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Welcome to SCORE!
Dear ,
SCORE, Service Corp Of Retired
(and Working) Executives, Counselors to America's Small Business, offers
free counseling to St. Louis area small businesses. For more
information contact us at 314-539-6600 Ext. 242 or www.stlscore.org to learn more about what SCORE offers.
Our New Kirkwood Office is NOW OPEN AND STAFFED!!
Hours 10:00 am to 3:00pm - Please call to check availability
Inside National City Bank
333 S. Kirkwood Rd
Kirkwood, MO 63122
314-800-1527
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St. Louis SCORE
200 North Broadway
Suite 1500
St. Louis,
MO
63102
314-539-6600 x242
http://www.stlscore.org
St. Charles Office
636-447-5000
St. Charles Development Center
5988 Mid Rivers Mall Drive
St. Charles, MO 63304
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HOW TO BECOME A RAINMAKER
By Jeffrey J. Fox
A Rainmaker is a person who brings revenue into an
organization. The most important success
factor in any business is having satisfied customers. Without customers no organization can
continue to survive. Every employee must
be somehow involved in the identification, attraction, getting, and keeping
customers. Therefore, the paramount job
of every single employee in an organization is to, directly or indirectly, get
and keep customers. This is true without
exception! All employees need to keep
the customers coming, and keep the customers coming back.
The Rainmakers
Credo
- Treat
customers like you would your best friend.
- Ask
questions and listen to customers to determine their needs.
- Give
customers what they want.
- Show
customers the "dollarized" value of what they get.
- Give
customers more than they expect.
- Thank
customers sincerely and often.
- Resolve
problems promptly.
- Rainmakers
don't make excuses.
- Always
have your appointment calendar handy.
Always answer the question, "Why should this customer do
business with us?" The Rainmaker always puts themselves in the customer's shoes
and answers the question, "If I were the customer, how would this product
benefit me?" Your product or service
should solve the customer's problem or make the customer feel good.
Remember, good customers are demanding. Rainmakers say "you"; not I.
Always present features and sell benefits. Don't present a feature without a benefit.
A watch keeps time but the benefit is, you'll always be on
time. Now isn't that what you really
want?
If you need
help with your business take the time to call a SCORE Counselor. A SCORE Counselor can help you solve problems
and plan for the future. Contact SCORE at 314-539-6600 Ext. 242, M-F 10am to
3pm or go to www.stlscore.org.
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Upcoming Events
SCORE Seminar
"How to Start and Manage Your Own Business"
Sat., Jan. 17, 2009
Register Now!
SCORE has several Entrepreneurial Educational programs to help you learn more about running your business successfully. SCORE programs include:
Seminars
"How to Start and Manage Your Own Business"
Jan. 17, 2008St. Louis C.C. @ MeramecFeb. 21, 2009St. Louis C.C. @ Meramec
In cooperation with the St. Charles City/County Library.
Creating a Successful Business Plan
January 31, 2009
8:30 am to 12:00 noon
Registration Fee $40
Marketing for Small Business
February 28, 2009
8:30 am to 12:30 pm
Registration Fee $40
Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights
March 28, 2009
9:30 am to 11:30 am
Registration Fee $30
To learn more about any of these courses and dates, times and how to register- CLICK HERE
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Top 5 Tax Tips for Small and Growing Businesses
From the AllBusiness.com Finance & Accounting Center
Taxes are one of the most important issues facing small and growing
businesses. And like a company's profits, its annual tax bill will in
part reflect the owner's skills and knowledge. Business owners need to
be sure that they are meeting all of their responsibilities to the tax
man -- and also seizing every opportunity to reduce their taxes. These
tax tips will ensure Uncle Sam is not getting more than his due.
