Are you a gadget geek? Do you always want to get your hands on the newest gadgets as soon as they come out?

Check out the Gizmodo site for the latest and greatest in tech toys, awesome apps and stellar software.

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With summer comes vacations and, for a lot of businesses, that means a slower couple of months. What can you do in your business to make the most of the slower pace of summer?

The Buyer Zone web site has a helpful list of ideas to keep you busy even when the phone isn’t ringing off the hook.

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As a business owner, you’ve no doubt sat down at your desk, prospect list in hand, taken a deep breath, picked up the phone and started dialing – only to be met by the dreaded voicemail message droning on the other end of the line.

SOHO ran an article in a recent newsletter about the best ways to make it past the virtual gatekeeper and get in touch with the right contact at your dream client’s company.

Want to learn more about how to get through to the right person without leaving message after message? Read the full article on the SOHO web site.

This article is an excerpt from the NALH e-Newsletter. Click here to read the current issue.

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The newest version of Intuit’s QuickBooks accounting software program, QuickBooks 2010, is now available and there are numerous reasons to upgrade your version. The most significant update to the program in several years, 2010 offers a host of new and improved features, including:

• Company Snapshot Screen
• Easier sorting of customers and vendor lists
• Improved multi-currency functionality & much more!

Want more information about upgrading? Contact our office or call us at 604-412-3885 to learn more.

This article is an excerpt from the NALH e-Newsletter. Click here to read the current issue.

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Ever seen mentions of the same company over and over again in the media and wonder how they do it? It’s not about luck – it’s about knowing how to do it right.

Liz Gaige at Market Navigators posted an article on her blog about how to connect with the right people and provide them with the right information to get your company’s name out there.

Visit the Market Navigators web site to read the full article.

This article is an excerpt from the NALH e-Newsletter. Click here to read the current issue.

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Are you a nervous networker? Well, do we have a great resource for you.

Shepa Learning Company principals Darcy Rezac, Judy Thomson and Gayle Hallgren-Rezac literally wrote the book on networking.If you get sweaty palms at the mere thought of attending a local Chamber breakfast or BNI meeting, subscribe to Shepa Learning Company’s free weekly networking tips and soon you’ll be a networking pro! Or, you can purchase their book, Work the Pond!, from Amazon.

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Jen DeTracey of Vancouver-based Lift Strategies wrote an interesting blog post about a moment of realization she had at a recent networking event. The speaker at the event quoted a Joni Mitchell song in saying “We’ve got to get ourselves back to the garden.” Jen got the message behind the quote – are you walking the talk? Are you doing for your own business what you advise your clients to do for theirs?

Visit the Lift Strategies web site to read the full article.

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The Entrepreneur.com web site posted an article entitled “The Science of Success” which discusses how the way we handle failure affects our brain. For example, when a mistake is made, if you get mired in negative thinking, the brain is actually hindered from learning by stress hormones. When you succeed at something you do, repeating the same behaviour again soon after actually helps build better neural pathways so that success becomes easier and easier to achieve.

It’s pretty powerful stuff to realize that we can be deliberate in cultivating success. Check out the full article and give it a try!

Read the full article at the Entrepreneur.com web site.

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HST is a topic we’ve covered a number of times over the past several months, due in large part to the anxiety that seems to be associated with its implementation. HST has a lot of business owners scratching their heads. What will it mean for a particular industry? What if you serve clients in other provinces? And the list goes on and on.

Do you need help understanding how HST applies to your specific business? Do you need tax codes adjusted in your accounting software to facilitate the charging of HST? Do you need your invoice templates customized to show the new HST charge?

In order to ensure that your QuickBooks data file is set up to properly charge and track HST, contact us for help making the necessary changes to your file.

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Did you know that NALH can design a custom QuickBooks invoice template for your company?

Ask us about our invoice design service and make sure that your invoices are consistent with your company’s corporate identity.

Contact us for more information on getting your own custom Quickbooks invoice template.

This article is an excerpt from the NALH e-Newsletter. Click here to read the current issue.

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SOHO included a helpful article in their newsletter that looks at a number of electronic gadgets that you can incorporate into your workplace to be a little friendlier to the environment. From soy-based toner to energy-efficient desktop computers, get ready to ooh and ahh over the Earth-friendly gadgetry!

Visit the SOHO web site to read more about these Earth-friendly gadgets.

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Woman’s World magazine ran an interesting article recently about how the type of to-do list you keep is related to your personality. See what yours says about you:

Digitized To-Do’s: You’re perseverance personified!
If you can’t live without your Blackberry or iPhone and keep it handy to track your task list, you’re likely logical and analytical. Keeping a digital to-do list is like making a “contract” with yourself to accomplish those tasks.

Color-Coded or Alphabetized Plans: You’re a visionary!
If your day planner uses colour-coding or alphabetization, this type of organization shows you’re a big picture thinker, constantly rearranging the puzzle pieces to get a better idea of what the future holds.

Doodle-Decorated Lists: You’re a focused artiste!
To-do lists decorated with doodles in the margin are a sign of a creative, artistic person. Contrary to popular belief, the focus required for doodling actually helps improve memory recall by 30%. Doodles on your agenda reveals an active mind, driven to succeed!

Scrap Paper or Post-Its: You’re an adaptable stress-junkie!
Lists kept on pieces of paper or post-it notes demonstrate that you’re able to respond to situations quickly and thrive on last-minute pressure. This style of task-keeping is typically done by an open-minded and adaptable spontaneous thinker.

Skip Lists Altogether? You’re an instinctive go-getter!
Most people have trouble recalling diverse tasks, so if you ditch the list in favour of remembering your tasks on your own, you’re an instinctive prioritizer and trust yourself to remember important items on your own.

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The Government of Canada has approved legislation – the Fairness for the Self-Employed Act – to provide Employment Insurance (EI) maternity, parental/adoption, sickness and compassionate care benefits to self-employed Canadians on a voluntary basis. This legislation will allow the self-employed to opt into the EI program in January 2010, while benefits will start being paid in January 2011.

Visit the Government of Canada web site for more information on EI benefits for the self-employed.

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We read an interesting article in the IPBC (Institute of Professional Bookkeepers of Canada) newsletter recently which discusses Minister of National Revenue, Keith Ashfield’s, concern for Canadians protecting their tax information to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.

“Unfortunately, difficult economic times can lead to an increase in the number of fraudulent activities that affect law-abiding Canadians,” said Minister Ashfield. “Our Government, through the Economic Action Plan, has established initiatives to help Canadians educate themselves in identifying fraud and safeguarding their personal information in order to protect themselves and their families. Initiatives like Canada’s Task Force on Financial Literacy will help create a cohesive national strategy to support the improvement of financial education.”

Read more articles on keeping your tax and personal information safe on the Canada Revenue Agency web site.

This article is an excerpt from the NALH e-Newsletter. Click here to read the current issue.

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Market research is a necessary “evil” for any entrepreneur looking to start a new venture. After all, if there’s no market for a product or service, there’s no money to be made. Liz Gaige of Market Navigators gives an introduction to what market research is and how to get started.

Visit the Market Navigators web site to read the full article.

This article is an excerpt from the NALH e-Newsletter. Click here to read the current issue.

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