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Online retailer JustFab Offers Personalized Fashion at Affordable Prices

March 14, 2013 By
JustFab

JustFab

What if we told you there was a place you could shop at any hour and that it offered assistance from professional stylists that sincerely cared about helping find your personal style? What if you found out JustFab stylists would create your “look”, match items to your individual fashion persona and then offer you the opportunity to buy the coolest, on-trend pair of shoes or handbag each month? Now, imagine we also told you items for JustFab VIP members would only cost $39.95 with free shipping?

Q: This is amazing! Where do I find this place?

JustFab: Go online to JustFab.com! We are a fashion subscription service and brand with the hottest collections of shoes, handbags, jewelry, denim and more. No more worrying about what to wear for that special date or event. Members receive the latest styles–personalized just for you. There is no commitment to join – membership is free. If you don’t see something you like, you can choose to pass for the month.

Q: How does JustFab work?

JustFab: It’s quick, easy and fun! Take our fast, free online quiz and then our stylists will create your personal style profile. Each month you’ll see these hand-picked selections and you can choose whether or not to purchase. Our stylists will even assist you with putting together head-to-toe outfits from multiple items in our collection.

Q: What do you mean by collections? What do you have to offer?

JustFab: Well-respected fashion designers and industry personalities have created exclusive styles for JustFab that include shoes and boots, handbags, jewelry, denim–even sunglasses. JustFab.com offers Iron Fist, Abbey Dawn by Avril Lavigne, Hello Kitty and Elle & Blair Fowler styles as well.

Q: Isn’t Kimora Lee Simmons a part of JustFab?

JustFab: Yes, Kimora is the President and Creative Director of JustFab. She has a new life, a new focus and a new show! For a behind the scenes look at JustFab, tune into the Style Channel every Wednesday night at 9/8c and watch as Kimora Lee Simmons and the geniuses behind the JustFab family work their magic.

Q: How can I keep up with Kimora what’s going on at JustFab.com?

JustFab: Follow us on twitter @OfficialKimora and @JustFabOnline and like us on Facebook.

Q: When will JustFab be available in other countries?

JustFab: We have great news! JustFab is now in Canada, the U.K., and Germany. British customers, please like us on Facebook at JustFabUK, visit www.JustFab.co.uk or call 0800 433 4114.  German residents, like us on Facebook at JustFabDeutschland, visit justfab.de and don’t miss our fashion blog at blog.justfab.de.

 

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Tips for Making the Most of Your Tax Return

March 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

It’s March, and that means three things: college basketball, the beginning of spring, and a looming tax return deadline. If you’re like many Americans, you may put filing your taxes off until the last minute. After all, who wants to devote several hours to digging around for old receipts, crunching numbers, and filling out mind-numbing forms?

It doesn’t have to be a confusing process—and in fact, if you put enough time and effort into it, you may find yourself getting back more money than you imagined possible. While the first thought may be to hire someone else to do taxes, with a little determination, it’s easy to file your own, which saves you even more money.

The first thing you’ll need to do is get a copy of your 1099s if you’re a contracted employee or a W2 if you’re a regular hourly or salaried employee. Then, review all the details with a fine-toothed comb. Are withholdings correct? Is total income for the year correct? Sometimes taxpayers neglect to check these numbers, but a single mistake here by an employer could end up costing you.

Next, find copies of receipts for anything purchased related to a job. If you work from home, are a contracted employee or own your own business, this could lead to a substantial refund. If you work for a traditional employer, your refund might be less—but it’s still worth saving (and gathering) those receipts anyway. Small items like uniforms and other job-related equipment can add up.

Those are the two major steps. But don’t overlook records of any charitable donations made in the last year (both money and goods), bank statements, and any records of IRA contributions. Again, these may seem like minor details on a tax return, but when combined, they can add up to make a difference in the amount you receive after the tax return is submitted to Uncle Sam.

Don’t wait until April 14to get started! Do it early and save the headache and hassle of a frantic, last minute tax return.

