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<p>Four years ago, Antonio Cala and Amanda Zeisset quit their day jobs, bought two bicycles, and took a cycling trip from Southern California all the way to Patagonia, Argentina. Little did they know this unique – and risky – adventure would one day lead them to starting a business in the travel industry. Today the married couple proudly runs The Adventure Junkies, LLC, a startup they formally established in June 2016 that is registered in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The two entrepreneurs are the only employees in the startup venture, but they have hired several freelance writers to contribute to their unique online portal. “Our website is a resource that provides information for thrill seekers and anyone else who is looking for some exciting travel adventures,” Cala explains. “We provide all kinds of content that is free to access, including articles, reviews, ideas on courses and gear for certain adventures, travel guides, and so much more. Our motto is, ‘Dream it. Learn it. Live it.’” So, how does the web-based company make money if its content is free for all users? “We make money through an affiliate program,” Cala says. “We find companies that will provide our readers with gear, courses, and other products or services, and then we’ll get paid when our visitors go to these affiliate companies’ websites. We have links to stores in lots of U.S. states and other countries depending on the type of adventure someone is interested in pursuing. Doing all of this has helped us build an important trust with our readers.” During their lengthy bike trip that led them to startup success today, the two entrepreneurs saved up lots of money from their day jobs that they used to go hiking, kayaking, and scuba diving along their journey. “Friends of ours would ask us our opinion on the best places to visit, so we decided to start a small blog about our travels. When the site was growing pretty quickly, we thought it was time to get serious about this.”</p>
<h3>Enjoyment To Self-Employment</h3>
<p>Cala agrees with most entrepreneurs who cite flexibility as their favorite thing about working for themselves. “I love the freedom to organize my schedule the way I want,” he says. “I can work and live wherever I choose. Plus, I can avoid the stressful commute and have breakfast with my wife every morning.” He adds that working with his wife has been truly rewarding. The two have developed a plan of tasks for each person, which has worked well so that they aren’t stepping on each other’s toes. “I’m in charge of the accounting, legal, and SEO facets of the business. My wife handles more of the content production and working with our writers. We cycled together for 3 years, getting by on $10 per day, camping, and cooking our own meals. So by now, we’re pretty set doing anything together.” When asked about the best spots in the world for adventure traveling, he immediately points to New Zealand as being at the top of his list. “I lived in New Zealand for 4 years, and it is a very unique place in the world,” he says. “Whether you’re into climbing, fishing, sailing, hiking, or anything outdoors, this is the place to go. I also think Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana are big hot spots because of the mountains.”</p>
<h3>Handling Small Business Competition</h3>
<p>Cala, who is originally from Spain, admits he was a bit nervous about diving into the web content space that has become oversaturated in recent years. So, he and Zeisset made it their goal to remain an independent website that users could visit as a one-stop shop for adventure travel information. “We’ve gone from competing to creating the ultimate online resource for travelers. We want to increase our users’ quality of life and make them happy by providing them with everything they need to find joy in experiencing the world.” The company’s website is&nbsp;<a class=link href="http://www.theadventurejunkies.com/">www.theadventurejunkies.com</a>. It also has a presence on&nbsp;Facebook,&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://www.instagram.com/theadventurejunkies/">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="#">Twitter</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="#">Pinterest</a>. “We were pretty big on using social media early on in this venture, but we found that the traffic we got was not the quality we wanted. That’s why we have implemented SEO strategies much more, and we’ve found that our target audience tends to come from people searching on Google. We also use e-mail marketing and have created groups on social media so people can share their travel interests and experiences.”</p>
<h3>Challenges To Starting A Business</h3>
<p>Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in so many interests when starting a business, Cala admits. “In the beginning, we started doing too much. Once we realized this, we started to focus on one main thing – providing the best quality content to our readers. Now that we’ve mastered that pretty well, we are looking to develop mobile apps and other products.” He offers some advice for entrepreneurs who may be nervous about the risks of self-employment. “First and foremost, invest in yourself,” he urges. “If you grow, your business will grow. Get all of the skills you need, and be sure you can have an intelligent conversation with anyone about any aspect of your business. Also, build a team around you and delegate tasks to free up your time.”</p>
<h3>Experience As A 1-800Accountant Client</h3>
<p>Antonio Cala says that he and his wife have been happy with the small business accounting support they’ve received as clients of 1-800Accountant. “I like the responsiveness whenever I contact 1-800Accountant. You guys are always super-fast and quick with your helpful tax assistance. You’ve also made sure I’m working with the right accountant since my business is a little different.”<span>&nbsp;</span><strong>Photo credit</strong>: The photograph of the Choquequirao Trek in the Peruvian Andes was provided by The Adventure Junkies, LLC and is used with permission.</p>

