Ch 6. of the Comprehensive Guide for Growing Your Business: Modernize and Invest in Your Brand

It is mission critical to have a logo that conveys your brand’s look and feel. According to smallbusiness.chron.com, the company logo is, “the single most visible manifestation of the company within the target market.” We couldn’t agree more. For this reason, it is heavily important that you brand your company in a position that aligns with your target market. It’s a visual first impression to your customers so, make it count. Another astonishing stat from ConversionXL says, “visual appeal can be assessed within 50 ms” (Laja). That’s a fast assessment! Where does your logo stand on the eye-catching meter? Graphic trends are ever-changing but we do know that resorting to ClipArt, gradient heavy graphics, and busy elements in a logo add noise when you’re trying to break through the clutter. Seek for a clean, easy-read symbol for your company.

A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you logo is a clear read if it is shrunk down to a 1-inch area. Often times, many businesses strive to include tiny details in their logo that unfortunately, get lost when it’s printed on a business card or other small marketing materials. If your logo needs a bit of a facelift, there are many platforms available to you to solve your problem. You can hire a local graphic designer to create branding and marketing materials for you. 99designs or Canva for Work is commonly used to instantly get a few designs created. Moo.com and Vistaprint.com are great options for cost-effective and high-quality marketing materials with a fast overturn rate.

If you have employees, it’s not a bad idea to have matching team shirts made. Even having branded marketing materials like table cloths and tents can help strengthen your brand image amongst customers and team members both. Having a cohesive and unified look across your company on all platforms goes a long way. Paying attention to small details and cleaning up the look of your company positions your business in a better spotlight in consumers’ minds.

Ch 5. of the Comprehensive Guide for Growing Your Business: Review, Review, Review

Review your financial reports for the year before and make sure that your bookkeeping is organized for the year ahead.

Financial Reports and Statements come into play when you least expect it. It’s important to stay on top of your reports because investors, creditors, and banks look at these to analyze a company’s performance and overall standing. It’s a good rule of thumb to review your statements to ensure accuracy and thoroughness.

Stay organized! We’re still early on in the year and starting off on the right foot can make this your easiest year of bookkeeping yet. Here are some tips we’d thought might help:

• Get a separate bank and credit card accounts for personal and business.
• Dedicate a small amount of your time per week to organize your finances.
• Ditch the paper & declutter- the IRS accepts electronic copies of your receipts.
• Store it in the cloud - you can’t do a quick word search through your physical folder of files!
• Sign up for Quickbooks Online to keep your finances organized and ready for taxes.
• Don’t know what you’re doing? Simply, ask for help from a professional.

I’m Behind on Bookkeeping

Is, “I can’t even right now,” your first reaction when you hear, “bookkeeping?” It’s a heavy chore, we get it. If you’re at a loss of where to even start when you need a Profit & Loss Statement, hire a local bookkeeper for a few hundred dollars per month. They can help keep you organized and prepared for taxes. You can also outsource your bookkeeping to a company like Bench.co who provide bookkeeping experts you can depend on.

Staying on top of paperwork is one of the many keys to success when owning your own business. Double checking, or even triple checking your numbers and financial reports safeguards you and your business from future mishaps when those reports have to come into play again. If you have any suggestions or ideas on what works for you when dealing with reports and statements - we’d love to hear them! Feel free to drop us a line in the Contacts section.

Ch 4. of the Comprehensive Guide for Growing Your Business: Organize & Automate

There’s no question about it. Running a business is more than just a full-time profession. It’s a physical and mental rollercoaster you signed up for. But simultaneously, you find it so rewarding and there’s nothing more liberating than being your own boss. Well, some key things to keep in mind as your business expands is to organize and automate as much as possible. Let loose the reigns of mundane tasks that you shouldn’t have to worry about - so you can do more! Move on to the more pertinent tasks like bringing on more staff to your team, meetings with investors, or put some time into figuring out opportunities of improvement. Ask yourself these questions and strategize how to organize and automate.

Can your business run without you?

Owning a business and seeing it come to fruition is a great success in itself. But if you’re like all the entrepreneurs we’ve encountered, you probably have a million+1 other ideas you’d like to initiate. It starts with automating your current business. Do you need a better software to handle your business needs? Can you make more time for yourself by hiring on an assistant manager? The goal is to get your business to take flight high enough to the point where you can sit back and rake in the rewards. Find the best solutions to make your business run without you.

Write down a list of all of your biggest roadblocks.

