Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Sorted by date Results 26 - 47 of 47
I was just thinking about what I need to do to get my business to the next level this year and thought I’d share with you what I’m telling myself. I’ve realized that as small business owners we’re basically all the same. A lot of people think that everybody’s different, that some people are just luckier than others or that they were just in the right place at the right time. On the surface that might seem to be true but the reality is, it is not true. The difference comes down to perfectin...
Here we are at the beginning of the New Year. I was just reflecting on the past year, thinking of all of the good things that were accomplished, and now, as I prepare for 2017, I’m thinking of all the ways I can make it the best it can be by taking full advantage of the moment created by a year finished strong. Some of the keys to building a successful business are effective time management, self-discipline and working a goal-oriented and effective game plan. Add to that self-confidence and exci...
It’s late December and now is the perfect time to reflect back on the past year. Ask yourself, how did you do? What could you have done better and what turned out better than you had planned? Was your year a success? Successful business owners monitor and measure their results. Why? What you measure is what you get done. It’s all about focus. Your success or failure in business for the most part, is determined by the numbers that you achieve. Your numbers define your performance, and there is...
It is now the fourth quarter of the year, how are you doing? This is the time of year that it makes sense to look back and review your company's performance. Why now? Well, you still have time to make adjustments before the end of the year. Most small business owners focus on generating revenue, and while that's important, they often neglect maximizing what they have. You work hard for your money, so it is important to keep what's yours by legally taking advantage of the tax benefits available...
You need to have the right mindset to be successful, and it all starts with focus. Many small business owners get off to a great start and then quickly reach a plateau where they quit growing. The reason for this is they have a plan to get started, and that plan keeps them focused for a while, but once they achieved that initial goal, there is nothing to keep them moving forward. There are three things you need to avoid in your business to maximize success. By avoiding these things, you will...
Whether you are starting a business or have been in business for some time, what do you do about taxes? There are strict tax laws in the United States that make this is an important question, but most small business owners are focused on making money without any concern for the tax consequences. How you legally structure your business will determine how and when you pay. The first thing to do once you start a business is to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) otherwise known as a...
If you’re like one of the thousands of employees in the oil industry who have been laid off, the big decision you face is what you want to do next. Sometimes, losing a full-time job is the perfect time to think seriously about starting your dream business, especially before you get caught up in the corporate world again. Ask yourself, if you don’t do it now, when will you? A lot of the oil industry workers were victims of the “golden handcuffs,” earning good salaries that prevented them from co...
The Loop Newspaper: Jay, what motivates you in your role as a business advisor? It all starts with my fundamental belief that the average, hardworking American business owner doesn’t get a fair shake. Everything is stacked against them. And the average small or even mid-sized business generally does not have access to the kind of professional guidance a Fortune 500 company does. I think most businesses are left with few options related to available services. I have made this the focus of my b...
Do you have dreams bigger than your obstacles? There are a lot of people who hope their dreams will come true, but they don’t have an opportunity big enough to achieve their dreams. Owning your own business may be the best way to do this. Those of us who have big dreams need to periodically reassess where we are to see if we are on track. As entrepreneurs, we love to create but what we need to do is be in the duplication business. You need to have a viable model that is duplicable; then, the r...
Well, it may be over, but it won’t soon be forgotten. I’m talking about the month of May. Every year during the month of May small businesses around the nation are honored and recognized for the work they do. They are the unsung heroes who go to battle every day to take care of their clients and provide for their families. It’s well known that these men and women are the backbones of the American economy providing the bulk of new job creation. These are the jobs that make our economy hum. I’ve...
Building an insignificantly small business doesn’t take much in leadership, but if you’re going to build a great business, it’s going to take great leadership. To make success happen it’s going to be an all hands on deck, leading from the front all of the time, kind of leadership. Andrew Carnegie once said, “you have to capture and keep the heart of the supremely able man before his brain can do its best.” He might have said that a long time ago but it is just as true today as it was then. H...