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Riding To Startup Success: How A Bike Trip Led To a Small Business

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<p>Entrepreneur Robert Rice is not afraid to call himself a geek. That’s because he found a way to share his lifelong hobby of collecting with others through his own small business. The Columbia, South Carolina resident launched Big Ol’ Box of Stuff, LLC in March 2015. He and his family manage the operation right out of their home.</p>
<p>“We are a box subscription service catering to nerds and geeks like myself who love comic books, movies, games, toys, and collectibles,” Rice explains. “The whole premise for this business came about in 2014 when a coworker introduced me to a similar online service. But with that company, you only get one set of items in any box you order. With mine, you can fully customize your box by filling out a questionnaire so that you’ll get everything you actually want in your box.”</p>
<p>Rice’s wife, Noelle, and 11-year-old daughter, Judy, also assist in the startup business. Judy paints the cardboard boxes with special designs for each recipient and helped design the company’s logo.</p>
<p>Customers can purchase one box for $35 and have it shipped right to their doorstep. The service also offers a 3-month subscription in which customers receive new boxes over the course of that timeframe for a lower price per box than only buying a single box.</p>
<p>In addition to sending fun-filled boxes to his customers, Rice has created a large social media community of his fans who all enjoy comics and fantasy characters. They often record themselves opening the boxes and post these videos on YouTube. Or, they’ll simply start discussions about the different items.</p>
<p>“Everyone really converses well with each other and supports each other,” he explains. “I had one guy post on one of our pages that he wanted a box but couldn’t afford it. So, someone stepped up and bought it for him.”</p>
<h2>Enjoyment to Self-Employment</h2>
<p>According to Rice, it’s the customers who truly make his entrepreneurial endeavor exciting.</p>
<p>“I really enjoy the people who are just so nice, cool, and understanding,” he says. “I manage a restaurant as my full-time job, so this business is a wonderful change of pace compared to the challenges of dealing with customers at a restaurant. I love seeing the people open their boxes and just how excited they get. This has taken off far more than I ever imagined it would.”</p>
<p>Rice obtains the items he ships in his boxes through various sources, including antique shops, Toys ‘R’ Us, Wal-Mart, Target, and through a wholesale distributor. As for those interested in collecting these items, he says it’s mostly men and women ages 24 to 48, but many parents buy the boxes for their young children.</p>
<h2>Small Business Marketing Strategies</h2>
<p>To make potential customers aware of Big Ol’ Box of Stuff, LLC, Rice has primarily relied on Internet marketing through&nbsp;a website and social media. He has company pages on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/Big-Ol-Box-Of-Stuff-438015293021329/?fref=ts">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://instagram.com/bigolbox77">Instagram</a>, and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.pinterest.com/rrice1971/">Pinterest</a>. He plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign and attend comic book shows and other relevant events.</p>
<h2>Challenges to Operating a Small Business</h2>
<p>Like fellow entrepreneurs, Rice admits he has had a few tough challenges along the road to startup success and the long-term maintenance of a small business.</p>
<p>“The biggest challenge has been the fact that these boxes are fully customizable. Sometimes it’s hard to find certain items. When I do, some of them can be very expensive since they are collector’s items at this point. It’s also challenging to fit certain items in the boxes.</p>
<h2>Tips for Small Business Owners</h2>
<p>He offers up some handy tips for small business owners.</p>
<p>“One of the big things is that your business doesn’t have to be perfect from the start. If you wait until everything is perfect, it’s never going to happen. So, just be smart about how you approach everything. Put the big things in place first, and don’t get hung up on the little-bitty things because they can wait. Most entrepreneurs have OCD, so you have to be even-tempered about everything. Customers pick up on this as well.”</p>
<h2>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
<p>Rice is a client of 1-800Accountant and says he has had a great experience with the national tax and accounting firm.</p>
<p>“Everyone I’ve talked to has been so nice and helpful,” he says.</p>
<p><strong>Photo credit</strong>: The photograph included in this blog post was provided by Big Ol’ Box of Stuff, LLC and is used with permission.<br /><br /></p>

