The Daily Business Calendar, To-Do Planner, and Enterprise Commentary

By Lanette Zavala

Starting a small business is more than a lifestyle change. The exploration, adventure, and risk that it involves have filtered out the smartest entrepreneurs who dared to plunge into an arena of the fast-pace corporate world. If your passion is met with determination and focus, you can employ yourself in order to survive as well as establish your new career in a very challenging yet rewarding driver's seat.

The Daily Business Calendar, To-Do Planner, And Enterprise Commentary can be used every calendar year. This planner offers the following:

- Daily practical business insights (including brief, relevant tips like business proposal writing and communicating)
- Two sample business proposals
- Bookkeeping set-up instructions

So, if you dare to start a new business, you have every reason to move forward on your journey with caution and even more reason to travel it with firm perseverance, expecting rewarding results - if you take your vision far more seriously than you took the day-job from which you may have resigned or been laid off. Go grab the bull by the horns.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBookIt.com
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781456625931

Book preview

Commentaries

January

January 1

New Year’s Day

Are your documents in place for starting a new business?

1. A D.B.A. (or D.B.A. Doing Business As certificate). This is also referred to as an assumed name certificate. The form to complete is simple and can be obtained at your local county clerk’s office for a small fee. On the Internet, search for the location where you can file this form by key-wording your local county clerk’s office and D.B.A. You will be directed where to complete this very short process.

2. A Federal Tax I.D. Number. Also referred to as an EIN (Employer Identification Number), you can apply for this number either online via the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website or in person at your IRS office.

3. Sales Tax Permit. For all taxable products and services, you will need to obtain this permit from your local state comptroller’s office.

4. Business Bank Account. Even though obtaining a business account is not mandatory, if you are doing business as a sole proprietor (assuming all liabilities of your establishment under most, if not all, cases) or as a partner (assuming the same risks with a partner), the existence of this account is essential. In order to obtain a business account, you will need a D.B.A. and EIN along with your state I.D. and the required upfront deposit set by the bank/account type of your choice.

5. You have the option to establish your business as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or as a corporation. Discuss with a certified public accountant or an attorney what your options are based on your interest if you have decided that you do not want to assume business-related risks as a sole proprietor or partner.

To Do for January 1:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 1.]

January 2

With your business documents in hand, what should be considered next?

Reality check. Officiating a new business with its mandatory, company-establishing documents (D.B.A., EIN, sales tax permit, and others) does not promise an entrepreneur survival in business. They do give that feel of hope to any optimistic person taking the risky plunge.

The much needed balance between realism and optimism – as well as the balance between self-employment flexibility and risk-taking – help form decisions that can potentially lead to sales. This balance, along with a promising business plan and a range of backup plans, should precede these routine steps of going into business.

To Do for January 2:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 2.]

January 3

Tips On Your Business Documents

1

In most cases, the first three listed items (D.B.A., EIN, sales tax permit) establish a small business in industries that do not require special licensing, degrees, or certification. In order to remain in compliance with all laws and industry trends, research licenses that you may need in order to operate your business.

2

As pointed out on January 2, your documents only state that you are officially in business. They cannot establish your company without the necessary mindset that will keep you in business.

3

With your documents in hand, the sky may not be the limit – in a literal context. But you will have the flexibility to strategize without bureaucratic hindrances of full-time employment. Success has occurred for many business owners who utilized this authority wisely.

To Do for January 3:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 3.]

January 4

Is your small business venture long-term or as short as a New Year’s Resolution?

New Year’s Day is often the onset of a resolution. The number of people who decided this is the year to go into business has never been the same number who decided to continue their business venture throughout the turbulent flight of their journey.

What will set you apart from others going into business for themselves will be such ongoing qualities as the following:

A Business Plan (one that is thoroughly researched, doable, and profitable)

Perseverance

Tenacity

Strategy

Key Contacts

Organization

Integrity

Quality Performance and Products

Verbal and Written Communication Skills

Dedication to providing excellent service

Wisdom on when to apply lenience and when to firmly say, No.

A Winning Personality

A team of trustworthy people who will work with you from inside as well as outside your company

Capital and good credit serve as the basis of a business’ success for only so long without these supporting attributes that can keep you in business. Without them, money can run out, and credit can become damaged.

To Do for January 4:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 4.]

January 5

Are you in business just for yourself?

Going into business was a difficult decision to make for my parents in 1977 and for my husband, with me at his side, in 2007. Their decisions were heartfelt.

The passion of impacting our family’s livelihood in the seventies and then again in 2007 yielded the same results: a roller coaster of successful ventures accompanied by many deep pitfalls. Survival was maintained by hundreds of revisits to the drawing board.

