This Podcast Is Episode Number 0239 And It Will Be About Essential SEO Tips For Contractors Today's Guest Article Is From Chris Richardson Are you a contractor that is looking to improve their SEO so that you can earn more clients? When it comes to SEO you can always find new ways of doing things in order to improve the quality of the end result, which is to gain higher results in the search engine results pages. This consequently leads to more customers hiring your services as a contractor. Nowadays contractors are responsible for things such as painting, roofing, plumbing and so on. They help homeowners complete the DIY projects that might be too hard for them to tackle on their own. However, getting visibility in the marketplace can be hard for some contractors if they have no idea how to go about advertising themselves. The benefits of SEO for contractors The biggest benefit of good quality SEO for contractors is that a higher number of people in the local area will be able to find out about the contractor. Let’s say that as a contractor in the roofing industry you’re competing with 10 other companies in your local area. If they have poor quality SEO and you don’t then you can easily capture the search engine traffic without much hassle. Nowadays there are a number of features that search engines have added to give businesses exposure for the right search terms. This includes showing where a business is located on the map and their contact details so that potential customers can easily locate them. Top SEO tips for contractors There are various general SEO tips that contractors should already know such as using header tags, alt images and keyword placement, however, as a local business more specific SEO tips are important. First of all have an “About Us” page where information can be pulled by the search engine bot to show up in the results pages. Here information about your company should be entered and also the contact details: a phone number, e-mail address, physical address and so on. On this page you should also include information about what your company does so that the target customer understands the services they’ll hire. Make sure the contact details you enter do work as otherwise you’ll annoy the customer with unreachable contact details. Mobile search is another major thing you need to keep in mind whilst creating your website. A mobile-friendly version should be available so that those looking for your website via a mobile device are able to do so conveniently. Try to get the seal of approval from the Better Business Bureau, as this certification not only gives peace of mind for the customer, but also improves your search rankings. It’s not hard to get this certification if you have indeed setup your company in a legitimate manner. Reviews and ratings will make it into the search result pages and that helps because people are more likely to be interested in a contractor that has a bunch of positive reviews. You can do a number of things to encourage people to leave reviews after they have bought your products. As Martin Abington, from Essay Geeks says: “a local contractor business lives and dies by the nature of the reviews that are left, so ensure you do great work to get those 5 star reviews.” CONCLUSION: Try to implement as many of the SEO tips mentioned in this article if you’re a contractor that’s trying to nail the SEO of their business. If you manage to incorporate these SEO tips correctly then soon enough, you might have more clients looking to hire your services than you can actually handle. Finally, remember that SEO is a long-term on-going process that takes time to come to fruition. SEO constantly changes as the search engine algorithm gets updated regularly. So pay attention to what’s going on in the world of SEO and adapt your strategy accordingly.     I trust this podcast helps you understand that outsourcing your contractor's bookkeeping services to us...

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0228, And It Will Be About Unique Ways Highly Profitable Contractors Reduce Taxes Contractors Reflect On This Year's Results As The Last Quarter Begins Going into the last Quarter of the year. Time for some basic reflection about taxes. Officers in S-Corps tend to take payroll later in the year. Now is the time if you have not already been taking payroll. Don't wait until it is time to prepare your Construction Company tax return. Next review your Estimated personal Taxes paid to the IRS. How much did you pay in taxes for the current year? Internal Revenue expects that you have paid a percentage Federal Taxes before the end of the year.   Reviewing Federal Withholding for yourself and your employees to avoid surprises when your annual taxes are filed. Contractors who file as a Sole Prop or as an LLC fining as a Sole Prop tend to forget that payroll taxes on their net income is due. I call this “Chef’s Surprise” as it is based on Net Income. Everyone wants the last few jobs to pay before the end of the year. As the Sole Prop or 1099 Contractor, the amount due will be both the employer and employee portions (combined is 15.3% + federal income taxes) Refer to your Tax Accountant about the ability to claim the employer portion as a deduction on your taxes. Time for some basic reflection about your bookkeeping methods How are you keeping track of your income and expenses? Do you use software or on a paper system? Many Contractors use Shoeboxes, Cardboard Boxes and paper bags The issue comes when your Banker, Liability Insurance Company, Worker’s Comp Insurance Company, Bonding Company or State Agency or Internal Revenue want reports. I have seen some manual systems that are quite good. I remember the days pre-computer days where I used an oversized 13 Column Pad. It worked, not a great as the multiple ledgers and from there that first version of Quicken was wonderful. Now using QuickBooks which can be customized is fantastic. Being in Washington State where sales tax is destination based – customization is the key to easy reporting.  