There is no real magic to making your sales barriers go away. If you are looking for that special close, or that magic button, there isn’t one. It is more about strategy than anything else but, there are incredible strategies that you can learn that will help you become better at “making the deal.” The secret is to become better at communicating and creating relationships. When you do that, you will sell more service and move more products resulting in you making more money than ever befor...
May is my favorite month of the year. No, it’s not because it’s my birthday month and I try to do something different and exciting every year to celebrate my birthday. No, it’s not because I love my mother and we celebrate Mother’s Day. No, it’s not because spring is in full swing and the weather is perfect, and the wildflowers are blooming. May is my favorite month of the year because I am passionate about business, especially small entrepreneurial businesses, and the first week of May is Na...
May is my favorite month of the year. No, it’s not because it’s my birthday month and I try to do something different and exciting every year to celebrate my birthday. No, it’s not because I love my mother and we celebrate Mother’s Day. No, it’s not because spring is in full swing and the weather is perfect, and the wildflowers are blooming. May is my favorite month of the year because I am passionate about business, especially small entrepreneurial businesses, and the first week of May is Na...
Last time we talked about how the number one tool used by millionaires is goal setting and that many small business owners never achieve their true potential due to a lack of focus. There are many types of goals, and it is important to set goals that lead to achieving your overall vision. Make sure that when you complete a goal, it is not the end but it leads you to the next. Don’t try to accomplish too much at once. Set one, two or maybe three goals max. Stay focused and don’t quit. Here are...
As we approach the end of 2015, our team at the CSU Bakersfield Small Business Development Center is working on our business plan, and we hope you are as well. When you have a moment, take some time to think about your business. When you do, it would be helpful to go over and consider the following: • Your current accounts or clients • Your sales numbers for 2015 • Your goals for 2016 and the solutions the SBDC can provide to help you reach them Business in premise is very simple, you find...
It often amazes me how many small business owners cannot read their own company financial statements. You do not need a Ph.D. in accounting to successfully operate a small business but any business owner who wants to grow their business should, at least, have a basic understanding. There are two basic Financial Statements that you need to be familiar with, the Balance Sheet, and the Profit & Loss Statement or P & L. Balance Sheet In school, you got a report card grading your performance. In...
For years it has been said that a small business is just a smaller version of a big business. We now know this is not completely true. Though there are some similarities, there are many more differences between the two. As an entrepreneur it is all up to you. In the beginning, everything rises and falls upon your actions and quite often this occurs on a daily basis. As time goes on you will gain strength and stability. You will build your team or network and things will eventually start to even...
Are you achieving your full potential in your business? There may be something that you do in your business that keeps you from reaching the level of success that is possible for you. Being in control of your money and creating wealth has more to do with the right mindset than anything else. Here are some steps that you may find helpful. 1. Desire. You have to want to be successful more than anything else. The enemy of greatness is good enough. Once you have determined what you want to achieve...
Getting a loan for your small business has never been easy and for most small business owners it seems harder now than ever. Put yourself in the lenders position, you want to borrow their money and they are in the business of lending money, so it should be easy right? Well, the first thing you need to realize is all loans start at no. It’s not that they don’t want to lend to you, they want to get paid back. If they give you a dollar, how will you repay that dollar with interest? If you have a p...
Does your business continue to operate on its own without you being present? A “real business” is one that functions even when you are not there. Many people who claim to be business owners really have a practice. Professionals, such as, attorneys or physicians, are good examples of this. They may even have several people on staff to assist them but if they don’t work everything stops. The whole operation is dependent upon the principal’s activity. Now there is nothing wrong with having a pract...
If you are like most of us, paying your taxes just emptied your wallet and you are just now getting over the pain from April 15th. Now is the time to start planning for next year and to resolve making the hit a little less painful. The plan is to be mindful of your taxes everyday. You need to prepare all year long so that when April 15th comes again next year, and it will, you are ready and you are in the driver’s seat. What you need to know is there are two tax systems in the USA, one for t...