From where I’ve stood as an administrator in family business, I often agonized about decisions I couldn’t control from 2007 to the present, not owning the company. But my contributing advice is consistent through business hardship and successes. The advice is simple, but necessary to consider:

Always ask yourself how each decision you make will impact someone other than yourself? How will it impact your family? How will it impact those whom you employ and those with whom you work outside your company?

How you show regard working with the team of professionals and laborers around you will greatly reflect in your operations.

To Do for January 5:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 5.]

January 6

Tips About Self-Employment

1

Your initial excitement about going into business may be short-lived. But diligent effort, planning, and focus can result in the continued operation of your establishment.

2

Remember restructure when it’s necessary. On a regular basis, closely assess each business strategy and system (within your administrative, sales, and production operations) in order to know when to make adjustments.

3

Throw out the rigid practices that you may have learned in the workplace, where one global routine (likely a strict protocol) may have been the only way to get the job done within a team. If a large corporation’s method works against your bottom line to produce profit, be willing to design your own methods, which may consist of a far more practical strategy for you.

To Do for January 6:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 6.]

January 7

Is your small business endeavor a farewell to the full-time employment?

A massive layoff is sometimes a farewell to a dream job. Finding a well-paying job to replace the first one can be a challenge for many people. This is one reason why some people choose to start their own businesses instead.

There is a red-hot possibility to consider. Just as switching to a lower paying job can force someone’s lifestyle to drastically change with several aspects of downsizing, so can self-employment. Realism at its finest is highly essential when operating a small business as owner.

But don’t let realism discourage you. Grabbing the bull by the horns may mean longer hours, fewer outings, and more interfacing with new contacts. To replace full-time employment with your own company is an opportunity to put your hidden qualities to work (with diligence) and to develop qualities you never knew could exist within your performance.

To Do for January 7:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 7.]

January 8

Have you considered asking yourself practical questions before replacing full-time employment with self-employment?

The decision to choose self-employment over full-time employment should be considered after weighing all options.

Is there enough capital to go into business?

How much credit would be needed to go into business?

With no capital and no credit, what kind of self-employment options would still be available and practical for making a living?

Should there be a day job until the company makes enough revenue?

Being in business for yourself will not look as glamorous or even exciting as it looks on fictitious television shows. Sometimes there will be a second job needed as a primary or secondary source of income. There may be many declines on loan applications that will lead to the option of partnership instead. In most cases, your flexibility as a decision making owner may have to revolve around practical questions that you write out and spend hours answering with profitable solutions. And those solutions are often tried by the fire of a whirlwind of circumstances.

To Do for January 8:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 8.]

January 9

Tips About Transitioning From Full-Time Employment To Business Ownership

1

When they started their own companies, both my father and my husband kept in touch with their former employers as business references and as key contacts for their businesses. So, consider that the relationships you develop as a full-time employee are important assets.

2

Self-employment should never be considered a luxury in the first stages of business, no matter how well business is going. It’s easy to prop up the feet and say, Now, I’m my own boss. Nobody can tell me what to do with my time. Actually, the opposite is true. In business, your buyers are the bosses whether your target market is customer-based (consisting of buyers within procurement departments) or consumer-based. And to satisfy their procurement needs, they often tell you what to do with your time indirectly. For example, You were not available to quote me the price I was looking for at seven this morning, so I chose the best quote that was available to me at that time.

To Do for January 9:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 9.]

January 10

By your 10th day in business, have you done more than the initial administrative activities?

You don’t need to be convinced how mixed the rewards and the challenges of enterprise are together. Looking back, I remember hearing a sense of rewarding accomplishment in my husband’s voice when he told me that he had finally obtained his assumed name certificate, federal tax I.D. number, sales tax permit, and then the business account.

Holding only those documents in hand seem to validate a new business. (Definitely be driven and enthusiastic about your vision; but don’t become complacent as business tasks intensify.)

Those initial administrative tasks have provided so much promise for new business owners. But they are the very beginning and, most of the time, the easiest tasks of doing business. From there, roll your sleeves up as you redefine your role and re-enter Corporate World.

To Do for January 10:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 10.]

January 11

After time evaluating your line of business, your company structure, and your goals, have you determined if you will additionally need the following immediately or in the near future?

1

Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, LLC, or Corporation. You actually have the choice of determining this setup when you file for your D.B.A., or you can make the change when you see fit.

You have the choice to assume all liabilities of your company as a sole proprietor or partner in the same setup, to obtain an LLC, or to incorporate. Do your research. You can speak with a certified public accountant or an attorney. Experts do not suggest doing research on your own. But you do have this option of self research in order to make your decision.

