Mohit Tater's Blog, page 570

Taxing Work – How To Simplify Business Tax Requirements

As a business owner, it’s
critical that you take the time to understand your business tax requirements to
ensure you meet all of your financial obligations. In Australia, there are a
number of different taxes that business owners should be aware of, such as
goods and services tax (GST), payroll tax, capital gains tax, company tax and
other Australian Government and territory taxes that may be relevant, depending
on your business activities, such as land tax and fringe benefits tax.

In order to ensure that your business is compliant with the requirements of the ATO, it’s crucial that you keep your business finances in order. Keeping accurate accounting records, using tax accountants in Blackburn will help you to fulfil your tax requirements properly. With the assistance of an experienced accountant, you can be sure that your accounts will be in order and your financial data will be above board. On the other hand, if you are handling your accounts in-house, utilising an up-to-date software package that can be integrated with the ATO system, will also help greatly in simplifying your business tax obligations.

Continue reading to learn how
you can simplify your business taxes and ensure that you meet all of your
requirements.

Create An End Of Financial Year
(EOFY) Checklist

In advance of the end of the financial year deadline, it’s good practice to have an EOFY checklist in place to ensure that you meet all of our obligations to the ATO. As part of your EOFY checklist, it’s important to have a list of the requisite taxes that you need to pay and also the various documents that need to be lodged. Keeping your finances in order throughout the year will make the end of the financial year much easier on your business and you will avoid the stress that many business owners face due to a lack of preparation. With all of your financial data from throughout the year organised, completing and submitting your tax reports and other financial data to the ATO will be very straightforward,

Accounting Software

Another way to simplify lodging your tax statements is to invest in accounting software that can be integrated with the ATO systems. Many of these programs allow you to sync information as it comes in and generate reports as you need them with ease. Your information is stored online and can be accessed by anyone tasked with managing payroll and financial information, making it easier for teams to collaborate. As your financial data is stored in the cloud, you can also access it from any destination, meaning that if you have multiple office locations or you work remotely, you can always have the financial information you need to hand.

Compile Statements Throughout The Year

When it comes to simplifying the tax requirements for your business, one of the best things you can do is to keep meticulous records throughout the year. The last thing you want is to have to scramble to find the information you need when your reports are due. As your bank statements and income reports are issued during the year, be sure to file them away carefully to ensure that you can find what you need when you need it. Being organised is crucial in ensuring that your business tax submissions are accurate and error-free.

Simplify Your Business Tax Requirements

Although it can seem like a daunting task, meeting your business tax requirements doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. By preparing in advance and using the services of an experienced accountant or the right accounting software, you can be sure that the tax submission process will be seamless. With the right approach and some careful planning, you can be sure that your business meets the appropriate tax obligations and that you avoid any unnecessary fees or penalties.   

The post Taxing Work – How To Simplify Business Tax Requirements appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Pacing Your Protection – When to Start Thinking About Insurance

Whether you’re a small business owner or the head of a budding startup, the day will come where you’ll need to find some suitable insurance plans to ensure that your company’s assets are protected. And with the evolution of eCommerce, assets have grown to mean more than products and properties. Even your corporate data will need to be insured from any cyber threats. If you’re uncertain of how to go about protecting your company, follow this nifty little guide to securing insurance.

Know your risks

If you’re based in Melbourne, your first step will be to contact an insurance broker in Melbourne who can offer you the valuable extra of comprehensive risk analysis. Before you start shopping around for an insurance plan, it’s imperative that you first become acquainted with the major threats to your business. Otherwise, you won’t be making fully-educated decisions regarding your cover, and there’s a chance that some crucial elements to your business operation may be left unprotected. Make sure that no threats are overlooked, from cyber theft to your more obvious liabilities (i.e. weather-related, and other physical damages).

