OSHA and the federal government are turning up the heat on contractors and it’s about to get really expensive.  On Nov 2nd 2015, President Obama signed a new amendment to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990. This Act directly affects what OSHA charges for its fines.  There has not been an increase in fines since 1990. But on August 1st, 2016 the increase will take affect and it is large. In certain instances the fines will increase by 80%. There are four types of fines that OSHA can implement:                                                    Current Structure                                 After August 1, … Continue reading

The shift is on – after way too long of a delay, the U.S. will join the rest of the developed world and make the transition to EMV (Europay, MasterCard, Visa) microchip containing credit cards. Depending on whom you choose to do your banking with, you may have already received your updated credit cards that contain these chips. The switch is being made predominantly for security purposes as the outdated magnetic stripe cards first introduced in the 1970’s are easily duplicated and stolen. The new cards will change the way your point of sale transactions will occur, and the level … Continue reading

The number of companies that make it through the first four years of operation is lower than most may think, around 45%. After four years of continuous operation hopefully you are creating consistent profitability and a sense of stability throughout the organization.  Some small business owners will be very content to operate in the successful capacity that they have become accustomed to, while others strive for growth and expansion.  While both have their own unique challenges, we will focus on three critical components of successful continued growth and success. Compensation & Benefits Insurance Programs Additional Financing Options Compensation & Benefits:  … Continue reading

Small businesses open across the country every day, and in total make up about 98% of US based companies. There are challenges to owning or managing any business, the most significant of which are those involving a newly emerging business/startup. Startup businesses face a great deal of uncertainty in infancy. There are many things to consider when developing a business plan such as: Company structure Protection of personal assets Funding sources Trusted advisor groups These items need to be addressed at a high level in order to navigate through the startup process. It takes diligent execution and planning to eventually … Continue reading