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Cory Borgen, founder of Madison, Wisconsin's Capital Music Gear, had always wanted to enter the music business but didn't see a path forward. That changed when he mastered the dropshipping fulfillment model he utilized during his career in the automotive industry.&nbsp; Dropshipping removes the burden of purchasing, shipping, and storing inventory, with orders from e-commerce businesses like Capital Music Gear passed through to a supplier for fulfillment. Capital Music Gear was started as a part-time venture, but its success inspired Mr. Borgen to focus on his music business full-time.&nbsp;While Capital Music Gear has annual revenue in the seven figures, Mr. Borgen knew certain methods he embraced early on wouldn't work as his operations scaled. He needed the right partner to entrust with his high-level financial work, but identifying one with the expertise and willingness to handle it was a serious challenge. "I developed this complex accounting system and tried to do everything in the database before working with 1-800Accountant," said Mr. Borgen. "I feel like that was working well for a while, but we didn't have great processes to reconcile back on certain things, like when they got out of whack, or things got missed or some inaccurate inputs. And then, as the business kept growing, these mistakes were causing problems everywhere," he added.Mr. Borgen engaged several top accounting firms to evaluate if their capabilities and popular bookkeeping products could handle Capital Music Gear's distinct financial demands. "1-800Accountant was one of the first firms I reached out to, and honestly, you're one of the only ones I spoke to who were willing to take it on," Mr. Bogen said. He continued, "A lot of them were like, 'This is too complex for us. We can't figure this out.'" But when Mr. Borgen spoke with his future 1-800Accountant team lead, he came away with a great impression. "The first time I talked to Xin, I could tell right away about the questions she was asking. She's already brainstorming on that very first conversation. There was a clear path forward." Mr. Borgen has been impressed as a 1-800Accountant mid-market client and is enthusiastic about what's next. "It's been really good. When we first onboarded, I think we had probably a weekly call, and now we're set up on a routine call going forward just to review progress on an ongoing basis." Most recently, the status calls have centered around Capital Music Gear's prospective key performance indicators (KPIs). "We just started talking about some different KPI ideas. Those conversations will probably get deeper, but honestly, it's just been so much work to set up the initial systems with tens of thousands of transactions that took a while for us to get on, so I am definitely looking forward to that in the future."In Mr. Borgen's experience, 1-800Accountant's competitors aren't equipped to handle the complexities of mid-market e-commerce dropshipping and haven't made the necessary investments to service this growing industry segment. "The overall competency and understanding of the process and ideas on how we could address some of those things really gave me a lot of confidence in 1-800Accountant." Mr. Borgen added, "So, I think the possibilities for growth with 1-800Accountant is really great."

Cory Borgen, founder of Madison, Wisconsin's Capital Music Gear, had always wanted to enter the music business but didn't see a path forward. That changed when he mastered the dropshipping fulfillment model he utilized during his career in the automotive industry.&nbsp; Dropshipping removes the burden of purchasing, shipping, and storing inventory, with orders from e-commerce businesses like Capital Music Gear passed through to a supplier for fulfillment.

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From Side Gig to Headliner: How 1-800Accountant Is Helping Mid-Market Business Capital Music Gear Move up the Charts

