Question: I want to switch to QuickBooks, but I don’t know which one to pick. I spoke to Intuit, and they say I should purchase QuickBooks Online, and it will do everything I need. Is that true? Answer: Our business is complex and unique and requires a software that can handle our complicated orders. While…
Read MoreTag: Management
Should I Settle for QuickBooks Pro Over Premier?
Question: My accountant says that I should switch to QuickBooks for my accounting system. She said that QuickBooks Pro should work just fine for my business. Is that what I should use? Answer: I agree with the “QuickBooks” half of her answer, but suggest “Premier” be the other half. Using QuickBooks, because it is the…
Read MoreLet Your Breath Take You Away
Business and life can be stressful. Most folks I know work hard to achieve great things in the future. And live with great regrets about past failures. Few of us know how to just enjoy the present, which is all we really have. The past is gone. The future isn’t here yet. The present is…
Read MoreSow What?
Every day holds many opportunities for great choices and fresh starts. This spring is a great time to ask yourself, “Sow what?” What are you sowing every day to assure an awesome harvest in your business and your life? Most amazing things don’t happen overnight. They need time to germinate and grow. Does the farmer expect…
Read MoreWhen to Convert from One Accounting System to Another
Question: Is there a good time to convert from one accounting system to another? Answer: Actually, you can convert at any time of the year, but there is a “best time” that makes things as fast and easy as possible. If your fiscal year is Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, the best time to convert…
Read MoreThe Importance of Customer Business Reviews
It’s safe to say that most business professionals should know about customer business reviews. Whether you know a little about what it is or the benefits of doing it, customer business reviews will form the foundation of your business relationships, and help position you as a trusted business advisor and valued partner to your customers.…
Read MoreDoes Your Brand Suck?
I believe that many businesses have brands that suck. I mean suck away opportunities for sales and profits! Let me explain. First, there are many companies out there with brand names that only indicate they sell printing or promotional products. Names like, “City Printing Company” or “Peoria Promotional Products LLC.” These names suggest the company…
Read MoreTime for Your Declaration of Independence
The 4th of July is when we Americans celebrate our independence, our freedom. As you prepare your celebrations, let me encourage you to reflect on these two questions: Are you truly independent? Are you truly free? Most distributors with whom I speak don’t seem very independent. They seem to be bound by all of the…
Read MoreYour Failure Can Be the Key to Your Fortune
Failure is a part of success. Sometimes failure can be the key to your fortune. You may have heard the story of how an engineer at 3M was trying to invent a super strong adhesive, but came up with a super weak one instead. That weak adhesive he invented became the secret to 3M Post-it…
Read MoreThe $500 Million Company With No Headquarters
About 25 years ago, we purchased a great 30,000 square foot office building on a beautiful eight-acre campus. Soon after, I met with the signage company to finalize the wording for our sign. At first it seemed like a no brainer that the sign should read “Proforma Headquarters,” but that wording didn’t align with the…
Read More