A Recession-Proof Startup

Gas prices are going up and with them are concerns over the economy and job security. Luckily, the accounting industry makes a showing in two of the five top ranking recession-proof jobs, according to Jobfox.com, an online job service backed by some of the most prestigious US investors.

Rob McGovern, CEO of Jobfox explained, “During this critical period of economic slowdown, these are the professionals who have been least affected by six consecutive months of job losses in the United States. Difficult times, unfortunately, are already here for many low-skilled workers. However, Jobfox continues to see aggressive hiring activity for many critical positions.”

Coming in at number four and five are 1) accounting & finance executive and 2) accounting staff. And it’s no wonder. Small to large businesses are all required by law to perform certain accounting functions. So regardless of how tough the economy gets, businesses still need accountants to manage their financials.

What Businesses Need

Nearly ever business responds to a recession by streamlining their budget which often means scrutinizing current positions to see how they might cut back and save some money. These same businesses would find the option of contracting a freelance accountant to manage their bookkeeping very appealing. Why?

How much more would a business have to pay you if you were on their payroll? Consider a yearly salary along with health and retirement benefits as well as the cost of your cubicle and everything in it. Don’t you think these same businesses would prefer working with a qualified contract accountant who would charge them a monthly fee to do everything an in-house accountant would do? It would save them a considerable amount while affording you the freedom to work for as many clients as you choose.

Small Business Accounting Services

While most large corporations already have accountants on their payroll, and prefer to keep it that way, small businesses are in dire need of a professional who will not only understand their unique needs but cater to them. A contract accountant specializing in small business accounting is just what they need.

The Professional Bookkeeper Program is specifically designed to help you master all those tasks required by the small business owner. Here’s a sampling of what you will accomplish:

• Master Accounting for Retail and Wholesale Businesses
• Establish the Accounting Method that Best Fits the Business
• Set up an Efficient System for a “Ma & Pa” Manufacturing Company
• Track Job Costs Simply and Efficiently for a Construction Company
• Effectively Handle Flooring for an Inventory Financed Business
• Consult on Key Business Issues with Confidence
• Enter Data Quickly and Accurately
• Prepare Payroll like a Seasoned Pro
• Avoid Costly IRS Penalties
• Spot and Avoid Dangerous Trends Before They Become Tragedies
• Save a Company Thousands of Dollars in Auditing Costs
• Start Your Own Bookkeeping and Accounting Business, Using a Step-by-step Approach
• Acquire clients Quickly and Cost-Effectively
• Work with Clients Skillfully
• Prepare a Loan Application Package
• Make Positive Change Happen!

You will learn everything you need to know to start your own accounting practice with confidence and ease.

Market Those Skills

Unfortunately some accounting practices struggle-not because they cannot perform the required tasks-but because they cannot secure the necessary clients to sustain their businesses.

Accountants, while skilled in numbers and calculations, are not necessarily comfortable marketing those services. In order for their practices to thrive, freelance accountants must break through that barrier, learning and using effective marketing strategies to target those small businesses owners most likely to retain their services. But how do you do that?

The Universal Practice Builder Program is designed to help accountants learn the art and science of getting and keeping clients. This DVD-based program will teach you 12-proven marketing techniques that will help you secure 15 to 25 qualified leads per month. Not only that, but you will hone your presentation skills and be trained in organizing valuable seminars through which you can retain even more clients. You’ll also have 3 months of free master coaching where UAC professionals will help you set and achieve your business goals.

This program also comes with a guarantee that you will earn $30,000 in increased annualized billings in just one year! Pair that with the specialized accounting skills you will learn in the Professional Bookkeeper Program and you have a recession-proof startup that will carry you and your family to a much-improved lifestyle.

Don’t wait for the economy to dictate when you can start living your dream. Take advantage of this time to start your recession-proof business and improve your financial standing while others stand around watching. Enroll in these two programs today!

