In today's fast-paced world, everyone wants to be more productive. Fortunately, there is an ever-increasing number of tools, many of them available online and across multiple devices, that promise to help us achieve our goals. The challenge then becomes how to know not just which tools will live up to their promise but which tools are right for our business.

Cloud computing is quickly moving from an obscure concept to an everyday reality for small businesses all over the world.

A 2015 survey of small business owners found that 52% had already adopted some form of cloud-based data storage; however, a general lack of awareness regarding the logistics and advantages of cloud computing has made others a bit more resistant.

The truth is, there are several very practical benefits to moving your data into the cloud, including reducing operating costs and boosting efficiency. Here are three more ways cloud computing can help your small business run even better.

Ask any successful entrepreneur about their path to greatness and you’ll get the same answer: failure is an inevitable part of the journey.

It took Thomas Edison 1,000 failed attempts before he finally invented the light bulb.

Tim Ferris received 25 rejections before his bestselling book, “The 4 Hour Workweek” was finally published and sold millions of copies.

It’s a fact that 20% of businesses fail in their first year – and many fold before their fifth.

The truth is, building a successful company is typically a very long game. Not every idea is a winner; not every decision yields success. But you can learn from experience, gaining wisdom as you nurture resilience – key ingredients, along with hard work and a pinch of luck, that eventually lead to victory.

Here’s how to stay in the game long enough to win, and make the most of failure along the way.

If you’re a small business owner whose company hasn’t gone through hard times, that’s great but it’s likely to happen at some point. As much as we dream about being brilliant enough at business that we’ll never face slow times, there are many things beyond our control that can negatively affect our business.

Here are four tips for getting your business through difficult periods so you can look forward to many more years of business ownership.

It’s the line item most often left out of a small company’s budget: the business owner’s salary.

Let’s face it: you can always spend cash on your business. From office expenses to employee salaries to rent, every month a portion of your revenue is accounted for.

But paying yourself first is a must. You need to earn a living – and paying yourself can actually help your business succeed.

Here’s why you should make your salary a top priority, starting now.

How to get the most out of Xero right from the start

When you start using Xero, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. We’re big fans here at Acme Accountants and know how happy clients are when they can see their cash flow situation whenever they want, send online invoices, pay bills and run their businesses more effectively.

The reason we started MATAX, the reason we continue to find ways to expand our services remains the same, to serve.  Needs change, as does technology. We aim to be at the forefront of both, to inform, enable, empower.

An efficient and secure way to handle back up contracts, receipts, invoices, bills and a slew of other documents related to your accounting file is to utilize the Xero Files Library.

Provide valuable insights and practical tips on using Xero accounting software to streamline daily workflows, and enhance productivity, while highlighting time-saving date shortcuts and integrated tools.

Showcase the time-saving capabilities of the Xero + icon for quick transaction creation and transactions.

Today — it’s all about using shortcuts and downloading the xero mobile app.

Did you know that from every screen in Xero*, you can search for transactions and contacts?

Spend some time using the “Demo Company” functionality to perfect your processes and practices.

If you are still experiencing issues or feel something is broken, use your  ?  Icon and try Asking you Advisor.

If you tap the ? Icon and you do not already have a Xero Advisor,  you can search for one on the Advisor directory

We've made the mistakes so you don't have to.

We try and break things, push to find limitations and strive to make all of the mistakes any user may make.  It is in this practice that we maintain insight into the occasional Xero user, while deepening and expanding our own knowledge of the Xero ecosystem.

Welcome all Xero nerds, SMB’s, and bookkeeping newbies! 

You are amongst friends.