Suze Orman Quotes

Suze Orman is a world-famous financial adviser, TV host, best-selling author, investor, and motivational speaker. Suze Orman is an authority on personal finance and money management. Here are some of my favorite motivational business quotes from financial expert Susan Lynn Orman:

1)  "Owning a home is a keystone of wealth - both financial affluence and emotional security."  

2)  "A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life."

3)  "People first, then money, then things."

4)  “The only way you will ever permanently take control of your financial life is to dig deep and fix the root problem.”

5)  “The key to making money is to stay invested.”

6)  “I am a big believer that orderliness begets wealth.”

7)  “Time is a key to building your financial security.”

8)  “We tend to focus on assets and forget about debts. Financial security requires facing up to the big picture: assets minus debts.”

9)  “Look everywhere you can to cut a little bit from your expenses. It will all add up to a meaningful sum.”

10)  “Recast your current problems into proactive goals.”

That last one is a great philosophy to have in all areas of your life whether it's financial, professional, or personal. Don't dwell on the problem itself, dwell on the solution! Thanks Suze Orman for the inspiring quotes and advice!

I hope you enjoyed this compilation of motivational money quotes from financial expert Suze Orman.

Interested in more inspirational business quotes?

Read My Quote Posts:

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5 Terms You Must Know To Speak About Big Data

Big data analytics can help your business to manage information more efficiently which can lead to higher profits and happier customers. 

If you're new to the field, understanding big data technology may be hard due to the number of terminologies exclusive to this industry.

To help you understand your analytics, we've gathered a list of five terms you must know to understand big data terminology. Keep reading to learn more. 


What is Big Data?

In simple words, big data is a term used for a collection of massive sets of information so large and complex that regular tools have a difficult time processing the information. 

These massive volumes of data can be used to address problems in your data that can't be solved with regular data analysis. This new technology allows your business to solve problems you wouldn't have been able to before.


How Big Data Works

Technology is always creating new data. A great example of how data works is when you use your smartphone to chat with friends or make purchases online. Everything you type and search for is tracked, creating a data trail.

These amounts of data are massive as there are billions of gigabytes of data generated per day from people's browsing activities.

A business or analytics agency then uses all of these data points to create, customize, and improve their products to improve customer experiences and grow their businesses.


Big Data Terminologies

Now you know what big data is and how it works. However, there is a lot more to learn about this technology. There are a number of terminologies that will help you understand more about big data.

1. Hadoop

This is a framework that allows you to move and distribute large sets of information using a simple program model. As open-source software, anyone can change it to meet their specific needs.

2. Algorithm

An algorithm is basically a set of procedures or rules used for solving a particular issue. It can also be used as a mathematical formula or statistic process to manage big data.

3. Batch Processing 

Batch processing is an efficient way to manage a large amount of data. It sets up an automated process which is used to sort data for easy access for business. Batch processing are thousands of automated processes that support real-time delivery of products and services.

This concept has actually been around since the early computing days. However, this term has gained popularity alongside big data because of how often it's used in this technology.

4. Velocity

This refers to the speed at which data is collected. To collect larger amounts of data in a short period of time, you'll have to be sure your servers can handle high-velocity data acquisition.

5. Analytics

Analytics simply refers to the way you use big data to help your business. You may use predictive analytics to try to see where market trends are going, or descriptive analytics to study how things are at the moment.

The use of e-commerce analytics is also important in the business world. Most businesses use these analytics to enhance and generate more sales.


Want to Learn More About Big Data Technology?

Now you know five terminologies to help you understand how big data technology works. As you can see, these terms will come handy when trying to understand how your business data is analyzed.

If you're looking to learn more about big data technology, check out our blog. Our post on data security will help you protect your company's sensitive information.

5 Reasons For Employees To Start Benefits Planning

Many people look mostly at the salary when they're searching for jobs without realizing that jobs usually offer another form of compensation: benefits!

This can be anything from standard benefits like health and life insurance plans to money for commuting, free gym and pool, or daycare services for single parents.

Whether you are a brick and mortar business or an e-commerce site, it is a good idea to think about business benefits. After all, offering benefits can mean the difference between hiring someone and losing them to another company, so why not put some thought into your benefits planning now?

That is where we come in with our handy guide to employee benefits planning, where we will give you insider tips about why it is necessary to plan benefits for new and existing employees.

Ready to learn and earn? Let's get into the big benefits below.


How to Set Up Employee Benefits Planning

Before we talk about the advantages of having employee benefits, let's talk about how to even start your employee benefits planning journey in the first place.


Determine Budget and Benefits

The first step might be the easiest in the planning phase: you need to figure out what kind of budget you have for benefits, as well as what kinds of benefits that budget will allow.

It helps to think of these two things together because they are so closely related - after all, a small budget might not be able to afford a lot of extra perks outside of necessary benefits like health insurance and paid time off.

On the other hand, if your budget is large, consider throwing in some things to sweeten the pot like remote work time, customized logo clothing for employees, holiday parties, etc.

