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    Networking 101
    As a new business owner you must wear many hats. You will need knowledge of accounting, marketing, advertising, management, administration, inventory, sales, etc., in addition to knowledge pertaining to your industry. Since you may be very proficient in some of these areas, but not in others, reading and learning about these other areas is imperative. Of course, the question is, when do I find the time. This is where networking comes in. Your network of contacts is your support group for the areas in which you need help. Determine what areas you need help in and locate a networking group, support group or make a list of the contacts you need and make them yourself. There are also Home Business Clubs in many areas. The SBA is another source, but be careful, we've heard too many complaints about the mentors in the SBA program. However, you might find them adequate for your needs. Look at the local groups and ask before you join if the areas you need help in are represented. You can then call these individuals before a sales presentation, run the client presentation by them, and see what they think. They should be able to help you over the rough spots. Be sure to reciprocate when one of these individuals calls you about your area of expertise. Networking is not a one-way street. Many times by having contacts in companies you want to do business with, you can find out how they want proposals, bids or contracts done beforehand, and gear your paperwork towards this end. The library is a good source, so are the publications you subscribe to. Many times the back of publications list networking and support groups. Many of the national organizations have local chapters, so the fees are fairly low, and you are becoming part of a nationwide organization, which, if they are flexible, gives you a variety of individuals to contact. Remember our discussion about the Web. Many of these individuals are using it, so rather than a phone c
    torial helps walk you through the needed steps for writing checks, making deposits, etc. If you keep up with this information every month, it doesn’t seem like such a huge task at April 15th when it’s time to file your taxes. Procrastination is the death knell of business owners, trust me!

    For those that hate or don’t want to purchase QuickBooks, the information can be arranged on a spreadsheet, either paper or electronic, but it takes more work to set up and you need to know what you are doing!

    I, personally, put all my income and expenses into QuickBooks every month. At the end of the month, QB will let me print out a Profit & Loss statement, showing me how I did that month, that quarter, or that year so far. This is good information for those that are looking to increase their profitability and need to know where their biggest expenses are. Trust me, they can pile up! For the qualitative items, I have a spreadsheet where I track the following information:
    1. How many prints of each image I’ve printed, and who printed them (thus telling me that my next batch should start at print #41)
    2. The total number of each print sold for this year and since inception (thus telling me my best and worst sellers)
    3. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I know of that have an art show, including prices and space sizes (so I know where to send to)
    4. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I have sent art to in the past, with the items sold listed, with prices (so I know what to send next year)
    5. A detailed list of each sold item, where I sold it, how much the base price was, how much sales tax

    What Is The Fair Market Value of Your Business? Part 2
    Financial Data – What’s Needed?As a general rule, the more financial data that is available, the better. If your accounting system is sophisticated enough to produce internal Balance Sheets and P&L Statements, they are certainly helpful. Of course the best information to use as a basis is the Federal Tax Return, since when these are submitted to the IRS, any and all final adjustments have been made. Also, three to five years of returns will give the valuation analyst a better and more consistent track record of the firm’s history. For further insight and/or questions, lean on the valuator for guidance. Typically, the most important source of necessary data is the owner or CEO (or the CFO if a firm is large enough to support that position), who usually is very familiar with the “financial goings-on” and the specific applicable history.Present Debt - A Factor?In the context of placing a value on a business to be sold, while debt is certainly important, it generally is not something which has a direct influence on business value. Here’s why. When there is long term debt to be considered (any debt to be carried on the books for a period longer than one year), that debt is normally handled by the seller out of the proceeds of the sale. Should it work out as a part of the deal that a given amount of the owner’s long term debt will be assumed by the buyer, that arrangement is customarily a part of the buy-sell agreement as prepared by the attorneys and accountants on one or both sides.What Should A Valuation Cost?The fee or service charge for a business valuation/appraisal will vary, dependent on a number of factors. It can run from just a few hundred dollars for a simple “off the shelf” software program, to in some cases tens of thousands of dollars . . . should the project involve a mid-size or larger firm ($10MIL or more in sales), and if ordered from one of the major accounting or valuation firms. B
    We are artists; therefore by definition we are unorganized. We are right brain thinkers, we are creative. How do we impose order to chaos? Hopefully, this information will help you tame that wild beast and make some sense of the various business terms that confuse and intimidate you!

