Tag: Certified Public Accountants near me

CPA Near Me | Career Tips for New Businesses

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Starting your professional career can be one of the most exciting (and anxious) times of your life. Whether you are beginning your own business or joining one, there are several important aspects to keep in mind. We have compiled a quick guide that will help you manage your priorities as a new business owner with confidence.

  1. Protect Your Work-Life Balance – While you might be used to a heavy schedule during your years in academia, don’t let yourself burn out. You deserve a healthy work-life balance. By setting expectations and following them, you can enjoy your time with friends, family, or hobbies without feeling tread on by your work schedule.
  2. Know Your Strengths – Your practice should center on two things: what you are compassionate about, and what you are incredible at. Don’t pursue a specialty just to appeal to your community if it isn’t something you are excited about. Focusing on your strengths will bring you more satisfaction in your work as well as higher quality to your service.
  3. Manage Your Debt – Graduates usually have a significant trail of student debt following them. Whether you refinance, make extra payments, or choose an alternate repayment plan, focus on reducing your balance instead of simply paying off the interest. Don’t forget to contribute early to your retirement fund, either. The best time to start saving was yesterday.
  4. Successful Business Management – A business needs a strong leader. Schools don’t typically prepare you for the financial and leadership elements of your career, so don’t be afraid to seek coaches or consultants. With the right mentor, both you and your business can succeed.
  5. Continue Your Education – The last advice you want to hear as a new business owner is ‘more schooling,’ but it’s true. Once you have settled in, you should look for new opportunities to hone your skills. There exists a world of workshops, lectures, and courses that can further your passion in business, bring you confidence in your work, and improve the value of your company.

With the right mindset and plan, you can build yourself up as a new business owner, achieving your leadership and financial goals. If you are considering starting your own business, our team will be the resource you need to secure your future in success. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

If you have other questions, contact our office for a business management consultation. 

Apple Guerin Company LLC Phone: (255) 767-1020 6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B Baton Rouge, LA 70808



CPA Baton Rouge | Opportunity Called – Did You Answer?

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Baton Rouge CPA

The first step to growing your business is attracting new clients. Your website, social media, and marketing are all geared toward the idea of getting people to call your office. To help convert this interest into new customer appointments, you have probably spent time selecting and training the team members who answer the phones during office hours. But have you considered what happens when a prospective customer calls when the business is closed?

Many businesses do not have any coverage for phone calls outside their hours of operation or during lunch hour. Others have an impersonal answering machine advising callers of the business hours and perhaps offering to record a message. This can be extremely frustrating for your customers, both current and prospective.

If your customer discovers on Friday afternoon or evening that they will need to reschedule an appointment set for Monday morning, chances are that message will not be heard until it is too late to move another patient into the opening. If your phones are being answered outside working hours, this can be addressed much more promptly, leading to better scheduling and happier customers.

You may be wondering how to arrange to have 24/7 phone coverage. There are a few options available, but one of the most economical and most personal for your business is to train some of your team members to share the responsibility. No one has better knowledge of your practice, your customers, and your schedule than your own team. You will want to decide on the best way to compensate them for the added time, such as paying them a set amount per weekend or evening day or an amount per call answered.

Once this is determined, arrange a rotation for the team members who will participate. Your main phone line can be forwarded to a business-owned mobile phone during off-hours, which can be held by the team member on call. Be sure that each person has your after-hours contact information in case of an emergency, especially when you are first launching this system.

After a few months, hold a meeting with all the involved team members to review the number of after-hours calls you receive, what times are most common, and how many are converted into new appointments for your business. This can help you value the ROI for this new plan of action and to determine whether your office benefits from full 24/7 coverage or if a more limited extension of hours is more cost-effective.

If you have other questions, contact our office for a business management consultation. 

Apple Guerin Company LLC Phone: (255) 767-1020 6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B Baton Rouge, LA 70808



CPAs in Baton Rouge | Protecting Your Practice from Employee Embezzlement

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Employee embezzlement is not a rare occurrence in today’s society. More specifically, the healthcare industry, including dentistry, consistently ranks in the top three industries in terms of employee embezzlement cases. The average employee embezzlement amount exceeds $100,000. This is a frightening reality for businesses. Often between talking with clients, managing their staff and staying updated on the newest technologies, business owners have limited time for tracking the business’ finances. Below are suggested tips to help reduce the chances of being a victim to employee embezzlement.

