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Gwendolyn Taylor had been a registered nurse for most of her working life. As she neared retirement, though, she began to think about starting a business, preferably with her son Aaron. Not only would this business become her retirement plan, but it would create something to leave as a legacy for her children and grandchildren. Like many parents, she wished to give her family a better life, one they’d be able to pass on from generation to generation. So with that in mind, Taylor pursued a business in an industry that was entirely new for her – vehicle transportation. Each year, millions of new and used vehicles must be transported from one place to another by truckers, some of whom are independent. Taylor saw a chance to enter a niche industry that could benefit her family. To her surprise, Taylor realized that transporting vehicles isn’t as distant from nursing as she initially believed. Her medical background gave her the desire to serve people in every aspect of her life. She’s constantly asking herself, “Who else can I help? Taylor is a very motivated and self-driven business owner. Once she sets her mind to something, she makes sure she accomplishes it. One early challenge for Taylor was finding a large truck and trailer in good working condition that she could afford. Taylor visited a dealer and was able to obtain a significantly reduced price on a brand new truck and trailer. In return, she would do business with the dealer, transporting vehicles at a reasonable cost. It became a great opportunity for both of them. Taylor started her business venture, along with son Aaron, in May 2017. They named the business “It’s Me Again Carrier.” In the future, they hope to have multiple trucks and trailers – what they call “units” – on the road transporting vehicles. While the business has begun serving customers in Georgia, the hope is to expand it to multiple states. To keep her business running smoothly, Taylor takes advantage of accounting services provided by 1-800Accountant. “I love 1-800Accountant,” says Taylor. “They have helped me so much along this journey! They are extremely organized, easy to communicate with and very knowledgeable! I will be referring my daughter to 1-800Accountant.” <a class="link" href="https://1800accountant.com/">1-800Accountant</a> is glad to help. We’re a virtual accounting firm merging the convenience of technology with live support from accounting professionals. We offer a complete suite of personalized accounting, tax, bookkeeping, advisory, and payroll services to individuals and small businesses at an affordable price. <a class="link" href="https://1800accountant.com/get-started">Schedule your consultation</a> with America’s leading small business accounting firm.

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Taylor Keeps on Truckin’ with 1-800Accountant