What are your biggest pain points? How can you solve these with software solutions?  Do you find yourself bouncing between several software programs and platforms to perform one task? Are you annoyed that your business bank account is increasingly decreasing with these recurring monthly payment plans? It’s quite a humdrum of a task to sit there and define your roadblocks but we pinky swear, identify these obstacles now and it will be easier to figure out ways how to overcome them and grow your business.

Do you have a modern mobile business software? If you already have a scheduling, CRM, and payments platform, does it do everything that a modern system can do?

Over the course of several years, we’ve interviewed hundreds of mobile business owners and surprisingly, many of them had the same problems. They couldn’t track their staff members who were working out in the field, spent too much time dealing with too much paperwork (printing staff schedules, purchase orders, invoices), maintaining customer relations was mind-bogglingly complex, getting paid by customers was an episode of Tazmanian Devil and RoadRunner, the list goes on. If you encounter these problems on a daily basis with your business, it’s long overdue to get your business on software and technology that’s up to date.

Check out Handlr to put your whole business on auto-pilot.

We don’t mean to toot our own horn but, we’re quite f@#$ing awesome. Our all-in-one platform allows you to put your business on autopilot so you can move on to the next big thing. If moving on isn’t on your agenda, our dashboard management system makes running your business as seamless as possible so you can simply...relax! Have you checked out all the solutions we offered? Have you seen Handlr in action? Request a live demo to see the magic unfold.

Ch. 3 of the Comprehensive Guide for Growing Your Business: Guidelines

Why Guidelines?

Guidelines are crucial to maintaining consistency and excellence in your business. McDonald’s and every other franchise of the world have detailed guidelines and protocols in place to ensure that services are performed the same way, every time. Employee Handbooks and Business Guidelines (even if it’s just for yourself) are important to make sure that your business can run without you and that quality is guaranteed every time.

Guidelines are there to set the company’s tone that you see perfect for your business. It explains the core mission/standards of your business and covers all aspects of your business you can dream of, going beyond the protocols. From team member benefits, team member work behavior, or the specific conditions of what constitutes an absence, tardy, write-up, citation, or termination. It’s a great resource/reference to have for you and your team in uncertain situations.

Read the E-Myth and the 4-Hour Work Week to change your life as a business owner.

Gerber offers insightful strategies and tactics to conquer having your dream business. He walks you through the cycle of a business, from, “entrepreneurial infancy, through adolescent growing pains, to the mature entrepreneurial perspective” (Amazon). The E-Myth is considered mandatory reading from us for anyone looking to start a small business.

4-Hour Work Week

From an entrepreneur himself, Timothy Ferriss shares a common problem all entrepreneur encounters. The work overload and no life balance what so ever. He introduces a new acronym, (also the names of the chapters): DEAL (Definition, Elimination, Automation, and Liberation). It’s so easy to get caught up on the hamster wheel and before you know it, running a business means working day in and out endlessly. Read the 4-hour workweek and seek the balance you want in your live/work life.

It’s a Bonsai Tree Thing

If you already have your guidelines in place, be sure to revisit them and update/edit any changes once in awhile. Owning a business is a constant learning process and as you grow, your guidelines should become more detailed and fine-tuned as your business changes.

Ch. 2 of the Comprehensive Guide for Growing Your Business: Getting Insured

Unfortunately, when you’re an entrepreneur/CEO of our own business, it means that you have to deal with the dry, boring paperwork that comes across the desk. But who better than yourself to set the solid foundation for the growth of your business to stand on? So. Today’s topic we’re touching base on is: insurance! Let’s get through this thoroughly and quickly so you can get back to daydreaming of your yacht and exotic miniature horse farm.

Get Limited Liability Business Insurance

Owning a business can put you in scary situations, especially when unforeseen accidents happen. A team member or customer becomes physically injured during the job, property damage ensues, or even psychological injuries can turn out to be an ugly lawsuit against your business. Safeguard your livelihood and get Limited Liability Business Insurance. Liability Insurance can help cover costs of medical expenses, attorney/court fees, and other damages that your business may be legally responsible for. Speak to an insurance agent first and see what customizable option plans there are that best suits your business. If you already have a policy in place - check this right off your to-do list! But also be aware of when your coverage expires.

Have workers? Get Workers Comp.

We hear stories everyday from our friends, family, news, everywhere - accidents happen all. The. Time. Workers Compensation Insurance is actually mandatory by law in almost every state and is available to employers through commercial insurance companies. In essence, workers compensation insurance covers costs for any illness or injury a team member obtains at work or by performing the duties of his or her job. Examples of these injuries include slipping on wet floors, straining muscles while lifting heavily, or obtaining injury by fire or explosions. Your workers compensation costs are determined by the amount of worker’s wages paid out, so make sure your estimated payroll is good for the year ahead.

