailers.  A supplier makes money by you buying their products, but if you can’t first buy their products to make yours, they lose a sale.  If you cannot be billed – net 30 days – or if it may take longer to receive your money, it is possible to work out a deal with your suppliers.  An ideal situation is to procure credit out to sixty days.  If that isn’t possible, maybe they will take a percentage of the sales of the end product on top of the cost of the supplies.  This temporary solution could generate higher interest than a loan, but in some situations, it could be your only choice. 

Angel Investors

Best in times of growth, angel investors can be a boon to help a small business get over the hump to where they need to be.  Angel investor loans fill the space left after you’ve gotten your small business loan and other capital.  Unfortunately, they are few and far between and spending too much time looking for them can be even more detrimental to your business than cash problems.  The best time to look for an angel investor is when you already have growth, you’re approaching the breakeven point, or you’re expanding.  The worst time is when you’re hemorrhaging money.  Take care, you still have your business to run.  Plan to spend four to six months looking for an angel investor, but use only a quarter of your time.  Like getting a small business loan, be ready with all that proof that you are worthy of an angel’s blessing.

Credit Cards

It’s a source of quick, red-tape free cash, but credit card cash advances can eventually kill your business if you’re not careful.  Always keep in mind the high interest charges when you are looking at credit cards as a cash source.  Use them, but only for quick-turnaround, time-sensitive, and/or small scale solutions.  Treat credit card advances like you would a fire; it’s great for quick warm ups, but really hurts if you leave your hand in there too long.

Home Equity Loans

Like credit card advances, a home equity loan for your business is a personal risk solution.  They are more attractive however, because of their lower interest rates.  The catch is that if things go south, you lose your home.  Depending on how personally invested you are in your business, this may not be such a different outcome from credit card advances, or even small business loans if calamity strikes.  The main thing to remember when considering the bad side of a home equity loan is that due to consumer protection laws, it’s a much longer process to seize your house than it is from a normal bank loan. 

Family or Friends

Nothing ruins a friendship or splits a family faster than money problems.  When you are considering approaching the people you are closest to, you must know the best way to handle the situation, as well as the potential pitfalls.  Some common relationship killers due to business loans is the recipient squanders the money, doesn’t use the money as indicated, doesn’t pay the money back, or doesn’t pay it back in a timely or agreed upon manner.  If you can avoid those situations, you’re way ahead of the game.  The best course for loans with friends and family is to handle it as professionally as a bank loan, or even more so.  Make sure there is a formal agreement with signed paperwork stipulating how much is to be loaned, collateral, interest rate, how it is to be repaid, and what happens if it cannot be repaid.  If you spell out everything on paper, there is no room for disaster due to misunderstandings.  Remember always:  these people trust and believe in you… don’t make them regret it!