New Website!

I've got a new website & plan on posting to a blog on it. Please check it out at www.LongforSuccess.com

There you will find links to FREE webinars, podcasts and more resources!!!

New QuickBooks Networking Group

Joe Woodard has launched a professional network for QuickBooks ProAdvisors and Intuit Solution Providers called "The National Advisor Network."

The network has three membership levels starting as low as $10/month.

Some key benefits of this network include:

• An Online Resource Center
• A File Transfer System
• Monthly Members' Only Webinars hosted by Joe Woodard.
• Discounts on the annual Scaling New Heights conference for Intuit Advisors.
• Discounts and commissions on selected software solutions that integrate with QuickBooks.
• Ability to earn a "Master QuickBooks Consultant" designation with certification logo.
• And much more...

You can check out all the details here: http://www.nationaladvisornetwork.com/

Need a Logo? Have a Contest!

Since I had a new business name, I decided that I need a new logo too. I heard about Intuit Creative Solutions partnering with 99Designs where you can hold a logo design contest. It sounded interesting, so I decided to check into it.

You can set the prize amount that you want to pay the winning designer. There are some fees involved so the base cost is about $200 ($150 to the winning designer). My contest cost just over $250 with $195 going to the winning designer.

You create a brief with details and information about your business, target market and what you're looking for in the logo. You need to indicate how the logo will be used and exactly what you want delivered. You need files for Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator (EPS or API) so the logo can be re-sized and maintain the quality. I also asked for the logo in black & white and with a transparent background.

Most contests are for 7 days (but you can extend it) and you can get 100% refund if you don't like any of the designs submitted. However, if you guarantee the contest then more designers are likely to enter and submit their designs for your consideration. After a few days, I guaranteed the contest because I felt confident that I would be able to select a logo for my business.

Here's some of the things I learned during this process:

1. You really need an idea of what you want so you can let the designers know what you're looking for in a logo.

2. You need to provide feedback on what you like and don't like to guide the process. I sent comments to the designers and would ask them to make changes as needed.

3. You need to know what makes a good logo--which I researched during the process. A good logo is:

• Simple and uncluttered
• Memorable
• Works in a variety of formats (ie black & white, small for Twitter, Linkedin or Facebook or large for Webheaders)
• Represents your brand or image
• Colors and fonts matter and convey different messages
• Avoid clip art and stock images

4. The designers are great at following YOUR directions

5. I would have loved to have paid a professional graphics person to help advise me during the process.

When I first started my contest, I looked at some of the designers and their work and I invited a few to enter my contest since I liked their work. As the contest for my logo progressed, I was keeping up and providing feedback on what I liked and didn't like and things seemed to be going ok for awhile. Since I'm not very creative myself, I was impressed with a lot of the designs and I soon found myself overwhelmed with choices and options to consider.

I decided to solicit the opinion of others on what they thought about the logos submitted. It was interesting to hear the feedback from others. I asked people I knew and respected for their opinion. Plus, I asked group members of various Linkedin groups and the AIPB listserv group. In addition to hearing from accounting professionals, I heard comments from architects, engineers, attorneys and many other small business owerns. THANKS to everyone who took the time to provide feedback to me!

Evidently some of the logos looked like a Crest ad, the AT&T logo, a cruise line or airline, or a variety of other things. I found that women liked some logos while men liked other ones. One logo was a horizon which appealed to some, while others saw it as a day care or learning center. Some didn't like the logos that were long and horizontal. Some people thought some of the logos looked like I was running for a political office! Some people liked a minimalist approach while others were more artsy. There were a couple of designs that appealed to a lot of the people expressing their opinion--both men & women. It was great to have a 'focus' group and hear their opinions, but I realized I needed to chose which logo was right for my business.

Some of the best feedback I received was to consider how the logo would work in various formats--such as FaceBook, Twitter or Linkedin. What about in black & white when the logo is copied or faxed? How will it look as a web header? This was a good test and helped eliminate some of the designs.

Ultimately, I had about 30 designers submit over 400 variations of logos for my consideration. I realized that there were several that would be a good logo. But ultimately, the logo needed to represent my business and personal preference as well.

