The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast is a weekly show to help increase your confidence, work smarter and build a business you love. Each week you'll listen to inspiring guests who will share their success secrets, so you can take your bookkeeping enterprise and life to another level. Some of them include New York Times Best-Selling Author of E-Myth, Michael E. Gerber, Pure Bookkeeping Co-Founder, Debbie Roberts, the host of The Productive Woman podcast, Laura McClellan and the author of *I Know How She Does It*, Laura Vanderkam. If you're a bookkeeping business owner who is looking for an uplifting, entertaining and informative podcast exclusively for YOU then you have arrived at the right place! Get ready because your journey towards success begins — now. Your Host Michael Palmer is an acclaimed business coach who has helped hundreds of bookkeepers across the world push through their fears and exponentially grow their businesses and achieve the quality of life they've always wanted.
EP392: Andrew Seguin - How To Build A Thriving Bookkeeping Business - Part 2
“If you charge a bit more, and you’re in that sweet spot, you will just naturally get more clients, who can appreciate, or want to pay those extra dollars per hour.” -Andrew Seguin There will always be more clients. It is hard to shake a scarcity mindset, but the truth is, if you are good at what you do, there will always be people willing to pay a premium to have you do it for them. We have to apply our passion and love for what we do, not only in how we price our clients but how we pay our employees. In your bookkeeping business, you get to decide what you say yes to, and critically, what you say no to. Getting something done cheaply, doesn’t often guarantee a successful and long-lasting outcome. But neither does overcharging for skills and services we don’t possess. We have to find the sweet spot, the place where our skill and the price for it align. When you find that spot for your business and own your value, you’ll
05/12/2023 • 40 minutes 11 seconds
EP391: Andrew Seguin - Business Tips For Overcoming Fear & Self-Doubt - Part 1
“Our industry is in such a huge demand, and no matter what, we can have a whole conversation about AI, but bookkeepers in general that can really understand a client’s businesses financial health, will never go away.” -Andrew Seguin Many of us have the desire to build our own businesses. To become masters of our own destiny. Yet we also often feel crippling self-doubt, like we are imposters, pretenders in a sea of people far more talented than we are. The truth is, no one knows what will happen when we start a business. Planning matters, effective systems, and processes matter, but what matters the most is a willingness to try even though we may fail. In this first of a two-part series, Andrew Seguin, Founder of Seguin Financial, dives into what it means to overcome our fears, build community, leave the safe harbour, and forge our own path. Andrew has spent his career helping businesses reach their potential, by streamlini
28/11/2023 • 33 minutes 41 seconds
EP390: Zach Montroy - How To Build A Brave Workplace
“Culture always defaults to the worst behavior that we allow. And I think that is true of our leadership as well.” -Zach Montroy All of us have had experiences of toxic or unhealthy workplace cultures. While a healthy culture is everyone’s responsibility to co-create and maintain, office power dynamics are normally structured from the top down. It is the leaders who have to set the tone and make sure everyone has what they need to show up motivated, knowing they will be supported in their work. It is easy to identify what makes us feel good, but just because we have positive success in one area doesn’t mean there aren’t areas for improvement. If we want our businesses to truly thrive, we have to practice the hard conversations and be in a positive state of leadership, leaning away from command and control and being open to hearing some tough truths. Zach Montroy, founder and CEO at the Intention Collective, is this episode
21/11/2023 • 29 minutes 11 seconds
EP389: Danielle Hendon - How To Bridge The Gaps In Your Bookkeeping Business
“Going those first few years on that solopreneur route can be very lonely at times and finding people that you can talk to and collaborate with and learn and grow from is huge.” -Danielle Hendon Building a business is all about bridging gaps and creating connections. Between yourself and your clients, your team, and your network. But before we can build anything successful, we have to be confident and sure in our own abilities. If we can’t articulate what it is we can bring to clients that no one else can, how can we expect them to choose us, or have faith in our abilities? When you know what it is you love to do, it makes it much easier to create links with others that can fill the gaps in your ability. If you love spending time doing the numbers, but find all of your time taken by marketing or client contact, are you really any better off doing it alone than you
14/11/2023 • 32 minutes 34 seconds
EP388: Bridget Hilton - Living A Life With No Regrets
“I’m all about making money, but at the same time, we are taught our whole life that money is the answer to everything, and it’s really not. Because at the end of your life, you don’t think about your wallet.” -Bridget Hilton Life is short. We know this all too well, and yet rarely make changes to ensure we are living a life without regret. Research shows that we feel the loss and regret of the thing not done, far more than the things we did, but got wrong. Not only that, but our biggest mistakes often prove to be the greatest factors in our growth. Teaching us and pushing us beyond what we thought it was possible to endure, allowing us to expand in emotional and intellectual intelligence and problem-solving. Our choices ripple out into the world around us, when we think about what it means to live a life without regret, consider your legacy, your ripples, and whether they left the world better or worse. At the end of our
07/11/2023 • 39 minutes 53 seconds
EP387: Brittany Hodak - The Super Model: The Value Of Creating Superfans
“If you want to turn your customers into superfans, being good is not going to cut it, you have got to be super!” -Brittany Hodak We’d all like for our potential clients to pick us over the competition, yet we often struggle to communicate our experience and value in a way that speaks to the heart of the customers we want to work with. Awareness of your business isn’t the issue; it is apathy that kills revenue. If you can’t clearly communicate why potential clients should care about what you do, how can you expect them to care? Once you communicate your value and it reasonates with people then do great work for them, you can create superfans who recommend you to everyone they know. If we can delight clients with every aspect of their experience with us, they will always come back. But more importantly, they become brand ambassadors, which will add more value than any paid marketing. Brittany Hodak, a Customer Experi
31/10/2023 • 44 minutes 15 seconds
EP386: Spotlight - Nick Chandi - Revolutionizing Payments With Instant Services
“I have been a small business owner, and I know when you are short of cash, that three or four days of time, if you could get that money early, that could be a game-changing event for your life.” -Nick Chandi The world is constantly changing, and the pace of that change has never been quicker. Despite this, North America is lagging behind Asia in its adoption of instantaneous payment technologies. We may have digital transactions and payments that seem instant, but even these rely on an old system of checks and balances within our banks to resolve. Nick Chandi, CEO and co-founder of Forwardly is this spotlight session's special guest. He helped create the first real-time payment solution for small businesses in the United States. Creating a platform that can automatically reconcile transactions for a more seamless and modern payment workflow. The old ways are comfortable, but we live in an on-demand economy, we want faste
26/10/2023 • 30 minutes 2 seconds
EP385: Nicolas Boucher - Speaking The Same Language: Communicating With AI
“A good manager is not anymore managing people, but also managing tools…if you give the right instructions, you can manage an army of robots…combining that with your team, and combining that with your robot team, then you can be a great manager.” -Nicolas Boucher Artificial intelligence is here to stay, like all great technological revolutions, it can feel scary to have our foundations shaken. That is why it has never been more important to be able to adapt and go with the flow. To ride the wave of AI to new heights in your bookkeeping business, rather than hope it passes you by. It is important to remember that what we think of as AI, isn’t a truly sentient lifeform. It is an incredibly complex program for sifting through the collected knowledge of mankind, faster than any one human could do alone. But it is still us, when it generates answers, it takes that knowledge from everyone who has faced that issue and posited an answer
24/10/2023 • 39 minutes 32 seconds
EP384: Paige Papaioannou - How To Build A Business That Works For You
“Having a community to support me, it just was instrumental. It's something you can't talk to your friends and family about. They just don’t get it.” -Paige Papaioannou Not everything is as easy as the internet makes it seem. But thanks to the internet, there is a wealth of information and possibilities for connection with people on a similar journey to you. By being in a community of like-minded people, you can learn from the mistakes of others and support one another. Paige Papaioannou, owner of Books By Paige, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping businesses thrive through her expert accounting and advisory services. In her conversation with Michael, they explore what it's like to build a business that works for you, not one you are left trapped working in. By creating systems and processes that make the work that you and your team easy to replicate, you’ll create a bookkeeping business that
17/10/2023 • 34 minutes 24 seconds
EP383: Deb Mashek - The Power Of Collaboration
“By having the opportunity to work with, and work beside, and learn next to, and learn with people who have a different vantage point on whatever the problem is… when we get to be with that other person, our ability to understand the complexity actually increases, and that’s where we are able to innovate more impressive solutions.” -Deb Mashek The better we are at collaborating, the more likely it is that people will want to work with us. Yet so many of us struggle to work effectively with others. What happens when we sit and ask ourselves what collaboration really means? Are we only happy when we are getting our own way? What does it really feel like and mean to co-create something with other people? These are big questions, but they matter if we are to get to the heart of why it is we need to work with other people. Balance is critical, as is a mutual respect for our skills and the skills of others. If we are able to set effect
10/10/2023 • 37 minutes 54 seconds
EP382: Natalie Ruskin - Finding Your Why: The Metrics That Matter
“One of the biggest barriers I experience is my own distractibility, my own attention and how I am focusing it.” -Natalie Ruskin What we show others on the outside, is often not aligned with how we feel on the inside. There is real pressure to present a certain way to be considered successful in business. But the reality is, we all have different ways of working and being and we all need help from time-to-time to understand what it is that really matters to us. This is a challenge when negative beliefs can be so addictive. We sabotage ourselves so others don’t, or just to make the pressure of doing things we don’t love, stop. We will never feel at peace until our outer projection aligns with our inner one. We have to stop seeking to show people we are successful, and live being successful. When we bring awareness to each moment in a non-judgmental way, we can see more clearly the things that truly matter to us. Na
03/10/2023 • 42 minutes 39 seconds
EP381: Cara Steinmann - The Importance Of Networking From Your Core
“When you like somebody and they do good work, you’re going to refer them. I want my friends to win, I want everybody that I like to win, for their businesses to succeed and for them to enjoy it.” -Cara Steinmann Networking is tough. We have all received an email or LinkedIn DM, selling us hard on a person’s skills. On their unique ability to fix problems we (because we aren’t them) are unable to solve. The people using these methods must have some success, or they wouldn’t be so prolific, but for most of us, this way of doing things gives us the immediate YUCK. What would your network look like if instead of thinking about how you could sell your skills to others, you focused on what you could learn instead? If you connect with people who inspire and motivate you, not to sell them your skills but to develop them further. Cara Steinmann, founder of The Ravel Collective & host of the Ravel Radio podcast, is this episode's
26/09/2023 • 1 hour 7 minutes 12 seconds
EP380: Jennifer Hume - The Importance Of Owning Your Value
“I think that the future of bookkeeping really lies in the advisory portion of bookkeeping. I think that we are at the point in technology where we no longer necessarily need a person to do the data entry.” -Jennifer Hume It is hard to know our own value. We often undervalue ourselves while overvaluing the skills and abilities of others. Shifting our mindset to one that balances these opposing points of view is the first step in building the kind of future in our businesses that we often covet in others. Technology is progressing ever faster, and it can make us feel like we can’t keep up and that our skills aren’t as valuable in the face of AI. But AI is sourced from us, and while it may be the future of our systems and processes, we are a very long way away from it being able to convert all that information into truly nuanced and helpful advice. Jennifer Hume, owner of Coronation Bookkeeping & Tax Services, is this episod
19/09/2023 • 30 minutes 38 seconds
EP379: Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan - Tips To Get Your Business Back On Track
“It was like I’m on a boat and I’m either working on my navigation charts, or I’m bailing, bailing, bailing…and what I didn’t do was look up at the horizon to see, hey wait a minute, we have drifted off course and I really needed to be holding the rudder.” -Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan Running a business is hard at the best of times, let alone when we are struck by the unexpected. Despite this, we feel a need to conceal the damage and its effect on us. We throw ourselves into even more work, in the hope that if we just keep doing everything all the time, we will find our way out. But if we don’t stop to take stock of where we actually are and where we want to be, we will keep blindly spinning in circles until there is nothing left. Taking a pause might seem like the end of the world, it can feel embarrassing to explain to clients that you aren’t the right fit right now, that you need time to get things in order so you can go further in t
12/09/2023 • 37 minutes 4 seconds
EP378: Andrea Driessen - The Secrets To Improving Your Communication Skills
“I am just obsessed with helping people get results, because otherwise why are we reaching out to the community?” -Andrea Driessen The first port of call when looking for a business to support our needs is often a quick Google search. The words, pictures and videos on that business website influence our decisions long before we ever meet the person behind the site. Despite this, many of us don’t put much stock in how we are talking about ourselves and what we do online, or in person. Andrea Driessen, a TEDx speaker and award-winning author, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career challenging people to think differently about the ways they engage with others. Taking businesses from being all about the individual to all about the services they can provide to their clients. If you are struggling to write about yourself, create videos about what you do, or find it hard to talk to people in a concise a
05/09/2023 • 38 minutes 51 seconds
EP377: Brittany Dixon - Everything You Need To Get Productive In Your Business
“It really is a service that you’re selling. And I think separating that from yourself is massive, because if you tie it to yourself and people keep saying no, it’s going to take a hit to your confidence. There's a lot of mindset that goes into it.” -Brittany Dixon Productivity is more than filling a calendar with as many events and clients as possible. To be truly productive, we have to be moving towards our ideal of business success. Whether that is scaling the business, freeing up time or earning more money. Often, we overestimate how quickly we can get things done; we also underestimate how much work we actually have to do. When was the last time you blocked off time in your calendar for your admin, rather than tackling it at any and all hours of the day and night? Brittany Dixon, CEO of Brittany & Co Consulting, is this episode's featured guest. She has spent
29/08/2023 • 33 minutes 31 seconds
