Small Business Blog Posts | Page 12

You’ve probably heard the old cliche: You’ve got to spend money to make money. Businesses are investments, and investments imply an allocation of money. Or do they? We talked to business owners who say they started their companies without any substantial outlay of money to find out how they did it.

Ever wondered what the difference is between a 1099 contractor and a W2 employee? Believe it or not, the answer is both easier — and more complicated — than you might expect. It all boils down to this: If you tell your workers both what to do and how to do it, then they are probably W2 employees. On the other hand, if you only control the results and not the process, then they are probably 1099 contractors. Read more about the 1099 VS W-2.

Payroll processing is the method of paying employees and contractors, including managing payroll taxes, withholding, deductions, calculating pay, and keeping payroll records.

Payroll has an impact on your business’s finances (especially considering salary inflation), tax liabilities, and your employee management. Not only will you have to account for employee payments and payroll taxes in your business budget, but you’ll also need to ensure that your employees are compensated fairly, on time, and in accordance with the law.

A business license is a permit to operate your business, and it is non-negotiable. In fact, it is illegal to operate a business without a permit or license. This keeps you accountable to the city in which you operate and helps local government agencies regulate the businesses in their jurisdiction. Learn more about getting and maintaining a license to run a business in your state.

The PPP and EIDL programs have distributed a massive amount of funding to struggling businesses in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. However, many businesses have been unable to secure funding from these programs despite applying when directed and meeting all the relevant qualifications. Whatever the reason, there are business owners out there in need of funding that have not been served by the PPP or EIDL programs. That’s why we’ve set out to highlight other lending options — both public and private — that are currently available to small businesses.

Owning a delivery business is a great opportunity for many entrepreneurs. Depending on the niche you plan to serve, you can start your own business with just one vehicle and no employees. What’s more, you can quickly scale your delivery business as demand increases.

Selling a business can be a lot more complicated than it might seem at first glance. In this post, we’ll dig into the hows and what-ifs you’ll want to explore before, during, and through the transitional phases. Understanding the basics and planning can help you avoid falling into some of the common pitfalls that may spring up during the process of a business sale.

HR, as a department within your business, is the branch of operations that is responsible for managing a company’s human resources (or human capital; or employees). Wondering whether a Human Resources Manager, a full Human Resources Department, or an outsourced service is the best fit for your business? We can help you decide.

Financing allows those who are wavering on a purchase because of the price to buy from you right away and then pay for the goods/services in installments in the future. This way, you don’t lose a sale to sticker shock. This is called customer financing or, sometimes, consumer financing. Broadly speaking, you can provide customer financing yourself, or you can use a third-party financing specialist. As to how to do either, along with their pluses and minuses, read on to find out.

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is bringing much-needed relief to small business owners affected by the coronavirus. Not only does this loan program provide funding to help cover payroll and other expenses, but if used for qualifying purposes, your loan will be forgiven. In this post, we’re going to help you understand how you can qualify for PPP loan forgiveness.