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While working as a personal trainer for a commercial gym, Jason Harrison grew dissatisfied with the minimal progress he saw in his clients due to the rules that were enforced upon him. So in January of 2014, he formally established Present Tense Fitness, LLC so he could remove the limitations placed on him and give his clients the tools they need to reach their maximum potential. Harrison does business out of his home office in Dayton, Ohio, alongside his wife and business partner, Susan.
“I’m a fitness and lifestyle coach. My background is in personal training, and what I noticed in the last few years is that I started having more success with my clients when I started coaching them on things outside of the gym. With Present Tense Fitness, I take a 360 approach to people’s fitness, in which the strength component is only part of it, along with sleep, nutrition, and stress management. I have a roster of coaching clients and a roster of personal training clients, and sometimes they overlap,” he explains of his business model.
It was during his time working in a gym that Harrison discovered that both he and the gym’s personal training clients weren’t maxing out at their full potential.
“You’re not going to change someone’s body in the 2 or 3 hours you see them a week. Their lifestyles have to change when you’re not there the rest of the week. They need to learn how to use the tools they need to manage their own lives. My job is to teach them how to not need me,” he says.
According to Harrison, the keys to his success are authenticity and pragmatism. He strives to work within the confines of his clients’ boundaries and never advocate for anything unless he believes in its effectiveness. The unique set of challenges brought to him by each client means there’s never a dull day. This is what Harrison loves most about small business ownership.
“I am a naturally curious person. I find it endlessly fascinating to work with people from different professions, and I’ve formed some lasting friendships with my clients. I’m a natural introvert, so this gives me an excuse to get to know people. There’s no better feeling than when someone tells me they’ve been dealing with weight issues their entire lives and I’ve helped them overcome that. It’s a rush that I think is awesome,” he enthuses.
The husband-and-wife duo started the business in Maryland, but now that they’re located in Dayton, Ohio, competition is a bit more fierce. Harrison has what he calls a “garage band approach” to building his client base.
“Nationally, there is limitless competition. My hope is that I’ll have my local clients and eventually have a national presence as well,” he says.
Currently, the client base of Present Tense Fitness consists mostly of women in their late 20s to late 40s. Harrison hopes to bring more men on board to puncture that “know-it-all male mentality” when it comes to hitting the gym. The small business has a website –&nbsp;<a class=link href="http://www.presenttensefitness.com/">www.presenttensefitness.com</a>&nbsp;– as well as pages on&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Present-Tense-Fitness/267102676771005?fref=ts">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://twitter.com/presenttensefit">Twitter</a>.
<h3>Challenges in the Startup Phase</h3>
The biggest challenge Harrison faced in the startup stages of small business ownership was deciphering what kind of niche he wanted to carve out for himself. He knew fitness and lifestyle was his objective, but had to find out through trial and error how he was going to communicate his message and materialize his vision.
“At first, I thought I would start a blog, but the Internet is oversaturated with blogs. I had to figure out what my public persona would be, and live that with confidence. Early on, my wife and I decided to just be ourselves publicly. You aren’t going to win everyone over, but you want to be who you are authentically and build around that. It’s a scary thing because no one knows who you are,” he admits.
<h3>Tips for Personal Trainers</h3>
For those looking to achieve success in the field of lifestyle coaching and personal training, Harrison offers the following advice.
“Look outside of just fitness for inspiration. Take your inspiration from a lot of different places. If you look at fitness blogs and profiles, you see a lot of uniformity. There are a million people out there calling themselves fitness experts. It seems like all it takes to be a fitness expert is to take a sexy Instagram shot. If you want to be different, you have to think differently. All that hocus pocus is just disingenuous,” he explains.
<h3>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h3>
Jason and Susan Harrison of Present Tense Fitness, LLC are satisfied clients of 1-800Accountant. They’re receiving assistance in the form of tax preparation.
“We’ve been really happy. In fact, we should do a better job of taking advantage of the services,” he says.
Photo credit: The photograph included in this blog post was provided by Present Tense Fitness, LLC via&nbsp;<a class=link href="http://chelsearochelle.com/">chelsearochelle.com</a>&nbsp;and is used with permission. The logo was provided by Present Tense Fitness, LLC and is also used with permission.