EP376: Carla Caldwell - The Importance Of Mastering Delegation
“We’ve got to invest in ourselves, and if we’re too busy working on the wrong things, as a leader, we’ve got to invest in the future and be looking forward.” -Carla Caldwell How busy we are has a direct link to how successful and useful we feel. The problem with this comes from busying ourselves with monotonous and repetitive, easy-to-do tasks that take our attention and time away from the things only we can do. Delegating tasks isn’t easy, maybe we haven’t given effective training or set the necessary expectations, or maybe we are micromanaging and giving ourselves twice the work. Delegation is a balance, one in which you must trust your leadership skills to have the things that can be done by anyone organized for you, freeing up your time, energy and intention towards the things only you can do. Carla Caldwell, founder of Caldwell Consulting & Training, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping
22/08/2023 • 34 minutes 22 seconds
EP375: Erin Daiber - Leading With A Growth Mindset
“We’re not going to go back to the way it used to be. We have to accept where we are and explore how to move forward from here.” -Erin Daiber What makes a great leader? This isn’t a question with only one answer. That is why good leadership is so rare. Being successful in the moment is no good if it makes us unwilling to adapt to change, in the same way being scared of the flow of the future limits us from making confident and decisive choices for our businesses. Leadership though, has never been about what we tell people to do. It is how we work and grow with our teams and clients. How we adapt to changes and stressors, the way we treat people under pressure and how we value and care for ourselves and others. Erin Daiber, CEO of Well Balanced Accountants, is this episode’s featured guest. She speaks to the need for a growth mindset in good leadership, one that champions adaptability, self-care, and communication, t
15/08/2023 • 33 minutes 30 seconds
EP374: Joey Coleman - How To Build Long-Term Relationships With Your Employees & Clients
“If you don’t have the right bookkeeper, your business is not going to be around very long!” -Joey Coleman Building a business is often a process of trial and error. We adapt to crises as they happen, rather than planning and preparing to avoid them in the first place. This is true not only in how we take on clients, (clients that prove to be more work than we thought) but also in how we hire new employees. Hiring anyone to just fill a seat then wondering why they aren’t performing is a common issue among new businesses. We forget it is us who must teach our employees, on top of all the other demands of business. When you systematize your processes and prioritize employee engagement and client satisfaction, you’ll create a business that not only retains clients and employees for longer but creates a blueprint for anyone to slip into and create success for you. Joey Coleman, a speaker and author, is this episode's f
08/08/2023 • 47 minutes 30 seconds
EP373: Spotlight - Jamie Beresford - Understanding The Future Of Cyber Safety
“Storage isn’t what’s attacked, it's access. People steal access, they steal credentials, usernames and passwords from users, and access data illegally from anywhere, it's not about the location.” -Jamie Beresford As the tools that help make running our business evolve, so too are the tools scammers and fraudsters apply against us. Keeping our businesses and clients safe from data theft is not easy. Most of us are bookkeepers, not cyber security specialists. In this latest spotlight episode, Jamie Beresford, the CEO of Practice Protect, discusses what it takes to control access to client data, manage and mitigate risks and keep ourselves safe online. Jamie’s company works exclusively with bookkeepers to keep us protected from the bad actors online who use AI and other technology to gain access to our data. While ransomware and denial of service attacks can cause us grief, newer technology is allowing fraudsters to slip i
03/08/2023 • 27 minutes 38 seconds
EP372: Amanda McKinney - The Importance Of Courage In Building Confidence
“When we know the why, we’ll figure out the how!” -Amanda McKinney We all aspire to be confident. To have faith in our skills and conviction of trust in our knowledge that any challenge can be overcome. The problem is confidence is built through trial and error. Is it any wonder so many of us are paralyzed into inaction when we want the confidence to act, but lack it because we haven’t done the very thing that creates it. It is okay to be scared and to lack confidence. What matters most is connecting to your true reason for creating your business. If you know for sure what your why is, you will keep moving toward it no matter the obstacles and unforeseen challenges put in your way. Amanda McKinney, host of The Unapologetic Entrepreneur Podcast and author, is this episode's featured guest. She has spent her career following her passion to help business owners define their own success and create businesses that build into
01/08/2023 • 41 minutes 39 seconds
EP371: Lisa Campbell - Build A Brighter Future By Finding Your Why
“I wanted to show people the path that I took, avoiding all the mistakes that I made. And just do the direct line from A to B.” -Lisa Campbell Our businesses often begin from the intersection of our desire for financial security with something we are good at. But in creating a business we often fail to ask ourselves a basic but important question… Why? Why are we doing this? Is it just for the money, a desire to help people, wanting to feel or be seen as successful? How will you ever get to an ‘end’ result for your business if you don’t know why you are doing it beyond earning money and if the goal is just to earn money, what would happen if you looked deeper at your plans for your money? Lisa Campbell, founder of Accelerate 2 Advisor, is this episode's featured guest. She has spent her career helping people find the proven path to success. By starting with finding your why and following tried and tested methods fo
25/07/2023 • 33 minutes 17 seconds
EP370: Julie Daniluk - Unlocking The Secrets To A Long & Healthy Life
“People don’t realize that they always think ‘I eat as a reflex to being stressed’, but you can reverse engineer it and choose foods that shut down your stress response.” -Julie Daniluk For many of us, the goal of building a successful business is centred around the hopes that we have to provide security and freedom for ourselves and our families. Unfortunately, the drive to create this success is often the thing that causes us to fall back on unhealthy ways of living. Stress causes a vast number of chronic health conditions that ultimately end up restricting our ability to live happily, coupled with a poor diet from spending all our time working and spending large chunks of the day immobile at our desks. A pattern of poor health begins to emerge that can have serious consequences on our long-term health. Julie Daniluk is a nutritionist, best-selling author
18/07/2023 • 38 minutes 9 seconds
EP369: Jessica Fox - The Significance Of Cultivating Community & Connection - Part 2
“When you’re faced with decisions, don’t necessarily jump on what will be the next logical step of growth, always come back to, ‘Why did you start your business and what do you want to get out of it?’” -Jessica Fox What is right for you? There is enormous value in community connection, in group thinking to solve complex issues and create spaces for the sharing of best practices. But when trying to overcome limiting beliefs, too much time spent in the crowd can add pressure we don’t need to be successful. Your definition of success matters, if you only ever set out to build a business that would support your needs, of course, you are going to feel stressed and pressured by the people around you with different or ‘bigger’ dreams. In this second part of a two-part interview with Jessica Fox, owner of Florida Virtual Bookkeeper, she explores what it means to value yourself and so much more! During this intervi
11/07/2023 • 27 minutes 51 seconds
EP368: Jessica Fox - The Secrets To Overcoming Limiting Beliefs - Part 1
“I need the community to be able to bounce ideas for, to be inspired by, and I find it’s also very rewarding to pay it forward, helping someone else charges my battery. I ride this high the rest of the day because I helped make someone else’s journey better.” -Jessica Fox We have all experienced limiting beliefs, whether in our personal or professional lives. We whisper to ourselves. “I’m not good enough”, “I can’t do this” or “Everyone else is so much better at this than me.” The way we talk to and about ourselves becomes who we are. Negative self-talk becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, trapping us into existing in constant doubt and insecurity. Despite all of us knowing how uncomfortable these feelings are, we often never stop to realize, it is us who have willed them into being with our own beliefs. But, if it is possible for us to fe
04/07/2023 • 35 minutes 33 seconds
EP367: Jeffrey Klubeck - Overcoming The Curse Of Knowledge
“Nobody is immune from the curse of knowledge. The curse of knowledge is when we become so familiar with something that we, all of a sudden, do not know what it's like to not know.” -Jeffrey Klubeck If knowledge is power, then wisdom might be considered the right application of knowledge. Too often the curse of knowledge boxes us into ways of thinking and being that become inescapable. That prevents innovation, connection, and creativity from blooming with anyone who doesn’t think or act the same as we do. We expect accountability and responsibility from others but don’t often stop to consider how responsible we are, and how open we are to being held to account by others. When so many of the ways we view responsibility are based on judgement, holding ourselves and others to account, can feel like an attack on our very nature. Jeffrey Klubeck (who is an author, speaker, mentor and coach) is this episode’s featured guest. He
27/06/2023 • 42 minutes 49 seconds
EP366: Carol Bowser - The Conflict Management Crash Course
“If we don’t have that follow through, then maybe we just dampen something, but don’t actually make a substantive change.” -Carol Bowser Everyone has different expectations on how things should be done, and how we should be recognized for doing them. Conflict arises when our differing expectations on workplace culture, autonomy and deliverables aren’t met. While fights in the office might seem like the height of drama, it is the same every day, trainable and avoidable issues that lead to toxic workplaces. If not fixed, this death by a thousand cuts will see everything you loved about your business drain away. Which asks the big often unasked question, who is responsible for conflict? Not just in the sense of who is causing it, but who should be the one to fix it? This is where Carol Bowser, President of Conflict Manag
20/06/2023 • 36 minutes 41 seconds
EP365: Beth Blaney - The Secrets Of Successful Goal Setting
“I did a lot of things wrong, but I still got here. You’re going to make mistakes, and you’re going to do, quote ‘the wrong thing’ and being able to learn from that and correct moving forward is how you’re going to build a business.” -Beth Blaney Goal setting isn’t easy when starting a business. Far too often when starting out, we set random (often unattainable) goals. Goals that make us feel like failures if we don’t reach them, even if we have had amazing successes in other ways. Rather than setting an ambiguous goal, what would it look like to decide what you wanted your future to look like and work back from there? It is rare for anyone to get everything right from the get-go. That is why community and mentorship matter. The sooner we surround ourselves with the people who have walked this path before, the fewer mistakes we will make following their example. Beth Blaney, the CEO of BBA Bookkeeping, is this epi
13/06/2023 • 37 minutes 47 seconds
EP364: Gina Cotner - Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Virtual Assistants
“Everybody ultimately wants to be the surgeon. Ultimately, you want to do the part of bookkeeping, that had you become a bookkeeper and had you open a bookkeeping business.” -Gina Cotner Taking on an assistant can sometimes feel like a burden. When we are already overwhelmed, the last thing we need is a new person in the mix, one we have to train, oversee and constantly course correct to get things done the way we want them to be. Not to mention the additional cost of a new hire. But hiring an assistant doesn't have to be like this. A small shift in mindset can have a dramatic impact on your bookkeeping business. Rather than thinking about the cost and time spent hiring and training an assistant. Imagine how much more profitable your business would be if you spent the time you are currently using on repetitive and monotonous tasks, doing the high-level work in your business. Gina Cotner, CEO and founder of Athena Executiv
06/06/2023 • 42 minutes 40 seconds
EP363: Mark Kappleman - How To Find The Niche Within The Niche
“We’re testing these same services in my business, seeing what’s working, what’s not. And then going out to the marketplace and saying, ‘We know you have this problem, would you be interested in letting us help you?’” -Mark Kappleman When getting started in business there is often a pressure to be a generalist, to try and learn and do everything for any possible client. But, there is nothing wrong with combining your skills and experience with all those clients and your own passions to specialize in the niche that perfectly suits you. Letting go of clients is hard. It is tough to shake the scarcity mindset. Imagine, however, all of the people who could be served by your unique knowledge, not to mention the relief found when you’re not dealing with twenty different problems in one day. Instead, applying your expertise in ONE area to twenty different clients. <di
30/05/2023 • 32 minutes 37 seconds
EP362: Jessica Lackey - How To Design A Sustainable Vision
“You’re juggling balls in the air, and some are rubber, and some are glass. If you’re going to let a ball drop, don’t let it be a glass one.” -Jessica Lackey It is unfortunate, but we often have to suffer to learn what it is we truly value. It is okay to make mistakes, but if we get to a point where mistakes are our dominant choices, it is time to reach out for help. There are many different measures of success. To some it is financial security at any cost, taking on as many clients as possible, even if the quality of the work begins to slip. To others, helping clients improve their businesses is the mark of success. In any case, what we choose to do, and what we choose to get help with has a dramatic impact on our business’ viability. Especially the way in which we outsource tasks to others. Throwing tasks at people because we are too overwhelmed only doubles the workload in chasing and checking the work to see if it has
23/05/2023 • 29 minutes 28 seconds
EP361: Sally Helgesen - How To Bridge The Communication Divide
“What story are we telling ourselves about why they don’t get it? Then, finding a way around that and asking the question…what unites us?” -Sally Helgesen Communication is the cornerstone of business. Yet despite this many of us struggle to communicate with people different from ourselves. Not only that, but we also find it uncomfortable to effectively communicate our value and worth to others too. So many of our issues arise out of a need to ‘prove’ our point of view. We are so busy trying to tell other people they are wrong; we stop living right. We withdraw from people different from ourselves or become just like them in our disregard for their opinion or their right to it. What would happen if instead of trying to tell people what to think, we focused inward, on removing our own internal barriers, and went out into the world open to different people and points of view? Focus not only on what we hope to get from others
16/05/2023 • 37 minutes 36 seconds
EP360: Christina Foxwell - How To Ignite Your Purpose: Learn The Power Of A Peaceful Mindset
“You’ve got to do the work in yourself first, otherwise we can’t do the work in our practices.” -Christina Foxwell All too often we are consumed by the idea of competition, that to be successful means constantly proving ourselves in every room we enter. While a certain amount of competition can be a driving force for growth, too much makes us a nervous wreck, so concerned with how we are showing up, we have no space or energy to learn anything new. By changing our mindsets from one that constantly feels the need to prove ourselves, to one that seeks peace and calm understanding, we are better able to show up for ourselves, our clients, and our businesses. Being mindful of the reasons behind our behaviors and choices is a great way to reframe and refocus on what is truly important, and whether our current mindset is serving us well, or just a habit we have come to rely on. A habit that is more damaging than good. Ch
09/05/2023 • 39 minutes 1 second
EP359 - Dr. Karen Doll - How To Build Psychological Fitness