Other states have different reporting requirements. Additional reflection is needed when multiple partners are involved Is it an active partner or someone who is behind the scenes (investment versus day-to-day activities)?  Is each partner doing what you expect them to do?  There are additional challenges when multiple partners are not actively engaged.  The net profit is divided based on the percentage of ownership. Many times, partners have different visions for the company. Growth Of The Company (How Big, How Fast) How Much Money To Take Out of Company Reinvestment Of Profits Into The Company Should They Add A Vehicle (new or used) What Tools And Equipment To Purchase Compensation For Employees Compensation For Owners Decisions Happen Every Minute For Working Construction Contractors The most frustrating situation happens when one partner is actively working in the day-to-day activities, and the other partner is a “Manager” and is practicing “Seagull Management” but is never there for the day-to-day activities. It is easy to say I’m working on the business.  Reality is that it may not have the same meaning to all partners.  Working on the business is Planning, Marketing, Doing Active Things in the business.  I have heard many stories where One Partner tells the other partner (while managing from afar) You need to be doing [fill in the blank] The sales are not that high you have plenty of time The paperwork is not that much; it will only take you 10 -15 minutes [a week, a month] to do it Or saying “After The Fact: that decisions you made were not the ones I would have made. It is easy for the person Not Doing The Work - to say, we (Meaning YOU) what should or should not have done [fill in the blank]. This happens a lot when partners are not in the same city. Or to say I can’t because you are...

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0237 And It Will Be About How to Write a Winning Contractor Resume Today's Podcast Is From An Guest Article Is From Mary Walton  Mary Walton is one of PhD Thesis Writers, community for students who are in the process of dissertation writing. Mary has a blog - Simple Grad, where she shares her knowledge about college life. Also, she is an editor and proofreader at Research Paper Writing Service. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The contracting industry is one of the most highly competitive business industries and you’re going to need a winning resume on your side if you want to stand any chance of standing out among the rest of the people in the same position as you. There’s so many different aspects to consider and approaches you could take, but at the end of the day, all that matters is that your resume lands you your next job. Today, we’ll explore a few ways you can create this resume for success. Create a Profile The first paragraph of your resume is the most important since it’s the first thing your recruiter will read and first impressions count. In this section, you’ll want to write a summary of yourself. In this, include a brief summary of your skills, any security clearances you have as well as any unusual skills or trades that you have. Show Your Competence Once you’ve drawn your employer into your resume, you’ll want to share what skills you have and why you’d be the perfect contractor. You’ll want to tailor this section, so it suits the job that you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a job which uses machinery, put your machinery-related skills first and then prioritise the rest of your skills with your least important at the bottom. This is why you need to edit every resume for every job you apply for. Annie Grindstaff, a resume editor for EliteAssignmentHelp, continues; “Within the competence section of your resume, it’s important to include any licenses or formal qualifications that you have. If you’re licensed to drive or operate a certain piece of machinery, include this information. The less questions your potential employer has to ask, the better your application will be received.” Share Your Experience After your skills, you’ll want to share what past experience you have. This is also your work history, so in chronological order, include your previous job titles, the dates which you worked these jobs, the company’s name and any other relevant information you’d like to include about this role. In most cases, you’ll want to span this section back to a minimum of ten years. If you don’t have the experience, make sure you share all your experience, whether it was projects you worked on during your time in education or personal projects. Feel free to include photo evidence of your projects. Use Tools for Perfection Once you’ve completed your resume, it’s important to go through it and correct any silly mistakes that could cost you your job. Any spelling, grammar or punctuation mistakes show a lack of attention to detail, so it’s important you get rid of them. To make this easier, here are some tools to help. Resume Services This is an online resume builder that can help you create a comprehensive resume in a professional format. Via Writing Use this free online resource to brush up on your grammar skills. CV Service If you’re struggling with what to write, use this online writing service for writing advice and a collection of writing-related services. State of Writing Use this free online blog to refresh your knowledge of grammar, punctuation and spelling. Word Count Easy word count allows you to monitor and track your word count in real-time so you don’t use too many words to bore your employer. Type My Essay Use this online service as a writing guide when creating your resume. According to HuffingtonPost’s Write My Essay article this academic writing service...