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Daren Fuster says he wears about 17 hats with the two small businesses he operates and other work he’s involved in. This is probably an underestimation for the motivated entrepreneur from Los Angeles.Fuster, who is a client of 1-800Accountant, proudly runs Fuster Artistic, LLC (based in Los Angeles and established in 2016) and Pro Art Music, LLC (based in Cincinnati and established in 2013). By day, he even works as a booking agent for a music producer.“I offer a lot of different services in my companies,” Fuster explains.“I can provide music for weddings – everything from a string quartet, to a DJ, to a full-fledged band. I also provide music for other various events and venues. Plus, I offer contracting services to artists and presenters who need an orchestra or other accompaniment at concerts and events.”Fuster has had the opportunity to work on behalf of many big names in music, including Nelly, Kenny G, Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, and Peter Cetera. He even manages a jazz band that went on tour with Jane Lynch.It was his own musical talent that helped him get into this industry and make the waves he’s made in it already.“By trade, I’m a professionally trained violinist and violist,” he says. “I have performed with a variety of artists and institutions around the U.S. and abroad. I’ve performed in Italy, Germany, and other countries. I did this for about 15 years, but I knew it was not something I wanted to do forever. So, I then landed some administrative jobs with symphonies.”<h2>Why Fuster Enjoys Small Business Ownership</h2>According to Fuster, he loves how every day of his life is different.“I really like the diversity in what I do. We’re able to provide entertainment to so many different people in so many unique capacities. One day, I’m booking something for Nelly. The next day, I’m booking a band for a wedding happening down the street.”<h2>A Unique Perspective On Small Business Competition</h2>Unlike many entrepreneurs who spend time closely analyzing their competitors within a specific industry and market, Fuster approaches competition differently.“There is competition prevalent in all markets, but I’ve never been one to focus on my competition,” he explains. “Instead, I focus on the products and services we provide, and I firmly believe in all of them and their quality. After 15-plus years, I don’t think I’d be where I am today without thinking of it like this.”<h2>How To Market A Small Business</h2>Some entrepreneurs focus on one specific marketing strategy, while others employ a variety of methods. Fuster falls into the latter boat. He has 3 websites for each of his brands – <a class="link" href="http://www.fusterartistic.com/">www.fusterartistic.com</a>, <a class="link" href="http://www.musicsocal.com/">www.musicsocal.com</a>, and <a class="link" href="http://www.proartmusic.com/">www.proartmusic.com</a>. He advertises on online wedding portals, attends trade shows primarily on weddings, and uses both e-mail marketing and direct mail pieces. In addition, his companies are on social media with Facebook pages for <a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/musicsocal/">Music SoCal</a> and <a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/Pro-Art-Music-359967284086230/">Pro Art Music</a> and Twitter pages for <a class="link" href="http://twitter.com/musicsocal">Music SoCal</a> and <a class="link" href="http://twitter.com/proartmusic">Pro Art Music</a>.“I know my clients pretty well and have learned to target savvy buyers,” he says.<h2>Challenges to Starting &amp; Maintaining A Business</h2>Handling the financial side of things has been Fuster’s most noteworthy challenge as a small business owner.The biggest challenge has been understanding my cash flow and forecasting. These obviously have a direct effect on your bottom line.”<h2>Tips For Aspiring Business Owners</h2>Based on his own endeavors, the musician-turned-business owner offers up some valuable tips for entrepreneurs who aspire to achieve the American dream one day.“In 1999, I started out with $1,000,” he explains. “That built me one of the most bare-bones websites you’ve ever seen in your life. Almost immediately after that, I partnered with another company that was expanding. This really helped in marketing my company, and after 6 or 8 years, things were looking really good for me. So, I would say start with as small of an investment as necessary to get started. Then it’s really elbow grease and a lot of hard work after that.”He adds that there are both pros and cons to being your own boss.“You’re responsible for everything – marketing, getting clients, paying your employees and contractors, and so forth. It’s definitely not a 9-to-5 job. It’s basically like being married to another person because your business follows you wherever you go. But the beauty is that it provides a great amount of flexibility with regard to controlling your own destiny.”<h2>1-800Accountant Client Review</h2>Daren Fuster is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant.“Knowing you have the expertise of someone who understands the tax code is invaluable and can save you lots of money. That’s because you are totally responsible for your financial numbers when you are self-employed.”

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It’s Always Showtime For This Driven Entrepreneur