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If you have other questions, contact our office for a business management consultation. 

Apple Guerin Company LLC Phone: (255) 767-1020 6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B Baton Rouge, LA 70808



Baton Rouge CPA | Toxic Employees

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CPA in Baton Rouge

Hiring is time-consuming, stressful, and sometimes costly. In some cases, this causes business owners to avoid firing an employee long after it has become clear that the person is damaging the overall work environment. Finding the right person for your office can be challenging. However, continuing to retain a toxic employee can be far more costly for you and your business.

What is a “toxic employee?”

A toxic employee is easily recognized for exhibiting several, if not all, of the following behaviors:

  • Bad attitude: This includes eye-rolling, muttering, snide comments, complaints, confrontational tone, and passive-aggressive speech or actions.
  • Lack of engagement: This can include work-avoidance, lack of enthusiasm, unwillingness to accept responsibilities, and being inattentive in meetings and huddles.
  • Dishonesty: Whether this involves refusal to accept accountability, blaming others for mistakes, or outright lies and thefts, dishonesty is harmful to your business and your team.
  • Poor work performance: While a new team member may experience a learning curve at first, the toxic employee never rises above the bare minimum of what has been explicitly listed as expected. In many cases, they may not even be fully or properly completing work. They are uninterested in feedback or training and unwilling to work to improve.

Do you recognize anyone in your office from these descriptions? If so, it’s time to pull the plug.

When you continue to keep a toxic employee on your staff, you may avoid the headaches of the hiring process in the short term. However, you are creating a host of other problems for yourself that will cost you a great deal more time, money, and energy to solve in the long term.

One toxic employee in your office can cause:

  • Loss of new customers: If a toxic employee is interacting with potential customers, they are creating a negative image of your business, which can lose hundreds or thousands of dollars in revenue.
  • Loss of existing customers: If your clients are treated poorly even once, they may choose to take their business elsewhere – and they may tell others.
  • Loss of your best team members: Your best people want to work in a positive environment where they feel supported and appreciated. By tolerating the complaints or shoddy work of one toxic person, you risk losing team players to a company that maintains a better atmosphere.

Don’t compromise your business or your best team members by refusing to fire toxic employees. For more strategies to improve your business, contact our office.

Apple Guerin Company LLC Phone: (255) 767-1020

6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B Baton Rouge, LA 70808

70808 CPA | The Bright Side of Customer Complaints

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Baton Rouge CPA

No matter how fantastic you and your team are, you will occasionally have a customer complain about something. When this happens, you and your team may feel discouraged, frustrated, or even annoyed, depending on the specific complaint and how it was shared. It can be easy to brush the complaint aside and tell yourself that the client was just having a bad day. However, changing the way you think about customer complaints can be highly beneficial to your business.

Client complaints may involve anything from office décor or other customers to the time, cost, or outcome of a business transaction. Even concerns that feel trivial or unfair to you should be handled with respect and appreciation. Like any consumer, your client wants to feel like you care about their experience and their feelings. A complaint is an opportunity for you to win back a customer’s trust.

If you thank your customer for bringing their concerns to you, commit to taking action to correct the situation, and follow through on your commitment, you will earn loyalty from that client. This loyalty can translate into additional business from the client, and even referrals to friends, family, and social media connections. Over time, handing one complaint as an opportunity to improve can lead to hundreds or even thousands of dollars in revenue.

However, if customers leave your office feeling that their concerns are unimportant to you, they will likely look elsewhere for business in the future. Unhappy clients do not stay with your business. They do not refer others to you. They may even tell others about their unpleasant experience with your office, which can cost you potential customers and revenue.

Every customer complaint you receive is a gift. Your team or business may have a weakness that you were unaware was an issue. If one client voices a complaint, it is likely that others have noticed the problem as well. Consider asking customers for feedback after a visit. Let them know proactively that you appreciate their input and are ready and willing to provide the best experience possible. When your customers feel valued, they will be more loyal to you, your team, and your company.

For more tips on providing a better customer experience, contact our office.

