Episoder
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“Set your rules, stick to your rules, and only take clients that play by the rules. We call it rules of engagement.“
-Dida CliftonDida Clifton, a former US Air Force veteran and founder of The Office Squad, shares her inspiring journey from military operations to running a successful bookkeeping business. She opens up about tackling challenges like pricing, hiring, and networking while revealing how her military background shaped her leadership style and company culture.
In this interview, you’ll discover:
Proven pricing strategies to reflect your true value Smart hiring & training practices to build a strong, aligned team How outsourcing can help you scale without sacrificing qualityTune in to learn actionable strategies to overcome challenges, build your dream team, and create a flexible, scalable business model for long-term success.
To find out more about Dida click here.
Time Stamps
This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Hub Analytics!
00:40 - From Military to Business: Dida's Journey
02:45 - Building the Office Squad: Strategies & Growth
06:45 - Pricing Strategies: Lessons Learned
09:15 - Networking: The Key to Business Growth
12:51 - Peer Groups: Support & Growth
14:49 - Military Influence: Leadership & Culture
19:58 - Systems & Processes: The Military Way
22:15 - Hiring & Culture: Finding the Right Fit
24:39 - Outsourcing: A Different Approach
27:53 - The Future of Bookkeeping: A Hybrid Model
Imagine having all your financial data in one place, with real-time analytics and customized reports at your fingertips.
Hub Analytics is a financial platform that streamlines bookkeeping operations, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering high-quality results for your clients. With Hub's easy-to-use tools, you’ll save time, reduce errors, and gain deeper insights into your clients' financials!
Ready to take your bookkeeping to the next level?
Book a demo to learn more and start your FREE trial TODAY! -
“What I now do is I change the word 'problem' to the word 'situation' and when I change that one word, it just flips something in my brain where I can now work on it and it turns it into something objective and something almost like, ‘okay, I can do something about this now’.”
-Bernadette McClellandSales coach and consultant, Bernadette McClelland shares her powerful journey from corporate sales to entrepreneurship, revealing the hard-earned lessons learned from overcoming bankruptcy and self-doubt.
During this interview, you'll also learn…
Actionable insights on building resilience, reframing challenges & viewing disruption as an opportunity for growth Shift from selling to serving Ways to build a strong support network & commit to continuous improvementTune in to this inspiring episode to discover how to turn setbacks into stepping stones and transform your approach to business and life!
To find out more about Bernadette, click here.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps
02:57 - Journey Through Corporate to Consultancy
05:56 - Lessons from Bankruptcy
09:11 - Reframing Problems as Situations
11:53 - The Power of Disruption
15:00 - Embracing Anti-Fragility
18:04 - The Evolution of Business Mindset
26:40 - Embracing the Present & Future Mindset
30:58 - The Importance of Mental Downtime
39:03 - Transforming Sales into Service -
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"The fear of speaking isn't a random thing, but rather it's pointing to experiences in our past that led us to believe it's not safe."
-Linda UgelowIn this episode, we’re joined by Linda Ugelow, a speaking empowerment coach and author of Delight In The Limelight, who turned her own fear of public speaking into a mission to help others find their voice. Linda shares the key mindset shifts that build confidence, showing how confronting past experiences and silencing negative self-talk can unlock powerful communication skills.
In this interview, you'll learn how to...
Conquer public speaking fears through self-reflection Replace negative self-talk for better communication Improve speaking with better posture, voice & deliveryWhether you want to feel more at ease in front of an audience or in daily conversations, her insights are invaluable for anyone looking to speak with greater confidence and clarity.
To find out more about Linda, click here.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps
00:20 - The Importance of public speaking
03:13 - Linda's journey & the root causes of fear
08:55 - Clearing past experiences & healing the inner critic
16:32 - Enhancing communication skills: posture, voice & delivery
23:43 - The impact of effective communication on personal & business relationships
29:16 - Linda's book & podcast -
"I just remember thinking even early in my life like I want to be able to help people figure out their path someday and create successful businesses."