Whilst you’re growing acquainted with your major risks, it’s also recommended that you familiarise yourself with the types of business insurance that are most aligned with the needs of your business. There will be a mandatory cover that you will absolutely need – like health and injury insurance to protect your employees – as well as your more corporation-based insurance, which will keep your business running smoothly.

Work collaboratively

Finding suitable insurance isn’t the only step you’ll need to take when you’re looking to protect your business. You’ll also need to make yourself a solid risk management plan, that details any precautionary tasks or responsibilities that your employees can take on to protect the company before any insurance claims even need to be made. The best risk management plans are created with a well-rounded understanding of your company’s major risks. This means working collaboratively with a number of players from stakeholders to your insurers, and any other parties who may be invested in your business and would like to see a comprehensive risk management plan implemented. Keep in mind that risk management plans must also be consistently revisited and updated, just so your business stays ahead of the curve.

Make educated decisions

With your risk analysis out of the way and what is hopefully an expertly-crafted risk management plan in place, your next step will be to finally start shopping for your cover. With the changing landscape between eCommerce and brick and mortar businesses, chances are that there are a variety of insurance plans out there that are incredibly specific to your industry and the nature of your business. The key is finding the cover that’s perfect for your company. But as you know, there are types of insurance that every company will absolutely need to consider if they’re looking at potential future growth. Speak with your insurance broker about striking the perfect balance between attaining general cover as well as your more specialised security needs.

It can be tricky deciding on when to start looking for insurance, and even trickier to settle for any particular plan. But if you take the extra time to familiarise yourself with the common risks associated with your industry, as well as the specific needs of your business, then you’ll be certain to create a fantastic risk management plan, and source substantial cover as well as invaluable peace of mind that your corporation is consistently well-protected. And if you foresee growth in your future, then it’s certainly never too soon to ensure that that future is secured, not just for you and your stakeholders, but for your employees too.

The post Pacing Your Protection – When to Start Thinking About Insurance appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Beware of Fake Instagram Followers When You Buy Them

You would have come across a lot of service providers
pushing you to buy Instagram followers cheaply. It is good for the influencers
as they get a lot of followers without having to work for it. But there is a
catch here as most of the Instagram followers that are bought are not of that
quality that you have earned through the quality of your posts. Buying
Instagram followers require the proper implementation of the idea. It is a
tedious task and sometimes it can be big trouble.

There are various tools and apps which you can use to validate the accounts when you buy Instagram followers. Most of these apps and tools come free but there is a range of tools which are paid. These can be used to analyze a particular account to check if it is fake or to check a page if it having an excessive number of fake followers.

The most common app which you could have used was Deep
Social but with changing policies of Facebook and Instagram, it has become hard
for the third-party apps to access the information. Deep Social is
discontinuing its services. But still, this is not the end and there are other
tools which are available.

Influence Marketing Hub Instagram
Audit Tool

You need not worry about the authenticity of the potential
influencer accounts. You can enter the handle of the influencers on the Bot
Analytics Tool for free which is an Instagram Audit tool with fake followers
and audience credibility checker. It gives excellent results about the
genuineness of the account.

There are various areas of consideration like the profile picture, number of followers vs the followings, likes, number of posts, number of likes received vs the number of likes ratio. It finally concludes with the audience quality score of that particular account. A score of 80 or above means the account is genuine.

Fakecheck

It has a social engagement check tool which checks the
number of fake followers in your account. It collects the history of the
audience’s engagement levels. It is not a free tool and you need to buy credits
to check any Instagram account.

HypeAuditor

It is a great tool to check the fake followers as it gives
Audience Quality Score to the account which you can keep in mind before
proceeding with the influencers. It uses special intelligence technology to
spot the fake accounts who will never benefit you. It is also a paid app and
you pay in tokens.

Social Audit Pro

It is a paid app and it allows you to check the legitimacy
of the account in regard to the followers. Whether the followers are active
accounts or not. There is an additional feature to remove the dormant or fake
accounts directly from this app.