“I like the idea of considering the workplace to become a source of well-being, rather than a source of distress.” -Dr. Karen Doll As bookkeepers, we understand the finite nature of available resources. We find the balance in our clients’ books. And yet when it comes to ourselves, we often don’t consider the nature of our own available resources. This could be our emotional capacity, our time or our energy. We work flat out, not stopping to consider the long-term impact on our physical, mental and emotional well-being. Taking time to evaluate of our needs and allocate the necessary resources to keep us happy and healthy isn’t selfish. The selfish act is burning ourselves out and putting our clients’ resources or our employees’ jobs at risk by overpromising and under-delivering due to burnout. Dr. Karen Doll, a consulting psychologist with over 25 years of experience, is this episode's featured guest. She has spent her care
02/05/2023 • 32 minutes 12 seconds
EP358 - Stephan Wiedner - How To Build A Better Workplace
“It’s like following a leader off of a cliff… just because they said jump, you jump. You want to be able to have that freedom to be able to push back and disagree and think about it.” -Stephan Wiedner It isn’t easy to speak up in the workplace. A lack of psychological safety often prevents us from being as honest and open as we might be with others. This kind of disingenuous polite agreement stifles innovation, costs you money, and affects your employees' and clients' sense of engagement with your business. As with all things worth getting right, balance is required. To navigate safely between creating dictatorial workplaces where only the leader’s thought matters, or free-for-alls where so many points, thoughts and ideas are put forward, finding direction becomes impossible. Stephan Wiedner, psychological safety expert and CEO of Noomii.com and Zarango.com, is this episode's featured guest. He has spent his career educa
25/04/2023 • 40 minutes 41 seconds
EP357: Crystalynn Shelton - How To Ensure Client Success
“You’ve got to take time out to take care of yourself or there will be no business.” -Crystalynn Shelton Bookkeepers at our core, desire to help people. We love to take the parts of business others struggle with and make it simple for them. But this desire to help can sometimes lead us into uncomfortable and unfair relationships with our clients. Working for someone, doesn’t mean you have to do everything they say, the moment they say it. While it can be a struggle to stand up for ourselves, especially when just starting out, setting boundaries and being clear about expectations are two of the best things you can do for your personal health and well-being, and the success of your bookkeeping business. Crystalynn Shelton, teacher, author and owner of her own consulting business is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping businesses achieve success they couldn’t have dreamed of before. She has made it
18/04/2023 • 38 minutes 26 seconds
EP356: Alex Frolek - How To Become More Than "Just" A Bookkeeper
“We aim to truly be seen and act like partners in their business and we’re right there along with them.” -Alex Frolek We will never be successful if we look at our client’s success as separate from our own. Of course, there is nothing wrong with just doing the books. But over years of bookkeeping, our accumulated knowledge and experience are invaluable when applied to the success of others. When getting started as a bookkeeper, or in any business, the temptation is to go at it alone and focus only on what will make your business stable. You might take on a huge number of clients priced by the hour, only to find a year later, you might lose more than half your business by switching to a value-based pricing structure. Getting connected with like-minded people can help you avoid the pitfalls of business while engaging you with a community of people who love helping others. This drive to help is often the reason we became book
11/04/2023 • 33 minutes 14 seconds
EP355: Spotlight - Adrienne Barrett - How To Unlock The Power Of Your Own Plan
“The numbers don’t lie, but they don’t tell the whole story.” -Adrienne Barrett Planning is something we have all struggled with, most of us find it hard to plan for the worst, afraid of willing those scenarios into existence. Even fewer of us plan for success. Plan for what it might look like should all of our hard work pay off and our business grows beyond our ability to manage it alone. This plan paralysis puts us into a state of reaction, putting out fires after they have started, rather than looking at the data and relationships around us and removing the potentially flammable elements. Effective planning isn’t just about how we run our business, it plays a critical role in who we hire to help us run it. It can be hard to look at ourselves through an honest lens without inducing more plan panic, but needing help, the kind that fills in our gaps and frees our time and energy for the things we love, isn’t the mark of f
06/04/2023 • 32 minutes 19 seconds
EP354: Becky Daniels - Business Building: How To Set Small Goals To Achieve Big Ones
“The mission of my business is building a business that serves my family, instead of my family serving a business.” -Becky Daniels Being good at a certain thing doesn’t always mean you will be good at running it as a business too. There is an ever-expanding demand for bookkeeping advisory services, as more businesses become aware they are missing out on a wealth of benefits while they try to focus on delivering their product or service. There is so much demand that it can feel like you have to take every client that comes your way. But if you find your niche and excel in it, clients will be beating down your door, not to mention paying a premium for your knowledge and experience. Building a scalable bookkeeping business isn’t easy, especially when all the processes live in your head. When you have well-documented processes, it makes it easy to help others get the same results you are. Becky Daniels, owner of Danie
04/04/2023 • 33 minutes 5 seconds
EP353: Karen Wickre - How To Take The Work Out Of Networking
“It is really important for people to feel like, ‘I’m in touch with people I trust.'" –Karen Wickre Building meaningful connections isn’t easy, especially online. We have all felt an internal cringe at connecting with someone on LinkedIn only to be hard-sold their product or service. Some of us may even be a little guilty of doing that too! But networking is about more than having the confidence to make demands of strangers. Building a network is about connecting with people you share similar interests with, people you not only think may help you, but people you know you can help. Jobs and clients have never been more fluid than they are right now, those who spend time on their networks are more equipped to go with the flow and trust that their good service will be repaid in kind. Karen Wickre, a veteran connector, editor, communicator and author, has spent her extensive career, with postings at Google and Twitter
28/03/2023 • 42 minutes 28 seconds
EP352: Heidi Adams - How To Streamline Your Bookkeeping Business To Reclaim Your Time
“But the problem was, I was the one who knew how to do everything, and I didn’t get it out to my staff very well.” -Heidi Adams Stepping out on your own can be scary, but if you have a real love for what you do, you’ll never really work a day in your life. Sometimes our own successes can overwhelm us. Afraid we will never get a referral again, we take on as many as we can. Many of us run this way for years, unable to shift our mindset toward a more sustainable way of doing business. The toll a business takes on our time and energy is massive, so much so we hardly even have time to notice or fix the cracks. But cracks are never miraculously fixed and always end up leaving huge gaps. Be that in time to finally fix them, or money to repair them. Heidi Adams, owner of HLA Bookkeeping, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping businesses maximize their potential by streamlining systems and process
21/03/2023 • 35 minutes 22 seconds
EP351: Shannon Lavender - How To Design The Bookkeeping Business You Want
“I love the accounting ability to be able to fix problems for people and make things better. But, I also have to learn there is a certain point where I need to be doing them for me, so my systems are in place.” -Shannon Lavender Too often we design our businesses solely on the people we wish to emulate. The ones we call successful. We get stuck in habits and patterns of trying to live a life that is not authentic, of trying to create a business that doesn’t align with our true dreams. But it doesn’t have to be this way, there is space to learn from others while holding true to what it is that makes you happy. Shannon Lavender, small business owner, QuickBooks Pro Advisor and Pure Bookkeeping licensee, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent 20+ years helping people build their dreams, by finding, building and using the right systems for them. If you are struggling, unsure which direction to move to ch
14/03/2023 • 32 minutes 37 seconds
EP350: Sandeep Chennakeshu - How To Build A Resilient Bookkeeping Business
“I wrote this book for people who want to learn how to build and run a business, and hopefully not make the same mistakes I made.” -Sandeep Chennakeshu Starting a new business isn’t easy. It requires us to get very good at a lot of different things. Once we get used to wearing so many different hats, it can be hard to let go and trust in others to help scale our businesses to new heights. It is comfortable to complain about the issues in our business, but much harder to focus on and be attentive to solutions instead. What would happen to your bookkeeping business if you empowered yourself and your employees to transform complaints into requests? To say I need help with this, rather than I hate doing this by myself. Sandeep Chennakeshu, former CTO of Eriksson, business transformation expert and author, is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his career helping people transform the way their businesses run, by build
07/03/2023 • 42 minutes 57 seconds
EP349: Mindy Morrison - Networking For A Successful Bookkeeping Business
“If you can say your 30-second commercial while you’re holding marbles and a glass of water, you can say it at a networking event much more easily.” -Mindy Morrison It can sometimes feel like we have a never-ending checklist of things to do before we can even begin to start our business or follow our dreams. We build an idea in our head of what success is, not realizing we are often creating unnecessary barriers instead, ones that block us from just taking the leap and doing the work that really matters. Self-made obstacles and the belief that we have to do it on our own, are two of the biggest business killers. When you start to look at what other people in the industry are doing and reach out to build connections, you will find so many like-minded individuals jumping at the chance to help you avoid the mistakes they made. Mindy Morrison, owner of Back Office People, is this episode's featured guest. She has spent her ca
28/02/2023 • 33 minutes 1 second
EP348: Spotlight - Shawn Coultice - How To Unlock The Hidden Profits In Manufacturing Bookkeeping Services
“It seems slightly daunting, but at the end of the day, it is pretty straightforward, and man can bookkeepers add a lot of value to a manufacturing business.” -Shawn Coultice Have you ever considered a manufacturing bookkeeping niche for your business? Some bookkeepers focus on dentists or lawyers, but why not manufacturing companies? In this episode, our host, Louie Prosperi will explore further with the Head of Channel Partnerships at Katana, Shawn Coultice. Katana is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that helps manufacturers track their inventory, manage their sales plus much more. It is a daunting task to constantly manage the ever-shifting nature of inventory, manufacturing, and labor, but many manufacturing businesses are in desperate need of bookkeepers who can not only keep pace with their finances but offer invaluable advice and support by identifying where money is being wa
23/02/2023 • 32 minutes 29 seconds
EP347: Melissa Morris - Project Management: How To Create Your Ideal Workflow
You don’t know what you didn’t know. And everything that’s living in your head, we’ve got to get it out of there! -Melissa Morris It is often easy to feel like no one can do what we can do and yet, we rely on hastily written to-do lists or checklists quickly passed off to our employees. If things in your bookkeeping business aren’t running smoothly, it is unlikely to be because of employees being underqualified and intentionally doing things wrong. It is far more likely that we haven’t explained to them or trained them in how things need to be done. Getting everything out of your head and down on paper in a way that is understandable takes a skill set a lot of us haven’t trained for. There is no shame in hiring someone to help you translate the workflow systems as they exist in your head into a document that anyone could follow and achieve the same results as you. Melissa Morris, owner of Agency Authority (a project manag
21/02/2023 • 31 minutes 54 seconds
EP346: Jeff Jacobs - How To Build Trust With Your Bookkeeping Clients
“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 car
14/02/2023 • 35 minutes 46 seconds
EP345: Amy Anderson - How To Find Your Ideal Marketing Style
“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 sp
07/02/2023 • 31 minutes 22 seconds
EP344: Spotlight - Nadia Rodriguez - Advisory Bookkeeping: How To Communicate Your Value
“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 yo
02/02/2023 • 32 minutes 6 seconds
EP343: Adrienne Bellehumeur - Discover The Hidden Power Of Effective Documentation
“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 Bellehum
31/01/2023 • 35 minutes 55 seconds
EP342: Kim Wolfe - How To Build Your Dream Bookkeeping Business
“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, delegat
24/01/2023 • 47 minutes 57 seconds
EP341: Jamie Van Cuyk - The Secrets Of Effective Hiring
“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 You
17/01/2023 • 35 minutes 4 seconds
EP340: Spotlight - Jennie Moore - Owning The Awkward Conversation: How To Articulate Your Value
“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 g
12/01/2023 • 44 minutes 2 seconds
EP339: Dr. Ella F. Washington - How To Build A Workplace Utopia
“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 expe
10/01/2023 • 30 minutes 9 seconds
EP338: Kristy Yoder - Unlocking Your Bookkeeping Business Potential With Delegation
“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.</p
03/01/2023 • 34 minutes 40 seconds
EP337: 2022 Year In Review Show!
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 an
27/12/2022 • 1 hour 28 minutes 5 seconds
EP336: Nikki Rausch - How To Build Your Dream With The Help Of Your Team
“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 belie
20/12/2022 • 39 minutes 59 seconds
EP335: Michael Alliman - Part 2: How To Dig Into The Power Of Your Niche
“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 successfu
13/12/2022 • 27 minutes 28 seconds
EP334: Michael Alliman - Part 1: How To Find Your Rhythm Of Success
“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 a
06/12/2022 • 27 minutes 30 seconds
EP333: Carice Anderson - How To Build Relationships For A Sustainable Bookkeeping Business
“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
29/11/2022 • 38 minutes 30 seconds
EP332: Spotlight - Omry Man - How Automation Can Save Your Bookkeeping Relationships
“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
24/11/2022 • 29 minutes 33 seconds
EP331: Elisa Schmitz - How To Practice Resilience In Your Personal & Professional Life
“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 e
22/11/2022 • 34 minutes 56 seconds
EP330: Sharon Francisco - The Firms Of The Future: A Road Map To Success
“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
15/11/2022 • 38 minutes 49 seconds
EP329: Dr. Elizabeth Moran - How To Embrace Change To Elevate Your Leadership
“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 yoursel
08/11/2022 • 54 minutes 26 seconds
EP328: Shelli Warren - How To Upgrade Your Leadership Skills
“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 <a h
01/11/2022 • 48 minutes 45 seconds
EP327: Spotlight - Lasse Kalkar - Transforming Your Bookkeeping With Automated Services
“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
27/10/2022 • 32 minutes 26 seconds
EP326: Andrea MacKenzie - How To Create A Conscious Leadership Mindset
“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
25/10/2022 • 39 minutes 5 seconds
EP325: Karla Dembik - How To Build The Road Map To A Successful Bookkeeping Business
“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 y
18/10/2022 • 40 minutes 23 seconds
EP324: Erin Daiber - Healthy Boundaries And How They Grow Your Bookkeeping Business
"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
11/10/2022 • 32 minutes 12 seconds
EP323: Spotlight - Ron Baker & Ed Kless - How To Find The Right Model To Suit Your Business - Part 3
"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 di
06/10/2022 • 1 hour 12 seconds
EP322: Andrew Wall - Why Continuous Learning Is Vital For Your Bookkeeping Business
“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 clien
04/10/2022 • 46 minutes 3 seconds
EP321: Louie Prosperi - How To Build Relationships To Improve Your Bookkeeping Business
“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.