-Lauren ShippyIn this episode, we dive into the entrepreneurial journey of Lauren Shippy, founder of StoryWork, as she reveals the secrets behind her success.
During this interview, you'll learn:
The importance of a clear vision & purpose for business success How aligning time and priorities reduces distractions The role of habits and routines in reaching goalsWhether you're a seasoned business owner or just starting out, this conversation is packed with insights into the power of habits, routines, and strategic clarity!
To find out more about Lauren, click here.
Connect with with her on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps
00:43 - Lauren discusses her background & career journey
03:14 - Finding clarity & strategy in business
08:22 - The importance of leadership & adaptability
10:23 - Eliminating distractions & staying focused
18:32 - The power of habits & routines
24:38 - Valuable resources for business owners -
“I actually feel like AI is going to level the playing field for smaller firms, more than ever before. That’s an incredible thing, I think it’s an amazing opportunity in front of us.” -Tommy Vincent The window of change gets shorter every day, and this can leave us feeling pressured to keep up, or frustrated that no sooner have we caught up, than the next innovation is speeding away from us again. While it’s true technology is racing ahead on an exponential curve, we don’t have to. We don’t have to know how to build apps, read code or create the next step in technological development. We just have to get good at finding things that work for us and leveraging them before our competitors do. While you can use AI to replace people, the quality of the work won't be as good. AI, at its best, will help us accelerate our system of checks and business processes to give us back our time. More time away from the mundane leaves more time for the things you love to do. Tommy Vincent, VP of Sales at Hub Analytics, is this spotlight episode’s special guest. He has spent his career helping businesses understand their complex needs, and then align them with the right solutions. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of AI in levelling the playing field How to leverage technology in your business The importance of embracing technology as it shifts If you are curious about the future, worried about the pace of change, or just want to free up more time in your business, then this is the episode to get you leaning into technology in the way that works best for you! To find out more about Tommy, click here. Connect with him on Linkedin. Time Stamps 01:26 - Tommy discusses his career journey 03:40 - The future of bookkeeping 06:00 - Embracing technology shifts 07:50 - Levelling the playing field 18:11 - Leveraging technology 26:17 - How Hub Analytics can help you thrive 31:40 - Learning more This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Hub Analytics!
Imagine having all your financial data in one place, with real-time analytics and customized reports at your fingertips.
Hub Analytics is a financial platform that streamlines bookkeeping operations, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering high-quality results for your clients. With Hub's easy-to-use tools, you’ll save time, reduce errors, and gain deeper insights into your clients' financials!
Ready to take your bookkeeping to the next level?
Book a demo to learn more and start your FREE trial TODAY! -
“Everybody has to find their own way to reduce their stress…what works for me may not work for you.”
-Tiffany CagwinWe all experience stress, it is a fact of modern life. But our bodies cannot adapt to our changing world at the same place as the demands we place upon them. There comes a time when we all have to stop and ask ourselves if everything we are grinding for is truly worth the cost to our health and well-being.
There is nothing wrong with working hard to provide the kind of life for ourselves and our families that we have always dreamed of. But there needs to be balance, making it to the goal, but realizing we are in pieces is often the final nail in our sense of physical and mental well-being.
Tiffany Cagwin, executive leader and transformation coach, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career applying her skills, knowledge and life experiences to help others find better long-term health.
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of making small changes for a big difference How stress is impacting our health The importance of listening to your health, not everyone else’sWhether you are already doing your best to work through health challenges, or just starting to notice things are getting harder, this episode will help you!
To find out more about Tiffany, click here.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps
01:33 - Tiffany discusses her career journey
08:33 - Coming to terms with life’s challenges
10:42 - Managing our stresses
18:23 - Getting back on track
26:51 - No one size fits all
34:50 - Learning more about TiffanyThis episode is brought to you by our great friends at Dext!