It's also a good idea to plan budget and benefits at the same time because then there will be no hollow promises - it would feel pretty awful to tell an employee you offer 401k match and realize later there's no room for that in the budget.


Shop Around for Providers

Once you've figured out a budget and a benefits package, it's time to start window shopping. 

Interestingly, a lot of financial and payroll benefits providers offer free trials, so don't be afraid to test out a few before making a decision.

With other benefits, make sure you understand the playing field of that benefit - going with the absolute cheapest option might tempt you, but it's not worth it in the long run if the coverage they provide isn't adequate.

On the other hand, a more expensive service doesn't always provide an equally more quality end product.


Implement the Benefits Package

Once you've selected benefits providers, that's basically it - now you just need to start advertising that benefits package on jobs, as well as offering it to your employees.

We know how to set it up now - what about the advantages of employee benefits planning?


Advantages of Employee Benefits Planning

You might be thinking that employee benefits planning costs you a lot of money as a business owner without a lot of obvious benefit to you. You couldn't be more wrong!


Low Turnover

Benefits packages can be designed to be a significant influence on whether or not employees leave a company. After all, the salary is one thing, but benefits can define an employee's quality of life in a completely different way than the amount of money an employee makes.

Doing some in-depth employee benefits planning can serve to keep your employees, the heartbeat of your business, happy and in the same place (working for you).


Healthy, Happy Employees

When people don't have health insurance, they often have to skip going to the doctor even when it's absolutely necessary (or be put in a mound of debt). Your benefits package can impact not only that person's ability to get healthcare but to be happy about it as well.

Think about it: your employees just went from not being able to afford routine doctor's visits to being able to afford them whenever they need. That means a more healthy, productive employee, which in turn makes the employee happy. After all, they're not crushed by medical debt.


Creates Great Business Appeal

Employee benefits planning doesn't only do wonders for your existing employees - it's actually a positive in regard to finding new (and highly skilled) employees as well.

One key role of a benefits package is to attract great new employees, and the strength of your benefits package can significantly alter the landscape of new hiring. Ultimately, what you're doing is standing out from the crowd, saying, "Come here, we've got the good stuff."

That's often more than enough to attract dedicated, well-trained workers to your business, which is much more effective for your business than hiring unskilled labor and training them.


Job Performance

Lastly, a great benefits package can serve to create loyal, dedicated employees, especially depending on the benefits.

While many benefits come standard (like health and vision insurance), depending on your benefits package, you might even be able to create reasons for your employees to love coming to work.

People often talk about Google's headquarters - how the cafeteria is amazing and free, or how there are relaxation stations and other such benefits. While you don't have to go full Silicon Valley with it, there's a lot to be said for offering fun, interesting benefits to your employees when they're at work.

This, in turn, makes them work harder and keeps them loyal - after all, why would they want to leave a company that provides them with so much cool stuff?

At the end of the day, benefits are just that: they are perks of working at a place. So while we take some of them for granted, employee benefits planning doesn't have to only be boring - in fact, it can be pretty fun, especially for employees.


Now What?

Now that you're an employee benefits planning expert, why not learn more?

Check out some of our other great business and human resources blog posts, and contact us if you have questions or concerns. 

Why Cincinnati Businesses Need An SEO Company To Outsource Their Search Marketing Efforts

If you are a business owner in Cincinnati, there is no doubt that you should consider hiring an SEO company to take care of your online marketing troubles. There are a huge number of things that you can do in order to successfully market your business online. However, search engine optimisation is arguably the one that will have the largest effect on the success and reach that your business has in that it ensures that your website is ahead of your competitors in terms of where it ranks on the results of search engines. Check out our SEO tab for more information on search engine optimization! 

So, intuitively enough the first reason that you should consider hiring an SEO company as a business owner in Cincinnati is to ensure that your website receives a large amount of traffic from your surrounding area, and to make sure that traffic is made up of potential customers and not just anyone! A company that specialises in search engine optimisation will make sure of this, and get your website close to the top of major search engine's results! 

They will also be able to rank your website for any search terms that you would like - having them relate to Cincinnati in some way could be a good idea! For example, if you are a jewellers in Cincinnati, you may like to appear at the top of Google Search results for " jewellers Cincinnati!" a good search engine optimisation company will be able to achieve this for you. 

When outsourcing your online marketing requirements as a business in Cincinnati, another reason that you should hire a search engine optimisation company as to ensure that you are spending your money on hours as well as you possibly can be. What is meant by this, is that a search engine optimisation company will know exactly what you need, and how to go about providing this. They are experienced in the field of SEO, and will be able to provide you with a fantastic service at a fair price. This is a far better idea than you attempting to learn how to rank your website appropriately, when your time could be far better spent elsewhere expanding your business. 

Hiring an SEO company for your business in Cincinnati can in many ways be better than training someone to become an individual SEO specialist. There is absolutely no need to do this - search engine optimisation companies are at the forefront of search engine optimization, and the technologies and techniques that are required to make it the best that it can possibly be. 

