“If you’re going to work with someone and they’re going to give you access to their client base, they’re really going to have to trust you.” -Jeff Jacobs Trust is fundamental to any relationship and yet so many of us struggle to build long-lasting and trusting relationships. Expectation plays a key role in how trust is formed. When someone lets us down or fails to deliver on a promise, it shakes our faith in them. But more deeply, it shakes our faith in ourselves. After all, we put our faith and trust in that person or organization to deliver. When they don’t, we question our ability to make the right decisions going forward. This becomes a never-ending cycle of self-doubt and inconsistent trust-building activity. Jeff Jacobs, Director of Development at Wilkins Miller LLC, is this episode’s featured guest. His approach is a personal one that focuses on the team rather than the individual as the key to success. Building caring and trusting relationships with employees and clients, not just to leverage them later, but to learn how he might best help them reach their dreams. If you are struggling to build trust, consider how much of your intention is on what you want to get out of a client rather than on how you can improve their lives. When clients don’t feel valued, they are less likely to trust you to manage more of their needs. When was the last time you checked in on a client just to see how they are feeling or to ask them what you could be doing better? During this interview, you'll learn... The value of trust in long-lasting connections How to create strong business relationships The importance of keeping people in the loop  Click here to find out more about Jeff. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 02:09 - Jeff talks about his career journey  08:52 - Why building trust matters  10:50 - Creating centers of influence  13:54 - Overcoming the obstacles of industry  16:02 - Find the way that works for you 20:29 - Keeping people in the loop 22:06 - Delivering a quality offering  24:22 - Building strong business relationships 33:28 - How to get in touch with Jeff  This episode is brought to you by our good friends at Pure Bookkeeping! If you want to grow your bookkeeping business, get back your time, be more efficient and have confidence that your work is best practice, you need proven systems, processes and standard operating procedures. That’s what Pure Bookkeeping offers. To find out more, visit PureBookkeeping.com TODAY!

“You really need to identify your target audience. If you don’t know what market you’re in and who your ideal client is then how can you even begin marketing?” -Amy Anderson Marketing ourselves isn’t easy and in the bookkeeping industry especially, where we tend to be more introverted, it can be hard to build an exciting and outgoing profile. Fortunately, marketing ourselves doesn’t have to be all or nothing. There is room for us to find ways of doing it that play to our strengths. It's easy to get discouraged when you spent a lot of time on a marketing strategy that had few returns. This doesn’t mean you are a failure. It just means you need to try something else. Perhaps that is hiring someone to help you market your bookkeeping business or to find passive and slow marketing tools that can be working for you in the background. Amy Anderson, co-founder of Wild Coffee Marketing, is this episode's featured guest. She has spent 25 years helping businesses market themselves to the right kind of clients. Her expertise and holistic marketing approach have helped countless businesses find the right clients, build consistent and engaging profiles and feel more at home in their niches.  If you are struggling with marketing, unsure about what to do next or how to grow your bookkeeping business beyond the "I must take every client I can get" mindset, this is the episode for you! During this interview, you'll learn... The value of finding the best methods for the type of person you are How to manage referrals to find your ideal clients The importance of leveling up your client list To find out more about Amy, click here . Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. Time Stamps 01:50 - Amy talks about her career journey  04:21 - Navigating the hurdles of business  06:21 - The common marketing mistakes 07:18 - Defining who you are & what you offer 10:53 - Mastering referrals & finding the ideal client  13:36 - Levelling up your client list to avoid bad clients  16:28 - Finding the best marketing method for you 24:08 - Accepting the need to adapt  27:04 - Balancing your professional & personal life This episode is brought to you by our good friends at Pure Workflow! It’s a simple, easy-to-use workflow practice management solution which will help you manage your clients, deadlines, workflow and team with ease. The BEST PART? It's specifically made FOR BOOKKEEPERS! For more information, visit PureWorkflow.com!

“They depend on us to relate to them important information on how to minimize tax, how to reach their financial goals. If we do it in a more structured way, our clients are going to see the value in that expertise.” -Nadia Rodriguez    Expanding your bookkeeping business to include advisory capacity is scary for many. We are our own worst enemies when it comes to self-belief and self-confidence. But consider this... how many times have you been talking with a client, answering all of their questions in a fun and relaxed way only to realize later that it took you years of training and trial and error to get to the result?   Nadia Rodriguez, a Senior Tax Analyst Programmer at Intuit, is this spotlight episode's special guest. She speaks to the way bookkeepers are sitting on a huge wealth of knowledge they aren’t pricing for, how to communicate your value to your clients and the importance of building networks that keep you on the cutting edge of bookkeeping best practice.   If you are finding yourself giving everything away for free, charging by the hour or feeling trapped patching sinking ships in the minefield that is compliance work then this episode will help you start to leverage your knowledge and skills to assist your clients in avoiding those troubled waters and chart a better course to achieving their financial dreams.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of pricing for your worth, not just your time How to create the capacity to grow your business The importance of building strong bookkeeping networks Click here to find out more about Nadia.   Visit this link if you want to gain access to Intuit’s vast resource bank.   Time Stamps         01:37 - Nadia talks about her career journey 05:23 - Getting to grips with advisory services 09:22 - Separating the solution 11:27 - Creating the capacity to grow 13:52 - Growing your network 15:46 - Tax strategies for bookkeepers 23:25 - Finding a suitable billing model 26:35 - Bookkeeping in real-time

“I would say, if you are never really wrong, you are never really right either, you need to put things down (on paper) to get clarity, to move work forward and make things happen.” -Adrienne Bellehumeur   Getting good at effective documentation isn’t easy. Whether because we find it hard to take notes while actively listening or we are afraid of losing face in a room full of people who aren’t taking notes. So much valuable information is lost, miscommunicated or inaccessible as it exists only in one person's head.   So much of our value is tied to the things we think we do best. It is hard to let go of that mentality and create documents that allow for excellent reperformance. For as long as your bookkeeping business is only successful because you are doing everything, you will never be able to leverage your knowledge to scale your business to new heights.   This episode's featured guest is Adrienne Bellehumeur who is the director of Risk Oversight, a documentation and productivity expert and author of The 24-Hour Rule. She has spent her career developing a system of dynamic documentation that helps people overcome their optimism bias (the belief we will remember every detail of every meeting) to take effective documentation that allows for near-perfect reperformance of their work.   If you are worried that you won’t be as valuable if everyone has a playbook of your best skills or embarrassed to take notes for fear of looking ‘less than’ your colleagues then this is the episode to completely change your point of view on the importance of effective documentation and the powerful role it can play in the success of your bookkeeping business. So, grab a pen or get your laptop ready to type because it's time to take some notes!   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of organization & information management in successful businesses How to solve problems with effective documentation The importance of overcoming our optimism bias  Click here to find out more about Adrienne.   Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.   Click this link to learn more about Risk Oversight.   Visit here to buy her new book, The 24 Hour Rule.   Time Stamps      1:37 - Adrienne talks about her career journey 3:31 - Discovering the hidden power of documentation 6:13 - Overcoming optimism bias 7:56 - Simple practices for effective outcomes 12:55 - The most efficient ways to document 15:05 - Problem-solving with documentation 18:50 - The challenges in effective documentation 23:08 - Information management and organization 26:56 - Writing The 24 Hour Rule 30:43 - Acting on information before the value is lost 33:40 - Connecting with Adrienne  

“That’s the beauty of this industry, you can be as big or as little as you want to be, it’s so scalable.”  -Kim Wolfe   This is the question that has paralyzed more than a few good people when it comes to wanting to start their own bookkeeping business. It can be difficult to trust ourselves, and not judge ourselves too harshly for previous failures. Often, it is the expectation more than the outcome that hurts or makes us feel uncomfortable when things haven’t gone the way we hoped. What would happen if instead, you focused on being okay where you are and building a different reality out from more stable ground? Kim Wolfe, former aerospace engineer and current owner of KAW Solutions, is this episode's featured guest. After a dramatic career shift, she leaned into her desire to help people fix their problems, first in bookkeeping and then for those trying to grow their businesses. Kim’s approach is process-focused, delegating tasks to free up time, skilfully navigate obstacles and creating successful teams. If you are struggling to build the business you want because things aren’t going the way you thought they would, this episode is a great one to help you create a stable foundation from which to achieve your bookkeeping dreams.  During this interview, you'll learn... The value of networking to avoid the pitfalls of building a successful business How to effectively manage your time The importance of working smarter, not harder  To find out more about Kim, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Go to incomeformom.com to get her Top 10 Time Hacks pdf. Time Stamps   01:28 - Kim talks about her career journey  08:45 - Growing the business  12:01 - Exploring opportunities 13:22 - Getting smarter in the face of challenges  15:02 - What the business looks like today 19:38 - Navigating the effects of the pandemic  21:03 - The big challenge of today 24:30 - Getting to grips with pricing  26:15 - Effectively managing your time  42:08 - Everything has its place  46:11 - Getting in touch with Kim

“No one can do it the way you are doing it, but it doesn’t necessarily mean your way is the best way or the only way.” -Jamie Van Cuyk Hiring the right candidate is challenging, often we are better suited to, or skilled at other areas of our business. Sometimes we may even think putting out a job advertisement is a piece of cake and yet are baffled when we don’t get suitable applicants or worse, hire someone that just doesn’t fit well with the business.  We can’t hire the right people into our business until we fully understand what the right person looks like. Skills can be taught, but values are more deeply ingrained. If you aren’t sure what you value, how can you build a team of like-minded people? Jamie Van Cuyk, owner of Growing Your Team and host of the Growing Your Team podcast, is this episode’s returning guest. She is a master of the hiring and firing cycle. She has helped countless small businesses find employees that are more than bodies in a seat, but dedicated, retainable and aligned members of the team who love what they do. If you are struggling to hire the right people or to even begin identifying who the right person may be before you begin the hiring process, this episode will give you all the tips you need to not only make hiring a breeze, but make sure you are finding people that really care about what they do.  During this interview, you'll learn... The value of aligning employees with your business goals  How to hire the ideal candidate for your bookkeeping business  The importance of understanding what motivates your employees  Learn more about Jamie about this link. You can find the Growing Your Team podcast here.  Check out her socials: LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Pinterest  Time Stamps 01:37 - Reflecting on the last year 05:28 - Looking to the future 07:00 - The difficulties of hiring the right people 11:14 - The secrets to effective hiring  17:04 - How to retain quality employees  22:04 - The hiring and firing cycle 28:45 - Getting to grips with delegation  32:38 - How to get in touch with Jamie

