Knowledge is power

Free access to the background and
understanding you need to run a business.
We’ve got you covered.

Knowledge is power

Free access to the background and understanding you need to run a business. We’ve got you covered.

Welcome to the Blog

Lastest on the blog

Top 5 Reasons Cannabis Businesses Fail (and what you can do to avoid them)
business plan
Cannabis
Cash Flow

It’s no secret that the cannabis industry is significantly growing. According to Forbes, the legal cannabis market sales is expected to have an economic impact of $160 billion in 2025. But despite the growth potential, many cannabis businesses still fail. So what are the top reasons cannabis businesses fail? And more importantly, how can you […]

Kenneth Mason

May 20, 2022

Prioritizing and manage cash flow as a cannabis dispensary
business plan
Cannabis
Cash Flow
Forecast

If you and your team are the heart of your business, then cash is the oxygen.  Without cash and more specifically positive cash flow, your business will die. Your cannabis business can be a cash-flowing business but the unfortunate reality is that you have an additional burden. It’s 280e. In short, 280e is a federal […]

Kenneth Mason

May 13, 2022

cannabis investor
Advisory
Budget
Cannabis
Forecast

You’re operating a cannabis business, which means you’re selling products that are in high demand. In fact, you may find your cannabis company is doing quite well, given the current market. But this alone isn’t going to give you the rapid growth you wish to obtain. To do this, you’re going to need the help […]

Kenneth Mason

February 24, 2021

Congress Passes $900 Billion COVID Relief Package Including Critical Tax Provisons
Advisory
Restaurants
Tax

Late Monday evening, Congress overwhelmingly approved another massive $900 billion COVID relief package for individuals and businesses. Major points of the relief package, which by the way passed the Senate by a vote of 92-6 and also the House by a vote of 359-53, include $600 payments to individual taxpayers that have adjusted gross income […]

Kenneth Mason

December 22, 2020

7 Advantages of Budgeting for Your Business
Budget
business plan
Cash Flow
Forecast

When you own a business, you’re responsible for maintaining its profitability. Otherwise, you risk tanking your company and everything you worked so hard to build. This holds true for both large and small businesses. The good news is you don’t need a finance department to manage your budget. One option is to hire a business […]

Kenneth Mason

November 14, 2020

Property Managers: How (& Why) You Need to Be Forecasting
Forecast
Real Estate

Have you ever had a steady increase in rental income from your properties? Each year, your occupancy rates grow, and with it, your revenue. Business is great. But what happens when you start to see the opposite — a steady uptick in vacancies and decreased income? Likely, you begin to wonder where you went wrong. […]

Kenneth Mason

November 14, 2020

Strategic Planning & Advising for Small Businesses in Undeserved Communities
Advisory
business plan
Forecast

You decided to start a business in an underserved community. You’re playing you’re part in delivering the services or goods local residents need. But what’s your long-term game plan for keeping your doors open? Without proper strategic planning, you could find yourself struggling with finances, vision, and organizational alignment. This can turn into issues that […]

Kenneth Mason

November 14, 2020

How to Create a Cannabis Business Plan
Uncategorized

You’re inspired to build your cannabis business from the ground up. You obtained your certificate to sell cannabis goods, and you may even have a few ideas of locations to set up shop. But before you begin talking to a realtor or loan officer, you need to get your business strategy in order. Let’s take […]

Kenneth Mason

November 14, 2020

Cannabis Startup Financial Checklist
Cannabis

State regulators cannot issue marijuana licenses fast enough, so many individuals and companies are scratching to get one. When so many of these hopeful applicants or successful license holders are researching how to open a dispensary or start a grow, who is asking how to getting their finances in order? Here is your extensive checklist […]

Kenneth Mason

November 14, 2020

Evaluating Your Restaurant Menu
Restaurants
Uncategorized

Your restaurant menu represents your brand and concept every time a customer sees it.  Restaurant business owners who consistently evaluate their menu can increase profits and improve restaurant cash flow while keeping customers satisfied. Calculating your food costs is the first step to accurately evaluate your menu. Knowing a restaurant menu item’s contribution margin (that is, menu […]

Kenneth Mason

November 14, 2020

Portion Controls and Effective Pricing for Restaurant Business Owners
Restaurants
Uncategorized

As a restaurant business owner, you understand the importance of creating standard portions to increase the profitability of your restaurant menu items.  Once you’ve determined the standard portions for every ingredient and every item on your menu, it’s time to implement portion controls as well as effective pricing.  A portion control system helps your staff […]