I finally decided on a logo which can represent helping clients achieve greater heights, increasing growth, a path to success, etc. Interestingly, some people see it as increasing swishes, others see a wave gaining momentum while others see a sail. For me, it seemed perfect since I love the lake and watching the sailing regattas on the weekend. Plus, I could think of many analagies to sailing and growing a business -- charting a course, navigating the winds of change, etc. that I could incorporate into articles, speeches or whatever. This one was my personal favorite which made it the right one to represent my business.

Using Intuit Creative Solutions partnered with 99Designs to get a logo, business card, or help with a website is great for small businesses on a limited budget. However, I would still recommend consulting with a graphic artist to get their professional opinion, guidance and assistance. If your budget doesn't allow this, then you should do your homework and research -- I researched colors, fonts and characteristics of good logo. However, instead of spending my time doing that, I would have preferred to pay for a consultation with a graphic artist.

Town Hall--What's the Small Business Development Center & What Can it do for me?

Mark your calendars for a Town Hall discussion ‘What’s a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and What Can it Do for Me’? We’ll meet in the Long for Success room in the Small Business Town Hall on Tuesday, August 18, at 1:00 pm PT (4:00 pm ET).

Michelle L. Long, CPA will be the moderator. Michelle is the founder of Long for Success, LLC and an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, one of the national trainers for Intuit and author of the book Successful QuickBooks Consulting.

Special guests from Johnson County Community College Small Business Development Center in Overland Park, Kansas, include:
· Malinda Bryan-Smith – Regional Director
· John Andessi – Consultant

Discussion topics include:
· What is the Small Business Development Center?
· How can it help me grow my business and be more productive?
· How to find an SBDC near you
· Links and resources
· Most importantly—your questions!!!

You can type your question into the chat window or use a webcam and/or mic (about $20) to join in the conversation!

Here are a couple of links to join, but I’ll post again next week as a reminder.
http://community.intuit.com/small_business_town_hall Click Under Small Business Experts -- Long for Success and type in your screen name to join the room.

http://apps.facebook.com/smallbiztownhall/Home.aspx?auth_token=4b41dfb9c5fa6cceea9469e5e023dfdc

There is no need to register in advance or sign up, just type in your screen name to enter the room. When you enter the room, it may ask if you want to allow access to your web cam and/or mic. You can Allow or Deny. If you Allow access, then you can click on 'Request to Speak' and you'll be put in the speaker's que. When you're finished you click on 'Stop Speaking' at the bottom of that window and the it will go to the next person in the que.

If you don't want to speak up or use a web cam, you can type your questions or comments in a chat window on the right side.

Feel free to go into the room in advance to check it out and see how it works. You can even try out your webcam to see yourself & how it works!

I'm looking forward to it and think it is a great way to have discussions and Q&A with others!!!

Sending Large Files

Many times, the QuickBooks data file is too big to email to someone. Or perhaps, you have a large powerpoint file to send to someone. There are several services to transfer large files. A few FREE ones include:

www.sendthisfile.com
www.yousendit.com
www.pando.com

Check them out next time you need to send a large file!

If you're sending a QuickBooks data file, make sure the file has a password. Send the password in a separate email--not with the data file!

You can use this option to help clients when you cannot use remote access--have the client send you a back up or portable file. Then, you can open the file and talk with the client about it.

QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program and Certification Town Hall meeting

Mark your calendars for a Town Hall discussion ‘Everything you wanted to know about the ProAdvisor Program and Certification’. We’ll meet in the Long for Success room in the Small Business Town Hall on Tuesday, July 21, at 9:00 am PT (12:00 pm ET).

Michelle Long, CPA will be the moderator. Michelle is an Advanced Certified ProAdvisor, one of the national trainers for Intuit and author of the book Successful QuickBooks Consulting.

Special guests from Intuit include:
· Kate Viotto – Senior Marketing Manager, QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program
· Andi Anchetta – Program Manager, QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program

Discussion topics include:
· What is the ProAdvisor Program?
· How can it help me grow my business and be more productive?
· Details about the different ProAdvisor Certifications
· Tips & Tricks to help you study and pass the certifications
· Best practices for study and exam preparation methods
· Most importantly—your questions!!!

You can type your question into the chat window or use a webcam and/or mic (about $20) to join in the conversation! If you’re already certified, you can share your experience with others too!

