Ever wonder how other FreshBooks customers run a business and do what they love? Customer portraits connect you with your fellow FreshBooks peers to share guidance and inspiration.
Chris Eustace is the owner of Eustace Consulting, which delivers Customer Relationship Systems, specifically SalesForce.com, to all different types of businesses. Chris started out with little more than $4,000 in his bank account and after almost 3 years, he has turned his company into a successful business with a team working with him. Hear from Chris on what it takes to build great, long-lasting relationships:
How did you know it was the right time to go out on your own?
I didn’t, I honestly didn’t. I had been laid off from a job before and was able to pick up a little bit of side consulting work. When I decided to quit my job, I said, ‘I don’t care if I have to go make subs or sandwiches. I just can’t do what I’m doing anymore. I’m not happy doing this.’ Then I said, ‘You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to pursue my passion, I’m going to go back to school for 3D animation, and I’m going to do a little bit of consulting on the side.’
So I started back in school with 3D animation while doing some consulting on the side. I was responding to Craigslist ads and things like that. I actually started using FreshBooks right off the bat. Sooner rather than later, I really started to get some traction, and I was like, ‘Wow. I don’t really have time for school anymore. I’m getting so excited and getting so busy with this stuff that this could actually become my career!’
At this point, I can’t imagine not having done this. It’s totally reshaped the way that I look at life and the way that I look at opportunities. I never really got that being in a 9:00 to 5:00 job. It was just like, ‘OK, I’m just going to my job. I don’t see how this is the land of opportunity.’ You look back and people said I was insane; I had a well-paid, 9:00 to 5:00 job. It was stable, but I was miserable and that’s not the way to live.
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Welcome to the FreshBooks Tax Thursdays series! We know a lot of small businesses struggle with taxes, so we’re hoping to help make it a little easier by featuring advice from leading accounting professionals every second Thursday from January to April. Today CPA Chad Shultz walks us through tax write-offs for small businesses in the US.
As an owner of a small business, staying aware of the day-to-day operations of the business is a priority. At this time of the year, however, an owner must also be considering tax strategies for the business and write-offs are key for helping reduce the amount of income tax you need to pay. In light of this, here are 7 essential things to know about writing-off expenses and some common mistakes to avoid:
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This is a guest blog post that appeared on the RightSignature blog. RightSignature is an add-on service to FreshBooks that allows you to send invoices and estimates to clients for signature with just a few clicks.
It’s usually good news when a small business or freelancer lands a new customer. But the situation can quickly turn sour if you’re not careful about managing client expectations. Does the customer understand what they’re buying? Is there any chance that the client might think you’ll deliver one thing, when you planned to deliver something else? The risk exists if you don’t follow these five pieces of advice: use a contract, communicate, build a relationship, keep your word, and over deliver.
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If you’re a small business and receive funds via credit cards online, or other online payments from your clients, you can anticipate receiving a 1099-K this coming tax year. The 1099-K is the IRS’ latest tax form for small business, which is provided directly to the IRS from your online payment provider (such as PayPal). You will also be receiving a copy, so you can match it to your own record of online payments (always important to double check). Essentially, this form is a record of your revenue from your online payment provider that will be directly reported to the IRS. The form will look like this:
Since your payment processor will be reporting your revenue directly to the IRS, it will actually cut down on your paperwork. You will not need to report it in the other 1099 forms (make sure you don’t double-state your income, as that would mean more taxes.) The most important thing to do is to record all your expenses (write-offs and deductibles) and file your return quickly to ensure you do not over pay your taxes. Also, make sure to report your PayPal or other merchant fees as a separate expense, as they will not be included in the 1099-K.
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Welcome to the FreshBooks Tax Thursdays series! We know a lot of small businesses struggle with taxes, so we’re hoping to help make it a little easier by featuring advice from leading accounting professionals every second Thursday from January to April.
Last year, individuals who qualified for tax refunds were awarded an average of $2,887, up 8 percent from the previous year (for anyone who’s counting that means 721 more lattes and 300 more hours productivity). While there’s no guarantee that you will receive a refund, there are steps you can take that could not only potentially lower your tax bill and enhance your overall financial situation. What should you prepare for your CPA (Certified Public Accountant)? What can you expect? The Massachusetts Society of CPAs recommends you ask your CPA the following five questions to spot money-saving opportunities:
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Welcome to Day 12 of Freshtivus! With the holidays approaching, we’re busy giving away gifts to our fantastic users. We are also following the story of Sam, a small business owner who is struggling with her invoicing and just discovering FreshBooks. If you missed any part of her story or want to see our previous giveaways, see our past posts here.
Throughout the Twelve days of Freshtivus, we have been following Sam’s discovery of FreshBooks. Since she saved so much time with her invoicing, Sam is spending her new found free time honing her video game skills. We hope you also experience the time-saving benefits of using FreshBooks. Thanks for coming along with us on Sam’s journey! Enjoy this last giveaway and have a wonderful holiday season!
Ever wonder how other FreshBooks customers run a business and do what they love? Customer portraits connect you with your fellow FreshBooks peers to share guidance and inspire you.
The Toronto-based small business Aromachology is making major headlines as its one-of-a-kind scents gain popularity all over North America. Founders Kirsten Menkes and Ashlee Firsten create custom fragrances designed to reflect a person’s individual preferences and suit the specific personality of it’s wearer. Their innovative perfume bar combines art and science: you choose your perfect scent profile – are you Sophisticated & Sensual? Bold & Brisk Woodsy? – and pair it with additional aromatic notes that can help stimulate certain attributes (graceful and creative here we come!).
Hear from Ashlee on what a typical day looks like at Aromachology as they roll out their new bath and body line and the kinds of lessons they’ve learned along the path to success.
As part of our series on helping folks get paid for their work, this guest post is written by the RightSignature team to share some ideas on how to avoid contract nightmares. RightSignature is a tool that lets you get documents signed online and integrates with FreshBooks.
Whether you’re a freelancer, contractor or small business, having a solid service contract in place can be the difference between payday and days of anguish. A contract is ideally brief yet effective but most importantly must cover the terms that are critical to protecting your business. When you’re building contract agreements, here are 6 terms that your contract should include as a minimum:
1. Service Description and Parties’ Responsibilities
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Baby New Year is here to tell you what’s in store for 2012! Will it be full of exciting rewards or unexpected challenges? You decide what he’s saying! Give us a caption of this illustration in the comments below by Dec 31st at midnight and win an iTunes giftcard!
Welcome to Day 11 of Freshtivus! With the holidays approaching, we’re busy giving away gifts to our fantastic users. We are also following the story of Sam, a small business owner who is struggling with her invoicing and just discovering FreshBooks. If you missed any part of her story or want to see our previous giveaways, see our past posts here.
Smooth and simple. That’s how invoicing should be. To ensure that things do run smoothly, our QA and Operations teams keep a keen eye out for bugs and errors so that we have as few issues and as little downtime as possible. Our QA crew keeps their minds and bodies strong through things like ballet, Tae Kwon Do, yoga and chess so that they’re in top form when combating bugs. Meanwhile, the Operations team prefers the foosball table, cooking, board games and the sax to unwind. They certainly deserve it, as they work hard to always have someone on call to take care of any issues that arise, even after office hours.
In this episode, Sam receives a “bug kit” from QA Superstar, Betty, as thanks for helping find a bug. She then meets Jason, and gets a glimpse of our Operations team. Watch today’s video to find out the winner of the Day 11 giveaway, and don’t forget about our poetry and caption contests.
helps invoice enough money to buy a 