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When Renata Joy of New York, New York was a child growing up, she saw those in her immediate family suffering from preventable illnesses, and vowed that she would do everything in her power to take charge of her health. It was her early desire to live happily and healthily that led her to create her own small business in the wellness industry. In August of 2014, Pure Joy Wellness, LLC was formally established. Joy works on the administrative duties that come with small business ownership from home, but also works with clients at a separate brick-and-mortar location.
“Growing up in a family where I was surrounded by people who suffered from different illnesses, it frightened me so much as a child that I would do anything not to be sick. That got me on the path of researching and studying and doing everything I could to stay healthy. You need to take care of yourself because without your health, you won’t have anything,” she explains.
After working as a television producer for 20 years, Joy decided to branch out and form the lifestyle brand that emphasizes diet, exercise, and the right attitude to make it work.
“Pure Joy Wellness is a health and wellness business. What we do is teach people how to live a healthy lifestyle, and that is through diet, through exercise, and through helping people change their mindsets and find out what is blocking them from living a healthy life. It’s a mind, body, and life business. The main theme I teach people is how to stay young, strong, and sexy for life,” Joy says of the mission of her small business.
For Joy, success can’t be defined through monetary rewards. Instead, she wants to help as many people as she can, positively enhancing the lives of each client she brings on.
“For me, even changing one person’s life and getting them on a better path would be a success. Not only the people I physically work with in New York, but people around the world. I want my message to reach them,” she says.
According to Joy, most of Pure Joy Wellness’ clients are women between the ages of 30 and 55. Pure Joy Wellness has a website at&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.purejoywellness.com/">www.purejoywellness.com</a>&nbsp;with a regularly updated blog and a free downloadable eBook titled The 7 Secrets to Staying Young, Strong &amp; Sexy for Life. The small business also has pages on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/PureJoyWellness">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.pinterest.com/purejoywellness/">Pinterest</a>, and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/purejoywellness">Twitter</a>.
<h2>Competing in the Wellness Industry</h2>
Like other small business owners, Joy has experienced her fair share of competition in the wellness industry, particularly in a metropolis like New York City where everyone wants to put their best foot forward. But staying true to her business objective of having the right mindset, Joy chooses to focus less on what it is her competitors are offering and more on what she has to give to her clients.
“There is competition in terms of there being a lot of people in this business. But I’m a firm believer that there is no competition because there are going to be certain types of people who will gravitate toward you. What I have to offer is going to attract what someone out there wants,” Joy reasons.
<h2>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h2>
Although Pure Joy Wellness is the manifestation of what has always been Joy’s calling, she still was not exempt from the same challenges that many other small business owners face in the startup stages of success — having enough money to fund the business before accumulating clients.
“The main challenge is that there is nobody else to fall back on. There’s no company you’re working for that’s going to provide you with a paycheck. You’re responsible for everything. It’s really hard, and you must be disciplined. There is no one to tell me what time I should go to work. I have to set my own hours, and I have to motivate myself,” she says.
<h2>Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs</h2>
First things first for aspiring entrepreneurs: Do research! Joy urges those looking to become small business owners to brief themselves on the basics before taking the plunge.
“Take a business course. I took an online business class. Learn the ins and outs of starting a business. Then find a good accountant to help you get formally established,” she instructs.
Joy ensures the extra work in the beginning will pay off if the passion and drive is there to back it up.
“Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. It takes a certain type of personality that can be an entrepreneur. I live and breathe what I do. It is who and what I am. What I’m teaching is how I live, and I enjoy that.”
<h2>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
Renata Joy of Pure Joy Wellness, LLC is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant. She is receiving assistance in the form of tax consulting.
Photo credit: The photographs included in this blog post were provided by Pure Joy Wellness, LLC and are used with permission.

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Private: Startup Story: Empowering Women to Stay Fit for Life