Here are a couple of links to join, but I’ll post again next week as a reminder.

http://community.intuit.com/small_business_town_hall

Click Under Small Business Experts -- Long for Success and type in your screen name to join room.

http://apps.facebook.com/smallbiztownhall/Home.aspx?auth_token=4b41dfb9c5fa6cceea9469e5e023dfdc

There is no need to register in advance or sign up, just type in your screen name to enter the room. You may want to do it in advance to see how it works. You should have Adobe Flash Player installed. When you enter the room, it will ask if you want to allow access to your web cam/mic. You can Allow or Deny. If you Allow access, then you can click on 'Request to Speak' at the bottom of the middle section and you'll be put in the speaker's que. When you're finished talking you click on 'Stop Speaking' at the bottom of that window.

If you don't want to speak up or use a web cam, you can type your questions or comments in a chat window on the right side.

Feel free to go into the room in advance to check it out and see how it works. You can even try out your webcam to see yourself & how it works!

Using Social Media to Grow Your Business -- Town Hall

Please join me as we launch Long for Success meeting in the Small Business Town Hall on Thursday, June 25 at 9:00 am PT (12:00 pm ET). The topic will be ‘Using Social Media to Grow Your Business’ and my guests will be

· Scott Wilder – Small Business Group at Intuit
· Chris Kim – Senior Marketing Manager with Intuit
· Dante Layton – Owner of Dante Layton, Inc.
· Ruth Perryman – Owner of The QB Specialists

We’ll introduce Social Media (Twitter, FaceBook, Linkedin), discuss how to utilize social media for effective marketing, how to use an RSS reader, search for key terms and hear success stories from Dante and Ruth before opening it up for about 30 minutes of Q&A and discussion.

Using a webcam (about $20) you can join in to speak or you can type a question or comment in the chat window if you prefer.

Here are a couple of links to join, but I’ll post again next week as a reminder.

http://community.intuit.com/small_business_town_hall Click Under Small Business Experts -- Long for Success

http://apps.facebook.com/smallbiztownhall/Home.aspx?auth_token=4b41dfb9c5fa6cceea9469e5e023dfdc

We’ll be having many town halls in the future, so let me know what topics you want to discuss and possible guests to join me!

There is no need to sign up, just type in your screen name to enter the room. When you enter the room, it may ask if you want to allow access to your web cam and/or mic. You can Allow or Deny. If you Allow access, then you can click on 'Request to Speak' and you'll be put in the speaker's que. When you're finished you click on 'Stop Speaking' at the bottom of that window and the it will go to the next person in the que.

If you don't want to speak up or use a web cam, you can type your questions or comments in a chat window on the right side.

Feel free to go into the room whenever & check it out. You can even try out your webcam to see yourself & how it works!

I'm looking forward to it and think it is a great way to have discussions and Q&A with others!!!

Thanks so much!

Michelle

Creating an Effective Profile

It is surprising how many people do not complete their profile for the Intuit Community Forums. The forums are a great resource for both users posting questions and contributors providing answers. Completing your profile can enhance the benefit you receive from the community forums. Let’s consider it for both the user and the contributor.
When someone reads a question posted by a user, it may be helpful if they could go to your profile to get some additional information and insight about your business. This can help them offer a better answer or suggestion for you. Also, users often request to be contacted, but fail to complete the contact information in their profile. (You should not include contact information in the post itself.) For example, profile information you should complete includes:
· Line of business
· Description of your business
· Years in business
· Top selling product or service
· Website
· Best way to contact you
· Fun facts about yourself (optional)
In addition to the above information, if you are a contributor on the community forums and an accounting professional, then you should also complete information on your accounting practice, including:
· Professional designations
· Services provided
· Products supported
· Industries served
By contributing answers you are demonstrating your knowledge to others and often they may want to contact you for additional help or consulting. Contributing on the forums is a great way to enhance your reputation and get some new clients. You want to make it easy for people to find out more about your practice and to contact you. It is against the community rules to post links to your website in your posts, but you can post a link to your profile instead (which can include a link to your website).
So invest a few minutes of your time, complete (or update) your profile and enhance the benefit you receive from the community forums!