IG Audit

It is a free tool which can be used to check the
authenticity of an account by giving the fake to genuine follower’s ratio. It
displays the number of likes and comments on the page along with the average
scores.

So, it is really important to keep in mind that when you buy
Instagram followers, you do it in a limit maybe just o prove your account and
gain a bit of popularity. Fake accounts are the reason for purge and spams.

The post Beware of Fake Instagram Followers When You Buy Them appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

How to Start an Agency

Freelancers who
have been in the game long enough know what it takes to make it. They often end
up starting an agency because an agency means more business and more financial
freedom. While an agency can be rewarding, it is also difficult to set up and maintain.

My first advice is
to work in an agency before you start one. Even if for a short while, it will
teach you a lot. While having knowledge of how everything works can be enough,
nothing compares to the practical knowledge. Now, that you have a general idea
of how agencies run, who does what, how to pitch clients, how to generate
invoices, etc., it can feel like it is easy to get started.

I will also tell
you to wait a moment and think everything through before going all in. If you
do not have complete knowledge, find a co-founder. While it can be tempting to
be the only founder and keep 100% of the profits, it is also extremely
difficult in the start. Having a partner lessens the burden significantly. You
can partner with someone who has a stronger knowledge in the area you are weak
in. Let’s say that you have great managerial qualities but lack the accounts
management experience, then it is smart to partner with someone skilled in that
field. You both get to put your expertise in the work and start something
really good.

Set a value. Starting an agency is just the beginning. You need a whole business plan on what areas you will be focusing and what you will need for that. You will have to market yourself accordingly. Saying you have an agency, makes you come across as a novice. Having specialties makes you seem like someone who knows what they are talking about. Even if your agency offers a wide range of services, there should always be something that makes you stand out. Your prices may be low or certain services could have top experts working on them, etc.

Build your brand.
It doesn’t matter if your services are the absolute best if your brand has a
weak presence. More often than not, clients associate with brands. Your brand
name is what is going to get more clients. Work on building your brand and
establishing a strong profile. Public relation and customer support help a
brand go a long way. Once people have worked with your brand, they should be
able to pitch it to others as well. We all know the power of word of mouth.

Know what roles to
hire for. It is said to start with the first three hires. These hires should
free you up from whatever work is chewing you up the most. If both of you are
neck deep in work, who is going to build the brand or pitch new clients?
Knowing what role takes up most of your time, and hiring a full-time employee
for it is a smart move.

There are a lot of
things that have to be considered when starting an agency. These are just some
basics that you need to consider and always keep in mind.

The post How to Start an Agency appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Why and How to Expand Overseas

Your business is doing great and you’re
looking for ways to widen your market as much as possible. You know there would
be demand for your product or service overseas, but you are hesitant to launch
your business in an unfamiliar culture. The laws in each country are so
different, staying in compliance feels like an overwhelming risk.

In today’s world, however, there are ways
to ensure full compliance with local laws that are much simpler than you may
realize. As work grows increasingly automated, it’s getting easier to find
technological solutions to challenges such as legal compliance and culture fit. 

Expanding oversees has many advantages for
a business of any size. In addition to offering a new market that has not yet
been saturated with your offering, broadening horizons abroad also allows your
business to draw on a wider pool of talent than you could when you were focused
only on your local area. It also allows you to leave a footprint abroad and
start to build a global brand – an option that was only really available to
large corporations until recently.

Today, any business can become a global
force in a relatively short time. It does require some planning and knowing
your options on how to handle hiring a workforce abroad. It starts with knowing
what your goals are and how you hope to achieve those goals abroad.

Different
Options for Different Stages of Growth

The expansion strategy you choose is going
to be influenced by your company’s current state of growth.  A small company is likely to prefer a smaller
commitment abroad, and as the size and stability of the company grows, the
oversees commitment is likely to grow along with it.

