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Some entrepreneurs pursue small business ownership because they’d prefer not to interact with people, while others are so people-oriented that they jump at the chance to be more hands-on. Rayleen Pirnie falls into the latter category.After 20 years of helping various industries reduce payments risk, she identified that there were limited educational resources specifically for businesses in her region. Payment processing is a critical part of a business’ infrastructure, so in April 2015, she formally established RP Payments Risk Consulting Services, LLC to focus on education and services to help businesses strengthen their risk management posture.Pirnie is the sole employee of her company, but she does outsource certain tasks to a network of consultants she works with because — although she’s based out of her home office in Camden, Missouri — her company’s reach is nationwide.“In every business, there are payments to consider — whether you’re paying your employees, yourself, your vendors, or taking payments. What I do is offer education and assessments of their processes related to those payments. I help them evaluate risks and make sure they’re following the rules,” Pirnie explains.Pirnie credits the experience she acquired over the last few decades as the not-so-secret to her success. Her wealth of knowledge makes her trustworthy to her clients — so trustworthy, in fact, that she relies heavily on word-of-mouth referrals to rein in new clients. Her passion for her work is obvious to them.“I just want to help businesses and consumers protect themselves so they don’t fall victim to fraud or risk losing money. I get a lot of feedback from clients and consumer groups saying, ‘I didn’t fall for this scam,’ or ‘We caught this before it happened.’ Those affirmations fuel me.”Although Pirnie has some stiff competition in the form of large firms, she more than makes up for what she lacks in size when it comes to giving her clients the more nuanced attention that larger firms can’t offer.“My clients like my one-on-one approach. I’m not a big business. I get very familiar with my clients and their operations. I’ve also been told that I’m an energetic and engaging speaker, and that helps to draw potential clients in and empower them to move forward. I provide continued support beyond the initial engagement,” she says.<h2>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h2>Just because Pirnie didn’t have to learn the ropes of her industry before formally establishing her entity doesn’t mean she didn’t face her fair share of hurdles to overcome.“I didn’t know what I needed to do to become a formal entity, like what type of entity I was supposed to have and what the state rules are,” she admits.Despite her loyal client base, Pirnie does sometimes feel like a small fish in a big pond.“When an organization is evaluating me to see if they should hire me or not, I know they’re comparing me to corporations. Sometimes I wonder if I lose business based on some people’s comfort with a large business over a small business.”<h2>Tips for Aspiring Small Business Owners</h2>For those looking to establish an entity, Pirnie insists passion should be at the root of it, as entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart.“Passion will get you through a lot. It will make the very long days and the odd hours worth it. Find people who can support you, like a family structure or just people externally that you can outsource tasks to. There is a lot involved in owning your own business and a lot of penalties you could face if you don’t do things right,” she elaborates.Hard work has its perks, though. Having a schedule of her own making leaves her with additional time to pursue her hobbies and spend priceless time with her family.“That advantage is one of the reasons I stepped out of the corporate world. If I want to, I can take my grandson to the zoo on a Tuesday.”<h2>Experience as a Client of 1-800Accountant</h2>Rayleen Pirnie of RP Payments Risk Consulting Services, LLC is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant.“I travel a lot — at least 50% of my business year — so I can’t worry about different state filings. And it’s not simply the state filings that my accountant takes care of, but it’s knowing my numerous questions are a simple call or e-mail away from resolution and that my taxes are done on time and accurately,” she enthuses.Photo credit: The photograph included in this blog post was provided by RP Payments Risk Consulting Services, LLC and is used with permission.

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Startup Story: Pioneering the Payment Industry

