Smart Business Articles

For sharp business minds who want clarity, not clutter.

From payroll and taxes to cash flow, leadership, and growth planning, we share insights that help small and mid-sized business owners make better decisions and keep their operations running smoothly.

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Empty small-business office with rows of unused desks and chairs, natural window light, and a clean modern interior. No people.

What Return to Office Mandates Really Mean for Small Business Owners

business strategy
Split-screen image showing payroll fraud — a scammer using a laptop as digital funds rise, and an employee checking her low account balance.

How Payroll Scams Happen (and How to Prevent Them)

If you work with a payroll provider for your small business, payroll typically runs on a set schedule with very little day-to-day involvement from...

payroll + hr + compliance
A female small business owner stands outdoors in warm natural light, wearing black wide-leg pants, a tan fitted t-shirt, and white sneakers. She looks toward a large balance scale with a small storefront building on one side and a larger modern office building on the other, symbolizing the choice between staying small or expanding. A financial dashboard screen with charts and graphs is visible nearby, representing data-driven decision-making for growth.

Is Bigger Business Actually Better? What Does Smart Growth Look Like?

Many business owner dreams about growth. More customers. More revenue. Maybe even a bigger space or a second location. But at some point, growth...

business strategy
Close-up of a person filling out IRS Form W-9 on a wooden desk with other tax documents nearby.

Do You Need a W‑9 From Every Vendor or Contractor?

Not sure if you really need a W‑9 from that vendor you just paid? It’s a common question, and skipping it can lead to IRS penalties or filing...

payroll + hr + compliance
Three people assemble wooden puzzle pieces labeled Balance Sheet, KPIs, Cash Flow, Profit & Loss, Taxes, Review, and Strategy, representing how monthly accounting reports and insights connect to guide smarter business decisions.

What Your Accounting Firm Does Every Month: Reports, Reviews, & Insights

Hiring an accounting firm is one of the smartest moves you can make for your business. But what actually happens behind the scenes each month, and...

small business accounting business strategy
A diverse group of four employees, aged roughly 25 to 50, collaborate around a wooden table in a small business office. They’re smiling and engaged, reviewing documents and a laptop. The setting features natural light and casual-professional attire, highlighting teamwork and people skills across generations.

Behind the Interview: What We Look for in Young Hires

Hiring’s never been easy. But when it comes to younger employees, especially those just out of school or entering the workforce during and after...

business strategy
Office breakroom scene with a box of assorted bagels and tubs of cream cheese on a counter. One employee selects a bagel, another pours coffee from a modern machine, and two coworkers sit at a table talking while one eats a bagel.

Business Meal & Entertainment Deductions: The Complete Guide

Business meal and entertainment deductions can be a valuable tax break if you know how to use them. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) remains the...

tax strategy
A stressed small business owner sits at a cluttered desk, holding their head in frustration while facing a desktop screen filled with a messy email inbox. A disorganized stack of printed résumés and papers is visible in the foreground, reflecting the chaos of a disjointed hiring process.

Is Your Hiring Process Costing You Great Candidates?

Let’s face it, hiring can get messy fast. You’ve got applications coming in through your website, LinkedIn, maybe even someone’s cousin dropping off...

payroll + hr + compliance
A stack of U.S. hundred-dollar bills and the word “ECONOMY” appear frozen inside a large, realistic ice block placed on a desk. Soft vapor rises from the cube, emphasizing its coldness. Beside it sits a short stack of resumes. In the blurred background, a small business owner interviews a job candidate. The atmosphere is slightly moody, with rich shadows and a focused, thoughtful tone.

How a Cooling Economy Impacts Small Business Hiring in 2025

The job market is shifting, and small business owners are feeling the effects. If your expectations are based on what happened in 2008—or even during...

business strategy
A man sits at a table in a restaurant, working on a laptop displaying a payroll spreadsheet with columns for Employee, Reg., Tips, Overtime, Holiday, and PTO. A notebook beside him has a checklist reading “check payroll coding,” “Tips,” and “Overtime,” with the last two items checked. A coffee mug sits next to the notebook, and cafe staff and customers converse in the background.

How to Prepare Payroll for 2025 Tip & Overtime Tax Deductions

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) brought in two new payroll-related deductions for 2025. They could be a real benefit for employees—but only if...

payroll + hr + compliance
A female small business owner in a short-sleeved blouse looks through black binoculars with focused intent. She stands in a softly lit, office-like setting with warm shadows, evoking a sense of observation, strategy, and forward-thinking.

2025 Economic Outlook: What Small Business Owners Might Be Missing

If the first half of 2025 didn’t go quite the way you planned, you’re in good company. Plenty of business owners started the year with high hopes....

business strategy
Over-the-shoulder view of a woman sitting at a cozy café table, reviewing a document titled 'One Big Beautiful Bill: Key Tax Changes.' A coffee cup rests beside the papers, and natural light filters into the warm, inviting setting.

What’s in the One Big Beautiful Bill? 2025 Tax Highlights

On July 4, 2025, the President signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA)—a sweeping tax package with more than 100 provisions affecting...

tax strategy
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