References

“Jobfox Top 20 Most Recession-Proof Jobs.” 14 July 2008 Jobfox.com

In most cities, gas prices have topped four dollars per gallon which means it generally costs at least $50 to fill a tank- unless you’re driving an SUV, in which case you may be losing about $90 every time you refuel.  If you commute more than 15 miles to and from work in a car with a 15 gallon tank, you’re paying roughly $60 every week just to clock in.  And unfortunately it doesn’t look like those prices will go down anytime soon.

Many Americans are considering alternative work solutions that prevent them from spending money on long commutes.  Working from home has never been more appealing, especially when it just might save you upwards of $300 per month.

But that’s not the only perk in working from home.  Many contract accountants enjoy the following:

• The opportunity to offer a service in high demand
• A flexible work schedule
• The ability to earn at least $35/hour
• An enhanced standard of living
• A satisfying occupation
• The ability to call the shots
• A low-expense business

All these plus the ability to save a little gas money every week may be enough to thrust more contract accountants into the market.  How do you gain on the competition?

1. Get Trained in Small Business Accounting

All businesses are required, by law, to perform certain accounting functions.  That makes your potential client base huge.  And the majority of businesses in your area are defined as small which means they have less than 50 employees (and you can bet most of these small businesses do not have an accountant on their payroll).

Small businesses have unique accounting needs.  Those trained at most universities and tech schools have been prepared to work for large, corporate businesses which comprise less than 5% of accounting opportunities.  This means that many formally-trained accountants are not adequately prepared to manage a small business’s finances.

UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program was specifically designed to teach students the necessary day-to-day small business accounting functions.  In less than 60 hours you could gain the expertise necessary to cater your accounting firm to this large and lucrative niche market.  You will have the skill and confidence necessary to manage a small business’s books, from setup to year end!

2. Earn a Professional Designation

You increase your appeal when you demonstrate accounting expertise with professional certification.  A Professional Bookkeeper designation evidences your willingness to sacrifice the time and energy required to enhance your skills and better serve your clients.  You can add PB to your business cards and display the certification in your office.

3.    Learn Proven Marketing Techniques

Sometimes the most difficult task a contract accountant faces has nothing to do with accounting.  Your marketing efforts will determine your business’s success.  And unless you can market your valuable skills you will have no clients on your roster.

You can try to Google your way into some marketing know-how, but the truth is, finding marketing techniques that are proven to work with your demographic will be difficult unless you find someone who’s been there before.

UAC has been training students in small business accounting for over 25 years which means we know what does and doesn’t work when marketing those services to small businesses.  Why waste your time trying to find the right approach when you will be given more than 12 proven marketing strategies in our Universal Practice Builder Program.

In addition to that, you will develop a personalized marketing plan that will enable you to secure 15 to 25 qualified leads per month.  You will also be guaranteed to earn more than $30,000 in annualized billings in just one year!  Imagine, after starting your own accounting practice you can expect a $30,000 raise 12 months from now.  That guarantee alone more than pays for the enrollment fee.

Whether you’re motivated by swelling gas prices, greater flexibility, or the opportunity to make more money, register for UAC’s power package today!  For just a fraction of the cost of a university education and a year’s supply of gas, you will be prepared to start your own accounting practice from scratch.  You’ll complete these courses with the confidence and know-how to make your business successful.  Stop procrastinating your future!  Enroll now!

Visualization is a technique used by athletes, politicians, CEO’s, and bank tellers alike to achieve greater success in their lives. In fact, you currently practice visualization yourself, although you may not be aware that you’re actually doing it.

When you imagine yourself sitting in that corner office with your name on the door, you’re visualizing greater success. And when you imagine yourself getting fired for a series of mistakes, you’re visualizing failure. So as long as you’re visualizing, you might as well do it right.

The brain can’t tell the difference between reality and your imagination. If you imagine yourself earning a promotion or getting a stellar job, you’ve tricked the brain into believing you’ve done that already, paving the way for reality. And the more you visualize it, the more the subconscious begins thinking and doing those things that will prepare you to actually accomplish what you’re visualizing.

The truth is we’ve spent years convincing our brains of one thing or another. If you’re a highly optimistic, successful person, chances are you think many positive thoughts. On the other hand, if you’re a pessimistic, downtrodden person, chances are you think negative ones. The great thing about visualization, however, is that by changing your thoughts you can begin to change your experiences, immediately.

