Some Inspiration Cubano for Small Business Owners

(Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times / March 30, 2012)

To the left is a photo that's shows a piece of Cuba's new small business uprising.  Raul Soto, pictured here, began selling flowers in Havavna, which has been legal since President Raul Castro made business licenses available in 2010.  The Los Angeles Times Article "Yes, they're abierto: Cubans open their doors to small business" provides written snapshots of the lives of a nail salon owner, a man who sells hardware in his doorway, and other new entrepreneurs of Cuba.  It is slow-going.  Most don't have the capitol to put up for brick-and mortar establishments, but this new leeway to start a small business in Cuba, as well as to buy and sell property (previously Cubanos could only make a straight trade) is exciting for many.

Do we American small business owners, born and bred with capitalist rights, have the same entrepreneurial spirit as the Cubans outlined in this article?  I'm not sure that there is ever room to take your own business for granted, and, internationally, it takes a special person to venture out on his or her own to start a business.  But this article is at least a good reminder of why we do what we do as small business owners. Take a moment to let Raul Soto, newly allowed to sell flowers after decades, inspire you.

Suomi: Coco taxi Havannassa joulukuussa 2005. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Does something here spark your interest?  Remind you of something?  Rub you the wrong way or ¿Te caes mal?  Leave a comment and explain.  We want to hear from you.  

Visit our Facebook Page and click like if you want our weekly blog post to show up in your news feed.  Have a great day and enjoy one more photo, of a Cuban "coco-taxi."  Beep beep.

Bookkeeping Tip #9 for Small Business Owners

Bookkeeping (Photo credit: o5com)

The debit is always on the left hand side, and the credit is always on the right hand side of any account.  This is an accounting rule, really, but haven't you ever scratched your head about this while keeping your books?  I used to think that debit versus credit had to do with increasing and decreasing the account.  It doesn't.  Am I the only one?  Check out the related articles below if you'd like to learn more.  And if you'd like our weekly bookkeeping blog to appear in your Facebook news feed once in a while, like Clear View Business Solutions on Facebook.  Thank you for reading and commenting, and happy bookkeeping!

Related articles

• The history and definition of 'Debits and Credits' in accounting. (basicaccountingconcepts.wordpress.com)
• Basics of accounting (slideshare.net)

Raymond Chandler Was a Bookkeeper

While you might not be sneaking around in the shadows of 1930s Los Angeles like hard-boiled fictional detective Philip Marlowe, your haunt as a bookkeeper is glamorous. Here's why: Raymond Chandler was a bookkeeper. It's true, folks. He didn't publish his first pulp novel, 1939's "The Big Sleep," until age fifty. And before that, he had a stint as a bookkeeper with the Los Angeles Creamery around 1913. They don't call bookkeepers detectives for no reason. Not everyone can be noir-writing geniuses, but not everyone can be bookkeepers, either. Next time you're looking at your ledger or at a seemingly-dull QuickBooks screen, about to lull yourself into your own "big sleep," take a cue from Chandler, Marlowe, and Humphrey Bogart -- all cool cats -- and put your detective hat on! Or call us. Think of us as private investigators. It won't cost you extra. If you enjoy a good Raymond Chandler book, or have any bookkeeping detective tales, kindly leave a comment. Happy sleuthing!

Visit our Facebook Page for more on Chandler's brief bookkeeping legacy, and a lot on his literary and film legacies.

Bookkeeping Tip #8 for Small Business Owners

An issue of Hacker magazine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)This week's bookkeeping tip for small business owners is guard your information. We can all sometimes forget that scam artists and even hackers are out there, waiting for an opportunity to steal information. Always be conscious of security and confidentiality when it comes to information, especially when it comes to your company's books. Be mindful of who you friend on your personal social networking sites. If you don't know the individual personally, don't friend him or her. For some excellent tips on how to avoid small business scams, visit this page by the FBI. It's full of thoughtful tips, such as "never send money or give out personal information such as credit card numbers and expiration dates, bank account numbers, dates of birth, or social security numbers to unfamiliar companies or unknown persons." That one may seem like a no-brainer, but a reminder keeps it in the forefront of your mind, and some of the tips are less common knowledge.

Have a great day, and be sure to like Clear View Business Solutions on Facebook to see our weekly tips in your news feed.

Bookkeeping Tip #7 For Small Business Owners

Image via WikipediaTip #7 is be smooth when dealing with the IRS. Specifically, send any correspondence to the IRS using certified mail and request a return receipt. If you do not succeed in resolving your issue on the third try, consult the Tax Payer Advocate office.

To avoid any IRS mess, take precautions, such as maintaining a good audit trail. Keep copies of notices and letters from the IRS, as well as tax returns and receipts. Ask the IRS to abate penalties if you can show that you made a good faith effort to pay your taxes and just made a mistake.

Here's an article entitled "Work Cooperatively with the IRS for a Smooth Audit."

If you want another handy bookkeeping tip next week, like Clear View Business Solutions' Facebook Page so that our weekly blog post might pop up in your news feed. Good luck on those taxes!

Bookkeeping Tip #6 For Small Business Owners

Image via WikipediaThis week's bookkeeping tip is make sure you get deductions for business use of your car. To do this, you have to document, document, document. Keep a clipboard in the passenger seat with a table in it, so you can record addresses (to and from destinations), odometer mileage (starting and ending), and the purposes of your trip. That way, you'll get to deduct all of those business miles! Hey, they add up. And if you're audited, the IRS can't take that cash from you, because you kept a tight log.

Are you too new school to keep a pen-and-paper log? Check out this app that does it for you!

Visit our Facebook Page for more weekly tips. Happy logging!

Bookkeeping Tip #5 for Small Businesses

Elvis and expenses (Photo credit: edmittance) Plan for major expenses. This is bookkeeping tip #5 from our own Janine Kaucher, owner of Clear View Business Solutions. You're less likely to miss business opportunities or have to scramble for a loan when the expenses become unavoidable. Put events like a major computer upgrade on the calendar a year in advance or, ideally, three to five years ahead.

Here are some considerations for setting up your IT Budget.

If you want to hear more, like Clear View Business Solutions on Facebook so that our weekly tip will show up in your news feed. Have a great day, and good luck planning for those expenses!