How Do Small Business Owners Spend Their Time?

Recent surveys give us insight into how small business owners use their time. One thing everyone agrees on? There’s never enough of it.

How Do Small Business Owners Spend Their Time? [INFOGRAPHIC]

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Small Business Payroll Services If you’re like many small business owners, it’s likely that you wear many hats and are always on the go. From managing to accounting, there are multiple tasks you have to manage each day. Simplify your to-do list with payroll services for small businesses from First Bank. Outsourcing Your Payroll Services Many small businesses outsource services to compete with larger companies. Payroll services are one of the primary aspects of conducting business that new entrepreneurs outsource, and the benefits can add up. Instead of spending a significant amount of time providing management reports, calculating payroll, and preparing checks, owners and their employees can focus on the rest of their work priorities. The Houston Chronicle named its top 4 advantages of outsourcing payroll as part of your business’ financial management. “Accountability”—With constantly changing tax regulations, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll make an error in your calculations. Many payroll providers “offer services to file state and federal payroll taxes for your business.” This saves you time that might have been lost in calculating taxes and potentially refiling them later. “Tax Expertise”—The IRS states that “40 percent of small businesses pay penalties each year for late or incorrect filings and payments.” How can you avoid this? A tax guarantee. This is something that many payroll providers offer that may cover you financially if any penalties are incurred when taxes are filed. “Productivity”—This can’t be emphasized enough: outsourcing payroll services saves you time (a lot of it). Managing your own payroll system takes up a lot of your time and prevents you and your employees from pursuing “more important value-added and revenue-generating activities.” It can also save your employees a trip to the bank. “Financial Reporting”—Drafting and finalizing financial reports for your small business is also extremely time-consuming. Many outsource providers offer a variety of report services, including “summaries on earning statements, payroll by departments, timesheets, expenses,” and more. This helps you to keep detailed records of your business’ financial history. A Payroll Service Provider You Can Trust for Your Small Business When you’re outsourcing a service, particularly a financial one, it’s important for you to not only have confidence in that provider’s abilities but in its trustworthiness as well. As your community bank, we’ve 3 min read

What Keeps Small Business Owners Up at Night Owning a small business has a lot of perks, but it can also be very stressful. In this article we tackle the that might keep you tossing and turning, and then we show you what you can do to sleep like a baby instead. 3 min read

4 Questions to Ask Yourself as a Business Owner As a business owner, there are an endless number of questions you could be asking yourself to keep your business on the right path. Here are four questions that successful business owners consider when planning for the future: Am I setting SMART business goals? How can I invest in my staff? What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of my business? What does growth look like for my business? Download our printable questionnaire to help you brainstorm ideas for your business as you read this article. 1. Am I setting SMART business goals? Every entrepreneur has aspirations for their business. That’s the easy part. Achieving those goals is where it gets tricky. Have you heard of the SMART acronym? Goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely ensure that you will be more successful in accomplishing them. Think of your SMART goals as the road map to your success. Giving yourself a specific and measurable direction will help to hold yourself accountable. Outlining achievable goals that are relevant to your business will ensure you are moving your business in the right direction, and having a set timeline will encourage you to stop dragging your feet and get moving! Set your own SMART goals Here is an example to get you started: Increase our total number of Instagram followers 15% by the end of the second quarter Social media is a powerful tool for your business. A growing social media community can correlate to a growing bottom line for your business. More followers could mean more potential customers and deepening relationships with current customers. Additionally, your business gains credibility and a competitive edge against other businesses in your industry. Specific Increase how many followers you have on Instagram by 15%. Clearly define the goal and what needs to be achieved clearly and concisely. Avoid broad statements. Measurable Increase in followers from 5,000 in the first quarter to 5,750 in the second quarter. Determine how the goal will be measured so you can track the progress. Establish specific metrics, either something quantitative, a numeric value that can be assigned; or qualitative, based on its overall quality. Achievable You already have someone on staff managing your social media and keeping up 8 min read

What Are Commercial Loan Interest Rates? Starting and running your own business takes hard work, time, and money. If you are an entrepreneur or a business leader in need of financial help, you are probably wondering about current commercial loan interest rates. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t cut and dry. Commercial loan interest rates vary depending on a variety of factors, such as: The amount of the loan The type of lending institution The type of business Market-based-factors Credit score Getting Some of the Best Commercial Loan Interest Rates Choosing a lender dedicated to helping businesses grow and succeed is an effective method to receive some of the best commercial loan interest rates. First Bank* has a history helping business owners manage their funds and grow their businesses. That is why we offer a variety of commercial loan** products with highly competitive interest rates. Our commercial loan offerings include: Mastercard Business Card with Rewards with low rates, no annual fee, and rewards. Loans that provide business owners with lump sums for long-term financing. Commercial mortgage products that can be customized to meet your needs. Lines of credit that provide business owners with the flexibility to access cash quickly. Construction loans for new construction, remodeling, expansion, and other building projects. Interest rates on each of our commercial loan products vary, but we will work with you to find a loan that meets the needs of your business and provide you with great interest rates. Getting the help you need is simple. Visit a First Bank branch near you to discuss your options for business loans. If you need a commercial loan but aren’t sure where to begin, our online Financial Education Center offers tips, tricks, and resources for business owners on staring, managing, and growing a business. *Member FDIC.Equal Housing Lender. NMLS #474504. **Loans subject to credit approval. ——— Sources: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/average-interest-rate-small-business-loans-15342.html http://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/080713/how-banks-set-interest-rates-your-loans.asp https://localfirstbank.com/business/business-loans/ https://localfirstbank.com/locations 2 min read

How Do Small Business Owners Spend Their Time? [INFOGRAPHIC]

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