Visualization

Visualization can be a fabulous tool for enhancing your career. But it first requires you to determine what, specifically, you want. Is it a promotion? A bigger and better job? Your own accounting practice? Once you decide what you desire you can begin visualizing your way to success.

The important thing about visualization is that you produce a clear picture in your mind of you achieving your goals. What does it look like? What does it feel like? What are you saying and thinking throughout? The more clarity you bring to your “visions” the more real they appear to your brain which can begin helping you manifest that vision into a reality.

And while visualizing what you desire one time is a good start, it’s not enough to bring that vision to life. Remember, you’ve probably been processing negative, self-defeating thoughts for a long time. It will take daily and focused visualization in order to combat those thoughts and develop new and improved habits of the mind.

Schedule 20 to 30 minutes a day when you can relax and visualize your desires. Select a quiet and undisturbed location so you won’t be interrupted or distracted. And while it may feel silly at first, concentrate and imagine your desires becoming part of your life, filling in all the details to make your vision as specific as possible. Each day add to these details and try to conjure those feelings you would have realizing your dreams.

Affirmations

In addition to visualizations, practice positive affirmations. Affirmations also help bring more positive things into your life as you convince your brain that you are indeed a competent and successful person. These affirmations should be in present tense and only accentuate the positive. For example, if you want to lose weight, rather than say, “I am losing weight,” you should say, “I am healthy and slender.” The first statement focuses on the weight that you’re trying so hard to lose while the second only focuses on the end result you’re trying to achieve.

Make a list of affirmations you could repeat throughout your day. It’s not a bad idea to carry them around with you until you have memorized them and they become part of the audio track that entertains your brain. You’ll find that after a few days of repeating these affirmations you’re feeling more positive and confident.

Change Your Path Today!

Every day you can take steps that will bring you closer to the realization of your dream. Take one step today!

If you wish to enhance your skills or prepare yourself for self-employment as a contract accountant, you should consider UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program. Designed to train individuals in small business accounting, this course will enable you to boost your employability, your chances for promotion, all while preparing you to start your own bookkeeping service, if that’s what you desire.

Begin visualizing today. Order our DVD “Introduction to the Professional Bookkeeper Program” now and see just how much this course can enhance your career. Or watch it online and begin changing the course of your professional future.

When searching for a job it’s important to have everything you need to succeed, like a toolkit with all those items prepared that will enable you to secure the perfect position. That way, you’re never taken off-guard and required to throw something together for a potential employee. And everything from your resume to your email address communicates a level of professionalism and dedication. So you can’t wait until the opportunity presents itself to get your toolkit together. Now is the time to gather your job search gear.

1. Resume

It’s important that you update your resume periodically. If you wait too long, you will forget significant achievements and responsibilities that will appeal to potential employers. And while you should revise your resume to cater to the position for which you are applying, it helps to have current information to work with.

2. Application-at-the-ready

While filling out a job application isn’t rocket science, it does take a certain amount of time, energy, and recall ability to complete successfully. Depending on the application, this may require you to sort through old documents listing previous addresses, employers and their corresponding contact information, as well as starting and ending salaries. Save yourself some time by making copies of old applications to keep on file. That way completing an application becomes a matter of copying information from one form to another.

3. Cover letter template

Most jobs require you to submit an application package which requires a thoughtful cover letter stating your intentions. While each cover letter you write should be unique to the job for which you are applying, having a standard template will help you compose the letter more quickly.

4. Elevator speech

An elevator speech is like a quick infomercial about you and your abilities that can be delivered in the time it takes an elevator to carry its occupants to their floor. An elevator speech is something you hone and practice so that at opportune moments you can network effectively, explaining what you do and why you do it so well that everyone deserves to hear about it.

5. Portfolio

Most professionals can demonstrate their expertise with samples of their work or specialized certification. All these things should be collected in one place for easy access. Then you have a portfolio prepared should a potential employer ask to see it.