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Chase Smith of Warrenville, IL has big dreams of one day operating a late-night Christian talk show. With every dream comes an initial step, and for Smith, this step materialized itself in the form of Pant Seat Pilots, LLC, a Christian entertainment production company he formally established in June of 2014. The company is based out of a home office, and Smith has one business partner, Ryan Harnish.Pant Seat Pilots specializes in digital shorts and illustrated sermon videos, with the goal in mind of evolving into a company that produces high-quality, high-production videos that their audience finds respectable and, most importantly, genuinely entertaining. The talk show would feature a pastor, author, charity, or Christian organization in each episode, giving their guests exposure on a platform that includes audience participation. Pant Seat Pilots has been in operations since 2013, and they’ve been planning, filming, and taking various other small steps to lead them to that ultimate goal.Smith discusses the importance of formally establishing a small business.“Becoming an LLC legitimizes your business and shows that you’re serious and know what you’re doing, and that you intend for this to be something that lasts. If you don’t set up an LLC, it shows that you’re not passionate enough to put finances into your dream. Anyone can have a website or business card, but it takes effort and initiative to become an LLC, and it separates you from the people that don’t,” he explains.Now that the LLC is set in stone, the team is focusing on priority number one – high-quality and entertaining material. Smith believes that will be what makes them successful.“We want to create work that we’re proud of, that we can show your 6-year-old child or your 86-year-old grandmother. We’re not trying to match the cheesy material that’s out there. I believe in the importance of creating content and developing high-quality and entertaining material, having professional relationships, and showing that we are true to our word,” he elaborates.For Smith, the aspect of small business ownership he finds most enjoyable is the connections he makes with his viewers. When his audience gets amusement and entertainment out of what he does, it validates his goals.“I love the people that I meet and work with, and the creative process that’s involved. Hearing what people want and then making it happen, and them using it for what it’s intended to be, is enjoyable for me,” he confides. “I love doing what I’m passionate about, so it’s really cool to dream and dream with other people. Just seeing their excitement has been a lot of fun and a huge sense of joy for me.”Smith is aware that competition is always going to exist in any industry, and entertainment can be a cutthroat industry at times. But Smith is altering his approach and choosing to view his competitors simply as people he can learn from, and narrowing his focus on building content. The demographic for Pant Seat Pilots is open-ended, although the work the production company does for churches is tailored to fit the specific needs of a Christian audience. Still, according to Smith, many of the digital shorts available on their site are random, silly, and can appeal to everyone.The small business has a website at <a class="link" href="http://pantseatpilots.com/">pantseatpilots.com</a>. They also have a <a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/pantseatpilots">Twitter</a> page.<h2>Challenges of Owning a Production Company</h2>Most small business owners would agree on the old adage that time is money, particularly when a business partner with a conflicting schedule is involved. For Smith, that reality is no different.“We all have full-time jobs and we live roughly 500 miles apart, so it’s hard to produce the content being so far away from each other. Plus, we both also have families, so we really have to be intentional about carving out time and not letting it go to waste. Make sure you have an itinerary and that everything you do has a purpose,” he urges. “It’s a lot of work. You can’t just wish for it and it will happen. You have to have a plan and then follow through with it. You need dedication and discipline, and that’s not easy to attain! It’s why a lot of people don’t put that time and effort into it. If you’re not passionate about it, you’re going to stop.”<h2>Tips for Entrepreneurs Behind the Camera</h2>“Make sure you’re passionate about what you want to start, and understand that you’re going to experience frustration when you start. Patience is huge. If you have dreams and excitement, it takes time to develop and time to catch on. Keep making content! Don’t derail the train,” he exclaims.<h2>Testimonial for 1-800Accountant</h2>Chase Smith is a client of 1-800Accountant.“I’ve totally been satisfied. They’ve helped me so much. I had no clue what to do or where to start, and they have helped me every step of the way. I would definitely recommend them for any startup,” he says.Image credit: The logo included in this blog post was provided by Pant Seat Pilots, LLC and is used with permission.

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Private: Spreading Spirituality through Digital Entertainment

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Kym Peck loves working out. So, in her mind, she thought that there would be no better way to share this passion with others than to start a fitness business for a population that is in dire need of physical activity.Peck established Live 2 B Healthy, a formal franchise venture in Pleasanton, California that launched in October 2016.“I provide customized fitness classes for senior communities mainly through group sessions,” Peck explains. “The people I work with are generally between 70 and 99 years of age.”The fitness activities she helps her elders partake in include yoga, zumba, water workouts, and strength and balance exercises. Not only are these activities designed to help seniors increase their strength and fitness, but also a larger goal is to help them live more independently so that they can do more things for themselves.“I have been a personal trainer for 15 years working with seniors, but I wanted to do more,” she says. “I wanted to bring my physical fitness activities to communities and larger groups.”She says the impact on her clients has been extremely rewarding.“We test with a baseline and look at flexibility, balance, and upper and lower body strength,” she says. “I have seen some amazing results in so many of my clients.”<h2>The Joys of Self-Employment</h2>Helping others makes self-employment such an enjoyable endeavor for the 53-year-old entrepreneur.“It’s incredibly rewarding,” she enthuses. “I love working with seniors. These people just add so much to my life. Ultimately, it’s all about relationships, and they are so kind to me. I just know I’m making a difference each day.”She describes how her clients respond to her.“I walk into a room and they immediately perk up. They are so happy to see someone new because their lives can be quite repetitive.<h2>Spreading The Word About A Small Business</h2>Peck utilizes a variety of both online and offline strategies to make others aware of her small business. Her franchise’s website is <a class="link" href="http://www.live2bhealthy.com/">www.live2bhealthy.com</a>, and she has a <a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/L2BHSoAlameda/">Facebook business page</a> for her local franchise. Additionally, she sends out press releases, holds fun events, participates in speaking engagements, advertises in relevant publications, and attends health fairs.<h2>Entrepreneurial Challenges</h2>Admittedly, Peck is no stranger to the common hurdles entrepreneurs face early on in small business ownership – and throughout the process.“My biggest challenge has been the administrative side of the business. I am much more familiar with managerial accounting versus financial accounting. Business taxes and business accounting have been a whole new thing for me.”<h2>Advice for New Small Business Owners</h2>Based on her experience, Peck recommends that all newbies to business ownership should always outsource any tasks they aren’t comfortable doing to the pros. She adds that there are both benefits and drawbacks to self-employment.“As an employee of some gyms, I have very little control over my time, the format of the programs I offer, and various other aspects. With my company, I control all of those things. But at the same time, I can’t blame anyone else but myself for anything that goes wrong. On a positive note, it’s also a good retirement strategy, and I think it’s good for my kids to see how I operate as a business owner.”<h2>1-800Accountant Client Experience</h2>Kym Peck relies on 1-800Accountant for small business tax and accounting support so she can focus on running her business.“I have been very satisfied with 1-800Accountant,” Peck says. “They are handling all of my tax and accounting needs but are also teaching me how to do some of this myself. The sharing of information has been seamless.”