    1. WHAT STRUCTURE SHOULD I USE? The first question to ask in setting up your art business is how you should set it up – i.e., what structure it should have. This may seem like a silly question, but it is a very important one, as it determines how you report your income and expenses. And report them you must! There are several types of organization to choose from, and the determining factor is risk. How much risk are you willing to take? Are you willing to pay more for less risk? I will demonstrate what this means:

    a. SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP The most risky organization is the sole proprietorship. This is because if someone sues you as a sole proprietorship, they can, theoretically, take your home, your car, and all your worldly possessions in a lawsuit. There is no separation between the business and you, so any lawsuit can take everything. However, most art businesses have little lawsuit risk attached to them. I am unlikely to get sued for damages unless I steal someone else’s art. (Don’t do that!) If I was installing stairs, on the other hand, I would definitely want to limit my risk. The term for this characteristic is ‘unlimited liability.’

    Now, there are advantages to being a sole proprietorship. There is little to no cost in setting it up, no legal forms to fill out, and no paperwork to file with the state. When you report your income and expenses, it goes on the Schedule C of your own personal tax return (1040), and isn’t taxed separately.

    There are also disadvantages, such as the aforementioned unlimited liability. There is also the fact that the company has a limited life – when you pass away, so does the business. (Ask Disney if this is important!). It is also more difficult to get financing from banks and therefore difficult to expand.

    b. CORPORATION If you are willing to pay a little more money on a regular basis, you can get the advantage of limited liability with a corporate setup. A corporation is a separate entity from you as a person; therefore if it is sued, only those assets owned by the company can be taken, not your personal home and possessions. This is the main advantage of having a separate corporation. It is also easier to expand, as banks are usually more willing to offer financing for this. It can have a life beyond the life of the founder, as many corporations have (i.e., Sears, Disney).

    Now to the disadvantages; The main one is the cost and complication of setting up and upkeep. There are fees to setting up the corporation with the state (none for the federal government), and annual fees to keep the license in good standing every year. In my home state of Florida, it is about $75 to set up the corporation, and $150 a year to keep it going. There is also additional paperwork, as you need to file a separate tax form every year (1120 or 1120S) with the federal government. You may also need to file one for your state. And, you may have to pay taxes at a corporate rate, which is usually higher than your personal rate.

    I would like to go into the differences between a C corporation and an S corporation. C is the corporations we are most familiar with – corporate monsters like Microsoft, IBM, Disney, Sears, etc. These get taxed at a corporate rate, which is currently 15% up to $50,000 in profit, and goes up from there. An S Corporation (S stands for Small) has to have less than 100 stockholders (among other requirements) but does NOT get taxed at the corporate level. Let me repeat that – no tax is paid on the corporation itself. Instead, the income gets reported on each shareholder’s tax return, and is paid at their personal rate. This is usually the better deal for small companies, as personal returns are not taxed at all for the first $7000 in income.

    c. LLCs and LLPs Many people ask me about Limited Liability Corporations and Limited Liability Partnerships. These are both fairly new entities, and as such, don’t have (as of yet) their own share of rules and laws by the IRS. I personally don’t recommend them, as they have little advantage over the S corporation, and are usually more expensive to set up. A savvy person can set up an S corporation fairly easily. A lawyer is required for LLCs and LLPs, and they like charging a good deal of money to do so – which is why they recommend them so much. They don’t even have their own tax forms yet, they use the Corporate forms (1120 and 1120S). Until they’ve ‘settled’ in as accepted entities, I cannot recommend them as corporate structures. Unless, of course, you would like to line some lawyer’s pockets with money. If you are that interested in gifting money, my paypal account is always open 

    d. RECOMMENDATIONS In my personal opinion, most artist would do best as a sole proprietorship, unless there is a significant possibility of liability (i.e., you do 3D installations that someone could trip and fall on). In that case, I would recommend S corporations as the best alternative. Since sole proprietorship is usually the most beneficial to artists, I will continue the essay under the assumption that this is the structure chosen.