6. Professional email address

While you may think smartdude28@email.com is a great email address, it doesn’t say much for your professionalism. When selecting an email address for the purpose of a job search it’s important the you choose one that will project a positive, professional image.

7. Power suit

When interacting with significant contacts and potential employers it’s important that you dress the part. You should have at least one power outfit to wear for interviews and networking occasions.

Add Universal’s DVD 4-Pack to Your Toolkit

Included in your toolkit should be strategies to increase your skills and expertise. Universal’s DVD 4-Pack is designed to introduce you to all the valuable programs we offer, each and every one of them intended to enhance your accounting career. This power pack includes:

Introduction to the Professional Bookkeeper Program

Learn how becoming a Professional Bookkeeper will improve your accounting skills, enabling you to expand your business and become a full-service financial provider.

Introduction to the Professional Tax Preparer Program

Learn how becoming a Professional Tax Preparer will improve your tax skills and help you earn a professional designation that will evidence your expertise.

Start Today and Have Your Own Bookkeeping Service

Learn how to make over $80,000 per year working from home while getting more clients than you can handle. Know how to charge your client so you can afford to take that next vacation while they get such a great deal they will be telling all their friends about you.

The Art and Science of Getting Clients

Learn how to get more clients by using our proven methods.

Not only will these programs enable you to bolster your resume and enhance your career, but if you’ve ever considered starting your own accounting and tax practice, these DVD’s will help you get started. Order now and complete your job search toolkit!

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. Or should we say A.P.E.. Entrepreneurial wannabes often imagine a potential startup as a difficult venture, one requiring more know-how, gumption, and drive than they may have.

Does that sound like you? Are you worried that your dream of becoming self-employed and enjoying an improved lifestyle with increased earnings is too good to be true, or maybe not a good fit for you?

If so, it’s time you realized that starting your own bookkeeping practice is achievable, profitable, and easy. Don’t believe us? Read on to find out just how true it is.

Achievable

You don’t need a four-year degree to do someone’s accounting. In fact, many individuals who train at a university don’t learn the practical, day-to-day accounting functions needed by many businesses. That’s why the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) course is such a popular program changing countless lives every year.

In just 60 hours, and with less money than you’ll probably spend on your summer vacation, you can learn all you need to know to launch your own bookkeeping practice: from starting a business’s books from scratch, to helping owners increase their profitability, to marketing your valuable services. YOU can do this!

Testimonial: “This course is definitely NOT just an introductory course, although it is wonderful even for beginners. It is a comprehensive accounting and bookkeeping course that truly taught me everything I would need to know to start my own accounting business, and gain clients with confidence.” -J. Young

Profitable

We have a simple equation that will help you calculate how many clients you need to quit your day job and enjoy an improved lifestyle. Most clients bring in an average of $300 per month. With 20 clients you’ll be earning $6000 per month, and with 25 clients you’ll be earning $7500. Respectively, that’s $72,000 and $90,000 per year.

How much are you earning right now? How many clients would it take to replace that full-time income with contract accounting? Once you start your own bookkeeping service you determine your income by deciding how many clients you wish to serve.

Testimonial: “As an average for each client I am making about $30 - $50 an hour, I’ve been able to quit my full-time job. Thanks again to everyone at Universal Accounting Center! It has created for me a brighter outlook financially, as well as more free time in my personal life. And, I didn’t have to go to college for years and pay thousands of dollars for an education.”-S. Thomas

Easy

Whether you’re new to accounting or a seasoned accountant, the Professional Bookkeeper course is designed to easily lead you through all the concepts necessary to run your own practice. Now only that, but the hands-on approach taken in this program will enable you to become confident in your ability to perform all necessary accounting functions.

Testimonial: This course has literally changed my life. When I started I hardly knew the difference between a debit and a credit. Now I have the confidence to tackle almost any type of business and do their books.-A. Moody

Testimonial: Even with15 years of accounting background, I found myself learning something new nearly every day. -B. Varechok

The Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program

The PB Program is jam-packed with valuable features, including, but not limited to, the following:

• 16 quality DVDs and 4 manuals enable you to learn on your own time and at your own pace
• Specialized training in small business accounting
• Practical, hands-on experience in all the necessary accounting functions
• Access to a proven system of getting and retaining clients
• The opportunity to earn a professional designation
• A customized website for your business
• 6 months of free follow-up support
• An iron-clad guarantee

For more than 25 years Universal Accounting Center has been demonstrating just how easy this can be as long as you have the knowledge and skills necessary. Let us share them with you. They can make a difference in your life and the life of your family.