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0236, And It Will Be About Highly Profitable Contractors Control Who Receives Company Information   You Have Ultimate Control On Who Has Or Receives Information About Your Contracting Company Financials statements are based on the information you provided. I know this is not a statement that any contractor wants to hear about their bookkeeping. It is easier to blame the bookkeeper for missing information. The primary keeper of all the documents is you, your spouse, your employees, your suppliers, your bank, your credit card company. The Key work is done by you, or whoever assists you have the power to give information to outsiders about your Construction Company.   Who wants details about your business?   Internal Revenue Service State Revenue Agencies State Payroll Agencies Other State Agencies Worker’s Compensation Provider   General Liability Insurance Provider Depending on the report it may be monthly (sales tax, business excise tax, other state business tax reports) Quarterly reports include all payroll related forms to State and Federal (Internal Revenue). Personal story. If you have any data that you can include relating to your list, include that in your introduction, too./> Some states require Contactors to take a test before receiving Contractors License Depending on your state a Contractor may have to be licensed which can require a Bond and General Liability Insurance. Because the General Liability Insurance is made up of a group of numbers to make up the coverage and premium, there is usually an annual General Liability Insurance Audit and are date specific based on when the coverage was taken out. Your Construction Company Structure determines how simple or how complicated the annual insurance audit it. We can help you with this. Call Sharie 206-361-3950 or email her [email protected] Insurance Audit Questions May Include: Annual sales Owners wages List of employees Employee wages Copies of 941 Quarterly Reports Copies of State Unemployment Reports List of subcontractors Total paid to subcontractor Copies of Subcontractor’s Certificate of Insurance List of names of casual labor Total paid to each casual labor The total amount of Leased or Rented Equipment.   Periodically Your State Unemployment Agency will want details on individual employee’s hours. Form to be filled out is date and period specific and will want the total per week (regular time and overtime) then broken down by day and a weekly total of wages earned, and date wages were paid. In other words; the State Agency is asking for more in more detail to be sure they get the same grand total as other reports and did you pay the proper amount in the time frame required.   Some states and cities have different minimum wage requirements this adds to the tracking required.   In Washington State, we have a state minimum wage, and then several individual cities have an increased minimum wage. In addition to new rules about Family Leave, Sick Leave, and Personal Time Off. Many of these rules are based on the number of employees you have.   Internal Revenue Service Requires You File Annual 1040 Tax Return. Most contractors file their taxes on a calendar year. S-Corps and LLC’s treated as S-Corps annual tax return is due on March 15th with a six-month extension allowed to September 15th.   Numbers From Your Contracting Company Return Move To Your Personal 1040 Tax Return. Personal tax returns with or without Schedule C (additional pages for Sole Prop’s and LLC’s treated as a Sole Prop) are due on April 15th with a six-month extension allowed to October 15th. Reminder the tax return is due in a couple of weeks.   There are many reasons why taxes are not ready for the tax accountant to do the annual taxes. Contractors may feel that they can do it themselves using tax software. My recommendation is to use a Tax Accountant. Laws change all of the...