Saving & Restoring QuickBooks Data Files

I don't understand the techie reasons, but you are always supposed to save files to/from the hard disk before going to an external drive (CD, USB, external hard drive). Initially I thought you just needed to do this when going between the PC and Mac. However, I've since learned that you should always do this to avoid problems.

So, if you're getting an error message when trying to save or restore a file and you cannot seem to resolve the issue, try going to/from the hard drive first! If you cannot get a file to restore, you may need to have the file saved again--to the hard drive first.

Another quick note, when you're trying to restore the data file, make sure to determine what file type you are restoring (QBW, QBB or QBM). It does make a difference which button you'll choose when you restore.

Also, to send large data files to others you can use a file transfer service (many offer a free service) such as www.SendThisFile.com or www.YouSendit.com or others. Make sure the file requires a password and do NOT send the password in the message with the file--send it separately! :)

Join me at "Scaling New Heights" in May

I wanted to let everyone know that I will be presenting at least one session at the upcoming conference called "Scaling New Heights" - Advanced Training for QuickBooks ProAdvisors & Intuit Solution Providers. I’ll facilitate a discussion on topics related to my book "Successful QuickBooks Consulting” – including new content that I'm currently developing for my next book - "Beyond Successful QuickBooks Consulting." We’ll discuss how ProAdvisors across the country are growing their consulting/accounting practices (even in an uncertain economy), how to leverage social media like LinkedIn and Twitter, how to effectively manage your practice, and much more. I’d love to have you join us!

I strongly recommend this event for anyone who consults on Intuit software. I’m sure even the most experienced advisors will learn much from the advanced curriculum Joe Woodard has designed for this conference - including me!

You can get more information and register online at http://www.ScalingNewHeights.com. What a great conference to increase your skills, obtain CPE, network with others and launch your business to new heights!

When you register, tell them you heard about the event from Michelle Long to get a free copy of "Joe Woodard's Top 100 QuickBooks Tips, Tricks and Workarounds" with your registration!

Thanks for reading my blog and I hope to see you there!

Michelle

You need to use Remote Access!

I think remote access is GREAT! I installed Logmein (the free version) on the computer in my office. When I was on a ski trip and needed something, I could log into my computer to access it. As long as the computer is turned on, I could access anything on it as if I were sitting right in front of it! So, if you want to access QuickBooks from home (or Outlook or anything), just leave the computer turned on and you can get to it.

In my business, I use remote access to work with clients nationwide. I help them with trouble shooting QuickBooks, setting it up or training clients on the proper way to enter transactions. I usually use WebEx (from within QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition) and have meetings with the client. I'll send them an email invite, they click on a link to download the application and grant me access to their QuickBooks. Since I'm using their QuickBooks, I don't need to worry about whether I have the same year of QuickBooks or not. When our remote session is over, I no longer have access to their system. It works great!

Once, I had a client who really wanted a training session (she was going to have a baby REAL soon and need to get some things done), but I was on vacation. I needed a break from the beach and sun, so I went in to the condo, logged into her computer remotely and was able to have a consultation with her. She was thrilled and I was glad that I could help her! Remote access makes it possible to serve clients from anywhere you have an internet connection!

If a client is using QuickBooks for Mac, then I have them install Logmein Free and use my name as the password so that I can log in via their account. Then, when we're finished with our session, I have them change the password back so I no longer have access--this protects me and reassures the client.

In addition to Logmein, you could use PCAnywhere, GotomyPC or a number of other remote access services. But, I encourage you to try remote access--it can make you much more productive and efficient. If you have access to 2 computers, have a 'remote' session with yourself so you can see how it works and feel more comfortable using it. Once you get used to it--you'll wonder how you lived without it!

Accountant's Copy improved in QuickBooks 2009

There have been a lot of improvements in the Accountant's Copy over the past few years. New for 2009, if there are a few 'bad' transactions, the other 'good' transactions will still be imported. In prior versions, if there were bad transactions the entire import would fail. Now, we can feel more comfortable using the Accountant's Copy to work with our clients.

The Accountant's Copy allows the clients to continue working in the data file for the current year (after the dividing date) while we (the accountant) can work on the data file for the prior year (before the dividing date). Then, we can export our changes to a file for the client to import our changes. With a backup or portable file, the client cannot work in the data file while we have it our they will lose their work.