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Scott Beer of Oceana, California didn’t ask to become a small business owner. On the contrary, it was practically demanded of him once he started bringing his unique cookie creations with him to the sales expos his day job required him to attend. When Beer’s signature maple-bacon-Tabasco cookies caught the attention of grocery stores in Pismo Beach, Beer had no choice but to turn his hobby into a small business so his cookies could be sold in stores. In April of 2015, Come Get Your Cookies, LLC was formally established. Come Get Your Cookies is operated by Beer and his business partner, Robin Preheim, out of a home office.
“We make gourmet cookies that have a cult following. The maple-bacon-Tabasco cookie is a big hit, but we also have piña colada and strawberry-basil cookies, among others,” Beer says of his cookies.
It was Beer’s background in sales that launched him into the world of small business ownership, using cookies to lure in potential clients.
“I’m a salesman, and people don’t want to talk to salesmen. But if I have cookies, then suddenly they have a couple minutes to talk. One time, I was at an expo and I had some cookies around my table. Someone came up to me and said that I should be selling cookies! People started stopping me on the street and would say, ‘You’re the cookie guy!’ Eventually we were on the news showcasing our cookies, and we were even invited to the Emmy’s to give cookies to the stars!” he exclaims. In addition to the exotic gourmet flavors that get people’s attention, Beer believes the hard work he puts into the small business will be what brings them continued success. Although the business has an official website and online store –&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.comegetyourcookies.com/">www.comegetyourcookies.com</a>&nbsp;– word-of-mouth has been the most effective marketing tool – and it comes with the most desirable price.
“We show up and we demonstrate our cookies, but the word-of-mouth has really been the biggest asset. People say, ‘You’ve got to try these cookies!’ We sold 17 dozen boxes of cookies in a new store in the first couple minutes they were on the shelves. Stores will call me and say, ‘We have someone who drives 45 minutes to get your cookies.’ It’s very cool,” Beer explains.
It is this validation that Beer enjoys most about being a small business owner.
“Every ‘Wow!’ makes me feel good,” he confides.
Beer’s brand combats competition by offering a unique product that feels like an event with every bite. Come Get Your Cookies has been particularly successful with the senior citizen crowd since they use the treats as conversation cookies and aren’t watching their figures as much as the younger crowd.
In addition to word-of-mouth advertising, an online store, and a&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Comegetyourcookies/600555506737258?fref=ts">Facebook</a>&nbsp;page, Beer gets his cookies out into the public through community outreach. He is active in local charities and non-profits like Relay for Life, and his cookies are a big hit at charitable events.
<h2>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h2>
Beer didn’t start off with aspirations to become a small business owner, but he had to learn the ropes of entrepreneurism fast in order to please the fans of his cookies. Not knowing where to begin was the first challenge he faced.
“Nobody had any knowledge about how to start a cookie business. We got bounced around to different offices and ran wild because we had no checklist. Even making the cookies, we had to come up with a standard. There’s no format. You just have to decide, ‘I’m going to do this and I’m going to do that!’ We didn’t start out to be a cookie company, we just had to because grocery stores wanted to sell them, so we had to do what the stores required and make that happen. It’s all trial and error! But it pays off. You’re obligated by cookies!” Beer enthuses.
<h2>Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs</h2>
Beer believes that aspiring entrepreneurs should believe in and trust their vision of what success looks like to them. For those looking to become small business owners someday, he offers this piece of advice.
“Be yourself. So many people out there say, ‘I know a guy who tried that and it didn’t work.’ Don’t listen to anybody! Just be yourself,” he advises. I look at all of those businesses out there that succeeded, and I know there was somebody out there at one point who told them they couldn’t do it.”
It is Beer’s entrepreneurial spirit he didn’t know he had that has carried him through the uncertain beginnings of the small business.
“We hold ourselves accountable. We discipline ourselves and see what works and what doesn’t. We want to be in charge of our own destiny. We don’t like to be ruled.”
<h2>Experience As a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
Scott Beer of Come Get Your Cookies, LLC is a satisfied client of 1-800Accountant.
“We’re actually surprised. We said, ‘Wow, we wish we would have known about this sooner.’ They’ll call us and say, ‘Here is your next step,’ and we didn’t even know we had extra steps! The people at1-800Accountant have been holding our hands throughout all of this. It’s a relief for us,” he raves.
Photo credit: The photograph included in this blog post was provided by Come Get Your Cookies, LLC and is used with permission.

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Achieving Startup Success with a Unique Cookie Business

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For Alexis van den Berg, the road to her own business was a long and winding one. Family hardship forced Alexis to take a break from her fine arts and illustration schooling early on. “I was still working random jobs here and there when my boss from the restaurant I was working at heard that I was going to school for illustration,” says Alexis. “He asked me to create new branding for some new restaurant concepts for his business, scooped me up and had me start work at the corporate office.” Alexis found that brand design was a big step up from illustration, but it was a career she felt drawn to. “I found that graphic design was a beautiful marriage of art, technology, and business that I enjoyed,” Alexis says. “I decided that this was something I needed to go back to school to educate myself. I took out loans, went to school and began my new career path.” During three internships, one on the Jim Henson lot, Alexis learned about the branding industry and found that she wanted to help people by using her creativity. After graduating, she worked for a while as an in-house graphic designer, but soon she realized this wasn’t exactly what she wanted to do. She began freelancing on the side, helping small businesses starting up. Not much later, Alexis decided to make a full-time business of it, and in 2017&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.alexisvandenberg.com/">AV Creative Designs LLC</a>&nbsp;was born. It’s been going gangbusters since. “The best feeling in the world is when past clients come back a few months later, and they send you pictures of the logo or other projects you worked on together with some updates on how their business is doing. I live for that.” Alexis also made another smart decision. She hired 1-800Accountant to help with her taxes and bookkeeping. “Taxes were such a gray area for me,” she says. “I thought I was doing things right, but 1-800Accountant gives me the guidance I need with all of my taxes. It also helps that my LegalZoom account is linked up with 1-800Accountant, so it feels like all of my business information is together in one place. Each time I meet with Vanessa, I breathe a sigh of relief because I feel like everything is buttoned up nicely.” Not surprisingly, Alexis is looking to grow her business even more. “I am definitely working on expanding my client base and hopefully hiring some talented graphic designers to work with me in the future,” Alexis says. “I can’t wait to be in a position where I can create some jobs!”