If you were to train a new employee and search engine optimisation as opposed to outsourcing the service, you would be spending a much larger amount of money than you would be required to do so - not only spend money when recruiting the new employee, you would also be required to pay them in order to keep up with your business's needs, as well as to ensure that they are at the forefront of search engine optimisation and what the business requires. Should you opt for the more sensible SEO outsourcing, your Cincinnati business will benefit from a wise decision!

Tips To Save More Money Buying Fuel For Your Business

There is nothing more important than fuel for business ventures involved in transportation of goods. It is often the case that a business has a very consumption rate of fuel; so much so that it becomes imperative to buy in bulk. Well, there are few tips to cap your expenditure while purchasing fuel for your business. Always keep in mind that gas cards for business are a very handy option to help you save more. 

Let us have look at some of the other ways to reduce the expenditure when the rate of consumption is higher than average. Read on to know more about saving on company fuel costs. 

Negotiating A Fuel Discount 

You can negotiate fuel discounts while building a network of best price stops and gas stations. This is especially true for businesses and individuals where the consumption is higher than average. The best way to gain this leverage according to our experts is to purchase around 80-90% of the entire volume of the fuel from a primary provider. This will allow for negotiation with respect to the price. The rest of the 10% can be filled up on depending on the geographical location of the movement. You can program your fuel cards to work selectively at the fuel stops that are on your discount network. 

How About A Fuel Buying Group? 

You might just be the little guy just starting out in your business and this essentially translates into non-negotiation of discounts. What you can do is join forces and team up with other smaller businesses to form an aggressively operated fuel buying group. There are groups like the national Association of Small Trucking Companies that you can go for. 

The Fuel Card Program Is Important 

Fuel is more commonly needed while travelling, so it is vital that you look into a card program which will help you to manage your expenditure better. This is due to the fact that these cards offer discount pricing, tracking and control of fuel prices as well as acts perfectly well irrespective of the size of the business or the fleet. 

Buying Only The Required Amount 

Stale fuel is a breeding ground for algae and often water accumulation in stale fuel can lead to the decrease in the energy content. So if you are in the habit of buying more than the required amount, get rid of it. It is not a great idea to carry the extra weight around which effectively decreases the load capacity for your vehicle. 

Use The Technology Available 

The market conditions when it comes to fuel availability and pricing fluctuates many times within a month, so it is essential to leverage software and technological tools to get around this specific problem. When prices are swinging it is essential to make bulk purchases on the lower side concerning the price. Use the volatility to your competitive advantage and beat your competition. 

Fuel Quality Is Important 

Another important consideration is the quality of the fuel since poor quality fuel translates into low mileage which means you need to purchase more than what you had planned. Locate the best fuel stops and stores to save more on the long run. 

Buy In Bulk 

You can buy fuel in bulk which will help you save more. How to store the extra fuel at your premises? All you need to do is install a storage tank for your company fuel needs! 

Business Fuel Buying Conclusion

That concludes our list of tips that you need to use to reduce the expenditure while purchasing fuel. How many fuel storage units and fuel deliveries will your company go for?

Home Insurance - The Right Way To Protect Your Home And Your Family Members

Have you bought a new home? If yes, then you would have planned what you need to do to give it a great look and appeal. You know that you must keep your home in top condition so that you can increase its value in the market. From painting and decorating your home, buying the costly antiques and showpieces, buying new home furniture and appliances, installing the expensive tiles on floors, bathroom and kitchen areas to purchasing a big screen television, air conditioner, etc. you will surely want that everything should be of your choice. You are spending all your hard income on getting the home which you have always dream of having. 

Apart from all these, you will also look for different ways in which you can protect your home from thieves, burglars, criminals, etc. and in order to do so you may install CCTV cameras, you can also hire security guards to take care of your property, etc. You will make every attempt to provide a safe and secure atmosphere for your family members and see to it that they don't face any kind of problems or issues. 

Common Points Of Consideration For Homeowners 

These are the common things which every homeowner will do. So, now the question which arises over here is what you should provide a good, safe and healthy atmosphere to your family members. What should you do be free from any kind of worry about your home? One of the best things which you can do is you can insure your home. Home insurance is the right and effective strategy to secure your home from natural and unnatural disasters and be free from any hectic and tension. 

Buying a home is the biggest investment which the homeowners make throughout their life. Protecting and safeguarding your home with home insurance will give you peace of mind and sense of security. Home insurance coverages protect your home against many kinds of damage such as it protects it from fire, wind, smoke, heavy rain and storms, robbery, vandalism and other kind of hazards. 

You can legally and easily insure your home, and for that, you just need to try to find the right service provider who is well reputed for offering such kind of services and helping their clients most professionally and efficiently. If you have purchased a home in an area which is prone to earthquake, flooding or hurricanes, then this will affect the insurance premium. So, in order to avoid such kind of problem, you should consult with the professional team members of the reputed high risk homeowners insurance companies who are highly experienced in handling all these things. 

