Posts by Bill Wortman
Consultant’s Corner: Organizational Charts
Q. What is the optimal way to structure an organizational chart of business processes? Are there commonly used modern tools that I can use for this? Flow charts are still the common tool to illustrate business processes and related employee jobs in a graphical or textual view. The following are example product comparisons and explanations…
Read This Article
Consultant’s Corner: What is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Question: What is workers’ compensation insurance and how does it work? Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system designed to provide benefits to employees injured as a result of their employment activities and to limit the liability of employers. Because it is a no-fault system, the employee does not need to prove negligence on the part…
Read This Article
Consultant’s Corner: Photography Pricing Strategies
Q: I’m a photographer and videographer in Atlanta. How do I determine how much I should charge? There are several factors that potentially influence wedding photography prices, including hours of service, number of events, locations(s), photo format (album, digital file, video, etc.), and photographer experience and name recognition. Due to the variables, a form of…
Read This Article
Consultant’s Corner: Business Entity Selection
Question: “How should I go about choosing a business entity type?” Many small businesses are structured as unincorporated sole proprietorships and General Partnerships due to their formation and maintenance simplicity and costs; however, the primary disadvantage with a sole proprietorship or General Partnership is that it is not a separate legal entity, even when it…
Read This Article
Consultant’s Corner: Establishing Business Credit Rating
Q: How do I improve my business credit score? To establish and build a separate credit history and rating apart from the credit history and rating of its owner(s), a business must establish a separate credit file with the credit bureaus or rating agencies. For example, a sole proprietorship (with or without a Doing Business…
Read This Article
Consultant’s Corner: Working with Volunteers
Question: I own a small pet store and want to begin working with volunteers and a local non-profit to hold weekly pet adoptions. How should I do this to protect myself and my business? It is unusual for individuals to volunteer their services to for-profit businesses. It is more common for nonprofit organizations to utilize…
Read This Article
Consultant’s Corner: Should I Register as a Woman-Owned Business?
Question: What are the benefits of registering my business as a woman-owned business? How do I register on a national and state level? As a woman, of course, if you own your business, then it is a woman-owned business; however, whether any type of minority or women-owned business certification would possibly be an advantage for…
Read This Article
Consultant’s Corner: Consolidating Business Loans
Question: Can I get a loan for consolidating business loans together, and how do I go about applying for them? Checking with your current lender or lenders would be the first place to inquire about the availability of and requirements for a consolidation loan. Provided that your business is financially stable and generating sufficient cash…
Read This Article
Consultant’s Corner: Resources for Measuring Customer Service
Q. I’m looking for ways to measure my customer service. What do I need to look for, and where should I look? A. Managing and measuring customer service varies by type of business products and services and can include counting customer calls and inquiries, measuring response time, customer surveys, improving written customer policies and procedures, product…
Read This Article
Consultant’s Corner: Contingency Plans for Sole Proprietors
Q. I’m starting a sole proprietor service business. Until the business grows to the point where I can afford an employee, I’ll be doing everything myself. How should I respond if a prospective client asks what will happen if something happens to me and I’m unable to do the work for any reason? The response…
Read This Article