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Startup Story: Everything You Want In A Big Ol’ Box of Stuff

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<p>Tiffany Paige Lambert was a single mom working three jobs, none of which made full use of her considerable talents. But Tiffany had bigger dreams. That’s when she decided to open her own cosmetology and makeup artist business, Tiffany Paige LLC. Tiffany Paige LLC provides hair and makeup services for weddings, events and photo shoots. Although Tiffany has been in the beauty industry for six years, she’s been mastering her trade all her life. As a performer, she’s always had to do her own hair and makeup for various events. Tiffany really loves people and genuinely wants to make them feel good about themselves, and she says the joy in her customers’ eyes truly inspires her. With a new business, though, comes new challenges. Now, as a mother of two and a wife, it’s hard for Tiffany to find the time to market her services and arrange financing for the full-service salon and spa she plans to open. Fortunately, she’s been able to make amazing connections in the industry and has lots of people supporting both her business and her dream. One of those supporters is 1-800Accountant. Tiffany says that 1-800Accountant has been a huge help because, with everything she’s currently juggling, she doesn’t have to worry about her taxes and important deadlines. Trusting the experts to take care of these details frees up time she can use to focus on her business and her family. With a baby in one hand and a makeup brush in the other, she needs all the help she can get with organizing her finances! What’s in store for Tiffany? Her #1 focus right now is growing her business. In addition to opening a salon and spa, Tiffany also plans to one day travel internationally to do hair and makeup for weddings. She also hopes to guide other women like herself, who may also wish to own a business, through life coaching and motivational speaking.<br /><br /></p>

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Tiffany Paige Lambert Gets Inspired with 1-800Accountant

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<p>Sergeant first class Al Conrad served 20 years in the U.S. Army. He says these 2 decades of experience were the most rewarding time in his life. While he has been long retired from active duty, he now fulfills his love and respect for the armed forces through a unique small business he recently launched. Conrad is the proud CEO of PIR Custom Military Figures, Gifts, &amp; Awards, LLC in Columbus, Georgia. (The PIR acronym is short for Parachute Infantry Regiment.) Formally established in December 2014, Conrad sells custom military figures, dioramas, plaques, and other cool creations related to military members and first responders through the startup venture. He maintains a brick-and-mortar location in Columbus, but he resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The 51-year-old entrepreneur elaborates on what the small business can actually offer. “We produce totally custom action figures for military veterans, active duty military members, and first responders like firefighters and police officers,” Conrad explains. “Anyone can collect a plastic figure. But with us, we make figures that are very close to replicating the face of an individual who deserves recognition.” The figures are produced in 1:6 scale size and are typically about 12 inches tall. Conrad designs many of them himself through painting and woodworking, but he outsources the manufacturing process to others when necessary. “One time, I made one for a woman whose son was killed in action in Afghanistan,” he recalls. “I put him in the same uniform he wore that had his patches, equipment, and weapons he used. He was a medic, so the figure had the same medic bag he carried. Another example was a gentleman who had a bomb-sniffing dog with him, so I was able to replicate both the man and his dog.” Conrad is a world traveler who was stationed all over the globe, including in the continental U.S., Hawaii, Germany, Panama, Australia, Thailand, and Japan. Upon his retirement from the Army in the early 2000s, he worked as a high school ROTC instructor. Now his eyes are set on startup success running this small business full time. In his words, the most satisfaction he gets out of running this operation comes from the ability to serve his customers. “Being able to give back to soldiers and guys I spent good times with is the most enjoyable part,” he says. “It’s really great to see their expressions. For people who have lost loved ones in combat, there is not much I can do to make them feel better, but I can at least give them something by which they can remember someone. I’m in this business to make money like most other small business owners, but the biggest return I get from this is making soldiers and their families happy.”</p>
<h2>Competing in the Small Business Landscape</h2>
<p>Conrad explains how his small business differs from others. “Not many companies out there produce the items we do with the customization of facial features and expressions. We can also make each figurine part of an award or plaque as a keepsake. We’re a veteran-owned and operated business as well.” The Army vet has done a lot of work for friends, family members, military comrades, and even the National Medal of Honor Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee. To make others who he does not know aware of his startup venture, he maintains a company website at&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.miniheroes.us/">www.miniheroes.us</a>.</p>
<h2>Challenges to Startup Success</h2>
<p>Like so many entrepreneurs out there who have taken the plunge into starting a business for the very first time in their lives, Conrad admits he has experienced challenges throughout the process. “The first thing was figuring out the types of legal requirements and everything you have to do to get set up as a small business. Cost is obviously another challenge. I’m lucky that I started investing when I was fairly young. It’s exciting and overwhelming at the same time.”</p>
<h2>Tips for Entrepreneurs</h2>
<p>He offers some valuable tips for entrepreneurs whose goal is to achieve startup success. “Consult with people you trust about what you’re going to take on as a business owner, and depend on their advice heavily,” he advises. “Find out what you need to do from a legal standpoint. Being self-employed is tough, so don’t feel like you’re the only one who has been overwhelmed by starting a business.”</p>
<h2>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
<p>Conrad praises 1-800Accountant for the guidance he has received as a client of the national accounting and consulting firm for small business owners. “1-800Accountant is very reassuring and has been very helpful with keeping me compliant,” he says. “It’s great to have a company like this supporting me as a business owner.”<span>&nbsp;<br /><br /></span><strong>Photo credit</strong>: The photographs included in this blog post were provided by PIR Custom Military Figures, Gifts, &amp; Awards, LLC and are used with permission.<br /><br /></p>