    2. OK, now, what records do I need to keep? There are several users of your business information, and you need to keep records that will give each of them accurate and timely information. Some of the users are:
    a. Yourself – you need to know how the business is doing on a regular basis in order to make business decisions. You need to know your net income or loss, your venues, your past history of sales, and most importantly, your bank balance!
    b. Your state taxing agency – Usually for sales tax, but also possibly for income tax, your state needs to know how much you made in total sales, taxable sales, non-taxable sales, sales tax collected, and net income.
    c. IRS – Yes, the dreaded Infernal Revenue Service. The beast never sleeps, and wants to know your net income every year (even if it’s a net loss!)

    What is the simplest way to keep track of all this information? Well, I don’t think there is a way to keep ALL of the information you need in one place, since some is financial and some is qualitative (such as what pieces you sold at last year’s local art show). However, all the financial information can be kept together, and all the qualitative information can be kept together.

    My best recommendation for a small business is to pick of a copy of QuickBooks and LEARN to use it. It is very user-friendly, and the tutorial helps walk you through the needed steps for writing checks, making deposits, etc. If you keep up with this information every month, it doesn’t seem like such a huge task at April 15th when it’s time to file your taxes. Procrastination is the death knell of business owners, trust me!

    For those that hate or don’t want to purchase QuickBooks, the information can be arranged on a spreadsheet, either paper or electronic, but it takes more work to set up and you need to know what you are doing!

    I, personally, put all my income and expenses into QuickBooks every month. At the end of the month, QB will let me print out a Profit & Loss statement, showing me how I did that month, that quarter, or that year so far. This is good information for those that are looking to increase their profitability and need to know where their biggest expenses are. Trust me, they can pile up! For the qualitative items, I have a spreadsheet where I track the following information:
    1. How many prints of each image I’ve printed, and who printed them (thus telling me that my next batch should start at print #41)
    2. The total number of each print sold for this year and since inception (thus telling me my best and worst sellers)
    3. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I know of that have an art show, including prices and space sizes (so I know where to send to)
    4. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I have sent art to in the past, with the items sold listed, with prices (so I know what to send next year)
    5. A detailed list of each sold item, where I sold it, how much the base price was, how much sales tax w

    Postage Meters
    A postage meter is a definite asset to any enterprise for the routine dispatch of mail. It is a professional, convenient, cost-effective and time-saving piece of machinery. The primary issues to be considered before deciding on the purchase of a postage meter are the monthly mailing expenses, the average and the maximum pieces of mail dispatched, and the type of postages handled, whether it is confined to standard letters or packages of different weights.The vital piece of the equipment that prints the indicia on the mail or the package is the meter. Meters can never be purchased; they can only be leased from companies authorized by the United States Postal Service (USPS). Some meters are password protected, while others vary with respect to accounting codes, automatic postage reset, date advance, and the denomination capacity. Some may also be preset for common mailing jobs. Digital meters with increased security options print a two-dimensional barcode. These are the most expensive but best preferred since they allow the user to electronically obtain the changing USPS rates.The feeder, sealer, stacker, and the tape dispenser units of the base transport the mail or the package through the meter. Unlike the meter, these components can be purchased for varied prices depending upon the speed and the type of mail-handling capacity. A feeder-less meter is quite functional, however it is tedious since the mail needs to be hand-fed.For dispatching packages of different weights, digital scales directly connected to the postage meters are best, though they are priced at over several hundred dollars as opposed to a spring scale for $40. It is now possible to rent a digital scale for $5 a month, which is profitable for small businesses. The payment for the use of postage meters may be made in advance or at regular intervals. Some manufacturers also provide additional postage if paid in advance.Improvements in the technology a
    Schedule C of your own personal tax return (1040), and isn’t taxed separately.

    There are also disadvantages, such as the aforementioned unlimited liability. There is also the fact that the company has a limited life – when you pass away, so does the business. (Ask Disney if this is important!). It is also more difficult to get financing from banks and therefore difficult to expand.

    b. CORPORATION If you are willing to pay a little more money on a regular basis, you can get the advantage of limited liability with a corporate setup. A corporation is a separate entity from you as a person; therefore if it is sued, only those assets owned by the company can be taken, not your personal home and possessions. This is the main advantage of having a separate corporation. It is also easier to expand, as banks are usually more willing to offer financing for this. It can have a life beyond the life of the founder, as many corporations have (i.e., Sears, Disney).