27/09/2022 • 32 minutes 36 seconds
EP320: Spotlight - Ed Kless - Effective Valuation In The Subscription Model - Part 2
“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 befor
22/09/2022 • 41 minutes 48 seconds
EP319: Coreen Wright - How To Build A Community By Finding Your Tribe
“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 de
20/09/2022 • 35 minutes 14 seconds
EP318: Natalie Eckdahl - Why Having A Niche Can Save Your Bookkeeping Business - Part 2
“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
13/09/2022 • 28 minutes 26 seconds
EP317: Natalie Eckdahl - How To Build A Successful Mindset - Part 1
“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 b
06/09/2022 • 31 minutes 33 seconds
EP316: Spotlight - Ron Baker - Embracing The Power Of The Subscription Economy - Part 1
“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
01/09/2022 • 53 minutes 12 seconds
EP315: Tanya Hilts - How To Build Your Bookkeeping Business Success
“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 spea
30/08/2022 • 41 minutes 31 seconds
EP314: Michael Eckstein - Understanding The Value Of Having A Bookkeeping Niche
“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
23/08/2022 • 33 minutes 19 seconds
EP313: Dawn Brolin - How To Recognize Your Value To Achieve Success
“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 i
16/08/2022 • 47 minutes 24 seconds
EP312: Lyla Smith - Bookkeeping Mastery: Getting Back To The Basics
“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 se
09/08/2022 • 45 minutes 41 seconds
EP311: Amanda Hamilton - Delegating Your Tasks With Intention
“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,
02/08/2022 • 31 minutes 39 seconds
EP310: Minda Zetlin - Creating A Healthy Work-Life Balance
“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
26/07/2022 • 37 minutes 40 seconds
EP309: Lora Lonesberry - How To Efficiently Run Your Bookkeeping Business - Part 2
“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 pur
19/07/2022 • 35 minutes 29 seconds
EP308: Lora Lonesberry - Building Bookkeeping Relationships & Knowing Your Value - Part 1
“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
12/07/2022 • 39 minutes 15 seconds
EP307: Christina Springstead - Taking the Leap into your Dream Future
“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 Solut
05/07/2022 • 28 minutes 46 seconds
EP306: Spotlight - Martin Chee - Elevating Your Bookkeeping With Automation
“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
30/06/2022 • 38 minutes 5 seconds
EP305: Shelli Warren - Building Your Dream Bookkeeping Team
“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. <span style= "font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, C
28/06/2022 • 39 minutes 35 seconds
EP304: Donna McGeorge - How To Master Your Time & Productivity
“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
21/06/2022 • 41 minutes 16 seconds
EP303: Spotlight - Jasen Stine & Jim Buffington - Building A Bookkeeping Business With Impact!
“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
16/06/2022 • 42 minutes 17 seconds
EP302: Alicia Katz Pollock - How The Right Training Can Transform Your Bookkeeping Business
“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 i
14/06/2022 • 34 minutes 3 seconds
EP301: Dr. Sue Haywood - Overcoming Risk & Failure To Redefine Workplace Culture
“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
07/06/2022 • 41 minutes 23 seconds
EP300: Amber Mac - What You Need To Know About Business & Technology To Run Your Bookkeeping Firm
“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 Canad
31/05/2022 • 26 minutes 48 seconds
EP299: Russell Munz - Putting The WOW Into Your Bookkeeping Services
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
24/05/2022 • 32 minutes 40 seconds
EP298: Dr. Arin Reeves - How To Prevent Burnout & Realize Your True Value - Part 2
“The more you try to force yourself to do something you hate, the less successful you will be at it.” -Dr. Arin Reeves Burnout is more than just feeling tired. It is a taking of energy from you, that is not replenished in equal measure. We have all had experiences of spending an hour with a person or client that drains us, and with people or clients that leave us feeling fired up and motivated. The hour is the same, but the way we feel about it and carry that through our day is very different. It is scary to consider losing clients. But if your clients are leaving you burnt-out, you will always be left feeling like you have to force yourself into situations that aren’t good for your health. In the second of a two-part series our guest, Dr Arin Reeves, author, advisor, president and manager at Nextions, talks about managing difficult clients, understanding burnout and knowing your true value. She prompts a way of being tha
17/05/2022 • 31 minutes 20 seconds
EP297: Dr. Arin Reeves - Creating Success Beyond Financial Achievement - Part 1
“I can’t care about all of these other people, and I can’t care about what I care about in this world if I’m not okay to contribute.” -Dr. Arin Reeves We have all dealt with bad clients, most of us probably still are. Losing clients can make us feel unsuccessful, like it is our fault for not being ‘good’ enough to fulfill their needs. But this way of thinking is incredibly damaging. Sometimes a client just isn’t the right fit. Learning to be okay with that is the first step in building a business filled with clients you really care for. If you are struggling to measure your success, find a sense of belonging in what you do, and set boundaries on your time and energy, then this is the episode for you. In the first of a two-part series, our guest Dr. Arin Reeves, author, advisor, president, and manager at Nextions, talks about the different ways to grow your network and business, what the value of caring about your
10/05/2022 • 29 minutes 43 seconds
EP296: Lisa Campbell - Creating The Right Mindset To Transform Your Bookkeeping Business
“When you surround yourself with people that are either on their way to where you want to go, or are at where you want to go, you’re going to get there because they’ve done it.” –Lisa Campbell We all make excuses. When life gets overwhelming, it’s convenient to shift the pressure and blame away from ourselves. But in doing this, we make it easy to avoid taking difficult but necessary action to improve our lives. Believing in yourself and being ready to level up can be scary. It involves a lot of time, money, and effort, for an outcome that isn’t guaranteed. But what is guaranteed, is the growth and development of character if you have the courage to stop making excuses and start taking positive action. When you refuse to make excuses and apply all your effort into learning and surrounding yourself with the right people, you’ll go beyond what you thought was possible. Lisa Campbell, founder of Accelerate 2 A
03/05/2022 • 38 minutes 7 seconds
EP295: Bonnie Low-Kramen - How to Use Your Skills to Create Value for your Bookkeeping Clients
“My work enables my clients to do the things, only they can do.” -Bonnie Low-Kramen Great bookkeepers have a service heart. Their desire to serve others drives them. They are not interested in being in front of the camera, but they are comfortable being behind the scenes and making things happen. The best bookkeepers are proactive and they see around corners and they anticipate and understand the context of their client’s work. When you connect to the idea that you are a subject matter expert that can add unique value to your clients, you will be empowered to price by this value, rather than just by hours ‘worked’. We all have natural talents, but there is nothing stopping us from chasing our dreams by learning new skills that help us better connect with people. If we look at clients only in terms of the money they will pay us, we will never be successful. People remember kindness and will pay for the value real con
26/04/2022 • 42 minutes 48 seconds
EP294: Spotlight - Anita Koimur - Automating Data - Why You Should Embrace The Cutting Edge of Innovation
“You shouldn’t be afraid to ask your question, just go out and ask, because people really want to help each other.” -Anita Koimur Adapting early to innovation can be a challenge. It can be easy to get comfortable with the way we do things. To take our time and wait and see if the benefits are truly as good as people are saying, before taking the leap ourselves. There is nothing wrong with taking time for careful consideration. But when you are open to sharing, to talking with others in our industry, to put yourself on the cutting edge of all the latest advances, you reap the benefits collectively. In this first episode of our Spotlight series that focuses on people who are positively impacting the bookkeeping industry, Anita Koimur, founder of LiveFlow, discusses the value of talking to people, understanding their needs, and relieving their pain points as efficiently as possible. Efficiency that comes from being right at th
21/04/2022 • 36 minutes 34 seconds
EP293: Lynda Artesani & Sarah Prevost - How Collaboration Can Elevate Your Bookkeeping Business
“It’s been a great partnership and it’s allowed us to grow in a lot of different ways.” -Lynda Artesani Partnerships can be really challenging. That’s why it is so important to find people that can match your passion. Skills can always be taught, but finding someone that wants to work as hard as you do, can lead to incredibly fulfilling working partnerships and that can only be a bonus for your bookkeeping business. When you find your niche, you’re better able to serve those clients with passionate interest, using your unique knowledge and abilities to bring those clients peace of mind. When you find partners that share those interests too, you can really start to scale your business. Lynda Artesani and Sarah Prevost of Artesani Accounting Services talk to Michael about the value of teamwork, the power of respect and communication in building health partnerships and client relationships. During this interview, you'll l
19/04/2022 • 41 minutes 37 seconds
EP292: Daniel Breez - How To Take Responsibility For Your Own Success
“Don’t look at what’s the bare minimum you should be doing, look at what’s the furthest you can push yourself.” -Daniel Breez Starting a new bookkeeping business or growing an existing one can be a real challenge. Too many businesses try to be all things to all people. Working more hours but having less to show for it rather than connecting passionately to who it is you really want to help. It can be tempting to blame other people, to question a lack of success as the fault of someone other than ourselves. When we take responsibility for our own success, we are more likely to push ourselves to greater heights of achievement, rather than doing the bare minimum and blaming others for our lack of conviction. Once you know who it is you want to serve, and are passionate about them, the clients will come. If you only focus on building systems and processes that serve what you want, the workload will never get any lighter or an
12/04/2022 • 34 minutes 18 seconds
EP291: Paige Hulse - How To Legally Protect Your Bookkeeping Business
“My goal is to never be so proud that I think that I can stop learning.” -Paige Hulse Having the knowledge and knowing what to do with it are two very different things. Whether you are just starting out or have been in business for a while. Navigating the legal complexities of business can be tricky! To become successful requires more than just a vision. Whether self-employed or starting a new bookkeeping business, we often have to wear many hats until the business gets off the ground. If you can surround yourself with a network of like-minded people and mentors, you are far more likely to learn time and profit saving techniques to help your business thrive! Paige Hulse, owner of Paige Hulse Law, talks today about the value of continuous learning, knowing your worth, and offers some great tips on protecting yourself and your bookkeeping business from potential disasters. A little effort to protect your business now, will
05/04/2022 • 44 minutes 5 seconds
EP290: Jessica Hearsey - How to Build a Bookkeeping Business, Not a Job
“If I can’t find it myself, I guess I’ll just create it!” -Jessica Hearsey Logging in online or heading to an office everyday where you don’t feel valued can be very demoralizing. It is tough to get energized to do a job that lacks vision, clarity, or a sense of purpose. If you don’t know how valuable you are, how can you communicate it to your clients? Building a business is never easy, but if you feel passionately about committing to your goals and creating something you truly believe in, the clients will come. When you take the time to understand and truly know your value, people will listen. Jessica Hearsey, owner of Altitude Accounting, talks this week about the differences between working a job and building a business. By finding the courage to stick to your convictions, you can create the life you dream of. One where people come to you because they believe in what you are doing, not ju
29/03/2022 • 40 minutes 42 seconds
EP289: Jenn Green - How The Right Mindset Can Make You A Better Bookkeeper
“If you put five bookkeepers in a room, and give them the same set of books, you’re going to come out with five different ways of doing things.” -Jenn Green Life isn’t always smooth sailing. We will all face unforeseen challenges that can rock the foundations of our careers and lives. How well we bounce back is entirely dependent on our willingness to keep trying. To take time to learn new skills, attend seminars, workshops and training that make you a better bookkeeper. If you find yourself in a lull, unsure about how to proceed then this is the episode for you. When you connect with your purpose, you’ll better understand what value you bring to your clients, and so, be able to price accordingly. Rather than reacting, you’ll be able to take a proactive approach driven by value and quality, not an hourly rate. How can you expect your clients to value you if you don’t value yourself? Jen
22/03/2022 • 41 minutes 42 seconds
EP288: Ron Baker - How Pricing On Relationship Can Transform Your Bookkeeping Business
“Uncommon services command uncommon prices.” –Ron Baker Building relationships with our clients can be complicated. It can be really tempting to measure success by the number of clients or billable hours we manage to cram into a month. And yet, so many of us are left feeling overwhelmed, overworked, underpaid, and not living up to our true potential and purpose. Shifting from an hourly rate to a value-based pricing structure is a big move. Even bigger is recognizing your worth in relation to the subscription economy and pricing based on your relationship with your client. When you connect with the idea that you can charge a premium for giving a few select clients consistent peace of mind. It will wash away the belief that success is a client roster so full, no single client ever gets the best of you. Ron Baker is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur, with a passion for values-based pricing.