Dext captures your clients’ data with incredible accuracy and deliver it seamlessly into your workflow, integrating with over 30 accounting softwares.
Imagine having more time to focus on what truly matters, like helping your clients, growing your firm, or taking a well-deserved break. With Dext, you can trust that data is accurately extracted, categorized, and submitted every time.
Are you ready to streamline your bookkeeping processes?
Join thousands of accountants and bookkeepers in the Dext community. Go to thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/dext to book a demo today and see how Dext can make your work life easier!
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“I think the most important thing a bookkeeper can do is make a client feel like you care about their business. You care about their success, and your only purpose is to make sure that they are making more money.” -Tanya Fox An idea doesn’t have to be original for it to work. There is no harm or shame in looking at what those you consider to be successful are doing and applying what works in your own business. So much time is wasted trying to reinvent the wheel, trying to learn to do things we hate, when we could simply partner with someone who fills those gaps. Collaboration at its heart is about connection, understanding the needs of others and working to solve their problems either by handling it ourselves if the issue is in our wheelhouse, or being confident enough to pass paying work onto more skilled people. Knowing that when we do this, it builds trust and long-term connections that show that faith is rewarded with the kinds of work we actually enjoy. Tanya Fox, bookkeeper, business coach and author of How To Collaborate, is the featured guest in this second of a two-part series. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of getting connected How to build on existing relationships The value of thinking outside the box
To find out more about Tanya, click here.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps 01:22 - Getting connected 12:40 - Thinking outside the box 20:09 - If it works for others, why not for you? 22:51 - You can make it work 26:05 - Building on relationships -
“What I realized only years later, in doing collaborations is that I had to stop assuming I knew what someone thought I was worth, or what they were getting is worth.”
-Tanya FoxThere exists a damaging belief in business that if we aren’t the ones handling every aspect of our work, that we aren’t successful. As much as we might like to believe we can do everything alone, trying to live this way is a surefire way to burn out.
Working with others is scary, handling employees is hard enough, but working with service partners and collaborators is even more fear-inducing. How do we know who is right for our business, who gets where we are coming from and what if they don’t care or apply as much effort as you think they should to our businesses?
Working with others can be a nightmare, but it can also be an incredibly beneficial and rewarding experience. One where all parties can see the kind of positive results that could never have been achieved if they hadn't worked together.
Tanya Fox, bookkeeper, business coach and author of How to Collaborate, is the featured guest in the first of a two-part series. In part one, Tanya discusses her early days in business, how powerful collaboration can be, and why we each need to find our own path to collaborative success.
If you want to work with others but are jaded by bad past experiences, or maybe you don’t feel like what you have to offer is worth the effort of others, then this is the episode that will help you let go of always deciding you aren’t good enough.
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of knowing it’s okay to change your mind How collaboration can change your business The importance of failing forwardTo find out more about Tanya, click here.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Check out her website at this link.
Time Stamps
01:44 - Tanya discusses her career journey
07:08 - Learning to collaborate
13:46 - Finding your ideal partners
17:19 - Charting your own course
24:07 - Going back to basicsThis episode is brought to you by our great friends at Hub Analytics!
Imagine having all your financial data in one place, with real-time analytics and customized reports at your fingertips.
Hub Analytics is a financial platform that streamlines bookkeeping operations, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering high-quality results for your clients. With Hub's easy-to-use tools, you’ll save time, reduce errors, and gain deeper insights into your clients' financials!
Ready to take your bookkeeping to the next level?
Book a demo to learn more and start your FREE trial TODAY!
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“You’re meant to lead the way and if your plate is so full that you’re only doing things halfway, and not feeling really good about the job you’re doing, and how you can impact others, we need to really take a holistic look at what’s going on.”
-Tonya HerbWhen our cars break down, we seek out a mechanic. We visit the doctor when we are sick. Yet in our businesses, we feel pressure to see to every single element of business activity. Running a business this way can only ever have one outcome: failure.