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Iris Broyles has always had a passion for technology. In 2008, she recognized that starting a business offering access to tremendously deep lists of leads for marketing purposes was a perfect career move to make.Broyles, who is a happy client of 1-800Accountant, operates Central Tex Data, LLC directly out of her comfortable home office in Glen Rose, Texas. While she is the only owner and member of the web-based small business, she enjoys the self-employment lifestyle.Broyles offers up a basic explanation of how the startup company functions.“We basically offer custom mailing lists for direct-mail marketing purposes,” she says. “We have 30 different databases from which we can draw customer information. A customer can go to our website, look at pricing options, then actually go and run free reports to see how many people are available under the category of customers they are targeting for the purpose of selling their products or services. We can also run these reports based on the parameters a customer gives us.”The customer information that Broyles can provide includes names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. All of this information helps her customers specifically tailor their marketing efforts toward the leads who would be most effective to contact.Some of the lists available have over 200,000 names. They run the gamut and include lists of everyone from those who own certain cars to new homebuyers to new small business owners, or even lists of doctors and pilots.She says it was a close confidante who laid the stepping stone for her to start the small business in the first place.“I have a very good friend who has been in the data industry for over 30 years,” she confides. “She was looking for someone she could trust to work with her because she had a proprietary database. So she started giving me business, and that’s how I got started at doing this.”The former teacher has a Ph.D. in education and taught math, science, and technology for a number of years. She taught Kindergarten students all the way up to college students enrolled in master’s programs, but she says it was working with the middle schoolers that she enjoyed most about her career in education.As for her current role as a small business owner, it’s the individuals she gets to do business with that she says make her smile.“I have a group of really great clients who are loyal and very nice to work with,” she says. “I have a good relationship with them.”Any entrepreneur wanting to make a small business successful should follow Broyles’ approach to doing so.“The quality of our data is a huge selling point,” she says. “We also strive very hard to have excellent customer service so that we are responsive to the needs of our clients. This helps us stay ahead of our competitors. Plus, we’re a very honest company, which is not always the case among other companies out there.”<h2>How to Handle Small Business Competition</h2>According to Broyles, there are lots of fellow entrepreneurs who offer access to similar lists of potential consumers and businesses.“It’s a highly competitive industry,” she admits. “So we’re always working to be one step ahead of everyone else. We offer a service known as IP targeting, which allows our clients to specifically customize the lists they are looking for based on a customer’s computer IP address.”Central Tex Data has a website at www.centraltex-data.com. The company also has pages on social networking sites like <a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/CentralTexData">Facebook</a>, <a class="link" href="http://twitter.com/centraltexdata">Twitter</a>, <a class="link" href="https://plus.google.com/107680006797669857236/videos">Google+</a>, <a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/central-tex-data">LinkedIn</a>, and <a class="link" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/centraltexdata">YouTube</a>.All small business owners endure some challenges, particularly during the startup phase of their companies. Broyles has been no exception to many of these common hurdles that often get in the way. She admits living in a rural part of Texas has made it difficult to get high-speed Internet so she can do everything she needs to do in order to successfully run the web-based enterprise. Additionally, finding enough time to operate it has been a little tough.<h2>Helpful Hints for Entrepreneurs</h2>Thanks to her own experience running Central Tex Data, Broyles offers up some handy tips for entrepreneurs who are seriously considering starting a business.“Do a ton of research to make sure there’s a place for your niche. Either bring something fresh and unique to the table or be the best at what you do. A business should involve something you enjoy and love doing. I think customer service and caring about your customers as individuals goes a long way to being successful.”She admits self-employment can entail both pros and cons.“The advantage is that I make my own hours,” she says. “I can work while I’m on a cruise ship since I can take my laptop with me. The disadvantage is that there’s no one to take your place, so you do have to at least check in on things even when you’re on vacation.”<h2>1-800Accountant Client Testimonial</h2>Broyles says she’s a very satisfied client of 1-800Accountant – and that the national accounting firm has made the process of starting a business so much simpler from a tax and accounting standpoint.“1-800Accountant has made it much easier for me to ensure all of my tax information I need to provide isn’t piling up until the end of the year. It really keeps me organized and on top of things. You guys have definitely saved me money by advising me on the tax structure for my LLC. Everyone has been so nice and helpful, and the webinars have lots of beneficial information.”Photo credit: The photographs included in this blog post were provided by Central Tex Data, LLC and are used with permission.

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Teacher-Turned-Entrepreneur Finds Startup Success in Technology

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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.”
<h2>Competing in the Small Business Landscape</h2>
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>.
<h2>Challenges to Startup Success</h2>
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.”
<h2>Tips for Entrepreneurs</h2>
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.”
<h2>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
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.”&nbsp; Photo credit: The photographs included in this blog post were provided by PIR Custom Military Figures, Gifts, &amp; Awards, LLC and are used with permission.