15/03/2022 • 46 minutes 27 seconds
EP287: Kerri Thompson - How To Train Your Mind For Success
“It’s like a garden. You’re planting a lot of different seeds, and they’re all going to grow at different rates. Don’t forget to water!” -Kerri Thompson All too often we let the fear of losing our paycheck keep us stuck in the same jobs and the same patterns. Making changes to our situation can be difficult, but it becomes immeasurably easier when we realize we don’t have to do it alone. Everyone that has ever achieved any kind of success, did so with the help and support of friends and mentors. Why should you suffer alone? When you surround yourself with the right people, people that support and motivate you, it becomes far easier to identify and follow the threads that will weave the tapestry of a successful career! Kerri Thompson, owner of Simpler Transitions, talks about the importance of Mental Fitness. How adjusting our negative thought patterns and behaviors leads to greater success. Highlighti
08/03/2022 • 45 minutes 11 seconds
EP286: Scott Allen & Maria Soriano Young - How To Create An Unforgettable First Impression To Attract Bookkeeping Clients
“Are we putting something into motion that we wouldn’t want to sit through?” –Scott Allen Tired of feeling like you aren’t winning the best bookkeeping clients? It’s time to take an honest inventory on the kind of impression you are presenting to them. Attention spans have never been shorter, and expectations have never been higher. You have to know what you want the audience to feel and do, and then communicate that message in a way that keeps it stuck in their minds. Scott Allen, an associate professor at John Carroll University who is also a communications coach, author, and entrepreneur. And Maria Soriano Young, a communications manager for the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic, are this week’s featured guests! Together they talk about the importance of planning for the right outcomes. How to design your first impressions, to win clients and leave your audien
01/03/2022 • 42 minutes 24 seconds
EP285: Bruce Gerstenfeld - How Time Management & Big Dreams Create Successful Bookkeepers
“You can succeed in any economy if you have the right business model and the drive to make it work.” -Bruce Gerstenfeld Making changes to your life is scary. But facing your fears and taking a chance has to be better than spending your life making money for other people, never really having time for yourself or your loved ones. It is never too late to make a positive change! Our failures are only failures if we don’t act on and grow from the lessons they have to teach us. Take charge of your dreams by finding your passion. That self-motivating driving force that will propel you towards success. Bruce Gerstenfeld is a CPA and partner in Gerstenfeld and Company. On this week's episode, he talks about the importance of finding the story behind the numbers, and helping clients get command of their time, energy and intention to chase their dreams. During this interview, you'll also learn…
22/02/2022 • 47 minutes 47 seconds
EP284: Mark Wickersham - How An Entrepreneurial Mindset Can Change Your Bookkeeping Business For The Better
“You cannot cut your way to greatness.” -Mark Wickersham Knowing your worth and setting prices that reflect that can be extremely challenging. Every new client you take on at the wrong price will make your life harder. If you are tired of working crazy long hours and still feeling like your financial security needs aren’t being met, this is the episode for you. When we shift our mindset away from hourly rates and into value building, it can dramatically alter your business’ profitably and future. Focusing only on what we can cut to make savings, is a limited approach in comparison to the potential for unlimited growth when we know what value we bring to our clients and price accordingly. Mark Wickersham, a chartered accountant, author and public speaker, discusses the importance of investing in ourselves to create value and opportunities by shifting our mindset to one of growth and possibility. Once you get
15/02/2022 • 38 minutes 31 seconds
EP283: Beth Blaney - How To Empower Yourself To Achieve Your Bookkeeping Business Dreams
“I don’t have to take this client. I get to choose who I want to work with. And who is going to be a good fit for my business.” -Beth Blaney We all want to build a better life for ourselves, one that gives us the freedom and flexibility to live the way we want to. When you live authentically, you generate authenticity in others. So much time is wasted chasing clients that aren’t the right fit or trying to change ourselves to fit molds we weren’t made for. If you are tired of feeling guilty about balancing your obligations, this is the episode for you. Beth Blaney, owner of BBA Bookkeeping, talks about her experiences breaking the mold, escaping traditional ideas of what a bookkeeper looks and sounds like, to create an incredibly successful business. Her message is one of empowerment, of being authentically you, and chasing your dreams. During this interview, you'll learn… How the
08/02/2022 • 47 minutes 33 seconds
EP282: Emily Tarney - How Bookkeepers Can Embrace Innovation
“These systems allow us to be better for our clients. Let’s do it different, let’s do it better!” -Emily Tarney Innovation can be challenging in the short term, but so worth it when you start to see results. When you are able to apply the right systems and processes, they free you up to focus on doing what you do best! Finding like minded people will help you learn and grow in a more supportive environment. Every bookkeeper has unique talents that are better applied to some clients over others. Making and retaining client relationships is about far more than a need for their business. It’s about building connections that truly help serve your clients' purpose. Emily Tarney, creator, and head of Competitive Edge Business Solutions, talks about her vast experience in the bookkeeping industry and the importance of embracing change and challenging ourselves to do things differently. Her approach focuses on working passionatel
01/02/2022 • 37 minutes 29 seconds
EP281: Jamie Van Cuyk - How To Build A Great Team To Support Your Bookkeeping Business
“Does it need to be done right or does it need to be done by you?” -Jamie Van Cuyk Imagine what you might be able to accomplish if you surrounded yourself with the right people. Learning to let go of our desire to do everything ourselves, can unlock an organization’s true potential. So many businesses struggle to find the right employees because their focus has become too narrow. Shaking the bonds of our set ways can be tough, but if we don’t, we’ll always be doing more than we need to. Jamie Van Cuyk, a small business consultant who owns Growing Your Team, talks about overcoming the challenges of hiring the right help, at the right time. Her approach enables businesses to let go of the idea that only they can maintain their processes effectively. Helping them instead to find the right people, which saves time, services more customers and increases profitability. During this interview, you'll learn...
25/01/2022 • 40 minutes 52 seconds
EP280: Janet Mercredi - Overcoming Your Fears By Planning For Success
“We are their shields and protectors.” - Janet Mercredi By putting the right systems in place, financial security, fun and freedom are natural results. When you connect with others and learn to be open to guidance and support, successful business planning becomes much easier. Putting in the work is critical, but so is having a plan that sets systems working for you. Janet Mercredi, certified Profit First professional and business coach, talks about the action steps she put in place to overcome her insecurities, create a thriving bookkeeping business, and go on to coach others to achieve their dreams. During this interview, you'll learn... How to navigate the ups & downs of creating a successful bookkeeping enterprise How to design your own winning ticket for success The importance of surrounding yourself with the right people
18/01/2022 • 39 minutes 46 seconds
EP279: Matthew Pollard - How Bookkeepers Can Succeed At Networking & Sales More Easily
Networking and sales. For any introverted bookkeeper, those two things can sound daunting and terrifying. This week’s guest understands that because he’s an introvert too, but he didn’t let that stop him from achieving his greatness. Matthew Pollard, who is the founder and CEO of Rapid Growth LLC and the author of The Introvert’s Edge To Networking, discovered that being an introvert didn’t make him a second class citizen. He realized he had advantages over extroverts which ultimately made him a success. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of having a sales system How having a niche & storytelling can help make selling easier Why bookkeepers should stop believing they need to be an extrovert to be good at networking & sales <span style= "font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Op
11/01/2022 • 38 minutes 50 seconds
EP278: The Successful Bookkeeper Year-In-Review Show! Part 2
Welcome to 2022! We hope you had a great holiday season. This week we are revisiting our awesome panel of bookkeepers for part two of our Year-In-Review! We are joined by a terrific bookkeeping panel who will share what they have learned in 2021. They talk about what strategies worked, what strategies failed and what they will carry into the new year as they plan for the future. Our panel includes: Debbie Roberts - Co-Founder of Pure Bookkeeping & Co-Author of E-Myth Bookkeeper Ju
04/01/2022 • 39 minutes 20 seconds
EP277: The Successful Bookkeeper Year-In-Review Show! Part 1
With 2022 right around the corner, it is time to reflect on what we have learned this year and plan for the year ahead. We are joined by an amazing bookkeeping panel who recount their biggest surprises, greatest setbacks and most heartwarming stories of the year. Our panel includes: Debbie Roberts - Co-Founder of Pure Bookkeeping & Co-Author of E-Myth Bookkeeper Julie Watson - Director of Bookkeeping Relief Business Services & Australian Pure Bookkeeping licensee <a href= "https://www
28/12/2021 • 34 minutes 45 seconds
EP276: Jean Latting - How to Build Better Bookkeeping Communities
What makes a great leader? Yes, there are many traits including when someone desires and is committed to making a positive impact in her organization. Our guest knows something about this. Jean Latting is the president of Leading Consciously, an organization that provides clients practical, sustainable solutions to flourish in diverse, multicultural settings and help leaders identify their strengths and weaknesses to maximize their potential. She joins us this week to talk about how bookkeepers can establish better community-building practices and gives advice on how to empower leaders with patience and resilience to improve communication and enable inclusion. During this interview, you'll learn... <span
21/12/2021 • 41 minutes 20 seconds
EP275: Kristy Fairbairn - Investing In Yourself to Grow Your Bookkeeping Business
The power of realizing that you are enough. That mindset shift is profoundly powerful & can enable incredible growth in your business. Leveraging the support of coaches or mentors can help you begin to break down mindset barriers & develop a clearer business trajectory. Kristy Fairbairn, founder of The Business Oasis & Pure Bookkeeping licensee, joins us this week to talk about her journey becoming a bookkeeping business owner. She shares her experience working with mentors & coaches and how it has helped grow her business. During this interview, you'll learn... The difference between a mentor & a coach Why it’s important to invest in yourself as a business owner <li
14/12/2021 • 35 minutes 4 seconds
EP274: Juliet Funt - How to Take Back Control of Your Time
Most bookkeeping business owners have very busy schedules. But what if that busyness is costing you business? Our guest this week breaks down the dangers of busyness and how it can impact our creativity & ability to do deep work. We are joined by Juliet Funt, CEO of the Juliet Funt Group, a training and consulting firm that helps organizations, their leaders and employees flip the norms of business in order to reclaim their creativity, productivity, and engagement. She is also the author of “A Minute to Think: Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness and Do Your Best Work”. She explains the benefits of a Results-Only work environment & shares with us valuable tips on how business owners can start to regain control of their time. During this interview, you'll learn... <ul class="ul1
07/12/2021 • 34 minutes 58 seconds
EP273: Stephanie Kelcey - Finding Inspiration in Tribulation
Inspiration & resilience. These are two essential ingredients that enable entrepreneurs to adapt & thrive in the face of adversity. Our guest this week knows that going through difficult times can be profoundly transformational. Stephanie Kelcey, owner of Capture Bookkeeping Inc, joins us this week to share her journey as a bookkeeping business owner and to talk about how a critical illness changed her life & her business. During this interview, you'll learn... Stephanie’s journey as a business owner The mindset shift every new entrepreneur needs to make How she found inspiration in her darkest moments
30/11/2021 • 41 minutes 35 seconds
EP272: Connie Kadansky - How to Overcome Sales Call Reluctance
The hesitation to initiate with potential clients. Many business owners and entrepreneurs struggle with this self-imposed barrier. It is a fear preventing otherwise talented salespeople from recognizing and promoting their value to prospective buyers. Our guest this week is a recognized sales expert who is focused on tackling sales call reluctance. For the last 25 years, she has trained and coached thousands of sales professionals in hundreds of companies, large & small. A noted authority on sales productivity, Connie Kadansky joins us this week to talk about how to break free from mental habits that conspire to keep us from being successful. During this interview, you'll learn... How to identify sales call reluctance <
23/11/2021 • 41 minutes 42 seconds
EP271: Andrew Royer - Finding Work-Life Balance as a Business Owner
Being present is the key to balancing work and home life. When you’re working, be present and fully engaged in your work. When it’s time to be with family and clock out from the work day, give your full attention and focus to them. This week we are joined by Andrew Royer, owner of Royer Accounting, longtime Pure Bookkeeping licensee & return guest on our show. He shares updates on his business and explains how he made the decision to move to a fully virtual working environment. Small bookkeeping business owners are familiar with the challenges of working from home. After 5 years of running his own company, he shares what he’s learned from the journey. During this interview, you'll learn... Why balancing your work and home
16/11/2021 • 32 minutes 21 seconds
EP270: Courtney DeRonde - What You Need to Know About Networking
Real connections matter. Courtney DeRonde is managing partner and director of business development at TDT CPAs & Advisors. She has 19 years experience in public accounting and serves on the firm's executive committee and leadership team. She joins us this week to share her career journey and talk about networking as an introvert, how a mindset shift can open up new connections & how to manage burnout as a business leader. During this interview, you'll learn... How to sustain connections & relationships when working virtually Ways to deal with burnout as a business leader Why managing your energy is more important than managing
09/11/2021 • 39 minutes 21 seconds
EP269: Nick Loper - Turn Your Bookkeeping Side Hustle into a Successful Business
Side hustles. They may begin small, but they have the potential to become thriving, lucrative businesses & can become your main source of income. Bookkeeping business owners understand this - many bookkeepers start their own business first as a side hustle to their main job before transforming it into their main focus. How can a side hustle be turned into a successful business? This week’s guest is Nick Loper, founder of SideHustleNation.com, author of $1000 100 Ways: How Real People Make Real Money on the Side & host of The Side Hustle Show podcast. He joins us to talk about how to transform your side hustle into your full-time job. During this interview, you'll learn... Strategies to manage a side hustle & full-time job <li cl
02/11/2021 • 36 minutes 52 seconds
EP268: Lee-Anne Scott - Break the Cycle of Unpaid Invoices & Grow Your Bookkeeping Business