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Alexis van den Berg: The Long and Winding Road to AV Creative Designs

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Entrepreneur Steve Wellman fell in love with motorcycles at age 7 and hopped on his first bike when he was 16. The power and speed of these snazzy vehicles immediately swept him off his feet. Little did he know he’d be starting a business with the goal of creating one of the world’s fastest production motorcycles.
In February 2015, Wellman formally established Wellmann Motorcycles, LLC in his hometown of Wenatchee, Washington. (He added the extra “n” to the name of the small business in honor of how his German ancestors used to spell it.)
Wellman is in the early stages of developing a prototype for the “super bike” he intends to make come to life, hopefully within the next year. He is teaming up with a bike designer and parts maker in the motorcycle industry in Southern California who is producing an incredible V4 MotoGP engine and frame himself.
“When he offered me the motor for use with my bike, it immediately elevated my bike into the stratosphere,” Wellman confides. “I intend to make a new classification of motorcycles that takes their inspiration from supercars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti,&nbsp;Koenigsegg, and&nbsp;Pagani. The&nbsp;Koenigsegg and&nbsp;Pagani models are my favorite because they incorporate the highest-quality design, materials, and production techniques to make a car that has no compromise on quality.”
According to Wellman, the biggest key in designing any vehicle that can be driven at very high speeds comes down to perfecting the power-to-weight ratio. He is attempting to design a bike with a 1:1 horsepower-per-pound ratio with over 300 horsepower in total.
“I’m pursuing every kind of technological advantage I can get to reduce weight and increase strength,” he explains. “I am using carbon fiber materials from the aerospace industry. It’s a special kind of pre-preg carbon fiber that is cured inside an autoclave, which is a high-pressured oven. Pound for pound, this material is stronger than steel.”
He is teaming up with South African manufacturer BlackStone Tek, a premier authority in carbon prepreg autoclave motorcycle parts. The wheels of his bike will be less than half the weight of a motorcycle wheel and are up to 3 times stronger.
His eventual goal is to make 2 prototypes – one to show others and one for testing. His dream is to take the testable prototype to the famous Nürburgring in German and the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
He’s clearly a bike enthusiast at heart and points to the historical perspective he has gained on the industry through his own research. He talks about the old Vincent Motorcycles brand from generations ago, which set a world land record for speed at 150 mph back in the 1950s.
“I want to achieve over 200mph myself and let others go for the 240mph speed that I think is achievable,” he says. Wellman, 65, is a retired teacher who taught high school art for 21 years. He says it was a former student who got him interested in road racing. He finally got his racing license at age 60 at Portland International Raceway in Oregon and is now proudly starting a business to achieve his lifelong dream.
“It’s my belief that people who design super cars make them to see how far we can take human nature and how far vehicle design can be taken, and I am fascinated by that idea,” he says. “I love seeing people push the limits.”
<h2>Tips for Entrepreneurs of All Ages</h2>
Wellman offers up some tips for entrepreneurs of any age – and at any stage in their lives.
“Everyone should be encouraged to follow their stars,” he advises. “Even if you’re retired, which isn’t my favorite word in the world, go for your dreams. Follow the dreams of a 7-year-old, no matter how old you are. My dad gave me a little plaque that says, ‘Dreams can’t come true if you don’t have any.’ One of my friends told me I have 10 lives’ worth of dreams.”
<h2>Small Business Funding Options</h2>
Thus far, Wellman has used personal money to start his research and development (R&amp;D). However, he plans to delve into crowdfunding and hopes to find some investors in the near future who will back his idea financially.
<h2>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>
As a client of 1-800Accountant, Wellman says he has been extremely satisfied with the small business accounting support he has received from the national firm.
“Business taxes and dealing with the IRS used to scare me so much,” he admits. “Working with 1-800Accountant, I know this will be a piece of cake. I couldn’t be happier.”
Photo credit: The photograph of Steve Wellman on a 1972 Triumph Tiger 650 bike was provided by Wellmann Motorcycles, LLC and is used with permission.

