TLA Business Services / 6 posts found
How to Borrow From your Own Company without Falling Foul of the Law
A number of company directors receive loans from their companies, either to reinvest in the business or for personal use. Until recently the laws surrounding such a transaction have been stringent. However, from the 6th of April 2014 things have changed, albeit for the better, making it easier to take loans from your own company. This article will briefly cover the rules pre-April 2014 and then the new changes. The Rules Pre-April 2014 Previously when an employee of a company received an interest free or a very "cheap" loan it could be treated as a taxable benefit. The interest rate [...]
Estimating sales
It's common practice for business owners to estimate sales by focussing on total revenues and using that to drive their business plan. But, if you think about it, that doesn't make sense. Whether you succeed or fail, you will have no idea how or why it happened. You're flying in the dark. It takes a little more time, but your sales forecast should start from the bottom up and in as much detail as you can. You clearly need to know the sales price of your products and services, but you can also calculate an average sales value, based on [...]
When networking is not working
We'd all agree that we prefer to do business with those we know, like and trust. It follows, then, that if we can encourage these traits in others, our businesses should benefit. Most of the time, knowledge, likeability and trustworthiness are earned as the result of doing business with each other. But it's not the only way. There is another route to earning mutual respect that doesn't come from doing business but could very well lead to it. I'm talking about networking. For some businesses it's an integral part of what they do but for others, networking is simply not [...]
What’s all the fuss about Elevator Speeches?
I got into a lift the other day, heading for a meeting on the 16th floor. On the 2nd, a man got in. As the floors flashed by he politely asked what business I was in. "I'm an accountant," I replied. "Nice," said the man. He got out on the 15th without saying another word. My first reaction was this poor chap must have had a lousy experience with other accountants in the past. Then I got to thinking. What did I expect him to say? "That's fascinating. Tell me more."... I don't think so. That one word, "accountant" was [...]
Helping your business climb mountains
Search parties have abandoned their efforts to find four mountaineers who disappeared in Nepal two weeks ago. The team, all experienced climbers, flew out from the UK in August for "the adventure of a lifetime". They left their camp in the foothills of the Himalayas on the morning of September 3rd and have not been seen since. Deteriorating weather conditions and sub zero temperatures have finally forced local rescue teams to abandon their efforts to find them. "We have absolutely no idea where they could be," said one local guide. "They just set off without knowing where they were going [...]
The rebranding blues
The rebranding blues It seems I have started something big. At the end of April I wrote to my clients with exciting news about our practice. I was giving up the old blue livery for the brand new claret and grey of TLA Business Services. I wasn't doing it to start a trend. I just wanted to expand the services we provide and make better use of our skills in business planning and metrics. And I wanted my new business to reflect that change. I really didn't have anything in particular against the colour blue. And I certainly didn't expect [...]