Filed Under: Business, Finances

Interview with Scott T. Sohr

March 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Scott T. Sohr

Scott T. Sohr

Today the staff of Interviewing Experts talks to Scott T. Sohr, chief manager at Elmington Capital in Nashville, Tennessee. Since the company’s founding in 2010, Scott T. Sohr has been at the helm for a rapid grown curve at Elmington Capital.

Interviewing Experts: Scott T. Sohr, thank you for taking a few minutes to speak with us today…

Scott T. Sohr: It’s my pleasure.

Interviewing Experts: What does Elmington Capital specialize in?

Scott T. Sohr: At Elmington, our specialty is buying and reselling distressed properties on behalf of our investment partners. We turn vacant space into profit for investors.

Interviewing Experts: What’s your track record like?

Scott T. Sohr: It’s been a matter of hundreds of thousands of square feet, in both residential and commercial property. The team at Elmington Capital looked at the real estate downturn of 2008, and visualized opportunity for investors.

Interviewing Experts: What are some of Elmington’s latest transactions?

Scott T. Sohr: Recently, we closed deals on a 72-unit apartment building in Memphis, and three big office buildings in Huntsville.

Interviewing Experts: Do you specialize in the Mid-South, primarily?

Scott T. Sohr: Yes, most Elmington Capital deals have been in Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky.

Interviewing Experts: To what would you ascribe your success?

Scott T. Sohr: We’ve been able to put together a great team, and that team has built a portfolio that’s just outstanding.

Interviewing Experts: Do you deal in many multi-family buildings?

Scott T. Sohr: Yes, we just invested in several good-sized apartment complexes. Property companies in the apartment and condo business got hit hard after ’08, and we can take those properties and have them make money as apartment rentals, rather than just sitting empty.

Interviewing Experts: What sorts of commercial properties does Elmington Capital invest in?

Scott T. Sohr: Typically, industrial parks and properties like warehouses, as well as office complexes.

Interviewing Experts: Didn’t you recently close on an industrial park in Knoxville?

Scott T. Sohr: It was actually back in 2010. It’s a complex of five warehouses, lots of square footage.

Interviewing Experts: Are there any multi-use properties in your portfolio?

Scott T. Sohr: Several years ago our firm purchased tracts of land in the greater Memphis area that were developed into Wolf River Ranch and Greystone, subdivisions that now boast hundreds of residential lots for construction.

A veteran of over thirty years in business, Scott T. Sohr is a resident of Middle Tennessee. A serial entrepreneur, Scott T. Sohr is also the co-founder of Correct Care Solutions, a pioneer in institutional healthcare. In the course of his career, Sohr has funded, developed, and built numerous commercial and residential projects with his partners. Scott T. Sohr is a graduate of Auburn University, and earned his Masters in Business Administration from Vanderbilt’s Owen School of Management. Notably, Scott T. Sohr started his own business while still enrolled at Auburn, selling specialty plastic compounds for industry. Today, he lives in Nashville with his wife Lyn, and their four children.

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Peter Spittler Architectural Services Focuses on Aesthetics of Building Design

February 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

 

Peter Spittler Architectural Services

Peter Spittler Architectural Services

Peter Spittler Architectural Services partners with clients to design buildings that are both functional and beautiful.  In the following interview with the staff of Interviewing Experts, team members at Peter Spittler Architectural Services discuss aesthetics in building design and within the overall architectural process.

Interviewing Experts:  Can you please explain to our readers about aesthetics and how they play into the overall architectural design process?

Peter Spittler Architectural Services:  In general terms, aesthetics commonly refer to the beauty of a place or building, but it is so much more than simply how a building looks to the naked eye.  When done right, the aesthetics of a building can evoke emotion and provide tactile stimulation and auditory sensation to users and the community surrounding the project.  In the architectural design process, aesthetics are essentially the client’s program brought to life on paper, through models and illustrations, referred to as schematic designs.  Peter Spittler Architectural Services team members take the client’s goals, objectives, and values from their program and begin to develop design concepts that reflect those expectations.