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0235 And It Will Be About Key Reports For Your Contracting Company Explained QuickBooks has over a hundred reports that can be viewed on a regular basis You could spend all of your time seeing a report in QuickBooks and trying to find the way to populate numbers in the report. Many reports are designed for specific things. Take for example the view of the Home Page. Just because the feature is on the Home Page in QuickBooks does not mean it is useful for every contractor. Five Key Performance Indicators Every Construction Company Needs To Survive And Thrive! It is not practical or recommended for the Small Contractor or Handyman to track inventory. For most contractors, the material goes from the supplier directly to the job which is not the definition of inventory. Inventory is what goes into the warehouse and stays, and stays and stays. Most contractors do not have the money to invest in inventory. Your supplier is just down the street.  They have on-demand inventory – what you need when you need it.   Plumbers, Electricians, and HVAC Contractors tend to have a certain amount of inventory, and it is better to do a physical inventory a couple of times a year. (End of year and maybe mid-point of the year and enter as bulk numbers) There are specialty programs that are an add-on to QuickBooks for those larger companies who need to track inventory. Most inventory programs only work with QuickBooks Enterprise. Trying to keep track of each item in the job can be overwhelming and not practical for smaller jobs. If it is a Cost+ or Time and Material job then be sure you only purchase what you need and assign that receipt to that specific job.      Five Key Performance Indicator Reports that are useful to every contractor regardless of their size. #1 Cash How much cash is in the bank. Why because you have bills to pay, material to purchase and upcoming expenses.   #2 Accounts Receivable How much work have I completed and billed the customer? Contractors get confused and think that the signed contract is for “X Amount” and therefore they have that much coming before the job starts.   Accounts Receivable is for completed work that you bill your customer or client. In other words, how much can you expect to pick up a check for today? From someone doing their accounting, it seems simpler to create an invoice for the whole job and then takes payments on it. The problem is that the balance is aging nicely and give a false impression of the company’s financial position. Add the time it takes to determine what is owed to you. After a short while, QuickBooks becomes a real MESS. Then your banker asks for financials, and you are trying to explain to the Banker that your Accounts Receivable includes work not started or completed. Bankers want to know How Much Money can you expect to collect today!           #3 Accounts Payable What bills do I have coming up? Accounts Payable is where you track all your supplier invoices, match against the month end statement and your subcontractor bills. It is not the place to track your monthly payments to your credit cards, your payroll or other tax payments to State and Federal Agencies. These items are in other places as liabilities in your QuickBooks file. Please Note: All transactions on your credit cards need to be entered into QuickBooks (not just the month in balance with payment due).   #4 Profit and Loss Profit and Loss are keeping track of your income and expenses and will reflect the Gross Profit and Net Profit of the business. This report is date specific. Please Note: Expenses are broken down between the Cost of Goods Sold (direct costs to jobs) and Expenses (which tend to be overhead related). QuickBooks by default is on the accrual method. Reports are converted to the Cash Method for Sales Tax and Federal and State Income Tax Reports. #5 Balance Sheet The...

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0234 And It Will Be About 12 Signs You Hired The Right Contractor Bookkeeping Service    If you are a contractor, you know what to look for when you need to hire skilled construction workers. The longer you have been in construction, the more experience you have including a sixth sense about who is likely to be a good fit for your construction company team and who is not.  You can spot wanna-bees, clowns, and firebrands in an instant, and you know that if you are thinking about firing someone; you are already fifteen minutes too late! 99.99% of Construction is "Tangible" which means you can judge it using your five senses. You can See, Hear, Touch, Smell and Taste it and you know when it is good or bad. 99.99% of construction accounting is "Intangible" including financing, taxes, payroll processing, payment applications, financial statements, cash management which means you may have to rely on your gut-feeling to know when someone perhaps is not a good fit. I have a deep background both in construction, having owned and operated successful construction companies and construction accounting. I have a deep background both in construction, having owned and operated successful construction companies and construction accounting. Just so we are clear, if you suspect I want the opportunity to work with you, you are 100% right! But, I know what you need is proof that I know what I am doing so let me condense several decades of experience into these twelve warning signs you hired the wrong contractor bookkeeping service. Here are these twelve Signs You Hired The Right Contractor Bookkeeping Service   Sign #01 Your contractor's bookkeeping service specializes in working with contractors. They are not general bookkeepers who accept all types of businesses and cannot do right by any of them because nobody can keep track of all the subtle differences and nuances of multiple industries let alone the specialties within a given industry. In the construction industry, they are "Masters Of Their Trade."   Chances are they are not the cheapest Bookkeeping Service available. Every successful contractor knows cheap tools, cheap workers, cheap material and cheap Bookkeepers are the most expensive ones in the short-run and worse in the long run.   Cheap tools and cheap bookkeepers appear to be a bargain until you use them for a short while and discover how expensive they are.   When you add up the seen and unseen costs, you suddenly realize you need to replace them with someone who understands construction. Someone who understands Construction Accounting and has a contractors accounting and bookkeeping system, software, hardware, infrastructure and staff that are trained in construction accounting, so they know how to provide the contractors accounting and bookkeeping services you need.   Sign #02 Your contractor, bookkeeping services firm offers flat-rate pricing for your contractor bookkeeping services needs. There are situations when a contractor is better off with a flexible rate schedule including pre-determined hourly rates depending on the skill level required, but only if there are complex construction accounting needs or if the construction company owners or managers want direct command and control of the contractor bookkeeping services.   We can serve 99.99% of construction, and contracting companies in the USA including Alaska and Hawaii with annual sales volume from $0 start up to $5,000,000 with a flat rate weekly or monthly fee that does not change unless your needs change.   Our Construction Accounting Services System takes the guesswork out of contractors bookkeeping services and leaves good solid, repeatable bookkeeping processes that work day in and day out.   Sign #03 Your contractor, bookkeeping services firm, is open and honest with you and answers your questions with easy to understand language...

