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There is no better evidence for the power of the Internet’s influence on business ownership than the story of two entrepreneurs. In September of 2014, entrepreneur Nick Landis — alongside his business partner, Scott Frerichs — formally established TFS Entertainment, LLC. Under that LLC resides Team Four Star, an online media group and platform that began as a hobby 8 years ago. Now, the hobby-turned-business is on the market for a brick-and-mortar office in Carrollton, Texas.
We basically produce videos for ad revenue and sometimes for actual promotional deals with other companies. Generally, they are comedy videos,” Landis says.
The business partners decided to formally establish Team Four Star after they slowly began to accumulate a large audience and viewership over the course of almost a decade. Now, with Team Four Star a more lucrative venture than they originally anticipated, the pair is able to take full advantage of the tax benefits allowed to business owners. Currently, Team Four Star is nearing 2 million YouTube subscribers, and&nbsp;<a class=link href="http://www.teamfourstar.com/">www.teamfourstar.com</a>&nbsp;averages around 100,000 hits daily.
“What I enjoy most about this work is the freedom it allows and the creativity we are able to express. There is a lot of fulfillment in what we get to do, and we love being able to interact with our viewers,” Landis confides.
Landis sheds some light on the entertainment industry that has been born solely from the Internet, an e-industry that has recently begun to boom — and shows no sign of slowing down. With the Internet having become a necessity for most people, entrepreneurs now have the ability to carve out career paths for themselves with a cohesive creative vision. This new breed of small business owners comes with a new set of rules and a different approach to competition.
“Generally, in terms of Internet entertainment, there isn’t as much competition as there is trying to get more and more of a viewer base. Because we’re not competing for timeslots, there’s really not such a thing as competition,” he elaborates. “We do have a pretty awesome fan base that likes to spread our work by word-of-mouth, and I have 110% faith in everyone I work with to produce better content as time goes by.”
Based on analytics, Team Four Star’s fan base appears to be 75% males in their teens and 20s. In order to keep their ongoing dialogue with their viewers active and alive, Team Four Star has a strong presence on their frequently-updated social media pages. The business can be tracked down on&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://www.facebook.com/teamfourstar">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://twitter.com/teamfourstar">Twitter</a>, and — of course —&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://www.youtube.com/user/TeamFourStar">YouTube</a>.
“We try to stay as active on social media as possible since we’re such a public group. There’s a lot of cross-promotion going on between other channels on YouTube,” Landis explains.
<h3>Advantages of Entrepreneurship</h3>
“You get to make your own schedule. That’s been the best part of self-employment for me. Basically, you make your own success. You have limitless potential going for you,” he says.
For aspiring entrepreneurs with goals of starting up an online empire of their own, Landis offers the following piece of advice.
“Make sure you’re doing it because you love it and not for money, and that whatever motivates you is pushing you toward making your work better, not selling the product.”
<h3>Challenges for Business Owners on the Internet</h3>
For Landis and his team, success didn’t come over night. It took almost 10 years of hard work and consistently producing content to gain such a massive following.
“The hardest thing we had to go through was building a name for ourselves in the first place and developing the recognition that we have now. And beyond that, it was getting together and figuring out what our working relationship was going to be like. A lot of people we work with are out of state lines. Sometimes we make convention appearances, but we handle business meetings through Skype,” the entrepreneur admits. “I’m constantly thinking about the business and what I can do to make my business better. So I have free time, but not really!”
<h3>Testimonial for 1-800Accountant</h3>
Nick Landis is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant.
“I like the online system and being able to plug my expenses into a mobile app. That has been a big help so far, as well as being able to stay in contact with my accountant and set up appointments at my leisure,” he says.
Image credit: The logo included in this blog post was provided by TFS Entertainment, LLC and is used with permission.