It is not possible to do everything that needs to be done well enough that the edges don’t start to fray. From there, it's only a matter of time before everything we’ve worked so hard for, unravels completely. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can learn to delegate and share the load with others. People that fill and compliment your gaps, freeing you to focus on the things you love the most.
Tonya Herb, a life and leadership development coach, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, overcome their fears and embrace success. In this episode, Tonya and Michael explore how to spend time more effectively, beating back overthinking, and why all the best leaders delegate.If you are struggling to quiet an overactive mind, want to expand your business, but are afraid of being in charge, or want to learn from others, but aren’t sure where to start, then this is the episode that will get you thinking about the true value of your time.
During this interview, you'll learn...
Why overthinking is killing your success How to spend your time & energy more effectively The importance of delegationTo find out more about Tonya, click here.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps
01:31 - Tonya discusses her career journey
03:58 - Knowing where to start
06:01 - Unlocking delegation
09:50 - Overcoming overthinking
16:18 - The fear of responsibility
25:34 - Where are you spending your time
27:50 - Surrounding yourself with success -
“You’re not your client's bank. Contrary to some beliefs, you’re doing work for them and getting paid. There are different ways to structure your payment terms that limit your exposure.”
-Michelle BombergerWe know as bookkeepers just how much relationships matter in business; we want our clients to invest in us to fill their gaps. But we often don’t want to invest in others to fill our own. This is especially true when it comes to the legal side of doing business. Legal help and advice are expensive, and many of us run with the belief that we’ll only need that kind of help if something goes wrong.
But like insurance, investing in a good legal advisor can help cover and protect you from all the things you fear, and all the things that could affect our businesses that we don’t even know about yet.
Michelle Bomberger, Founder and CEO at Equinox Business Law Group, is this episode’s guest. She has spent her career helping businesses with their strategic decision-making, working together to build strong and lasting relationships that keep her clients protected.
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of taking a proactive approach to protection How to give your contracts more teeth The Three Tiers of ProtectionIf you are struggling with your business’ legal infrastructure, aren’t sure how to protect yourself and your business or just want to give your contracts more teeth, this is the episode to get you thinking about putting protection in place before you need it!
To find out more about Michelle, click here.
Connect with her on LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter
Take the Business Health Assessment here.
Time Stamps
01:43 - Michelle discusses her career journey
05:22 - The three tiers of protection
08:10 - Finding the right lawyer for you
11:20 - Building trusting relationships
16:30 - Iron cladding your contracts
20:40 - Getting paid upfront
25:03 - Challenging illegal activity
28:04 - Managing conflicts of interest
33:02 - Being proactive for long-term security
35:01 - Business Health AssessmentThis episode is brought to you by our great friends at Sage!
With the new Sage for Accountants, you can automate daily tasks and unlock not only more efficiency, but more time for valuable client collaboration all
in one place!Learn more or get started for free at thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/sage!
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“The job of a good embezzler is to become the trusted bookkeeper.”
-Ruth KingThe pace of change is exponential, and keeping up with all the new technologies is a real challenge. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We don’t have to chase every new invention; we need only to find the tools that make doing business for ourselves and our clients a little bit easier.
The desire to keep up can lead us into all kinds of online traps. Theft is already a fact of life in business. If we aren’t paying attention, people will try to get away with anything they can. The same is true for AI and other tools. If you aren’t 100% confident in the tools you are using, perhaps it’s time to slow down and get sure.
Trust but verify, not only your people but your tools too. It can be easy to pass off tasks to others, but if we let the pressure of keeping up force us to shift more information out of our eyeline, we can’t be surprised when that trust is taken advantage of.
Ruth King, who is a business advisor and author, is this week's featured guest. She has spent her career helping businesses get and stay profitable, by showing them how to leverage the best tools and processes for the task at hand. In this episode, Ruth and Michael discuss the importance of managing small problems before they get out of hand, protecting yourself and your business from theft, and what it means to have a financially fit business.