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Startup Story: Redefining Your Lifestyle in the Present Tense

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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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Darion Wint recently made up his mind that he did not want to make someone else’s dreams come true for the rest of his life. So he decided to take the plunge into small business ownership, while still maintaining his day job as the manager of a rental car lot.Wint, who is a client of 1-800Accountant, is now the CEO of Wint Investment Group, LLC. The entrepreneur formally registered the startup company in October 2014 in Houston, Texas.Wint Investment Group is a real estate investment firm. It primarily handles foreclosures, reselling, and rental property in residential areas around Houston.Like many self-employed entrepreneurs across America, Wint says it was his past experiences that enabled him to launch his own small business.“I’ve purchased and sold several properties in the past,” he says. “Through the last one, I was able to get enough startup capital for this business. So I figured if I could do this on the side, it would be a great opportunity for me in the future.”<h2>Keys to Startup Success</h2>According to the entrepreneur, there are several keys to startup success in order for him to make Wint Investment Group soar toward a prosperous future. He says these are keys all entrepreneurs should follow.“It’s going to take lots of hard work and research on my part,” he says. “I have to find ideal properties to get into that I won’t have to sit on for a long time.”Wint confides that the concept of real estate is right up his alley.“Real estate is very tangible work, unlike a lot of other businesses that are based on other factors,” he explains. “In other words, a $30,000 property is a $30,000 property. You can certainly make improvements to a piece of property and increase its value, but you know that you’ll get at least what you put into it.”<h2>Competition in the Real Estate Market</h2>Wint admits that the real estate market is chock full of agents and investors throughout most of the country, including in the Houston area. However, he already has a game plan in mind in terms of gaining an edge over his direct competitors.“My strategy is to stay away from larger counties and focus on auctions in smaller counties that investors are not as familiar with,” he explains. “But I will stay in my general vicinity because I think it’s important to have property in areas where you can supervise it.”Wint confides that he has been no stranger to some of the many challenges entrepreneurs face when setting up a startup company.“It’s been challenging finding the necessary resources to get the info on the properties I invest in,” he says. “I have to go through county appraisal websites, and sometimes I have to use a professional to get the title and case information about each piece of property. Competition from other investors is obviously another challenge as well.”<h2>Startup Tips for Entrepreneurs</h2>His biggest tip for entrepreneurs interested in starting a business of their own is to ensure they are getting into something they love.“Make sure it’s something you are passionate about because it takes a lot of effort and resources in the beginning.”<h2>1-800Accountant Client Testimonial</h2>As a 1-800Accountant client, Wint says he has received top-notched small business accounting support that has been very helpful in navigating the complicated IRS tax code.“1-800Accountant has been very professional and takes an educational approach to taxes that I really enjoy,” he says. “It’s been a pleasure to work with the firm.”Photo credit: The photograph of Darion Wint was provided by Wint Investment Group, LLC and is used with permission.

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Taking a Unique Approach to Real Estate Investing