6421 Perkins Rd.
Bldg. A, Ste 1B
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

(225) 767-1020

Baton Rouge CPA | Making Informed Acquisitions

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Purchasing an existing business can be an exciting prospect. Whether it’s your first business or you’re an established owner, the process can be lengthy as you weigh all the pros and cons of the potential investment. Making sure you know everything you need to about a business before considering an acquisition will help protect you from making a poor choice that could end up costing you in the long run. Below are some considerations to keep in mind when looking to purchase a business.

Acquisition is Just the Beginning

Even the most aesthetically modern and technologically advanced business will require some renovations to make it match your branding and culture. This is especially true for older businesses or ones that simply aren’t up to the standards you hold. A great deal on a building might not seem so great if you’ll have to pay twice as much to get it customer-ready.

Assess the Assets

Before you commit to purchasing a business, a professional appraisal of assets is highly recommended. This can include everything from the soundness of the construction to the usability of the existing furniture or the functionality of the existing equipment. It’s essential to know exactly what is included in your potential purchase and to make sure it’s worth the amount you will be paying for it.

Reputation Matters

When looking to purchase a business, figure out what reputation the current owners have built in the community. If it has particularly poor reviews or has a hard time retaining customers, those are important potential hurdles to keep in mind. While it’s not impossible to build a new reputation for your new business, it will require more effort on your part to establish your separation from the previous ownership.

These tips may help you think more comprehensively about business acquisition. If you need advice on a potential acquisition you’re considering or are simply looking for additional guidance in running your business well, contact our firm today!

6421 Perkins Rd.
Bldg. A, Ste 1B
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

(225) 767-1020

Baton Rouge CPA | Why You Should Join (or Start) a Study Club

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Science is a field where the only true constant is change. Business is no different. With advances in techniques and new technologies every year, it can be challenging to stay current, especially without breaking your budget.

Study clubs can be an ideal solution to this inevitable problem. There are many reasons why you should be gaining the benefits of membership in a study club. Here are some of the most valuable advantages you stand to gain:

Continuing Education

By pooling the resources of a group of professionals, you can attend continuing education lectures and clinical hands-on training in your local area, without all the time and expense of travel. This added source of training and education can be invaluable for staying current with new techniques and new technological advances. If you have a desire to focus your practice on one or more specific areas of study, a targeted study group can help you find and attend the courses you need to develop the skills and qualifications to reach your goal.

Peer Support

With a dental study club, you are interacting with other dentists and specialists in your area. Group discussions have been shown to be one of the most effective ways to share experiences, techniques, challenges, and new ideas with like-minded individuals for the benefit of everyone involved. This informal venue can allow you to explore new ways of approaching a problem or a treatment and allows you to benefit from what another has already tried.

Networking

While it is not the primary reason to join a study club, you should not overlook the importance of networking. Making other business contacts in your area can be highly beneficial. Specialists, in particular, depend on referrals from other businesses. It can be much easier to refer a patient or gain a referral when you have developed a relationship with other professionals and know how they treat their customers, what technologies they use, and other such information.

Whether you join a local study club or decide to create one of your own, the benefits of membership far outweigh the costs. For more information, contact us today.

6421 Perkins Rd.
Bldg. A, Ste 1B
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

(225) 767-1020

70808 CPA | Why Your Business Needs Effective Team Meetings

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CPA in Baton Rouge

Regular effective team meetings can play a crucial role in the health of your business. That one simple-sounding factor can impact every aspect of your business. Your people, your customers, and your business all benefit from regular effective team meetings.

Your people need team meetings. The core of your business is your vision, your goals, and your strategy for achieving your goals. Each member of your team needs to understand all of these things and, just as importantly, needs to understand their part in your plan. Without that understanding, your team is working blindly and is unable to actively contribute toward reaching your goals for your business.

A team meeting is an ideal format for open discussion about your vision, goals, and strategy. Not only can you use this discussion to ensure every member is clear on your expectations, but you may find that their unique perspective creates an exchange of ideas on more effective ways to reach your goals and how each person can best contribute.

While not every team meeting needs to include high-level discussion of vision, goals, and strategy, it is a good idea to include this at least once or twice a year and when bringing a new employee into the team. Additionally, many successful employers find that it is highly useful to touch on how the strategies are being implemented and to discuss any measurable progress toward goals on at least a monthly basis. This helps to keep your team engaged and motivated toward achievement.