    Now to the disadvantages; The main one is the cost and complication of setting up and upkeep. There are fees to setting up the corporation with the state (none for the federal government), and annual fees to keep the license in good standing every year. In my home state of Florida, it is about $75 to set up the corporation, and $150 a year to keep it going. There is also additional paperwork, as you need to file a separate tax form every year (1120 or 1120S) with the federal government. You may also need to file one for your state. And, you may have to pay taxes at a corporate rate, which is usually higher than your personal rate.

    I would like to go into the differences between a C corporation and an S corporation. C is the corporations we are most familiar with – corporate monsters like Microsoft, IBM, Disney, Sears, etc. These get taxed at a corporate rate, which is currently 15% up to $50,000 in profit, and goes up from there. An S Corporation (S stands for Small) has to have less than 100 stockholders (among other requirements) but does NOT get taxed at the corporate level. Let me repeat that – no tax is paid on the corporation itself. Instead, the income gets reported on each shareholder’s tax return, and is paid at their personal rate. This is usually the better deal for small companies, as personal returns are not taxed at all for the first $7000 in income.

    c. LLCs and LLPs Many people ask me about Limited Liability Corporations and Limited Liability Partnerships. These are both fairly new entities, and as such, don’t have (as of yet) their own share of rules and laws by the IRS. I personally don’t recommend them, as they have little advantage over the S corporation, and are usually more expensive to set up. A savvy person can set up an S corporation fairly easily. A lawyer is required for LLCs and LLPs, and they like charging a good deal of money to do so – which is why they recommend them so much. They don’t even have their own tax forms yet, they use the Corporate forms (1120 and 1120S). Until they’ve ‘settled’ in as accepted entities, I cannot recommend them as corporate structures. Unless, of course, you would like to line some lawyer’s pockets with money. If you are that interested in gifting money, my paypal account is always open 

    d. RECOMMENDATIONS In my personal opinion, most artist would do best as a sole proprietorship, unless there is a significant possibility of liability (i.e., you do 3D installations that someone could trip and fall on). In that case, I would recommend S corporations as the best alternative. Since sole proprietorship is usually the most beneficial to artists, I will continue the essay under the assumption that this is the structure chosen.

    2. OK, now, what records do I need to keep? There are several users of your business information, and you need to keep records that will give each of them accurate and timely information. Some of the users are:
    a. Yourself – you need to know how the business is doing on a regular basis in order to make business decisions. You need to know your net income or loss, your venues, your past history of sales, and most importantly, your bank balance!
    b. Your state taxing agency – Usually for sales tax, but also possibly for income tax, your state needs to know how much you made in total sales, taxable sales, non-taxable sales, sales tax collected, and net income.
    c. IRS – Yes, the dreaded Infernal Revenue Service. The beast never sleeps, and wants to know your net income every year (even if it’s a net loss!)

    What is the simplest way to keep track of all this information? Well, I don’t think there is a way to keep ALL of the information you need in one place, since some is financial and some is qualitative (such as what pieces you sold at last year’s local art show). However, all the financial information can be kept together, and all the qualitative information can be kept together.

    My best recommendation for a small business is to pick of a copy of QuickBooks and LEARN to use it. It is very user-friendly, and the tutorial helps walk you through the needed steps for writing checks, making deposits, etc. If you keep up with this information every month, it doesn’t seem like such a huge task at April 15th when it’s time to file your taxes. Procrastination is the death knell of business owners, trust me!

    For those that hate or don’t want to purchase QuickBooks, the information can be arranged on a spreadsheet, either paper or electronic, but it takes more work to set up and you need to know what you are doing!

    I, personally, put all my income and expenses into QuickBooks every month. At the end of the month, QB will let me print out a Profit & Loss statement, showing me how I did that month, that quarter, or that year so far. This is good information for those that are looking to increase their profitability and need to know where their biggest expenses are. Trust me, they can pile up! For the qualitative items, I have a spreadsheet where I track the following information:
    1. How many prints of each image I’ve printed, and who printed them (thus telling me that my next batch should start at print #41)
    2. The total number of each print sold for this year and since inception (thus telling me my best and worst sellers)
    3. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I know of that have an art show, including prices and space sizes (so I know where to send to)
    4. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I have sent art to in the past, with the items sold listed, with prices (so I know what to send next year)
    5. A detailed list of each sold item, where I sold it, how much the base price was, how much sales tax