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Melanie Haynes has always loved animals. All animals, big and small. So when Melanie was in transition from a corporate job, she decided to take her eleven years of pet care experience and start a business that reflected that passion. In March 2017, Melanie officially registered Mel’s Space Coast Services, LLC, and from there Space Coast Pet Services was born. “I did pet sitting casually as a hobby and was a pet owner for many years before taking the leap and starting my own pet care business,” Melanie says. “There’s a huge difference between a professional pet care provider and someone who does it as a hobby, and I knew there was a need for qualified, trained and caring pet care professionals in my area. I decided I would fill that need.” Melanie puts in long hours for her business. What drives her to succeed, besides giving pet owners peace of mind, is providing for her family’s future. “There’s a great sense of pride in knowing that you’ve worked hard to create something from nothing all on your own and, in the process, are able to help others. I want my children to see that hard work can pay off when you’re passionate about what you’re doing.” As a new business owner, Melanie continually seeks to learn new best practices and to keep up with current trends in the industry. She’s had many opportunities to connect with and collaborate with other local small businesses. “When you can find a way to network with other small business owners who hold the same core professional values as you do, it can only lead to positive results,” Melanie says. “My experience has shown me that when you do good, good comes back to you.” Melanie also hired 1-800Accountant for tax preparation and advice. “The prompt and exceptional service I receive from 1-800Accountant has tremendously helped my success,” says Melanie. She’s thankful that her personal tax advisor answers any questions she has in a timely and detailed manner, and help is always just a phone call or email away. “It’s definitely been worth the investment as a new business owner to make sure my business has a successful financial ground from the start. I feel very confident going into tax season and beyond.” Melanie has big plans for her business. She’s currently enhancing the services she offers to ensure that Space Coast Pet Services continues to be the premier pet care company in the area. Says Melanie, “I’m really excited to see ideas become reality and watch my company grow into more than I ever dreamed.”

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Melanie Haynes Provides Expert Pet Care, Relies on 1-800Accountant to Boost Her Success

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Jonathan Davis has had a passion for quality, intricate woodworking ever since he was in college. But more recently he saw a chance to take that passion and turn it into a business, which he named JBD Wood Products LLC. “If you love what you do, it’s not really work,” says Davis. Davis knew, though, that if he wanted to make a living at woodworking, he was going to have to do it well and find customers who appreciated his prowess. “Woodworking is more and more of a scarcity every day,” says Davis. “Everything nowadays is made out of plastic or pressed boards, made out of sawdust. I want to show people the quality of real genuine woodworking.” While Davis clearly cares about the quality of his products, starting a woodworking business has meant some big challenges. Originally, Davis wanted to run his business from his home. That might have worked had he been doing just a little bit of it on the side. But being a reputable business meant that Davis had to conform to local zoning laws, which didn’t allow him to make and sell wood products out of his home. He had to rent a workshop, a move that has created higher overhead for his business than he’d expected. Along with overhead and profit margins come tax concerns. Davis has turned to&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://1800accountant.com/">1-800Accountant</a> to assist him with business and tax considerations. “1-800Accountant has been extremely helpful during this process,” says Davis. They “opened my eyes to the importance of staying compliant with the IRS and maintaining my business taxes.” Back in the shop, Davis hopes to grow a successful woodworking business while showing people across the country that, as he puts it, “Woodworking is not dead!”<a class="link" href="https://1800accountant.com/">1-800Accountant</a>&nbsp;is happy to help Davis realize his business dreams. We’re a virtual accounting firm merging the convenience of technology with live support from experienced accounting professionals. We offer a complete suite of personalized accounting, bookkeeping, advisory, and payroll services to individuals and small businesses at an affordable price. Schedule your consultation with America’s leading small business accounting firm. 866-699-6123.

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Davis Seeks to Carve Out Profits With the Help of 1-800Accountant

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For Alexis van den Berg, the road to her own business was a long and winding one. Family hardship forced Alexis to take a break from her fine arts and illustration schooling early on. “I was still working random jobs here and there when my boss from the restaurant I was working at heard that I was going to school for illustration,” says Alexis. “He asked me to create new branding for some new restaurant concepts for his business, scooped me up and had me start work at the corporate office.” Alexis found that brand design was a big step up from illustration, but it was a career she felt drawn to. “I found that graphic design was a beautiful marriage of art, technology, and business that I enjoyed,” Alexis says. “I decided that this was something I needed to go back to school to educate myself. I took out loans, went to school and began my new career path.” During three internships, one on the Jim Henson lot, Alexis learned about the branding industry and found that she wanted to help people by using her creativity. After graduating, she worked for a while as an in-house graphic designer, but soon she realized this wasn’t exactly what she wanted to do. She began freelancing on the side, helping small businesses starting up. Not much later, Alexis decided to make a full-time business of it, and in 2017&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.alexisvandenberg.com/">AV Creative Designs LLC</a>&nbsp;was born. It’s been going gangbusters since. “The best feeling in the world is when past clients come back a few months later, and they send you pictures of the logo or other projects you worked on together with some updates on how their business is doing. I live for that.” Alexis also made another smart decision. She hired 1-800Accountant to help with her taxes and bookkeeping. “Taxes were such a gray area for me,” she says. “I thought I was doing things right, but 1-800Accountant gives me the guidance I need with all of my taxes. It also helps that my LegalZoom account is linked up with 1-800Accountant, so it feels like all of my business information is together in one place. Each time I meet with Vanessa, I breathe a sigh of relief because I feel like everything is buttoned up nicely.” Not surprisingly, Alexis is looking to grow her business even more. “I am definitely working on expanding my client base and hopefully hiring some talented graphic designers to work with me in the future,” Alexis says. “I can’t wait to be in a position where I can create some jobs!”