“The first thing to becoming successful is defining who you want to work with, who is your ideal client?” -Jennie Moore Welcome back to another Successful Bookkeeper Spotlight session with your host, Louie Prosperi. Our lives revolve around conversation, we hope that all of our interactions will be good, but often, this is not the case. Differences of opinion, expectation, and understanding can lead to some really uncomfortable conversations.  Not wanting conflict can often paralyze us, freezing us into doing work or continuing to do work we never agreed to do. Scope creep is going to happen, but what is important is how we deal with it. Allowing our clients to change the scope on a whim is going to cost you thousands of dollars a year, not to mention leave you feeling potentially resentful and burnt out. Jennie Moore, owner of Moore Details, and partnership manager at Ignition is this spotlight episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping people have awkward conversations, set boundaries, and learn to articulate their worth. She speaks powerfully about finding the fun in your bookkeeping business, embracing mistakes, and communicating value.  If you are struggling to set the scope at the beginning of your client relationships, feeling unable to express your worth despite helping your clients become more profitable, or would just like to learn how to speak about yourself with more confidence and courage, then this is the episode to shift unhelpful and negative mindsets into positive and courageous ones.  During this interview, you'll learn... The value of owning the awkward conversation to articulate your worth How to embrace a digital mindset in your bookkeeping business The importance of being clear about the scope of your services  Click here to find out more about Jennie. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. SPECIAL OFFER for Successful Bookkeeper listeners - Get 50% off Ignition Pro or Scale for 3 months! Find out more HERE!
 Time Stamps   01:47 - Jennie talks about her career journey  03:05 - Balancing the personal and professional  05:48 - Influencing product by following our passions  08:28 - Being a part of something you love  10:06 - Learning from our mistakes to create success  15:01 - Out-of-scope work is a profit killer  22:12 - Setting your standards from the start  24:48 - Embracing the digital mindset  29:10 - Finding the right automatized services for your bookkeeping business  35:28 - Owning the awkward conversation 

“This also means diversity of thought, because even if you have a demographically diverse team, but everyone went to the same college and thinks the same way, that’s still not going to be able to leverage and maximize the benefits of diversity.” -Dr. Ella F. Washington Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is more than just taking a course or hiring from particular demographics. It’s about how we want to feel at work and in society, and how we make others feel. Intention is everything and yet many people find themselves afraid of saying the wrong thing, this paralysis then also prevents us from saying the right things. When you are open to the possibilities in other people’s lived experiences, you are far more likely to be able to have the conversations you perhaps didn’t even know you needed to have.  Dr. Ella F. Washington, founder and CEO of Ellavate Solutions, organizational psychologist, author, and DEI culture expert is this episode’s featured guest. Ella speaks about the need for workplaces and workplace cultures to let everyone be their authentic self at work. If everyone isn’t thriving at work, feeling valued, respected, and happy, there is something wrong.  Whether you are an individual, a small bookkeeping business, or a big one, it is inspiring to listen to Ella’s vision for what workplace culture could be. If you want to have these complex conversations but aren’t sure where to start, this is the episode to get you comfortable with what you don’t know. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of building a utopia of inclusion, diversity & equity at work How to understand & challenge biases The importance of intention in building a healthy workplace culture Click here to find out more about Ella. Connect with Ella on LinkedIn and Twitter.  Click here to get your copy of Ella’s new book, The Necessary Journey. Time Stamps   01:36 - Ella talks about her career journey  03:38 - The core of diversity, equity & inclusion  08:39 - Thinking about & challenging our biases  10:52 - Creating great working environments  14:33 - Building a workplace utopia 17:30 - The power of intention in workplace culture  19:14 - The Necessary Journey, stories of client success 23:08 - Considering your whole sphere of influence 26:42 - Ella talks about her book 

“If you’re forcing yourself to do those tasks you don’t enjoy doing and you’re not good at, please start delegating!” -Kristy Yoder  Happy New Year and welcome to the first episode of 2023! Running a bookkeeping business can be overwhelming, especially at this time of year, so much needs to get done and it can often feel like we are the only ones capable of doing it right. Problems start to arise in our businesses when everything that needs our attention, only gets a portion of our effort. Delegation is key in business. What tasks can you source to other people, so you have more time to focus on your passion? Remember, clients don’t stay with your service just because you do their books, they stay because they recognize a passion in you for something they struggle to do. Maybe it’s time to start recognizing those passions in others, and how they might help you to build and scale your bookkeeping business to new heights. Our first guest of the year is the founder and CEO of Smart Virtual Assistants, and host of the Master Delegator podcast, Kristy Yoder. She found her passion in helping people learn to delegate the things they aren’t good at, so they can focus on the things they are. This episode is a masterclass full of useful tips to find and train the right people for you. If you are having trouble letting go of the need to do everything, aren’t sure of how to train a VA, or are afraid you’ll be stuck with employees that don’t make your life easier, this is the episode to help you overcome those fears! During this interview, you'll learn... The value of building strong & trusting relationships with your virtual assistant How to hire a great VA The importance of delegating tasks to focus on your passions  Click here to find out more about Kristy. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook. Click here to listen to the Master Delegator Podcast. Time Stamps   01:39 - Kristy talks about her career journey  04:35 - The importance of delegating work  07:22 - Barriers to proper delegation  11:15 - Common mistakes when hiring a VA 16:45 - Great operating procedures empower great businesses 18:22 - Learning to love the tasks clients hate 21:02 - Tips to help you hire a great VA for your bookkeeping business 25:50 - How Smart Virtual Assistants can help you 28:55 - The best way to end bad relationships  31:26 - The Master Delegator Podcast

It is almost the end of 2022 and wow, do we have an incredible episode for you to finish off the year!   In our special Year in Review show, Michael talks to a panel of terrific guests about the ups and downs of the industry this past year. Our returning Year in Review guests are Julie Watson, founder of Bookkeeping Relief, Jessica Fox, owner of Florida Virtual Bookkeeper, Teresa Slack, co-founder of Financly, and Katrina Aarsman, CEO of Pure Bookkeeping Australia. Our guests reflect on their biggest surprises of 2022, tell heartwarming stories of success, navigate the complexity of growing businesses in an ever-changing and challenging market, and discuss the future trends facing us in 2023. Whether 2022 has been a year of success or a year of challenge for you, there is something for everyone in this episode. From fears around inflation and staffing, to the success that can come from taking on a more advisory role with your clients to help them build strong and profitable businesses. Our guests speak powerfully about the struggles they have witnessed this year, and yet still leave us feeling uplifted and ready to face the challenges of 2023. There are so many incredible nuggets of wisdom in this episode, so grab your headphones, a cup of tea and settle in!  We are so grateful to all of our wonderful listeners who have joined us this year. YOU make this show possible. Thank you and HAPPY NEW YEAR! During this interview, you'll learn... The value of learning from failure to build a successful bookkeeping business How to navigate the changes & challenges of the industry The importance of getting your long-term strategy right & knowing when to pivot Find out more about our guests: Katrina Aarsman Julie Watson Jessica Fox  Teresa Slack Time Stamps   01:23 - Michael introduces this episode’s special guests 02:22 - The panel talks about their biggest surprises of 2022   08:35 - Knowledge building; the impact of virtual & in-person events  12:45 - The challenges & setbacks of 2022 21:31 - How do we navigate these complex changes & challenges? 27:45 - This year’s heartwarming stories of client success  37:24 - The heartbreaks of 2022  50:23 - Strategies for growth: what didn’t work this year 01:03:06 - Strategies for growth: what really worked this year 01:13:29 - Industry trends heading into 2023 01:21:23 - Our guests talk about their big focus for 2023 This episode is sponsored by our good friends at BILL! BILL helps automate finances for hundreds of thousands of small to midsize businesses so they can easily and quickly pay bills, collect payments, and manage employee expenses. With BILL, your clients—and you—will get greater visibility and control and more time to spend on the important stuff.  To learn more and get 10% off for your clients visit Bill.com/successfulbookkeeper.

“We all are really good at one or two things, but we can all do maybe 20-100 things, and sometimes as entrepreneurs, I think we get caught up in the ‘I have to do it all.’” -Nikki Rausch Pressure is a great motivator, but too much can damage the quality of our work and cause us to burn out. When we hold onto the belief that we are the only person that can achieve the right results for our clients, we end up with much less time to actually focus on the key things they hired us for in the first place. Clients want to work with experts, but that expert doesn’t have to be you. It is okay to share clients with your team, not because they aren’t as worthy of your attention, but because you have trained and trusted your team to deliver the best possible outcome for your clients and your business.   Nikki Rausch, who is the CEO of Sales Maven, a podcaster and author, is this episode’s featured guest. Nikki is a firm believer that none of us achieve success alone, and that our genius and skills are diluted when we spread ourselves too thinly. That is why we must hire people to do the things we can’t, we must build teams of people that complement and make each other stronger.  If you are struggling to scale your bookkeeping business, feeling too thinly spread, or struggling to prioritize the best outcomes for your clients, then this is the episode to get you thinking more clearly about what building your dream team could really do for your business. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of building a skilled team in your bookkeeping business How to stop underselling yourself to clients The importance of understanding what kind of relationship your clients want Click this link to find out more about Nikki. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook. Click here to listen to Nikki's past Successful Bookkeeper podcast appearance. Check out this Sales Maven podcast episode regarding how to sell clients on working with your team. Get Nikki’s free download for TSBK listeners. Time Stamps   01:24 - Nikki talks about her experiences since her last guest appearance 02:21 - The importance of having a team in your business   04:58 - Selling clients on working with your team 10:14 - How to stop underselling yourself  18:21 - Building the right relationship with your clients 24:44 - Dealing with & adapting to crisis & change  30:10 - Telling the story of your business  34:00 - Motivating your team  36:01 - Connecting with Nikki  This episode is sponsored by our good friends at BILL! BILL helps automate finances for hundreds of thousands of small to midsize businesses so they can easily and quickly pay bills, collect payments, and manage employee expenses. With BILL, your clients—and you—will get greater visibility and control and more time to spend on the important stuff.  To learn more and get 10% off for your clients visit Bill.com/successfulbookkeeper.