Early stage
– Welcome to the Gig Economy

Even if a company is still in the early start-up
phase and undergoing a great deal of change, it can still include global
expansion in its growth strategy. In fact, working on a parallel strategy
oversees could help determine the viability of your product better than testing
in a just a single market.

An early stage strategy would dig deep into
the global gig economy, where freelance
workers are hired for small tasks with no commitment from either
party to continue to relationship. That would mean hiring contract workers – self-employed
independents responsible for their own taxes and do not qualify for basic
benefits such as health care, vacation time, or even a minimum wage.

With contract workers, pay is fixed ahead
of time. The worker supplies an invoice for the work performed and you pay the
entire amount without having to withhold taxes from the paycheck as you would
from a proper employee.

Hiring freelancers is a good way to test a
foreign market in a limited way. The primary drawback is the risk of
misclassifying workers as independents. If you control how they do their jobs,
where they do the jobs, or what their employment options are when they work for
you, they may qualify as regular employees – and obligate you to employee taxes
and benefits to the workers or face fines for failing to do so.

Medium Stage – Global PEOs/Employer of Record Services for Full Compliance

As a company grows in size and stability,
and has a better understanding of how to market its product, it may consider a
more stable form of global expansion. While it may require more from its workers
than a group of freelance workers can provide, it is likely still too early to
take on the cost and commitment of opening a full legal entity in a target
country.

Opening an entity takes a great deal of
time and money, and then requires more money to maintain. If the project needs
to be cut, it costs even more money to close. That’s why a foreign subsidiary
is the most advanced – albeit most stable – option. There is an easier way to
achieve the similar results without the risk of opening an entity by working
with a Global Professional Employer Organization (PEO)/Employer of Record.

While the definition of a Global PEO varies between the US and the rest of the world, for those wishing to hire workers outside the US, it is a form of co-employment by which your company hires workers through the PEO, which either becomes the employer of record or works with local vendors who take on the role.

The Employer of Record assumes responsibility for payroll, workforce management, taxes, insurance,
benefits, worker’s compensation, and all other aspects of legal compliance.
Your company, meanwhile, directs the worker in day-to-day tasks. With a Global
PEO, you get the worker and full legal compliance.

A Global PEO/Employer of
Record is easy to set up, especially through automated payroll processes, and
is perfect for trying out a limited presence in several countries – something
that would be virtually prohibitive if you needed a full entity in each one.

Advanced Stage – Opening an Entity

When the business reaches a level of maturity where it is no longer experimenting with different markets but has a firm grasp on its global strategy – how large a workforce it needs, how long it is prepared to commit to a presence abroad – it could be time to take the leap to opening a legal subsidiary overseas.

A legal entity is the
sturdiest form of presence abroad. While it is the most expensive, it also
allows the greatest flexibility. For example, if your presence is expected to
scale upward (if for example, your small sales team is so successful it needs
to expand dramatically, and then requires support from a proportional customer
success team, etc,…), a legal entity is the easiest way to do it. The entity
also gives you the most options on signing contracts with other business and in
negotiations with your workers, because the workers work only for you, not a
co-employment arrangement.

An entity, however, puts all
of the legal liability on your company. You can still mitigate the risk by
working with a company that specializes in international payroll automation.
That way you know that all the legal elements are covered. 

The post Why and How to Expand Overseas appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

The Real Cost of Hiring the Wrong Team

Starting a business is an exciting endeavor. You finally have
something you can call your own, and grow it from infancy to a money-making
machine. But once you’ll filed all the paperwork, chosen the right business
entity, and are confident about your product or service, it’s time to start
thinking about putting together the perfect team. Unfortunately, the third most
common reason that businesses fail is because they don’t have the right team.

A common mistake among businesses is that, once they’ve received funding, they make rash decisions about where the money will go. For example, refinancing your house with a bank statement loan offers the benefit of receiving money even if you do not have the necessary documents for a traditional business loan. However, once you’ve received the money that will aid your startup efforts, the next few moves can make or break the business quickly.

