The Basso Business Building Program features a unique format where we work with business owners and professionals to provide them with a formula for success through focused planning, strategic goal setting, weekly consulting sessions and candid video updates of their progress.  We would like to introduce our latest episode, “Who Says You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks?”  When Anthony McCabe, owner of Genesis Creations Contracting, wanted to take his business to a new level we knew the Basso On Business team could help. Together, we will help Anthony assimilate new technology into his business, take a step back from managing the company’s daily construction jobs to focusing on really managing the company and help him fine tune his messaging to his clients and prospects...

When Facebook was introduced in 2004 it was available only to college students and shared only basic information.  Then the “Wall” was added to open communication between Facebook users.  In 2005, the “Photos” application was added.  Finally in 2006, Facebook was opened to the general public and the social media craze took off...

One of the initiatives born from the Obama administration is the Startup America program – an initiative to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship. This program is a representation of public and private funding sponsorship to invest in small business to create jobs and stimulate the economy. Last week I wrote a blog post about the Jobs Act of 2010- the Startup America initiative goes hand in hand with this act.

The Basso Business Building Program features a unique format where we work with business owners and professionals to provide them with a formula for success through focused planning, strategic goal setting, weekly consulting sessions and candid video updates of their progress.  Marvin Soskil, the owner of Brett Harrison Jewels and Sluggers Jewels, has been working diligently with the Basso on Business team to make changes in every aspect of his professional life in order to make some major league decision and strategic business changes...

Do you want business success? Get back to the basics. Sometimes over-thinking issues in your company creates more barriers - instead, try dusting off that old business plan. To take your business to the next level, you must exceed all basic expectations. The real basics of business are easy to overlook...

I have always believed that small businesses will keep us on the road to economic prosperity and are the key to leading American out of this double-dip recession. As I mentioned on the Cheryl Casone show on Fox Business last Wednesday, July 28^th, 2011 – small businesses are our ticket out of this jobless recovery. The government needs to do all it can to help our fledging small businesses..

Welcome Messages for B2C Work!
Every email marketer worth his salt knows that the best time to develop a relationship with a prospect or client is when they have shown an interest or placed an order. However according to a recent study of online retailers only 1% send a welcome series. Even more mind shattering is that 51% don’t send a single welcome email upon engagement...

The Basso Business Building Program features a unique format where we work with business owners and professionals to provide them with a formula for success through focused planning, strategic goal setting, weekly consulting sessions and candid video updates of their progress.  Marvin Soskil, the owner of Brett Harrison Jewels and Sluggers Jewels, has been working diligently with the Basso on Business team to make changes in every aspect of his professional life in order to make some major league decision and strategic business changes. This week we examined the effect of the techniques Marvin has implemented thus far on his business, on his goals, and on his sense of self...

Your glowing red tie that everyone can see from across a busy city street, the gleaming white smile, the perfectly pressed suit or designer pumps, the fancy name badge you always wear to try and stand out, the robust strides you take when you enter a room that creates an air of confidence are just not enough to build your personal brand anymore. There will certainly always be a place for the Fuller Brush salesperson approach and some may be fooled by pomp and circumstance, but today’s buyers are savvier than ever and they want substance...

The Basso Business Building Program features a unique format where we work with business owners and professionals to provide them with a formula for success through focused planning, strategic goal setting, weekly consulting sessions and candid video updates of their progress.  Marvin Soskil, the owner of Brett Harrison Jewels and Sluggers Jewels, has been working diligently with the Basso on Business team to make changes in every aspect of his professional life in order to make some major league decision and strategic business changes. This week we talked about really focusing on his targets in order to accomplish his goals...  

The memory of the launch of my payroll company remains very clear in my mind. The business was finally open, but there was just one problem: there were no clients who actually needed payrolls prepared. The equipment in the office was fancy—a new printer and a great little computer network. I even had one staff member. Does my mom count?

Nevertheless, the business was operating and ready to take on the giant payroll processors of the world. Armed with unbridled enthusiasm, I began guiding a fledgling venture on a path to conquer an industry—or at least a little segment...

Did you know that your Social Network has a direct effect on your health? This use to be called “Peer pressure”… A kid in caught high school did something stupid; the blame was always chalked up to Peer Pressure. As adults we hope we have outgrown Peer Pressure but we are constantly reminded every day that we can fall victims to outside influence...

