manage your businesses cash flow
May 7, 2010
With thanks to the O2 Ideas Room for blog posts…
Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business and these days is even more important than ever.
Below are a number of simple approaches to use when operating your business. Read more
Have a Glass of wine
April 27, 2010
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 glasses of wine.
Read more
Bootstrapping your way to success
February 16, 2010
With thanks to the O2 Ideas Room for blog posts…
Economic downturns tend to be self fulfilling. We all help to drive market conditions, so if we all decide to ‘batten down the hatches’, and become more risk averse we all contribute to prolonging a downturn. However though it may sound counter intuitive, an economic downturn is as good a time as any to start a new business. This short article discusses how entrepreneurs can bootstrap their way to success, by describing what it means in practice and suggesting some benefits to bootstrapping. Read more
A Simple Plan for 2010
February 7, 2010
With thanks to the O2 Ideas Room for blog posts…
It’s not big. It’s not sexy. But simple is however a little bit clever when it comes to Marketing Communications.
Many People are coming to the conclusion that a lot of the marketing communications that were created towards the end of the Tiger were relatively flabby and lazy. Not sure what to say? Say loads of things! No idea what is the one real consumer benefit that will unlock sales? Well cram in loads of benefits. Sure what did it matter. People were buying everything anyway. This led to a lot of very bloated, confusing and wasteful communications and a very confused consumer.
People forgot about the primacy and the discipline of a simple idea that arrives from a well-derived insight.
We all have to work really, really hard this year for our sales. They will need to really clearly see and understand the benefit of a product or service (whether functional or emotional) before they even begin to think about handing over their precious metal. Brands can’t afford to be lazy and ’say everything’. From now on success will be saying one thing, the right thing, brilliantly. That is the best way to be value conscious.
I think the companies that have or will embrace this common sense approach will see the benefits of communicating one creative idea cross media. Unfortunately many agencies still come up with an execution, be it a 48 sheet, online display or TV advert, first and then try and make it fit every other medium. This doesn’t work and will waste money. However executing a single creative ideas across all of your marketing channels allows each channel to do what they do best for your brand thereby maximising a brands return on investment.
Digital, with all of its unique advantages, will continue to flourish (as it should) though there are some brands commissioning digital projects based on the great insight of ‘if everyone else is doing it we should be too’. Again let simplicity and sense be your guiding principles. Set out clear objectives and deliverables. Not every brand should be on Facebook. It’s not a viral just because you put it on YouTube. Ask yourself at every stage ‘is this activity enhancing or benefiting my consumer?’.
In summary say less, but say the right thing, better.
Pat Stephenson
Managing Partner
www.boysandgirls.ie
Budget 2010 Summary
December 16, 2009
As widely anticipated, the Budget focused mainly on cutting expenditure, but also included various taxation measures. The small business owner was saved from higher taxes but really there was no assistance or incentives given.
- No changes to income tax rates, income levy, or PRSI for 2010.
- Universal social contribution scheme to replace PRSI, the health levy, and income levy to be introduced in 2011
- No change to income tax bands, allowances or credits
- Increase in effective tax rate for high earners to 30% (plus PRSI and levies) for 2010
- Non-resident Irish nationals or Irish domiciled individuals with worldwide income in excess of €1m and Irish located capital in excess of €5m will be subject to an Irish domicile levy of €200k per annum
- Introduction of a carbon tax at the rate of €15 per tonne
- Reduction in rates of excise duty on beer and cider, wine and spirits. No change to rates of duty on tobacco products.
- Introduction of car scrappage scheme for cars of ten years and older
- Decrease in standard VAT rate from 21.5% to 21%
- Further enhancements to the R&D tax credit regime and Intellectual Property regime may be included in the Finance Bill
- Measures to bolster Ireland’s competitiveness as a centre for international financial services to be introduced in the Finance Bill
- Reiteration of commitment to 12.5% corporation tax rate
Free Online Book keeping
October 24, 2009
Small Businesses really are running out of reasons to keep their records up to date.
A quick update of your income and expense history will keep your records straight and provide invaluable insight to you best customers, most frequent expenses, and the health of your business.
Read more
Tax payment Difficulties
October 18, 2009
Revenue are willing to delay enforcement action or collection of late payment of tax, in cases where a business is experiencing difficulties in meeting its tax obligations because of a delay in receiving a statutory redundancy rebate. Satisfactory evidence of the redundancy rebate due must be supplied to Revenue.
Read more
Better Sales
October 17, 2009
There is no point in spelling out what we already know is going on in the economy.
Here’s how I see it. This year will see the demise of so many businesses, which could good news for the survivors. Opportunities will present themselves for those that want to step up and provide exceptional service to grab market share. Read more
Preliminary Tax 2009
October 13, 2009
Income Levy and Preliminary Tax 2009
An extract from Revenue guide for completing Preliminary tax …
Preliminary tax for the income tax year 2009 is due on the 31 October 2009. To avoid interest charges, the amount of preliminary tax payable is the lower of: Read more
Web 2 for Small Business
October 10, 2009
What do FreshBooks, Shoeboxed, BatchBlue, MailChimp and Outright all have in common? Aside from being Web 2.0 businesses who serve the small business market, they are also the founding member organizations of The Small Business Web. Read more
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