There’s no time like the present to change your future. Enjoy the freedom of self-employment including the ability to achieve an increased salary, an improved lifestyle and the chance to do what you’ve always dreamed. Enroll today and see just how achievable, profitable, and easy it is to start your own bookkeeping service.

If a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade. - Tom Peters

Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises. - Demosthenes

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. - Winston Churchill

Imagine owning and operating your own accounting practice. Doing so would enable you to be your own boss, enjoy a flexible work schedule, determine how much you will work, determine how much you will make, and enjoy a fulfilling career helping small businesses succeed. Do any of these things appeal to you? If so, it’s time you take advantage of an amazing opportunity to get started-today!

The three main business functions are accounting, marketing and production. In order for a business to operate successfully these three functions must coordinate their efforts. An accounting practice produces accounting services, so production and accounting are closely intertwined. You use accounting information to diagnose a business’s vitality and inform business decisions while you “produce” accounting services for your clients. And unless you market these services effectively the business will fail. The best business opportunity will provide you with the chance to hone these key business functions: accounting and marketing. Once you these two areas are covered you practically have a ready-made business.

Accounting

If you’re reading this article you probably already have some experience with accounting. Perhaps you work in the accounting industry full or part-time. Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to work in the accounting industry. Regardless of what you currently do, you can start your own accounting practice. The key is in finding a niche market in need of your valuable services.

Small businesses are in great need of accountants who understand their specific needs and know how to help them make their businesses more profitable. Traditional accounting training doesn’t prepare graduates to work with this niche market and their unique needs. That’s what makes the Professional Bookkeeper Program matchless.

UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program

At Universal Accounting, we understand the needs of the small business like nobody else. We’ve helped people like you advance their careers in small business accounting for over 25 years. The Professional Bookkeeper Program is designed specifically to address the needs of small businesses, and Universal Accounting Center’s small business accounting course is the most complete of anything else offered today. And depending on your schedule and situation, it will only take you 60 hours to complete. Imagine earning a professional designation in less than one month!

Marketing

Unless your target market knows about your unique skills, they will not retain your services. Part of your job as a contract accountant is to promote these unique skills effectively. The Universal Practice Builder Program is designed to help you master your business’s marketing function.

UAC’s Universal Practice Builder Program

This program is a turn-key marketing solution which will enable you to grow your business with our proven system. You could work for years on a marketing plan, hitting and missing, only to find your business growing at a snail’s pace. Imagine learning 12 plus marketing strategies proven to reach your niche market. That includes helping you secure 15-25 qualified leads per month and earn $30,000 more in annualized billings in just one year! The Universal Practice Builder Program is designed to teach you the art and science of getting clients. Top your Professional Bookkeeper designation off with this guaranteed program that will help you coordinate those two key functions: accounting and marketing. With these two programs under your belt, business success is much closer than you can imagine.

Life is too short to wait for success to fall into your lap. You must chase it! This package deal is an opportunity in work clothes. You’ll have to dedicate your time and energy to mastering the concepts contained in these two priceless programs, but we can promise you that it will pay off. Order today and turn this grand opportunity into an even grander enterprise.

If It’s Accounting, It’s Universal:

Get to Know More About the Company That Will Change Your Career!

Universal Accounting is a company that is making a difference in the lives of their students! For those who are pursuing or looking into the possibilities of pursuing a career path into the Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation services, you need to get to know more about what all Universal offers in their comprehensive training programs.

If you prefer onsite classroom study or looking for the benefits received on independent study, we have developed the programs that you will be able to get the one-on-one experience in your own home. The skills we have used over the course of the last 28 years, with the trial and error, the fine-tuning of accounting methods and strategies, and what we and thousands more have experienced running their own practices - we have provided to you the advantage to stay on top of your profession. Our coursework is designed to be exactly what you will be doing when you are servicing the biggest customer base available, the small business owner.