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Army Vet Finds Startup Success Selling Mini Heroes

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Barney Heath wanted a 1971 Ford Bronco. But he didn’t have the cash lying around to afford one. So he turned a hobby into a small business making a unique, portable loudspeaker. He hasn’t purchased the Bronco yet, but he’s well on his way.Heath and his wife, Patty, are involved in their own startup company called BarnBlaster, LLC. The home-based business, headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was formally launched in early 2014. Its main focus is selling an electronic item, fittingly dubbed a BarnBlaster.“It’s a portable loudspeaker that runs on rechargeable batteries and connects to practically any device that produces sound,” Heath explains.“It’s great for tailgating at sporting events, beach parties, camping, or wherever you want to be heard or listen to music.”The BarnBlaster weighs 34 pounds and hooks up to smartphones, tablets, iPods, and a wide variety of other electronics via Bluetooth or with a hard wire. It is assembled in a water-resistant case that is perfect for outdoor listening. It’s made with a 36-volt system, and the speaker can last over 30 hours on a single charge. It essentially has the same look as a boombox.Not only was it Heath’s desire to get the classic Ford car, but also it was a bit of an unexpected proposition that led him to try his hand at startup success.“A friend of mine built something similar to it, but he built it with a wooden box around it,” he says. “I told him I wanted to build one that would be lighter and more portable. So I built one, and the next thing I knew, people were asking me to build one for them.”To create the devices, Heath orders all the parts online and puts them together in his own garage. He says it takes about 14 hours to assemble one BarnBlaster. He can customize the outside case with a particular team’s colors, such as the orange and blue of the Florida Gators, the garnet and gold of the Florida State Seminoles, or the aqua and orange of the Miami Dolphins. In fact, Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline is one of Heath’s customers.According to Heath, the way he designs his product has been the key ingredient to helping him discover startup success.“It’s all about the sound quality of the box,” he says. “It really sells itself just by looking at it and seeing what it can do. As soon as people hear about it, they want one.”In Heath’s words, the most rewarding part of operating such a small business is having the ability to give others a portable outlet to enjoy their favorite songs.“I’ve always loved music,” he says.”Being able to build a device that people can play their favorite tunes on is fun.”In addition to running BarnBlaster, LLC, Heath works as a full-time yacht captain for a company that takes boats to the Bahamas and throughout the Caribbean.<h2>Accounting for Competition in the Small Business World</h2>Entrepreneurs like Heath must be accounting for competition at all times to separate their ventures from the rest of the pack. He says he is not aware of any speaker devices out there that are similar enough to the BarnBlaster.“There are some similar devices and companies that make portable loudspeakers in vintage suitcases, but mine is more durable than those. You can kick sand on it or throw mud on it, and it will be just fine. I like to keep that outdoors-y feel to it.”To make others aware of his product, Heath maintains <a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/barnblaster">company Facebook page</a>. Plus, he includes a dozen business cards in the box of each Barnblaster he sells. Word-of-mouth referrals have been his biggest source of business, he says.<h2>Small Business Challenges</h2>Small business owners in all fields encounter unexpected hurdles and challenges in managing their companies. Heath admits it’s the hands on the clock that have been his biggest bugaboo.“The time commitment can be challenging,” he says. “When I do get called for my day job, finding time to work on the boxes is tough. But most people don’t mind waiting a few weeks to get them after placing their orders.”Tips For Aspiring Small Business OwnersThanks to his own experience running a business, Heath provides some insight into what it takes to find startup success in any line of work.“If you’re going to start a business, find something you really love to do and are passionate about. In some cases, it might just happen and kind of fall in your lap. I didn’t set out to make this business, but because of the demand for these devices, it just kind of happened.”<h2>1-800Accountant Client Testimonial</h2>The Heaths are clients of 1-800Accountant. Barney Heath says he and his wife have been very satisfied with the accounting support they have gotten from the national accounting and business consulting firm.“We are just trying to figure out all the tax rules involved in running a business,” he says. “I really didn’t think about all of this beforehand. It’s good to do it the right way, and I am very glad we are working with the experts at 1-800Accountant.”Photo credit: The photograph of the BarnBlaster included in this blog post was provided by BarnBlaster, LLC and is used with permission.