Getting paid. This is a crucial aspect of every small business, but it is not always easy to get clients to pay their invoices. Too often do bookkeeping business owners suffer because of late & non-payments. All businesses need that extra cash flow to help them be more innovative, to hire the right staff & to expand their client base. Lee-Anne Scott, founder of Intelligent Revenue, joins us this week to talk about the impact that the late-payment culture has on small businesses & shares how to break out of the cycle of unpaid invoices to keep your business growing. During this interview, you'll learn... Why the late-payment culture is so dangerous for small businesses How to get over the fea
26/10/2021 • 35 minutes 35 seconds
EP267: Julia Pimsleur - Creating the Right Mindset for Success
Mindset is the foundation for everything we do. Successful entrepreneurs have strong, empowering mindsets. Julia Pimsleur shares her insights around how mentality can be a deciding factor in the success of a business. Her latest book, Go Big Now, highlights eight essential mindset practices that anyone can use to achieve ambitious professional and life goals. She is a scaling coach & entrepreneur with a passion for helping women grow their businesses. She shares practices from her book & discusses the crucial importance of building mindset strength. During this interview, you'll learn... Why your mentality matters How to shift your mindset to overcome limiting beliefs</spa
19/10/2021 • 39 minutes 28 seconds
EP266: Robbie Randall - How to Leverage Modern Technology to Stay Ahead
“The education mindset just has to be a part of your DNA these days.” That is what our guest this week says about how bookkeeping businesses can stay on top of emerging technology trends. Robbie Randall, Partner Development Manager with the Intuit accountants channel and a regular contributor to Firm of the Future and Tax Pro Center blogs, joins us this week to talk about how cloud computing is transforming businesses of all sizes. He discusses how technology continues to shape and change the way we do business. During this interview, you'll learn... How businesses have managed their transition to cloud Benefits of artificial intelligence & machine learning in accounting platforms like QuickBook
12/10/2021 • 27 minutes 44 seconds
EP265: Teresa Slack - Onboarding New Clients The Right Way
How can I make things more valuable and useful for my clients? A central question for all bookkeeping business owners alike. Teresa Slack is the co-founder of Financly, a Pure Bookkeeping licensee and valued member of the Pure Bookkeeping community. She joins us this week to talk about client onboarding, an often overlooked process that when structured correctly can be a powerful tool to build strong relationships with your clients and grow trust early. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of onboarding processes Critical areas to consider when onboarding new clients How
05/10/2021 • 43 minutes 35 seconds
EP264: Geraldine Carter- The Mindset of a Successful Bookkeeper
The biggest driver of success is your mindset. Owner of She Thinks Big Coaching, Geraldine is a business strategist and coach for CPAs. Her passion is empowering business owners to unleash their full potential. She joins us this week to talk about what a successful mindset looks like, and shares tips on how to grow your business. During this interview, you'll learn... Why it’s important to get into your clients’ shoes to really understand their needs How your mindset could be stunting your business’ growth Why focusing on outcomes versus deliverables is a better marketing strategy
28/09/2021 • 40 minutes 30 seconds
EP263: Shep Hyken - 6 Steps to Keep Customers Coming Back to Your Bookkeeping Business
What makes a customer return to your business? As bookkeeping business owners, this is a question that is always on our minds. Returning guest Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker & author of his new book I'll Be Back: How to Get Customers to Come Back Again & Again. He joins us this week to discuss how customer service has changed over time, and shares practical tips on how to develop an in-depth understanding of your customers. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of balancing digital and human customer service Why you should be paying attention to your customers’ behaviour <li class="l
21/09/2021 • 31 minutes 38 seconds
EP262: Amber Hawley - How to Prevent Business Owner Burnout
Exhausted. Entrepreneurs and business owners alike struggle with burnout. The physical and mental toll of working nonstop can have serious effects on your health. Our guest this week is Amber Hawley, a group psychotherapy practice owner, host of My Biz Bestie podcast and mother of three. She works with entrepreneurs on the emotional side of business - how to prevent burnout, manage ADHD, and find work-life balance. During this interview, you'll learn... The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on well-being How to spot burnout & build habits to prevent it The vital importance of sleep for stress management Find out more about Amber on her <spa
14/09/2021 • 34 minutes 47 seconds
EP261: Nikki Rausch - 5 Steps in a Sales Conversation Every Bookkeeping Business Owner Should Know
First impressions. Bookkeeping business owners know that establishing a meaningful relationship with their customers is paramount for long-lasting success. Nikki Rausch, sales expert extraordinaire with over 25 years of selling experience and author of The Selling Staircase, joins us this week to share her 5-step process for taking control of sales conversations. During this interview, you'll also learn... How to feel comfortable selling How to identify what step you’re at & successfully move forward in any sales discussion Key conversation techniques to close the deal <span
07/09/2021 • 41 minutes 31 seconds
EP260: Michele Molitor - Unleash Your Full Potential As A Bookkeeping Business Owner
What if the thing holding you back from success is YOU? Feeling you’re not good enough. Feeling like you don’t offer value. These are self-limiting beliefs that many of us have, but maybe don’t know how to deal with. Michele Molitor, an executive coach and co-author of Breakthrough Healing, joins us to share strategies on how to tune into your inner-dialogue to identify self-limiting beliefs and how you can begin to rewrite them to empower yourself. During this interview, you'll learn... The strength of the mind-body connection How you can start noticing the self-limiting beliefs you may have Ways to challenge those belie
31/08/2021 • 32 minutes 37 seconds
EP259: Craig Staley - Where You Should Be Marketing Your Bookkeeping Business
The world of marketing is changing. With the increasing role of the internet in our lives, customers are turning to online platforms, like Google, to review and find business recommendations. As small business owners, we know that marketing is a foundational part of generating leads but we may not know where to start. This week’s guest, Craig Staley, is the owner of HG Site Design and host of the Small Business School podcast. He is passionate about helping service based small business owners improve their online reputation to increase revenues. During this interview, you'll learn... Top marketing strategies for small businesses How to set up and use Google My Business to drive traffic Why it’s important to develop a strong content strategy To connect with Craig on LinkedIn, go <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigmstaley" target="_blank" rel= "noopener
24/08/2021 • 34 minutes 6 seconds
EP258: Ted Harrington - Two Security Strategies Every Bookkeeping Business Should Know
Protecting your business. When so many businesses rely on the internet and apps, like QuickBooks, security is an indispensable asset. Ted Harrington, author of Hackable: How to Do Application Security Right, is an ethical hacker who finds and fixes security vulnerabilities in companies. This week’s episode focuses on what small businesses can do right now to protect themselves against security threats and breaches. During this interview, you'll learn... Why you should be paying more attention to business security Security strategies for small businesses How your attitude about s
17/08/2021 • 38 minutes 33 seconds
EP257: Nagina Abdullah - Why Your Diet Can Be Draining Your Energy
Feeling sluggish by the end of the day? It could be what you’re eating! Even the busiest workaholics can have a healthier diet. Like many bookkeeper business owners, Nagina Abdullah is no stranger to a busy schedule. Working as a consultant for Fortune 500 and 100 medical companies while also being a mother of two children, she found herself struggling to keep energized and healthy. She discovered that eating metabolism-boosting foods and spices helped her maintain a higher level of energy throughout the workday. During this interview, you'll learn... Why changing your eating habits is foundational to a healthy lifestyle Food tips for staying energized: more health-boosting spices, tasty veggies, good carbs & good fats How your mindset can make or break your health journey To connect with Nagina on LinkedIn, go <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/nagin
10/08/2021 • 35 minutes 9 seconds
EP256: Jacqui Cubis - How Workflow Software Can Optimize Your Bookkeeping Business
Efficiency and time management. For any bookkeeping business owner, these are MUST HAVES, so it’s important to find a workflow software that delivers. This week’s guest is a small business systems and procedures expert in Australia with more than 15 years experience working in the bookkeeping industry, so she knows all about workflow software and how it can help your business. Jacqui Cubis has also been a Pure Bookkeeping (PB) licensee for over nine years and is a hugely active member in the PB community. During this interview, you'll learn... How workflow software can help your business grow What lessons Jacqui learned when starting her own enterprise What apps she leverages in her businesses Get in touch with Jacqui at [email protected]. Connect with her on LinkedIn <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacq
03/08/2021 • 34 minutes 44 seconds
EP255: Laura Kriska - How Inclusion Can Help You Build A Bookkeeping Business You Love
What’s below the tip of the cultural iceberg? According to this week’s guest, understanding and appreciating cultural differences means seeing beyond what is obvious. Laura Kriska is an expert on cross-cultural relations with more than thirty years experience on helping to create more inclusive and productive workplaces. She is also the author of The Business of We which provides tools to close the Us versus Them culture gap in workplaces. As bookkeepers, we know that building relationships with our clients and staff is incredibly important. Practicing inclusion means tuning into the subtleties and invisible data and finding ways to bridge any gaps. During this interview, you'll learn... Why inclusion is a powerful tool for leaders How to see invisible cultural data How to practice inclusion Learn more about Laura on <a href="https://www.laurakriska.co
27/07/2021 • 41 minutes 14 seconds
EP254: Helen Konstan - How To Leverage Pure Bookkeeping To Grow Your Business
“It was the community that came with Pure Bookkeeping. And from that community, it was the resources that became available to me that, I believe, pushed this business to where it is already in such a short time.” This week’s guest is a Pure Bookkeeping licensee from Melbourne, Australia where she is the owner of her own bookkeeping business (Zilch Bookwork), a romance novelist and even a qualified hairdresser. Helen Konstan shares her bookkeeping journey with us and explains how Pure Bookkeeping has supported and fast-tracked Zilch Bookwork’s growth. During this interview, you'll learn... How the Pure Bookkeeping community helped grow her business Why caring & compassionate bookkeepers are more successful Why you should value your time as a bookkeeper & how to price accordingly You can find out more about Helen and Zilch Bookwork <a href= "https://www.zilchbookwork.co
20/07/2021 • 45 minutes 41 seconds
EP253: Cherylanne Skolnicki - How To Have Work-Life Balance & Prioritize What Matters Most
Do you feel a sense of control over where your time is going? Are you aligning your time with the things that you care about and the things you want to be doing? These are questions Cherylanne Skolnicki, a leading work-life balance expert and coach, suggests we think about when it comes to work-life integration. For busy bookkeeping business owners, juggling work commitments and personal/family responsibilities are common worries. Cherylanne’s passion is to support working women to live their happiest, most fulfilling lives by helping them find ways of experiencing well-being. She is the founder of The Brilliant Balance Company and a sought-after speaker and podcast host who has endless wisdom to share when it comes to finding your work-life balance. During this interview you’ll learn… Why it’s important to tune into what you really want in your personal & professional life How to set yourself up
13/07/2021 • 34 minutes 7 seconds
EP252: Kerri Bouffard - Part 2 - How The Right App Can Positively Impact Your Bookkeeping Business
No system or software is perfect, so expect to have hiccups. But, that shouldn’t discourage you from exploring the right solutions for you. Kerri Bouffard has embraced apps and technology which have made a big difference in her bookkeeping business. She’s the owner of Add Vantage Bookkeeping, a Xero specialist and Pure Bookkeeping licensee. She’s also the owner of Thunderhead Innovations which offers premium concierge services to make her clients’ transition to cloud accounting a smooth experience. During part 2 of this interview series, you'll learn... The advantage of focusing on one app & being an expert on it How to swiftly switch to XERO & the importance of learning its SOPs Why business owners need an app stack You can find out more about Kerri here
06/07/2021 • 33 minutes 22 seconds
EP251: Kerri Bouffard - Part 1 - How To Overcome Obstacles When Starting Your Bookkeeping Business
It’s not easy to run a startup bookkeeping business. Just ask this week’s guest. During that time, Kerri Bouffard was raising small children and trying to get clients, so it was hard. But, she kept at it and eventually her company, Add-Vantage Bookkeeping became viable. Today, she is a Xero expert and Pure Bookkeeping licensee who is appreciative of the lessons she learned back in her startup days. During part one of this two-part interview series, you'll learn... The various obstacles you’ll face as a startup & how to overcome them How using a casual approach can help secure clients How having systems can benefit your bookkeeping business To learn more about Kerri, go here. To find out about her company, <a href= "https://www.addvantage
29/06/2021 • 28 minutes 50 seconds
EP250: Sally Helgesen - How Knowing Your Strengths Can Benefit Your Bookkeeping Business
Feeling valued. It’s important. Not only for you, but as a bookkeeping business owner, you need to make your clients feel valued by the way you take care of them and their problems. That’s according to this week’s guest who is a world-class expert on women’s leadership and best-selling co-author of How Women Rise. Sally Helgesen's mission has always been to help women recognize, articulate and act on their greatest strengths. She helps thousands of them reach greater heights and enjoy more satisfying careers. During this interview, you'll learn... Why it’s important to know your strengths & clearly articulate them as a business owner The significance of knowing your internal barriers & the 12 habits that hold successful people back To focus on what you're contributing versus managing perception You can find out more about Sally at her website, <a href= "https://sallyhelgesen.com/" ta
22/06/2021 • 39 minutes 46 seconds
EP249: Mike Michalowicz - Create Marketing That Can’t Be Ignored
This is a special episode. It was originally broadcasted at the Accounting & Finance Show Americas virtual conference where Michael Palmer interviewed, Mike Michalowicz, who is the author of Profit First and his latest book, Get Different: Marketing That Can't Be Ignored! Mike passionately believes that the only thing a prospect knows about your business, until they do business with you, is your marketing. So, make it good. During this interview, you'll learn... Tips on how to market your bookkeeping business differently How to stand out from the crowd How to overcome fear of failure To pre-order, Get Different: Marketing That Can't Be Ignored! and get free resources, go here.