If you are struggling to get a grip on the latest tech, need to delegate but are concerned about who and what to trust, or just want to learn more about creating a financially fit business, then this is the episode to get you putting trust in the one place it matters most: yourself.
During this interview, you'll learn...
What theft looks like in the modern age & how to stop it How to create a successful & financially fit business The importance of managing the little things so they don’t get out of handTo find out more about Ruth, click here.
Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Learn more about Financially Fit Business.
Time Stamps
01:26 - Ruth discusses her career journey
03:36 - Fixing problems before they become a crisis
05:30 - Discovering AI
07:42 - Pay attention or face the consequences
12:29 - Be careful what you sign
16:45 - Making a difference
21:39 - Key elements of growth
23:24 - 14 Critical Trend Analysis
26:24 - Financial Fit Business
34:25 - Learning more about Ruth -
“We’re actually biologically positioned and programmed to receive stories. For most of existence, for the hundreds of thousands of years humans have existed on the planet, we have not been able to transfer information in written form from one person to another.”
-Matthew DicksAs bookkeepers, we love the details. We find patterns in them others struggle to see. But sometimes our love of numbers makes it hard to step away from pure and factual resolution. Think about a subject that bores you to tears, then imagine having to listen to a report about it.
How we feel about those things is the same way others feel about bookkeeping. That is why we need something more than the numbers to not only get our clients on board but to keep them long-term. We need stories. We need ways of communicating that connect us through authentic and entertaining lived experiences.
Matthew Dicks, storyteller and bestselling author, is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his career helping others tell their stories in compelling, and authentic ways.
In this episode, he will discuss...
The value of sharing your story with your clients How to tell a story, not read a report The importance of connecting business and story togetherSo, if you are struggling to compete in a market saturated with services. It might be time to think beyond your skills, to how you connect and relate with the people you hope to serve. This is the episode to help you do just that!
To find out more about Matthew, click here.
Connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.
Check out his TED talk, Homework For Life.
Time Stamps
01:18 - Matthew discusses his career journey
05:52 - Reporting vs Storytelling
07:44 - Connecting story to business
15:20 - Building authentic connections
20:27 - Sharing our story
30:58 - Stories sellThis episode is brought to you by our great friends at Hub Analytics!
Imagine having all your financial data in one place, with real-time analytics and customized reports at your fingertips.
Hub Analytics is a financial platform that streamlines bookkeeping operations, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering high-quality results for your clients. With Hub's easy-to-use tools, you’ll save time, reduce errors, and gain deeper insights into your clients' financials!
Ready to take your bookkeeping to the next level?
Book a demo to learn more and start your FREE trial TODAY!
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“Walking is our common denominator in terms of movement, almost all of us walk. It’s a really great place to begin, to teach people about movement.”
-Bruce FertmanOur role as bookkeepers gives us unique insight into the health of a business. We can make sense of the figures in a way our clients would struggle to alone. We find the problems and successes and help our clients to make changes to their business that improve profitability and longevity.
Yet despite this being a critical function of what we do for others, we don’t invest nearly the same amount of time and effort into our own health. We ignore the telltale signs and symptoms in our own bodies in the same way our clients frustrate us by ignoring the areas of challenge in their businesses.
Sitting at our desks may feel productive, but we often spend hours sitting, with bad posture trying to generate the same productivity, creativity and insight we could gain from a 12-minute walk.
Bruce Fertman, co-author of Walking Well and lifetime movement specialist, is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his life helping others find their path to wellness through movement. In this episode, he speaks powerfully about the need to get the basics right, how small changes can make huge differences, and why you should invest in your health the way you do in your work.
If you are feeling run down, exhausted, overwhelmed, or just want even more energy to get things done, then this is the episode for you!
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of investing in your health How to walk for positive change and transformation The importance of getting back to the basicsTo find out more about Bruce, click here.
Connect with him on Facebook.
You can get a copy of Walking Well at this link.