Having a business not only survive but thrive in this environment may seem overwhelming. There is so much going on to keep up with, including the new jobs programs that are supposed to help small business owners, the uncertainly of income taxes,  the erratic stock market,  a new balance of power in Washington and the European economic crisis...

On July 18^th, Newsday published a story about Kozy Shack, a Long Island based rice pudding company. Kozy Shack is celebrating its 44^th year of operation and is still going strong. Business like this that were “born and raised” on Long Island can serve as a great inspiration to other businesses and entrepreneurs – after all, every great business starts with just an idea...

A recently published study has found that most Americans are not financially prepared for an emergency. Bankrate.com reports that a mere 24% of consumers have the recommended financial cushion of six months’ expenses set aside. What’s more: 24% of Americans have no emergency savings whatsoever. Financial experts are slightly surprised by these results, given the high rates of joblessness and unemployment that ravaged our society from 2007-2009. However, the recent challenges have made it more difficult for Americans to conserve money for unexpected expenses. As the light at the end of the economic tunnel starts to peek through, I wonder what this information means for small businesses. Many businesses were forced to downsize or shut their doors altogether during the recent slowing (some might even say halting) of our economy. Is your business prepared to weather the another economic storm?

By: Michele Gervat

Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time. Many victims appear healthy with no known heart disease or other risk factors.

Written job descriptions are not always easy to put in place but they shape the duties of your employees. Creating job descriptions and implementing them will help your employees fulfill their daily duties. East Coast Refrigeration had some difficulties creating job descriptions for their employees. Since those job descriptions did not exist, they were unsure of their  responsibilities and were not capable of achieving daily tasks. Since the show last November, East Coast has made some significant changes to their organization including providing job descriptions to all of their employees. Now, the staff is held accountable for specific tasks because they have certain guidelines they must follow. Be sure to help your business by helping your employees first.

By David J. Abeshouse

Civility is – and should be – a core negotiation issue.  The degree to which one employs ordinary civility in negotiations often has a marked effect on the bottom line result. It also makes life more pleasant, even in the fundamentally adversarial situations in which business litigators and transactional lawyers often find themselves. Consider the opposing party or counsel who -- instead of working with you to resolve a dispute or problem in customized, mutually acceptable fashion -- prematurely blurts out, “I’ll see you in court.” This knee-jerk reaction usually fails as a negotiation tactic...

How often do you receive advice about your business that you don’t take literally? Many of us discuss our business plans with consultants, business coaches, other local business owners, and family but it takes a special type of person to take the advice and essentially apply it to their business. At Basso on Business, we would like to highlight particular individuals who not only listened to the recommendations we presented them but took action! Our "Actions in Action” blog will quote our past featured business owners of 2010 and prove that when you act on advice and forge forward, positive change will flourish.

Credit Reporting: Do You Know What Your Rights Are?

Our information is everywhere.  We shop online, save it for e-billing, lose our checking account statements, credit cards and more.  That’s why it’s so important to keep tabs on your credit score to ensure your private information is correct and protected.  I know dozens of colleagues and business owners who have fallen prey to erroneously reported charges from collection agencies among other fraudulent charges or mis-reporting from banks or credit card companies.

The best way to combat this is to stay informed.  Per the Federal Trade Commission, "the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months."

Guest Post by Chef Lance, Prestige Personal Chef Service

Do you have a favorite food memory? Was it your Aunt or a Parent whose activity in the kitchen left you with an image of a beautiful dinner , a pretty cake or a home filled with the unmistakable aroma of good, home cooking? Do you remember when you went from a child who “who had to eat their dinner” to a person who realized just how good they had it when it was time for dinner? As a Chef, when I create a beautiful dinner party for a client, it allows me to bring that kind of joy to their home.  Now that I am older, I truly appreciate all that a good meal with your loved means to a busy lifestyle.  Perhaps it is just my strongly ingrained Norwegian heritage, but I truly believe in the healing ritual of the Family Dinner Table.  Every effort we can take to honor that ritual will only improve our home life...

As a small business owner, there’s a lot to keep track of. Federal and NYS depository rules, sales tax requirements, labor related issues and health care reform are only a few. I’ve always wanted a cheat sheet that to keep in my back pocket, so to speak, for quick reference. What’s the number for IRS assistance for a corporation? It’s on there. The phone number for NYC business customer assistance? On there. Gift tax exclusion? Got it. Limits on pension plans? That’s on there too. Do you wish you had one of these as well? Wish granted; Armao, Costa & Ricciardi, CPAs puts together such a list each year and this year they were nice enough to share their list with Basso On Business and our online community.