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Army Vet Finds Startup Success Selling Mini Heroes

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<p>When Cristin Curl attended the University of Central Arkansas on a basketball scholarship, she was interested in losing a little weight. That’s when she turned to&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.herbalife.com/">Herbalife</a>, a global nutrition and weight management company. Additionally, she started playing soccer and had now lost 20 pounds. It was a decision that changed Cristin’s life in important and unpredictable ways.</p>
<p>Cristin took her degrees in both business management and physical education and moved to Australia, where she eventually worked in disability support. In addition to reconnecting with Herbalife as a product user, Cristin began selling Herbalife products to supplement her earnings. It was a part-time gig that turned into a three-and-a-half year commitment.</p>
<p>Soon, the structure of nutrition and weight management started to change. People began opening nutrition clubs. Cristin took this as her cue to move back to her hometown of Amarillo, Texas, where she explored opening a nutrition club of her own. She got training as an International Herbalife Wellness Coach, signed a lease for retail space, and created a limited liability company (LLC). On January 15, 2019, Cristin opened the doors of&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/ActiveNutritionAmarillo/">Active Nutrition Amarillo</a>.</p>
<p>Active Nutrition Amarillo offers a vibrant social space where Cristin can talk to people about wellness and nutrition. The storefront provides comfortable seating and displays the work of local artists on the walls. Cristin also sells shakes, teas, and energy drinks to customers wanting nutritious beverage options. “I have a passion for helping people get healthy,” says Cristin. “It’s so much fun! And it’s extremely rewarding when you have someone come up to you and say, ‘You changed my life, thank you.’”</p>
<p>While learning the ropes of running a business, Cristin realized she wasn’t a tax-centric person. She needed a company that could help her with every step of the business process. That’s when she went online and found 1-800Accountant. 1-800Accountant matched her needs at a reasonable price.</p>
<p>During her initial 1-800Accountant consultation, Cristin had a list of questions ready. Thomas, her&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://1800accountant.com/products/small-business-taxes">tax accounting expert</a>, was able to answer all of them. He provided time frames and offered a detailed tax plan for Cristin’s business. About 1-800Accountant, Cristin says, “You guys are on the ball when it comes to tax changes, staying in contact with what to expect.”</p>
<p>Where does Cristin see herself in the future? Looking at the big picture, Cristin would like to expand her business to other cities. She’d like to see Active Nutrition clubs not just in Amarillo but in Austin, Texas, Colorado, and maybe even in New Castle, Australia.<br /><br /></p>

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Cristin Curl and Active Nutrition Amarillo – Healthier Lives, A Thriving Business

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