Kenneth Mason

November 14, 2020

How to Manage Cash Flow for Rental Properties
Cash Flow
Real Estate

You’re the owner of several rental properties. This may be a mix of single-family homes, apartment units, duplexes, or even condos. How well are you managing the cash flow for them? It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been a property manager for one year or ten years — knowing the most efficient cash flow management methods […]

Kenneth Mason

November 14, 2020

4 tax strategies for cannabis businesses
Cannabis
Tax

As a cannabis business owner, what would you say your toughest hurdle to overcome? Is it finding supply? Likely not. How about filling your business with customers? Doubt it. Chances are, you’re battling with the same issues others in this industry are struggling with… Taxes. And lots of ’em.   Although marijuana is legalized by […]

Kenneth Mason

October 2, 2020

Don't suffer from poor cash flow again
Cannabis
Cash Flow
Forecast

Cash is the lifeblood of your company. Needless to say, managing your cash and keeping positive cash flow should be a priority. Imagine being a dispensary, processor, or cultivator that doesn’t have enough cash on hand to pay for new product shipments, pay employees and contractors, or worse pay your taxes. So how do you […]

Kenneth Mason

July 29, 2020

Using standard portions to increase your restaurant cash flow
Restaurants

When you opened your restaurant business, you probably imagined serving savory food to happy guests who left with satisfied stomachs and wrote raving reviews. You probably didn’t imagine having to master the economics of strategically managing portion sizes and controls to cut costs, determining effective pricing, and improving restaurant cash flow as part of your […]

Kenneth Mason

July 14, 2020

Costing Restaurant Menu Items
Restaurants

Any successful restaurant business relies on customers’ sensory reactions to the items on the restaurant menu.  The delicious descriptions, the colorful design, your personal restaurant branding—all are significant factors that influence your patrons’ appetites and choices. And then, of course, there’s the cost. The following suggestions to properly cost your menu is another part of […]

Kenneth Mason

July 12, 2020

What every cannabis owner needs to know about budgeting and forecasting
Budget
business plan
Cannabis
Cash Flow
Forecast

“Make your money work for you.” That’s what the money experts and wealthy investors always say. Now I’m not going to tell you how to invest your money, per say. I am going to tell you how to take action to CONTROL your money, like the boss you are. Seriously, tell your money where to […]

Kenneth Mason

July 11, 2020

Cannabis Startup Finance Checklist
Uncategorized

State regulators cannot issue marijuana licenses fast enough, so many individuals and companies are scratching to get one. When so many of these hopeful applicants or successful license holders are researching how to open a dispensary or start a grow, who is asking how to getting their finances in order? Here is your extensive checklist […]

Kenneth Mason

June 10, 2020

Renting Residential Real Estate -- A Tax Review for the Nonprofessional Landlord
Real Estate

Investing in residential rental properties raises various tax issues that can be somewhat confusing, especially if you are not a real estate professional. Some of the more important issues rental property investors will want to be aware of are discussed below. Rental Losses Currently, the owner of a residential rental property may depreciate the building […]

Kenneth Mason

March 24, 2020

Using standard portions to increase your restaurant cash flow
Restaurants

When you opened your restaurant business, you probably imagined serving savory food to happy guests who left with satisfied stomachs and wrote raving reviews. You probably didn’t imagine having to master the economics of strategically managing portion sizes and controls to cut costs, determining effective pricing, and improving restaurant cash flow as part of your […]

Kenneth Mason

December 26, 2019

5 QuickBooks Online Add-On Apps You May Need to Add
Productivity
Quickbooks

Not finding quite everything you need in QuickBooks Online? Here are some handy add-on apps available. QuickBooks Online may work for you just fine as is. After all, it was designed to meet the needs of the millions of small businesses that want to manage and track their income and expenses, create records and transactions, […]

Kenneth Mason

December 19, 2019

To Lease or Not to Lease... That Is The Question
Equipment
Lease

To lease . . . or not to lease. This is an issue business owners often face. If you are weighing the pros and cons of leasing versus buying, here are some things to keep in mind. Cost Evaluating costs is more complicated than comparing the price of leasing a piece of equipment versus its […]

Kenneth Mason

December 16, 2019

Is Your Business Ready For 2020?
business plan

Can you imagine going across country without GPS? Your business can’t either. Much like a map or a GPS provides clear-cut directions to your destination, a business plan can help map out your goals and spell out the steps your business must take to achieve them. It can also establish a set of benchmarks to […]

Kenneth Mason

November 21, 2019

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