Interviewing Experts:  So aesthetics is more than just beauty in terms of the architectural process?

Peter Spittler Architectural Services:  Exactly! When aesthetics come into play at Peter Spittler Architectural Services, we are in the schematic design stage of the overall design and build process.  In this step, work is concentrated on aesthetics, or the look of the building, but the Peter Spittler Architectural Services team is also working toward achieving the overall goals of the building project, including identifying the best materials, staying within the client’s budget, creating good flow and flexibility, and so forth.  The designer has thoroughly analyzed the site analysis and program at this point and then begins to form the solution to the client’s needs or “problem”. Solutions are revealed through a problem seeking design process.

Interviewing Experts:  How much detail does the schematic design involve?

Peter Spittler Architectural Services:  The schematic design typically includes high-level design aspects, not every detail.  The schematics offer a visual representation of the proposed project, through the eyes of the Peter Spittler Architectural Services’ assigned designer.  These rough plans include the general layout of rooms and the overall building configuration, the detailed work is left for later, once the client is pleased with the promising design concept.

Interviewing Experts:  Are cost estimates also included with schematic designs?

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: , , , ,

Gregory Fake Discusses His Business-Rich Career Path

February 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Gregory Fake

Gregory Fake

Gregory Fake is an assistant television producer for Lifetime Television’s show, The Balancing Act.  Prior to television, Gregory Fake spent much of his career in business.  In the following interview, Gregory Fake describes his career path thus far.

Q:  How did you get interested in business?

Gregory Fake:  My grandfather was a worker on high steel and passionately interested in the stock market.  I grew up with stocks in that sense and was very aware of the markets from an early age.

Q:  It sounds like your grandfather deserves a lot of credit for where you are today.

Gregory Fake:  Yes, not only did I have a great desire to be like him, but he also put me through college.  So, yes, I owe him a great deal.

Q:  What type of business training have you received?

Gregory Fake:  I received my degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and went on to get a law degree from Georgetown soon after.

Q:  What types of positions have you held in the business world?

Gregory Fake:  I have had tremendous opportunities in my career.  Fresh out of college, I worked for Andersen Consulting, one of the most prominent consulting firms in the world.  Then, I went on to work with several Fortune 500 companies developing and implementing manufacturing resource planning systems, customer service databases, and internal computer systems.

Q:  These sound like complex projects; what was your most complicated or memorable project?

Gregory Fake:  I helped the Federal Government design and develop their overall general ledger system for use in the General Accounting Office.  I also worked on programs for AMP Incorporated and The Campbell Soup Company that were relatively complex.

Q:  And what did you do with your law degree?

Gregory Fake:  I worked in banking law and was an enforcement attorney for the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Q:  What is so appealing to you about business?

Gregory Fake:  Business is what makes our world run; without it, we’d get nowhere.  Businesses provide the critical services and products that keep our communities functioning and thriving.

Q:  How did your business experience prepare you for television production?

Gregory Fake:  Over the years, while involved in the business sector, I helped produce a number of programs for businesses.

Q:  And has your past experience in business helped you succeed in producing television specifically for women?

Gregory Fake:  Absolutely. The Balancing Act is all about empowering women.  I have become adept at identifying issues that are important and helpful for women, just like one would with a client in the business sector.

Q:  Yes, but business isn’t always fun, is it?

Gregory Fake:  It is to me!  But, yes, The Balancing Act certainly has to be entertaining; it is television after all.

Gregory Fake lives with his wife and children in Pompano Beach, Florida.  In addition to his many professional endeavors, Gregory Fake is a deacon in his church, a prison minister, and an avid outdoorsman. 

Filed Under: Business, Professionals Tagged With: , , , ,

Investment Italy: Aldo Todini Explains Why Business Opportunities Abound in his Home Country

February 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Aldo Todini

Aldo Todini

In this interview, Aldo Todini explains how international investors can give the boot to a downed European Economy. Aldo Todini is a business consultant with expertise in matching capitalists with suitable investment opportunities. He claims that Italy, with its traditionally thriving manufacturing and industrial sectors, is the perfect place for investors to seek new revenue generating prospects. Today, Aldo Todini speaks with Interviewing Experts about why the European economic crisis means potentially substantial gains for some.