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0233 And It Will Be About Contractors Struggle To Save Paperwork Needed For Taxes Tax Time! Corporate Income Tax Returns are due to the IRS by September 15th for S-Corp and LLC’s filing as an S-Corp Other types of corporations may be in a fiscal year with varied due dates. The only exception is any emergency extensions granted due to hurricanes (Harvey) or others. Personal Income Tax Returns are due to the IRS by October 15th which falls on the weekend and extended to Monday, October 16th. Keeping Paper Documents is necessary. Most contractors go from one extreme to the other. One extreme is saving everything for decades, and the other is tossing everything out. What To Save? What To Toss Out? We no longer need to print and save every document in file folders and keep adding new file cabinets. Happiness is every document that can be retrieved electronically at any time in the future. Sharie's Seven Paper Tips... Sharie’s Paper Tip 101 Save your receipts. If you have it in paper Get a file box and toss in all the gas, food, misc receipts paid by credit card.  Make a note on the receipt. You have the receipt for backup. I remember a story where someone needed to prove where they were. Charges on the credit card statement weren't enough.   Sharie’s Paper Tip 201 Make individual file folders for your state taxes, quarterly payroll reports, W-2’s, 1099’s. Other helpful folders are for your Bond, Liability Insurance, Worker’s Comp Insurance, Tools, Office Equipment and Cell Phones. All the statements you may need to reference over and over again and Receipts with extended warranties. Sharie’s Paper Tip 301 Print a copy of the Contract with your client (electronic signatures is fantastic) use a service that will time and date stamp in case you have an issues. Contracts are great in case of dispute. If all goes well, then The Signed Contract is just another piece of paper. I have heard stories of customers altering the contract, and the contractor did not double check. Magically things happen with software. Be sure what the client signs are the same copy of the contract you sent them and expected to be signed.   Sharie’s Paper Tip 401 Take credit cards. Use multiple services if that is what is available. If you use a service to send your contracts for signature and they have a Merchant Services; then sign up for it. Everything that happens seamlessly is the best. Approval Now + Authorization of Payment means you have real money (their money) to start the job.   OPM (means using Other Peoples Money – meaning you are using the Client’s money to start, continue and finish the job). Build in the Merchant Services Fee into your pricing. Cost of doing business.   Many contractors lost money on Groupon Coupons as customers only would do the One or Two Rooms as was prepaid on the coupon. (Example Carpet Cleaning – Drywall Patching)   Sharie’s Paper Tip 501 Use an invoice built on Excel. Word is pretty and is needed for all the descriptions. But to properly get the money, you expect to be paid Contractors need a form that adds up the money. Do not call all the payments a Job Deposit all the way from beginning to end. Call it a Statement, Progress Invoice, once work is approved it is no longer an Estimate or a Work Order. If you are in a sales tax state (Washington State) and need to collect sales tax; then be sure to add sales tax to every invoice. Customers have selective memory. Be sure to use “Plus Applicable Sales Tax” on the Estimate, Contact and all future billings. If sales tax increases you need to be able to pass the increases on to the customer.   Sharie’s Tip 601 Contractors who are doing remodel projects like to have job costing. To achieve basic job costing reports the accounting software needs to know what job the expenses should apply to. Many contractors will create a single file folder and drop all of the...

