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Buffista Business Talk: I wanted simple, I wanted in-and-out, I wanted easy money.

A virtual watercooler where Buffistas in business can talk, share, exchange, bemoan, exult and assorted other power verbs associated with all areas of running/starting up a business. For existing or potential Buffista business owners of all types. Spamming is NOT ON. A list of our Buffista owned businesses is on our links page.


EpicTangent - Apr 01, 2013 12:28:36 pm PDT #1104 of 1416
Why isn't everyone pelting me with JOY, dammit? - Zenkitty

Strix's friend 'shopped my graduation photos (50% fewer chins!) for about a buck a minute (30 minutes labor, 2 photos, the easy one 10 min, the trickier one 20). But I think that must have been the friend-of-a-friend rate. Everyone else I checked with was WAY pricier, seems like nobody would even boot up their computer for less than 150-200ish.

eta: But that was very professional work. Maybe someone around here might have better help for quick 'n' dirty. Ginger was kind enough to take a pass at my photos first, but my linebacker neck defeated her, so I had to go pro.


Java cat - Apr 04, 2013 9:39:17 pm PDT #1105 of 1416
Not javachik

Good to know, thanks.


NoiseDesign - Apr 17, 2013 2:33:44 pm PDT #1106 of 1416
Our wings are not tired

Today is just a day for things being a pain.

I get it, my business is not run of the mill, but still, it shouldn't be this hard to maintain my general liability insurance. It seems that every couple of years whoever is my current underwriter decides that they really don't understand what my company does and they decide to not renew the policy. Now keep in mind, that I always pay on time and have never had a single claim. I'm in the midst of that right now, my current coverage won't be renewed next month and my agent is working on new underwriting and I'm in the middle of answering a seemingly endless list of questions about the business. I know it has to be done, and I am all for having full insurance coverage, but I'm just so tired of this end of the business. I have two art degrees and not an MBA for a reason!

Okay, done now.


Laura - Apr 17, 2013 3:56:09 pm PDT #1107 of 1416
Our wings are not tired.

I hear you, ND. I've never had a claim in 25 years yet I have to carry a million dollar policy as a condition of my lease. Either my agent loses his permission to sell the company and has to switch me to something else, or they drop Florida, or one of another reason that I have to change all the time.

Also, all insurance companies are Evil and I resent having to use them for anything.


NoiseDesign - Apr 17, 2013 3:58:33 pm PDT #1108 of 1416
Our wings are not tired

My coverage is currently at 3 Million with an additional million in an umbrella policy. It's crazy the amount of insurance I have to carry to be able to work on a few of the job sites where I have contracts.


Jessica - Jul 07, 2013 3:22:11 pm PDT #1109 of 1416
If I want to become a cloud of bats, does each bat need a separate vaccination?

I'm the treasurer of my coop board and have just discovered that our financial software (Quicken for Mac 2007) will not run on Mac OS 10.8. Oops...

So, assuming I can find another computer to convert this data file to a usable format, should I just go ahead and buy Quickbooks, or is there another small business money management program that's better?


Laura - Jul 07, 2013 3:32:04 pm PDT #1110 of 1416
Our wings are not tired.

I don't love Quickbooks, but I haven't found anything I like better.


Stephanie - Jul 07, 2013 4:58:38 pm PDT #1111 of 1416
Trust my rage

I'm with Laura. I have QB for Mac 2011 and I can live with it. There is the online version also. I don't think any of them really talk well with each other so I know upgrading can be a challenge.


NoiseDesign - Jul 20, 2013 7:37:46 pm PDT #1112 of 1416
Our wings are not tired

Is anyone here using a cloud based phone system like VirtualPBX or Ringcentral? I've been routing calls to different phones using Google Voice for my business, but my needs have really outgrown what I can force Google Voice to do. It looks like the top three companies I'm looking at are VirtualPBX, Ringcentral, and eVoice. Has anyone use any of them, or something else?


Laura - Jul 20, 2013 11:42:19 pm PDT #1113 of 1416
Our wings are not tired.

We use 8x8. I don't use all the features available at all. Mostly I switched to them to have my office phone travel with me. One of the tech companies I work with recommended them and the price was right. I'll get you more info tomorrow.