Interviewing Experts: Thank you, Aldo Todini, for making time to speak with us today.

Aldo Todini: I am pleased to be here.

Interviewing Experts: Let’s talk about Italy. Most people know it for great food and even better wine. What else is Italy famous for?

Aldo Todini: It has long been known that goods produced in Italy are of the finest quality. We do not put a great deal of effort into extravagance; our workmanship is what makes Italian goods so desirable and trendy.

Interviewing Experts: But, Italy doesn’t have that many natural resources…

Aldo Todini: This is true. We are, however, quite conveniently located for importing raw and refined materials.

Interviewing Experts: How has the crisis in the European Union affected manufacturing in Italy?

Aldo Todini: It has forced many plants to slow or halt production. But, with the economy both here and abroad picking back up, we’ve seen a new vitality in our commerce.

Interviewing Experts: This means opportunities for investment?

Aldo Todini: Almost unlimited… We have many manufactures whose goods are being discovered by consumers across the globe. This means an increase in demand.

Interviewing Experts: Why then are these companies seeking stockholders or looking to otherwise inject funds into their operations?

Aldo Todini: Many of our businesses are still recovering. They must have money to purchase the materials to create the products that so many people now want.

Interviewing Experts: So, this means they are willing to sell interest for a bargain price…

Aldo Todini: Correct but as our exportation picks up, these opportunities will start to disappear. This is why I tell my clients to buy now and not wait until they’ve recovered on their own.

Interviewing Experts: Before we close, can you tell us about Italy’s recent entrance into the world of renewable energy?

Aldo Todini: Italy has been heavily dependent on foreign energy sources as long as anyone can remember. Over the last 10 years, higher costs have created a demand for renewably energy sources.  We have always paid 30-40% more for electricity than our neighbors and the entire country is working to reduce these costs.

Interviewing Experts: That sounds like another area with investment potential.

Aldo Todini: It is, yes. 2012 saw an increase in foreign interest, often from those countries that we are looking to stop buying energy sources from. 2013 is going to be a great year for Italian commerce. I strongly recommend those interested to research their options before it’s too late.

Aldo Todini is a 1997 graduate of the University of Rome and a business consultant with decades of experience identifying solutions for corporations of all sizes.

**

 

Investimenti in Italia: Aldo Todini spiega perché le opportunità di business abbondano qui da noi

Aldo Todini spiega come gli investitori internazionali possono riavviare un’economia europea in depressione.

Aldo Todini è un consulente aziendale esperto di forme innovative d’investimento in ambito industriale. Sostiene che l’Italia, con i suoi fiorenti settori manifatturiero e industriale, è il luogo ideale per gli investitori esteri che vogliono ricercare nuove opportunità di investimento. Oggi, Aldo Todini parla con Interviewing Experts sul motivo per cui la crisi economica Europea può potenzialmente significare notevoli guadagni per chi sa cosa vuole.

Interviewing Experts: Grazie, Aldo Todini, per aver trovato il tempo per parlare con noi.

Aldo Todini: Sono lieto di essere qui.

Interviewing Experts: Parliamo di Italia. La maggior parte delle persone la conoscono per cibo e vino. Cosa c’è d’altro per cui l’Italia è famosa?

Aldo Todini: E’ un fatto noto che i beni prodotti in Italia sono di grande qualità. Non mettiamo molta stravaganza nei nostri prodotti, è solo la manodopera artigianale che li rende così appetibili e alla moda.

Interviewing Experts: Ma l’Italia non ha molte risorse naturali che …

Aldo Todini: Questo è vero. Ci sono comunque le importazioni che ci permettono di compensare questa povertà di materie prime.

Interviewing Experts: In che modo la crisi dell’Unione europea ha colpito la produzione in Italia?