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Startup Story: Riding His Way to Small Business Success

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While working as a personal trainer for a commercial gym, Jason Harrison grew dissatisfied with the minimal progress he saw in his clients due to the rules that were enforced upon him. So in January of 2014, he formally established Present Tense Fitness, LLC so he could remove the limitations placed on him and give his clients the tools they need to reach their maximum potential. Harrison does business out of his home office in Dayton, Ohio, alongside his wife and business partner, Susan.
“I’m a fitness and lifestyle coach. My background is in personal training, and what I noticed in the last few years is that I started having more success with my clients when I started coaching them on things outside of the gym. With Present Tense Fitness, I take a 360 approach to people’s fitness, in which the strength component is only part of it, along with sleep, nutrition, and stress management. I have a roster of coaching clients and a roster of personal training clients, and sometimes they overlap,” he explains of his business model.
It was during his time working in a gym that Harrison discovered that both he and the gym’s personal training clients weren’t maxing out at their full potential.
“You’re not going to change someone’s body in the 2 or 3 hours you see them a week. Their lifestyles have to change when you’re not there the rest of the week. They need to learn how to use the tools they need to manage their own lives. My job is to teach them how to not need me,” he says.
According to Harrison, the keys to his success are authenticity and pragmatism. He strives to work within the confines of his clients’ boundaries and never advocate for anything unless he believes in its effectiveness. The unique set of challenges brought to him by each client means there’s never a dull day. This is what Harrison loves most about small business ownership.
“I am a naturally curious person. I find it endlessly fascinating to work with people from different professions, and I’ve formed some lasting friendships with my clients. I’m a natural introvert, so this gives me an excuse to get to know people. There’s no better feeling than when someone tells me they’ve been dealing with weight issues their entire lives and I’ve helped them overcome that. It’s a rush that I think is awesome,” he enthuses.
The husband-and-wife duo started the business in Maryland, but now that they’re located in Dayton, Ohio, competition is a bit more fierce. Harrison has what he calls a “garage band approach” to building his client base.
“Nationally, there is limitless competition. My hope is that I’ll have my local clients and eventually have a national presence as well,” he says.
Currently, the client base of Present Tense Fitness consists mostly of women in their late 20s to late 40s. Harrison hopes to bring more men on board to puncture that “know-it-all male mentality” when it comes to hitting the gym. The small business has a website –&nbsp;<a class=link href="http://www.presenttensefitness.com/">www.presenttensefitness.com</a>&nbsp;– as well as pages on&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Present-Tense-Fitness/267102676771005?fref=ts">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class=link href="https://twitter.com/presenttensefit">Twitter</a>.
<h3>Challenges in the Startup Phase</h3>
The biggest challenge Harrison faced in the startup stages of small business ownership was deciphering what kind of niche he wanted to carve out for himself. He knew fitness and lifestyle was his objective, but had to find out through trial and error how he was going to communicate his message and materialize his vision.
“At first, I thought I would start a blog, but the Internet is oversaturated with blogs. I had to figure out what my public persona would be, and live that with confidence. Early on, my wife and I decided to just be ourselves publicly. You aren’t going to win everyone over, but you want to be who you are authentically and build around that. It’s a scary thing because no one knows who you are,” he admits.
<h3>Tips for Personal Trainers</h3>
For those looking to achieve success in the field of lifestyle coaching and personal training, Harrison offers the following advice.
“Look outside of just fitness for inspiration. Take your inspiration from a lot of different places. If you look at fitness blogs and profiles, you see a lot of uniformity. There are a million people out there calling themselves fitness experts. It seems like all it takes to be a fitness expert is to take a sexy Instagram shot. If you want to be different, you have to think differently. All that hocus pocus is just disingenuous,” he explains.
<h3>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h3>
Jason and Susan Harrison of Present Tense Fitness, LLC are satisfied clients of 1-800Accountant. They’re receiving assistance in the form of tax preparation.
“We’ve been really happy. In fact, we should do a better job of taking advantage of the services,” he says.
Photo credit: The photograph included in this blog post was provided by Present Tense Fitness, LLC via&nbsp;<a class=link href="http://chelsearochelle.com/">chelsearochelle.com</a>&nbsp;and is used with permission. The logo was provided by Present Tense Fitness, LLC and is also used with permission.