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Startup Story: How This Entrepreneur Keeps Her Clients Fit Over 50

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Logan Rhys loves staying fit, eating healthy, and building social bonds with others. So he took the initiative to combine these three activities into his own innovative small business – VFITT, LLC.
Formally established in July 2014, the startup company is based in San Francisco, California. Rhys says it’s a passion for the outdoors that ultimately led him to starting the company.
“I need to be outside and doing what I love,” Rhys says.
VFITT is not just a personal training service. Instead, it is multifaceted and offers one-on-one personal training, group classes on the beach, outdoor adventures, social events, and will soon offer vegan whole-food meal plans through a food delivery service.
“The whole thing is built around total wellness – not just physical fitness, but social, emotional, spiritual, and occupational fitness as well,” he says. In addition to private training sessions, Rhys holds 6 group classes on the beach throughout the week. They’re offered in the morning and at night to accommodate clients’ schedules. These 50-minute, high-Intensity interval training sessions utilize each client’s own body weight; along sand bags, medicine balls, battle ropes, kettle bells, and VIPRs to provide clients a complete body workout that’s fun and full of variety.
As for the outdoor adventures, Rhys takes clients windsurfing, scuba-diving, kayaking, skydiving, mountain biking, hiking, and more.
“Some of these activities are things people have always wanted to do, but they’ve just never had the time or never found anyone to do them with,” he explains.
In Rhys’ eyes, it’s all about how the small business is structured that he feels will make it a hit over time.
“The feedback I am getting from people already has been great,” he says. “People love the fact that it is well-rounded. Fitness is only one aspect of wellness. It’s hard to balance all of this on your own. That’s where VFITT comes in to provide the organization and opportunity for my clients to do it all.”
He explains what he finds most rewarding about running this type of startup company.
“I truly enjoy working with people and seeing them improve and manage their wellness. Helping people maintain a consistent quality of wellness in their lives is what’s really driving me to do this.”
<h2>Handling Small Business Competition</h2>
Small business owners across all fields encounter some type of competition. Fortunately for Rhys, he believes his business concept is unique enough to the point where he hasn’t felt a ton of competitive pressure yet.
“There are other companies that offer all of these services individually, but there aren’t any that I’m aware of in our immediate market that offer all of them together,” he says. “There are personal trainers and gyms, but none really offer the social, nutritional, and networking aspects that VFITT does. There are also meal services out there, but they don’t offer the social, networking, or fitness components, either. Our clients are able to rely on VFITT for a balanced offering of all of these components. Those who take advantage of our newest offering of meal delivery will truly enjoy the maximum benefits. Their meals will be delivered to their homes twice a week, leaving them with more time to focus on things that enrich their lives, while making it much easier to make healthy dietary decisions on a regular basis.”
<h2>Marketing Strategies for a Startup Company</h2>
Since VFITT is still in its early stages, Rhys has yet to make a big official marketing push for the startup company. However, as the business grows, he plans to focus mainly on social media, targeted outreach, and developing partnerships with other local businesses. He has a company website at&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.vfitt.com/">www.vfitt.com</a>.
<h2>Challenges to Self-Employment</h2>
Just like fellow business owners, Rhys has endured multiple hurdles and challenges in getting his small business off the ground.
“Working full time while trying to get it up and running has been the biggest challenge,” he admits. “The laws and tax requirements of owning a business are sometimes very unclear, and even the actual forms to fill out can be hard to understand.”
To overcome some of these challenges, he offers some advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
“Always be organized. If you just try to roll with it with no real direction, it’s tough. You can have a great concept, but it will never work if you aren’t organized. At first, I had all these thoughts in my mind. I needed to sit down, write it all out, put a timeline on it, and prioritize each step.”
Self-employment comes with both advantages and disadvantages, Rhys admits.
“You get to see your creation come to life, and you have the ability to make it what you want it to be. The disadvantage is the responsibility of making sure everything is taken care of and is running smoothly day to day.”
<h2>1-800Accountant Client Testimonial</h2>
Rhys is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant. He offers lots of praise for the assistance he has received.
“Working with 1-800Accountant has been such an awesome experience,” he says. “You always want to make sure you’re in compliance with everything, but it’s hard to know what all the rules are, and some are very unclear. 1-800Accountant has been very helpful. They give me the peace of mind that this part is taken care of so I can focus on getting clients and growing my business.”
Rhys did not have to pay for his accounting services upfront thanks to&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://behalf.com/">Behalf</a>, a company that offers unique financing options to 1-800Accountant clients.
“The program through Behalf was a really great option. I was either going to have to pay for the accounting services or the franchise tax to start a business in California. So having this financing option gave me the ability to pay the tax and get the accounting support I needed at the same time.”
Photo credit: The photograph and logo included in this blog post were provided by VFITT, LLC and are used with permission.