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Team Four Star: Startup Success through the Power of the Internet

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Alex Pasternak and Aaron Shapiro are crazy about hummus. After the two roommates discovered that their hummus consumption was beginning to dent their wallets, the roommates decided they’d better learn how to make it themselves. The pair discovered that they had a knack for making their own hummus creations, and Two Brothers Hummus, LLC was born from there. The small business was formally established in August of 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They do paperwork inside of their home office, but have a kitchen outside of their home where they prepare the food. Once their orders are prepared, they deliver them locally.“When we started making our own hummus, our friends tried it and they loved it. So one day I sat down with Aaron and said, ‘We should sell this and deliver it.’ From there, we started from basic recipes and then we started to adapt those recipes. We’ve made loaded baked potato, buffalo chicken, and guacamole hummus. We also do seasonal flavors. Our main goal is to bring familiar flavors to healthy foods because humus is insanely good for you,” Pasternak explains of the objective of the small business. “Our aim is to give hummus a familiar flavor to those who have never tried it — and promote wellness.”The ambitious duo is hoping to slowly replace “Super Bowl foods” like pizza and wings with healthier, fresher options. Although Pasternak and Shapiro’s small business has deviated from their majors in film at college, they’re using their film expertise to develop a social presence for themselves to sufficiently act as the faces of their company. Their small business has pages on <a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/TwoBrothersHummus?ref_type=bookmark">Facebook</a> and <a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/__twobrothers__">Twitter</a>.Pasternak offers the following advice for aspiring small business owners.“As someone that has no entrepreneurial experience, if you have a good idea, just find someone or find the knowledge to do it and just go do it. The only way to do it is to do it,” he says.<h2>Local Competition with Small Business Owners</h2>“There are 2 other places that are very hummus-themed in the general area. We’ve done our research and these are the only places that would provide a threat — if any — only because they make hummus. I haven’t found anyone who has done anything remotely similar to what we’re doing. In terms of advertising, our edge is going to be that we are film majors and will present ourselves with an informal attitude,” Pasternak confides.<h2>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h2>According to Pasternak, the challenges he and Shapiro face as small business owners are still the same set of problems they experienced in the very early stages of achieving startup success.“We have a consistent client base and we’ve got some really great connections, but I still feel like the same challenges we face now are the same ones we faced awhile ago in terms of paperwork and just finding the time to get stuff done. We’ve given up every weekend we’ve had to cook and deliver,” Pasternak says. “No one cares about this company more than me and my partner. It’s thriving and it’s incredibly motivational, but at the same time, we can get caught up in school or working on film sets, so it can be very time-consuming.”<h2>Experience as 1-800Accountant Clients</h2>Alex Pasternak and Aaron Shapiro are satisfied clients of 1-800Accountant.“1-800Accountant has been really great about reminding me when calls are. When we talk, we find out something new that we didn’t know before, and it’s always something helpful,” Pasternak says.Image credit <a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/TwoBrothersHummus?ref_type=bookmark">Two Brothers Hummus Facebook page</a>

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Achieving Startup Success with a Hummus Delivery Service