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0232 And It Will Be About Contractors Need These Key Resources To Run Their Company Smoothly Contractors Need Additional Resources To Smoothly Run Their Business Running a Construction Business is part serious, part white knuckles, part smooth sailing with moments of fun. Because those moments of fun can be few and far between every Contractor needs to have a little humor. Try to see the glass is half full when it really feels like you are in “The Wizard of Oz, ” and instead of going to Kansas you went somewhere else less fun.     To help free up your time we have numerous FREE Items on FastEasyAccounting.com and located on FastEasyAccountingStore.com. We want to help you make your work time as smooth as possible.  Construction Definitions includes the 8/20 Rule | Chaos | Five At Five For Five | Unlicensed Contractor   https://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/free-construction-definitions-the-work-flow-process Construction Definitions A – Z is filled with Randalism’s including the humorous ones to the very serious.   11 Steps To Contractors Success | Experience | Four Dreaded Words | Leveling | Wealth Prevention Tool https://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/construction-definitions-a-to-z Streamline Your Contracting Company Operations With Our Free Checklist You are an intelligent Contractor which means you know how to operate your construction company, and the biggest barrier to your success is getting your employees to do what you want them to do when you want them to do it, and do it the way you know works best. https://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/contracting-company-operations-checklist Free Construction Estimate Template You need this simple estimate because you can use it anytime, anywhere. It has lines for description, quantity, rate, and amount. It automatically subtotals the items, adds sale tax or markup (if you need it) and totals everything.   https://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/free-construction-estimate-template Free Invoice Template Built On Excel You need this simple invoice because you can use it anytime, anywhere. It has lines for description, quantity, rate, and amount. It automatically subtotals the items, calculates sales tax and totals everything for you! It is designed to record a payment and show balance due.  With many invoice forms, it is too easy to have a payment be treated as a credit when it is not applied properly on the form. https://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/blog/bid/144649/free-contractor-invoice-template-on-excel In Washington State how you apply payments impacts the amount of sales tax is due and collected.   https://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/free-invoice-template-form-for-contractors Free Construction Template Change Order Form For Contractors The purpose of the construction change order form is to help you make a prisoner on paper any conversations between your customer and you, the contractor, your project manager, superintendent, foreman, construction worker or anyone else who has conversations with your customer. https://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/free-construction-template-change-order-form-for-contractors A lot of the money is made or lost on a job as shown in the profit and loss by job report can be traced back to how well construction change orders were handled. Customers remember and changes that reduce the amount they owe.  Expect some memory loss about the additions that replaced them.   https://www.fasteasyaccounting.com/free-construction-template-change-order-form-for-contractors Free Contractors Application For Payment Sample For Construction Contractors Are You Having Problems Getting Paid On Large Projects? The problem is when you get beyond two invoices, add some job deposits and change orders the process gets real tricky because there is no "Magic Button" in QuickBooks for contractors that will generate an invoice that makes...

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0231 And It Will Be About Unique Strategy Massively Increases Contractor Cash And Profits Contractors Are Selling Their Time First, Skill Second Value of Time – Your time as the Contractor is the most valuable. I hope you are doing the tasks that only you can do. Yes, you can do your contractor bookkeeping. My question is: Why Would You?   Your answer – I have a cash flow problem. Spending hours doing your bookkeeping will not solve that. In fact, doing contractor bookkeeping yourself will be painful, take time away from the things you do that make you money and take a lot longer than having someone else do it. Why, because every piece of paper has a story and your brain wants to replay the story (fast or slowly depending on the story). Say for example you waste an extra minute on every piece of paper. How long will it take you to finish all of the bookkeeping chores for the day, week, month or longer? This is after you have QuickBooks setup for your construction company and you know exactly what to do with that piece of paper.   As a Contractor who is serious about their business. There is only one answer to cash flow issues.   Sell Your Way Out of A Problem (author unknown). With money in hand, you can make better decisions. For Some People, Sales Is An Ugly Word. Reality Is Everyone Is Selling And Buying  You are choosing what to purchase and when You Need Something (a new truck) You Want Something (a fancy truck) You Must Have Something (a tiny vehicle) Since the beginning of time Children have figured out how to get where they want to go Walking will get you where you want to go, it just takes longer Skate board is another mode of transportation Then the bicycle Mom and Dad are the default transportation Mom and Dad are usually the favorite sources for transportation depending on the activity. It is much easier to take all the soccer equipment, baseball equipment, and football stuff other activities. It’s about sports, it’s about friends, it’s about dating, it’s about transportation Who sold who on the benefits of after school activities? The Parent or The Child? The bigger commitment, in the beginning, is the parent in both time and money. We want the best for our children, and that includes additional activities, opportunities to make friends and preparing them for their future will skills and opportunity for college (if desired).   I remember a year juggling multiple after school activities – that was a busy season. It took planning to do multiple drops, pickups and spending time watching each sport in action. The practices, the games, and the matches. Yes, I pushed our children to do the activity. Some they liked, some they didn’t.   The selling begins when our children become teenagers and want to learn to drive and then borrow the car. Before then, it was all practice.   Because we want them to grow and mature, we plan from the moment they arrive until the moment they launch out on their own. We still plan, nurture and support from afar. Isn’t email, instant chat, Facebook and other social media wonderful? We can offer suggestions and try not to be offended if our children roll their eyes, chat with others and say “there goes Mom or Dad again” Of course, our children miss the humor when we as parents refer to each other of a Classic Movie or TV Series.  Many of you have searched Fast Easy Accounting.com website, read the blogs and listened to our podcasts. Thank you! We try to be as clear as possible, in our opinion what works, and what doesn’t. We understand Construction Contractors and Construction Bookkeeping and Construction Accounting. Offer One Hour Free Consultation To Chat About Your Business. Discussion includes the following: What have you been doing so far? How is that working for you? Are you getting the results you desire? What area of Construction do you focus on (new, remodeling, service...