If you are looking for the knowledge, the skills, and the know-how to start or build your accounting or tax practice, or just looking to gain the essential skills to further your career in your place of business, Universal’s Programs are what you are going to need.

Click here to take the Video Tour of Universal and all that we offer to you, the accounting and tax professional to be the best in your field and to have the success in business and in your professional life that you are seeking.Our exclusive short term courses do just that!

Imagine staying on top of the latest in the industry and having access to the experts who can assist you through training? Imagine what you are learning can be applied the very next day at work? Imagine being able to keep the materials, and the reading for continued referencing as you take that path in Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation? You don’t have to imagine too hard, because that is one of the many things you receive when you enroll in these specialized programs! Click here to get to know Universal Accounting.

Are You Ready For The Next Step?
Be in business for yourself, but not by yourself getting paid what you’re worth! Are you tired of thinking, “Why not me?” You have gotten this far in your search to do what you want to in your chosen career, take the next step. The time is now to be able to get the training and the change you desire in your professional life.

Be the Profit Expert Professional for Small Business! Don’t hesitate another day in getting the Accounting and Marketing Training that makes the difference. Click here to get more information on what you need to know about becoming the Profit Center Expert for small business accounting and tax!

Moving Forward After Losing a Job

That which does not kill me makes me stronger. - Nietzsche

Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors. - African Proverb

You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. - Walt Disney

Whether you get fired, laid off or are forced to resign, losing a job is difficult. It can cause an enormous amount of stress and a considerable financial burden if you don’t move through it quickly. But is it really possible to turn your stumbling blocks into stepping stones? Can a kick in the teeth really, as Walt Disney once said, “be the best thing in the world for you?” While it may not seem so initially, you can turn this obstacle into an opportunity and make your life better because of it. Here are some things you should consider if you find yourself in this trying situation.

Take care of the basics
First of all, find out what your options are. Depending on the circumstance you do have rights and can and should take advantage of unemployment benefits. Contact the HR department and see what their policy is regarding severance pay, accrued vacation, sick leave, pension, benefits, and unemployment insurance. Also remember that in some cases the employer is responsible for giving you resources through which you can find new employment; often this includes access to a computer, printer, fax machine, and long distance phone services.

Achieve a positive outlook
This might be the most difficult thing to do once you’ve lost a job. But we assure you that it will make your journey much easier and enable you to adjust your career path more quickly, finding a destination that is pleasant and favorable.

You’ve probably heard the hype about “The Secret,” a DVD that talks about how to achieve success in every aspect of your life by thinking positively. “The Secret,” while inspiring, is not much of a secret. It’s simply the Law of Attraction, a concept that’s been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Like the Law of Gravity, it influences your life whether or not you believe in it. Plainly stated it goes something like this: your life is a reflection of what you think, what you focus on, and what you expect to happen. Take this opportunity to imagine a positive future filled with everything you desire, including the career of your dreams.

Assess your goals
Now is a good time to ask yourself what you really want from your career. Perhaps this job loss is simply the chance for you to readjust your journey and get back on the right path. Did you enjoy that job much in the first place? Had you been imagining a different future with a different company? Or had you been considering furthering your education and training? This is your chance to pursue goals that align with your true aspirations.

Consider self-employment
On that same note, if running your own accounting practice has been something you’ve wanted to eventually pursue, maybe now is a good time to look into that a bit more. Consider what you may need to do in order to accomplish that dream. Perhaps it includes continued training, certification, and marketing help, all of which Universal Accounting Center is happy to help you with.

Take action
Wallowing in your own pity won’t get you anywhere. Whenever faced with difficulty it’s important to do the following: appraise the situation, make a decision, and act on that decision. Once you’ve determined the best course of action, take it.