So, if you haven't used the Accountant's Copy in the past, this is a great year to start using it! Don't forget that you need QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition to work with an accountant's copy.

Kauffman Foundation Launches National Entrepreneurship Training to Kick Start Job Creation in the Face of Growing Layoffs

I'm thrilled to be a Coach for the FastTrac NewVenture Program at the Kauffman Foundation. They just announced a $1 million initiative to offer FastTrac LaunchPad entrepreneurial training programs in communities nationwide that have been hit hard by layoffs and the recession. Here is the link to the full article with details: http://tinyurl.com/bjxx95

Entrepreneurial spirit is still thriving!

Last night was the first night of a new 10 week session of FastTrac New Venture at the Kauffman Foundation. There are over 60 entrepreneurs partipating in the course to research and develop their business plans! I'm so excited and proud to be one of the Coaches helping them with this process.

With all the doom and gloom of the economic situation, it was great to hear their enthusiasm and excitement about starting their businesses! They talked about opportunities--cheap rent for great locations, used equipment and qualified employees available and more. They were also cautious about the economy, but they weren't letting it deter them from their entrepreneurial dreams.

Small business and entrepreneurs have always had an impact on our economy and creating new jobs. Realizing that the economy isn't detering people from starting their own business was reassuring and comforting!

Grant opportunities for accounting professionals and small businesses

Recognizing that times are tough, I wanted to make people aware of a grant opportunity for accounting professionals. Intuit is offering ten $10,000 Stimulus Grants to accounting pros who want to either start a business or grow an existing one. The grants are part of Intuit’s Power to Get More Done campaign, an initiative created to help accounting professionals succeed in this economic environment. You can find out more about the application process and apply (by April 30) for a grant at http://proadvisor.intuit.com/product/getmoredone/stimulusgrant.jsp.

For small businesses, Intuit is also offering over $300,000 in small business grants and free software. See http://smallbusinessunited.com/ for more info on that program.

FastTrac New Venture for Entrepreneurs

I really LOVE being part of the FastTrac New Venture program! I help Coach entrepreneurs who are working on their business plans as part of the team at the Kauffman Foundation (internationally known Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership http://www.kauffman.org/).

The FastTrac NewVenture program at the Kauffman Foundation is a 10 week, hands on course for entrepreneurs. Each week, we have a guest speaker (entrepreneur) for the first hour, large group discussion/exercises for an hour and an hour of small group sessions (plus a half hour networking while we enjoy dinner). There are FastTrac programs offered nationwide (and internationally) by various providers and in various formats. There are several FastTrac programs available including:

• FastTrac New Venture
• FastTrac Growth Venture
• FastTrac Tech Venture
• First Step FastTrac
• Other seminars and courses too

Here is some info from the FastTrac website (http://www.fasttrac.org/):

FastTrac® for Entrepreneurs
Be the entrepreneur you want to be whether you're starting or growing a business. FastTrac programs will help you live your dream at each stage of business growth. And through your FastTrac experience you'll

• Develop key business insights and skills
• Determine your business strategy
• Be coached by entrepreneurs and experts
• Tap into entrepreneurial resources
• Network with other entrepreneurs

Nearly 300,000 entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs have already experienced and found success through the proven, practical benefits of FastTrac's award-winning entrepreneur learning programs. Are you ready?

CutePDF is GREAT!

I just love the FREE CutePDF printer! Whenever I want to print something, I can select the CutePDF printer and save it as a PDF document instead of actually printing it!

For example, I just bought Adobe Acrobat online and I want to keep a copy of the receipt and order number. Before, I would print it out and it would go in the pile of papers in my office. Now, I can print it to CutePDF and I know I can print it out if I need it. Otherwise it is in a folder for 'Receipts' on my computer. Plus, I can find it easier now!

Intuit's giving away Grants & Free Software for Acctg Professionals and Small Businesses

Not sure if you saw this or not, but Intuit just launched a "Power to Get More Done" campaign to help accounting professionals by offering significant discounts on products, free training, and even $10,000 grants to accounting professionals looking to start new firms or growtheir existing practices.

