Electronic Filing

What condition are your files in?  Many small businesses are ill prepared should they be audited.  This is because their filing systems are fraught with failing methods or are simply non-existent. 

Sutton Business Solutions can help!  We can assist you in organizing files and implementing a system that works.  We can help you setup your electronic filing system that will enable you to find any file you need in seconds.  By effective backups of your system, you won't have to worry about a potential loss of data.  Call us today for more information.

Bobby Sutton
Managing Director

How Much Time Do You Spend on Your Bookkeeping? Give Us Your Feedback!

Feedback requested.  How much time do you as a business owner spend on your company's bookkeeping on a monthly basis?  No, this is not a sales pitch.  We are seeking to have a better understanding about how much time it takes an ordinary small business owner to do his/her bookkeeping.  Please don't hesitate to chime in.  We value your feedback highly!

Thanks.

Bobby Sutton
Managing Director

Announcement: Claim Your Free Coupon

Sutton Business Solutions provides excellent bookkeeping services at an affordable price.  We are happy to announce a special coupon release worth one hour of free remote bookkeeping services to businesses and organizations upon redemption.  This coupon is available only to those who respond to this post with their email address.  So hurry now.  This offer is available for the next seven days, ending September 10th at 5:00 pm. 

Bobby Sutton
Managing Director
suttonbizsolutions@gmail.com
(615) 534-0117
(907) 331-0135

What's Your Plan?

It's amazing how many businesses were started without a long-term plan!  As entrepreneurs, we have a great business idea, analyze the immediate risks versus reward, ascertain the needed start-up capital and often jump right in.  If you are one of those people, don't feel too bad.  You are probably among the majority of small business owners.

A good strong business plan can help guide you in the most difficult times.  Many people see a business plan as just a written document needed should they ever need financing.  While the business plan is usually necessary to obtain bank financing, its usefulness far supersedes this realm of importance.  A strong business plan looks at not just the type of business you are, your external environment, internal design, etc, but it also looks at where you are heading.  Included in the business plan should be a dynamic yet doable marketing plan.  The financial plan for the first several years should also be outlined as well as other key elements.

Not only should you have a great business plan in the start-up of your business, but you should continue to review and revise your plan as you complete major milestones and even face unexpected challenges.  The business plan should be flexible enough to make necessary adjustments in the event of a friendly or unfriendly surprise.  Look at your business plan as your game plan.  A successful coach will not march the team into each game with the same exact plan.  But the great coaches have their big picture plan but then make adjustments for each opponent.  They even will make adjustments during the game if it becomes ultimately necessary. 

When you choose Sutton Business Solutions for your business plan design and development, you won't be getting a cookie-cutter plan which proves irrelevant to you.  But instead, we will work with you, our client, to design and develop a real plan which encapsulates your business and where you want to go.  Call today for a free one hour consultation.  (615) 534-0117 or (907) 331-0135.  You may also reach us by email at suttonbizsolutions@gmail.com.

Bobby Sutton
Managing Director

Business Owners/Managers ...Tell Us What You Think

We care about what you think!  We'd like to hear from you about what services would you choose to outsource if you could.  Here at Sutton Business Solutions, we specialize in bookkeeping, tax preparation, payroll services, grants management, business plan development and other business consulting. 

We'd like to know what services you need most.  Post your comment to this post and let your voice be heard.  Thanks for responding!

Bobby Sutton
Managing Director
suttonbizsolutions@gmail.com

Don't Be Caught Off Guard by the IRS Extension Deadline on October 15th

With just over a month to go before the IRS tax filing deadline for those who filed an extension, it can become easy to simply forget to file.  If you have yet to file your 2012 taxes, call your professional today.  Sutton Business Solutions operates our tax return preparation service to assist customers in making sense out of your tax situation and help you get your return filed promptly.  Our returns start as low as $95.  Give us a call today to take this stress off your mind.  (615) 534-0117 or (907) 331-0135.  You may email us at suttonbizsolutions@gmail.com.

The Benefits of Hiring a Bookkeeping Firm

Having managed an operation, I know firsthand how difficult a decision it can be to outsource a service.  We fear a loss of control which could ultimately result in failure of our business.  We are concerned that somehow our business will receive a lessor quality from a firm than it will from employees. 

While caution should be exercised in making a decision of this type, there are times when selecting a professional service provider over an employee is a good move.  Not all services should be outsourced.  But day to day bookkeeping for the small business can often be provided by the right bookkeeping firm much more effectively than hiring a bookkeeper as an employee.  Consider the following:

• Cost Savings

Even if you hire an employee for a low-wage, after adding tax costs and benefits, you face much higher costs than you would expect.  Consider hiring an employee for $10 hourly.  Even with no other benefits, you face a pay rate of over $11 hourly once taxes and unemployment insurance have been added.  Then multiply this times 2,080 hours annually and you'll find yourself paying over $22,000 annually.  If you decide to only hire someone half time, that's still over $11,000 a year.  Now consider the cost of hiring a professional bookkeeping firm.  A professional firm will accomplish tasks in a much more efficient manner than an employee normally will.  Plus you are not charged for down time, only for billable hours.  Also, negotiating a flat fee per month will prove a great option in the long run.  If you would hire a part-time bookkeeper at 20 hours weekly, you should expect to pay a professional firm around $300-$500 monthly for this service.  Let's just assume you average $400 monthly.  That's $4,800 annually instead of the $11,000 for a part-time bookkeeper. 

• Reliability

Turnover can be detrimental to the small business.  Losing the bookkeeper at the wrong time can leave the business owner or manager in a huge lurch.  This should not be an issue when you hire a reputable bookkeeping firm. Even if the bookkeeper assigned to your business leaves the firm, you can rest assured the firm will assign someone competent to the job. 

• Higher Quality of Service

While you may be able to hire just the right person as a bookkeeper, more times than not this will not be the case.  Many times, you unfortunately hire someone who turns out being less than qualified and essentially causes a huge cleanup of your books to be necessary which can cost you big dollars.  But by hiring a high quality bookkeeping firm, you should be able to trust their work and you can know there are better avenues to hold the firm accountable legally should they underperform.  Quality can be the difference of success or failure.

In conclusion, don't be afraid of considering a great bookkeeping firm to provide services to your business.  Here at Sutton Business Solutions, we stand ready to assist you by providing these services to you.  Call today for an affordable proposal for your business.

Bobby Sutton
Managing Director
615-534-0117
907-331-0135