Tag: business adviser

For many of us, it was our networks that helped us get through the last year. That was one of the lessons that Ivan Meisner, founder of BNI, an international business networking group learned from 2020. He also learned the value of limiting exposure to bad news by picking up what he needed to know from news apps. One business owner struggled with the stress of working from home while overseeing remote…  Read more

I was asked to contribute to a feature in a short video montage at Intuit’s QuickbooksConnect conference.  Several accountants spoke about aspects of accounting. I was happy to answer “what do you love about your clients?” Any guesses as to what I replied? Here’s the gist: I love that I’m able to speak with my clients and they understand what I’m saying. At A. Parness Company CPA we believe in…  Read more

Is email the new silent killer?  At one point in time everyone thought it would vastly improve communication while freeing up time. It still is a great way to communicate and under the right conditions can help create efficiencies for medical practice or small business owners and their staff. It seems like we wade through hundreds of emails in our inbox each day; the productivity killer arises from those who…  Read more

I offered my top tip for accountants and their clients for an article which was published last week, then I googled communicate and this is what I found: com·mu·ni·cate verb 1. share or exchange information, news, or ideas. Similar:   liaise, be in touch, be in contact, be in communication Use it in a sentence  “We as effective tax advisers communicate with our clients so we can understand what their needs are…  Read more

It’s year end, and time to reflect on the year gone by and plan for the year ahead. But thinking about your business and how to improve it can be stressful. We wrote about the importance of having a solid Vision Statement to help guide you and your staff to a more successful business, with a better business model, more satisfied customers and more focused staff. Need a little prodding?…  Read more

We have worked with several of our clients to set up tax minimization plans which have saved them thousands of dollars.  As the year-end approaches, many strategies are no longer a good option, but there is still time to set up your “MICRO Tax Minimization Plan” which will certainly minimize your taxes and possibly eliminate your fourth quarter tax estimate. This video will help you understand the difference between tax…  Read more

This week I’m in San Jose for an accounting technology conference and then I’ll be on to Florida and Long Island for specialized industry and tax conferences with my staff members. Sometimes it seems that the best part of the conference is the people you meet along the way… In the Delta Lounge before boarding On the airplane (photo credits go to my row-mate Howard) On the trip to the…  Read more

I hope you were able to watch the vlog I posted last week. In the video I discuss the importance of a solid vision statement, one that you and your team create together and believe in. Here is the link to watch the video and read the post in case you missed it.  I hope it inspires you to take action. Have you been working to create a successful business/professional…  Read more

On the road again, this week I am heading to San Jose for an accounting technology conference; in the next few weeks I am also scheduled to travel to Florida and Long Island for specialized industry and tax conferences with my staff members. Recently I have shared “best practices” for attending conferences and networking events, no need to reiterate, but follow these links for a refresher: Tips for getting the…  Read more

Do you want to stay on the path to creating the business you want? Once you can clearly identify your short term and long term goals, use your vision statement to keep you and your team on track. Watch our video below to see what we mean. I hope this video inspires you to take action… Then start creating your business plan using this complimentary resource: how to develop an…  Read more

In our office, we like to say “we create time”.  We would much rather be out playing than writing checks, entering invoices or adjusting accounting records.  We figured that if we “hated” these tasks, our clients would too. I love the example of how adding an automated payroll portal system eliminated administrative time for the employees and the “boss”.  Implementing just this one administrative task freed up time, eliminated notices…  Read more

I hope you were able to watch the vlog I posted last week. In the video I discuss how we “create time” by eliminating or reducing administrative tasks through our technology bundle. Here is the link to watch in case you missed it. I hope it inspires you to take action I wanted to follow along on the same theme of creating time, to give you an excerpt from our…  Read more

I was excited to contribute to the article “Short and Sweet Networking Tips for Your Tax Practice.”  which went live last week;  the URL is   https://taxprocenter.proconnect.intuit.com/practice-management/short-and-sweet-networking-tips-for-your-tax-practice/. I  love collaborating with other tax professionals about issues in our practices and our industry; again one of the advantages of attending industry specific conference. Here is my full submission which included several other important points that I feel work well for any industry: In…  Read more

If you’re like most small business owners, there are never enough hours in the day to complete every task on your list. Often you’re faced with prioritizing what you need to do right now – deal with a customer, meet a deadline, attend an event – and the things you know you should do for the ongoing growth of your business. Scheduling time to attend to these business activities on…  Read more

Small business owners know that to encourage and maintain a loyal customer base, they must stand out from their competitors. Offering outstanding customer service should be the cornerstone of any business and one of the best ways to create and maintain your customer base. How you and your staff treat your customers/patients/clients reflects on your entire business. Unfortunately, many small business owners focus a lot of attention on their products…  Read more

Want Your Goals to Become Reality? Work With Your Accountant to Create & Implement Your 90 Day Action Plan.  A solid business plan encompasses short and long term goals: 1 year, 3 year, 5 year plus an exit strategy.  Staying on track and accountable can often seem overwhelming. In our office we find that the 90 Day Action Plans we set up with our clients are a great tool…  Read more

As a small business owner, you’re likely always looking for ways to achieve more. Maybe you created a 90 Day Action Plan at the beginning of the month or quarter and are feeling the pressure. Have you “taken action” yet?  You might have resolved to make more money, find more clients, or grow your business. It’s fantastic to have an idea of what you want to do, but… How will…  Read more

As a New York State and City EMPLOYER, BUSINESS OWNER, EMPLOYEE, and BOARD MEMBER I, like many of you are required under the NYS and NYC mandate to get Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and follow specific rules and guidelines. This is a major change in the law that affects every New York employer. “It applies to all employers, both public and private, so long as there are one or…  Read more

It’s called DISCOVERY because that’s when we get to ask the questions…. WHO – are we focusing on your personal or business goals or challenges or all of the above WHAT – are those goals or challenges, let’s not focus on a solution “I need to set up a retirement plan”. Let’s focus on the goal “I would like to be able to retire in XX years and be able…  Read more

“If it Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix IT” doesn’t make sense in the Business World It might not be broken, but carefully thought out processes can help make your business run more smoothly and profitably. An analogy was playing in my head as I was updating my PowerPoint about the benefits of implementing practice management for a recent accounting conference: Several times during the week one of the staff used the…  Read more