Time Stamps
01:28 - Bruce discusses his career journey
05:35 - The benefits of walking
08:39 - Are you walking enough?
20:52 - Small changes, huge differences
32:36 - Investing time in yourself
37:25 - Going back to basics
46:45 - Learning more about Bruce -
“A lot of people say, ‘Oh retirement, that’s for old people. I don’t need to be thinking about that now.’ But it is just good cash flow management. It's good financial planning. To be thinking not only about what I am spending my money on today as a business owner but also what does this look like in 5, 10, 20 years.”
-Courtenay ShipleyAs bookkeepers, it is our job to help others understand how the flow of money works in and around their business. A critical yet often overlooked part of that, is how we plan for the future. It’s easy to get excited by success, so much so that we don’t feel the need to save for a rainy day. This is true for our clients too. They’ve worked so hard. They want to enjoy the profits of their labour.
When planning for the future, it’s hard to ignore the glaring warnings of our own mortality. This is perhaps why we take the first most accessible retirement plan we find, and let it tick over in the background.
But saving doesn’t have to be from a place of fear in what the future holds, you can create a plan that celebrates your success and keeps you solvent long after you’ve stopped working.
Courtenay Shipley, founder of Retirement Planology is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping businesses navigate the retirement landscape in a way that aligns with their values, saves time and makes their money work harder. In this episode, Courtenay and Michael discuss all things retirement, from finding the right plan to essential resources for success.
If you are finding yourself in a place of success but aren’t sure how to provide yourself and your employees with a plan for the future then this is the episode for you!
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of building long-term financial freedom How to effectively plan for the future The importance of sticking to the planTo find out more about Courtenay, click here.
Connect with with her on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps
01:46 - Courtenay discusses her career journey
05:28 - Planning for the future
08:54 - Finding the right fit
13:47 - Sticking to the plan
16:34 - The essentials of a great retirement plan
18:06 - Building your financial freedom
23:23 - Resources that can help you
25:50 - Getting integrated
28:35 - Learning more from CourtenayThis episode is brought to you by our great friends at Payworks!
If you're looking for a reliable and affordable payroll platform for your business, look no further!
To learn more, visit Payworks.ca TODAY!
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“Oftentimes, we’re our own worst enemy, and so we listen to the one negative comment or the one negative undertone that someone gives us, and we hold onto that.”
-Trixy CastroEvery challenge provides an opportunity for growth. A chance to build a mindset of resilience, that will let us face any problem with a mind to solutions. That bias and barriers to success exist, is not in question. What is in question is how we react to them.
We spend far too much time paying attention to the opinions of people who aren’t paying our bills. It is time to cut out the noise, get focused and start chasing our goals with everything we have in us. Criticism is important, but we must cultivate the ability to filter out whether it is really something about us that we need to work on, or about someone else wanting us to feel as bad as they do.
Trixy Castro, business executive and entrepreneur, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career founding and selling businesses while breaking down every barrier put in her path. She speaks powerfully about the need to build a resilient mindset, embrace challenges as learning experiences and how to get focused on your goals.
If you are struggling with negative self-talk, quitting before you’ve even begun, or after a few bumps in the road, then this is the episode that will set you free of your limiting beliefs and put you on the path to enduring success.
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of embracing challenges as learning opportunities How to build a resilient mindset The importance of getting focused on your goalsTo find out more about Trixy, click here.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps
01:46 - Trixy discusses her career journey
13:35 - The path to success
19:07 - There’s always a way around
22:37 - Building a resilience mindset
27:10 - Getting it done -
“All of a sudden, the customers no longer perceive us as valuable because we failed to reframe the value that we created. The accountant and the bookkeeper’s job should be giving the business owner confidence in their number.”
-Hector GarciaFor as long as we define our value by our skills alone, we will have to bear the threat of replacement. If all we are communicating to our clients is the completion of tasks that could just as easily be automated, we cannot be surprised that automation seems like a better option.
AI is here to stay. If we don’t want to be replaced by it, we have to start reframing what it is our clients are actually paying for. We need to move away from charging for the completion of tasks, towards charging for the relationships and insights we create and offer.
Computers aren’t going to steal our jobs, they are going to enhance them by freeing up more of our time to give clients more personal and meaningful services than just fixing their numbers.
Hector Garcia, a popular YouTuber and CPA, is this episode’s featured guest. In this second half of a two-part series, Michael and Hector discuss the value of doing things differently, and how to build client confidence and stay ahead of the curve.
If you are struggling to innovate, not sure how to get creative with your business or build client confidence, then this is the episode to get you thinking about how to leverage AI rather than be afraid of it.
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of doing things differently How to stay ahead of the curve The importance of building client confidence To find out more about Hector, click here. Connect with him on LinkedIn, YouTube or X. Learn more about Hector's Reframe 2024 and Right Tool App. Click here to listen to Part 1 of this series. Time Stamps
01:34 - Doing things differently
06:04 - Building client confidence
10:14 - Getting ahead of the curve
19:38 - Can’t find the right tool? Build it!
27:17 - Getting started with AI -
“Innovation means always doing it differently, always doing it better. Innovation is not always technology; innovation is providing a different point of view to the status quo.” -Hector Garcia There will always be people more successful than we are. This is only a problem if we decide it's not worth taking any action to better our lives because we’ll never be better than those we idolize. Success doesn’t have to mean being the best. Having a healthy, steadily growing business, with loyal clients and dedicated employees is a feat that should be celebrated. Very few people become well-known overnight, it takes time and the confidence to keep putting yourself out there, even if your numbers are low to start with. The more consistent we are, the faster those numbers begin to rise. Especially when you stop trying to sell people something and start showing them you want to authentically help them. Hector Garcia, CPA and YouTuber, is this episode’s featured guest. In this first of a two-part series, Michael and Hector explore how to successfully market ourselves, the power of an innovation mindset, and why connecting authentically matters. If you are tired of letting other people’s success paralyze you into inaction and want to learn to market yourself better, then this is the episode to get you thinking innovatively about the future of your business. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of putting yourself out there How to embrace an innovation mindset The importance of competing against yourself, not others To find out more about Hector, click here. Connect with Hector on LinkedIn, YouTube or X. Time Stamps 02:48 - Hector discusses his career journey 08:33 - Transitioning to hands-off business 14:55 - Putting yourself out there 21:49 - Success isn’t a zero-sum game
This episode is brought to you by our great friends at BILL!
BILL automates your clients’ AP, AR, spend, and expense, and lets them track and manage their cash flow, in real-time.
You can also use the BILL Accountant Console to access insights to level up your advisory services plus so much more!
To learn how BILL can help you and your clients, and to sign up for the referral program, visit thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/bill.
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“If they don’t have the right mindset and the right willingness to adopt the technology, it's just not going to work.”
-Tim SernettEveryone is different. There will be those who love trying new things and those who are more hesitant to leave their bubble of security. One isn’t better than the other, but when it comes to business, you must consider who is best for you and your business.
If you are someone who loves new technology, systems and processes, it’s probably not the best idea to seek clients who like to be set in their ways and keep things the same. The same is true in the other direction, if you have a tried and tested method, clients that want the latest up-to-date tech as part of your service, aren’t going to be a good fit.
It’s okay, encouraged even, to embrace every kind of new experience you can have, we don’t know what we don’t know, and time spent searching for that one thing or niche that truly sparks joy is not time wasted.
Tim Sernett of Financial Optics is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his career helping clients not only improve their profits but build peace of mind and future security in their businesses. In this episode, Tim and Michael discuss all things technology and much more!
If you are struggling to serve too many people, to the detriment of your true passions, want to embrace new technologies, or just want to give a little more thought to the future, then this is the episode to get you thinking about what your success could look like.