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Scott Beer of Oceana, California didn’t ask to become a small business owner. On the contrary, it was practically demanded of him once he started bringing his unique cookie creations with him to the sales expos his day job required him to attend. When Beer’s signature maple-bacon-Tabasco cookies caught the attention of grocery stores in Pismo Beach, Beer had no choice but to turn his hobby into a small business so his cookies could be sold in stores. In April of 2015, Come Get Your Cookies, LLC was formally established. Come Get Your Cookies is operated by Beer and his business partner, Robin Preheim, out of a home office.
“We make gourmet cookies that have a cult following. The maple-bacon-Tabasco cookie is a big hit, but we also have piña colada and strawberry-basil cookies, among others,” Beer says of his cookies.
It was Beer’s background in sales that launched him into the world of small business ownership, using cookies to lure in potential clients.
“I’m a salesman, and people don’t want to talk to salesmen. But if I have cookies, then suddenly they have a couple minutes to talk. One time, I was at an expo and I had some cookies around my table. Someone came up to me and said that I should be selling cookies! People started stopping me on the street and would say, ‘You’re the cookie guy!’ Eventually we were on the news showcasing our cookies, and we were even invited to the Emmy’s to give cookies to the stars!” he exclaims. In addition to the exotic gourmet flavors that get people’s attention, Beer believes the hard work he puts into the small business will be what brings them continued success. Although the business has an official website and online store –&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.comegetyourcookies.com/">www.comegetyourcookies.com</a>&nbsp;– word-of-mouth has been the most effective marketing tool – and it comes with the most desirable price.
“We show up and we demonstrate our cookies, but the word-of-mouth has really been the biggest asset. People say, ‘You’ve got to try these cookies!’ We sold 17 dozen boxes of cookies in a new store in the first couple minutes they were on the shelves. Stores will call me and say, ‘We have someone who drives 45 minutes to get your cookies.’ It’s very cool,” Beer explains.
It is this validation that Beer enjoys most about being a small business owner.
“Every ‘Wow!’ makes me feel good,” he confides.
Beer’s brand combats competition by offering a unique product that feels like an event with every bite. Come Get Your Cookies has been particularly successful with the senior citizen crowd since they use the treats as conversation cookies and aren’t watching their figures as much as the younger crowd.
In addition to word-of-mouth advertising, an online store, and a&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Comegetyourcookies/600555506737258?fref=ts">Facebook</a>&nbsp;page, Beer gets his cookies out into the public through community outreach. He is active in local charities and non-profits like Relay for Life, and his cookies are a big hit at charitable events.
<h2>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h2>
Beer didn’t start off with aspirations to become a small business owner, but he had to learn the ropes of entrepreneurism fast in order to please the fans of his cookies. Not knowing where to begin was the first challenge he faced.
“Nobody had any knowledge about how to start a cookie business. We got bounced around to different offices and ran wild because we had no checklist. Even making the cookies, we had to come up with a standard. There’s no format. You just have to decide, ‘I’m going to do this and I’m going to do that!’ We didn’t start out to be a cookie company, we just had to because grocery stores wanted to sell them, so we had to do what the stores required and make that happen. It’s all trial and error! But it pays off. You’re obligated by cookies!” Beer enthuses.
<h2>Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs</h2>
Beer believes that aspiring entrepreneurs should believe in and trust their vision of what success looks like to them. For those looking to become small business owners someday, he offers this piece of advice.
“Be yourself. So many people out there say, ‘I know a guy who tried that and it didn’t work.’ Don’t listen to anybody! Just be yourself,” he advises. I look at all of those businesses out there that succeeded, and I know there was somebody out there at one point who told them they couldn’t do it.”
It is Beer’s entrepreneurial spirit he didn’t know he had that has carried him through the uncertain beginnings of the small business.
“We hold ourselves accountable. We discipline ourselves and see what works and what doesn’t. We want to be in charge of our own destiny. We don’t like to be ruled.”
<h2>Experience As a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
Scott Beer of Come Get Your Cookies, LLC is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant.
“We’re actually surprised. We said, ‘Wow, we wish we would have known about this sooner.’ They’ll call us and say, ‘Here is your next step,’ and we didn’t even know we had extra steps! The people at1-800Accountant have been holding our hands throughout all of this. It’s a relief for us,” he raves.
Photo credit: The photograph included in this blog post was provided by Come Get Your Cookies, LLC and is used with permission.

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Achieving Startup Success with a Unique Cookie Business