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Helping Clients Maintain Wellness through VFITT

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As a veteran of the armed forces, Iba Leka was a natural fit as an employee for a military contractor. But during the ten years of working for contractors, Iba was also an astute observer of the many issues contractors face, especially when traveling overseas. That’s when Iba realized she could help contractors while also earning a better income by starting her own business. Iba launched International Deployment Solutions, Inc., in December 2016. Since her company is a veteran-owned business, Iba is very inspired by her fellow veterans and contractors. She tries to hire as many veterans as she can to give them the chance they deserve. One challenge Iba has faced has been that she’s a woman in a predominantly male industry, so she’s had to overcome being treated differently. Another challenge has been cash flow. She never understood just how expensive it is to run a business until she was in the middle of it. To help with her tax issues, Iba signed on with 1-800Accountant. “My accountant is amazing!” says Iba. “He’s always there to help me when I need it. Being a small business owner and having used all my savings to get this business started, it’s nice to have someone I can trust to handle my tax needs.” Now, Iba sees enormous growth potential for her business. The company is thriving, having already been awarded three contracts, with another $86 billion contract set to begin in August. International Deployment Solutions currently has about a dozen employees but plans to have as many as 1,200 by the end of the year. That’s impressive growth by any standard.

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Iba Leka and 1-800Accountant: Giving Veterans the Chance They Deserve