    Advice You Won't Read in Job - Hunting Guides
    As the head of hiring for a nonprofit lobbying organization, I regularly see job candidates missing out on some of the most effective ways to make themselves stand out. Here are some of the things I wish every applicant knew.A cover letter can get you in the door.Too many people use cover letters to simply summarize their r?sum?s. With such limited initial contact, don't squander a page regurgitating the contents of the other pages.When used correctly, a cover letter can win you an interview that your r?sum? alone won't. Use it to explain why you want this particular job -- not just a job in this field. The more specifically you can tie it to the job description, the better. Other ways to stand out:* If this is your dream job, say so and explain why. I want candidates who want this job, not a job. I'll always take an extra minute on the r?sum? of someone who says the position is his or her dream, even if it's not an obvious fit. (But be honest -- if you're applying for your "dream job" at every gig in town, you'll probably get caught.)* If you're not a perfect match, acknowledge it. You probably can't hide it, so explain why you're right for the job anyway. Candidates who acknowledge they may not look ideal on paper but tell me why they would do a great job show they're well grounded, humble and realistic but also genuinely passionate about the job.* If something that makes you well suited for the job isn't apparent from your r?sum?, mention it. I once had an applicant for a financial position mention in her cover letter that she carried a calculator in her purse and was obsessive about balancing her checkbook. These sorts of details can make you a compelling candidate.We're scrutinizing everything.Candidates often act as if only "official" contacts (interviews, formal writing samples, etc.) count. They will send flawlessly edited cover letters and then follow u
    corporation. C is the corporations we are most familiar with – corporate monsters like Microsoft, IBM, Disney, Sears, etc. These get taxed at a corporate rate, which is currently 15% up to $50,000 in profit, and goes up from there. An S Corporation (S stands for Small) has to have less than 100 stockholders (among other requirements) but does NOT get taxed at the corporate level. Let me repeat that – no tax is paid on the corporation itself. Instead, the income gets reported on each shareholder’s tax return, and is paid at their personal rate. This is usually the better deal for small companies, as personal returns are not taxed at all for the first $7000 in income.

    c. LLCs and LLPs Many people ask me about Limited Liability Corporations and Limited Liability Partnerships. These are both fairly new entities, and as such, don’t have (as of yet) their own share of rules and laws by the IRS. I personally don’t recommend them, as they have little advantage over the S corporation, and are usually more expensive to set up. A savvy person can set up an S corporation fairly easily. A lawyer is required for LLCs and LLPs, and they like charging a good deal of money to do so – which is why they recommend them so much. They don’t even have their own tax forms yet, they use the Corporate forms (1120 and 1120S). Until they’ve ‘settled’ in as accepted entities, I cannot recommend them as corporate structures. Unless, of course, you would like to line some lawyer’s pockets with money. If you are that interested in gifting money, my paypal account is always open 

    d. RECOMMENDATIONS In my personal opinion, most artist would do best as a sole proprietorship, unless there is a significant possibility of liability (i.e., you do 3D installations that someone could trip and fall on). In that case, I would recommend S corporations as the best alternative. Since sole proprietorship is usually the most beneficial to artists, I will continue the essay under the assumption that this is the structure chosen.

    2. OK, now, what records do I need to keep? There are several users of your business information, and you need to keep records that will give each of them accurate and timely information. Some of the users are:
    a. Yourself – you need to know how the business is doing on a regular basis in order to make business decisions. You need to know your net income or loss, your venues, your past history of sales, and most importantly, your bank balance!
    b. Your state taxing agency – Usually for sales tax, but also possibly for income tax, your state needs to know how much you made in total sales, taxable sales, non-taxable sales, sales tax collected, and net income.
    c. IRS – Yes, the dreaded Infernal Revenue Service. The beast never sleeps, and wants to know your net income every year (even if it’s a net loss!)

    What is the simplest way to keep track of all this information? Well, I don’t think there is a way to keep ALL of the information you need in one place, since some is financial and some is qualitative (such as what pieces you sold at last year’s local art show). However, all the financial information can be kept together, and all the qualitative information can be kept together.

    My best recommendation for a small business is to pick of a copy of QuickBooks and LEARN to use it. It is very user-friendly, and the tutorial helps walk you through the needed steps for writing checks, making deposits, etc. If you keep up with this information every month, it doesn’t seem like such a huge task at April 15th when it’s time to file your taxes. Procrastination is the death knell of business owners, trust me!