1. Writing It Off: Deductions. Businesses can
deduct all "ordinary and necessary" business expenses from their
revenues to reduce their taxable income. Some deductions are
obvious-expenditures in such areas as business travel, equipment,
salaries, or rent. But the rules governing write-offs aren't always
simple. Don't overlook these potential deductions:
Business losses. Business losses can be deducted against a
business owner's personal income to reduce taxes. If a business owner's
losses exceed personal income for the year, some of the year's business
losses can be used to reduce taxable income in future years.
Trips that combine business and pleasure. If more
than half of a business trip is devoted to business, deduct the
traveling costs, as well as other business-related expenses.
2. Employee Taxes. If a business has employees, a variety of taxes will have to be withheld from their salaries. Among them are:
Withholding. Social Security (FICA), Medicare and federal and state income taxes must be withheld from employees' pay.
Employer matching. Businesses must match the FICA and Medicare taxes and pay them along with employees.
Unemployment tax. Businesses must pay federal and state unemployment taxes.
3. Quarterly Estimated. This area trips up many an
entrepreneur and is especially vexing for home-based businesses.
Failure to keep up with estimated tax bills can create cash flow
problems as well as the potential for punishing IRS penalties. Among
the issues are:
Who should pay? A business probably must pay quarterly estimated taxes if the total tax bill in a given year will exceed $500.
How much should you pay? By the end of the year,
either 90 percent of the tax that is owed or 100 percent of last year's
tax must be paid (the figure is 110 percent if a business's income
exceeds $150,000). Businesses can subtract their expenses from their
income each quarter and apply their income tax rate (and any
self-employment tax rate) to the resulting figure (their quarterly
profit).
4. Sales Taxes. Most services remain exempt from
sales tax, but most products are taxable (typical exceptions are food
and drugs). If a business owner sells a product or service that is
subject to sales tax, he or she must register with the state's tax
department. Then taxable and nontaxable sales must be tracked and
included on the company's sales tax return.
Having what is considered a "presence" in a state is the criteria
used by the IRS to determine whether or not you are liable for paying
state sales tax.
If you do not have a physical presence in another state, but sell
items via the Internet or by catalog in that state, you can be subject
to a state's "use tax," but typically not to their state sales tax. A
"presence" in another state does not necessarily mean that you have a
retail outlet in that state. If you have an office, warehouse, or
employees working for you in that state, the IRS may consider you to
have a presence in that state. Make sure you are aware of your sales
tax responsibilities in all states in which you are doing business.
5. Keep Tax Documents for at Least Seven Years.
Good record keeping saves money. Some things like copies of business
tax returns, licenses, incorporation papers, and capital equipment
expenses should be preserved indefinitely. Keep any tax-related
documents (e.g., expense receipts, client 1099 forms, and vehicle
mileage logs) for a minimum of seven years.
Find business tax information and other finance and accounting tips at AllBusiness.com. AllBusiness.com is a leading provider of practical information and services for growing businesses.
Copyright 2006 AllBusiness, Inc.
Find more Tax Tips and lots more at the National SCORE site: www.score.org
To contact a counselor in the St. Louis area-
St.
Louis 314-539-660 ext 242
Kirkwood 314-800-1527
St.
Charles 636-447-500
SCORE is a national organization of executives who share their expertise with small business and is a resource
partner of the U.S.
Small Business Administration.
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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Sponsor Info
Economic Development Center of St. Charles County - offers specialized training for incubator tenants.
"Graduate School for
Entrepreneurs"
The EDC
in cooperation with the Missouri
Small Business
Development Center will soon be
announcing a new monthly training series designed specifically for
new business owners and offered exclusively to EDC and ATC
incubator tenants.
These free classes will begin in early January and will be held in
the EDC's SSM Conference Room. Monthly topics will
include human resource legalities, organizational management,
understanding financial statements, marketing, QuickBooks and more.
The first class, "Introduction to the 2009 Entrepreneurship
Curriculum" is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 12 Noon Wednesday, January 21 in the EDC SSM Room.
