This powerful quote has proved very true in my personal endeavors to financially support my wife and I.
For a long while, I’ve been researching how to operate a business correctly. I’ve read books from the local library(one of my most valuable resources) as well as online. I’ve tried to learn from my freelance experiences as well as from working with a group of professionals in the last firm where I was employed. I’ve tried to watch others make choices and see how they react.
Of all the things I’ve done to learn, to ask others is the most effective method.
Yesterday, I went to visit with a bookkeeper to see how she could help me manage my financial records. I had 14 questions printed out on paper. Yaritza seemed pretty scared after the first few questions I asked. As I made notes on her answers she asked in a worrisome way “, IS THAT 3 PAGES!?”. Surprised, I explained that it was only 2 pages and 14 questions. “Oh, okay. I’d have to charge you for my time otherwise, but since you’re almost half way through, go ahead and finish.” She then explained what was meant by a free hour consultation. Apparently that time is only for discovering my bookkeeping needs and how her services could help, NOT to answer my general accounting questions. Fair enough.
She was kind enough to answer my varied questions anyway and thus she has earned my future business. More importantly for me, I now know a lot more about what steps I should take to have a solid foundation for keeping my financial records, which will help me avoid trouble with the IRS among many other things. Why? because I asked.
Just to note, according to Yaritza, bookkeepers only help in preparing financial records throughout the year for a CPA to file. The CPA Yaritza refers work to charges $150-$200 per hour and $600 per tax return. Yikes! I think for now I am going to buy some consulting time from Yaritza until I have enough cash flow to cover those kinds of fees. The fixed rate plan Yaritza offers is $65/mo for 1 checking and 1 savings account. That seems like a good deal in a couple months.
Yaritza has been an accountant for 16 years. She currently runs her own business here in Nevada offering services under the business name of A Bookkeepers Corner. From my short time talking to her, I’d say she knows her bookkeeping ABC’s. http://www.abookkeeperscorner.com/
This has been a topic that has worried me for some time. Last year I did not advertise Small Presence’s services. I simply had some recurring work from loyal clients that I did on the side of my full-time job at Raster Media. But now that I am working on building Small Presence full-time, I need to have a legitimate business and that means getting the proper licenses to officiate my DBA.
Besides going to the Clark County’s website, I didn’t know who to ask for help. Enter SCORE Las Vegas (http://www.scorelv.org). SCORE is a nation-wide organization that offers free business counseling services. They also offer very affordable business seminars. Using their website, I contacted Raj Tumber. After reading his biography I felt comfortable going to him for advice feeling that his specific experience with internet businesses could help.
I submitted my question Sunday and received a reply the next day. My confidence could not have been more spot on. Raj apparently wrote an article in the Las Vegas Business Press just 2 months ago on the exact topic I was asking about. “To conduct business, you’ll need licenses; here’s how to get them” was the title. It was easy to understand and straight to the point. He even had links to each organization that required licensing for me to operate in Nevada. He gave me a link to this article after answering my question and even offering to meet in person if I needed.
Yet again, simply asking others for help solved my problem.
In today’s society we can be somewhat disconnected from each other. This is something we should all strive to avoid. Reach out to others and offer a helping hand. Seek opportunities to be among others better than yourself. I have and I am better off for it.
So, let people know that it’s true what Jesus said, “Ask and you shall receive.”
Wow great info!!! nice job!