SELF-EMPLOYED MAGAZINE

First, there’s a new tax deduction available for self-employed business owners. If you qualify for the write-off and want to take it, you better act fast

In an effort to cut expenses in this tough economy, many micro-business owners have slashed their marketing budgets. Others are trying to promote their businesses through e-mail and social media.

Few things are more frightening to micro-business owners than learning that they’ve been selected for an IRS audit. In reality, the odds of being chosen for an audit are small.

One of the benefits of working from a home office is the freedom to decorate as you please. Choosing artwork may sound like serious business, but it doesn’t have to be. Nor does art need to be a big investment.

NASE Member Ron Wilson, owner of R&S Cleaning Service in Peoria, Ariz., has been cleaning commercial buildings for as long as the NASE has been providing services and products to help the self-employed succeed. Thirty years.

Subway, H&R Block, Jenny Craig and Dunkin’ Donuts are household names that have exploded across the U.S. through franchising. But these empires didn’t rise overnight—most big-name franchises started out as small, single-shop operations.

Your workspace is more than just a place. It’s a symbol of your mental health.

Mark Nicholson has been an NASE Member since 2006. He and his wife own Wilderness Creations LLC in Dublin, N.H. Their website is rusticfurnituregallery.com.

Here at the NASE, we’re not only celebrating a new year, but also the 30th anniversary of the association. Three decades! What a milestone for the association and for the self-employed community.

As a self-employed professional, you might see yourself as a boss, a business owner, a contractor or even a supplier for other business owners. But do you see yourself as a leader?

A pounding heart. Shaking hands. Shortness of breath. These are just some of the symptoms commonly felt during a panic attack.

Most home-based businesses are long on projects and short on project managers. The good news is that the basics of effective project management are simple and intuitive, and they can be applied to almost any project, regardless of size or scope.

In celebration of the NASE’s 30th anniversary, we asked the question, “What are the 30 most important things micro-business owners need to know to be successful?” For answers, we turned to people who have real-world expertise and experience: NASE Members and the NASE staff.

Ready for a rebound in 2011? Who isn’t? But if you’re like most micro-business owners, you’re more than a little concerned about how an unsettled economy will affect your sales in 2011.

Andrea Robertson has been an NASE Member since 2006. She owns Fight Call, LLC, in Phoenix, Ariz. Her website is fightcall.com.

As you prepare to wind down 2010, it’s worth taking a look at how the business landscape has changed and how you can use those changes to your advantage in the year to come.

The flying flips of athletes on the high bar are common sights at Springers Gymnastics Center in Ellsworth, Maine. A rarer sight for owner Doug Springer is the $20,000 check he received from the NASE as this year’s Achievement Award recipient.

Networking is no longer just a matter of shaking hands and exchanging business cards. Some of today’s most effective networking platforms don’t even require that you leave your desk. Increasingly, people are building business networks by putting in more face time with their computers than with their colleagues and contacts.

For most of us, the need to accomplish many things at once seems like a given. But, the concept of multitasking didn’t crop up in the workplace until around the time that every desk got a computer.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur who launched a business this year or a longtime self-employed professional, the end of the year is a crucial time for gauging the financial success of your micro-business. It’s also a critical time for deciding how to manage your profits so you give your company—and yourself—the best financial advantage.

No one needs to tell micro-business owners that the past three years have been the toughest economically in decades. Even entrepreneurs who survived several previous recessions say this time has been more difficult.

Micro-business owners can see big benefits from teaming up with other business owners who offer complementary products or services or who target similar customers.

Finding ways to cut unnoticed home office costs can improve your profits.

Gary Perkins has been an NASE Member since 1993. He and his wife, Marie, own DaVinci’s Gallery & Coffee House in Fremont, Ohio. Their website is artsandcoffee.com.

The entrepreneurial spirit might have been a bit shaken during the past few troubling years. But, it’s alive and thriving nowadays.

Zachary Gosling was just 13 when he starting building an auction website that would be supported by advertising and sponsorships, rather than by the big fees charged by giant auction site eBay.

This year the NASE awarded a $4,000 scholarship to 20 deserving dependents of NASE Members. These students can use their scholarships to study any subject at the college of their choice.

When consultant Jennifer Schaus joined LinkedIn a couple of years ago, she looked upon the social network as little more than a convenient way to keep track of clients and prospects.

Whether you’re in your home office or on the go, these top-notch iPhone apps are guaranteed to help you manage your schedule, organize your data and optimize your workflow. Check Apple’s App Store for up-to-the-minute price info.

NASE Member Chris Lamb, who owns Lamb Exterminating LLC in Gloucester, Va., is in an industry that’s regulated by various government agencies and is constantly changing. He doesn’t dare allow himself to be unaware of new laws or new technology if he wants to remain competitive in business.

“It takes money to make money,” the old saying goes. But in today’s tight credit climate, getting the money needed to grow and expand a business has become difficult, if not nearly impossible—at least from traditional financing sources like banks and private investors.