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Alexis van den Berg: The Long and Winding Road to AV Creative Designs

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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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To many kids who grow up listening to rock and roll music, owning a record store is the ultimate dream. For John Gentner, that dream followed him all the way to his adulthood. Now, he’s opening the doors to Metal Head, LLC – a brick-and-mortar record store based out of Astoria, Oregon. Formally established in October of 2014, Gentner is the mastermind behind the business. The retail store is not limited to vinyl, selling used denim and functional glass products as well.“It’s always been something that I wanted to do. I’ve been working fairly steadily since I was a teenager and had done a lot of retail. I wanted to combine my years of work experience and do something alone and completely how I want to do it,” he says.In addition to selling products that cater to a niche market in his region, Gentner has landed a location for the store that will surely aid in the success of the small business.“Since it is a well-manicured niche market, a lot of what I am going to be providing will appeal to that type of person. Where I’m conducting business is a pretty hot destination for people to come visit, so that, along with a good product, should work out well,” Gentner explains.Enthusiasm definitely doesn’t hurt success, either. By starting up a small business of his own, Gentner now has the opportunity to surround himself with what he loves on a daily basis — and share that with others. In true record-store fashion, he is in a position to give inquiring minds recommendations based on the music purchased from him, keeping the tradition alive from when he was a teenager.Metal Head’s demographic is fairly open-ended. The music being sold caters to many different age groups. The customers who purchase the denim and vintage band t-shirts will most likely be folks in their 20s and 30s. He’ll also be selling buttons and patches separately for those looking to punctuate their clothing. The culture of Astoria allows Gentner to focus on the business without having to concern himself much with competitors.“There are maybe 3 or 4 other record stores. It’s such a small community that likes to take care of one another and do what is good for the whole town, so if I have something that someone else doesn’t, they’ll pass them my way. I kind of stand alone, which is beneficial,” he confides.<h3>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h3>Like many small business owners in the startup stages of success, Gentner has experienced challenges in the form of materializing an idea he has had since he was a teen and turning it into a fruitful endeavor.“I’ve always had an idea for what I wanted to do. The challenges were looking at the big picture of everything I had to get done instead of taking small bites. The concept itself was always there. Frankly, the red tape and getting all the licensing and paperwork done was the hardest part for me more so than the aesthetic aspect,” he admits. “The downside is that since it is your thing, the free time isn’t there as much. If you want help, it might not always be there, and it can be overwhelming. But the good outweighs the bad.”<h3>Tips for Entrepreneurs Seeking Startup Success</h3>“Don’t take your eye off the prize. There are definitely going to be roadblocks, and there’s definitely going to be occasional discouragement, but fight tooth and nail if you want it,” Gentner urges. “The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. You can be in total control of what you want to do, and not have to answer to anybody about what you’re doing and have total creative freedom.”<h3>Testimonial for 1-800Accountant</h3>Gentner is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant.“The people I’ve spoken with have been very helpful and mellow, and talk to me like a person and not like they’re forced to do their jobs,” he says. It’s been very helpful!”Photo credit: The photograph of records included in this blog post is used with permission via the Creative Commons license through Flickr.

