Minimize Interruptions to Maximize Productivity
Interruptions can be a business killer. Each interruption statistically takes 45 minutes of your time to get back on track. Structure your day with uninterrupted blocks of work time to increase your business productivity. Being available to your employees, clients, friends and family is always important but be sure to build structured time blocks into your week and you will see a huge difference in your business productivity.
Run your Business According to your Exit Strategy
From the start of your business, plan your exit strategy. To whom will you sell your business?
How to Manage the Three Different Types of Employees that Make Up Your Workforce
Explore the different ways to lead and collaborate with the three different types of employees that exist within your workforce.
Four Steps to Finding the Best CPA for Your Business
It's important to have a good business advisor! Explore these four areas for consideration when choosing the best CPA to help make you and your business successful…
Why Should I Hire a Small Business Coach, Consultant , or Mentor?
Discover how collaborating with a Small Business Coach, Consultant or Mentor can have a positive impact on your small business. Is there a need or skill that you need to learn or develop to help grow your business? A small business mentor can help you strengthen a weakness or help you learn a new skill to improve your business so you can get to the next level.
The 3 Best Cloud Collaboration Apps for Business
Cloud collaboration with remote team members has become much easier since the advent of cloud-based file storing and sharing.
What is the Difference Between a Small Business Consultant, Coach or Mentor?
Discover the ways in which you can distinguish between a Consultant, Coach, or Mentor. Whether you want to solve a problem, build a skill, or work with a wise sounding board, understanding the differences among these three different functions will help ensure your success.Steven Schlagel is a CPA and Attorney with offices in both Durango, CO and Farmington, NM. More than the typical CPA, Steve mentors, coaches and consults with small business owners just like you every day to help them solve problems and build value in their business.
3 Bad Habits That Can Kill Your New Business Venture
Starting your own business? You'll be faced with a wide variety of bad habits to conquer. Many of these result from simple human nature.
Questions to Ask When Buying a Business Part 1: Seven Often Overlooked Considerations
There is much more to consider than the purchase price when you are buying a business. Steve outlines seven primary questions to ask when buying a business so that you have a full understanding of what you are getting for that purchase price. Whether it is company culture or industry regulation, you will want to understand how considerations such as these will impact your long term success, and subsequently your buying decision. Be sure to talk to your current business advisors for more information on how these questions to ask when buying a business might impact your particular situation, or talk with Steve via email or phone to get his advice.
Time is True Wealth
Time is the currency that allows us the freedom to do the things that make life worth living.
Paying a Livable Wage as a Business Strategy
Discover how paying a livable wage to your employees helps attract and retain great employees while supporting your business strategy.
Five Areas to Consider Before the Hire
Explore these five considerations when deciding which candidate to hire for the job.
Overcoming Roadblocks in an Uncertain Economy
Discover four ways to thrive in a challenging economy.
Understanding Your Company's Financial Statements
Discover more about what your financial statements tell you about the health of your small business.
Start-Up Funding, Part 1 - Five Ways to Minimize Start-Up Costs
How much does it cost to start a business? Steve offers five ideas that can help you minimize any start up funding. Use these ideas to find what works best for your strategy, helping make yours one of the most profitable small businesses possible. This video is the first of two videos to address start up funding. Start here to reduce start up costs as much as possible. Then - if necessary - review the second video to help you find sources of funding for your start up.
Diversify Your Business to Weather an Uncertain Economy
Explore four reasons to diversify your business in the face of this uncertain economy.
Questions to Ask When Buying a Business, Part 2: Five Primary Marketing Issues
Look beyond the purchase price and financial track record when you are buying a business. Steve outlines five primary marketing questions to ask when buying a business so that you have a full understanding of the company's market and its value proposition to its customers. Marketing considerations such as these will impact your long term success, and subsequently your buying decision. Be sure to talk to your current business advisors for more information on how these questions to ask when buying a business might impact your particular situation, or talk with Steve via email or phone to get his advice.
The Business Buying Process: Three Methods for Assessing Value
Accurately determining the value of a business is an important part of the business buying process. Explore the three primary ways that Certified Valuation Analysts use to assess the value of a particular business. Whether you are buying a business or selling a business, an accurate valuation takes all three of these methodologies into account, then uses the one most appropriate for your situation Discover how these different approaches can affect the value and subsequently impact the business buying process.
Determining Business Value - The Income Method
Discover more about this straightforward, common sense approach to help you value a business with the Income approach. Whether you are buying a business or selling a business, this simple explanation of the Income valuation approach will be helpful and will give you something to use as comparison when talking value with brokers or colleagues. Basic, rule-of-thumb lessons such as this one can't consider all of the small details involved in determining an accurate business value, so don't make a purchase or sale based only on this. Talk to your current business advisors about how cash flow and cap rate apply to your particular situation, or talk with Steve via email or phone to get his advice.
Finding, Hiring & Retaining Great Employees
Explore four considerations when adding a new employee to your team.