2

A Formal Business Plan. Whether your plan is to apply for a business loan or present a proposal before prospective investors in your company – at the beginning or at midstream of your venture – you will need a business plan to demonstrate your operation’s potential success and value to potential underwriters.

To Do for January 11:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 11.]

January 12

Tips On Speaking To Professionals About Further Establishing Your Business

1

For professional, thorough advice, consult with a certified public accountant (C.P.A.), attorney, or financial advisor. If you have been forced into self-employment or if you are operating on a tight budget, these professionals may be costly. Weigh your risks, considering what can be imposed on sole proprietorship. Investments in these types of services pay off and protect assets.

Shop for the best rates through referrals and Internet research, such as review sites. You may have to consider such professionals who are also just starting their own operations in order to find the rates you can afford. Many professionals are generous with their rates when they are first starting in business.

2

Speak to a licensed insurance agent about your business needs for commercial insurance. Commercial insurance that will protect your assets can be thoroughly explained by the agent of your choice. Some companies require their suppliers to hold commercial insurance policies before doing business with them.

To Do for January 12:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 12.]

January 13

Does being in business make you feel empowered?

There was a time when my husband and I thought that, if only he was his own boss, he’d be empowered by managing his own time and making his own final decisions, while making bundles of money. That vision had to be refined drastically.

Being in business for himself has shown my husband new ways of self-discipline. He also has a new appreciation concerning work and production that he didn’t have until he hired his first employee. He learned he has to practically grind at the mill as owner and employer – sometimes with this mysterious inability to call the shots (in the way he once thought he’d be able to) even though he is paying a hefty price for that entitlement.

The reality of business presents itself in many forms. When the reality of profits finally presents itself, empower yourself by saving. Creating reserves from a portion of our surplus on a monthly basis would have been ideal preparation for economic crises that hit us hard. When the reality of hardship occurs, empower yourself with your flexibility to decide that you can adjust time, workload, and other areas in order to preserve your operations.

To Do for January 13:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 13.]

January 14

So, how would you define empowerment through self-employment?

Empowerment through enterprise does not come the first day a man or woman sits behind the desk with the label owner. Empowerment is almost undefined. It develops gradually over years (most of the time) through a combination of challenges, strategies, and accomplishments.

When the overall financial and production decisions that you make for your company result in the direction you had planned, you may feel empowered. But what if your plans were to receive a large loan? Loans don’t necessarily empower. They rarely do unless they are taken conservatively and paid according to their contractual agreements.

This is a simple look at empowerment of business ownership:

When there are reserves in the bank that equal at least three times your overall monthly expenses

When your monthly accounts payable remains updated

When accounts receivable produces consistent timely payments

When the Internal Revenue Service is satisfied with your company’s updated tax payments

When your financial books are so organized that they match your inventory and production

When you can consistently deliver on all your work orders within the time you and your customer projected

During our current economic recession, empowerment from small business ownership is becoming more of a rare luxury. The large corporations from whom many of us need invoice payments are laying off and finding all kinds of ways to pay their small suppliers on net 60, 90, and even 120 days. As a result, the deficits created within those small business accounting departments are becoming extreme challenges, such as, scarred credit and even lawsuits.

Instead of seeing business ownership as empowerment, focus on challenging (but feasible) tasks and your goals. Don’t worry about sprinting in a race of ambitious throat cutters who thrive on empowerment. First, run with the business plan you have – carrying it out with quality and diligence – in order to preserve your stamina in business.

To Do for January 14:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 14.]

January 15

A Tip About Journaling Self-Employment

Keep a journal of your business journey. That will entail years of documentation. It adds to your biography, which at some point, becomes useful. Reading through your journal, you are able to look back and see your growth. For eager, ambitious go-getters, journaling may seem to only serve the purpose of leisure.

But journaling is for motivation. There are times through business hardship when giving up seems to make sense. Looking back, a businessman or woman can grasp the vision that seems to get lost over times of hardship. A journal can help you refocus and recharge.

To Do for January 15:

[Above this paragraph, add your to-do list for this day by first entering this date as your keyword. Mark this dated page on your electronic device. Then, select your command to make notes in the form of your to-do on January 15.]

January 16

Can the same amount of effort you contributed to an eight-to-five job result in entrepreneurial success?

Likely, no.

At the beginning of your endeavor toward enterprise, you will perceive your heart’s business plan as your mind’s treasure map. This has been the case with most people who have re-entered the Corporate America, which had previously employed them, and have taken pride in finally being able to work for themselves.

Then, during the typically challenging journey through operations that are confronted daily with a variety of issues, even the strong have not survived the turbulent flight of entrepreneurship. Along with vision, dreams of success, and even diligence, unexpected business needs required the heads of my family to stretch the limits of their known potential