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of embracing opportunities to gain experience How to find your business niche The importance of seeking out the gaps in your businessTo find out more about Tim, click here.
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps
01:53 - Tim discusses his career journey
04:27 - Embracing opportunities to gain experience
09:11 - Future forward thinking
12:29 - Seeking out the gaps in your business
17:44 - Finding your niche
23:30 - Bringing your team with you
27:12 - The value of your knowledge and systems -
“Nowadays I fire people. I fired one client last month. They didn’t even make it two months in. But the way they talked to my staff and scope creep and demanding a lot of things that we never agreed to, I let them go within a month and a half. Where before I would suffer those clients for a year.”
-Tyler OttoIt is natural when starting a business to want to take any clients, no matter how much they demand of us, or how badly they might treat us. We want to be grateful for something because it is better than nothing.
But we don’t have to get stuck in this mindset once our work starts to speak for itself. We can increase our price, and remove negatively impacting clients and employees, without feeling guilty or disloyal.
The goal for our business is growth and hanging on to things that just aren’t working, isn’t going to help us grow.
Tyler Otto, President and Owner of Specialty Bookkeeping and Tax, is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his career building systems for business success. In this episode, Tyler and Michael explore learning from past mistakes, getting your people and systems right, and why building strong workplace culture matters.
If you aren’t sure how to say no to difficult clients, want to hire a strong team, or just develop your company’s culture, then this is the episode to get you thinking about what the future could look like when you embrace your growth.
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of getting it wrong so you know how to get it right How to roll with the punches The importance of building a strong work cultureTo find out more about Tyler, click here.
Connect with Tyler on LinkedIn.
You can listen to the UNAccountable Podcast at this link.
Time Stamps
01:36 - Tyler discusses his career journey
03:05 - Positioning yourself for success
05:16 - Getting it wrong, to get it right
08:36 - Managing problem clients
11:32 - Pricing for your value
16:36 - Rolling with the punches
18:55 - Future thinking
21:43 - Building a strong work culture
27:12 - Setting the rules & sticking to them -
“The number one marketing strategy for bookkeepers, people would say, is 'do a good job and referrals will come.'”
-Debbie RobertsFinding the right people to work in our businesses is tough. Managing expectations on both sides can be challenging, maybe our systems and processes aren’t as great as we hoped, or maybe they just aren’t the right fit for us.
No matter what happens, mistakes are only a waste of time if we refuse to learn from them. When we get things wrong, it gives us a great opportunity to review our practices and see what isn’t working. This will help us understand where the fault lies and how to fix it.
Not everyone wants to be the boss, some just want to turn up and do what they love, but in order to find these people we have to be sure of their skills. You cannot take someone’s word on success. Spend time with them, sit with them and have them show you they can do everything you want them to do, in the way you want them to do it.
Peter Cook, and Debbie Roberts, co-authors of the E-Myth Bookkeeper and co-founders of Pure Bookkeeping, are this episode’s featured guests. This sixth episode regarding The E-Myth Bookkeeper is all about how to hire great people, develop your systems and be relentless in the pursuit of your dreams.
If you are struggling to grow in your business and want to scale but aren’t sure how to find and test the right people for you then this episode will teach you how to build the right systems and then test and hire with confidence.
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of never giving up on your dreams How to hire great people & keep them The importance of systems & processes in your businessTo find out more about Peter, click here or connect with him on LinkedIn.
To learn more about Debbie, visit this link or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Get your copy of The E-Myth Bookkeeper.
To learn about Pure Bookkeeping, visit this link.
Catch-up on the full E-Myth Bookkeeper Peter Cook podcast series with past episodes below!
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Time Stamps
01:21 - The Successful Bookkeeper
05:27 - Debbie’s story
09:34 - Developing your systems
18:52 - Finding the right people for you
30:54 - Embracing what you’re good at
This episode is brought to you by Pure Bookkeeping. It's the proven system to grow your bookkeeping business. - Vis mere