You can apply for the Stimulus Grant (note that the actual application link will go live in the very near future - it isn't live yet), and also find excellent savings that you can pass on to clients - by going to:http://accountant.intuit.com/GetMoreDone

For small businesses, Intuit is also helping to stimulate the economy by offering over $300,000 in small business grants and free software. See http://SmallBusinessUnited.com for more info on that program.

FREE Online Courses plus FREE CPE

There are a lot of great courses available online (http://accountant.intuit.com/training covering a variety of topics:

• What's New for QuickBooks 2009
• QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition 2009
• Lacerte Tax Update
• Payroll for Today's Accountant (by me)
• Preparing for QuickBooks Certification (by me)
• and more

Plus, coming in the next week or so:

• Common QuickBooks Mistakes and How to Fix Them (by me)
• Effective Marketing for Accounting Professionals (by me)

These online courses are free and inlcude CPE credits if you need it! Check them out!

Customizing the Icon bar in QuickBooks 2009

Although we could customize the icon bar in previous versions of QuickBooks, we can now customize it even more! In QuickBooks 2009, you can delete centers that you aren't using and edit the names from 'Customer Center' to 'Customers.' This allows more room for additional icons that you choose to add. Simply Right Click on the icon bar to customize it.

You can also create an icon for things by clicking on View>Add xx to Icon bar. For example, there isn't an icon available for 'Make General Journal Entry' to add to the icon bar. So, if you bring up the JE screen, and click on View>Add Make General JE to icon bar, you can add it yourself! This works for memorized reports too!

So, customize the icon bar, eliminate unused icons, edit the names, add new ones, and rearrange the icons to meet your needs! You should also Edit>Preferences to turn off features not used and eliminate unneeded icons from the home page (this helps reduce errors).

New for QuickBooks 2009 -- Duplicate Transactions

There were several new features for QuickBooks 2009, but one that many people overlooked is the ability to duplicate transactions. This will be especially great when you have the same invoice for many (or all) customers such as a home owner's association or need to issue checks for the same amount to numerous vendors or whatever.

After you create the first transaction, you simply right click on it (or Edit on the menu bar) and select Duplicate. Then, you can change the name or whatever else before you create the next one!

Don't forget you can also memorize transactions (Control+M or Edit>Memorize) to recur automatically too!

I hope that helps save some time for you or your clients! ;-)

Using Jing Videos for Training or Answering Questions

Often it is easier to show someone how to do something rather than to write about it or try to explain it. That is why I just LOVE creating quick videos with Jing (http://www.jing.com ). It is very easy to learn how to use and you can be creating videos in no time!


I've been using the Free version which limits you to 5 minute videos. They will host the videos or you can save them and post them to your own website, YouTube or email them to clients or others. Once you've created your video, make sure to name it so you can re-use it again later.


There is a Pro version of Jing for about $15 per year. You can also do a screen shot instead of a video. Here is a sample of a Jing video I created about 2 sided items in QuickBooks: http://screencast.com/t/zvU0HzyhvSf

This can be an effective marketing method to demonstrate your skills, knowledge and training abilities. You may get clients from people who watch your videos. So, get started with Jing and you'll see that 'a picture is worth a thousand words' and your clients and others will love it!

Intuit Academy Virtual Conference

Intuit Academy has its first Virtual Conference on Wed and Thursday (1/21 and 1/22/09). I logged in for a few minutes a couple of times on Wednesday. It was really cool! It is just like a real conference with an exhibit hall and conference hall (for live webinars and online courses available for CPE credit!).

In the Exhibit Hall, there are booths where you can talk to Intuit Employees and/or other ProAdvisors or peers and The Sleeter Group has a booth too with Doug & Sherrill Sleeter along with other Sleeter employees. It is great to be able to ask questions and talk to people in the booths. You can also pick up documents and save them into your briefcase to download later!'

You talk via chat and messaging. You can join in the booth chat for everyone or have private chats with people. You can also go into the Networking Lounge for Schedule Chats on various topics. I'm moderating a scheduled chat on Marketing ideas for Accounting Professionals today. I'm really looking forward to it and spending more time at the Virtual Conference today!

It seems similar to Second Life and I think it is a great way to utilize technology! Especially when the economy is bad, you can attend a conference without the travel expenses. Plus, my feet won't hurt at the end of the day!!!

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! I'm just getting started blogging so bear with me as I learn how to do this! Feel free to make suggestions!