“If you can answer the questions that are being asked to people that don’t even know what their questions are to begin with, then you have created a name. People will say you’ve gotta come and see what he’s doing for us.” -Michael Alliman    In part 2 of the interview with Michael, he digs into the importance, power, and potential that can be unlocked when businesses find and focus on their niche.   All too often, we think that in order to be successful we have to do as much business as possible with anyone that will have us. But this spread-out and scatter gunned approach keeps us only being good at surface-level skills.   When you find your niche, you’ll move away from the surface and create a depth of experience that will see new clients seeking you out. Letting go of the short-term earning potential of taking every client is scary, but you’ll never have the kind of business that is scalable and successful, if you can't offer niched skills and services, rather than generic ones that are available everywhere.   Michael speaks from experience that the demand for quality skills will enable you to command quality prices. And when you have your niche, you’ll be able to help your clients build their dreams, not just balance last month's books.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of finding your niche How to effectively sell your expertise, so clients seek you out The importance of building the kind of company you would want to work for To find out more about Michael, click here.    Connect with him on LinkedIn.  Time Stamps        01:37 - Helping others to understand your value 10:30 - When you niche clients, they will find you 14:30 - Figuring out niche trends 16:50 - Selling your experience & enjoying it 18:44 - Custom building narrative reports 23:18 - Building the kind of company you’d like to work for 25:30 - How to get in touch with Michael

“I’m not the expert in real estate, that's why I hire you. It doesn’t make any sense for me to learn it just to buy one house, as it doesn’t make any sense for you to learn accounting just to get your own numbers in order.” -Michael Alliman   Creating, owning, and running our own business is really challenging. So many things need our attention that it can often feel overwhelming, like we can’t get our heads above the water. The desire becomes to keep throwing ourselves at problems, rather than take a deep breath, dive beneath the surface, and find a place of calm and wider perspective to help us resolve them.   In this first part of a two-part interview, Michael Alliman, owner of Alliman Business Group and Reconcile bookkeeping, talks about overcoming the things you think are holding you back to find your own rhythm of success.   Michael speaks inspirationally about the way he has taken his ADHD diagnosis and turned it into a hyper-focused superpower that enables him to dial into detail in a way that has become a great selling point to clients. He also speaks about the need to stop setting unrealistic goals and punishing ourselves when we can’t meet them.   If you are facing difficulties in your life or business and are struggling to change your mindset from one of fearing your complexity to one that embraces it, this is the episode for you!   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of embracing what your differences bring to the world How to shift your mindset away from fear & toward success The importance of getting focused on what it is you do well To find out more about Michael, click here.   Connect with him on LinkedIn. Time Stamps   01:42 - Michael talks about his career journey 06:25 - Creating a company you’d like to work for 09:19 - Overcoming the challenges of business 14:04 - Learning to recognize what difficulties have to teach us 18:40 - Embracing the value of difference

“You need to surround yourself from an inclusion standpoint, with people who fill in the gaps and complement the skills you don’t have so that you don’t have those blind spots.” -Carice Anderson   Building a business is never easy, and yet we often make it so much harder for ourselves by believing we can’t be truly successful unless we are the ones doing everything. This kind of thinking only leaves us with skill and knowledge gaps we didn’t even know we had.   Being intelligent alone isn't enough. There will always be things we are drawn to and things we don’t like doing. What matters is the ability to recognize when we have gaps and fill them with people who complement the skills we lack.   Carice Anderson, a workplace diversity and inclusion expert and author, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career working to understand why even after achieving so much academically, there were still so many gaps that could only be filled by the experiences of others.   She speaks powerfully about the need to build connections between people. To work on your relationships with others, not just in them. To think in the long term about people, not just in the short term to meet a deadline or push a product.   If you are trying to go it alone and finding that maybe you don’t even know what questions you should be asking, this is the episode to get you thinking about how a mindset shift might open up a world of possibility.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of taking ownership of your client’s problems How to work on your relationships, not just in them The importance of creating a support network for success To find out more about Carice, click here.   Connect with her on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook   You can buy Carice’s book here.   Time Stamps       01:42 - Carice talks about her career journey 03:52 - Learning to adapt when things don’t go your way 08:10 - Overcoming personal obstacles 11:13 - Carice talks about her book 15:28 - Working on your relationships, not in them 18:55 - Tips for building healthy relationships 25:40 - Introversion vs extraversion; creating connections in a different way 28:20 - Ownership, taking responsibility & initiative 33:35 - No one becomes a success alone, it takes a community 36:40 - Learning more about Carice

“With Anchor, you work and then you get paid by default and your client needs to actively do something in order for you not to get paid.” - Omry Man  It’s well-known that comfort and convenience rule everything we do. People and especially clients are always looking for simpler and more effective ways to handle their business. We have all had clients that aren’t good at paying us on time, not because they are bad people, but because their priorities and attention are directed elsewhere. Omry Man, co-founder of Anchor, is this episode’s featured guest. He recognized a gap in the market, a gap created by the friction between bookkeepers and their clients. Anchor is an autonomous billing solution that sets out payment relationships from the get-go, and automates the entire process. So, you never have to wait on a bill again. If you are struggling to get clients to pay on time, are feeling strained around repeatedly asking for payment, or are even too scared to push for the money you are owed for fear of losing a client, this is the episode for you.  During this interview, you'll learn... The value of being consistent with your clients How automation reduces friction in relationships The importance of streamlining your services to focus on your bookkeeping business  Click here to find out more about Anchor. BLACK FRIDAY SALE OFFER: Anyone signing up or booking an Anchor demo during November, who bills over 50 monthly invoices, is eligible for $500 in Anchor credits to use in their first 3 months in Anchor. Visit this link for more details! Connect with Omry and Anchor on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Time Stamps 01:48 - Omry talks about his career journey  03:55 - Overcoming bad experiences with clients  09:10 - The real reason your clients aren’t paying on time 13:20 - Using automation to reduce friction   17:20 - How Anchor works for you & your client 20:14 - The right metrics to measure  26:20 - Getting connected with Anchor 

“There will always be chaos. There will always be change. You will always be dealing with fires in your life, and it’s really about how you respond to the chaos that will determine your success or failure.” -Elisa Schmitz   The way we think becomes the way we act. If our thoughts are riddled with self-doubt and fear, we are never going to get to the place of success we dream about. Life is full of change and chaos, and there will always be another fire to put out. What separates successful people and businesses from the unsuccessful, is how they learn to adapt and respond to the chaos.   Often our lack of self-belief comes from doing things differently from other people in our industry. Yet it is those very differences that allow us to offer unique strengths and perspectives no one but us could.   Elisa Schmitz, founder and CEO of 30seconds.com, and author of the new book, Become The Fire, is this episode’s featured guest. Elisa has spent her career helping people embrace failure as a tool for learning and teaching them to shift their mindsets from ones based on fear to abundance and growth.   If you feel like you are pushing against the tide, unsure where to start or how to let go of the fears that have long protected you then this is the episode to pull you into the fire and so you can start to truly realize your personal and professional dreams.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of practicing resilience in your personal & professional lives How to transfer your mindset from fear to abundance The importance of embracing chaos & change  To find out more about Elisa, click this link.   Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. Click here to learn more about her new book.   Time Stamps         02:07 - Elisa talks about her career journey 04:44 - The birth of 30Seconds.com 07:52 - Riding the business owner rollercoaster 09:33 - Learning to embrace the chaos 12:27 - Seizing your moment when it comes 15:25 - Practicing a resilience mindset 22:42 - Elisa’s strategies for success 27:48 - Making friends with your fear of change 32:34 - Where to find Elisa’s new book

“If you have the belief, you can’t get off that rat wheel…you’re not going to reach out for something to build the skills to help you.” -Sharon Francisco The wheel keeps turning and if we are not careful, we can end up trapped chasing the same things that aren’t working for us. Belief is a key component in the mindset of successful people. Very rarely do people master a skill on the first attempt. They become masters by believing that with every practice attempt, their abilities will improve.   If your environment and the people in it aren't serving to help lift you up to new heights, it might be time to consider a change of metaphorical scenery. To seek out a better space and people who can teach you the valuable skills you feel you are missing.   Sharon Francisco, an Australian bookkeeping business mentor, is this episode’s featured guest. She speaks about the need for belief and confidence when building a business and explores the key assets that will set the firms of the future apart. Her approach to mentorship sees bookkeepers overcome their barriers and limited beliefs, by getting hands-on with the aspects of business that have previously scared them.   Whether you are struggling with pricing, or which niche to focus on, or how to hire the right people, you will only get better with practice. If you need that push, that injection of courage to get off the wheel and start moving in the direction of true success, this is the episode for you!   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of developing your niche skills to charge premium prices What the future of business is going to look like The importance of building a positive environment for your bookkeeping business   Click here to find out more about Sharon or connect with her on LinkedIn.   Time Stamps        01:38 - Michael & Sharon catch up 03:20 - Overcoming the barriers to success 07:38 - Building a positive environment   11:43 - Working on your business, not just in it 19:18 - Firms of the future: the ingredients of success 26:50 - Building positive relationships & good impressions 31:42 - The nine projects - a road map to the future

“Leadership is something you do with people, not to people.” -Dr. Elizabeth Moran      We have all found ourselves at one time or another having to react to an unexpected change. Often those of us that go into business for ourselves do so to have more freedom and control over the decisions that will affect the long-term viability of our businesses.   Problems start to occur when we become so avoidant of change that we fail to address the concerns our employees or clients have in the choices and changes we make. But we do not have to fear change or be reactive and defensive to its presence in our lives.   Dr. Elizabeth Moran, an experienced leader, consultant, and coach is this episode’s featured guest. Dr. Moran has spent her career helping teams and organizations navigate and evolve through complex changes. She speaks powerfully to the need for curiosity when addressing change, the value of allowing yourself and your teams to explore and play with what the changes may mean, and how to take the time to reconnect with why you wanted to do what you do in the first place.   If you are struggling to adapt to change or find it challenging to evolve at the same pace as your teams, leaders, or other organizations, this is the episode to help you take a pause, dig into where you are placing your energy and intention, and get curious about what changes could really mean.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value in taking time to reflect on the impacts of change How to overcome resistance to change The importance of reconnecting with your why  Click here to find out more about Elizabeth.   Connect with her on LinkedIn.    Click here to pre-order Elizabeth’s new book, "Forward: Leading Your Team Through Change."   Time Stamps         01:51 - Elizabeth talks about her career journey 04:52 - The peaks & valleys of starting your own business 11:08 - Common mistakes facing leaders 16:42 - Understanding why we resist change 22:17 - Embracing the chaos of change 26:01 - The networks of our brain & how to engage them 29:41 - Taking a pause to truly reflect on what leadership means 33:38 - What it means to be a change maker 40:40 - Adapting, evolving, and overcoming 45:14 - What does change mean for me & why? 50:14 - Elizabeth talks about her new book  SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Don’t miss your LAST chance to get your free ticket to The Successful Bookkeeper Summit! Click here for more information!