Aldo Todini: La crisi ha costretto molte fabbriche a rallentare o fermare la produzione. Ma con l’economia che si sta riprendendo sia qui sia all’estero abbiamo assistito una a nuova vitalità nel comparto.

Interviewing Experts: Cosa significa per le opportunità di investimento?

Aldo Todini: Che ci sono opportunità illimitate… Ci sono molti produttori le cui merci sono state scoperte dai consumatori di tutto il mondo. Questo significa un aumento della domanda.

Interviewing Experts: Perché dunque queste società sono alla ricerca di soci o di fondi da iniettare nel loro business?

Aldo Todini: Molte delle nostre imprese si stanno ancora riprendendo. Ad esempio alcune devono recuperare le risorse per acquistare i materiali per creare i prodotti che così tante persone ora vogliono.

Interviewing Experts: Quindi significa che sono disposti a vendere a prezzi interessanti?

Aldo Todini: Corretto ma come le nostre esportazioni aumentano queste opportunità mano a mano scompaiono. È per questo che dico ai miei clienti investitori di muoversi subito e di non aspettare fino a quando il comparto abbia recuperato da solo, le opportunità saranno svanite.

Interviewing Experts: Prima di chiudere, ci puoi dire qualcosa in merito al recente ingresso in Italia nel mondo delle energie rinnovabili?

Aldo Todini: come tutti sanno l’Italia è fortemente dipendente dalle risorse energetiche estere. Nel corso degli ultimi 10 anni l’aumento dei costi energetici ha creato una forte domanda di energie rinnovabili. Abbiamo sempre pagato 30-40% in più di energia elettrica rispetto ai nostri vicini e l’intero paese sta lavorando per ridurre questo divario.

Interviewing Experts: Suona come un altro settore con un grande potenziale d’investimento.

Aldo Todini: Lo è, sì. Il 2012 ha visto un aumento di interesse provenire dall’estero, spesso da quei paesi che stiamo cercando di eliminare come fornitori di prodotti energetici. Il 2013 sarà un grande anno per il commercio italiano. Consiglio vivamente coloro che sono interessati a seguire le loro opportunità prima che sia troppo tardi.

Aldo Todini è un 1997 laureato presso l’Università di Roma e consulente aziendale con venti anni di esperienza nella ricerca e nella costruzione di opportunità di investimento per aziende di tutte le dimensioni.

 

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Scott Sohr Answers a Few Questions about Williamson County’s Arrington Retreat

February 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Scott Sohr

Scott Sohr

Q: What is your background in business and development?

Scott Sohr: I have been in business management in several different fields for nearly 30 years. As an entrepreneur, I’m always looking for new opportunities to utilize my strengths and attract top talent to help me achieve my goals.

Q: Tell us about Arrington Retreat.

Scott Sohr: Arrington Retreat is a unique neighborhood I am developing in Williamson County, Tennessee. It is an elegantly designed community with great architecture and great amenities set in the the beautiful Middle Tennessee countryside. It also offers an elegant visual appeal that new homebuilders are looking for.

Q: What made you decide to invest in this community in Williamson County?

Scott Sohr: Williamson County is one of the premier counties in the entire country for home building. The local economy is thriving like never before, the population is increasing year in and year out, the school systems are fantastic, and it’s within a short drive of the hustle and bustle of downtown Nashville. For me, choosing Williamson County was an easy decision. Taking advantage of the beauty of the property offered in designing the community is where things became more difficult.

Q: What sort of amenities does Arrington Retreat have to offer?

Scott Sohr: Obviously, there’s the beautiful landscape on display. Beyond that, there’s also a pool that offers a gorgeous view of the wide open farmland, walking trails, Arrington Creek, a community garden for residents to enjoy, and a park for families and their pets to play and relax. We really wanted to offer something for everyone at Arrington Retreat.

Q: How do you plan on putting your business background to use with the development of Arrington Retreat?