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BarnBlaster Pumps Up the Volume Toward Startup Success

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Sports analytics has become a big business among sports outlets like ESPN. There are also numerous online services out there tracking every statistic imaginable across all major sports.
At just 22 years old, entrepreneur Ricky Mouser had no hesitation to jump into the sports analytics field. The recent college graduate launched Last Man Up, LLC in May 2015. He does all of his analysis right out of his house in Dallas, Texas.
For Luis Rodriguez of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, a small business customizing t-shirts made sense. A student of photography and graphic arts, Rodriguez’s experience creating and designing led to him customizing t-shirts as a hobby, and from that hobby came T-Shirts and Things, LLC.
“If you can think it, we can design it for you,” Rodriguez insists.
Although Rodriguez established his small business twenty years ago, he and his business partner, Kristin Giuliano, have been operating out of their home office in New Mexico for ten. Unlike other small businesses that specialize in printing custom t-shirt designs, or sell t-shirts with clever sayings or graphics already on them, what sets T-Shirts and Things apart is the collaborative process.
“We give people exactly what they want and are grateful for our customers,” he says. Because not every customer with an idea has a background in graphic arts, Rodriguez uses his education and experience to execute his customers’ ideas.
Rodriguez admits there is a lot of competition in the t-shirt industry, but his willingness to collaborate with his customers and make suggestions and improvements for no extra cost is what sets him apart from his competitors.
“We like talking to people. We take the time to walk them through what they want from start to finish. We give them the freedom to express themselves and their ideas.”
Word-of-mouth referrals have been Rodriguez and Giuliano’s most priceless marketing tool, although they do have a website at&nbsp;<a class=link href="http://www.tshirtsandthings.com/">www.tshirtsandthings.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/T-Shirts-And-Things/207931122559543?fref=ts">a Facebook page</a>.
Since T-Shirts and Things specializes in customization, there really is no target demographic for the small business.
“Everybody at some point or another will want something customized,” he says.
Although the small business’ demographic is unlimited, the passion for each project is not only consistent, but necessary.
“Passion will determine if you succeed or fail. People see the difference between someone who is passionate and someone who is in it for the one-time deal.”
<h3>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h3>
Some of the challenges Rodriguez faced when getting T-Shirts and Things off the ground were “getting our name out there, letting people know what we did and how we accomplish it. The way we overcame that is being personable with people. We listen to what customers are looking for. Letting people know who we are and allowing them to understand our vision. Over the years it has grown, and we are happy to help people. We’re in it to build relationships, we enjoy working with people and want to make sure they are happy. We enjoy the one-on-one meetings.”
Not knowing what to expect on a daily basis is one of Rodriguez’s main roadblocks as a small business owner.
“Every day is a challenge. Every day you have to go out there and look for business. It’s not easy to be motivated every single day, but if you believe in what you’re doing, you can go out there and achieve great things.”
Despite officially being considered his own employer, Rodriguez says his customers are his real bosses.
<h3>Tips for Startup Success</h3>
For entrepreneurs who are planning to start a small business of their own, Rodriguez offers up some advice.
“Be persistent. Believe in yourself and what you do, and have a passion,” he advises. “We have a passion for what we do, and if we didn’t have a passion for what we do we wouldn’t be doing it”
<h3>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h3>
Of the services he has received from 1-800Accountant, Rodriguez maintains a positive stance.
“The tax advice is the hardest part in any specific business, understanding the laws and what to do and what not to do,” he says. “You guys have been good to us.”
Photo credit:&nbsp;<a class=link href="http://www.tshirtsandthings.com/">www.tshirtsandthings.com</a>

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Customizing T-Shirts through Collaboration

