AT Think

[IMGCAP(1)] I’m in the process of rebranding my firm—transitioning from James J. Matousek, CPA, Ltd to New Vision CPA Group. Matousek is hard to say and even harder to spell, so it’s never been marketing friendly. It was time for a change. And even though Matousek is my maiden name and still represents our family firm, I had to separate my long-time, nostalgic connection to the name and realize that re-branding was a necessity. After all, a brand is so much more than just a name. A firm’s brand is created based on its broad culture…good or bad.

IMGCAP(1)] More specialized gels exist for lower back pain than any other musculo-skeletal disorder. Credit this both to its prevalence and severity to those who suffer from it. In an industry so misguided by beliefs in magic pills and wonder diets, it’s no wonder so many myths exist about the lower back. So let’s identify and discuss a few of these myths and then provide a few strategies that actually provide a healthy and functional lower back.

What’s it take to launch a new retail store in China? A team of five students found out during the inaugural case competition developed by Ascend, the organization for accounting and finance professionals of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and KPMG.

Jackson Hewitt president and CEO Harry W. Buckley tried to reassure investors that the tax prep company has been looking for banks to cover its entire refund anticipation loan business, which took a major hit last tax season when its main partner, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, was forced by banking regulators to get out of the RAL business.

IMGCAP(1)] Getting past blogger’s block

It doesn’t take a mind reader to realize that the IRS sometimes grants tax-exempt status to questionable-sounding groups, but when a paranormal research organization brags about the opportunities for getting extra money because the IRS has approved its application, it’s time to sit up and take notice.

IMGCAP(1)] A few weeks ago, I met with a firm that was evaluating several marketing tactics as a means to drive new opportunities. While the tactics they were considering would certainly drive new business in the door short-term, the problem was that once the tactics were stopped, so would the opportunities. There was no long-term plan to address the fundamental issue in the firm that resulted in an anemic new business pipeline.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board is already preparing for the post-Herz era and considering some new members to round out the soon-to-be seven-member board.

Does your energy wane in the late afternoon? Do you make a mad dash for coffee just to get an instant energy fix so you don’t nap at your desk? You’re not alone. According to a new Accountemps survey, the time period between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. is the least productive time of day for employees.

California, Nevada and Utah homeowners were apparently the biggest beneficiaries of the First-Time Homebuyer Credit, though the rankings differed depending on the three flavors of the tax credit enacted by Congress in the past few years. Let’s see how they stack up.