When it comes to
determining the cost of hiring the wrong team, it’s important to consider the
monetary losses. Many people don’t realize exactly how costly making a bad
hiring decision can actually be. According to CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh, bad
hiring decisions costed his company an estimated $100 million. Here’s what you
need to know about the real cost of hiring the wrong team members:

Why
Bad Hiring Decisions Are Made

One of the most common reasons why people make bad hiring decisions is because they hire too quickly. There are several costs associated with bad hires. In addition to the compensation you have to pay for the hire, you also have to consider hiring costs, the cost of maintaining an employing, severance, benefits, and the cost of failures, mistakes, and missed opportunities. For example, if you hired a management-level employee with a salary of $68,000, after 2.5 years, the termination of that bad employee would cost a company around $800,000.

Low
Company Morale & Culture

Hiring the wrong person
can have a significant impact on your overall company morale and culture. And
though it’s hard to pinpoint the monetary equivalent in losses when a company
culture is affected, it’s important to recognize that a bad hire spreads. It
can create enough disruption to bring down productivity for other team members,
creating an all around bad atmosphere and making it difficult and
uncomfortable.

Stunt
in Company Growth

Bad hires can definitely
stunt company growth. There are many reasons why. For example, if they aren’t
productive on a day to day basis, you’ll find your businesses failing to meet
crucial milestones. For example, perhaps you hired a professional to work on
your website design. However, if they don’t have the right know-how—such as if
they don’t have experience with with your hosting platform or are terrible at
project management—then you’ll quickly find yourself falling behind schedule.
Suddenly, your website is unable to meet the promised and anticipated launch
date, and you have to explain to customers (and even possible investors) why
you failed to deliver.

Ruined
Reputation

Warren Buffett once
famously said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to
ruin it.”As a business, your reputation is everything. In today’s business
world, consumers’ opinion and buyer preferences will certainly change when bad
news is revealed about a company. And when you make a bad hiring decision, it
reflects your business. For example, when sexual harassments news began circulating
around the company culture over at Uber, many customers turned to their
competitors out of protest.

Bad employees also make it difficult for you to re-hire good employees, which could make it nearly impossible to rebuild your company culture after you’ve publicly failed. According to Harvard Business Review, a bad hire could cost a company 10% more per hire. When Uber was under scrutiny, imagine the amount of great employees that they lost out on because those potential hires would hate to be in a culture where staff was treated with such disrespect.

You
Could Lose Your Company

Monetary losses are one
thing, but losing your company altogether is entirely another. And
unfortunately, a bad hire could make this possible. Sometimes, it could happen
indirectly. For example, if your employee is making bad decisions that hurt the
company’s bottom line—like offering poor customer service that result in the loss
of major key contracts—those mistakes could ultimately result in flat lining.
On the other hand, sometimes bad employees can have a more direct impact on the
future of your business.

Kathleen King is a great example of the former. When she opened Kathleen’s Bakery, she saw explosive growth after nearly two decades. However, because she wasn’t business or operations minded, she brought on a pair of brothers to handle the business end of things while she focused on customers and the product. However, because she split equity in the business equally, they teamed together to kick her out of her very own business. With every hire that you make, you should be listening to your gut—and never relinquishing too much control. In Kathleen’s case, although she lost her very first business, she ultimately came up on top when she created the now multi-million dollar company, Tate’s cookies. But not everyone would be so lucky.

The post The Real Cost of Hiring the Wrong Team appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Calming the Chaos – A Guide to De-Stressing Your Home

After a stressful day at work, one of the
best things you can look forward to is going home, sitting back and
de-stressing in the comfort of your own home. When you return home, your space
should be one of healing, offering you an atmosphere to unwind in peace. This
is why it is so important that you set up your home in such a way that it is
your very own zen paradise; a private respite from all the chaos of the
workday. In this article, we look at a number of ways in which you can go about
de-stressing your home – from de-cluttering to investing in particular pieces
of furniture, we’ve got you covered. Read on to find out more!

1.    
Invest in The
Right Furniture

One of the best ways to de-stress your home is to invest in the right furniture. Being comfortable in your home is one of the key factors to unwinding at the end of a stressful day, and the proper furniture to do that job is essential. In key areas such as your living room or bedroom, consider investing in lift chairs, a comfy armchair, and a quality mattress and bedding for when it’s time to hit the hay. The key is to ensure that you get items that suit your comfort needs and allow you to de-stress and detach from all the stresses of modern day living.

      2.   
Get Rid of Clutter

No one wants to go home to a cluttered house that has items strewn all over the place. This is why decluttering is essential in building your ideal space for relaxation. Less is more, and minimalism is one of the best ways to keep the mess at bay at home. Spend a weekend getting rid of things that you no longer need, giving items away to loved ones or simply putting them up for sale on Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace or at your very own garage sale. Another fantastic way to keep clutter at bay is to look into purchasing storage furniture. There are many storage sofas and beds available in the market today, giving you the option of keeping your items out of sight. Another perk of storage furniture is that you’ll be able to make use of space that is otherwise occupied by larger items of furniture. Whatever the case, keeping clutter away is one of the best ways to turn your home into a calm and peaceful oasis.

      3.   
Consider A Holistic Approach

One of the best ways to inject a sense of relaxation into any home is by looking towards holistic solutions. Vaporisers and essential oils are a fantastic way to incorporate a sense of zen into your home. Vapourisers also add moisture into the air, removing dryness from your home’s atmosphere. Adding a few drops of essential oils into your vaporiser can add a calming scent to the air in your home, aiding you in unwinding after a challenging day. Scents such as Lavender, Patchouli and Rose can aid in calming you down and helping your emotional wellbeing. You can even add a few drops of these oils to your carpet or bedding, to aid you in getting a peaceful night of sleep.

      4.   
Create a Technology Zone

Many of us spend hours on computers, smartphones and tablets every day, and whilst these devices keep us connected from the rest of the world, they also have the tendency to keep us wired and our minds alert during times at which we should be winding down instead. This is why we recommend creating a technology zone in your home – an allocated space or room where you watch television, use the computer or tap away at your phone. Once you leave your technology zone, put a ban on all devices. This will aid you in relaxing when you are in the living room or in your bedroom  and will train your mind to switch off once you are no longer in your technology zone. You’ll be amazed at how much your quality of rest, relaxation and sleep will improve when you keep devices away from your designated areas of relaxation.

      5.   
Add a Touch of Greenery

Last but not least, one of the best ways to de-stress your home is to add a touch of greenery. Filling your home with beautiful indoor plants not only creates a gorgeous aesthetic but also improves the air quality in your home, thus assisting you in relaxing and unwinding after a stressful day. Studies have shown that plants in our environment can aid in reducing stress levels. Some fantastic options are Bonsai plants or hanging terrariums that are generally very low maintenance and require minimal tending to.

We hope that this article has given you some insight into a number of ways in which you can go about de-stressing your home. Follow a few of these pointers and watch as your home turns into the ultimate space for you to unwind and relax at the end of a stressful day!

The post Calming the Chaos – A Guide to De-Stressing Your Home appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Office Overhaul – How to Give Your Workplace a Fresh Look

A conducive office space is one that
enables employees to maintain a high level of productivity and efficiency. Over
30% of one’s day is spent in the office, which is why ensuring that the office
environment is kept as fresh, vibrant and inviting as possible is essential.
Our environment affects our emotional state, levels of productivity and
motivation, which is why revamping the workplace with a fresh look will benefit
your employees, and in turn, your business. In this article, we look at how you
can go about injecting some life into the aesthetic of your office space, so
read on to find out more!

1.    
Time For a Spring
Clean

A clean environment is a beautiful one. This is why it is essential that the workplace is kept clean and tidy. If your office space is cluttered, messy or generally lacking in hygiene, chances are your employees aren’t going to feel as comfortable as they possibly could during the workday. Spend some time decluttering, get professional cleaners in and consider re-organising the workspace to make it more functional. If your office is situated in an area that is prone to unwanted critters making their way in, consider enlisting the help of commercial pest control. All these things, when done in combination, will leave you with a spotless office space that everyone will love coming into every single morning.

      2.   
Add a Touch of Green

Did you know that studies have shown that plants improve mood, productivity and motivation levels? This is due to the fact that they jack up the air with oxygen and purify it at the same time. Plants in the office space can increase output and well being, whilst decreasing stress levels at the same time. Aside from the mental and physical benefits of introducing plants to the workplace, they also offer a pleasing aesthetic to the eye. Adding some indoor plants, succulents or hanging terrariums to the office is a fantastic way to add a pop of colour and inject some nature into an otherwise sterile environment.

      3.    
Create a Coffee Station

If your office doesn’t currently have a little coffee station of its own, we urge you to consider introducing one into the space if possible. All you need is a coffee machine and all of a sudden you have a modern office space that employees can get a fresh cup of joe at. Coffee breaks help boost overall staff productivity and give employees the chance to mingle and get to know each other in the morning or during the mid-afternoon slump. A gorgeous and modern coffee machine can also transform your office space into one that is chic, trendy and not to mention smells like heaven!

      4.   
Light it Up

A well lit office space is absolutely essential. If you’re finding your workplace to be a little bit dull and dark, consider purchasing some funky standing lamps and desk lamps to brighten the place up. If your space has access to windows, why not pull the blinds up during the day time to let some natural light in? Regardless of whether you’re introducing artificial or natural light into the space, your employees will benefit from an environment that is bright, cheery and one that boosts motivation levels. Studies have shown that a good amount of natural light helps workers feel a lot more relaxed and aids in lowering stress levels and clearing the mind.

      5.   
Add a Pop of Colour

Office spaces don’t always have to be dull and grey. Add a pop of colour to your workplace by introducing some artwork on the walls, adding some funky looking cushions on couches or even by encouraging your employees to decorate their desks with their favourite items. For those who want to go all out, you could even get a mural painted on a feature wall in the workplace, or plaster some wallpaper on to truly bring a spectrum of colour into the office environment. Whatever the case, a pop of colour is always a fantastic option!

We hope that this article has given you
some nifty ideas when it comes to giving your workplace a fresh look. With the
amount of time we all spend indoors, it only makes sense that we try and make
our work environment look as fresh, vibrant and as inviting as possible.

The post Office Overhaul – How to Give Your Workplace a Fresh Look appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

The Home Garnish – Adding a Little Finesse to Your Home’s Style

Owning a home is a matter of pride. After all, you’re working hard to
pay it off five days a week, sometimes six (or seven!) so it makes sense that
you’d want to look after it. Even if it’s challenging to find the time to
invest in beautifying your home, just a few hours a week can make a difference
if you add it up over a year.

But do you feel that you are a little stuck for inspiration when it
comes to how you can spruce up your living space? Fear not, for we’re about to
explore the home garnish and learn how you can add a touch of finesse to your
home’s style – so read on to find out more.

Update Your
Garage

Is your garage just a place to store your car, with a few tools lying around, a tired roller door for entry and an oil stain for decoration? Lift your game and install a sectional garage door. These automatic garage doors can come in a range of materials, colours and tones and will give the outside of your property a much-needed facelift. While you’re at it, tidy the inside, install some tool racks or shelves and scrub off that oil stain. A garage is a great place to work and tinker as well as store your vehicle so take some pride in it.

A Fresh Lick of
Paint

When was the last time you painted your house? For most, their property hasn’t seen a touch of paint since before they moved in. So get down to the hardware shop and grab some sample pots and see what changes you can make to your walls. There are heaps of options, but you’ll want something that matches your decor and your vibe. Neutral palettes are an easy, no-frills option but some people prefer warmer colours or even a smooth, cool look. Avoid dark colours as these make your home seem small and cramped.

Art and Decor

Do your walls look threadbare and neglected? After you’ve given them a fresh coat of paint they deserve some tender loving care as well, so invest in some choice artworks to adorn them. If you can afford originals – great, you’re supporting an artist as well as decorating your home. If not, that’s fine because prints work just as well. While you’re at it, consider some other decor options. Throw cushions are a great choice to liven up your furniture, and a well-placed sculpture in the corner or on a side table will add a hint of class to your abode.

Don’t Neglect the
Garden

If you’re lucky enough to have some outside space, then you can put in a bit of work to get it looking great. Choose bright flowers and tidy shrubs and a well-manicured lawn if that’s your thing. If you don’t have any garden space don’t despair, you can create a green paradise inside your apartment or unit by buying some indoor plants. Here’s a tip though for those without a green thumb – don’t overwater your indoor plants, as this is the quickest way to kill them.

A Cultured
Conclusion

Spruce up the exterior of your home by renewing your garage door. Liven up the inside and outside with a fresh coat of paint, and invest in some tasteful art and decor that matches your vibe. Finally, spend some time getting your garden looking great, and if you don’t have a garden, you can collect some indoor plants to add a splash of green to your place.

The post The Home Garnish – Adding a Little Finesse to Your Home’s Style appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Can you Trust an Accountant to Manage your Finances?

Accounting and finance are two different
disciplines for a reason, right? Speaking from a purely academic sense,
correct. Accountants learn the details of monetary compliance (with the
government, with industry standards, etc.). Basically, the accountant is there
to make sure you don’t lose money
from unnecessary fees, penalties and overpayments.

The primary concern of a financial manager is to learn how to make money.

This doesn’t mean that a trained accountant can’t be a good financial manager. Quite the contrary. Learning the rules of not losing money naturally segways into learning how to make it. The difference is in the expertise, personal savvy and enthusiasm of the individual. You can check out this guide on CrushtheCPAexam to learn how accountants are trained and the different types of certifications. In the US at least, you won’t find very many wilfully ignorant practitioners.

[Here’s the proof: Out of 1,332,700 trained accountants and 660,000 CPAs, only 80 received disciplinary censure in 2018, according to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)].

Training
an Accountant

In order to achieve a CPA in the United
States, acolytes must pass the certification exam. There are three
prerequisites to the exam, known as the 3 E’s.

The first E stands for Education – Sitting for the CPA exam requires 30 more credit hours than a full undergraduate degree, which is 120 units. International students usually take more than the combined 150 units to earn the proper status just to sit for the exam.The second E stands for Experience – Depending on the state, a would-be accountant is required to have either two years of general accounting experience or two years of work experience in both tax prep and accounting. Although not mandatory in all states, the CPA exam certainly becomes easier with professional experience.The third E stands for Exam – There are no direct study requirements for the exam itself. Technically, one might simply walk off the street, pass it and become a certified accountant. This doesn’t happen. Aside from the undergraduate and Master’s level coursework that people take around the field of accounting, the overwhelming majority of people also take a review course specific to the exam. Studying the coursework for review sessions may add another 1-2 hours of due diligence per night to a student’s schedule.

Can an accountant serve as a financial planner
with this kind of training? Absolutely. Are most accountants financial
planners? Absolutely not.

Why not?

Because even after studying money for the CPA exam, most students learn the most valuable lesson outside of the classroom: Making money is hard!

The moral of the story: Choose the CPA with a
passion for making you money, not just someone with a degree or a
certification. A drive to win combined with the expertise and training not to
lose make for a dangerously profitable combination. These people may be few and
far between. If you find one of them, don’t let go!

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