Archive for the ‘Ask Hilary’ Category
Marketing Mondays: Cast Your Net..
January 12th, 2010
I know you’ve heard the same stuff that I’m about to repeat; You’ve gotta network.. You’ve gotta network.. Honestly, it does get boring and then you stop listening and the message is lost.. Am I right?
A few of my main beefs about networking:
- It’s expensive
- It’s like a cell plan – you get locked into a contract term
- It’s always at 7 in the morning (I’m not even dressed at that point, you want me to be on my biz game?! HA!)
- Many of them are quite boring…
I have got to be very taken by the host of the meeting and be really engaged to consider the “contract” option.. I have recently been to one of those very networking meetings and would most definitely commit to such an organisation if the travel distance wasn’t so prohibitive for me.
I attended the Toronto Enterprising Mom’s Network meeting hosted by Tereza Kumric (The Chapter Director) – and had a great time!! There were plenty of great business women in attendance (The Yummy Mummy Club, Grace Announcements, Mabel’s Labels, Melissa Collesano Photography and so many more!!) We laughed, we ate, we shared stories and we were engaged! Erica Ehm of The Yummy Mummy Club spoke of how she became an Entrepreneur and regaled us with her trials and tribulations of being in business for yourself.
I also, a day later had the pleasure of attending another type of networking meeting – a dinner. This time, it was an invite only dinner (invitees were winners of a Yummy Mummy Club contest) I was extremely lucky that week (more about that streak of luck at a later time 
) and snagged one of those invites.
We were treated to a Windows 7 party and were treated like royalty while we conversed with each other (about 20 women) in a wonderful restaurant, eating delicious food, drinking wonderful wine and just being, the club says, Yummy Mummys.
Again, we learned things – from the presenters and from each other (Wondermoms, WeeWelcome, SweetMama & More!). We laughed, we shared stories and we experienced a bit of each other’s lives – but the main point, we were engaged.
Very few “average” networking meetings can live up to these events and its because they’re stuck in the norm, maintaining the “usual” routine. It’s no longer about making business contacts, rather making personal contacts.. making friends.. relating to each other on a level that is much more than just “what service can I provide you”.
With that, I would like to introduce Foundation Studio’s very first networking event.
February 2nd, from 7 – 9pm, a bunch of great business women and men will be at The Lina Lounge in Schomberg to listen to Hilary McDonald give tips, tricks and advice on preparing for the upcoming tax season (Blegh!)
Our networking meetings are different because you never have to pay a membership fee, you are not obligated to come to all of our meetings, only the ones that interest you (we hope they all do!) and only the ones that fit with your schedule.
Our networking meetings have a start and an end, one topic, food, drink and plenty of Q&A, casual conversation and loads of networking!
Please consider joining us on February 2nd to participate in our meeting – I’d love to meet you and introduce you to the team!
February’s Meeting – $10
Tax Preparation with Hilary McDonald, Accountant
Sponsored in part by:
Date: February 2nd, 2009 from 7pm-9pm
Location: Lina Lounge & Playroom, Highway 9 & Highway 27, Crossroads Plaza, Schomberg Ontario (Map Below)
Register Today so you don’t miss out!
$10/person
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A Very Special Thanks to Friends at The WomenPreneur and The Yummy Mummy Club for helping us spread the word!!
Financial Friday: Year-End and the New Year
January 8th, 2010
TGIF!! Welcome to our very first edition of Financial Fridays! I’d also like to extend a warm welcome to our very first guest blogger (who’s going to be a regular) Hilary McDonald – Accountant.
Every Friday Hilary will talk money; the ins and outs, ups and downs of small business finances. If you have a financial question – she is the person to ask.. Ask away and your question will be answered here – on the Foundation Studio blog!! FREE Financial Advice?! How cool is that?!
Hilary starts off the series with what to do now that the year has come to a close…
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Year-End and the New Year
Most unincorporated small businesses are required by the government to have a year end of December 31. So while we rang in the New Year most of our businesses had “year-end”. Did you miss it?! No worries. Thankfully, year-end for businesses is more a process of closing the books for 2009 and preparing for 2010. Whether your record keeping system is manual, computerized or like so many of us, a box of receipts in the corner of the office, there are a number of things you should be getting ready and organized. Tax deadline has a way of sneaking up on us each year.
- Separate 2009 and 2010 – Close your computer record keeping software for 2009 and open a new year. Follow the guidelines included in your software package and make sure you print everything your system suggests in hard copy and make a backup of your files before you close. Any manual ledgers that you keep should be totalled for the year and new ledgers set-up for 2010. If you are a box person, get a new box and write 2010 on it.
- Round-up paperwork – Start getting your tax paperwork together and keep it all in one place. T-slips from employer’s, investments and other income sources, UCCB, RRSP receipts, Fitness receipts for the Fitness Tax Credit, 2008’s Notice of Assessments and copy of tax returns, etc. T-slips must be issued by end of February so if you are missing any slips at that time, call the issuer to get new ones as quickly as possible.
- Communicate with your accountant. Ask questions if you are unsure of how to handle “year-end” related items and book an appointment now to get your taxes done. If this is your first year end, ask your accountant for a list of what information they are going to need to prepare your taxes for your business.
Getting organized will save you time and money. Let’s make sure 2010 is a truly prosperous one for your business!
Hilary L. McDonald – Accountant
www.HilaryMcDonald.com
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Got a financial question? Ask Hilary a question and you may have it answered in the next Financial Friday post!!