Scott Sohr: Over the years, I’ve learned that you have to know your audience and your customers, and I firmly believe that Arrington Retreat is exactly the type of community and neighborhood that residents of Franklin, Brentwood, Cool Springs, and anyone in Middle Tennessee has been waiting for.

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: , , , , ,

Marketing Associates Talks about Successful Marketing Plans

January 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Marketing Associates knows the marketing business. At Marketing Associates, they’ve been developing successful marketing and business plans for clients over the past several years, and their efforts have helped many businesses succeed during tough economic times. Tight budgets have led to many businesses cutting back on their marketing strategies, but the people at Marketing Associates have developed strategies for maximizing marketing dollars for maximum returns. Recently, Interviewing Experts sat down with the team at Marketing Associates to learn some of their industry secrets.

Q: How should a business approach a marketing plan?

Marketing Associates – At Marketing Associates, we’ve found the best approach is to divide the business plan up into five distinct parts.

Q: What are those five parts?

Marketing Associates – It’s simple: There’s the planning phase, the obstacle identification phase, the strategy development phase, the analytics phase, and the review phase.

Q: Tell us more about the planning phase. What goes into that?

Marketing Associates – The planning phase involves a business owner taking stock of his assets and his vision and being honest with themselves about the strengths and weaknesses of their idea. At Marketing Associates, we’ve found that many business owners are reluctant to make an honest assessment, as they may find things they don’t like. They should also identify their goals both in the immediate and distant future.

Q: What’s next?

Marketing Associates – The next step is to identify any potential obstacles you might run into. Many of our clients at Marketing Associates have been able to identify obstacles that they may never have thought of initially, and after removing those obstacles, they found they had a much easier path to success than they ever could have imagined.

Q: So, form a plan, then remove obstacles. Now what?

Marketing Associates – Now’s one of our favorite steps at Marketing Associates—the strategy development phase. This is when you draw up your war plans and really roll up your sleeves and get things done. What do you want your marketing strategy to look like? What are ways that it could succeed? What are ways that it could fail? How can you help ensure its success? Those are the important questions to ask.

Q: After you’ve nailed your marketing strategy, what do you focus on next?

Marketing Associates – Once the marketing plan gets rolling, it’s time to analyze how it’s doing. Adjustments must be made constantly to achieve the best results. At Marketing Associates, we know that you can’t just sit back and rest on your laurels—you must constantly tweak and revise your efforts in order to have long-term success.

Q: Finally, what’s left in the five step plan?

Marketing Associates – After you’ve done the hard work and analyzed the results, it’s time to review your efforts. We at Marketing Associates have found that the review stage should be an ongoing part of your business. Whether you schedule it monthly, quarterly, or yearly, it’s important that you realize that what works today may not work tomorrow.

Q: Are there any unexpected benefits to marketing plans?

Marketing Associates – We’ve found that many of our clients at Marketing Associates have seen new opportunities simply from their marketing plans alone. Whether it led them to revise a product or service, or break into a new niche, solid marketing plans offer tremendous insight into your business and can lead to some very unexpected and lucrative results.

 

Filed Under: Business

Pete Spittler on the Appeal of Mixed-Use Neighborhoods

January 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Pete Spittler

Pete Spittler

According to Pete Spittler, mixed-use neighborhoods are trending upward in urban living now. Recently, architect and real estate developer Pete Spittler answered a few questions about this phenomenon.

Q: What’swas the goal of your Flats East Bank Project?

Pete Spittler: We wanted to create a lifestyle for people who wish to live in an urban setting but still have access to the sense of community that comes with living in a neighborhood.

Q: How do you go about accomplishing that?

Pete Spittler: The most important thing, we decided, was to build it in a part of the city where people want to be. This development definitely fit that requirement.

Q: How did you approach the project visually?

Pete Spittler: By positioning the buildings in an area near the Warehouse District, we were able to take advantage of the waterfront entrance as well as the city’s bridges and industrial artifacts.

Q: Why do you think people want to live in these types of neighborhoods?