This Podcast Is Episode Number 0230 And It Will Be About Contractors Make Decisions Every Minute Of Their Day  Making Decisions Never Ends For Construction Contractors Like You One of the basics of good decision making is being adaptable Think of decision making is being in a bumper car. You are constantly driving and trying to avoid the other bumper cars. If you hit one you back up and go again (reminder this is the only safe place to hit other cars). Rest of the time life as a contractor feels more like the Indy 500. You are driving as fast as you can, passing other cars, making pit stops, and scrambling to make it to the finish line. Translate this back to the real daily life of a Construction Contractor For Construction Contractors like you the paper work, processes and decision making are never ending. The concept of time is all about 10 minutes. Your coffee brews in less than 10 minutes.   Take a shower in less than 10 minutes.   Load the dishwasher in 10 minutes.   Take out the trash in less than 5 minutes.   Read your email in less than 5 minutes. Decice what bills to pay in less than 5 minutes. Process Automation Is Freedom From Chaos By Becoming "Process Dependent Not People Dependent" Are your employees work based on "Time Served" rather than "Results Achieved? Time to start and a time to stop. Now do are your expectations for those same employees to work faster (Indy 500)? Do you expect the job to be done efficiently, completely and beautifully (better quality than the homeowner can do themselves)?   How many jobs are completed where the final punch list takes longer than the actual job? Common practice with employees got the job done Fast (beating their previous time) There is done and not done. I can think of several examples. Is there trash left all over the job? Is the living space dirty and need to be professionally cleaned for the client? Is there a zillion things the homeowner needs to do before they can reclaim their space? The job is not done until the final punch list is completed, the customer has paid, the check has cleared the bank. There are a zillion steps from the initial call to meeting the potential customer, creating an estimate, doing the work, collecting the money and paying the bills. I repeat and cannot say it too often, for Construction Contractors like you the paper work, processes and decision making are never ending. Contractors most common questions are I saved all my paperwork, now what do I do with it? Who will call my suppliers, create tax forms, pay all my bills and taxes? Will you do everything? I just want to do the work. You say you want all of your employees to enter into the QuickBooks their receipts, invoice customers, it is a wasted step for me, as the owner to handle all of the paperwork all over again. You are the Contractor (THE OWNER) I want to point out that your employees are just that employees. On larger projects, it makes sense for them to track their jobs (talking about the Project Managers, Construction Supervisors, Lead Staff) using a Project Management Software, not QuickBooks. Keep It Simple: Start with an Electronic Timecard.   We recommend T-sheets. T-sheets is affordable, works on all brands of Smart Phones, with support for those will the old fashioned flip phones. Fantastic about helping you and your staff use the product.   Reports can be pulled by date range, by staff, by the project. It works for both field and office staff. Of course, the GPS feature not practical for office staff but very practical for your field workers. Are your employees where you expect them to be? Who is in your QuickBooks? Experience has found that “Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen Ruin The Meal” and too many people in QuickBooks leads to a financial disaster and more often than not meltdown and bankruptcy business and personal. Does everyone need to be in the Accounting System?  Having all your staff know more about your...