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Startup Story: Redefining Your Lifestyle in the Present Tense

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Like many people who have a passion for the arts, Oral Clarke of Brooklyn, New York wondered how he could turn his love for filmmaking and storytelling into a profitable business venture. Clarke had been harboring ideas for films for years, but in November of 2014, he finally took the plunge into formally establishing himself as a small business owner with Musing International Production, LLC.As the owner and operator of Musing International Production, Clarke acts as the mastermind behind the small business’s projects. As it typically is in the production industry, Clarke’s ensemble of employees would change from project to project, depending on size and style. He works closely with writers who he trusts to help him maximize his creative visions to the fullest extent. Clarke currently does business from home and is working toward having his own studio.Whether it’s film, novels, commercials, or music videos, Clarke doesn’t discriminate. He has plans to make Musing International Production an all-encompassing creative force. Clarke will begin his creative career by building his own original content, and plans to welcome other collaborators to jump on board in the future.Many creative people find themselves brewing with exciting ideas without knowing where to channel them or how to turn a profit from them. Initially, Clarke planned on selling his stories and letting the buyers take over. It was when a friend suggested to him that he form his own entity and take control himself that he formed Musing International Production. Clarke’s creative and professional paths were verified for him when a friend in the music industry approached him with some music videos. Clarke discovered he could contribute his talents to take other people’s ideas to the next level and make them even better. Plus, the formal entity gives him more clout when approaching investors.“I wanted to make it official for when I approach people with my ideas,” he explains.Clarke is looking forward to achieving success with his startup venture. He feels he is savvy enough to present his concepts in a way that is attractive to investors. By developing a solid business plan, he will be able to confidently approach film companies and not only execute his ideas, but also help them with theirs as well.“I have the capabilities to be persistent and do the work. They’ll be more likely to invest in my ideas with the entity and business plan,” he says.<h2>Enjoyment to Self-Employment</h2>Clarke’s favorite aspect of owning a small business is musing, hence the name of the production company.“I’m a mental person. I have a natural gift of coming up with ideas and executing them. I like the process of coming up with ideas,” Clarke confides.<h2>Competing in the Production Industry</h2>Clarke is too busy making his small business the best it can be to worry about competition right now, although he knows it exists. During the crucial beginning stages of starting up a production company, he is focusing on working hard and letting his creations speak for themselves.On the business end of things, Clarke wants to win over collaborators and investors. The art itself, however, will appeal to a more universal demographic. His films involve religious fiction, and his audience is mostly those who have lost their direction and seek spirituality through artistic exploration.The web presence for Musing International Production is still in the works. In the meantime, the small business has a <a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/musingip?fref=ts">Facebook page</a>. The toughest challenge so far has largely been accumulating the funds required for a production company to function. Computers and film equipment are costly necessities.<h2>Advice for Aspiring Small Business Owners</h2>Clarke offers the following tips for entrepreneurs looking to make their dreams of startup success come true.“Have a focus in mind. Be precise on what it is that you want to do. Anybody can become a business owner, but you need the right people to involve themselves in the business with you. You need a focus group with people whose ideas work with yours, with an artistic vision. Be dedicated and put in hard work. You need to feed the mind,” he insists.The biggest advantage to being self-employed, Clarke says, is “not being able to get fired. You put your ideas into your own company instead of somebody else’s. The disadvantage is that you have to let it consume your time.”<h2>1-800Accountant Testimonial</h2>Clarke has had a positive experience with 1-800Accountant.“I’m building my business plan and learning about how to structure my expenses and keep track of the tax side of things.”Image credit: The logo included in this blog post was provided by Musing International Production, LLC and is used with permission.

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Creatively Working Toward Small Business Success