Consult With an Insurance Broker

And for safe measures, it won’t hurt to consult with an insurance broker to make sure every corner of your business is covered. Don’t hesitate to ask questions until you’re blue in the face! Every business operates differently and not one insurance policy fits all. They are there to help and it’s better to be safe than find yourself in an unknown sticky situation down the road.

Ch1. So You Want to Start Your Own Business

Well that’s great! You’re about to embark on a very exciting journey of self-exploration, discovery, and knocking down the doors to countless opportunities for your future. There are many, many aspects to consider when starting your own business. Skipping a minor step can send you down a windy, bumpy road to getting your business where you dreamt it to be. Fortunately, there are plentiful resources at our fingertips that can smoothen the journey. We’ve assembled a small starting checklist and some insightful info for the first chapter of your story.

 

Make sure you have your DBA and a Business Tax Certificate

First off. DB-What? It’s an abbreviation for “Doing Business As” and sometimes it’s needed to conduct business under another name. Many entrepreneurs overlook the legalities of registering a DBA and later on, encounter fines, penalties, and lawsuits. Know what your state requires for a DBA and don’t take any shortcuts. A DBA can help you open up business bank accounts and can add asset to your existing business. Legalzoom.com can get you started with your DBA for a small cost.

Obtain a Business Tax Certificate (also called Business License) in the city you are doing business in. Any person who conducts business, trade, profession, or enterprise within a specific city will need a tax certificate – and it doesn’t matter if your physical business address is in or outside the city. Your Business License is good for one year from the date of application. Check with your City Hall for fees and specific requirements.

 

What about an LLC or Inc?

There’s a lot of confusion between the differences of establishing an LLC or Inc., but it’s good to know the roles of each so you can choose the appropriate setup for your business. An LLC is a limited liability company – it’s a marriage of two business structures of providing the limited liability of a corporation and the tax efficiencies and operational adjustability of a partnership or sole proprietorship. The pros of establishing an LLC gives the business owner choices on how they will be taxed, less administrative paperwork, and record keeping (as opposed to a corporation), are protected from some or all liability for acts and debts of the LLC depending on state laws, and can even be set up with just one natural person involved (wikipedia).

In contrast, an Inc., is an abbreviation for Incorporated and it declares the corporation as a separate entity from its owner(s); nonetheless, it can raise its own funds, own property, and conduct business. Many find this an appropriate business option because it protects the owner’s personal assets against the company’s liabilities. Because this option is more ideal for larger establishments and is legally complex, it is not always ideal for new and small businesses.

 

1-800 Call-Saul

Okay, maybe not Saul from Breaking Bad, but it is very well advised to speak to a small business attorney just to cover all ends you may overlook. It’s highly recommended that you have a Terms and Conditions agreement with your clients and if you have contractors working with you, have an Independent Contractor Agreement ready to go. Depending on the nature of your business, a small business attorney will assist you in making sure that you are legally protected. You can also visit LegalZoom or RocketLawyer for quick and easy standard agreements.

Britt's 2016 Comprehensive Checklist for Growing Your Business

The Handlr team is happy to wish all of our Handlr Partners a successful new year! We are so excited for 2016 and we’ve already begun implementing our resolutions. Are you ready for 2016? Ready to double your business this year?

Our CEO, Britt Alwerud is excited to share with you her incredible 2016 Comprehensive Checklist for Growing Your Business. Whether you're just starting your mobile service business or you're gearing up to double your existing team, this guideline is a complete checklist of action steps that you can take to instantly increase your sales this year. This is a great opportunity to tap into the knowledge of a business owner who’s experienced exponential growth over the last 9 years. 

If you're anything like us, we don't like the phrase "small business". At Handlr, we believe the sky is the limit and that every business has the potential to scale and become a bigger business. We hope this 2016 Checklist will help you reach your goals this year. 

This checklist is broken down into the following categories:

• Legal necessities for running your business
• Business Insurance
• Business Management Guides
• Systems and Processes
• Automation
• Reports and Bookkeeping
• Modernizing your business
• Mobilizing your business
• Marketing strategies and CRM tips
• Social Media Tactics
• Community Outreach
• Hyperlocal Marketing
• Content Creation
• Customer Feedback
• Growth

And she's giving it all to you for free! Enter your email below to download Britt's Checklist: