Tag Archives: small business financial articles

10 Ways to Make Your Office Go Mobile

  By E.T. Barton | January 10, 2012 - 10:03 pm | Decreasing Expenses, Internal Controls, Virtual Bookkeeping
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The other day, I came to a stop at a red light behind a big white sedan.  As I sat there, waiting for the light to change, I noticed a funny shape in the passenger seat of the car.  To top it off, there was a small round thing where a GPS would usually be found.  When the light turned green, the driver reached over to the passenger seat and – to my surprise – made the funny shape disappear.  In that instant, I realized exactly what I was looking at, as well as what the round thing was:  a … Continue reading →

The SpongeBob SquarePants School of Business

  By E.T. Barton | November 28, 2011 - 10:42 pm | Case Studies, Getting Customers, Increasing Profits, Money Saving Tips, Small Business Advice, Spotlights
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  Okay, I have a confession to make:  I am a Mom.  Even worse, I am a Mom with a Toddler.  What that means is that as a “Mom with a Toddler,” I know all the words to “Elmo’s World.”  I also know how to “Do the Pigeon” and that “C is for Cookie” (which is good enough for me).  I know how to read Dora’s map, and I know Hannah Montana’s true identity. What’s more… I know “who lives in a Pineapple under the sea.” Why do I know these things, you may wonder? Well, as any Moms with … Continue reading →

I Think My Bookkeeper is Embezzling…

  By E.T. Barton | October 10, 2011 - 9:03 pm | Fighting Fraud, Internal Controls
22 Comments

Believe it or not, I hear this statement all the time:  “I think my bookkeeper is embezzling.”  Usually, this sentence is followed up with, “How do I find out?” If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, then you will already be familiar with the Diary of a Bad, Bad Bookkeeper series and you will already be familiar with Betty Bookkeeper and her twisted ways.  You will probably sympathize with “the Moron Boss” (readers words, NOT mine) and you will already have decided that “This could never happen to me.” The sad truth is…it happens ALL THE TIME.  What … Continue reading →

Uninformed Formation—Five Mistakes in Establishing a Business

  By Guest Blogger | October 8, 2011 - 9:38 am | Bookkeeping, Guest Bloggers, Small Business Advice, Spotlights, Virtual Bookkeeping
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by Richard Streitfeld, CPA, CFE Richard Streitfeld is a Certified Public Accountant with Aaronson Lavoie Streitfeld Diaz and Company in Cranston, Rhode Island. This article is a summary of key points he made in a talk on entity formation for www.roundone.com, a website for entrepreneurs. It was published in Providence Business News. October 16-22, 2006. Richard can be reached at 401-223-0205 or at rich@alscpa.com * These are real people and real situations, but the names and descriptions have been altered to protect their privacy. ************************************************************ Not having a plan for your business – Brian*, a passionate and talented karate teacher, … Continue reading →

5 Signs that a Business is Failing

  By E.T. Barton | October 5, 2011 - 4:38 pm | Virtual Bookkeeping
16 Comments

Recently, my youngest sister told me a few scary stories about the company she was working for – scary in that she was not getting paid regularly. When I heard some of these stories, I knew instantly that the company was in trouble and she should jump ship while she could. The fact that she never knew if her paycheck would clear or not bothered her, but not enough to take it seriously. Today, as I write this article, the Company is still in business (although the Parent Company has filed bankruptcy), but my sister has finally decided to take … Continue reading →