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Nicole Buergers knew she’d be taking a risk when walking away from a guaranteed paycheck to start her own small business. But she didn’t know how sweet it could be – and in more ways than she expected.
Buergers, who is a client of 1-800Accountant, is the proud owner of Bee2Bee Honey Collective, LLC. Formally established in February 2016, the company is headquartered out of a shared workspace facility in Houston, Texas, but the entrepreneur has traveled around the country for business purposes.
Buergers says her small business is twofold.
“I offer beekeeping services in which I install and maintain beehives on property owned by individuals and businesses,” she explains. “People want bees for various purposes – typically for environmental reasons or to help maintain a garden. The second part of the business is the website. I help people sell honey online since many of these individuals are not tech-savvy and are often just selling honey on the side of the road.”
Buergers previously worked in Internet marketing for several agencies. She now uses the skills she honed on that path in her current small business. She also works as a cheese monger at a local cheese shop in Houston.
She explains what drove her to take the dive into self-employment.
“I want people to be able to get honey easily,” she says. “I love feeling like I’m making a difference by giving back to the planet to keep bees around. Plus, I sat behind a desk in the corporate world for too many years. Now, I really enjoy getting out there and putting my hands in the soil.”
Being around bees all the time certainly increases the risk of being stung by one. Buergers – or “The Queen Bee” as she likes to call herself – is always fully prepared for the job.
“Working with bees is like tai chi,” she explains. “You will get stung at times because some bees are quite aggressive. But for me, it’s no big deal. I gear up with a bee suit and gloves. Bee suits are very puffy and can be pretty hot to wear, but they really protect you.
<h2>Competing in the Beekeeping Field</h2>
According to Buergers, there are many beekeeper companies that serve most large cities around the United States. However, she found that the Houston market has been underserved in this area.
“Houston is a very green area with lots of grass, plants, and flowers. But it needed a beekeeping service. So, I saw this as a great place for an opportunity to start one myself.”
<h2>Small Business Marketing Methods</h2>
To get the word out about Bee2Bee Honey Collective, Buergers has created a marketing plan with a variety of platforms. The company has a website at&nbsp;<a class="link" href="http://www.bee2beehoney.com/">www.bee2beehoney.com</a>. It also has pages on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/bee2beehoneytx">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/bee2beehoneytx">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.pinterest.com/bee2beehoney/">Pinterest</a>,&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.instagram.com/bee2beehoney/">Instagram</a>, and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0JFnO1lVz6FjSRb8z5l2Bg">YouTube</a>. The beekeeper is looking to contact local publications, magazines, websites, blogs, and other relevant outlets, in addition to running&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/houston-beekeeping-bee2bee-honey-collective#/">an Indiegogo campaign</a>.
<h2>Challenges to Owning a Business</h2>
Starting and running a small business isn’t for the faint of heart, Buergers confides.
“It’s my first time doing this, and I had no idea what I was doing at first. There are all kinds of rules on forming a business, legal issues, insurance, taxes, and paperwork. It’s all a new game for me. It has also been tough telling everyone about this pivot in my career. I think my mom has finally accepted it.”
<h2>Tips for Entrepreneurs</h2>
Thanks to her recent entrepreneurial experience, she offers some helpful advice for entrepreneurs.
“Expect a lot of doubt and a lot of uncertainty throughout the early stages. It’s a giant step, and you really just have to take it. Outsource tasks to the experts as well. Honestly, the biggest help for me has been the emotional support from family and friends. I still have days when I think I’m not doing the right thing. Reach out to others and get encouragement from them. Your passion will shine through in the end.”
<h2>Experience as a Client of 1-800Accountant</h2>
Buergers says she has been very happy with the support 1-800Accountant has provided her with business taxes, accounting, and everything else she simply doesn’t have time to do.
“Learning about business taxes has been challenging,” she says. “1-800Accountant has been so helpful at taking me by the hand and walking me through all of my business accounting needs.”
Photo credit: The photograph included in this blog post was provided by Bee2Bee Honey Collective, LLC and is used with permission.

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Why Entrepreneurship Is So Sweet For A Houston Beekeeper

