Business By The Bay

Are you struggling to keep up with the growth that is taking place in your company? Are you closing your books within 7 days or are you really behind with your accounting? Brit Summerill made some very good suggestions regarding best accounting practices and he recommends small businesses to operate with an exit in mind.

Dr. Shree Nanguneri explains his method to remove or reduce the 3 Ds - defects, delays and deviations from organizations. His team uses the socratic approach to not only fix the problems of his clients, but also train them how to handle issues on their own. They convert defects into delights, delays into 'just in time' and deviations into dollars. Dr. Nanguneri says that one of his keys to success has been having the right mentors.

Hiring the best talent is challenging, especially in industries where supply is less than the demand. Jason suggested that an employer needs to feed the hiring funnel and then have an efficient process to screen, interview and hire the right candidates. An employer needs to generate interest among job seekers, validate the opening, convince the candidates that the company is a great place to work and then close it.

Doug Kennedy emphasized on the importance of keeping an end goal in mind when we are starting the business journey. He said that businesses either grow or shrink. The tools and the people that achieved initial success may not be enough to continue on the growth path. Getting the right help becomes critical and Doug said that the 2GO advisory group offers solutions for executives for all lines of management.

Whether your organization is growing or finding it difficult to grow, Belle provided some great suggestions to make your company function smoothly. Some of the things she highlighted are as follows:

Want to start a business? Rick Morgin says that so many people have mentioned to him that they wish they had known him when they were planning to begin their business journey. A good business or a franchise consultant can help people navigate through so many options out there, instead of following a hit and trial method. Once you open a business, it is extremely important to hire the right team and ensure marketing never stops. Rick shared his personal experiences and he believes some of the reasons behind his success are -

As a small business owner, have you ever wondered that the competition is tough and there are many people offering similar products or services? Realtor Yun Tong shared her business journey and explained what has made her very successful. Some of the useful tips she gave are -

HR compliance can be tricky and ignorance is not an excuse. Attorney Robert Nuddleman explained some very important things which every employer should be aware of. For example, some of the common mistakes employers make are not addressing any issue when it shows up first or paying a salary when it should be hourly with overtime. Lack of communication and making the employees feel that they are not being treated fairly result in troubles for employers. To avoid problems, employers need to treat employees fairly and should also be aware of the employment laws by being proactive in educating themselves and their employees.

Bill Knowland explained the power of video marketing. A picture paints a thousand words and a video shows thousands of pictures. However, at times when businesses are on a tight budget, it is natural for the return on investment question to come. There are tools and metrics available that provide the impact of videos. He also mentioned the different types of videos an organization can create to reach its target audience - marketing videos, training videos, customer testimonial videos, how to videos, meet the owner videos, thought leadership videos, inspirational videos, interactive videos, etc.

Peter Niles explained the benefits of owning a franchise and also mentioned some of the disadvantages of owning a franchise. He shared his views on what makes a good franchise owner and also spoke about some of the businesses that have flourished in the last couple of years.

Trustegrity - building relationships, which results in the sharing of ideas, solutions, and opportunities. Laurie Pearce provided an overview of Trustegrity and how its members benefit from this networking and mastermind group. Laurie suggests that never give up because when the going gets tough, you may actually be very close to success.

Choosing a retirement plan can be tricky for a small business owner. Many states have mandated businesses to have a plan in place. Taylor and Parker provided good information regarding the options businesses have. 401K plans provide a lot more flexibility in comparison to a state Roth IRA plan. They believe that some of the reasons Farther has seen a good growth are that they listen to their clients, are able to offer the right solutions and have great communication.

We all know that health is wealth, but still for many people it is difficult to eat right and exercise well. Rebecca Walker said that there are various factors like availability of junk food, marketing and what is going on in our bodies that makes us develop unhealthy eating habits. There is so much advanced testing available today that under the guidance of a professional, one can overcome health challenges and maintain optimal health. She provided great tips regarding proper sleep and recommended getting morning sun and avoiding drinking tea or coffee for at least one hour after waking up. Healthy business people have more energy and it helps them work more effectively. Rebecca hires people who are passionate about their work and she says that having people in the right place results in optimal output.

Grow your network of diverse people to grow your business. Maile says that effective networking is a learnable skill. When we team up with other people, opportunities are exponential compared to trying to do things alone. She explains that when we are interested in others and understand them really well, we become unusually very successful. Maile says that networking with people is not taught in school. So people make basic mistakes like entering a room of business people to sell to the room, rather than through the room. Follow the law of reciprocity - give to others, work together and reap the rewards.

Vivek highlights the importance of getting the accounting under control. He says that when a business owner is looking at the accounting at 2 AM, then it is a clear sign to outsource the accounting function.

Patricia Snowden talks about the role Stay Pleasant Hill plays in promoting visitors to the city and region. The tourism industry was severely affected by the pandemic. Patricia provided some insight on how to look into the available data to update your marketing strategy. She believes that being a good listener and listening to a diverse group of people help a leader to lead successfully.

Mony Nop talks about leadership and what made him succeed against all odds. He explained his love for Livermore, why he is running to be a mayor and what all he plans to do.

Learning is a treasure. When students and industries collaborate, a win-win situation is created, and true development takes place. Dr. Dyrell Foster discusses some of the wonderful things Las Positas College is doing in Livermore, CA.

A small business owner has a lot on his or her plate. Judith Feuer provides an overview of the value a right financial advisor brings. She also talks about what are some of the common things business owners do that make them financially successful.

Plan to succeed as a successful business requires knowing where things stand and what needs to be done to achieve the goals. Joel Smith explains that rather than looking at accounting as a cost, small business owners need to look at outsourced CFO services as the help that can ensure the business is healthy and cash rich.