Problem: Article: Before you open, you need to know what kinds of services you will provide. This process is called finding your niche. It's unlikely that you'll be a "Jack of All Trades," so identify the services you want to specialize in. If you are an experienced accountant, then think about the type of work you have enjoyed most. Do you want to work with businesses, individuals, non-profits, etc.? Do you know what type of work you don't want to do? If you have no experience, then it might take you a while to find your niche. However, you can talk with accountants who are currently practicing to get a feel for what they do. You might be excited to jump into your new accounting business with both feet. However, you need to realistically assess whether you can afford to start a full-time accounting business. Instead, you might choose to continue to work your day job but build your accounting business at night or on the weekends. If you are currently an accountant, then proceed cautiously. Your employer won't like that you are setting up a new business as a competitor. Partnering with an established accounting professional can help you get a business off the ground. Working with a partner means more industry connections and more capital. Reach out to people who have recently started their own accounting businesses and schedule a lunch. Tell them you want to start a business and ask if they are open to bringing on a partner. Choose your partners wisely. An ideal partner should complement your skills. You should also agree on where you want to take your accounting business. If you don't see eye to eye, then forming a partnership could create problems down the road. In some ways, buying an existing accounting practice is the easiest option. You already have a built-in client list and visibility in the community. On the downside, this is usually an expensive option. Make sure that you can spread out the purchase price over several years. If you decide to go down this route, then you should thoroughly investigate the business. You want to make sure their niche aligns with your interests. Writing a business plan is a necessity if you need funding. Lenders will only extend a loan after looking at your business plan. However, writing a business plan is also a great exercise on its own because it forces you to focus on the nuts and bolts of your business. Your plan should have the following parts: Executive summary. Write this last but put it first. It's a one- or two-page summary of your entire business plan. Company description. Explain your business structure and how it fits into the accounting industry. Also identify your goals or objectives. Products and services. Describe your accounting services and anything that makes you unique. Marketing and sales analysis. You need to identify your competitors and then analyze their business, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses. Also create a profile of your ideal client. Consider age, income, education, location, etc. Organization details. If your business is large, you can provide an organization chart of departments and key employees. Also provide background information about your management team. Financial plan. You should project your finances for the next several years. Financial projections are particularly important if you need funding. Fortunately, accountants don't need a lot of equipment to run their business. At a minimum, you'll need the following, so budget for them: computer printer telephone fax machine copier account software (e.g., QuickBooks Pro) A mentor can answer your questions and be a sympathetic ear to bounce ideas off of. Finding a more experienced accountant to act as your mentor will benefit you, especially if you don't want to go into partnership with one. Remember that your mentor will be primarily a business mentor. They can help on the business side of things. If you also have accounting questions, you might want to get a second mentor.
Summary: Identify your niche. Decide whether to go full-time. Consider partnering with someone. Decide whether to buy an existing business. Draft a business plan. Purchase necessary technology. Find a business mentor.

Problem: Article: It's normal to have a hard time with small talk, but charismatic people know how to talk to anyone. Develop a few talking points that you can draw on for small talk. Use a mirror or video camera to watch yourself delivering these talking points so you can improve your delivery. You can tell funny jokes, relate a funny story, or pick on yourself. This helps people feel comfortable around you and enjoy being with you. Don't go overboard when using humor. Instead, pepper humor throughout your conversation or speech. For example, you might open a presentation with a joke or tell a funny story at a party. Telling stories draws people in and makes you appear more engaging. When you do talk about yourself, do so through stories. Share your personal history. Use an excited tone, animated gestures, and engaging facial expressions to entertain others. Taking an acting class can help you improve your storytelling abilities. Actors and charismatic people use the same techniques to captivate their audience and evoke emotion. You can learn how to use voice inflection, tone, gesture, and facial expressions to enhance your stories. People are turned off by uncertainty, so you need to take a stance. Believe in your choices and what you have to say. Tell others that you have the answer, even if you don't feel fully confident. You can always re-evaluate and take another path if you realize you were wrong. Even if you are uncertain, people will view you as more charismatic if you act sure about your choices. Make the best decisions using the information you have at the moment. If you later decide you were wrong, you can always do something else. For example, you'd say, "I believe in this plan" rather than "This plan could work." The first statement shows you are confident in the idea. However, the second statement suggests you aren't completely sure if the plan will work. People are drawn to people who appear passionate. Don't talk mindlessly; only share ideas you truly believe in. Be excited about what you say and do, and invite others to share your excitement. Build your life around your passions. This will help you appear more engaging to others. If something doesn't excite you, put it on the backburner.
Summary: Practice making small talk. Use humor to relate to others. Be a storyteller. Stand behind your ideas rather than wavering. Show passion for what you're talking about.

Problem: Article: Get a doctor's approval if you are using drugs for high blood pressure, heart palpitations, or diuretics. Mixing nicotine patches with caffeine, alcohol, vitamins, and acetaminophen, or Tylenol, can also be an issue. Drugs for anxiety and depression, such as Wellbutrin, also interact with nicotine patches. Always let your doctor know any drugs you are taking to avoid adverse reactions. Get in touch with a doctor right away. Although patches are safer than smoking, the nicotine may still cause harm to the child. The doctor can advise you on limiting or stopping the patches. The best option is to stop using nicotine entirely. It's rare, but nicotine can raise your heart rate or make your heart's rhythm irregular. Monitor your heart rate and also be aware of any dizziness, blurred vision, headaches, nervousness, nausea, and weakness you experience. Stop using the patches and come up with an alternative plan with your doctor. Anyone allergic to adhesive tape should avoid the patches by default. Note any rashes or swelling forming under the patch. If it is severe or doesn't fade over a few days, stop using the patch and visit a doctor. A little bit of redness and swelling is normal when first applying patches, but it should go away in time. Nicotine patches are sold at different strengths. Start with the patch you need and, if you feel comfortable after 2 to 4 weeks of use, go to the next lowest dose. Continue doing this until you're done with nicotine entirely. This slow decrease reduces withdrawal symptoms. Start with the 21 mg patch if you smoke more than 11 cigarettes in a day, and the 14 mg patch if you smoke less than that. Since these patches are sold over the counter, this is something you can do on your own. However, contact your doctor if you have any concerns.
Summary:
Research negative drug interactions before using the patches. Speak to a doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Call a doctor immediately if you experience a rapid heartbeat. Tell your doctor if you experience severe allergic reactions. Switch to a lower dose after 2 weeks when quitting nicotine.