Of course in situations like this, it’s always easier to give advice than it is to take it. We recognize that suffering a job loss can be extremely difficult and taxing on you and your family. But we hope that you can hold yourself up and see that regardless of where you might currently be, the future is open, wide and full of possibility. And consider where you may be years from now looking back on what was potentially the best thing that ever happened to you.

Stay-at-Home Accounting and Tax Preparation? You Bet!

Victoria Richardson started her business in January of 2004, and has seen incredibly rapid growth and profit ever since. She only spent the first 6 weeks marketing. Since then, she has had all the clients she can handle. In fact, she tells us that she has had to cut down to “only” 18 clients so that she has the quality time that she wants to spend with her children. Victoria is a stay-at-home mom and Professional Bookkeeper.

USA Today notes that while there are no statistics on the number of work-at-home moms (WAHM), the National Association of Women Business Owners reports that there are more than 10 million female-owned businesses in the USA. Many of those are run by stay-at-home moms who manage their businesses and take care of their children from the comfort of their own homes.

Perhaps you’ve wanted to return home to raise your kids but have worried about losing that stable income. But there’s no need to worry. Accounting is a lucrative profession that can easily be done while taking care of your family. Just ask Victoria.

Victoria Richardson, AAHM (Accounting-at-Home Mom)

At the time Victoria started her own accounting business she had two young children: ages one and two months. She was having ethical conflicts with her employer and had reached a point where she wanted something different.

As she considered her options Victoria said:

. . . my list of wants and needs included: complete flexibility to be able to be with my children when they needed me, if they were sick, or something had come up where they needed to spend time with me. I needed to be making at least $60,000 a year. I needed to be able to have a lot of flexibility, and wanted to work an abbreviated work week. And what I found was that … there was nothing out there that was willing to give me that package. . . . I discovered that the only option that was available for me was to be able to start my own business.

The Professional Bookkeeper Program

But Victoria knew she needed more practical education. She had a bachelor’s degree in business, but didn’t feel she had the confidence to manage the accounts of multiple clients without hands-on training. So she decided to enroll in Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program; it would give her the flexibility she needed to finish the course quickly and at her own pace.

When she was close to completing the course, she decided to quit her full-time job and become an independent contractor. Her ex-employer became her first client, and within 6 weeks she had enough clients that she could stop marketing.

Victoria feels like she has the edge and doesn’t worry about competition.

I know what they want to hear. I know what’s going to make them feel comfortable, and I know what their concerns are. And the Universal Accounting Courses taught . . . a lot of it has to do with . . . it’s semantics . . . it’s the language that you present it in. When I talk to them about increasing their profitability, they listen. It makes sense to them. I can feel confident in helping them discover what problem areas they have, and what ways they can work through that, so it’s not a situation where I feel like, you know, anybody else is coming in and giving them that because, unfortunately, that’s what they’re looking for and they’re not finding it anywhere. I can come in and do it, and I can do it and save them money.

The PB Program not only teaches you practical, day-to-day accounting for the small business, but it also trains you on marketing your unique skill-set. It gives you the edge over the competition so that you can feel confident in your ability to provide a better service for your clients.

Adding Tax Preparation to the Mix

Ralph Barnes quit his job as an accountant for a radial tire chain 14 years ago. He performs regular accounting tasks for 20 clients and prepares, roughly, 150 tax returns every year. He’s as busy as he would like to be and enjoys a flexible schedule, spending leisurely time with his wife, adult children, and young grand children. What’s the benefit of adding tax services to your menu? Ralph says, “That’s where I make my living. I get 75% of my money from taxes.”

If you want to give your business the chance to truly excel, you’ll learn tax preparation and become the one-stop financial stop for all your clients. Everyone is required by law to file taxes; what an expansive base of potential clients!

Universal’s Professional Tax Preparer Certification can train you in the preparation of individual and business returns. And because their practical programs enable you to learn at your own pace, you can earn a professional designation in as much, or as little time as you feel is necessary.

In just a matter of months, you can be ready to launch your own accounting and tax practice. No longer need you feel confined to work a 9-to-5 job in order to pay the bills. You can enjoy the flexibility to raise your family, set your own schedule, and enjoy as much profitability as you wish.