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Mary DeRosa of Austin, Texas wanted to do something special for teachers. After spending several years teaching at the elementary level, she became familiar with the stressors teachers face on a daily basis – and knew what it would take to put smiles on the faces of both the teachers and the students. So DeRosa – with the help of her business and life partner, Robby Lee – came up with ElementaryBox, LLC. The pair runs ElementaryBox out of their home office.“ElementaryBox is a monthly subscription service for elementary school teachers, from the pre-k level to 5th grade. Each box contains grade-level specific teaching resources, rewards for the kiddos, and a special gift just for the teacher. We try to keep the boxes themed and seasonal,” DeRosa says of the objective of her business.Although ElementaryBox was formally established in May of 2014, the team of two didn’t launch until July, so their then-handful of subscribers would receive their first box in August, appropriately in time for the back-to-school season.For DeRosa and Lee, the urge to do something to give back to teachers was what prompted them to become small business owners.“I wanted to do something special for teachers and provide them with resources they need, as well as special gifts just for them. After getting to know the life of a teacher through me, Robby was onboard. We put our heads together and asked each other, ‘What better way than a monthly delivery system?’ We wanted to boost teacher morale and also contribute to learning in elementary classrooms. I have teaching experience, and Robby is a landscape designer and artist, but he has worked with several schools and education programs and art programs,” DeRosa explains.DeRosa and Lee knew now was the time to strike while the iron is hot since the subscription box industry is growing at such a rapid pace. There seems to be a subscription box for everything – men and women’s grooming products, subscription boxes for dogs and for gamers, among other niches that have been filled.“We curate what teachers need and save them time and money. I use my prior experience as a teacher to determine what they want and what works,” she says.It’s this process of picking and choosing what goes into the subscription boxes that DeRosa enjoys most about small business ownership.“The teacher can open the box with his or her kiddos, so being behind that and being the one to put it all together is really rewarding. Teachers can be so overworked and so underappreciated,” she confides.According to DeRosa, the vast majority of their subscribers are female.<h2>Competition in the Subscription Box Industry</h2>Although subscription boxes similar to ElementaryBox exist, none of them are quite like what DeRosa and Lee send out.“There are a couple of businesses like this that are focused more on snacks, or desk materials, or gifts for teachers and not educational supplies, so we give them a good mix of all of those things. We’re sourcing them from the best educational suppliers of the latest products. So I think that gives us an edge, as well as my experience as a teacher. We’re focused on meaningful, useful, educational resources — not just putting a bunch of stuff in a box,” she elaborates.<h2>Marketing Strategies for Subscription Box Businesses</h2>In addition to a website — <a class="link" href="http://www.elementarybox.com/">www.elementarybox.com</a> — and utilizing all of the social media platforms available to them, DeRosa and Lee partnered up with another relevant business that could help them spread the word about ElementaryBox.“Advertising on social media can only get you so many subscribers. So we recently started a partnership with Teacher’s Notebook. It’s an online marketplace of downloadable and printable educational resources. We’ve included gift certificates and some of their material and, in turn, they’ve done e-mail campaigns for us. That partnership has really helped us go from that handful to hundreds. We also network and go to educational conferences here and there. By back-to-school season, we’ll have really grown significantly.Connect with ElementaryBox on <a class="link" href="https://www.facebook.com/elementarybox">Facebook</a>, <a class="link" href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ElementaryBoxLLC/posts">Google+</a>, <a class="link" href="https://instagram.com/elementarybox/">Instagram</a>, <a class="link" href="https://www.pinterest.com/elementarybox/">Pinterest</a>, <a class="link" href="http://theelementarybox.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>, and <a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/ElementaryBox">Twitter</a>.<h2>Challenges of Small Business Ownership</h2>The biggest challenge DeRosa and Lee have faced on their journey toward startup success has been ensuring that their product is worth the while of their subscribers.“Teachers don’t make a lot of money, so they want to make sure that their money is well spent. We have partnered with several bloggers, so we send them a complementary box and they review it. Teachers see those reviews and decide if it is worth it to them or not. Customer acquisition has been the biggest challenge in the first year of business,” she confides.<h2>Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs</h2>For aspiring entrepreneurs looking to become small business owners, DeRosa offers the following advice.“Have a clear vision and a clear mission of what you want to do. Be passionate and go for it. Take risks and don’t hold back,” she urges. “If I can do it, anyone can!”DeRosa insists that there are advantages that come from the independence of small business ownership.“It’s very nice being your own boss. I enjoy working for myself because I have a strong opinion about the way it should go. It is hard work. It is a risk and it can be scary, but I don’t know if that’s a disadvantage.”<h2>Experience as a 1-800Accountant Client</h2>Mary DeRosa and Robby Lee of ElementaryBox are satisfied clients of 1-800Accountant.“Our account manager is awesome. He makes sure we’re well taken care of. I have a really difficult time wrapping my brain around taxes and accounting, so not having to worry about it is a huge relief,” she enthuses.Photo credit: The photograph and logo included in this blog post were provided by ElementaryBox, LLC and is used with permission.

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Startup Story: A Special Delivery for Teachers

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