If you don’t know about what home insurance is and what you need to do to insure your home, you should search for some reputed and highly established high-risk homeowners insurance companies. The professional and experts staff members of these companies will not only make you understand about what home insurance is, but they will also let you know what benefits you will get by insuring your home. So, in order to hire the right company which can help you in all such matters, there are some tips and guidelines which you need to follow so that you don’t face any kind of problem or issue. 

Tips For Hiring The Right Service Providers For Home Insurance Service 

1. Always try to get multiple estimates: 

You should not hire any company which is ready to help you in these matters. It is important that you talk to several companies. You should also ask for written estimates from at least two to three of them. This will help you to compare the price which they are charging for their service. To save time, you can use an insurance comparison site like PolicyScout to find an appropriate policy.

2. Try to hire a local company: 

You can easily contact a company which is operating from in and around your area or locality. If you face any kind of problem in the future with your home insurance policy, you can easily contact them 

3. Check their experience level and past work: 

It is always a good idea to check the work of the company and how much experience they have in this business industry. You can easily do it by visiting the website of the company. There you will get a lot of detail and information about such matters. 

4. The reputation of the company: 

When it comes to handling all such kind of work, the reputation of the company matters the most. Check what the previous clients have posted about the company, how much rating and what kind of reviews they have given. All this information will give you a much better idea about the service and performance of the company. 

5. Take your time to decide: 

It is always recommended that you should never make any kind of decision in a hurry. You should think carefully, look at all the options which you have in front of you and then decide carefully. You can also take the help of your friends and family members in such matters. 

6. Get everything in writing: 

One of the biggest mistakes that most of the homeowners do is that they don’t get everything in writing. They just listen to the service providers and believe them that whatever they are saying they will fulfill it, but this hardly happens. So you should not hesitate in asking to give you all the points which have been discussed and agrees in writing. 

7. Price for the service: 

The last and the most important thing which you need to do is ask about the price which you have to pay for hiring or taking the service. Many companies just provide a rough idea to customers. They don’t give the right details regarding the price which they have will have to pay. Most of the times, they don’t inform the customers about the hidden cost. 

Insure Your Future With Home Insurance

You must keep all the points mentioned above in mind so that you can easily hire the right company who can help provide you home insurance service. Make sure your the best house insurance coverage is in order to protect your home and your family.

Creating A Marketing Plan For Restaurateurs

In order to grow a business, gain a following and understand customers, creating a marketing plan for restauranteurs is an important aspect of the business plan. The Digital Restaurant indicates that creating a marketing plan does not need to be overwhelming or stressful, rather it can be completed in less than 24 hours. Read on to understand some key elements to creating a plan. 

Determine Overall Goals 

Identify what the goals are. In addition to growing business, is it to bring in new customers? Repeat customers? Improve overall check average? Gain better online customer reviews? Restaurant Engine recommends bringing all restaurant stakeholders together and executing a brainstorming session. Suggested questions include: 

● What is the theme of the restaurant? 
● Who is the ideal customer? 
● What is the restaurant’s greatest quality? 
● What areas can improve? 
● How can the restaurant save on marketing costs? 

Once these restaurant promotion ideas and responses have been written and identified, focus on the topline goals and write them down. This can be the starting place of your plan. 

Create A Current Analysis 

After goals have been established, it’s important to understand the restaurant’s strengths and weaknesses and reinstate what the brand is. Hashing out a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) of your restaurant may help highlight and illustrate where the restaurant stands within the current market. For instance, maybe a strength is that the restaurant only serves organically sourced food, but a threat could be a restaurant down the street who also produces and serves organic food. It’s good to know nearby competition as well as things the restaurant thrives on and needs to work on. 

Identify Key Audiences 

It’s imperative to understand who the audience is. Small Business states that marketers should research customers to identify the ideal target market. Make sure to analyze the types of customers the business may want to cater to, and then identify the value and benefits the restaurant can give to them. 

Gourmet Marketing suggests asking the following to learn more about audiences for your restaurant business: 

● Who is the targeted customers? Where do they live? This is essential with regards to local seo for restaurants to help target specific regions and rank for more keywords. It's also crucial if you are utilizing PPC campaigns targeting specific towns, cities, or mile radius.

● What is the restaurant’s market? To figure that out, ask: Who is competing with the restaurant for customers? 

● What is the restaurant offering? What customer behavior is the restaurant hoping for? 

Using a point of sales system, can help marketers know who their customers are, helping them shape the right tools to reach their ideal customer. Marketers can also make deductions, for instance, if the overall target audience are young people, focusing on social media may be the best way to interact with the general population. On the other hand, direct mail may be a better option for reaching an elderly segment in their 70s and 80s. 