    For those that hate or don’t want to purchase QuickBooks, the information can be arranged on a spreadsheet, either paper or electronic, but it takes more work to set up and you need to know what you are doing!

    I, personally, put all my income and expenses into QuickBooks every month. At the end of the month, QB will let me print out a Profit & Loss statement, showing me how I did that month, that quarter, or that year so far. This is good information for those that are looking to increase their profitability and need to know where their biggest expenses are. Trust me, they can pile up! For the qualitative items, I have a spreadsheet where I track the following information:
    1. How many prints of each image I’ve printed, and who printed them (thus telling me that my next batch should start at print #41)
    2. The total number of each print sold for this year and since inception (thus telling me my best and worst sellers)
    3. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I know of that have an art show, including prices and space sizes (so I know where to send to)
    4. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I have sent art to in the past, with the items sold listed, with prices (so I know what to send next year)
    5. A detailed list of each sold item, where I sold it, how much the base price was, how much sales tax

    Hospital Job Offer Excellent Pay And Benefits When Compared To Other Entry-Level Jobs
    If you are searching for a job, an excellent place to put your application is in a hospital. Hospitals hire a lot more than just registered nurses, doctors and pharmacist. Hospitals have need for every type of worker just as other corporations do.Hospital jobs usually pay a higher rate for entry-level positions. Many hospital jobs are union. Another benefit of working for a hospital is health care. Hospital jobs usually offer the best health care benefits because these benefits must be comparable to the benefits afforded the professional staff which is comprised of Doctors and Nurses.Hospital jobs offer employee benefits that are equal or better than the majority of other industries. The benefit programs are constantly being reviewed to provide a high level employee retention program. With nursing shortages and doctor retention problems, hospitals realize that they need to provide the best in health care benefits for their employees.Whether you are trained as a secretary, IT professional or have janitorial experience, a hospital job may be something to consider hospital jobs offer some other unique advantages.You can be assured that you will work in a clean safe environment. By its very industry standards, hospitals must maintain a clean healthy environment. Hospitals are held to a higher standard than other industries so you do not have to worry about working around being unprotected working with toxic chemicals.Hospitals are particularly compliant with OSHA standards. She’s mission is to “assure safe and healthful working conditions for today’s workers. Hospitals are mandated to provide a safe work environment.Hospitals have superior Human Resources Departments that search for interview and hire top-notch talent. These Human Resources department put guidelines in place that insure that personnel are treated fairly. Because most hospitals have some type of government involvement, they ar
    ere is a significant possibility of liability (i.e., you do 3D installations that someone could trip and fall on). In that case, I would recommend S corporations as the best alternative. Since sole proprietorship is usually the most beneficial to artists, I will continue the essay under the assumption that this is the structure chosen.

    2. OK, now, what records do I need to keep? There are several users of your business information, and you need to keep records that will give each of them accurate and timely information. Some of the users are:
    a. Yourself – you need to know how the business is doing on a regular basis in order to make business decisions. You need to know your net income or loss, your venues, your past history of sales, and most importantly, your bank balance!
    b. Your state taxing agency – Usually for sales tax, but also possibly for income tax, your state needs to know how much you made in total sales, taxable sales, non-taxable sales, sales tax collected, and net income.
    c. IRS – Yes, the dreaded Infernal Revenue Service. The beast never sleeps, and wants to know your net income every year (even if it’s a net loss!)

    What is the simplest way to keep track of all this information? Well, I don’t think there is a way to keep ALL of the information you need in one place, since some is financial and some is qualitative (such as what pieces you sold at last year’s local art show). However, all the financial information can be kept together, and all the qualitative information can be kept together.

    My best recommendation for a small business is to pick of a copy of QuickBooks and LEARN to use it. It is very user-friendly, and the tutorial helps walk you through the needed steps for writing checks, making deposits, etc. If you keep up with this information every month, it doesn’t seem like such a huge task at April 15th when it’s time to file your taxes. Procrastination is the death knell of business owners, trust me!

    For those that hate or don’t want to purchase QuickBooks, the information can be arranged on a spreadsheet, either paper or electronic, but it takes more work to set up and you need to know what you are doing!