If you’re the parent of a special needs child, you’ve proven that you can handle a tough—and rewarding—job. Perhaps you’ve also chosen self-employment so you can spend more time with your child.

Nicole Pulley has been an NASE Member for two years. She owns Interior Affairs in San Antonio, Texas.

What are you supposed to do with broken or outdated office equipment? Fortunately, there are an increasing number of eco-friendly ways to dispose of this waste without hurting the environment.

NASE Members need to evaluate exactly what growth means and how to make the climb to the next level a reality. The move is exhilarating but needs to be executed carefully and purposefully, experts caution. Here’s what you need to know to avoid stumbling as you step up to your next level.

A well-crafted elevator pitch is an essential networking tool that home business owners can use in social situations, online profiles and even marketing materials. Here are five tips that will help you make sure your first impressions are pitch-perfect.

We understand the vital role of decision-making. And at the NASE, we want to give you resources and tools to help you make the best decisions for your micro-business. That’s what this issue of Self-Employed is all about.

Whether you’re decades from retirement or only days, have operated a micro-business for years or are just launching one, you’ll find tools and resources here to shore up your future.

The greatest business risk many owners face may be standing right in front of them: employee fraud and embezzlement.

We increasingly rely on the Web’s treasure-trove of data. But how trustworthy is the information we’re unearthing? Follow these rules to find the best, most accurate health websites.

Serious-minded students at colleges and universities across the country are eager to help micro-business owners with tasks as varied as advertising strategy, feasibility studies, market research, social networking and strategic planning.

Brian Brophy has been an NASE Member for five years. He owns New Creation Construction in Lockeford, Calif. His website is newcreationconstruction.us.

Sometimes it’s exciting and fun to try something new. Other times, it’s downright scary.

In contrast to Chamber of Commerce gatherings or city business networking hours, being a member of a community with a common interest—such as environmental sustainability—can set your micro-business apart from the competition.

Remember the manual typewriter? Imagine relying on one today to run your micro-business. How much time—and profit—would you have lost if you had clung to that relic?

Many home-based business owners are leveraging social networking tools like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter to boost their bottom line. In the same spirit, entrepreneurial thieves are using the sites to look for new business while minimizing the risk of getting caught.

Diane Parker expected to pay for her new home with the funds received from the sale of her previous one. Suddenly the sale of her first house fell through, creating a serious cash squeeze. Common problem, right? What’s not so common was the solution.

Last year, the NASE awarded Business Development Grants to 20 members who put the money to work buying equipment, upgrading their offices with technology, launching new websites and more.

“It’s not what you make, but what you keep.” While it’s not clear who first uttered these words of financial wisdom, anyone who’s been in business for any length of time can attest to their accuracy. Sales may be great, but business success ultimately hinges on your ability to earn a profit.

Finding time to tend to health and well-being is a challenge for the notoriously time-starved self-employed. Throw a business trip into the mix and it’s easy to make excuses to slack off.

Keith Birkemeyer has been an NASE Member for two years. He owns ProBest Pest Management in Gilbert, Ariz.

This year is flying by. Already it’s time for business owners to think about taxes. And to plan for retirement. And to ramp up their marketing.

Hoping to land a product in a 2010 holiday gift guide? Then now’s the time to make your sales pitch.

The benefits of a Roth individual retirement account (IRA), which have been inaccessible to many self-employed individuals and micro-business owners, may finally be within your reach.

Micro-business owners inevitably assume risks in their pursuit of rewards. To slash the odds of a setback—or worse, a crisis—it’s wise to prevent accidents before they happen.

Some say mixing business and pleasure is a mistake. Nonetheless, married couples often take the plunge and expand their partnership to include business, too.

Think about your favorite store or service provider. You can probably name something each one does that separates it from the crowd. They may even have made you say wow from time to time. Now think of your own micro-business. How do you give your customers a fantastic experience that makes them say wow?

As a micro-business owner you don’t have to accept the opening terms from suppliers or even demanding clients. Instead, continually look for ways to create transactions that are mutually beneficial to you and the other party.

In 2008, the average daily cost of a semiprivate room in a U.S. nursing home was $191, according to the MetLife Mature Market Institute. That’s just shy of $70,000 a year.

Kat Powers has been an NASE Member for about two years. She owns The House of Kat, a home furnishings collection and home decorating business in Scarborough, Maine. Her Web site is www.thehouseofkat.com.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to leave 2009 behind. It was a tumultuous year, and not an easy one for most micro-business owners.

Selling products and services to today’s budget-conscious customers isn’t easy.

Thousands of micro-business owners and self-employed professionals rely on contracts with government entities for a significant portion of their annual revenue.

Many of us spend more time in our home offices than any other area in the house, so it seems strange that these workspaces are often neglected. How many stay-at-home workers dragged a desk into some unused corner when they started their business and never looked back?

In the not so distant past, a business needed only a few basics to ensure success. A good location, decent customer service and an advertisement in the local newspaper was just about all a micro-business really needed to attract customers and keep sales coming.

Micro-business owners everywhere are relying more than ever on freelance workers.