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David Mattei of Cambridge, MA felt there was something lacking in the fast casual restaurant sector. With more of an emphasis being placed on personal wellness now more than ever before, as well as a growing consciousness about where food comes from, people are craving nutritious alternatives to fast food that take the guesswork out of transitioning into a healthier lifestyle. So Mattei decided to fill this void by formally establishing Nourish Foods, LLC in April of 2014. He plans on introducing the concept using a food truck and brick-and-mortar restaurant in the greater Boston area.
“I decided to start this business because I felt there was a real market opportunity for thoughtfully raised food that’s good for the customer and the environment,” he says. “Helping local farmers in New England distribute their meat and produce is a key component of our business model.”
In addition to a growing demand for this type of service, Mattei believes Nourish Foods, LLC will be successful because it simplifies the process of attaining a nutritious meal. The health food industry can appear exclusive to those who don’t have the funds to buy organic produce, or the time to prepare meals. With Nourish Foods, those looking to better their lifestyle can order a meal rich with health benefits as easily as they can a cheeseburger and fries.
“There’s a growing demand and need for this kind of option and already we’re seeing interest from local businesses and institutions. That’s how I’ll define success: Are we selling out? Are we experiencing high traffic and volume throughout the day? Are we serving a wide range of customers? And, most importantly as an indicator, are we generating revenue and hitting our income goals?” Mattei explains.
What Mattei enjoys most about this line of work is knowing that he is helping his community by collaborating with local farms, building a diverse workforce and offering consumers food that is good for them. While the small business owner is aware that the food industry is competitive, he is one of few filling this niche around New England. The demographic for Nourish Foods is all-inclusive, and the business’ website can be located at&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.nourishfoods.com/">www.nourishfoods.com</a>.
“The people who are going to be eating at Nourish Foods care about their health, the environment, and their community. It’s not just millennials or a small segment of the population anymore — it’s become the standard,’’ he elaborates.
<h2>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h2>
“Raising sufficient capital for infrastructure and growth operations has been the biggest challenge so far. Narrowing the scope of the company — doing a couple of things well and doing them better than anyone else is a challenge,” he admits. “I’m constantly asking myself, ‘How can we position Nourish to effectively communicate our message and drive sales and loyalty — some of this comes through trial and error and some comes from having more experienced advisors critique your business model.”
<h2>Tips for Aspiring Small Business Owners</h2>
“Do your homework, speak with as many people as you can, and do your best to get an idea of what the financial reality of the situation will be. Understand how you’re going to get from Point A to Point B before you jump right in. Follow your instincts and ask for help when you need it. Make sure that the reality of your dream is attainable. 1-800Accountant can help you with that,” he chuckles.
<h2>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
David Mattei is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant.
“I like knowing that I have a partner overseeing all of the details that I just can’t keep track of as a small business owner, like the financial and tax issues that my company is dealing with,” he says. “With 1-800Accountant I have complete confidence that I’ll receive the guidance necessary to operate a financially successful business.”
Photo credit: The photograph and logo included in this blog post were provided by Nourish Foods, LLC and are used with permission.

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Giving Back to the Community by Nourishing Your Health