Select Marketing Methodology 

With so many options out there, it’s best to select a few marketing outreach tools that are achievable to oversee on a regular basis. That may mean maintaining a website, creating eblasts, and managing social media. Here are few marketing outlets that may be of interest as the marketing plan takes shape: Digital marketing: 

● Website and SEO 
● Content marketing 
● Social media 
● Email marketing 
● SMS text messaging 
● Review sites 
● Loyalty programs Traditional marketing: 
● Direct mail 
● Contests and giveaways 
● Leagues and events 

Be cautious when selecting outlets to ensure that the marketing team can comfortably manage, as one does not want to be stretched too thin. 

Once the strategy has been identified, define the following for each, this will help the team stay on track and measure results: 

● Objectives 
● Audiences 
● Timelines 
● Roles and responsibilities 
● Quantifiable goal 
● Campaign details 
● How you’ll measure success 

Measuring Results 

Once a marketing strategy has been defined, measuring results is just as important to oversee success in the business plan. Again, using a single database system where all of the data and information is stored can be helpful, making a marketers job more efficient. 

Results will probably include gross and net income, but depending on the direction of the marketing strategy, it also may include page visits on a website, eblast opens and clicks, and social media likes and follows. Identify when results will be measured (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) and when the restaurant marketing team will check in to review the strategy and make changes based on results. 

Marisa Olsen, a former Marketing Manager at Harvest Restaurants, a family-run group featuring 11 restaurants in northern New Jersey. Before coming to the restaurant world, Marisa dabbled in the arts for many years at Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and Sotheby's. Now she is a freelance writer cooperating with POSbistro restaurant point-of-sale and management software, marketing consultant, and tries to eat when she has a minute! 

Girl Loves Food is her food blog, which explores her zest for food, dining, and travel. Marisa loves all food and tries not to discriminate, but, has a penchant for stinky cheese, pasta, pizza, sushi, roasted vegetables, onion dip, seltzer, and red wine.


I hope you enjoyed this article about creating a comprehensive marketing plan for restaurateurs that gets real results.

Interested in more articles about marketing in the food industry?

Read My Blog Posts:

- Tips To Become A Food Service Industry Entrepreneur 

- How To Financially Prepare For A Restaurant Startup

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5 Small Office Setup Tips For Maximum Productivity

Life in the office isn't a thrilling adventure or slapstick comedy, but it can be a pleasant and efficient setup. 

Getting the most out of a small office setup can be easy when you know what you're doing. 

Eager to know a few of the basic secrets for a happy office work environment? 

We have you covered! Read ahead. 

The Small Office Setup Essentials 

Every office needs certain things to even function. Getting the right versions of those things so an office goes beyond functioning and into thriving is a balancing act. 

Here are things to keep in mind as you build up your office setup. 

1. Comfortable And Supportive Furniture 

All offices need chairs and desks for any work to get done. You can get chairs and desks anywhere, but the right kind of chairs and desks can be key. 

Get a comfortable set of chairs, but ones that aren't made for lounging. You want your employees to be comfortable throughout their shift, but not to the point of dozing off in their chairs. 

Desks also come in a variety of quality and styles. You want big enough to give plenty of work room but concise enough to use your space in an efficient manner. 

If you want the best in the market, here is the office furniture you need. 

2. Proper Lighting 

Natural light has a positive effect on productivity and workflow. Positioning work areas next to windows will have a great impact on your workers. 

Natural light, though, cannot last forever. Making sure your artificial light is not hazardous to your worker's health is good. Soft light beats harsh, fluorescent light in most situations. 

3. Dedicated Work Spaces 

Being crammed together in uncomfortable workspaces with no privacy puts a strain on your workers. 

Depending on the size of your establishment, you only have so much room to work with. Giving each employee a big, separate office may be out of the question. 

That said, a worker with a private space with plenty of room to work is a worker that will feel valued. 

4. Up-To-Date Equipment 

You don't need to be a tech company to require a good line of technology in your office. 

There is a long list of certain equipment any particular office may need. You will need computers, printers, wifi or ethernet connections, phone lines, and scanners. 

Not to mention the security for all of these devices, such as password locks and anti-virus. 

Skimping out on any of this is not good either. The more out-dated your tools are, the worse off your employee's productivity may become. You don't want your employees to spend their time dealing with slow and run-down equipment. 

5. Coffee And Breaks 

It is hard to stay productive without any sort of stopping. A long workday can drag on people, and doing so day after day can be mind-numbing. 

To keep up company productivity, let your workers have regular and scheduled breaks. Giving them a clean and well-stocked breakroom will make these breaks count. 

A good breakroom will leave your employees feeling refreshed and happy to get back to work. 

Better Business 

Doing the best for your workers will let your small office setup churn out big business results. Take care of your workers, and they will take care of your business. 

Need more tips to get your business off the ground and running? We have all you need. Why not give digital marketing a try!