Your customers need team meetings. One of the most common components of an effective team meeting is education. Your team needs to know what the policies are, what is on the agenda for the day, if there are any specials being offered, if anyone is sick or on vacation. Any new ideas, training, or techniques that can be shared should be. Your customers need to know they will be given correct and consistent information from any member of your team. Make sure everyone is on the same page.

Your business needs team meetings. Teach your team how to ask customers for referrals. Word of mouth can have a huge impact on your new customer base. Even happy, satisfied customers rarely refer anyone unless asked to do so, according to a recent study.  Your team members should be engaging your customers in every interaction to ensure a positive experience and should be able to ask for referrals when customers are pleased.

Only you can review your business, your time, and your schedules to determine when and how frequently you should hold team meetings. Whether you meet daily, weekly, or on some other timeline, make your meetings regular and effective. You will see benefits to your team, your patient experience, and your business.

Call our office to schedule a consultation.

6421 Perkins Rd.
Bldg. A, Ste 1B
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

(225) 767-1020

CPA Baton Rouge | Common Payroll Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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CPA 70808

CPA Baton RougeHandling payroll for a dental practice is often thought of as a simple task. The truth, however, is that there are many minor errors that can easily lead to major problems. Train your team to catch these small mistakes your practice might be making, so you can be sure to avoid them in the future.

Estimated Recordkeeping – Don’t wait until the day before payroll is due to log shifts worked for the pay period. Days can begin to blend together and it can be challenging to recall who worked which days and times after the fact. Looking through notes and emails to figure out past days’ activities can be stressful and even inaccurate, leading to incorrect pay.

Employee Misclassifications – There are many differences, at both federal and state levels, between an employee and a contractor. Make sure you classify your team members, temporary replacement workers, and anyone else in payroll correctly to ensure an accurate, streamlined process. Depending on the infraction and your area, heavy penalties can occur for misclassified worker pay.

Not Tracking Bonuses or Gifts – Work trips or group outings are no problem, but any sort of bonus or gift that has monetary value needs to be tracked. Gift cards are a common example of this. Make sure to keep a running log of any exchanges like these for year-end purposes.

Paying Employees Wrong Rates – When employees are hired, given a raise, or have their pay otherwise adjusted, make sure this is correctly logged in the system or software you use. Using an hourly wage in a program to pay as salary can have rounding problems, so double-check your work. Manual error or forgetting to process a raise on the books right away can lead to owing back-pay or other issues in the future.

Holidays or Haphazard Payroll – Try to set a fixed schedule for your payroll. When holidays affect the normal cycle, have an established plan to deal with it appropriately. Depending on your area, missing or late payroll can create tax headaches or incur penalties, as well as causing hardship for your team.

Payroll can be a straightforward and mistake-free process at your practice, but it requires proper oversight and attention. Keep an airtight system, follow up on any mistakes, and think ahead. For more information on how to handle payroll or tax concerns, contact our office.

Apple Guerin Company LLC
6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(255) 767-1020

70808 CPA | How to Prepare for an Audit

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CPA Near Me

The prospect for an audit can be daunting. The best way to combat the stress and anxiety induced with this process is to prepare yourself and your company before it happens. Below are a few tips to keep your stress levels low and your preparations high through the process.

Know what it will entail

If you are unaware of what an audit entails, it is a good idea to do your research and learn about the process. Knowing what questions the IRS examiner might ask or what documents they will want to see can help control your anxiety and show you are well prepared.

Document thoroughly

Get in the habit of keeping up with your primary and secondary tax records year-round to be better prepared for when an audit happens. Staying organized using a personal filing system will help you know where everything is. Be sure to have a digital and paper trail as well incase anything happens to either filing system.

Gather the Information

Before the audit happens, make sure you have all the necessary documentation that will be asked of you to present. If you believe something is missing, you can try to recreate the records as accurately as possible or contact the place where you submitted it to for their records. Since you will have all your documents in one place, lay out the information and label it for the auditor for an efficient process.

Pre-audit compliance report

If you feel overwhelmed or disorganized, get on track with a thorough examination of your financial data to prepare and compile your documents. Our experienced team will help you set up a system and provide you with confidence if facing an audit.

For more information on audits, or addition accounting advice, contact us today.

6421 Perkins Rd.
Bldg. A, Ste 1B
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

(225) 767-1020