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One look at John Meadows of Columbus, Ohio, and it’s pretty obvious that he’s crazy about fitness. As the sole owner of Mountain Dog Diet, LLC, it’s just a business requirement. Meadows runs www.mountaindogdiet.com out of his home office, coaching his audience with nutritional and fitness information — as well as content by affiliated, relevant businesses — and a members-only section for subscribers. Despite having run a training business for many years without formal establishment, Mountain Dog Diet became an LLC in 2011.
“I’ve been coaching people since maybe 1994 or 1995. I worked in the corporate world for 9 years before fully committing to my business. During that time, I was working two jobs and I was building a clientele base. I would go to work during the day and have to work with my clients at night. I ended up having twin boys and was spread really thin. So after long consideration, I stopped working in the corporate world and decided to do this on my own. I maintained my good relationships in the banking industry in case I ever needed to go back, but I just didn’t want to work those 70-hour weeks anymore with newborn twins,” he explains.
Meadows developed a knack for fitness and bodybuilding early in life, getting into it at 12 years old. At 13, he competed in his first bodybuilding contest – which is, as he puts it, “insane.” By high school, he was involved in a lot of sports and enjoyed working alongside other athletes. When he approached 40 and found himself overwhelmed juggling work, parenthood, and his hobby, he knew he had to make some life-changing decisions.
“When you love something and put a lot of time into something, you eventually become very good at it. I already loved what I was doing every day. I just had to give up those steady corporate paychecks. I enjoyed my work in the corporate world, but I didn’t feel like it was what I was born to do,” Meadows says.
There is no shortage of personalities in the fitness industry who use their seemingly aspirational lifestyles as a means of selling their brands. Sometimes, crazy promises are just part of the sales pitch. So how does Meadows set himself apart from the competitors saturating his industry?
“I never got into that kind of marketing. I’ve just been true to myself. I’ve been honest with people. I walked the walk. I worked really hard for many years, and people saw the example I was setting. I provided free information for magazines and websites so I could educate readers on the industry. I wasn’t just some guy in a lab coat, and I think people identified with me because I’m a hardworking guy who didn’t have everything handed to him,” he says of his secrets to success.
Meadows’ favorite aspect of small business ownership is the fun that he has staying innovative and evolving his brand. He is currently working with an affiliated company on a fresh, unprocessed protein bar. His goal was to create a protein bar with a good taste and texture. It is this diversified approach – he also has a smart phone app and clothing line — that keeps him ahead of the curve.
“I have a pretty solid educational background in addition to having competed successfully in bodybuilding competitions. A lot of people are one-sided — they’re either too scientific or not educated enough. One thing I won’t do is put on a fake persona to sell average products,” he says.
The main demographic of John Meadows’ client base is 60% male and 40% female between the ages of 20 and 55. Meadows promotes himself, Mountain Dog Diet, and his other ventures online. He has an website –&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.mountaindogdiet.com/">www.mountaindogdiet.com</a>&nbsp;– as well as pages on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/mountaindogdiet/?fref=ts">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://websta.me/n/mountaindog1">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/mountaindog1">Twitter</a>, and a&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/mountaindog1">YouTube</a>&nbsp;channel.
<h2>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h2>
Being your own boss doesn’t mean all play and no work. Meadows emphasizes time management as one of the biggest challenges small business owners face in the startup stages of success. And as many learn in the preliminary stages, working hard doesn’t always mean working smart.
“Even though you’re having fun building your business, you’re still working. People say, ‘Oh, you probably don’t feel like you’re working!’ Well, guess what? I do feel like I’m working!” he laughs.
It is important to maintain a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle despite the demands of entrepreneurism. And that means carving out time for family.
“When you start a business, you really need to be passionate. But you can’t just stay that way all the time and never pay attention to your family or anything else. For people with families, you’ve got to be careful not to spend all of your time working. Don’t let it swallow up your whole life.”
One of the fears plaguing entrepreneurs the most is the risk associated with leaving the paycheck-to-paycheck life behind in favor of the unpredictability that comes with small business ownership. Still, don’t let that deter you from taking the plunge.
“When you’re an entrepreneur, you have the risk of making no money, but you also have the potential to double what you would make at a conventional job. There is an upside to every risk. You get what you put in.”
<h2>Tips for Entrepreneurs</h2>
For aspiring entrepreneurs looking to branch out into the world of small business ownership, Meadows offers some invaluable advice.
“Have a backup plan, but don’t be afraid of failure. Be extremely thorough in your planning. Create a brand identity. What do you really stand for? When people think about your company, what should come to mind? Identify your demographic. Then build your business plan around those findings,” he advises.
This narrowing of focus is essential for success.
“I think a lot of people don’t really know what they want to do. Put a lot of forward thinking into every aspect. Then go for it. If you learn lessons along the way, then that is just a part of business. You can’t just quit when something doesn’t go well. I made a lot of business mistakes even a year ago, but I learned from them and I’m not making them now.”
Meadows also suggests finding a mentor with a similar desired career trajectory.
<h2>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
John Meadows of Mountain Dog Diet, LLC has been a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant right out of the gate. Because he finds business taxes one of his biggest pain points, he has benefited tremendously from the service.
“My accountant has been excellent. We do check-ins every quarter to see how the business is doing financially. He keeps me posted with market changes or things I should do with my retirement plan and other investments. He keeps me in the know with things that the bank doesn’t even tell me,” he enthuses.
Photo credit: The photographs included in this blog post were provided by John Meadows of Mountain Dog Diet, LLC and are used with permission.