For the next two weeks, Universal Accounting Center is offering this power package for one low price. The sooner you enroll the sooner you can enjoy the independence that comes from being your own boss. Take the initiative and Order Now!

References

“Job Opening? Work-at-Home Moms Fill the Bill” by Stephanie Armour, USA Today

Want to Start Your Own Business?

Here are 10 Things to Consider as You Work Toward Your Goal

If you’ve ever thought about taking the plunge and starting your own business, this would be a good year to do it. Brian Tracy, Chairman and CEO of Brain Tracy International, a personal coach and motivational speaker, called 2006 another extraordinary year. He says, “Fully 42% of people working in America are working in businesses that were started in the last three years. The small and medium business sector is creating more than 90% of the new jobs in America , and in other countries throughout the world. More people are making more money today than has ever occurred in human history. Economists are calling the 21st century the Golden Age of Mankind.” So if there was ever a year to have “start my own small business” as a New Year’s resolution, 2007 is the year to do it.

But how do you prepare for such a huge life change? You definitely don’t start by going into your day-job and giving your two-week’s notice. Starting your own business requires a lot of forethought and preparation. And here are a few places you could start:

1. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Pick a business by the toe.
Obviously your choice of business should be more calculated than that, but if you haven’t yet decided what your specialty will be, that’s your first step.

2. Research the market.
You should take the time to see what your competition is. Are you filling a void, or will you be entering a competitive market? Whatever the situation may be you should be well informed, and prepared to deal with it.

3. Plan with your family.
This is not the type of decision you casually break to your spouse. “Honey, guess what I did today?” In order to succeed, you’ll need your family’s support. Be sure to discuss all the pros and cons together before making any decisions, because in a crunch you just might need to enlist their help in order to succeed.

4. Set business goals.
What do you hope to achieve with your business. It’s important to articulate your goals so that you can make a plan to fulfill them.

5. Create a financial plan.
How do you plan to finance this venture? Perhaps you plan to move into the business gradually, working part-time before moving to full-time. In that case you may not need much financial backing. But you need to run the numbers before you make a move. Consider whether or not a small business loan might be necessary.

6. Moonlight.
Start your business on the side until it picks up enough momentum to warrant full-time attention. If you’re starting an accounting practice, this will give you the time to build a clientele that can sustain you once you quit your day-job.

7. Set a date.
Consider how long it might take you to grow your business to the point where you’d feel comfortable quitting your job. 3 months? 6 months? One year? And don’t work blindly towards that deadline. Determine “readiness indicators,” or symptoms that your business is healthy enough to go full-time. Will you need at least 10 clients? 15? 20?

8. Get the word out.
Face it. In order to grow your business to full-time status, you need to get clients. And in order to get clients you need to let people know you’re open for business. Once you’ve set a date, you need to let your current clients know that you’re moving from part-time to full-time status, and ask them to tell their friends and family and about your services. Pass out your business card, tell your own friends and family about your plans; take advantage of every opportunity to let people know about your business.

9. Get some training.
In most professions, employers invest in their employees by sending them to conferences, paying for continuing education, or encouraging special training. Invest in yourself by finding those resources that will help you advance in your field. If you’re starting an accounting practice, you’ll want certification to illustrate your expertise and put clients at ease. Obviously we believe that Universal Accounting offers the best accounting and bookkeeping training available, but regardless of what avenue you choose, we believe that investing in yourself professionally will increase your chances of business success.

10. Master necessary software.
If you’re planning on starting an accounting practice, mastering the proper software will help tremendously. Not only will you better manage your own financial information, but you’ll better manage the information of your clients. And chances are most of them are already using QuickBooks Pro to handle some aspect of their finances. 80% of small businesses use Intuit’s accounting software. And learning the software before you open your doors for business will shorten the learning curve and increase your productivity. UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to QuickBooks Pro is a premier program that will enable you to use the software to your advantage. And along with the program you’ll receive free and unlimited email support from our staff.

However you choose to start this venture, be sure you do it with some forethought and planning. Once you’ve thought through everything, and done all you can do to prepare, then you can take the steps towards your dream.