Networking at Conference or Events

As we approach the Summer months where there are often events, conferences and more consider taking this approach at your next event. This comes from Ellen Reddick with Impact Factory Utah, a firm that provides strategic consulting, executive coaching and speaking services.

"The prospect of walking into a business networking event or conference can be both exciting and daunting. By utilizing a few key social skills for business, these events can become more manageable and allow for real growth for you personally and your client list. 

The first step takes place before you even arrive at the convention center or conference hall. The promises of legendary speakers and hoards of contacts often leave attendees overwhelmed. Go in with realistic expectations: you won’t be able to meet all the attendees, and nor should you. Rather, you should focus on meeting a handful of people from similar businesses and try to build meaningful relationships with these individuals. Your goal should not be to collect a stack of business cards but to make real contacts that will further your career.

Mobile Phone Etiquette

As small business owners, the mobile phone is one of our most important tools. So important, that we may forget that “anywhere and everywhere” is not our office.

As your business grows, it’s not just your own behavior with a cell phone you have to think about. You also have to make sure your employees exhibit professionalism, stay safe and present a positive public image of your business while using mobile devices.

1. Move 10 feet away if you must take a call. If you must take a call when you are face-to-face with someone, first excuse yourself politely with a brief explanation as to why the call is especially urgent and can’t wait. Then, move to a location where you can respect the personal space of others. Some recommend that you move at least 10 feet away from others.

Ideally, though, you should avoid interrupting a face-to-face conversation to take a cell phone call. Interrupting the party you are with sends a message that he or she is less important than the caller.

UCDU to Partner with Scionetix

Dated May 28, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT, The Used Car Dealers of Utah announced today that they are partnering to provide their members a reliable defense for on-site computer systems and networks against intrusion attacks. The partnership agreement is with SCIONETIX, LLP, a Utah-based Network Security Company.  SCIONETIX, LLP will secure for participating members their on-site computer systems and networks.  They will also provide a reliable defense against data intrusion attacks and sensitive information, as well as viruses and malware.

“Companies with small business networks are under attack today like never before.  Hackers are using sophisticated and automated devices to indiscriminately probe thousands of IP addresses each day across the web”, says SCIONETIX Owner and Manager, Tom Anderegg.  “Today’s cyber criminals are looking for one thing, vulnerabilities.  If they find them, they exploit any weakness to see how far into a system they can get.  This causes havoc that is often fatal to the business.”

Network Security 101

By Tom Anderegg CMO and Brad Lindsay, NSA,  SCIONETIX, LLP

When Teresia (not her real name) arrived for work recently, her business’s network security was the furthest thing from her mind.  Sitting at her desk, she had a basic knowledge of common-sense practices which she felt confident would be sufficient to keep her business safe.  She wasn’t the type to download dubious content from the web or employ weak passwords.  She regarded her computer as a no-nonsense work tool that was essential for her to accomplish her duties as the CFO for her small, Midwest specialty manufacturing company.  What she didn’t know was that along the way, a little piece of malware had slipped into her PC.  This hidden piece of program would soon threaten her company’s survival.

Teresia’s malware did one simple thing: It caused her browser to redirect all her bank communication to a set of phony websites that looked just like their legitimate counterparts.  When she logged into the look-alike website, yielding her username and password, a message appeared prompting her to call customer service about a problem with the company’s account.  Trustingly, she dialed the number on the screen and after a few simple questions from the phony agent on the line, her company’s bank account was drained.  More than $300,000, gone in minutes.
Disaster?  You bet!  And like the mark of a well-played con, she was left holding the bag.
As a business owner, you may think, “This probably won’t happen to me.  I’m too small.”  However, the New York Times recently reported that, “Gartner Research estimates that more than 10% of small businesses have had funds stolen from their bank accounts—losses totaling more than Two Billion Dollars.”