    I, personally, put all my income and expenses into QuickBooks every month. At the end of the month, QB will let me print out a Profit & Loss statement, showing me how I did that month, that quarter, or that year so far. This is good information for those that are looking to increase their profitability and need to know where their biggest expenses are. Trust me, they can pile up! For the qualitative items, I have a spreadsheet where I track the following information:
    1. How many prints of each image I’ve printed, and who printed them (thus telling me that my next batch should start at print #41)
    2. The total number of each print sold for this year and since inception (thus telling me my best and worst sellers)
    3. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I know of that have an art show, including prices and space sizes (so I know where to send to)
    4. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I have sent art to in the past, with the items sold listed, with prices (so I know what to send next year)
    5. A detailed list of each sold item, where I sold it, how much the base price was, how much sales tax

    UK Private Investigators
    One of the most sensitive and confidential service is offered by a private investigator. Usually the job involves a high degree of character reliability to gain the client's full trust. UK private investigators are hired to solve specific problems on a personal and business level.SURVEILLANCE:Gathering of credible and accurate facts is one of the most important tasks accomplished by a UK private investigator. When this could be done by anybody, hiring a professional private investigator can get data discreetly. The result of the surveillance is a report, usually supported by factual photos, video footages and specific evidences taken secretly to avoid suspicion from the person spied.BACKGROUND CHECK:Like common surveillance, this is personalized. UK private investigators can do the arduous detail of background check to gather particular information about a person. The data are not limited to the following: complete name, contact information, birthday, civil facts, employment and skills and other personal history. This is important if parents want to know whom their child is dating with, pre-nuptial details, or investigation of a prospective business partner.INFIDELITYMarital relationships are often marred by secret infidelity. Hiring UK private investigator to unravel the mystery behind some signs of marital affairs will ease doubts and confirm accurate results. There is no use being paranoid when there is a better option to answer all the questions bugging you for days, months or so. Concluding infidelity is a good solution for easier management before a family falls apart.SEARCH FOR MISSING PEOPLEWhen a person disappears without any trace, it is essential to sought for UK private investigators to know the clues behind the mystery. Usually search starts with minimal information and the team can provide the current address where the person is staying. If in case there is a c
    torial helps walk you through the needed steps for writing checks, making deposits, etc. If you keep up with this information every month, it doesn’t seem like such a huge task at April 15th when it’s time to file your taxes. Procrastination is the death knell of business owners, trust me!

    For those that hate or don’t want to purchase QuickBooks, the information can be arranged on a spreadsheet, either paper or electronic, but it takes more work to set up and you need to know what you are doing!

    I, personally, put all my income and expenses into QuickBooks every month. At the end of the month, QB will let me print out a Profit & Loss statement, showing me how I did that month, that quarter, or that year so far. This is good information for those that are looking to increase their profitability and need to know where their biggest expenses are. Trust me, they can pile up! For the qualitative items, I have a spreadsheet where I track the following information:
    1. How many prints of each image I’ve printed, and who printed them (thus telling me that my next batch should start at print #41)
    2. The total number of each print sold for this year and since inception (thus telling me my best and worst sellers)
    3. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I know of that have an art show, including prices and space sizes (so I know where to send to)
    4. A detailed (sorted by date) list of all the Scifi/Fantasy Conventions I have sent art to in the past, with the items sold listed, with prices (so I know what to send next year)
    5. A detailed list of each sold item, where I sold it, how much the base price was, how much sales tax was charged (if any), commissions deducted, etc. This helps me fill out my Sales Tax form at the end of the quarter, as well as my Print Sales detail and my net income at the end of the year. It also helps me track remote sales by geographic area.
    6. Items on consignment at different stores throughout my city, with retail price and my portion of it.
    7. Mailing List of folks I’ve met at art shows who want to know when I update my website with new works.
    8. A list of local art shows that I’ve done in the past, the net income/loss from them (so I can decide if they’re worth it the next year)
    9. A list of local art shows to apply to for this year.
    10. A log of what business mileage I’ve driven during the year.

    Many of the above items can be compiled into a database, if you are familiar with something like Access. I am more familiar with Excel, so have them all on different pages of a large spreadsheet that I update constantly. I also have a calendar that lists not only the days of conventions and art shows, but when the application deadlines for those conventions and art shows are, as some of them are far in the future. For instance, there is a local art show in November where the application deadline is May. Dragoncon has its first application deadline February 1st. There are several times in the past (before I set up the calendar) where I have missed out having an art panel due to a missed deadline.