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A Story of Success for the Mountain Dog in You

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Patricia Florez of Miami, Florida is not new to small business ownership. Having tried her hand in real estate, designing, as well as soap and accessory businesses, Florez picked a winner with M3LT Fitness, LLC. Formally established in January of 2015, Florez works as the sole mastermind of M3LT Fitness out of her home office. Through M3LT Fitness, the entrepreneur provides for her clients the tools they need to achieve success with their health goals.
“I work with men and women — mostly women — to provide a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and fitness. Including an exercise program in their lives will encourage them to succeed and achieve their goals faster. They can take over the world if they want to! If they exercise and eat healthy, then they can think clearly, their ideas will be better, and life will be easier to manage,” Florez says.
After discovering the benefits of doing yoga regularly, Florez became a certified instructor. She decided to combine her background in art and design with her love for healthy living to come up with her own fitness apparel line, in addition to personal training services.
“I started noticing how empty people were and noticed people having conversations that weren’t very deep. I discovered that just exercising and eating right is a necessary and essential component of existing,” she explains.
She also took an interest in the senior citizens in her life who could benefit from what she was able to provide for them.
“I see the older people around me who are wonderful and talented but have never exercised and their bodies ache. We all love our elders, but when they get sick, they wonder why. Well, maybe if they held themselves in the plank position for 10 seconds a day, they’d feel so much better,” she says.
Florez believes her artistic background will have a lot to do with her success. She has combined comfort with style through the fitness gear she has designed, using her personal style as inspiration for her products. Florez ultimately wants to create fitness gear you could wear heels with if you’re in a hurry.
“I like to be well-dressed, but if I want to throw myself on the floor and stretch my leg out, I’d like to be able to do that,” she enthuses.
For aspiring entrepreneurs looking to achieve startup success themselves, Florez offers these words of advice.
“I would say to exercise and breathe! Take one step at a time, little by little. You’ll get there. Focus on your accomplishments and what you weren’t able to do before,” Florez encourages.
M3LT Fitness has a&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/We-are-M3lt/1022232441135691?sk=timeline&ref=page_internal">Facebook</a>&nbsp;page.
<h3>Competition in the Wellness Industry</h3>
Miami is known for its beautiful beaches and equally good-looking residents, so competition runs rampant amongst small businesses offering personal training services and apparel. Still, Florez’s friendly approach, enthusiasm, and aesthetically-pleasing apparel will set her apart from the pack.
“There is a lot of competition in Miami. There are a lot of shops that sell clothes. I think it’s in my background to be able to achieve something like that, so it is quite possible for me to compete with bigger brands. The people online can also be competitive, but I have a cool brand,” she confides.
<h3>Advantages of Small Business Ownership</h3>
“I like to be independent. I think I can control these things – my business, my life. For me, just the freedom to do anything I want to do and the freedom to travel and go wherever I want is the advantage,” she admits. “I’ve always wanted a business, so I’ve always had a business. They change because there’s always something missing, but all of those businesses that don’t exist right now have led me to this point.”
<h3>Experience As a 1-800Accountant Client</h3>
Patricia Florez of M3LT Fitness, LLC is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant. She is receiving assistance in the form of a business plan.
Photo credit: The photographs of Patricia Florez included in this blog post were provided by M3LT Fitness, LLC and are used with permission.

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Achieving Startup Success By Promoting Physical Health