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Lily Grillo’s husband is serving in the military overseas. She is also the proud mother of two young boys. While many military wives in her shoes might feel overwhelmed, Grillo did not hesitate at all to pursue her dream of startup success.Grillo, who is a client of 1-800Accountant, operates her own small business known as Grillo Unlimited, LLC. She formally launched the home-based enterprise in February 2015 in Flemington, New Jersey. Through the new startup company, Grillo intends to sell leather-based products for both men and women. Her selection will include handbags, wallets, and other handy accessories. Some are even outfitted with the latest RFID blocking technology to keep customers’ credit cards protected. She is currently developing prototypes with David Hauser of <a class="link" href="http://dragonleather.net/">Dragonthorn Leatherworks</a>. Based on her early experience, Grillo shares why she thought starting a business in this particular industry was the right move for her to make on the entrepreneurial chessboard.“I used to work for my brother who owns a wallet company,” Grillo explains. “My family is full of engineers and scientists. I wanted to try something new and different.”Grillo is a former middle school science teacher and daycare operator. Her husband, Joseph, currently serves in the Middle East as a member of the Army National Guard. In her words, those around her will ultimately help in her quest for startup success.“I feel like the Julia Child of the fashion industry,” she confides. “At this point, I don’t have a huge background in this field, so I’ve spent lots of time finding the right people to work with and surround myself with.”On a related note, she says it’s these individuals with whom she gets to work that make her job as a small business owner so enjoyable and rewarding.“It’s really the people that I enjoy most about all of this,” she says. “In the past, people have used my skills to help get their businesses going, but I’ve seen a lot of unprofessionalism. Everyone I work with now is very professional, and I mesh well with them.”<h2>Competing as a Small Business Owner in the Fashion Industry</h2>Grillo explains how she is separating her small business from the rest in the very crowded fashion industry.“I don’t want to make millions. I just want to accomplish my entrepreneurial goals so that I can provide my family with financial stability and provide my customers with a good product. I think all of this will reflect in my customer service.”To make others aware of Grillo Unlimited, the entrepreneur is launching a website through which she’ll sell her leather goods. She also plans to use the crowdfunding website Kickstarter, in addition to creating social media pages for the small business.<h2>Challenges to Small Business Ownership</h2>She admits she has faced her fair share of challenging decisions and circumstances in starting a business like this.“This is a completely new industry for me. The hardest thing has been finding the right supplies and materials at the best rates out there. It’s the little details I have had to iron out that have taken up so much time.”<h2>Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs</h2>Thanks to what she’s been through during her entrepreneurial journey, Grillo shares some tips for entrepreneurs.“The biggest thing is making sure you really want to start a business,” she advises. “Starting a business and actually setting it up is easy, but then you have to decide what you want to do with it. Personally, I have to keep reminding myself of my end-goal. Another thing I’ve learned is that you have to be able to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to certain decisions – sometimes when you’re pressured to make one. Stay true to yourself.”She adds that self-employment often comes with both advantages and disadvantages.“The advantage is that you have complete control and can do whatever you want to do or don’t want to do. The disadvantage is that you have to rely on other people and trust them.”<h2>1-800Accountant Review</h2>“Everyone has been very helpful and so easy to work with,” Grillo says. “I don’t have to worry about all of the stuff involved in business taxes and finances. I always get reminders about when certain things are due.”Photo credit: The photograph of Lily Grillo was provided by Grillo Unlimited, LLC and is used with permission.

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Military Wife Finds Startup Success with Leather Goods

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Leah Lancaster of Chattanooga, Tennessee always dreamed about working from home. So when a gig cropped up that would allow her to do just that, she seized the opportunity. While working at her former company as a freight broker for truckers, some contract revisions were made that she wasn’t thrilled about. After seeking a new parent company to work under, Lancaster formally established Lancaster Logistics, LLC in January 2015. She’s living her dream of working remotely with her husband and business partner, Nathan.“As freight brokers, we work in logistics. We’re basically travel agents for products. We act as go-betweens for people who need trucking companies to transport the product from point A to point B,” Lancaster says.In a fast-paced, modern world, sometimes quality goes overlooked. Lancaster feels that the old-school approach of having honesty and integrity is just part of the tremendous responsibility of being a small business owner — and believes that’s what will get her ahead.“My main goal is to just do things the right way in regards to my customer base. I believe in doing the job honestly so I can sleep at night. There are a lot of shady people in this industry, but that also means that I get to do things my way with my business, and I know what I want my business to be about,” she confides.Despite working from home, Lancaster still deals with a variety of interesting characters. In fact, one of the things she enjoys most about her line of work is how surprisingly people-oriented it is. She works with both the customers and the carriers.“You wouldn’t believe the different types of people I encounter. It’s my dream job because I get to work from home in my pajamas but also make connections with so many people,” she enthuses.What makes Lancaster’s situation unique from other small business owners’ is that she — along with many other freight brokers — works under a parent company. Her experience is similar to someone who works in a corporate environment in the sense that she must build her name within her industry and set herself apart from other brokers working within her parent company. In order to market herself to the right prospects, she maintains a presence on websites designed for brokers and truckers.<h3>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h3>When asked about the challenges she faced in the infant stages of small business ownership, Lancaster admits she had no idea what she was doing.“There’s a lot of industry knowledge that goes into doing this job well. At first, I got looked down on, especially because this is such a male-dominated industry. Sometimes they talk to me like I’m vapid, and I deal with it,” she confides.Lancaster has also been forced to learn how to deal with rejection.“It can be tough to pick up the phone and listen to people tell you ‘no’ 50 times before they give you a chance. But getting through it is the rewarding part.”<h3>Tips for Aspiring Entity Owners</h3>Although Lancaster loves being a small business owner, she admits competition is intense in her industry. Combating competitors all boils down to delivering the quality customer service to her client base that Lancaster swears by. Her advice could benefit anyone trying to make a name for themselves in their industry.“Do everything you can to stand out and make yourself different. Part of my success just goes back to how I do business. It’s the level of service you provide. Get your foot in the door and then blow them away by going above and beyond. Give 100% every time,” she advises.Lancaster also insists small business owners should never take “no” for an answer.“Keep working. Don’t quit. Sometimes ‘no’ just means ‘not right now.’ Eventually, a break will happen.”<h3>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h3>Leah Lancaster of Lancaster Logistics, LLC is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant.“I love 1-800Accountant. I recommend the service to everyone. I’d be lost without the help I’ve received,” she enthuses.Photo credit: The photograph included in this blog post was provided by Lancaster Logistics, LLC and is used with permission.