15/06/2021 • 39 minutes 15 seconds
EP248: Paola Gleghorn - How To Balance Homeschooling & Your Bookkeeping Business
We live in interesting times. With the world battling a pandemic, it has caused many bookkeepers, who are parents, to adjust to a new normal that includes homeschooling their children while managing their business. It’s tough, but it can be done. Just ask this week’s guest, Paola Gleghorn, who is the owner of Splendid Bookkeeping and a mother of 5 young kids. She found a way to succeed and will provide you some insight to help you as well. During this interview, you'll learn... How to balance homeschooling your kids & managing your business How commitment & a proper mindset can help you attract more clients Tips on overcoming procrastination, fear of failure & doubts To learn more about Paola, visit this link. To connect with her on LinkedIn
08/06/2021 • 35 minutes 10 seconds
EP247: Debra Angilletta - How To Master Selling For Your Bookkeeping Business
Sales. It’s a struggle for many bookkeepers, but it’s a skill that can definitely be learned and effectively implemented. Debra Angilletta is the creator of Sales Mastery which is an online course for accountants and bookkeepers. She has some insight into how you can be better at sales without it being a painful process for you. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of knowing your ideal clients & niching your business Tips on making a sale & the order to do it The significance of asking questions & tonality To learn more about Debra, visit MasterMySales.com. To connect with her on LinkedIn, go here. This episode
01/06/2021 • 45 minutes 58 seconds
EP246: Sarah DeHaan - How To Effectively Use Facebook To Promote Your Bookkeeping Business
Facebook. When you’re on it, you’re probably overwhelmed with newsfeed ads for things you don’t need. What if YOU could leverage Facebook affordably to promote your bookkeeping business to people who’d actually WANT your service? That’s what this week’s guest did and she received terrific results. Sarah DeHaan isn’t a social media marketer by trade, but when she started her bookkeeping business (Anchored Bookkeeping Services), she had a vision and goals in mind, so she knew to make them a reality, she had to take action. She took a chance on creating a Facebook ad (targeted for Prince Edward Island entrepreneurs in Canada) that cost $46 dollars and it led to a meeting with an accountant that got things rolling for her business. During this interview, you'll learn... Why you should have a specific audience in mind for your Facebook ad An example of what copy to include in your ad <l
25/05/2021 • 46 minutes 32 seconds
EP245: Leal Fix - How To Create An Effective Online Ad To Attract Your Ideal Clients
Marketing. Some bookkeepers want nothing to do with it, but in order to find clients, it’s likely a must. It doesn’t have to be painful. This week’s guest found a way to promote her bookkeeping business with minimal cost and anxiety. Leal Fix is the owner of Steadfast Bookkeeping & Consulting and a Pure Bookkeeping licensee. She placed an ad in an online classified advertising website called Kijiji and has never looked back. During this interview, you'll learn... Tips on making an effective online advertisement How a Kijiji ad can affordably market your bookkeeping business How to handle tire kickers To learn more about Leal and her business, visit her website. To connect with her
18/05/2021 • 31 minutes 45 seconds
EP244: Michael Astreiko - How eCommerce Can Benefit Your Bookkeeping Business
eCommerce. It is powerful and important especially in the current situation the world is in. With his passion in technology, IT architecture and customer development, this week’s guest has become an expert in the eCommerce space and understands how it can benefit bookkeepers. Michael Astreiko is the founder and CEO of a successful automation software called Synder which makes eCommerce bookkeeping an effortless experience. During this interview, you'll learn... How eCommerce can help your bookkeeping business Tips on solving issues with refunds and chargebacks The benefits of having multi-currency and multiple sales channels To find out more about Synder, visit https://synderapp.com/
11/05/2021 • 41 minutes 35 seconds
EP243: Dr. Robert Cialdini - 7 Powerful Ways To Persuade People
The art of influence and persuasion. It’s amazing how if you use the right language (verbal or written), you can dramatically improve how many clients you can attract to your bookkeeping business. This week’s guest, Dr. Robert Cialdini will give you a Masterclass in how to ethically use his 7 principles of persuasion that are mentioned in the updated version of his legendary best-selling book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. He’s been teaching this topic for nearly four decades and his insights have been tested and proven. One of his principles that can help you immediately is Authority. People want to follow the lead of experts. So, make sure your credentials are on your website, LinkedIn and resume. Never brag about yourself in person with prospects. Let your credentials do the talking. If you’re a busy bookkeeping business owner and you’re talking to a prospect, never tell them that once
04/05/2021 • 49 minutes 28 seconds
EP242: Heather Smith - What Apps You Should Use For Your Bookkeeping Business
What accounting technology do you need? There are many options out there that bookkeepers can use to deliver advisory and solutions to their clients. This week’s guest knows all about the latest and greatest tools that can help you run a more profitable and efficient bookkeeping business. Heather Smith is an Australian who hosts an Accounting Technology podcast called Cloud Stories, curates an Accounting Apps newsletter and is the author of Xero for Dummies. During this interview, you'll learn... Tips & different accounting apps you can use The importance of knowing where to best spend your time profitably The distinction between profit balance versus account balance To learn more about Heather, click here. To buy her
27/04/2021 • 44 minutes 47 seconds
EP241: Joe DiSanto - Part 2 - Why You Should Give Your Bookkeeping Clients A Business Health Check
CPAs are very busy people. They process an incredible amount of tax paperwork per year and provide data to their clients that may be hard to digest. Because of those reasons, according to this week’s guest, most people are unhappy with their CPAs. Joe DiSanto is a former owner of a Los Angeles-based multimillion-dollar production company and is now the founder of finance, business, and real estate firm called Play Louder. He’s basically an independent part-time Chief Financial Officer for small businesses. Where a CPA may fall short, DiSanto tries to fill the gap by making sure his clients know that he’s regularly available to provide his services and he helps them understand their books according to their level, save them money and just give them more than what they asked for. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of a business health check The value of uncovering your clie
20/04/2021 • 31 minutes 13 seconds
EP240: Joe DiSanto - Part 1 - How To Be A CFO For Your Bookkeeping Clients
Stories are everywhere. They’re in movies, television, books, podcasts and, yes, even in your clients’ financial numbers. This week’s guest knows a lot about storytelling. Joe DiSanto is a former owner of a Los Angeles-based multimillion-dollar production company and is now the founder of a finance, business and real estate firm called Play Louder. He’s basically an independent part-time Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for small businesses. He feels by digging into your clients’ numbers, you can unearth the story of how healthy or unhealthy their businesses are. Once you have that information, you become incredibly valuable because you can update them about their situation, so they can take action to avoid potential disaster. During this interview, you'll also learn... Why you should educate yourself in tax planning & tax efficiency Why telling your clients to do their personal finances just like
13/04/2021 • 32 minutes 41 seconds
EP239: Beth Wonson - How To Deal With Conflict In The Workplace
Hard conversations. Nobody likes to start or be a part of them especially at work. But, if you’re hoping to solve issues with staff, you need to have those tough discussions. There are ways to do that effectively without people throwing chairs at you. :) This is where this week’s guest can help. Beth Wonson is the founder of Navigating Challenging Dialogue (a proven framework for transforming workplace culture) and the author of Mastering Feedback: Everything You’ve Never Been Told About How to Give Feedback. During this interview, you'll learn... Why you should use fact-based feedback that doesn’t cause drama & chaos The importance of creating an environment where employees can speak their truth The meaning of “Grace Is In The Space” To learn more about Beth, check out <a href= "https://www.bethwonson.com/" target="_blank" rel="n
06/04/2021 • 36 minutes 18 seconds
EP238: Naz Beheshti - How To Take Charge Of Your Well-Being
"Prioritize your well-being and take care of yourself, so you can optimize, be productive and efficient." That's the advice of this week's guest who learned that from her former boss, Steve Jobs when she was his executive assistant at Apple. Naz Beheshti is now a CEO, executive wellness coach and author of the book, Pause. Breath. Choose: Become the CEO of Your Well-Being. During this interview, you'll learn... Why you need to know & experience the value of taking care of yourself Productivity traps & business hacks The difference between an inner coach versus an inner critic To learn more about Naz, visit her website. To buy her book Pause. Breath. Choose: Become the CEO of Your Well-Being, <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Pause-Breathe-Choose-Become-Well-Being/d
30/03/2021 • 35 minutes 22 seconds
EP237: Yoseph West - How To Run Your Bookkeeping Business In A Rapidly Changing World
"Try more stuff and see what works." That's the advice of this week's returning guest, so you can survive the new normal. Yoseph West is the co-founder and CEO of Relay Financial which he describes as a smart operating account for your business. With his experience with Wave and Hubdoc, he expanded Relay Financial and now he’s introducing The 5,000-word Playbook which is a great guide for cloud accounting to make the most of 2021 and beyond. During this interview, you'll learn... Tips on how you can prepare yourself & your business for the new normal Knowing The 5,000-word Playbook & how it can help you & your business Great apps & tools to use for 2021 To learn more about Relay Financial, visit here. To
23/03/2021 • 33 minutes 10 seconds
EP236: Ean Price Murphy - Why Your Business Systems Always Need Improvement
Read the book, Profit First with your client's perspective then implement it. That's the advice of this week's guest who is a certified Profit First Professional that used the system the book mentioned which helped her business grow from a two-person operation to now ten employees and still flourishing. Ean Price Murphy is the founder of Moxie Bookkeeping & Coaching which helps its clients to understand their books, so they can feel more empowered and take home more of what they earn. During this interview, you'll learn... How money works & why you always need to focus on refining your system The importance of learning the relationship between income & expense The value of having great communication with clients To find out more about Ean, <stro
16/03/2021 • 39 minutes 57 seconds
EP235: Noah Martin - Help Your Bookkeeping Clients Understand Their Numbers
Know your numbers. According to this week’s guest, Noah Martin, who is a business and decision-making analyst and advisor, entrepreneurs should not run their business at a gut level. They must understand how much they’re earning and spending. As a bookkeeper, you should take the initiative to show and teach your clients the story of their numbers to best serve and protect them from making poor business decisions. By doing this, you’re not only creating trust and rapport, but you will also save them from a potential financial disaster. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of revealing to your clients the story of their P&L Gut Level Decision versus Personal Connection Decision Why it’s vital to know the decisions that are coming up To find out more about Noah, <a href= "https://www.knowyournumbe
09/03/2021 • 30 minutes 37 seconds
EP234: Jeremy Allen - How To Create A Successful Work From Home Culture
Things have changed. Thanks to the pandemic, employers everywhere have had to adapt to a new normal especially in regards to working remotely for themselves and their employees. Bookkeeping business owners with staff understand this reality. Just because the workplace is different doesn’t mean it can be any less productive or profitable. This week’s guest believes in having freedom and flexibility for his staff when it comes to where they work. Those values have allowed his business to create a terrific work from home culture that has been able to be successful during this new era. Jeremy Allen is the owner System Six Strategic Bookkeeping & Analysis. He used the above values to help build his business from his kitchen table in Seattle to a company that now generates over a million dollars per year. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of having great workflow management in a remote office Tips o
02/03/2021 • 35 minutes 44 seconds
EP233: John Warrillow - How To Sell Your Bookkeeping Business
When you build a successful business that becomes part of your net worth. That's according to today's guest, John Warrillow, who is the founder of The Value Builder System and a best-selling author of a trilogy of books including Built To Sell, The Automatic Customer and his newest addition, The Art of Selling Your Business: Winning Strategies & Secret Hacks for Exiting on Top. During this interview, you'll learn... The difference between selling to a third party versus selling to a family member How to prepare your business to be sold Renovation versus staging your business To learn more about John, visit here. To explore The Value Builder System, click this link</stro
23/02/2021 • 34 minutes 20 seconds
EP232: Sharon Francisco - How Systems Can Scale Your Bookkeeping Business
McDonald’s. It’s successful for a reason. If you take a look at how its restaurants are run, they’re process and systems-based which have made them super efficient and able to scale at an incredible rate in regards to hiring more staff, fulfilling more customer orders and so on. If building systems and processes worked for McDonald’s, it can work for your bookkeeping business too. This week’s guest, Sharon Francisco, has over 25 years experience with small business specializing in both Business Development and supporting business owners to achieve their goals. Most recently the Australian spent four years building a bookkeeping business from two bookkeepers to twelve using the Pure Bookkeeping System. So, she has a deep understanding of how impactful systems and processes can be. During this interview, you'll learn... Why you should ask yourself “What do I have to figure out to be able to scale my business?”</stro
16/02/2021 • 42 minutes 45 seconds
EP231: Laura Noel - Leadership Secrets From An Air Force Veteran
“I gave myself permission to dream and allow my mind and imagination to go there then I made the decision that this is what I want, that I need this and when the inspiration and opportunity presented itself, I was clear that it is in alignment, so I took the action.“ That's exactly what this week's guest did when she transitioned from serving in the military for over 27 years to being an entrepreneur, trainer and coach today. Laura Noel is the owner of Stretch Into Success Consulting which helps people and companies reach their personal and professional targets. During this interview, you'll learn... Why you need to become an intelligent follower to be a good leader Tips on how you can be a better leader to others and yourself The importance of building a team and having a sense of team in your business To
09/02/2021 • 35 minutes 56 seconds
EP230: Veronica Sagastume - How To Use Social Media Marketing To Attract Bookkeeping Clients
Don’t wait until it’s perfect. If you wait, you’ll never get anything done. That’s according to this week’s guest who used that mantra to make the bold decision to leave her management position to launch her own consulting practice. Veronica Sagastume is a consultant and strategist who helps accounting, bookkeeping and tax business owners use social media and digital marketing strategies to expand and grow their business from offline to online. During this interview, you'll learn... How social media & content marketing can help your bookkeeping business The significance of having a niche to get a fast referral Why it’s important to nurture your network To learn more about Veronica, check out her website. To connect with her on LinkedIn, <strong
02/02/2021 • 35 minutes 49 seconds
EP229: Shannyn Lee - How You Can Win The Game Of Selling
The game of selling. It's definitely not about convincing a prospect to buy your service. According to our guest today, clients come looking for expertise and help, so that should be the focus. Shannyn Lee is the Director of Coaching for the Win Without Pitching business development training program that provides sales training for creative entrepreneurs. During this interview, you'll learn... How facing failure can help in your game of selling Why specialization is key to a successful business Why it’s important to position yourself as an expert instead of a vendor To find out more about Shannyn, visit her website. To connect with her on LinkedIn, <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/sha
26/01/2021 • 33 minutes 34 seconds
EP228: Joanna Kleinman - How To Successfully Manage Your Inner Critic For A Happier Life
Your inner critic. It can be damaging to your confidence, self-esteem and many other things if you let it. If your inner critic is using up space in your mind, today’s guest can assist you. In fact, Joanna Kleinman mastered listening to her inner critic to become what she is today. She is a licensed psychotherapist that helps people redefine what's possible by separating them from their inner critic, so they can live more authentic lives. She is the author of a new book called Dethroning Your Inner Critic: The Four Step Journey From Self-Doubt To Self-Empowerment. During this interview, you'll learn... How to overcome your inner critic The difference between YOU & IT Self-empowerment tips To find out more about Joanna, <a href= "https://www.dethroningyourinnercritic.com/" targ
19/01/2021 • 33 minutes 52 seconds
EP227: Laura Tolhoek - What You Need To Know About Human Resources In 2021
The well-being of your staff has always been an important consideration. It’s even more so during this unique time in human history. With COVID-19 affecting the world, our guest, Laura Tolhoek had to develop new and innovate Human Resources strategies to help her clients. She is the President of Essential HR and has worked with some of the biggest players in the restaurant, food service and retail industries as an integral member of their HR teams. During this interview, you'll learn about... The different rules of staff morale and the infectious disease 4-step process The importance of understanding the holistic side of health The value of communication, understanding its different levels and safeguarding communication practices To find out more about Laura, <a href= "https://www.essentialhr.ca/" target="_blan
12/01/2021 • 32 minutes 33 seconds
EP226: Lisa Campbell - How You Finish 2021 Comes Down To How You Start 2021
Happy New Year! Wow, 2020 was certainly unique, but 2021 is going to be YOUR YEAR. It all begins with how powerfully you set yourself up for success. With that in mind, this first episode of 2021 is going to be a TREAT! It marks the return of our special guest, Lisa Campbell who is a Certified Professional Bookkeeper, Profit Strategist, Creator of the Accelerate 2 Advisor Masterclass program and Founder of Profit First Professionals Canada. During this interview, you'll learn... How to plan your year-end goals so you can actually achieve them How to block out time to work ON your bookkeeping business How to prepare for unexpected obstacles and setbacks in order to bounce back quickly To register for the complimentary 2021 Planning Webinar with Lisa on January 13th, click <a href= "https://resources.purebookkeeping.com/community-call/janu
05/01/2021 • 33 minutes 45 seconds
EP225: The Successful Bookkeeper Year-In-Review Show!