“The minute you move into a leadership role, it's no longer about you.” –Shelli Warren   Being a great individual contributor doesn’t always make for the best leadership material. We all know someone who is great at what they do but struggles to scale those skills when put into a leadership position. When filling leadership roles too often we are looking for someone to fill a gap, when we should be looking for someone who will grow and fulfill the future needs of the business.   Stepping up can be a real challenge. It takes courage to seek out people that can help us on our journeys to becoming effective leaders and the will to take an honest account of our current skills and get focused on self-development.   Shelli Warren, a team and leadership coach with Biz Chix and host of the Stacking Your Team podcast, returns to The Successful Bookkeeper podcast this week. (Catch her previous episode here.) Shelli has spent her career developing people into leaders. Questioning, encouraging, and helping people from a range of industry backgrounds to understand what it really means to be a leader.   If you are struggling to break into a leadership role, or are currently in one, but don’t know why things just aren’t working the way you had hoped, this is the episode for you.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of hiring for the future, not for a crisis How to upgrade your leadership skills The importance of understanding team dynamics Click here to learn more about Shelli and Biz Chix. Listen to the Stacking your Team Podcast here. Connect with her on LinkedIn.   Time Stamps   02:04 - Shelli talks about her career journey 04:02 - Shouldering responsibilities with grace 06:38 - The key skills of a good leader 13:32 - Good business leadership: a personal inventory 23:22 - Hiring for the future 27:28 - Why leadership skills are so rare 30:13 - Figuring out how to upgrade your leadership skills 39:14 - How to promote a team member into a leader: TSBK Summit sneak peek 42:20 - The perfect time to grow 45:46 - Where to find Shelli SPECIAL ANNOUCEMENT: Don’t miss a chance to get your free ticket to The Successful Bookkeeper Summit coming up on November 9th! Click here for more information!  

“LiveFlow gives the ability to create these very tailored dashboards. What's really good about that, is that it allows the bookkeepers to increase the fees for their services.” -Lasse Kalkar    Bookkeeping is not what it used to be. Clients are less willing to spend large sums of money on people to keep accounts when they can be easily kept by automated technology. The role of bookkeepers is changing, and those that are willing to embrace new technologies will be the ones that thrive in the bookkeeping advisory economy.   Lasse Kalkar, founder and CEO of LiveFlow, is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his life filling the gaps for what the market needs, and his latest invention, LiveFlow revolutionizes the real-time ability of clients and bookkeepers to see their data in Google sheets and Microsoft Excel.   If you are tired of wasting hours manually inputting data and sending reports to your clients, this is the episode to get you thinking about what the future of your bookkeeping business could look like. Not only in how you share information with clients, but how through templates and sharing you could get immediate access to the best practice of some of the most skilled bookkeepers.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of automating systems to save time How to offer better value & advice to your clients  The importance of believing in yourself & being persistent   Click here to find out more about Lasse.   Connect with Lasse on LinkedIn.   Click here to find out more about LiveFlow.   Time Stamps      02:18  - Lasse talks about his career journey 03:54 - Overcoming the obstacles of entrepreneurship 09:47 - Understanding LiveFlow 12:51 - The value in automated systems 20:34 - Getting to grips with formulas 27:25 - Live Flow and team building SPECIAL ANNOUCEMENT: Don’t miss a chance to get your FREE ticket to our upcoming Successful Bookkeeper Summit! Click here for more information!

“It’s marketing. Just saying bookkeeping is not as enticing as saying,  'I’m going to change your life!'" - Andrea MacKenzie   Sometimes success can take us by surprise. We can very quickly become overwhelmed by everything we have to get done. So much so, that when looking to scale our bookkeeping business, we are so desperate for help, we take the first person available. Having help though is never as useful or valuable as taking the time to find good help.   Andrea MacKenzie, founder of Lead with Harmony, is this episode’s featured guest. She is dedicated to assisting small business owners hire, develop, and lead great teams. Her approach is one of building a conscious leadership mindset, to help you create the right conditions to find, train and trust the right people in your business.   Energy attracts, and if you are hiring from a place of desperation, it’s likely you’ll only attract desperate people. Andrea speaks passionately about the need for getting your people processes right from the ground up, taking the time to really figure out who you are and what you need in others that supports business growth, not conflict and resentment.   If you are struggling to scale your bookkeeping business, butting heads with that quick hire you thought would be an answered prayer, or looking to develop your additional services but aren’t sure who to hire, this is the episode to help you get on the path to great, effective, and conscious leadership.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of effective assessment in hiring employees How to identify the root causes of conflict & burnout The importance of overcoming limiting & negative mindsets Click here to find out more about Andrea.   Connect with Andrea on LinkedIn and Twitter   SPECIAL OFFER for The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast listeners: FREE Delegation Visualization Guided Audio to help you unlock what’s possible when you stop managing and start delegating!  Use this guided audio and the companion worksheets to tap into your desire to let go, get back your time, and grow... through delegation!  FREE with Special Code! (Regular Price: $37) Special Offer Code: SUCCESSFULBOOKKEEPER   Click here for a FREE Job Advertisement Checklist. Time Stamps 01:35 - Andrea talks about her career journey 06:00 - The power in how you think 10:44 - The challenges of hiring the right people 15:20 - Overcoming fear & limiting mindsets 18:21 - Identifying the root causes of conflict & burnout 22:52 - Assessing people effectively 31:12 - Conscious leadership 34:08 - Working with Andrea SPECIAL ANNOUCEMENT: Don’t miss your chance to get a FREE ticket to our upcoming Successful Bookkeeper Summit! Click here for more information!

“I want to do this, but I don’t really know how to do it, so you talk to people who have been there before that can help you on the way.” -Karla Dembik     Pennies become dollars far faster than most of us realize. Businesses (on balance) don’t fail because of a dramatic catastrophe; they suffer death from a thousand cuts. We often agree to all kinds of service and business fees, because we don’t know any better. But there are people out there who can help reduce costs and increase revenue without increasing your prices.   Karla Dembik, ex-army intelligence officer, helicopter pilot, and now the owner of Phoenix Payment Processing is this episode’s featured guest. Karla’s curious and inquisitive approach has helped her flourish in any of her chosen careers, and now she gives back to people that need a little extra help building their own road maps to success.   If you are struggling to know what to do with your bookkeeping business, if you’re drowning in additional costs and add-ons that are bleeding you dry every month, then this is the episode to help you create your own path to success. One that will let you draw on the knowledge of all those that have faced the same challenges, so you can focus on the heart of your business. Serving the people you want to help.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of learning to ask the right questions How to increase revenue without increasing prices The importance of being open to change Click here to find out more about Karla.   Connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook. Time Stamps        02:42 - Karla discusses her career journey 06:55 - Working as an army intelligence officer 09:32 - Learning to ask the right questions 13:35 - Building the road map to success 17:10 - The rise of a phoenix 19:25 - The trigger points of change 22:02 - Navigating starting your own business 25:20 - Embracing Aha moments 29:28 - Increasing revenue without increasing prices In other news... Don’t miss a chance to get your free ticket to The Successful Bookkeeper Summit! Click here for more information!

"Being passive or being a people pleaser in business is not a great way to get results." -Erin Daiber   Running a bookkeeping business isn’t easy. There are enough external challenges to contend with, without piling on internal ones of our own making. Too many of us aspire to be all things to all people. But this strategy only ever leads one way… to overextension and burnout.   There is a huge difference between being polite and being passive. You do not have to agree to every demand a client makes, nor should you. You will never be able to please everyone. It is far better to set healthy and effective boundaries instead. Ones that let you make and maintain polite and consistent connections while being firm and accurate about what is and what isn’t within your capacity to deliver.   Erin Daiber, CEO of Well Balanced Accountants is this episode’s featured guest. She is no stranger to the fears that come with running your own business, with the desire to people please everyone. In this episode, she speaks powerfully to the need for self-development work, and the need to find people who can help us avoid the same pitfalls and traps common in our industry.   If you are struggling to determine your purpose, overpromising and underdelivering, and failing to set healthy boundaries, this is the episode to help you break the scarcity mindset so you can create a bookkeeping business that delivers expertly on its promises.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of coaching & learning in your personal development journey How to live with the fear of the unknown The importance of setting healthy boundaries Click here to find out more about Erin.   Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter   Don’t miss a chance to get your free ticket to The Successful Bookkeeper Summit. Click here for more information!   Time Stamps       01:25 - Erin talks about her career journey 04:15 - Overcoming the challenges of business 11:01 - Setting healthy boundaries 15:42 - Learning to live with the unknown 19:49 - Making peace with your inner child 22:21 - Encouraging your clients to explore themselves 26:27 - The value of finding the right coach for you 28:41 - Erin gives a sneak peek of her talk at the upcoming Successful Bookkeeper Summit

"It’s no longer enough just to provide services, you’ve got to really help the customer transform from where they are to where they want to be." -Ron Baker Welcome back to another spotlight session with your host Louie Prosperi, the third in our three-part series on subscription models for bookkeeping and accounting businesses. In order to get the most out of our businesses, we need to be really clear about what it is we want our customers to pay for. A service, the value of our knowledge and expertise in handling their needs, or access and transformative collaboration. It can feel uncomfortable to challenge the scarcity mindset, to step out of the math of the moment and look at the client’s lifetime value, but when you do, you’ll unlock a world of potential to work with clients, not just for them.  This episode’s featured guests are Ron Baker and Ed Kless, co-hosts of The Soul of Enterprise podcast. Together, they will discuss the power of tying your wealth and revenue not to a service, but to access to that service, to innovation and transformation that takes customers from where they are to where they want to be. As well as the need to find the right model to best serve your needs and relationships. Finding the right model to suit your business can be a challenge. If you are struggling to figure out who you are, and how and who you want to service, this is the episode to get you focused in on the best outcomes for your bookkeeping business.  During this interview, you'll learn... The value in offering transformation to clients, not just services How to find the right model for your bookkeeping business The importance of centering your relationships with clients  Visit this link to find out more about Ron. Connect with Ron on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Click here to pre-order his new book. Go to this link to find out more about Ed. Email Ed directly at [email protected]. Connect with Ed on LinkedIn and Twitter. Connect with our new spotlight host Louie on LinkedIn. Don’t miss a chance to get your free ticket to The Successful Bookkeeper Summit. Click here for more information! Time Stamps   01:40 - Introducing Ron Baker & Ed Kless 03:44 - Subscription modeling for knowledge-based firms 06:40 - Putting the relationship first  08:55 - Consistently adding value to your offering  13:14 - Tying your revenue to access to services  17:23 - Understanding value in the subscription model  28:19 - Scaling up subscriptions  33:10 - Building a collaboration mindset  38:02 - Strategically plan the model you want  44:14 - Innovation in the subscription model  50:08 - Personalizing your relationships  55:33 - Connecting with Ron & Ed 

“There are plenty of fish in the sea, and by helping the people in my community, that’s going to raise the tide, which is going to rise all ships.” -Andrew Wall   Adapting to change is never easy. What we plan for versus what actually happens are often wildly different and can leave us feeling like we don’t really understand what we’re doing at all. Making plans and business building become much better when we shift our thinking from a mindset of having to be right about everything, to being open to learning anything.   Automated services may be slowly replacing traditional bookkeeping functions, but this isn’t anything to fear. When you figure out what value you are able to bring to the table, your business will no longer be about compliance and meeting deadlines, but a business that lets you forecast the future to keep your clients on the cutting edge.   Time spent worrying about whether you’ll have clients or not is wasted in the face of recognizing only you can do what you can do. When you’re passionate and love what you do, there is no other end result than learning, growing and becoming an expert in your field or niche. Our featured guest checks those boxes. Andrew Wall is the Managing Partner of CPA4IT, an accounting thought leader, and Friday Night Live with Accountants podcast host.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of proper communication in healthy relationships How to evolve with ever-changing systems, processes & technologies The importance of being open to continuous learning Click here to find out more about Andrew’s business.   Connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter   Listen to Friday Night Live with Accountants at this link.   Don’t miss a chance to get your free ticket to The Successful Bookkeeper Summit that begins on November 9th, 2022! Click here for more information!   Time Stamps         02:21 - Andrew discusses his career journey 08:05 - Adapting to change to create the right conditions for growth 13:28 - The great accounting shift 18:21 - The future is bright 23:47 - Leveling up your learning 32:15 - Andrews shares his vision for the future 40:07 - Managing client expectations

“I’ve heard people get to 5-6 staff, and they’re making basically the exact same money they were at 2 staff. And that doesn’t make any sense!” -Louie Prosperi   All of us know what it feels like to learn from our mistakes. But we don’t often pause to think about just how much faster we could have realized them if we spent more time engaged with those in our industry that have walked our path before.   Of course, everyone has a different business experience. But that doesn’t mean you have to struggle along by yourself. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience out there, just waiting to be discovered.   Louie Prosperi, founder of Strategic Clarity and our new Spotlight session host, is this episode’s featured guest. Michael and Louie get to grips with the benefits of the right business model for the right business, the advantages of learning from others, and upcoming Successful Bookkeeper events.   If you are struggling and spending too much time working IN your business and not enough time working ON your business, be sure to follow the link below to sign up for free to join us for The Successful Bookkeeper Summit in November.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of connecting with new communities How to get involved with The Successful Bookkeeper Summit in November The importance of crowdsourcing knowledge to build your bookkeeping business Click here to find out more about Louie.   Connect with Louie on LinkedIn and Twitter.   Click here to know more about upcoming Successful Bookkeeper events.   Don’t miss a chance to get your free ticket to The Successful Bookkeeper Summit on November 9, 2022! Click here for more information.   Time Stamps   01:38 - Louie talks about his career journey 03:43 - Michael & Louie talk about the new TSBK Spotlight sessions 06:55 - Preparing for The Successful Bookkeeper Summit 13:14 - The power of digital connection 21:14 - The future of The Successful Bookkeeper 26:23 - Discussion regarding the 2023 Tech Showcase

“Far too many professionals want to feel good about themselves and demonstrate their expertise, but what they do is, they jump in and talk about how they are going to solve the problem before they have an understanding as to the value to the customer.” -Ed Kless   Welcome back to another spotlight session with your host, Louie Prosperi, the second in our three-part series on subscription models for bookkeeping and accounting businesses.   When trying to sell ourselves to clients, we often believe we have to offer the best and most rapid solution to their problem, in order to beat the competition. But is this way of connecting with clients hurting your bookkeeping business?   This episode’s featured guest is Ed Kless, Senior Director of Sage Accounting Solutions and co-host of The Soul of Enterprise podcast. Ed speaks to the need to avoid being a solutionist, to avoid jumping the gun to secure a client before you can fully explore the true value of what they need. The best way to express your expertise isn’t to fix problems for free or to undercut yourself, it is to ask the right questions. To replace advice with curiosity. Only when you know what a client values can you put the right price to it.   Once you know what clients value, you’ll know where they fit in a subscription model and know how to structure different subscription levels, for clients with similar needs.   If you are someone that wants to unlock the potential of subscription modeling but is afraid of giving up too much too soon, this episode will change the way you think about your relationship with your clients.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of asking the right questions to prevent undercutting yourself How to integrate value pricing into a subscription model The importance of tailoring your pricing to customer needs  Click here to find out more about Ed.   Email him directly at [email protected].   Connect with Ed on LinkedIn or Twitter.   Click here to listen to The Soul of Enterprise.   Go to this link to pre-order Ron Baker's new book, Time's Up! Both Ron and Ed will be speaking at The Successful Bookkeeper Summit which begins November 9, 2022. Click here to get your FREE ticket!   Time Stamps       02:33 - The subscription model for accounting firms 04:40 - Integrate values priced pricing with a subscription model 06:30 - Don’t give away the farm by overselling too quickly 10:40 - Replacing advice with curiosity 17:00 - Pricing the portfolio & the relationships 20:01 - Tailoring your pricing to your customer's needs 23:25 - Adding value & innovation to your offering 29:35 - Asking the right questions to build the right relationships 32:25 - The difference between reoccurring & recurring revenue 35:33 - Valuation in the subscription model 38:24 - The Soul of Enterprise

“My tribe helped me realize I don’t need to compete with anyone, and I can use everyone as a resource and sounding board.” -Coreen Wright   There is a tendency among small business owners and start-ups, to feel like they are in constant competition with others from within their industries. The same fear is true among bookkeepers. But when you let go of the idea that asking for help equates to weakness, you’ll begin to find like-minded people, all with a desire to help one another out.   Your inner imposter may be screaming at you, that you don’t belong until you are a master of your craft, but imagine how much quicker you could achieve your goals if you connect to and learn from people that have already made all the same mistakes you have.   Coreen Wright, President and Owner of Faith Accounting and Consulting Services, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent years building an incredible business designed to help her clients with their accounting. Her approach is one of working to overcome limiting mindsets to leverage your skills and connections to create the perfect business for you.   If you are finding yourself, competing with other people, struggling to learn new things, or connecting with people in your industry, this episode will be the one to give your self-esteem a boost and help shift your mindset.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of setting boundaries & valuing your energy & time How to let go of the need to do everything in order to focus on what brings you the most joy The importance of finding supportive people & communities Click here to find out more about Coreen. Contact her directly at [email protected].   Follow Coreen on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.   Time Stamps        01:33 - Coreen talks about her career journey 04:55 - Pulling the trigger on a new life 06:04 - Overcoming the challenges of starting a business 09:44 - Learning to embrace our mistakes 13:48 - The value of Pure Bookkeeping 18:45 - Finding the right clients for you 21:56 - Solving pricing issues 23:20 - The benefits of Accelerate 2 Advisor program 27:30 - Visions of the future This episode is sponsored by our friends at Ignition! They have a special promotion happening for our Successful Bookkeeper Community. Right now you can take advantage of 50% off Ignition for 3 months and see how it can help you WIN CLIENTS and GET PAID, EVERY TIME. Book a demo TODAY by clicking THIS LINK and learn how to transform your bookkeeping business. You won't regret it!

