Love. It can suck the life right out of you. Think of a new relationship: everything sunny, glittering and full of possibility. Your new main squeeze is the one: smart, funny, ahead of the curve, bound for success. Things are going great until they just aren’t anymore.

And when they stop working, everything screeches to a halt leaving you lost, confused and feeling incredibly alone. What was once sunny is now clouded-over, what once glittered has lost its luster, and every possibility seems to come complete with a dead end.

You have a couple of options. You can throw your hands up in defeat, cut, and run. You can say it wasn’t meant to be, or you can invest in love. Invest time in your partner to really communicate your way through the tough stuff, invest money in the right ways to bring a sparkle back, and invest energy to show your partner that you’re worth it.

Running your own business is a lot like being in a relationship with yourself. You begin with a product, an idea, whatever you may be selling. At first, it’s great: nobody else has ever had this idea, you’re going to sell it to the world, make a difference, get a talk show, have a hospital named after you, your greatness cannot be stopped.

Then reality sets in: clients aren’t coming as fast as you’d like, partnerships are falling through, the competition does nothing but beat you at everything, and your idea has apparently been done before and way better. When you get to that cross road, you have the choice: shut the business down and live wondering “what if,”  or you can ask for help.

Talk to your accountant. Ask what’s working, what’s not. Where is the money going right now? Should it still be going there? Does your product need further development? What are you really good at? Do you need a partner to help you out? Don’t be so proud that you cut out analytical development and improvement. That’s what business is all about.

Julio Santos

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After the Spreadsheet is a collaborative project created in part by Descriptor Communications Inc. For more information visit www.descriptor.ca

Hopefully your life is returning to normal after the holiday madness that was 2011. With any luck the Christmas tree is out on the curb, the Menorah is tucked away for next year and the Kinara is rounding the corner on another successful Kwanzaa.

Let’s be honest: the last thing you need is a metaphor for a business strategy after what was probably a stressful and confusing couple of weeks. This week, we’re keeping it short and sweet, so here are the top 6 financial solutions to your business problems.

6. Keep your personal and business account separate: your money belongs to you, your business’ money belongs to it.

5. Create a reliable filing system that you will understand and stick to.

4. Purchase and implement a small-business accounting program to track your finances. (If you’re not sure why this is important, see ATS from December 9^th)

3. Review and settle up your bank statements: if you overspent this holiday season, pay the piper ASAP and save yourself costly interest.

2. Back up. Back up everything. Back up on an external hard drive, cds, USBs, on the cloud. When you think you’re finished backing everything up, back up some more.

1. Consult your accountant! If you are unsure about yours or you don’t have one, Sandoez Accounting can help you manage your business.

Contact us for your free consultation.

Julio Santos

After the Spreadsheet is a collaborative project created in part by Descriptor Communications Inc. For more information visit www.descriptor.ca

I think marathon runners are super heroes. They defy the limits of human performance pushing their physiology to the limit and when they’re done they come back for more.

Why would anybody do this, and secondly, how do they do it?

The answer to the first question is simple: They run because they love it and when you love what you’re doing, you keep at it. Passion is a great starting place but it is their methodology and studied approach that brings them success.

A runner’s body is like a machine, every component measured and recorded. Calories in, calories out, pounds up, pounds down, 8 hours of sleep, 8 glasses of water today, 8 minute mile. Everything is measured, recorded and utilized to maximize the potential for success, and the outcome of that potential is determined by how successfully they are investing in their bodies. Additionally, a healthy runner looks great, feels healthy and fit, and is rewarded with the acclaim of his/her friends.

Surprisingly enough, reasons for bookkeeping are similar to reasons for running. Swap the 26-mile finish line with financial success and the parallel is obvious. A bookkeeper treats your finances the way a runner treats his/her body: dollars invested, dollars expended, networking groups joined, meetings attended, 8 new clients a month. Every component of your business’ anatomy can be tracked, analyzed and methodically planned out to predict the potential for success. Don’t forget the lucrative tax returns either. Every expense you make has the potential to benefit you financially. On top of all of this, a healthy business presents well to prospective clients, it reflects well on you and instills a feeling of pride.

Hiring a bookkeeper lets your clients and prospective clients know that you are taking your business seriously, that you are defying the limits of economics and can’t wait to keep growing. Whether you need assistance or a free consultation please contact us.

Julio Santos

A visual explanation of the words used in your personal income tax return. To learn more about your taxes, go to: www.seeingfinance.com

How do Tax Deductions Work for 2010, 2011 www.harborfinancialonline.com
Video Rating: 5 / 5

The deadline to file a federal income tax return is just a matter of hours away. It must be filed no later than Tuesday. Some Central Florida post offices will stay open late to help last-minute filers.