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How This Small Business Owner Keeps on Trucking

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Carol Staudacher has lots of knowledge and experience working with both personal family members and patients who have ADHD, which affects about 8% of children and 6% of adults. She decided to take her knowledge and experience, wrap it up in a pretty box, and share it with others who could benefit greatly from it.
Staudacher, an entrepreneur and client of 1-800Accountant, proudly manages her own small business called Grandma Carol’s Corner, LLC. It’s based right out of her home in Lake Leelanau, Michigan and was officially established in March 2014.
Through the startup company, the grandmother of 13 is educating fellow grandparents about some of the challenges their grandkids face, particularly when it comes to ADHD and other learning and behavioral conditions prevalent in about two-thirds of children with ADHD.
“I have learned that this older population doesn’t understand the three basic features of ADHD which includes inattention, physical hyperactivity, and impulsivity,” Staudacher says. “I want to be able to inform them so that they can have more positive interactions with their grandchildren with ADHD. Most of these children receive so much negativity because of their challenging behavior. More positive reinforcements could trigger a better self-image in these kids which might help to improve their functional levels.”
Staudacher, a former nurse with a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing, used to send out a family newsletter to her grandchildren and called it Grandma Carol’s Corner. She would include news about all the grandchildren as well as information on various health issues, including ADHD. Little did she know that one day she would run her own startup business with the same name! She has her own website – www.grandmac.co – and plans to launch a blog on which she’ll feature a plethora of articles and information about ADHD for grandparents as well as for their grandchildren.
“It’s discouraging to see so many of these children struggle so much with their schoolwork in grammar school and high school,” she says. “Many of them want to attend college, but fail because they haven’t learned appropriate study and organizational skills to accommodate their unique learning disabilities. Many of them end up with low-paying jobs even though they may have creative talents which, if nurtured, could lead to advances in industrial or scientific fields or even the arts. Many of these children also have a unique characteristic of thinking “outside the box,” which enhances their creativity.”
While education is a primary reward in the business, Staudacher hopes to generate some revenue through her for-profit venture. She plans to use Google AdWords, which posts ads relating to the business focus to increase the number of visitors on the site. Revenue is generated by the number of clicks to the site each day.
<h2>Small Business Competition</h2>
Entrepreneurs strive to pursue the latest and greatest ideas that have yet to be taken in order to discover startup success. Fortunately for Staudacher, she feels like she has found a niche in her industry that has largely been untapped by others.
“I couldn’t find much at all about grandparent involvement in dealing with ADHD. Plus, grandkids generally have a special place in their hearts for their grandparents. I was thinking that getting a little more involved with schoolwork and projects might make a difference. Parents could also use a little reprieve from handling the daily stress of dealing with the nuances associated with ADHD.”
<h2>Pointers for Entrepreneurs</h2>
Staudacher offers some tips for fellow entrepreneurs looking for an opportunity to jump into a new small business venture.
“I would say research your area of interest to see how much business is out there already,” she says. “Look at websites, blogs, and other informational resources. Have a definite business plan in mind. I think I went into this without doing as much research as I could have in the beginning.”
She admits there are both advantages and disadvantages to being self-employed.
“I travel a lot, especially in the winter. But I can take my business with me. It would be more difficult if I depended on that income to support myself or my family, as one isn’t guaranteed a steady paycheck.”
<h2>1-800Accountant Client Testimonial</h2>
As a 1-800Accountant client, Staudacher says she’s been very happy with the accounting firm’s support.
“I can call and ask questions whenever I want, and I have gotten follow-up calls regularly,” she says. “I have been very satisfied with 1-800Accountant and would recommend the firm to others.”
Photo credit: The photograph of Carol Staudacher was provided by Grandma Carol’s Corner, LLC and is used with permission.

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Educating Grandparents on ADHD in Grandma Carol’s Corner

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