“Probably 20% of your clients are causing 80% of the problems.” -Natalie Eckdahl   Finding your bookkeeping niche is hard. But not as hard as finding the number of clients needed to make a low-price business successful. Low pricing may seem like the way to gain many clients fast. But in reality, this kind of business model is working against you.   When you find your niche, it will be because it is something you are passionate about, something you can become an expert in, because you care about it. It is time to stop charging for a basic general service, and start charging for what your knowledge, expertise and experience are truly worth.   In part two, Natalie Eckdahl, founder of BizChix, host of the longest-running female entrepreneur podcast and voted one of the top women in business to listen to, speaks to the need to let go of mindsets and clients that are holding you back, finding your niche, and her upcoming virtual talk at The Successful Bookkeeper Summit.   If you are struggling, as an aimless generalist, taking every client you can for fear of losing business, this is the episode to get you headed in the right direction! During this interview, you'll learn... The value of finding your own niche How to let go of clients that are holding you back The importance of connecting with the right clients To find out more about Natalie, click here.   Connect with her on LinkedIn.   Click here to listen to the BizChix podcast.   Natalie will be one of our great virtual speakers at The Successful Bookkeeper Summit that begins on November 9th 2022. Don't miss her presentation by getting your FREE ticket TODAY! Click here for more information. Time Stamps 2:30 - The value of finding your niche 9:31 - Building an enduring business 11:19 - Finding the best ways to connect to clients 12:40 - Learning to let go to build a better future 18:45 - The Successful Bookkeeper Summit 22:12 - Ways to connect with Natalie

“One of the biggest challenges I see is that women do not have enough profit coming out of their business, and the base behind that is they are not charging high enough prices.” -Natalie Eckdahl   Overcoming the struggles of building a business is tough enough, and yet for a lot of women, there are considerable added pressures. Not just in terms of feeling like an imposter in the workplace, but being scared to price at equal value, or paying themselves less to not upset male colleagues or partners.   Women on average price themselves 28% lower than their male peers. In the first part of a two-part series, Natalie Eckdahl, founder of BizChix who is the host of the longest-running female entrepreneur podcast and voted one of the top women in business to listen to, talks about shattering glass ceilings, empowering women in business and how to create the life of your dreams.   If you are building a successful bookkeeping business but are struggling to overcome limiting beliefs, this two-part episode series is the one for you. Natalie Eckdahl has years of experience helping women get past their negative and limiting mindsets to achieve their personal and professional goals.   Her three-pillar approach to creating an enjoyable, profitable, and sustainable business, could be just what you are looking for to build your confidence and take your bookkeeping business to the next level.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of finding & doing work that fulfills you How to change your mindset to one of growth and value, not scarcity The importance of overcoming self-made barriers to success Click here to find out more about Natalie. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Go to this link to listen to the BizChix podcast.   Don’t miss a chance to get your free ticket to The Successful Bookkeeper Summit on November 9th 2022! Natalie will be speaking there, so click here for more information.   Time Stamps       2:44 - Natalie talks about her career journey 8:10 - Getting used to changing direction 12:20 - Valuing your family, the true V.I.P’s 15:30 - The barriers to enduring business 18:30 - Shattering glass ceilings 24:02 - Changing the numbers by changing our mindset 27:30 - The difficulties of finding your niche

“If we want premium pricing, we have to go to the market with an uncommon offering." -Ron Baker Welcome to a new episode of our Spotlight series, now hosted by a great friend of The Successful Bookkeeper and world-class business strategist, Louie Prosperi. This is part 1 of a 3-part Spotlight series about subscription models for accounting and bookkeeping firms. You see, many bookkeepers struggle with the idea of changing from time-based pricing to value-based pricing. Let alone changing it up even more by adopting a subscription pricing model. Ron Baker, author, and radio talk show host is this episode’s featured guest. He makes a powerful argument for the future of bookkeeping businesses that can offer pricing based on relationships, access, convenience, and peace of mind, rather than just stacking services on services, and calling that value. Ron speaks to the need to offer specific and uncommon offerings in order to command uncommon prices. To change up the way your clients relate to you, so that you can offer them the transformation they are seeking, not just services that keep them ticking over. It can feel scary to make changes to your business model, there is great comfort in our habits. But when you put the value of your relationship at the heart of your business model, you’ll stop limiting your value to only monetizing transactions and time. You only have to think about your favorite services or those with the greatest valuations to realize they are all subscription based. What is stopping you from achieving the same success? It is time to stop asking how much we want our customers to pay us, and start asking, what do we want our customers to pay us for? During this interview, you'll learn... The value of the subscription economy How to price relationships not services The importance of your niche & providing uncommon offerings Click here to find out more about Ron.   Connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook. Go to this link to pre-order his new book, Time's Up!   Connect with our new Spotlight host, Louie on LinkedIn. Don’t miss a chance to get your free ticket to The Successful Bookkeeper Summit on November 9, 2022. Click here for more details! Time Stamps        01:32 - Introducing our new Spotlight host 02:08 - Louie introduces this episode’s guest 04:00 - The subscription economy 10:19 - What makes this model better? 14:02 - Reinventing customer experience 18:25 - Consistently adding value to your offering 20:32 - Structuring the subscription model 24:34 - Pricing personalized transformation 31:24 - Overcoming limiting mindsets 36:34 - Measuring your success against new KPIs 41:00 - The value of predictability 45:30 - Ron’s new book, Time's Up!

“You will never have the time, and you have to make the time, so make it in small chunks. Schedule fifteen minutes a day to work on that, because as long as you are moving forward, you aren’t standing still or moving backward.” -Tanya Hilts Finding your own path is not easy. Textbooks say one thing, but real life says another. Your story isn’t written by anyone but you. So, you won’t know how successful you could be until you try. No matter your educational background. If you have a willingness to learn, to start from the ground up and build your dream career, because you cannot see yourself doing anything else, then you will always be successful. It is your knowledge and desire to serve, not your certificates that set the standard of who you are.   Tanya Hilts, founder of Cloud Business Services, board member of CPB Canada and operator of Tanya’s Bookkeeping Bootcamp is this episode's featured guest. Her approach speaks to a need to practice continuous learning, to build your confidence to face the many challenges of the bookkeeping industry. She believes when you have the right work ethic, nothing can get in your way. If self-doubt, confidence issues or concerns you aren’t on the right path are bothering you, this is the episode for you.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of continuously learning & building mentor relationships How to build & follow your own path to success The importance of facing challenges with confidence Connect with Tanya on LinkeIn, Twitter or Facebook. Click here to find out more about Cloud Business Services.  Time Stamps 01:50 - Tanya talks about her career journey 05:05 - Following your own path to success 07:28 - Finding programs & mentors to further your learning 10:34 - Facing challenges with confidence 15:12 - Saying goodbye to clients who aren’t serving you 22:45 - Finding your ideal client 31:40 - Perfecting personal service 36:20 - Tanya’s Bootcamps & training services This episode is brought to you by our friends at Accountex Canada. It’s Canada’s newest in-person conference and trade show for accountants, bookkeepers and finance professionals that takes place in Toronto on November 30th and December 1st. Take advantage of the $40 super-early bird registration that ends September 30th. REGISTER HERE!

“They don’t come to you because you can do numbers, they come because they enjoy talking to you.” -Michael Eckstein     Starting a business is never easy, and while we can all theorize about potential outcomes, there is no substitution for trying and seeing what works. No one ever learned to run a business in any other way than just running one.   The advice of others is key in this process, but it isn’t the be all and end all. You have to find your own way, plot your own course through the business world to create the best possible outcome for you. What you are doing should be fun! People should want to work with you for your passion and because you are fun to work with, not because you have something to sell them.   When you find your own personal brand, your own niche, and way of connecting with clients, you are far more likely to succeed.   Michael Eckstein ‘LinkedIn’s Cutest Accountant’ is this episode's featured guest. He speaks to the need to embrace yourself and be authentic about who you are. How to find your niche and understand the patterns that exist within it to serve clients you are truly interested in helping. And how to seek out the right audience by building real connections and friendships.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of understanding the patterns of your niche How to find your audience where they are The importance of building lasting honest relationships Find out more about Eckstein Tax Services here. Learn more about Resting Business Face at this link.  Connect with Michael on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 1:28 - Michael talks about his career journey 2:44 - Finding the flow in your business 6:28 - The story behind LinkedIn’s Cutest Accountant 8:11 - Finding your niche 14:00 - Understanding your niche’s fact pattern 16:25 - Finding your audience where they are 21:15 - Three base rules for content creation 26:00 - Building lasting relationships

“Once you realize what you love to do, you get really good at it, and you can charge a lot more money for it.” -Dawn Brolin Finding the path to success is never easy. Even ‘overnight’ successes don’t happen overnight. It can be easy to feel like the only way to double your profit is by doubling your clients. But more work isn’t the answer. One of the biggest challenges is finding out what we really want to do and dialing into that then accepting we don’t have to do everything. We have to find the things that spark joy in us. That makes us the kind of people clients are desperate to work with. When you connect with the elements of your bookkeeping business that you truly love, you’ll begin to understand that dollars don’t drive success, confidence does. If you feel stuck in your pricing, stuck working more hours than you’d like, handling elements of the business that aren’t exciting to you. It’s time to dial into the things that truly bring you joy. And to do them with such confidence clients will have no trouble meeting your prices. Dawn Brolin, CEO of Powerful Accounting and arguably one of the most influential and powerful women in the industry today, is this episode's featured guest. Her approach to business is one of confidence, understanding and continuous learning. If you are feeling unsure about your place in the bookkeeping industry, let her words in this episode offer you the motivation you need to become the best possible version of yourself. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of getting out there & getting connected How to break the belief barrier to charge what you are truly worth The importance of establishing value from the beginning of relationships Click here to connect with Dawn. Learn more about her on LinkedIn and Twitter. To check out her book, The Designated Motivator for Accounting Professionals, go here. To listen to the DM Disruption Podcast with Dawn Brolin, explore this link. Visit here to learn more about Powerful Accounting. Time Stamps 2:02 - Dawn talks about her career journey 4:11 - The drivers of change 7:41 - Showing business owners the value of bookkeeping 12:01 - Dawn’s Aha! moments 15:14 - Overcoming our mistakes 20:11 - Becoming the designated motivator 29:01 - The challenges of limiting beliefs 37:50 - Offering the best value to your clients 43:10 - Where to get Dawn’s book for free