Accounting Software - The Benefits of Automated Accounting

Computerized accounting systems are a highly popular option for businesses as they are a very convenient way of storing, analyzing and reporting financial information. Automated accounting brings with it a number of advantages that manual accounting processes otherwise do not bring to the table. If you run a business of your own and are looking to switch over to automated accounting, this is the article for you. 

Today we have a look at the benefits of automated accounting software, so read on to find out more. 

1. Great Improvements In Accuracy 

One of the biggest benefits of switching over to automated accounting is how much more accuracy you will be able to achieve with your calculations. Even a 0.05% error rate in your manual invoices can garner you a substantial loss in money. With you use automated accounting software in the UK, you can be sure that all data entered is calculated precisely. Systems are programmed to be accurate to the minutest detail, so you won’t have to spend precious time checking through digits to spot any human error. Save your business a wealth of time and money by switching to automated accounting. 

2. Keep Up With Company Growth 

As your business expands and grows in size, the amount of necessary accounting tasks also grows. Not only does your accounting needs widen, but the accuracy levels become far more complex. The benefits of accounting software in a growing business are the fact that things are kept straight forward, and sifting through data on software is infinitely easier than rummaging through piles of paperwork or manual accounts. It's especially helpful to use a program like LeaseAccelerator to keep track of a growing number of leases.

3. Save Yourself Copious Amounts Of Time 

We all know how much time manual accounting asks of us, and oftentimes, with so many other facets of the business to handle, time is a limited resource. This is where accounting software really comes into play. Automated accounting saves you copious amounts of time, as everything is calculated using the software, and you’ll also be able to generate reports instantly at the click of a button. You needn’t wait days or even weeks for reports or financial statements, as all this information will be available to you instantly. This reduces the time employees or your accountant has to spend on the accounting process, and as we all know, time is money. 

4. Automated Invoices 

Accounting software offers you the option of automated invoicing, crediting and receipting processes, which save you and your employees a whole load of time having to do these things manually. The great thing about automated invoicing and crediting is that you only need to enter your client details once, and your accounting system will handle the rest of it for you on a monthly or weekly basis, depending on how often you need your invoices generated. Certain accounting systems even send out chasers when invoices haven’t been paid, a highly valuable tool for small businesses that may not have the adequate resources necessary for debt recovery. 

5. Increased Security 

Last but not least, one of the benefits of automated accounting is the increased levels of security you are offered when it comes to protecting your financial information. Data can be saved and stored in offsite locations so that all your accounting information is kept safe from incidents such as fires, earthquakes, robbery or floods. Systems can be quickly restored in the case of an emergency, giving you instant access to your accounting details regardless of what computer or device you are using.

Another critical part of security is an audit trail. This is a digital log of accounting activity. It allows managers to see what changes were made, and who made them. It adds another layer of protection and accountability to your data. Programs like A-Systems have an audit trail built right into the software.

Stay Accountable With Automated Accounting Software

We hope that this article has given you some useful insight into the benefits of automated accounting in today's financial world. We believe that every business stands to benefit from the use of automated accounting.

5 Cost Reduction Strategies for Small Businesses

Only half of the small businesses in the U.S. survive past 5 years.

You don't have to lose your momentum because of expenses that could've been avoided.

We have gathered together a list of cost reduction strategies to help your small business not only survive but thrive for many years to come. Try these cost reduction strategies to see your small business soar.


Get Ahead of Overhead Costs 

The challenge for every small business is affording constant overhead costs. No matter how well your business is doing, electric, utilities, rental, and payroll bills continue to roll in.

Since these tend to be fixed costs, you can at least plan ahead. But despite them being fixed, you can still take steps to reduce them. Even a few dollars here and there can add up to big savings each month.


1. Change of Scenery

You may want to reevaluate your space if rent is high and you can downsize. Rent is one of your biggest expenses, so changing locations could save you a lot in the long run.

Virtual offices can save you on monthly rental fees by allowing you to rent office spaces as needed. This lets you reserve meeting rooms when you need them, and not pay for them when you don't.

It might be nice having a large office space or fancy location, but when times are tough, a high rent bill can eat away at savings fairly quickly. So also reconsider moving to a larger space unless you really need it.


2. Outsourcing Tasks

If you're reconsidering payroll, then you may want to think about ways to run more efficiently with fewer people. That doesn't mean laying off a ton of employees, which can ruin office morale.

Consider outsourcing tasks when possible. This way if you have to cut out third-party vendors, it will be a lot easier than having to turn away employees. It can also be less expensive if some tasks are only needed occasionally. This applies to mundane tasks such as accounting and bookkeeping.


3. Good Energy Saving Habits

Let's face it, one of the easiest ways to cut costs is to turn off the lights, shut down computers, and keep energy use to a minimum. Making it a habit to turn everything off at the end of the day and use LED lights, can save your business a noticeable amount of money each month.

Going "green" is not only good for the environment but also a great choice for your business. This can also apply to equipment and material usage such as paper.


4. Small Business, Infinite Technology

In today's modern world, the size of your business doesn't matter. Now you can take advantage of the limitless possibilities that technology offers. And it doesn't take a lot of overhead to do.