The appearance of a baby bump in the office is cause for joy. But when you’re the business owner, it can also induce anxiety.

Jessica Scheitler has been an NASE Member for about four years. She owns Financial Groove, with offices in Las Vegas and New York City. Her Web site is www.financialgroove.com.

What a year! The economy sputtered, to say the least. Credit for micro-businesses tightened like a tourniquet. Some small companies had to lay off employees. Others simply went belly-up. And still others, well, they’re thriving.

A year ago, Maryland CPA Tiffany Washington would never have dreamed that she would be adding $30,000 to her own business’s ledgers. But thanks to the NASE’s 2009 Achievement Award, that’s exactly what she’s doing.

Last spring, with the recession taking a toll on the business community in the Reno, Nev., area, Clint Jolly and some colleagues decided to hold an event to raise the visibility of locally-owned independents like his meat market, Butcher Boy. The May fair drew 60 of Butcher Boy’s local vendors—many of them micro-businesses like Buckbean Brewing Company and the marketing agency Media Directions. It also drew about 1,200 consumers.

Anyone who works out of a home office knows that it can be a lonely place. At home, the trivial interactions that break up most people’s workdays—chats around the copy machine, birthday cake in the break room—are in short supply.

Carla, the owner of an Atlanta gift shop, knows only too well what a recession can do to the financial health of a micro-business. Earlier this year a steep sales decline made it tough for her to pay the rent.

When NASE Member Heather Angel Chandler started her business, Innovative Multimedia Group in San Antonio, Texas, she put $15,000 on credit cards to buy high-definition video equipment. That was in 2007. Chandler paid off the debt and now only buys equipment she can pay for with cash.

If you’re experiencing hiring challenges, one solution might be to broaden your search to include members of Generation Y. Also called Millennials, they were born roughly between 1979 and 1988. Businesses that ignore these 20-somethings are shutting the door on a huge universe of potential employees—employees that might be a perfect fit for micro-businesses.

In June 2007, the results of a National Safety Council (NSC) injury report sent shivers up the spines of public health officials.

NASE Member Kim Overton is the owner of Overton Enterprises in Austin, Texas. Her company produces and sells the SPIbelt™, www.spibelt.com.

Vision may be the most precious of our senses. Too bad many of us take it for granted.

The failure of an anchor store can cause a shock that’s as much emotional as financial for surviving retailers. But, you can take action to mitigate the potential financial loss and improve the well-being of the surviving small retailers. Here’s how.

This year the NASE awarded a $4,000 scholarship to 18 deserving dependents of NASE Members. These students can use their scholarships to study any subject at the college of their choice.

Voila Los Angeles sells a line of hats and T-shirts that combine the hip-hop, skateboard craze and urban lifestyle that are part of the Southern California culture for teens in the 21st century. The company has four employees, including Joe’s brother, Jeff, 15, who’s the venture’s top salesman. Voila is a major reason Joe, now 18, is the NASE Future Entrepreneur for 2009.

NASE Member Gilbert X. Garcia owns Coronado Appraisal Services in Albuquerque, N.M. His Web site is www.coronadoappraisalsvc.com.

Twitter is gaining popularity at an astonishing rate, and it’s not just for those in the limelight.

In these tough economic times, it’s not uncommon for micro-business owners to be approached by family members or friends looking for a job. Laid off from work and unsuccessful in landing a new job, these relatives and friends may feel like you’re their last hope for employment.

We all know being creative isn’t easy, and it can be especially challenging for folks who work in home offices with nary a brainstorming partner nearby. Here are five tips for sparking creativity even when you work alone.

Amid all the doom and gloom recited about the slumping economy, some people recently started talking about seeing green shoots. What they meant was that they were seeing the beginnings of recovery and growth in the tattered economy.

Startups need to take extra care to avoid obvious missteps that could kill their ventures before the inevitable economic turnaround kicks in and carries them to the relative security of an established business. We’ve gathered some gems of wisdom just for you.

A struggling economy is not the time for micro-business owners to pull in their horns and hunker down. Instead, you should be looking for new ways to improve your revenue, your sales, your profits, your operations, even your workforce.

NASE Member Randy Kawa and his son, Dustin, own Takedown Sportswear in Lawrenceville, Ga. Their Web site is www.takedownshop.com.

A showroom retooling can be just the ticket to get shoppers excited about buying. And that’s what you need to move that moribund merchandise sitting on your floor.

Can you or can’t you take the home office deduction? This is one of the most vexing questions faced by home-based business owners.

There are only so many hours in the day and so much energy that solo operators can spend in their businesses. If they want to grow the enterprise—while keeping their health and sanity—they need to let go and pay someone to handle certain parts of the business.

While the military hones traits for success, many veterans need assistance to launch viable micro-businesses. Free and low-cost options exist. Here’s a roundup of services available for vets.

The next time you’re hiring, there’s a good chance you could meet an applicant with a disability. According to the 2000 Census, about 50 million Americans—about one in five people—have some form of disability.