    It comes down to what you are comfortable with. If you prefer to do everything by hand, with pencil, calculator and 16-column accountant paper, then more power to you. However, it is usually much more time-efficient to keep the records electronically, if only to halt the calculation errors!

    3. The Dreaded Taxman!
    So, now we’ve taken care of the records we need for our own management of the business, what about the taxmen, both state and federal? For federal and possibly state, you want to know your income and expenses, and ultimately your net income. If you do your own taxes, I will again highly recommend a copy of QuickBooks. The advantage here lies in being able to print out that Profit & Loss statement at the end of the year, which includes most of what you need for the income tax returns. The few adjustments to be made can be made as Journal Entries. These would include any non-business expenses being removed (like paying your mortgage with business funds), and some non-cash entries added, (such as business mileage).

    Federal Tax forms are required as follows:
    1. Sole Proprietorship – 1040 Schedule C, due April 15th
    2. S Corporation – 1120S, due March 15th
    3. C Corporation – 1120, due March 15th
    4. Partnership – 1065, due April 15th

    State tax forms will, of course, differ from state to state. However, if you have an income tax for your state, it is usually due the 1st day of the month after the federal return is due. For instance, S Corporation return for the state would be due April 1st.

    Sales tax is also dependent on state, and the time period you need to file for is dependent on how large your sales volume is. Mine is quite low, so I only need to file every quarter. I don’t pay sales tax on sales made by conventions (they collect and pay sales tax for that) or sales made out of my state. I do have to collect and pay taxes on sales in my own state. This is why I keep a detailed spreadsheet on where all my sales have been made, especially as different counties may have different sales tax rates!

    4. Breathing a sigh of relief! Oh, what about inventory?? OK, you’ve gotten everything organized, you have your tax returns done, and now you look around your studio, and see things everywhere – boxes, supplies, tools, finished items, works in process, etc. How do you organize THESE???

    Every artist is an individual, and thus feels comfortable working in a different way. I cannot tell you how to organize your own inventory, but I can suggest ways to keep it somewhat controllable, by offering suggestions that I use.
    1. Everything in its place!: I keep my supplies in one area (a set of drawers next to my work space) with labels on them so I know where to get things – and where to put them away! This includes shipping supplies like boxes, bubble wrap, tape, as well as matting supplies such as mat board and bags.
    2. Alphabetize: I have over 100 different images now, and that’s a very low number for many artists. I have, at any one time, from 1-10 matted prints of each image. I have them on a shelf, alphabetized by name, with one print in front of each ‘set’ standing up and the rest on their side. This way I can quickly flip through the ones I see to get the one I want for a particular show or convention. This method works for me now, but may need to be upgraded to a box system in the future.
    3. Records: I keep my records (a checklist of conventions and art shows to send to) in one place, as well as a folder for each convention and art show, listing prior year sales information, required fees, mailing address, etc. I keep these in a file cabinet by month so I can go through each month at a time and take care of all items on a timely basis. I file correspondence from each convention or show in their folder when I receive it, so it is available to look up later. This system works best for me, but it may need tweaking or other ideas for your own workflow. Since most of my work is created either on my computer or elsewhere (I carry my beadwork with me everywhere), it is more a workspace for prepping pieces for sale rather than creating the pieces themselves.

    5. Legal Stuff So, what about Copyrights? What about them, you say? You get them whenever you actually create a piece of art. Technically, you have copyright on every line you draw, every sketch, every photograph, etc. However, those copyrights are not very DEFENSIBLE in a court of law if you haven’t registered those copyrights with the US Copyright office. ( http://www.copyright.gov/ ). You can register multiple images with one $30 application if they are grouped in a logical way. For instance, I register every year, with an annual compilation CD of all the works I created that year. It is worth it, especially with the advent of eBay and the ease in which image pirates can harvest images from the web, from your sold prints… and sell them as their own. Protect yourself now!

    6. Conclusion

    As an artist, you don’t really have to be afraid of business. It is rare for a business mind to inhabit an artistic mind, but each of us has some talent for organization, or we would no longer be alive in this world! Don’t let the task intimidate you, and you can tackle it a little at a time. Take small steps, and before you kno

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