For one thing, you can invest in your website and cloud solutions such as Google and Dropbox, to provide your business with a reliable digital infrastructure to grow in.


5. Reevaluate Your Processes

It is always a good idea to set aside time to review your processes and see if there are any areas that you can cut costs. 

Also, don't forget to appreciate your current staff and find ways to incentivize them. If you want your business to run efficiently, then having happy employees is a major benefit.


Keep the Cost Reduction Strategies Coming

With just a few cost-reduction strategies, you can help your small business continue to profit for many years to come. 

Looking for more ways to save? Learn how to become a frugal investor and find ways to make money with your money!

Speedy Delivery: 5 Shipping Efficiency Tips for Businesses

While product and service are often seen as the top priorities of a business, shipping and handling are also key to customer satisfaction and to building strong client bases. Whether your business focuses solely on shipping products or it is built around both local and long-distance sales, you need to find ways to improve your shipping efficiency. This can impact your overall costs, your time management and your sales forecasts. 

Keep Handling Time Short 

The amount of time your business spends in picking and packing the item has a great deal to do with shipping efficiency. The faster you can get your package into the transporter’s hands, the sooner your customer will get it. Plus, if you can get your items out the same day, you may be able to pay for only ground shipping versus one or two-day air. 

Keep Top Products near the Packing Station 

Unless your packing and shipping warehouse is mostly automated, human efficiency is key. You probably have several products that are top sellers and that are frequently picked and shipped. Keep these near the main packing station to eliminate wasted time in picking them. Prioritization is key!

Use Standard Shipping Materials 

Many shipping companies charge certain amounts for sizes and shapes of boxes. Invest in several box sizes that are standardized to eliminate excessive inner packing materials as well as the chance of overspending on a box that is a couple of inches too big for the lower rate. Plus, standardized boxes can speed up the packing process by giving packers fewer options. 

Keep Shipping and Delivery Vehicles in Prime Shape 

If you have vehicles for making your own deliveries, they are key to your shipping efficiency. A fleet of older trucks that break down frequently increases your costs, slows down shipping speeds and leads to wasted time repacking your boxes into new trucks when one breaks down on the road. Invest in regular maintenance and replace older trucks with newer models. The newer trucks will eventually pay for themselves. 

Give Customers Real-Time Shipping Options 

Depending on the size and style of your business, you may offer several different types of shipping options. However, consider linking your website to shipping carriers that will be able to give real-time costs for shipping based on the size and weight of what is being ordered. This will let you be a bit more off the hook by letting customers choose exactly how fast they want their items to get to them. Once again, your own business’s handling time is vital here. 

Based on your type of business and on what types of items you are shipping, you will need to determine how you charge for shipping. You might choose free shipping, flat-rate shipping fees or real-time shipping fees. However, the most important part is how quickly and safely you can get your product to your customers. Organizing the shipping and package tracking efficiently will keep your entire company running smoothly, from productions to customer service.

I hope you enjoyed this article about methods to maximize efficiency with product shipping for your business.

Interested in more articles about maximizing business efficiency?

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5 Business Ideas For Work At Home Parents

Deciding to leave your job to raise your children is not an easy decision to make. You will be able to look after your kids yourself and have peace of mind that they are well taken care of, but as they get older, they require less supervision and start going to school. 

At this point you might want to start doing something to gain an income to share some of the financial obligations your family has. But you want to work flexible hours so that you can still look be there for your children when they need you. Now is the perfect time to start your own business and work from home. 

We have put together a few possible business ideas that will put money in your pocket, as well as let you still have that quality time with your family whilst allowing you to work from home. 

Top 5 Work From Home Business Ideas For Parents

1. Day Care 

Offer day care services to other working parents in the community for a fee of course. Start by offering your babysitting services as a means of building up a client base and gaining some trust. Naturally you will need to do some research on the rules and regulations for opening a day care center in your region, as these tend to differ from place to place. 

Take a few courses in CPR and first aid so that you are equipped to attend to any medical emergencies that may arise while children are in your care. Also make sure that you have appropriate sleeping arrangements for each child that is at your center. Healthy meal plans will also be a big selling point for your business. 

To keep kids entertained, make sure you have enough age-appropriate games, preferably that will add educational value. This will get a positive response from parents knowing that their children will actually be learning something as well. 

Remember that this is a business so its important to practice good record keeping. 

2. Social Media Blogging 

If running around after more kids other than your own isn't your idea of a good time, then maybe try something a bit quieter like blogging. You will have the freedom to work at your own pace and write about what you feel. The job requires you to write about interesting things so you will have the perfect balance of being out with the kids and updating your social media. 

Through hard work and connecting with the right people you can get to the point of becoming a household name. At this point you will receive products to try out and review, requests for guest blog posts, and even possible freebies for endorsement. 