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Most people would find Jeremy Oneail’s job downright nightmarish, but for Oneail of Goffstown, New Hampshire, it’s a dream come true. In April 2015, Oneail FX Studios, LLC was formally established. The entrepreneur’s business requires him to make realistic masks that are a big hit in the Halloween industry.
“I make monsters! In a nutshell, that’s what I do. I make monster masks and other silicone masks. In addition to being popular during the Halloween season, they’re also used in theatrical and stage productions. Practical jokers seem to like them, too!” he says of Oneail FX Studios.
Like many entrepreneurs, Oneail sought out small business ownership because of the freedom it allows him to not only follow his passion, but make his own rules. He does not have any business partners or employees, and he makes his creations out of his home studio — making time for family more available than it ordinarily would be with a conventional job.
“Real work is yucky! This business is something I just kind of fell into. I’ve always been artistic. I started to make some masks for my friends, and I went and got an art degree. I also started doing movie makeup, which is a lot of fun. When I made silicone masks for some customers, things just really took off,” he explains of the business’ origins.
It is this organic development that he thinks will bring Oneail FX Studios continued success.
“I think that the product itself is what has made me successful so far, but I’m always innovating and moving forward. I try to figure out what people are looking for, and then balance between what other people want and what I want. Usually, these ‘wants’ coincide with my artistic temperament,” he jokes.
According to Oneail, the most enjoyable aspect of small business ownership is that he never feels like he’s working, and the gratifying feeling he gets when a customer purchases a piece of art.
“Whenever I sell a mask, it’s validation from my customer that my piece of art is worth their hard-earned money,” he says.
The customer base of Oneail FX Studio is mostly men in all age ranges. The small business has a website located at&nbsp;<a class=link href="http://www.oneailfxstudios.com/">www.oneailfxstudios.com</a>, as well as pages on&nbsp;<a class-link href="https://www.facebook.com/OneailFx?ref=ts&fref=ts">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://twitter.com/oneailfx">Twitter</a>. Oneail also interacts with customers face-to-face at conventions and trade shows. His creations even made an appearance at San Diego Comic Con in 2015.
<h3>Competition in the Halloween Industry</h3>
Oneail offers a glance of what competition within the Halloween industry looks like.
“When you’re talking about Halloween itself, it’s a multibillion-dollar industry. There actually aren’t too many businesses making masks like this, and what’s great is that we’re all friends. We see each other at trade shows and conventions, and we pass customers to each other if we think the other business is a better fit. There are always going to be people who butt heads, but it makes us look better when we don’t,” he confides.
<h3>Overcoming Challenges as Small Business Owner</h3>
Being that Oneail FX Studios is a newly-established small business, Oneail – a lifelong artist – is still getting adjusted to the title of “business owner.”
“Even though the business just kind of formed finally after laying the foundation for it, I’m still an artist. The biggest challenge is reminding myself, ‘Oh yeah, I have a business!’ It’s not just a cool hobby that I have anymore,” he admits.
<h3>Advice for Entrepreneurs</h3>
Oneail reminds aspiring entrepreneurs that startup success can be achieved in multiple ways.
“You can make a huge leap and dive right in, or you can do what I did and just let it form organically,” he says.
He encourages those who want to turn their craft into a profession to seek what he calls the “terrifying freedom” of small business ownership, and to evaluate strengths and weaknesses and outsource accordingly.
<h3>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h3>
Jeremy Oneail of Oneail FX Studios is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant.
“I’ve received help with modifying my business to make sure I’m going in the right direction. It’s a lot less scary knowing I can turn to you guys with questions,” he says.
Photo credit: The photograph of the masks included in this blog post was provided by Oneail FX Studios, LLC and is used with permission.

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Every Day is Halloween for This Small Business Owner

