August 2015

Retail Holiday Boot Camp

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Speaker: Alyson MacMullan, Peak Retail Group

You’ve done your merchandise buying. The calendar is ticking away. You know the biggest retail season is just around the corner. Once you get all that amazing merchandise, what’s your plan for it? Display it and hope for the best?

That’s where our Retail Holiday Boot Camp is here to help.

Join us on for another “Small Business After Hours” event targeted at our retail client businesses. Alyson will present great information that we’ll use to help you establish a real plan you can use through short interactive breakout sessions. Some of the topics we’ll be focusing on will be:
• Laying out your holiday marketing calendar
• Getting creative with your promotions
• Message targeting store displays (like gifts for teachers)
• Learning how to create strategic shopping partnerships with complementary retailers, as well as service providers and restaurants

The holidays are a stressful time of year even when you don’t own a retail business, get ahead of the game this year and register for our Retail Holiday Boot Camp!

QuickBooks Online – What’s the Big Deal?

Blog / By saraeknudsen

For the first time, the Larimer SBDC will be offering “QuickBooks Online: 3 Part Series” beginning on September 9 and running through September 23.

While the functionality of QuickBooks Online is very similar to what is offered through their traditional desktop software, they are visually very different. QuickBooks Online also has the advantage of integrating with mobile applications that can be used on both a smartphone and tablet.

Are you confused about whether to use QuickBooks online or QuickBooks Pro (the desktop version)? Ask yourself the following questions:
• Do I want to be able to update QuickBooks from multiple devices (computer, smartphone, tablet)? Online
• Do I want to pay for the software once and use it for multiple years? Desktop
• Do I want my accountant/CPA to be able to log on and immediately fix entries? Online
• How much phone support do I need? Unlimited – Online; Pay for extra – Desktop
• Do I want to have the latest features automatically? Online
• Do I want to have permanent record continuity, even if I change software? Desktop

There are many more factors that should go in to choosing the right software for your business, and for a more complete breakdown of the differences in features, see the detailed list directly from Intuit.

Our upcoming “QuickBooks Online: 3 Part Series” (September 9, 16 & 23; 1:00 – 5:00 pm) will cover what QuickBooks Online can do for you. You will learn how to back up your system, navigate through the program, and a brief overview of setting up a sample company. Other topics include:
• Managing your checkbook
• Handling credit card payments
• Reconciliation of accounts
• Accounts payable & accounts receivable
• Analyzing your financials by using reports

This class is perfect for the person who has never used the program or is within their first year of use. It will be presented by Kirsten Woy, a Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor and held at the Digital Workshop.

Five Technology Solutions That can Help You Grow and Protect Your Business in 2015

Blog / By saraeknudsen

Friday, August 21, 2015

12:00 – 1:30 PM

Five key technologies that you should be using in 2015 to take your business to the next level:

1) Network Security & Data Backup – Is your network and data really secure?
2) Customer Relationship Management (CRM) – Are you nurturing your existing clients and bringing on new ones?
3) Social Media & Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Can potential customers find you on the web?
4) Client Service & Support Ticketing systems – Are your customers experiencing world class customer service?
5) On Line Payments & Electronic Invoicing – Want to get paid faster?

You will walk away with an actionable game plan for evaluating how important these technologies are for your specific business. The course will provide an outline for how to implement a solution that best fits your needs and at a price you can afford. Technology doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.