You’re most likely already sharing every precious moment you have with your little ones with your friends and followers on social media, so this shouldn’t be that much if a departure from your daily routine. 

3. Freelance Writing 

So, if you have your blog and it's going well, nothing is stopping you from pocketing some more change. You can offer your writing services to other blogs or publications on a freelance basis. There are plenty of content marketing and SEO agencies out there in need of writing, along with other business models and brands.

4. House Cleaning 

A cleaning business is a nice idea for a parent that works from home, especially if your child is of school going age. You can schedule your jobs during school hours so that you are done in time to fetch them from school later. You will have to invest money in equipment to get your business off the ground. Products will include detergents and other cleaning materials. One of your major investments will be a vacuum cleaner that will get the job done fast and efficiently. Allgreatvacuums.com has a helpful array of reviews and advice to help you find the right vacuum for your cleaning service. 

5. Gardening 

Just like a cleaning service, gardening is something that many people love but due to a busy lifestyle, end up putting off. You can provide these people with a solution by offering them your gardening services. Again, this is something that you can schedule during school hours if your kids are of school going age. 

You will need to acquire your own gardening tools. Things like rakes, shovels, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and wheelbarrows will make your job so much easier. 

Make Money Working From Home

By working at home, you certainly get access to the best of both worlds when raising kids. We hope our ideas have given you inspiration to start a business yourself!

Benjamin Franklin Quotes

Benjamin Franklin is widely regarded as being one of the wisest men of his time when it came to finances and success. Ben Franklin's wise sayings are still used today and followed by business experts worldwide, so you will hear inspiring quotes derived from him often. 

Here are my favorite motivational business quotes from Benjamin Franklin.  

Top 10 Benjamin Franklin Quotes On Frugal Finances

1)  “Drive thy business or it will drive thee.”

2)  “Well done is better than well said.”

3)  “If you would know the value of money, go try to borrow some; for he that goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing.”

4)  “Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What’s a sun-dial in the shade?”

5)  “Who is powerful? He that governs his passions.”

6)  “Energy and persistence conquer all things.”

7)  “If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.”

8)  “Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than that of their discoveries.”

9)  “Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.”

10)  "If a man empties his purse into his head no one can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."

And remember this quality quote one when it comes to getting your hustle on:

“It is the working man who is the happy man. It is the idle man who is the miserable man." 

Thanks for the inspirational quotes Ben Franklin! We wish you were around to keep quoting Benjamin Franklin!


I hope you enjoyed this compilation of motivational Benjamin Franklin quotes on business, frugality, finance, leadership, and money.

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4 Reasons For Entrepreneurs To Invest In A Call Center

If you are a new business owner literally pulling your company up by its bootstraps, engaging the services of a call center might seem like a luxury you are not yet ready to afford. However, the real question is: can you afford not to? If you are unable to provide the level of service your customers expect, it behooves you to consider investing in call center outsourcing. The rewards may very well outweigh the expense, and could be more affordable than you would expect. 

Call Center Services Provided 

There are four basic umbrellas of service that a call center can offer a business such as yours. These are: 

1. Customer Service 

Excellent customer service is a determination of your overall success; it ensures that you receive orders for revenue-generating products or services, and makes sure that customers are completely satisfied with what they’ve purchased. It’s also highly important in customer retention. Interactions a call center can offer include: 

• After-Hours Services 
• Billing Inquiries 
• Call Overflow 
• Chat 
• Event Registration 
• Order Processing 
• Customer Support

2. Technical Support 

The quality of your technical support greatly impacts the amount of future business you do with a customer. A survey by Bain & Co found that a customer is four times more likely to buy from a competitor if the problem is service-related, vs. price or product-related. Also, the Right Now Customer Experience Impact Report found that 89% of consumers have stopped doing business with a company after a poor tech support experience. When you consider that it is six to seven times more expensive to attract a new customer than to retain an existing one, you see the value of investing in technical support services. 

3. Outbound Call Center 

Many business enterprises are able to save money, while improving customer service, through the use of outbound call center services like: information verification, lead generation, appointment setting, marketing, sales, and post-sales surveys. More and more outbound call center services are being moved overseas, where fair wages are lower and the expense of living is far cheaper. 

4. BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) 

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is an effective strategy for companies looking to enhance productivity by controlling costs, streamlining operations, mitigating risk and fostering transparency. Outsourcing back-office operations is no longer a short-range cost-cutting measure used by manufacturing giants. Constant technological innovations coupled with an increasingly competitive marketplace have prompted organizations both small and large to look at the long-term efficiencies of business process outsourcing. 

The Choice Is Yours For A Call Center Investment

To stay competitive in today’s global economy, more and more businesses are utilizing call centers and telecom tech to elevate performance, improve efficiency, and increase customer satisfaction levels. Striving to meet ongoing operational needs can drain the essential resources needed to achieve strategic and revenue objectives. It is worthwhile to investigate your options today on call center investing.


I hope you enjoyed this article about smart reasons for entrepreneurs to invest in a call center.

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