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For the folks in Augusta, Georgia seeking the ultimate man cave, they needn’t look any further than the Men’s Refinery BarberSpa. In addition to the barbershop, the space also includes another small business. In December of 2014, Brad Pond established The Inside Drive, LLC. The Inside Drive offers a realistic golf simulator within the confines of the barbershop, making it a one-stop shop for those looking to get a more polished image and improve their golfing statistics. The game offers 50 different courses, and you can use your own golf club as a controller.
“Golf is my passion, and I wanted to make it more accessible to people,” Pond says of the partnership. “We’re creating a culture within our team that focuses on high tech, high touch, and just phenomenal customer service.”
What Pond enjoys most about small business ownership is the journey that comes with seeking startup success.
“I love the spirit of entrepreneurship — having to fix problems along the road and address new challenges daily. Although I feel I wrote a great business plan, you don’t find out what works until you put the pedal to the metal and just go for it,” he admits.
The Inside Drive is one of the only small businesses providing golf simulators in Pond’s region, so he is confident he has an edge over his competitors.
“We have the first mover principle in our area of the southeast. The model we have created would be seen more in the northeast and in Canada. There is not much competition for this style of golf simulator, especially the pairing with the men’s barber shop,” Pond says.
The Inside Drive shares a common goal and demographic with the established Men’s Refinery. This partnership lessens the risk typical of startups to attract clients, but also allows both to explore new demographics by playing off each other’s strengths. The Inside Drive has a website, as well as pages on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.instagram.com/insidedrivegolf">Instagram</a>, and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/insidedrivegolf">Twitter</a>.
<h2>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h2>
Every small business owner will face challenges at some point, especially in the startup stage. In a partnership, those challenges can be doubled. Pond has preparedness on his side, and didn’t go full-speed ahead with the business until the time was right and the goals for both The Inside Drive and Men’s Refinery were clearly defined, and in alignment with each other.
“The challenges have been refining the business model to something where the funding made sense. I partnered up with Men’s Refinery a year ago, and we wrote a business plan to fit our model. So the biggest challenge has been getting the economy and the bank on the same sheet of music so we can go full throttle with the business,” Pond explains.
Despite the inevitable challenges, Pond insists that startup success makes jumping over the necessary hurdles worth it.
“Being an entrepreneur is a very rewarding task, so it’s a matter of understanding your own risk profile, and it’s finding people who support you and teaming up with others,” he advises.
<h2>Testimonial for 1-800Accountant</h2>
Brad Pond is a very satisfied client of 1-800Accountant and recommends the nationwide accounting firm for other small business owners looking to achieve startup success.
“I’ve been overwhelmed. I’ve been really blown away! I’ve been really nervous about the bookkeeping setup, the tax implications, and one afternoon call really addressed all of the things I was concerned about in a way that made sense. It allowed me to focus on the startup of the business and not worry so much about the accounting side. Get out there and do what you do really well. Bookkeeping will not make you money, so turn those things over to 1-800accountant,” he says. “I don’t need to be an expert on the accounting side of things – they’ve got my back!”
Photo credit: The photograph of the indoor golf simulator is used courtesy of&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.insidedrivegolf.com/">www.insidedrivegolf.com</a>. The logo was provided by The Inside Drive, LLC and is used with permission.

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Indoor Golf Simulator Makes for the Ultimate Man Cave

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When Kyle Bergman first heard about a new fashion statement, sweatpants overalls, he wanted a pair for himself. Unfortunately, the only ones he could find for sale were for women. Undaunted, Kyle took his experience from the merchandise retail industry and created a business that sells sweatpants overalls to both men and women. He called them Swoveralls.
Kyle’s business,&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://swoveralls.com/">The Great Fantastic LLC</a>, launched in March 2017. He sold his first pair of Swoveralls in September of 2017. Over the following year, he pulled in nearly $250,000 in gross sales. According to Kyle, if you google “sweatpants overalls” online, Swoveralls are the only ones you’ll find.
Prior to starting The Great Fantastic, Kyle worked in the buying office at Bloomingdale’s. He then went on to work for Birchbox, an online subscription service that sends subscribers boxes of makeup samples and other beauty-related products.
But while the industry experience was invaluable, Kyle prefers to be his own boss. He loves coming up with ideas and then executing them to be sustainable and profitable. “I’m one of those people who would rather work 100 hours per week for myself versus 40 hours a week at a desk for someone else,” says Kyle. “I’m a producer. I like talking the talk and, shortly thereafter, walking the walk.”
Not surprisingly, Kyle receives frequent requests to make specific designs or add college logos to his Swoveralls products. New parents are asking for Swoveralls in baby or kid sizes, too. Says Kyle, “The biggest challenge is always staying focused and not spreading myself too thin with cool opportunities that arise – things that look shiny and seem like they might be amazing to do, but realistically they could stretch me from a cash flow standpoint.”
Kyle considers himself a classic entrepreneur who would rather paint with his hands than produce a bar graph or analytical spreadsheet. With that in mind, Kyle had another great idea: he hired 1-800Accountant to help with accounting and tax issues. “1-800Accountant has been amazing at holding me accountable and reducing the amount of stress I have,” says Kyle.
With so much at stake, Kyle likes that he can talk to an accountant whenever he needs solid advice. “Deni looks at everything and tells me I’m doing great. It’s nice to know I have someone with that expertise, someone who can say you’re all good with this, now you can focus on painting with your hands again.”
In the last twelve months, Kyle has proved that the Swoveralls concept is a good one. Now, he’s looking forward to growing in the existing market. “Sweatpants overalls didn’t exist more than a year ago. I’ve created this subcategory within athleisure and loungewear. I want to put Swoveralls in every household in the world!”

Photo of models wearing sweat overalls called swoveralls

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Kyle Bergman: What Do You Get When You Combine Two Great Ideas?

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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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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.

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“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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