“You can never become the master of one thing. There is always someone out there that knows a little bit of something you don’t have an area of knowledge in.” -Lyla Smith   Technology is great, but it can sometimes limit and trap us into ways of processing information that fail when the software does. Getting back to basics, can help you grow by giving you a greater understanding of what the technology is doing, and what could be done to improve it. Our knowledge base becomes bigger and deeper when we understand what is going on in the background.   When you start to prize discipline and accountability as core tenets of your bookkeeping business, it enables you to come to communities with a hunger to learn new things, and the humility to share what you know and accept what you’re being taught.   Lyla Smith, owner of Mutch More Accounting and Bookkeeping Inc, is this episode's featured guest. Her approach sees knowledge as something to be learned and shared freely among the community. Rather than guarding what we know, sharing it to lift others when they need help, so that they might lift us in our time of need.   She believes when we show clients our humanity, they are far more likely to trust us with their money. If you are struggling to disengage from difficult or disrespectful clients, this is also the episode for you.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of knowing your worth to engage with the right clients How to work with communities to help lift others up The importance of committing to lifelong learning The best way to contact Lyla is directly by email at [email protected]. You can also learn more about her on LinkedIn.   Time Stamps     1:29 - Lyla talks about her career journey 3:08 - Changing with the times 5:20 - Committing to lifelong learning 10:06 - The benefits of the basics 13:45 - Collective mastery 18:45 - Opportunities are what you make of them 22:30 - Lyla talks about her experience with Pure Bookkeeping 30:04 - Disengaging from negative clients 35:38 - The value of honesty and accountability 38:37 - How to boundary your personal and professional life

“Once you get going, you get more and more productive.” -Amanda Hamilton  Our bookkeeping businesses are our babies. We put the work in with the hope they’ll grow healthy and strong. But sometimes this desire can overwhelm our ability to step back, and to delegate tasks that leave us more time to focus on the areas we really love to work in. Don’t wait until you are burnt out to start planning what to delegate, start small and simple and build on it from there.   If your business life is task-heavy, it is not going to feel fulfilling. Letting go of the need to handle everything yourself is challenging, but when you start with the smaller tasks, it gets easier to layer on more complicated ones as your faith in those you have delegated to begins to grow.   Amanda Hamilton, Founder of Hamilton Raye, is this episode’s featured guest. She specializes in connecting the right people based on experience and personality, to free up valuable time and energy. By creating a list of your intended priorities and focusing on your pain points, you too can figure out the best tasks to delegate and where your true passion in your business lies.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of being intentional about how & what you delegate How to gain access to experienced talent without the added cost The importance of delegating & outsourcing tasks Click here to learn more about Hamilton Raye. Connect with Hamilton Raye on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.   Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn.  Time Stamps     1:42 - Amanda talks about her career journey 5:05 - Gaining access to people with experience 9:02 - Delegating with intention 12:22 - The signs that show you need help 14:52 - Picking the easiest tasks to delegate 17:35 - Dealing with a lack of standardization 20:10 - Hamilton Raye’s onboarding process 25:30 - The five keys of outsourcing SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: This episode is sponsored by LiveFlow. It's a software that connects to all of your clients' QuickBooks accounts and imports their financial reports from QuickBooks into Google Sheets in no time! To learn more about it and how you can save 20% off your first three months, click this link - liveflow.io/partnerships/successfulbookkeeper - then claim your discount with the promo code SUCCESS.

“I suppose I didn’t get quite as many things done, but the things I got done, I did a lot better.” -Minda Zetlin    Too many of us feel like if we aren’t working all the time, we aren’t doing a good job. We don’t expect an immediate response to emails, but when we get one, we feel a need to reply immediately. Setting expectations and boundaries is challenging. But without them, we’ll never feel comfortable enough to take the time we need to rest and recover.   We spend so much time chasing our work, that it can begin to feel like we live inside it. When we start to carve out time for ourselves, the quality of our work improves as we are able to decompress and gain some much-needed objectivity and perspective.   When your communication is objective, you don’t have to fear how your clients might behave, only trust that you have already done everything in your power to get the best possible outcome. Stressing or trying to take the burden on yourself will only burn you out faster.   Minda Zetlin, author of Career Self-Care and writer at Inc.com is this week's featured guest. Minda is all about self-care. Teaching you how to combine your work and personal lives, to build a career you love, without being miserable. Her approach puts the human first, to help you set expectations, that’ll keep you sane and happy.   If you are struggling to care for yourself, or to figure out what deserves your time and attention, then this episode is not to be missed!   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of clear communication in setting goals & boundaries How to create a healthy work-life balance The importance of taking time out to rest & get some perspective Check out Minda’s website at this link. Get her new book here.   Connect with Minda on LinkedIn and Twitter. Time Stamps 1:58 - Minda talks about her career journey 4:48 - Cultivating a healthy work-life balance 9:18 - Focusing our attention in the right directions 13:11 - The world won’t stop if you do 17:50 - Setting goals & deliverables 21:07 - Getting communication right 22:22 - How to self-care in the workplace 26:40 - Thinking differently about our interactions 30:20 - The importance of unplugging

“If you’re not uncomfortable in what you’re doing, you’re not growing.” -Lora Lonesberry Habits are hard to break. Though we may feel safe, set in our ways, being too unwilling to learn new things, can only hurt the long-term viability of your bookkeeping business. When you learn to embrace and adapt to new insights and technologies, you’ll keep yourself a step ahead of those that can only stand still. Recognizing what it is you love about your career, will give you the perfect starting line. There will always be aspects of the job that aren’t as glamorous, but when you are open to learning new things, a world of automation and systemization opens up to you. There is a wealth of training and technology that can be utilized and tailored to get things running in the background. Leaving you all the more time to focus your attention on the areas of your business that bring you the most purpose and joy. Lora Lonesberry, owner of Positive Statements, understands all of this. In part two of her conversation with Michael, she provides insight on these topics... How to modify your bookkeeping business to run more effectively & efficiently The value of recognizing where your passion truly lies The importance of adapting to continuous industry changes Connect with Lora on LinkedIn and Twitter.   Learn more about Positive Statements here and on LinkedIn.   Time Stamps      1:30 - The freedom of committing to choices 5:30 - The keys to your future 10:10 - Scaling your bookkeeping business 13:04 - Fulfilling your passion 18:30 - Adapting to continuous changes 23:30 - Investing in yourself 28:14 - Overcoming burnout to live more freely

“It’s like walking down the street naked. You can tell me whatever you like, but the numbers are going to tell the truth of what the story of your business is.” -Lora Lonesberry Running your own business is challenging. It can be easy to get caught up in the idea that you are competing against everyone else for a slice of the profit. But really the only person you have to compete with is yourself. Our struggles and mistakes offer us perspective and learning opportunities. Chances to figure out what we are doing wrong, so we can start getting it right. Rather than struggling and suffering over and over again, why not connect with like-minded people and learn from their mistakes as well as your own. Not to be better than them, but to better yourself. To find your niche and add value to your clients in the way only you can. Lora Lonesberry, owner of Positive Statements, is our featured guest for this two-part special. Today in Part 1, she talks about the value of immersing yourself in your industry, finding the right mentors to unlock your potential and diversifying your business to minimize risks. Her approach focuses on paying attention to the details and using the right tools to build meaningful and long-lasting relationships with clients. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of getting connected to your clients How to embrace technology & learning opportunities The importance of immersing yourself fully in your industry Learn more about Positive Statements here and on LinkedIn.     Connect with Lora on LinkedIn and Twitter.   Time Stamps      1:32 - Lora talks about her career journey 4:24 - Immersing yourself in your industry 8:09 - Seizing the moment 15:45 - Showing your clients your value 18:04 - The numbers don’t lie 26:14 - Taking interest in your clients 30:51 - Pricing on your Value 32:02 - Why you should consider becoming a Pure Bookkeeping licensee

“I think we oftentimes can look at what we are going through and assume, we are the only one who potentially has these problems.” — Christina Springstead It can be really challenging to invest in ourselves. To put time, money, energy, and effort into creating the kind of people we aspire to be. Fear of the unknown often holds us back and keeps us pent up in patterns and cycles of behavior that aren’t truly serving our purpose. Taking the leap can be hard, but it is much easier when you surround yourself with people that have already done it. We can often feel like connecting with like-minded people is a betrayal of our self-sufficiency. But it is the reverse, when we see it done, we believe more strongly than ever that we can do it too. When we see and feel people struggling up the same hills as us, we feel a sense of power in our collective connection. Christina Springstead, owner of Springstead Solutions and Accelerate 2 Advisor Program super ambassador, talks about the power of transformation, in having faith in yourself to overcome your inner critic and taking the leap into your dream future. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of connecting with your intuition and burning life desires How to transform your life by connecting with like-minded people The importance of firm boundaries to manage time and energy Learn more about Christina at this link. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. Time Stamp 1:33 - Christina talks about her career journey 3:33 - Taking a leap of faith 4:35 - Dealing with your inner critic 5:45 - Overcoming challenges and obstacles 7:40 - Embracing Bookkeeping 10:55 - After the leap 13:33 - Christina talks about her biggest A-ha moment 17:35 - Transforming yourself, so you can transform others 22:00 - Finding your tribe 23:28 - The future of Christina’s business

“If the data exists digitally, the user should be able to control that information, and use it in any way they want.” -Martin Chee How automated are your bookkeeping processes? It can be a real challenge to keep pace with all the apps, programs, and interfaces, marketed as making a bookkeeper's life easier. This can create reluctance to engage with automated processes. But, how much time are you wasting, manually inputting data, that could be organized with the click of a button? If you’re afraid of jumping into the automated pool, this is the episode to ease you in. Martin Chee, CFO, and Co-founder of Amaka, talks today about the role of automation and integration in creating more efficient businesses. There is more data out there than anyone could manage by themselves. The more effectively this data is processed, the greater the insights available. Martin’s approach is one of valuing the work as much as your time, to reduce friction points, letting you do far more work, without the equal time drain of doing it manually, creating time savings you can also pass onto your clients. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of caring for your time, resources & productivity How to collect & manage data to the best use of your clients The importance of automation in creating better services Learn more about Amaka here. Connect with Martin on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 1:23 - Martin talks about his career journey 6:14 - Evolving with your product 9:20 - Knowing when to pivot 11:22 - The value of automation 21:25 - Finding the right tools for your business 25:17 - Getting your time back 33:20 - Learning more about Amaka