Just click the link below and hit the print button for your must have phone numbers and important updates. Enjoy!

http://acrcpa.com/pdf/Quick%20Reference%20Guide%202011.pdf

As social media still continues to grow and play a major role in business each and every day  you have to ask yourself the question, “Am I using my social media tools in the most effective and efficient way?”

I know that lots of you think social media can take away from your usual business day and it’s definitely something you don’t want to get completely wrapped up in, but managing your social media and keeping it up to date is a necessity for better business. There are a number of different social media management platforms and I recently came across a great one. It’s called Hootsuite and it comes to us by way of our friends in Canada up north. Hootsuite is a website and online brand management service, which publishes to websites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare, and WordPress...

As business owner, it's important to stay informed of changes that may affect your business, especially when it comes to changes in the tax laws.  The recently enacted "Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010" is a comprehensive tax package that includes, among various other changes, an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for two years, estate tax relief, a two-year "patch" of the alternative minimum tax (AMT), and a including a two-percentage-point reduction in the Social Security payroll tax for workers. The bill also creates major new incentives for business and consumer spending in 2011, such as new incentives to invest in machinery and equipment, and a host of retroactively revived and extended tax breaks for individuals and businesses...

It's the time of year when everyone starts looking at 2011 and setting personal resolutions, such as losing weight, saving money or taking more vacations.  This year, I challenge you not just to make personal resolutions but resolutions for your business as well...

Everyone talks about the Long Island “brain drain” and how lack of jobs and affordable housing are driving the youth off Long Island, but as a business owner or working professional, what can we do to stop this slow exodus of young talent?

The members of the Long Island Elite (LIE) asked themselves the same question, and the result was the Believe symposium taking place on Monday, November 15^th, 2010.  The mission for the Believe Symposium is to empower Long Islander’s to create a better environment to raise a family, start a business and live a prosperous life. By challenging our youth to envision their future and take steps toward their goals, we will help them believe not only in themselves but the possibilities that lie ahead right here at home...

As businesses across the country slowly emerge from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, a stark reality is hitting many of them.  The reality is that even though sales are rebounding and companies may even be showing positive earnings, they’re starved for cash.  What’s going on?  The problem is they’re experiencing working capital pressure.

In fact, you may find yourself in this situation.  After stretching vendors as far as you can, as orders pick up, so must inventory and accounts receivable, which increases the cash that your company has tied up in working capital.  For many companies that do not carry inventory, or have become lean managers of inventory, this pressure is solely the result of the growth in accounts receivable that comes with the uptick in sales...

I was speaking at a Chamber of Commerce recently, and asked the business owners in attendance to raise their hands if they utilized social media at their organization. About half the hands in the room went up. When I asked who actively used both Facebook and Twitter, only a smattering of hands went up. I found it surprising that while half the business owners in attendance used social media to a certain extent, only one profile was actively maintained and updated.

I started to think about why this could be the case and thought about how our usage of social media evolved. At my organization, we find both tools very important in getting out our message. We have thousands of followers on Twitter who may not follow us on Facebook, or vice versa, and it’s important our message is heard by everyone...

When people think of the stereotypical entrepreneur they usually think of a male in his late 20’s with the determination to raise capital. Today, this stereotype has diminished. Instead, there is a rapid growth in entrepreneurship among young women. I found an article on Newsday.com that validated that the business world has changed and young women are finding inspiration to launch their own businesses.

My brother lives in Westmont, NJ just one town over from where I spent my junior and senior high school years. I attended Haddonfield Memorial High School and on my last visit to see my brother I decided to stop by and show my nearly 10 year old son, Nick, the school.  We pulled up and the kids were just being let out for the day.  A few faculty members were out front I presume to keep some order to the dismissal process....

Building Your Team
If you want to develop your organization and build successful teams for your business, you need to avoid the five primary causes of team dysfunction. The causes and what you should do about each follow.

1. Absence of Trust
Team members need to be able to admit their weaknesses and mistakes, to acknowledge the strengths of others, and to apologize when they do something wrong. Mistakes are part of the process to success.   What is essential is to help others learn from the mistake. Leaders need to ask questions and coach team members to make necessary changes.