Client service

I've been in business for three years now. I have great clients and colleagues. I've had one bad client experience where they don't pay their invoices and I had to cut the relationship.
What I learned from this:
- trust your gut feeling-I was cautious from the beginning with this ex-client
- be cautious when every employee has 'run out of gas' working with someone. This is a cover for bigger problems in a company.
- walk away from a contract with clauses for non-disparagement; there's a reason a person includes that in a contract.
- complete due diligence-including checking with the county courts for arrests or lawsuits. This was something that would have given me important information with the ex-client.

-And last, investigate, using the web-to find past business dealings that have gone poorly with the person.

In three years, to have one bad client is not a bad go of it...and I'm confident in the overall business cliemate for people and companies with integrity.

Wait to file your Form 1040 if you itemize

http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/31/pf/taxes/irs_filing_delay/index.htm?hpt=T1

The IRS is making changes that will delay processing of returns...

TaxDan tax help

Great site for individuals to find tax information at:  http://www.360taxes.org/

TaxDan not-for-profits

http://www.accountingweb.com/topic/tax/thousands-not-profits-could-have-tax-exempt-status-revoked is an interesting article to read relative to non-profits.

American Express Green Card and Plum

As a small business owner, I started using AMEX Plum for all of my purchases when I began the business in early 2009. I have used the green card for personal use for 20 years and always paid on time.

Recently, I was running late on the personal card and called to explain that I would be paying but needed time...and asked to be on a finance plan. I was told-we don't do that-you need to pay in full. After several calls, AMEX was paid in full and yet, the cancelled my account.

The Plum card was paid on time and often early-and yet AMEX cancelled that card too. I'm fed up with them-horrible customer service and trying to run people into the ground!

Live and Learn-working with recruiters

I have worked with recruiters over the past 20 years. As with any, there are good and bad.

I'm recently frustrated to understand more about their markup for project resources. A company may be paying $125 an hour, paying the person doing the work $25-$40 an hour. And, there's also enough margin to be able to provide a cut to other people in the middle.

It's a bit of a scam for companies and I hoped the access to information on the Internet would eliminate this...and it has to some degree.

Lesson for employers-know who you work with and try to cut out the middle men!

Advocate's Edge

From McGovern & Greene LLP

http://www.mcgoverngreene.com/advoedges/AE_pdfs/AE_sep-oct10.pdf