“You’re offering a career, not a J-O-B and we want people to come and join your team because they see the value in having a career, alongside you.” -Shelli Warren Finding the right people to build your dream team can be exhausting. It is often so overwhelming a process that we let desperation take hold. Seeking to grab anyone we can to help us, rather than taking the time to really find people who are the best fit. It is the goal of every business owner to eventually get out of the day-to-day, to better focus on business development, but we can’t do that without a trusted team, and without belief in ourselves as the leaders of our own businesses. But if you are constantly dragging people behind you, they aren’t adding positive value to your business. You need from the moment you post the interview, all the way through to the way your business practices, to paint a picture of the future, that the right people can connect to and feel at home in. Walking in step with you towards your goals, not holding you back from them. Shelli Warren, a team and leadership coach with Biz Chix and host of the Stacking Your Team podcast, is this week's featured guest. She discusses the importance of effective leadership, learning from your clients and building a business pointed firmly at the future, not dragging the past behind you. During this interview, you'll learn... How to paint a story of your business that makes others want to be a part of it The importance of building your team around the future, not the past The value of learning every lesson life has to teach you Learn more about Shelli and Biz Chix at this link. Listen to the Stacking your Team Podcast here. Connect with her on LinkedIn.    Time Stamps  1:35 - Shelli talks about her career journey 5:15 - Getting to know Biz Chix 7:14 - Building your dream team 10:00 - What we can learn from our clients 12:15 - The key to stacking your team 17:05 - How do you know if new employees will be a good fit? 20:32 - Overcoming limiting beliefs 24:50 - Dealing with a bad hire 29:56 - Being honest about your offering 33:00 - Creating impactful meetings

“What can I do in the last part of the day that makes tomorrow morning better?” -Donna McGeorge  Finding balance in our lives is never easy. There can be a strong compulsion to equate working harder with being more successful. Pouring all our time, energy, and attention into work, and leaving very little for our personal lives or for more spontaneous client connections.   If you are throwing all of your effort into your business and getting the results you want, keep doing what you are doing. But if you are struggling to manage your time, and feel constantly overwhelmed, there is no harm or shame in looking at ways to better manage your time and energy to positively boost your productivity.   What can I do now that my future self will thank me for?   That is the question posed by today’s featured guest, Australian productivity expert and author, Donna McGeorge, whose approach to productivity will see you retraining your brain, protecting your time, preventing you from getting overwhelmed and leave you more energized for the day ahead.  During this interview, you'll learn… The value routine & discipline play in protecting your time How to stop over-committing your time and resources The importance of working consistently Learn more about Donna here.   Get Donna’s latest book, The 1 Day Refund at this link. Connect with Donna: LinkedIn Twitter   Time Stamps  1:53 - Donna talks about her career journey 3:12 - Lessons from her upbringing 7:11 - Is what you’re doing working? 9:27 - Using our time wisely 11:58 - Where do we start? 15:30 - The hour of power 20:35 - Clean space, clean mind 25:01 - Reclaiming our time 33:35 - How to stop overcommitting 37:31 - Days down, Dollars up!

“You're not going to attract talent that way, they aren't interested in mindless data entry work, they want to have a meaningful impact on the world around them and if we don't create those opportunities someone else will.”  -Jasen Stine It is easy to get set in our ways. To let fear of the future, change and innovation, keep us locked into the same patterns. That at one time may have served us, but now only serves to limit our growth. Understanding the value of your own expertise will make it easier to move away from compliance bookkeeping. Utilize your skills as an advisor to offer far better value to your clients. When you connect with other bookkeepers and thought leaders, you will be better positioned and informed on the cutting edge of industry innovations. Learning from others, to offer more impactful services. Jasen Stine, a Tax and Account Education Leader at Intuit and AccounTrends podcast host, and Jim Buffington, an Advisory Services Leader at Intuit Accountants, are the featured guests of a special Spotlight episode! During this interview, you'll learn... The value of recognizing the potential of your own expertise How to switch from a compliance to an advisory mindset The importance of building relationships with like-minded people & thought leaders Learn more about Intuit here. Check out the Intuit Accountants’ Tax Pro Center at this link.  Listen to the AccounTrends Podcast here.  Connect with Jasen on LinkedIn. Connect with Jim on Twitter & LinkedIn. Time Stamps   1:40 - Jasen & Jim discuss their career journeys  4:40 - Overcoming the big challenges  9:40 - The needs of accountants  17:10 - Getting your focus right  22:00 - Building connections to cultivate expertise  29:49 - Helpful resources for listeners 34:10 - Connecting thought leaders

“Self-teaching costs 73% more than taking formal training because it takes you so much longer to figure it out by yourself.” -Alicia Katz Pollock Sometimes, we might think working harder will eventually make the work feel less hard. But it never does. The only way to make work not feel like work is to pursue your true passions. To know where it is you really want to be.   It is not an easy question to answer, but when you do figure out your purpose and start living it, work won’t feel like work anymore. It’s scary to take the leap away from work or clients that feel too much like hard work but are necessary for financial stability. That’s why surrounding yourself with like-minded and supportive people is key, when you can see it done, it makes it easier to do it yourself.   Alicia Katz Pollock, co-founder of Royalwise, talks about the value of continuous learning, how to adapt to an ever-changing environment, and the importance of connecting with supportive communities. Her approach not only advocates learning from everyone you can but speaks to the value of teaching your clients how to manage some of the tools of your trade themselves, to reduce overall costs for them and you.  During this interview, you'll learn… The value of tailoring content to different needs How to embrace change & make it work for you The importance of connecting with supportive communities  Learn more about Royalwise here.   To jump straight to on-demand Learning Solutions, click this link. Connect with Alicia on LinkedIn.   Time Stamps     1:30 - Alicia talks about her career journey 7:36 - Finding the right path for you 9:30 - Facing the challenge 14:00 - Adapting to an ever-changing landscape 17:01 - Same content, different needs 22:02 - Training clients to use the right tools for them 28:50 - Keeping up with the latest news

“Yeah, there’s a risk, but if I don’t try, then I will never achieve any of the things that I want to achieve.” -Dr. Sue Haywood    The fear of failure can be debilitating. It can sap our confidence and force us to remain in situations of discomfort for far longer than is healthy. But more often than not, this is a self-imposed form of torture. The worst thing that can happen to us, is so much worse in our imaginations, than in our real and true abilities to meet difficulties head-on and resolve them.   When we are only judging ourselves or others on one aspect of life, from one perspective, it can be easy to feel that we are failing again and again. But burnout is not borne from an individual lack of effort, but a lack of support and understanding around every part of ourselves, not just who we are when we are at work.   Dr. Sue Haywood, a retention and workforce productivity expert and head people officer at Business Sherpa Group, talks about reframing failure, redefining workplace culture and creating successful dialogue in the virtual world.   During this interview, you'll learn... The value of prioritizing feelings to save on finances How to create engagement in a virtual world The importance of recognizing failure as an opportunity for growth Learn more about Business Sherpa here.   Connect with Sue on: LinkedIn Twitter   Time Stamps        1:40 - Sue talks about her career journey 4:10 - Learning the lessons life has to teach 5:45 - Overcoming failure 10:30 - Recognizing what matters to us 16:10 - Redefining workplace culture 19:30 - How to support mental health & prevent burnout 24:48 - The whole package 28:40 - Focusing on feeling then finance 32:00 - Engagement in a virtual world

“Figure out exactly what your needs are and then figure out the right software choices based on those specific needs.”  -Amber Mac For Episode 300, a special guest has arrived! But, before we get into that, we could not be more grateful to all of our incredible guests, and all the wonderful people that make this show a reality. But most of all to our listeners, THANK YOU for your continued support! We appreciate you! This episode features Amber Mac, a popular and well respected tech expert, speaker, best-selling author and award-winning entrepreneur who has appeared on various media outlets including CNN, Bloomberg and CBS to name a few. She has keynoted more than 400 events around the world and has moderated sessions with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, business coach Tony Robbins and famed astronaut Chris Hadfield to name a few. She is also the host/moderator of this year’s QuickBooks Connect Canada virtual event. During our 300th episode, you'll learn… How to select the right apps and/or software for your bookkeeping business Why having range can make you more successful The importance of having a team so you can focus on scaling your firm To register for the FREE QuickBooks Connect Canada virtual event, click here. Learn more about Amber at this link.   Connect with her on social media: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Time Stamps  2:02 - Discusses her career start in San Francisco 4:30 - The importance of having range in your business 6:09 - Why it’s crucial to hire people to help you on your entrepreneurial journey 7:44 - Mentions her father’s impact as her business advisor 8:33 - Describes how she finds unofficial mentors  11:27 - How to create the right technology choices for your business 13:10 - When choosing software, think about “How can my business grow alongside this software?” 14:05 - Describes her involvement with the Quickbooks Connect Canada virtual event 16:10 - Explains the importance of constant learning & what to expect at the QB Connect event 19:55 - Details how many small business owners don’t have proper accounting systems 24:14 - Entrepreneurs should consider “How is your time well spent?”

Access the bonus interview with Russell in the Successful Bookkeeper Community Portal. “I was led by great leaders and not-so-great leaders. I learned just as much from the good leaders as the bad ones. See what you want to emulate and what you don’t.” –Russell Munz Is your bookkeeping business struggling to feel like a little more than a job? Are you trying to offer multiple services but failing to deliver on many of them? It can be hard to know what to do. Overcoming negative issues and focusing on a niche offering can be scary. That is why systemization is so important. If you can clearly picture where you want your bookkeeping business to go, it then becomes a matter of creating and building the right systems to make it happen. Life is short, and there will never be a right moment to take your shot. It all comes down to your perception of the future. Is trying, failing, but learning from the experience, worse than waking up after 25 years of working a job that you never enjoyed? Russell Munz, retired Army Captain and owner of Community Financials, talks today about what it means to put a WOW factor into your services. From where we choose to learn, how we limit ourselves and variable ways to measure your success. If you are struggling to connect with clients, to learn from difficult times and invest in service, this is the episode for you. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of learning from every experience, good & bad How to create a personal & engaging service The importance of systemizing your operations Learn more about Russell at this link. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Explore Community Financials here. You can check out Community Financials on Facebook.  Time Stamps 1:30 - Getting connected 4:10 - Russell talks about his career journey 7:30 - Learning the right lessons 14:40 - Russell’s military service 19:44 - People + Systems = Results 21:30 - Tips to improve your business 24:10 - Delivering a WOW experience 29:21 - Connecting with Russell