Today I have the distinct honor of featuring the work and brains…if I can say that….of business and tax extraordinaire, Angelsea Urban. She also happens to be one of my BFF’s, a fantastic comedian, a talented photographer, and pretty much the coolest mom/wife I know. When I grow up, I want to be Angie.

But enough about that. I don’t want her to get a big head if/when she reads this post. Cause her [amazing] hair is already big enough as it is.

For those of you who are photographers or small business owners, I’d make a pretty steep bet on the fact that you got into the business because of your love for what you are known for. Photographers are known for gorgeous images. Makeup artists are known for turning the girl next door into a bombshell. A seamstress is known for taking everyday threads and making something unique and stunning to wear.

And it all started because we had a dream. Or because we were told we were good at it. Or because people started to pay us to do what we love. So we decided to start a business and call ourselves [fill in small businessperson title of choice]. We decorated our offices (or for some of us our tiny lap desk in a studio apartment that costs you every penny you make), and we began working on our business. And, I have a hunch that the vast majority of us who started businesses on our own had no idea what being a business owner really meant.

Networking? What? How do I do that?

Marketing? Wait, I have to PAY for it in most places???

Emails? Whereeeeeeee did they all come from? And whyyyyyyy does it take me SO long to get through them every.single.morning??

And taxes. Oh, taxes. Taxes is like the first official 5 letter cuss word. Or maybe there other 5 letter cuss words? I don’t know, I generally try to keep my English clean.

But “TAXES” would definitely get my vote for being a cussword. Because those of us who started these businesses are creatives. It’s the whole left brain/right brain thing. Many of us thrive on whimsy, dreaming and creativity, so to sit down and talk 1099’s, 401k’s, sales and use tax, federal tax, P&L, estimated quarterly payments, and…wait for it. April 15. Like, those things literally make us want to stick needles in our eyes rather than dealing with them. If your blood pressure rose a bit just reading those last few sentences. If you want to curl up in a ball right now with your Starbucks and indie music. If you have spent way too long avoiding your duty and mandate as a business owner to be honest with your money, and to understand it….well then this post is for you. If you are one of the rare few who can read all those terms and not bat an eyelash, well, first of all I envy you. Second of all, this post may not be beneficial for you. But if you are like me, then you need a post like this.

Angie is, by trade, an accountant. Let’s all pause for a second and ponder, obviously from the right side of our brain, why anyone would choose that as a career. Every time I meet my accountant I ask her if she loves her job. And why she loves it. And she tells me every time. But yet I always ask her. Cause I still don’t understand.

But Angie, she is one of the rare few whose brain functions on both sides. So she is creative AND she fully understands all things taxes and business. So she has created a bunch of tools to help people like you and me. Photographers who need simple, easy ways to understand and manage their finances and taxes. It’s called the Business Toolbox and, my friends, if you don’t have a clear, understandable system in place, I am telling you…you NEED to get this.  Give up Starbucks this month. Live off of Matzo crackers. Whatevs. Do what you need to do to purchase these tools because, I promise you, you will be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing that Uncle Sam….or Mr. Obama…is not going to come with his S.W.A.T. team to bust down your door and take all the money you’ve been withholding. For real. Even though the idea of Barack Obama in a SWAT vest, holding a gun does slightly entertain me for a second. But seriously, I implore you…do yourself, your future, your business, and your sanity a favor and get these tools. Or at least the one that you need most.  You. Will. Not. Be Disappointed.

And because my good friend Angie thinks that I am equally as funny as her and that my hair gives hers a run for it’s money (not really), she has decided to give me a code for you, my fellow blog readers, to use for a discount on all her products. So, no matter what size your business is…whether you are just starting and want to do things the right way, or whether you’ve been in the game for a while but still don’t have a grasp on this…head on over to her Business Toolbox and get the goods!

Use the Promo Code “Aliciabox13? in the next 48 hours and save 10% off any downloadable product ON TOP of the introductory sale she has going now!