Now, here’s the point:  Small business owners can no longer rely on security through obscurity.  Information and network security is a need of every business owner today and survival as a business depends upon it.  The National Cyber Security Alliance reports that 60% of small businesses, having fallen victim to cyber-crime go out of business within 6 months.  Recovery is just too expensive and the detriment to reputation and brand are irreparable.   For instance, the most current Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report, for the first time ventured to quantify the cost of a security breech:  “$52,000 to $87,000 per 1000 pieces of information.”  The thing we all need to recognize is that the cost of securing a business network is penny’s-on-the-dollar compared to recovering after an attack.
The good news is there are things you can do to protect your business network that are both affordable and sensible.

2015 Dealer License Renewal

By now you should have received your 2015 Dealer License Renewal information or you should be receiving it in the next few days. Last year was the last year you received a mail reminder to renew your MVED business license. Everyone should renew via the website mvp.tax.utah.gov website as you did last year. The owner of the organization should have set up an account for the new system last year. If you do not have the log-in information please contact MVED at 801.297.2600. 

MVED no longer needs a copy of the renewal confirmation page. They will be able to see the renewal 24 hours after you renew online. If you have plates please be sure to send MVED proof of current insurance as your renewal will just sit in a hold status until after they have received your proof of insurance for the business plates.

You will not be able to go in and wait for the renewal to be processed. All renewals will be processed within a few days of receipt and MAILED back to you.

Also please note that all MVED licenses must be renewed by June 30th. If you fail to renew your license online by the designated time (June 30th), you will be required to come into the MVED office and complete physical paperwork. Also note that the 3 Hour Dealer Training is required with your license renewal. This can take up to 24 hours to show in the MVED system so don't delay your education to the end as well. You can complete your dealer renewal education online with IDS at www.idsinfo.com or with one of their many in-person classes or Home Study Course.

New Standard Mileage Rates Now Available; Business Rate to Rise in 2015

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2015 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2015, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be:

• 57.5 cents per mile for business miles driven, up from 56 cents in 2014
• 23 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, down half a cent from 2014  
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile, including depreciation, insurance, repairs, tires, maintenance, gas and oil. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs, such as gas and oil. The charitable rate is set by law.

Taxpayers always have the option of claiming deductions based on the actual costs of using a vehicle rather than the standard mileage rates.

A taxpayer may not use the business standard mileage rate for a vehicle after claiming accelerated depreciation, including the Section 179 expense deduction, on that vehicle. Likewise, the standard rate is not available to fleet owners (more than four vehicles used simultaneously). Details on these and other special rules are in Revenue Procedure 2010-51, the instructions to Form 1040 and various online IRS publications including Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax.

Besides the standard mileage rates, Notice 2014-79, posted today on IRS.gov, also includes the basis reduction amounts for those choosing the business standard mileage rate, as well as the maximum standard automobile cost that may be used in computing an allowance under a fixed and variable rate plan.

2014 Dealer License Renewal Update

By now you should have received your 2014 Dealer License Renewal information. This is the last year you will receive a mail reminder to renew your MVED business license. Everyone should renew via the new website mvp.tax.utah.gov You will then receive email renewal reminders each year. The MVP access must be started by the OWNER(S) of your company. An employee should not be using the owner’s personal information to set up a log in. The owners are responsible for who can access the MVP account.

MVED no longer needs a copy of the renewal confirmation page. They will be able to see the renewal 24 hours after you renew online. If you have plates please be sure to send MVED proof of current insurance as your renewal will just sit in a hold status until after they have received your proof of insurance for the business plates.

You will not be able to go in and wait for the renewal to be processed. All renewals will be processed within a few days of receipt and MAILED back to you.

Read more on the MVED May 2014 Newsletter (Download Now - PDF)

Also please note that all MVED licenses must be renewed by June 30th. If you fail to renew your license online by the designated time (June 30th), you will be required to come into the MVED office and complete physical paperwork. Also note that the 3 Hour Dealer Training is required with your license renewal. This can take up to 24 hours to show in the MVED system so don't delay your education to the end as well.