Pete Spittler: People have a real sense of wanting to belong somewhere. They also like the convenience and historical significance of living in a city. Flats East Bank Project combines those perks.

Q: What were your inspirations with this project?

Pete Spittler: We looked at famous neighborhoods, including the French Quarter in New Orleans and the Georgetown neighbor in Washington D.C., as well as local neighborhoods such as Little Italy, Coventry and Shaker Square and then we applied the best elements we found.


Q: How does retail play a role in the development of the neighborhood?

Pete Spittler: Having retail space is huge. Shops and restaurants get people out and about, it gets them walking around, meeting their neighbors, and investing in the community.

Q: Are mixed-use neighborhoods the future of urban development?

Pete Spittler: I definitely think so. There’s a huge appeal to living in an area that’s self sustaining for work, living, and play.

Q: How important is culture in these neighborhoods?

Pete Spittler: Culture is absolutely a driving force. We make an effort to support the local arts and gallery scene in Flats East Bank Project, and we want local artists to feel comfortable displaying their work here.

Q: Who are the most common residents in these neighborhoods?

Pete Spittler: These types of neighborhoods typically cater to young professionals and empty nester urban dwellers who know exactly what they want out of a living space and appreciate the perks of the urban life.

Pete Spittler has an extensive background in architecture and development, and he was a senior project manager at Figgie International, where he oversaw real estate development. Pete Spittler is the president and founder of GSI Architects. Pete Spittler also coordinated the privatization of a $200 million hydroelectric program in Brazil.

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Marketers LLC Answers Questions About Business Plans

January 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Marketers LLC provides a full range of services to clients, including business plan creation. A business doesn’t have to be an expert to put together a good business plan, Marketers LLC has found. In fact, often businesses know their own operations and future plans well enough to put a plan together on their own, Marketers LLC advises. Still, Marketers LLC finds that many clients have multiple questions about creating a business plan. Recently, Marketers LLC spoke with Interviewing Experts about the factors that make up a good business plan.

Interviewing Experts: How important is a business plan?

Marketers LLC: Very important. In fact, for many companies, a business plan is used to secure funding, loans, and form partnerships with other companies.

Interviewing Experts: Who reads a business plan?

Marketers LLC: Usually the decision-makers—people who can make or break a business completely.

Interviewing Experts: How do I know what to put into a business plan?

Marketers LLC: The first step to creating a business plan is to ask questions.

Interviewing Experts: What kind of questions?

Marketers LLC: Questions that reveal more information about your company, like ‘what are our goals?’ ‘What are our accomplishments?’

Interviewing Experts: Once I’ve asked these questions, what do I do with the answers?

Marketers LLC: Log the answers for use in your business plan.

Interviewing Experts: What specific types of information will be included in the plan?

Marketers LLC: The plan will begin with an executive summary.

Interviewing Experts: Which is…?

Marketers LLC: A brief overview that a busy decision-maker can peruse before flipping to other areas of the plan.

Interviewing Experts: There should also be a summary of what my company is about, correct?

Marketers LLC: Yes, the company overview will give an overview of the office culture and management’s particular style of running things.

Interviewing Experts: Will I then need to give decision-makers a feel for what the regular expenses will be?

Marketers LLC: Yes. Marketers LLC recommends disclosing all possible expenditures in the management and operations section.

Interviewing Experts: Should I include my marketing strategy in my business plan?

Marketers LLC: Definitely. The marketing strategy is an important part of a business plan.

Interviewing Experts: Is that because marketing is so important?

Marketers LLC: Without marketing, a business doesn’t really stand a chance, so the plan needs to be included.

Interviewing Experts: Will I need to provide information about my product?

Marketers LLC: In the sales plan section, we recommend disclosing both projections and proprietary product details.

Interviewing Experts: What about financials?

Marketers LLC: As much as people hate to deal with financials, it’s a necessary part of the business plan. Many believe it’s the most important part, since decision-makers look at it so closely.

Marketers LLC helps clients craft effective business plans, which can be especially important for startups.

 

Filed Under: Business
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