EDC
of St. Charles County 5988 Mid Rivers Mall Drive St. Charles, MO
63304
Toll-Free 1-877-441-6880 www.edcscc.com info@edcscc.com
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Resources For You
SBIR Workshop
11th Annual Regional SBIR Conference
with STTR, Industry Partnering and Tech Transfer at the Center for Emerging Technologies in Saint Louis, Missouri,
Thursday and Friday, January 15-16, 2009
Twice a year CET holds a two-day Small Business
Innovation Research (SBIR) grant workshop, featuring federal program
managers and experts on company development and technology
commercialization.
The several SBIR program managers will present the latest facts about their programs:
- Learn the secrets to success of federal grant programs
- Meet local service providers and experts who can help you succeed as a start up company
- Meet officials from large companies and universities eager to partner for R&D, technology transfer as well as commercialization
- Ask questions and get answers from the experts
- Schedule one-on-one sessions with the program managers
Learn more about this $2.5 billion federal grant program. The Conference is sponsored by the Center for Emerging Technologies. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. All programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
For more information:
http://www.emergingtech.org/index.html
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SCORE members, the January Member meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009.
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SCORE,
St. Louis, to host SBA Loan Workshops
The
SCORE Association will host a series
of Workshops on SBA Community Express, Patriot Express, and Export Express loan
programs in the St. Louis area during January, 2009. These loan programs are being made available in
an effort to assist small businesses and start-ups deal with their cash flow
needs during the current credit crunch. There are six workshops scheduled:
Tuesday,
Jan. 6, 2009 - 1:00
p.m. - Session one
Tuesday,
Jan. 6, 2009 - 6:00
p.m. - Session two
St. Louis Community
College - Meramec Campus
Rm 105 - Business
Administration Bldg.
11333 Big Bend Road,
Kirkwood, MO. 63122
____________________________
Wednesday,
Jan. 7, 2009 -
1:00
p.m. - Session three
Wednesday,
Jan. 7, 2009
- 6:00 p.m. - Session four
St. Louis Community
College - Flo Valley Campus
Rm 105 - Training
Center
3400 Pershall Road,
Ferguson, MO 63135
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Thursday,
Jan. 8, 2009 - 1:00
p.m. - Session five
Thursday,
Jan. 8, 2009 - 6:00
p.m. - Session six
St. Louis Community
College - Forest Park Campus
Rm SC25 - Student
Center
5600 Oakland Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110
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A small business financing expert, Sue Malone
with Superior Financial Group, will make presentations at each Workshop. SCORE counselors will provide free
consultations and technical assistance to prospective borrowers at all six sessions
of the workshops.
While
reservations are not required, they are encouraged. Please e-mail Laurel at SCORE, admin@stlscore.org or call 314-539-6600,
extension 260, to make a reservation for one of the six sessions or to learn
more about these workshops. Admission
is free, and prospective borrowers should bring personal identification,
business license and business checkbook as they will be able to apply for an
SBA-guaranteed Community Express, Patriot Express or Export Express loan at
these workshops.
The
Community Express loan program is targeted toward creditworthy small businesses
that may have trouble obtaining a business loan through banks. The
primary determinant in making a credit decision is character of the owner and
cash flow of the business. The Patriot Express loan
initiative is available to active military, veterans, service-disabled
veterans, reservists, guard members and their spouses/widows. The Export
Express loan program is available to finance the export of American-made goods
and services to foreign markets. All SBA loan programs are available to
small businesses by most national & community banks located in the St.
Louis region.
www.stlscore.org
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Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business," a nonprofit association and resourc e partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration. SCORE is dedicated to entrepreneurship and the formation, growth and success of small businesses nationwide. Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 8 million entrepreneurs.
You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed at http://www.score.org. To unsubscribe, click here. To update or change your email address, click here. We do not sell, rent or trade the names on our email list. Your email address is only used to send messages from SCORE. Visit http://www.score.org to view SCORE's Privacy Policy.
© Copyright 2008. SCORE Association. All rights reserved.
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