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Startup Story: Keeping the Classics Spinning at Metal Head, LLC

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Entrepreneur Steve Wellman fell in love with motorcycles at age 7 and hopped on his first bike when he was 16. The power and speed of these snazzy vehicles immediately swept him off his feet. Little did he know he’d be starting a business with the goal of creating one of the world’s fastest production motorcycles.
In February 2015, Wellman formally established Wellmann Motorcycles, LLC in his hometown of Wenatchee, Washington. (He added the extra “n” to the name of the small business in honor of how his German ancestors used to spell it.)
Wellman is in the early stages of developing a prototype for the “super bike” he intends to make come to life, hopefully within the next year. He is teaming up with a bike designer and parts maker in the motorcycle industry in Southern California who is producing an incredible V4 MotoGP engine and frame himself.
“When he offered me the motor for use with my bike, it immediately elevated my bike into the stratosphere,” Wellman confides. “I intend to make a new classification of motorcycles that takes their inspiration from supercars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti,&nbsp;Koenigsegg, and&nbsp;Pagani. The&nbsp;Koenigsegg and&nbsp;Pagani models are my favorite because they incorporate the highest-quality design, materials, and production techniques to make a car that has no compromise on quality.”
According to Wellman, the biggest key in designing any vehicle that can be driven at very high speeds comes down to perfecting the power-to-weight ratio. He is attempting to design a bike with a 1:1 horsepower-per-pound ratio with over 300 horsepower in total.
“I’m pursuing every kind of technological advantage I can get to reduce weight and increase strength,” he explains. “I am using carbon fiber materials from the aerospace industry. It’s a special kind of pre-preg carbon fiber that is cured inside an autoclave, which is a high-pressured oven. Pound for pound, this material is stronger than steel.”
He is teaming up with South African manufacturer BlackStone Tek, a premier authority in carbon prepreg autoclave motorcycle parts. The wheels of his bike will be less than half the weight of a motorcycle wheel and are up to 3 times stronger.
His eventual goal is to make 2 prototypes – one to show others and one for testing. His dream is to take the testable prototype to the famous Nürburgring in German and the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
He’s clearly a bike enthusiast at heart and points to the historical perspective he has gained on the industry through his own research. He talks about the old Vincent Motorcycles brand from generations ago, which set a world land record for speed at 150 mph back in the 1950s.
“I want to achieve over 200mph myself and let others go for the 240mph speed that I think is achievable,” he says. Wellman, 65, is a retired teacher who taught high school art for 21 years. He says it was a former student who got him interested in road racing. He finally got his racing license at age 60 at Portland International Raceway in Oregon and is now proudly starting a business to achieve his lifelong dream.
“It’s my belief that people who design super cars make them to see how far we can take human nature and how far vehicle design can be taken, and I am fascinated by that idea,” he says. “I love seeing people push the limits.”
<h2>Tips for Entrepreneurs of All Ages</h2>
Wellman offers up some tips for entrepreneurs of any age – and at any stage in their lives.
“Everyone should be encouraged to follow their stars,” he advises. “Even if you’re retired, which isn’t my favorite word in the world, go for your dreams. Follow the dreams of a 7-year-old, no matter how old you are. My dad gave me a little plaque that says, ‘Dreams can’t come true if you don’t have any.’ One of my friends told me I have 10 lives’ worth of dreams.”
<h2>Small Business Funding Options</h2>
Thus far, Wellman has used personal money to start his research and development (R&amp;D). However, he plans to delve into crowdfunding and hopes to find some investors in the near future who will back his idea financially.
<h2>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
As a client of 1-800Accountant, Wellman says he has been extremely satisfied with the small business accounting support he has received from the national firm.
“Business taxes and dealing with the IRS used to scare me so much,” he admits. “Working with 1-800Accountant, I know this will be a piece of cake. I couldn’t be happier.”
Photo credit: The photograph of Steve Wellman on a 1972 Triumph Tiger 650 bike was provided by Wellmann Motorcycles, LLC and is used with permission.

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Startup Story: Riding His Way to Small Business Success

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