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Thanks to his own personal experience, William Wall, a gaming analyst based in Wetumpka, Alabama fell into the supplement and wellness industry. While attempting to cure his asthma, Wall learned that he had some vitamin deficiencies. Once he sought out simple solutions to strengthen his health, he lost weight. In August of 2014, Wall formally established Trim Body, LLC, a small business he runs out of his home office. Trim Body is a web-based small business.
“I lived a very sedentary lifestyle as an analyst, and gained weight as a result of that. I started taking supplements and walking, and I lost weight without even trying. I learned that I have a skill to write, and I started writing about it and developed a business model.”
Before formally setting up his entity, Wall was already at work on an e-book,&nbsp;Trim Body Today, and developing his ideas.
“I wasn’t trying to sell supplements at first, but I thought I’d make an easy, economic way to provide supplements to those who want or need them. I just figured if I made it affordable, online, and easy, people would want to choose my brand. I’m going to be selling specific vitamins based on my research,” he explains.
Wall was inspired to achieve startup success once he realized the value of the information he had learned firsthand. He’s more interested in the personal success of his clients before the success of the small business.
In addition to his sincere interest in the personal success of his clients, Wall believes his lighthearted approach to handling his small business will be what sets him apart from others in the supplement and wellness industry. Instead of dizzying his audience with health and nutrition lingo, he tries to keep things as simple as possible so the information he provides will be as understandable and straightforward as possible.
“If I have a successful business, that’s fine,” he says, “but it would be very gratifying to change the lives of a few people.”
Wall believes his simplified approach to educating his audience will be what brings him success. It is easy for people to get bogged down with too much information, and become overwhelmed by all of the options that are available. Wall is providing his customers with an easy go-to in the form of an online store and e-book.
“I try to make things very clear to the average person. I don’t write in hard terms. You don’t have to spend a lot of money or time. I’m giving people simple tools so they can take control of their lives,” he explains.
What the entrepreneur enjoys most about his work is the health improvements he has seen in his own life once he put together a wellness plan for himself. Once he incorporated healthy habits into his own routine, he stopped having acid reflux and his memory improved, in addition to weight loss. He is content with his life regardless of the business, but thinks he has what it takes to help people. Because people tend to question the sincerity of complicated research that is spouted off at them, Wall hopes to simplify that research for his audience to make it more approachable.
Wall is not concerned about competitors in his industry.
“Most business plans are overly ambitious. I look at it as I’m going to reach one person who will reach one person. If I change the world I’ll be surprised, but that’s good too!”
Wall hopes to target young people who think they’re invincible, and seem to be addicted to sitting. He recommends doing little things like taking 10-minute walks 3 times a day and getting a little sunshine. Still, he thinks people who are closer to his age might be more interested because he’s more relatable to them.
“I’m a fair-profit organization, not necessarily a for-profit,” he says. “My target market is people who sit all the time and don’t go out in the sun.”
The entrepreneur has been educating himself on marketing techniques by taking classes online. He is working on building an online presence. He thinks social media will be the best way to connect with his clients, and might even advertise on television in the future.
“I’m going to try to create touch-points with customers any way I can,” Wall explains.
<h2>Overcoming Challenges and Tips for Entrepreneurs</h2>
Many small business owners would agree that the hardest part of achieving start up success is creating something out of nothing. Wall was not exempt from this, and initially questioned the probability of building something from an idea, as economically as he could.
“Is it worth pursuing?” he asked himself. “Is it worth investing time, energy, and resources into this project?”
For entrepreneurs planning to startup a small business, Wall offers the following advice.
“Don’t ever give up on your dreams of building a small business. You can have failures along the way and feel like you want to quit, but an entrepreneur is who you are, not what you do.”
<h2>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
Wall has been satisfied with the services 1-800Accountant has provided for him.
“Accounting is not my strong point. I even have an associate’s degree in accounting just to help me. It is a big business weakness. 1-800Accountant is helping me with my bookkeeping, keeping track of my expenses, my business taxes, and my personal return.”
Photo credit: The photographs included in this blog post were provided by Trim Body, LLC and are used with permission.

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Building a Trim Body through Sunlight and Supplements

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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.
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.
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>.
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.’”
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.
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.”
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.

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

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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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A great thing about working with so many small businesses is watching as they flourish and grow. The unique paths they’ve taken to succeed are insightful, and we’re proud to share some of those inspiring stories with you.

Client Spotlight 

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Huong T
“Excellent first call, very informative. This is my third business … this time  I will ease the burden and use 1-800Accountant [for accounting]”

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