Wow, what a crazy year 2020 has been. In today’s very special Year-In-Review episode, we have a special panel that will discuss many interesting topics. Our guests include... Pure Bookkeeping Co-Founder & E-Myth Bookkeeper Co-Author, Debbie Roberts Director of Bookkeeping Relief Business Services & Australian Pure Bookkeeping licensee, Julie Watson Florida Virtual Bookkeeper Founder & American Pure Bookkeeping licensee, Jessica Fox Financly Co-Founder & Canadian Pure Bookkeeping licensee, Teresa Slack During this interview, you'll learn about... The biggest surprises and setbacks of 2020 and tips to overcome them Uplifting and grief stories of 2020 and how to learn from them Helpful strategies in 2020 and what to expect in 2021 To l
29/12/2020 • 1 hour 6 minutes 49 seconds
EP224: Christine Arylo - How To Acquire More Clarity & Freedom In Your Life
2020 has been an intense experience for many of us. But, what if you can find some peace during this interesting time? Our guest has some ideas that might help you. Christine Arylo is the author of Overwhelmed and Over It, a transformational leadership advisor and host of the Feminine Power Time podcast. During this interview, you'll learn about... Tips on getting a more free, clear and centered life Self-empowerment and the different possibilities in the world of finance The importance of intuitive thinking To find out more about Christine, visit her website. To listen to her podcast, click here</s
22/12/2020 • 38 minutes 43 seconds
EP223: Ben Kelly - How To Overcome Tough Times In Your Bookkeeping Business
Our guest didn't even think that he would be in the industry that he is in today. He transitioned from military service to over 30 years of experience in the business and management sectors for both public and private entities. Ben Kelly is a proven businessman with success in developing and implementing business, bookkeeping and financial systems. He is the Director of Nailing Your Finances which is an Australian-based firm that provides remote and on-site bookkeeping services to a wide range of sectors. He is also a Pure Bookkeeping licensee. During this interview, you'll discover... Tips in overcoming the challenges in your bookkeeping business The importance of task management and your calendar The significance of knowing your own definition of success To find out more about Ben, visit https:/
15/12/2020 • 33 minutes 46 seconds
EP222: Mary Hyatt - Everything You Need To Know About Preventing Burnout
Hustling is always a recipe for burnout. That's according to this week's guest who personally experienced it then ended up going on a journey of discovering who she was, learned skills, tools and techniques to be able to handle her emotions. Now, Mary Hyatt is a holistic life and business mindset coach who specializes in helping high achieving female entrepreneurs move from living a life of burnout to a life where they are connected to their emotions, body and spirit. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of recognizing and admitting where you are now Why incorporating femininity into your business is significant Why you need to intentionally curate your life and set up appropriate boundaries To find out more about Mary, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com</strong
08/12/2020 • 35 minutes 7 seconds
EP221: Teresa Slack & Connie Smith - Is Your Bookkeeping Business Going In The Right Direction?
Does this opportunity take me in the right direction? According to our returning guests, answering that question and having a solid mission as a guide will make it easier for you to make choices for your bookkeeping business success. Teresa Slack and Connie Smith (who are sisters) are the co-founders of Financly Bookkeeping Solutions and are Pure Bookkeeping licensees. They realized there are many opportunities out there and because of that small business owners can get scattered and spread themselves too thin which can lead to their business struggling. Teresa and Connie were able to avoid that fate by focusing and working hard which eventually led them to becoming the 2020 Certified Professional Bookkeepers of Canada FIRM OF THE YEAR! During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of having someone to share ideas with and having a mentor Tips on rebuilding your business to have it ready for
01/12/2020 • 41 minutes 18 seconds
EP220: Laura Vanderkam - How To Successfully Work From Home
Working from home. The unexpected events of 2020 have forced many of us to live that new reality. For some bookkeepers, it has been an interesting adjustment. But, according to our returning guest, Laura Vanderkam, working from home has many positives. She’s a time management and productivity expert whose new book, The New Corner Office: How The Most Successful People Work From Home will show you how to navigate the world of working remotely. During this interview, you'll discover... The things successful people do while working from home Why it's important to come up with ways to end your day and knowing when it ends Tips on disconnecting yourself from old ways of working and embrace new patterns to match your new environment To find out more about Laura, visit <st
24/11/2020 • 32 minutes 42 seconds
EP219: Brandi Bernoskie - How To Create A Website That Attracts Bookkeeping Clients
Client attraction. Today’s guest has mastered that skill through her work in theater. Brandi Bernoskie believes that theater is not just learning to pretend, but it is actually understanding other human beings and what motivates or drives them. With that information in hand, she uses it to help her clients build their perfect website. Brandi is the owner of Alchemy+Aim which is a website development and business strategy agency that assists thought leaders and entrepreneurs with creating custom websites to enhance client experience. During this interview, you'll discover... Tips on how to reorient your website language to attract your ideal clients Different mental roadblocks in creating your business and how to overcome them Your world view versus the view of your customers and how intentionality can help in client attraction To find out more about Brandi, visit <a href= "https://www.t
17/11/2020 • 32 minutes 15 seconds
EP218: Ron Saharyan & Ean Murphy - Make Your Bookkeeping Clients Profitable FIRST
This is a unique episode. It was originally broadcasted live at the Accounting & Finance Show USA virtual conference where Michael Palmer interviewed Co-Founder and Managing Director of Profit First Professionals, Ron Saharyan and Ean Murphy who is the owner of Moxie Bookkeeping and a Profit First Professional herself. According to our guests, it's crucial to focus on making your clients more money first. When you help them get paid more than they ever had before, you will change the way they value you forever. During this interview, you'll discover... How profit consulting can impact your clients and your business The importance of understanding the behavioural aspect of bank accounts Different resistance on Profit First onboarding and how to overcome them To find out more about Ron & Ean, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com" target="_blank" rel= "
10/11/2020 • 54 minutes 8 seconds
EP217: Joey Coleman - What You Need To Know About Customer Retention
Customer retention. If you get the first 100 days right, you'll have a client for life. That's the successful and proven mantra of our guest today. Joey Coleman is a speaker, consultant, mentor and the author of the bestselling book, Never Lose a Customer Again. While most business owners focus on marketing or closing the sale, Joey believes that relationships, customer experiences and interactions in the first 100 days after the sale is the most important ingredient to earning a loyal lifetime customer. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of having a clear understanding of your current client's journey “How do I get more” versus “How do I get deeper” Tips on how to create remarkable experiences during the customer lifecycle To find out more about Joey, visit ht
03/11/2020 • 59 minutes 6 seconds
EP216: Twyla Verhelst - Why You Must Get To Know Your Bookkeeping Clients
Your clients. Obviously, they’re the lifeblood of any bookkeeping business. But, if you don’t take the time to understand what they need, they won’t be your customers for very long. Our guest, Twyla Verhelst knows this well. She is the head of the FreshBooks Accountant Channel and Leader of the Accounting Professionals Program. She interacts with customers to find out how FreshBooks can better serve them. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of having your client do some of the data entry work Why you have to start embracing technology How FreshBooks can help your business To find out more about Twyla, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
27/10/2020 • 35 minutes 48 seconds
EP215: Mark Wickersham - What You Need To Know About Pricing Your Bookkeeping Services
New businesses don't need to start with lower prices. That's according to our returning guest, Mark Wickersham. He believes that just because your business is fresh on the scene, doesn't mean you can't deliver value and change people's lives. Mark is a Value Pricing expert, Chartered Accountant, public speaker, author of various books and he has a terrific new training called The Business Advisory Masterclass. During this interview, you'll discover... The difference between fixed fee pricing and value pricing The advantages of involving clients in the pricing process 3 tips to help accounting professionals shift to Value Pricing 7 Foundation topics of The Business Advisory Masterclass To find out more about Mark, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
20/10/2020 • 45 minutes 18 seconds
EP214: Lisa Campbell - What You Need To Know About Scaling Your Bookkeeping Business
This is a special episode. It was originally broadcasted live at the Toronto edition of the Accounting & Finance Show virtual conference where Michael Palmer interviewed Profit Strategist and the creator of the Accelerate 2 Advisor Mastermind Program, Lisa Campbell. Over the course of their chat, she provided many great pieces of advice including that you need to design your business to work around you instead of you constantly working to support your business. Her valuable content and can-do attitude have inspired many bookkeepers to take control of their businesses and prosper beyond their own expectations. During this interview, you'll discover... Tips on scaling by systemizing your business and finding the suitable systems that will handle your day-to-day work The importance of changing your mindset, knowing your burning desire and having a belief The difference between profit advisory versus a compliance-related bookkee
13/10/2020 • 1 hour 46 seconds
EP213: Sarah Facio-Davis - How Relationships Can Grow Your Bookkeeping Business
Leverage the people around you to get through tough times. That's how our guest today conquered the obstacles and difficulties in her bookkeeping business. Sarah Facio-Davis is the owner of Accurate Office Help and a Pure Bookkeeping licensee. She is also a member of a Mastermind program led by Profit strategist, Lisa Campbell. According to Sarah, it has answered her questions about growing her bookkeeping business and has helped to make the puzzle pieces fall into place. During this interview, you'll learn... How relationships can help change and grow your bookkeeping business How to overcome the challenges when you hit a wall in your business The benefits of knowing your value To find out more about Sarah, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
06/10/2020 • 37 minutes 10 seconds
EP212: Nikki McGraw - How You Can Overcome Challenging Times
With your bookkeeping business, there will always be ups and downs. What you need to focus on is how you can make it through the tough times. Today’s guest learned the hard way. Nikki McGraw is the owner of GreenLeaf Bookkeeping Solutions and a Pure Bookkeeping licensee. During this interview, you'll learn... Tips on what you need to do when business is starting to dry up How to overcome the Impostor's Syndrome and learning the power of mindset The value of being persistent To find out more about Nikki, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
29/09/2020 • 28 minutes 22 seconds
EP211: Michael J. Gelb - What You Need To Know About Public Speaking
It all started with his idealistic view of life and eagerness to change the world. Today’s guest moved to Washington, D.C. to teach politicians to "think more creatively and communicate more effectively." Let’s just say it didn’t go well. :) Instead, he's embraced by business owners, executives, senior employees and management where he instantly became the famous public speaking consultant and trainer that he is today. Michael J. Gelb is the author of 17 books (including Mastering The Art of Public Speaking), a consultant, trainer and speaker who helps businesses become more creative and successful. During this interview, you'll learn... How public speaking can help bookkeepers 3 practical points that you need to think about and prepare prior to meeting your clients How to discover your natural style and true voice To find out more about Michael,
22/09/2020 • 36 minutes 36 seconds
EP210: Carl Reader - What You Need To Know About Business Strategy
Don’t wait for your business growth to happen. Have a strategy to achieve it. That’s according to our guest, Carl Reader, who has over 23 years of accounting industry experience and is the Head of Accounting at Practice Ignition for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As well, he’s the author of BOSS IT: Control Your Time, Your Income And Your Life. During this interview, you'll also learn... 3 questions to ask when hiring a new employee The advantage of knowing your target market Practice management versus workflow management To find out more about Carl, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
15/09/2020 • 37 minutes 10 seconds
EP209: Cheryl Parker - How To Manage Grief While Running Your Bookkeeping Business
No two people grieve the same. That's why if a person is grieving, don't assume that you know what the other person needs. Instead, ask questions about how you can help or support her. That's the advice of our guest today. Cheryl Parker is a grief recovery specialist, who endured then recovered from the loss of her own daughter, that focuses on helping individuals heal, rebuild, and prosper again. During this interview, you'll discover... The effects of miscommunication around grief and lack of information The importance of having the education on how to support somebody 7 Stepping stones to reclaiming your life after loss To find out more about Cheryl, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
08/09/2020 • 30 minutes 49 seconds
EP208: Andrew Royer - What You Need To Know About Running A Successful Business
Don’t focus on the wrong number. It's not how much you earn, it's how much you get to keep that matters! Our returning guest learned that lesson the hard way, but it helped him build and develop his company. Andrew Royer, who is the owner of Royer Accounting, helps entrepreneurs build viable profitability to reduce debts and earn full control of their finances. During this interview, you'll discover... Why it's important to know your benchmark and how long it takes you to do something Tips on how to grow your business and keep your costs under control Common mistakes that new entrepreneurs make and how to overcome them To find out more about Andrew, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
01/09/2020 • 28 minutes 33 seconds
EP207: Jennifer Hume - How To Set Up The Right Systems In Your Bookkeeping Business
It’s okay to be crazy. :) According to our guest today, you'll definitely look that way if you go to a bank and open 5 accounts. But, the fact you're doing it to ensure that you can pay yourself, taxes, payroll and everything else that you need in your business is a huge benefit. Jennifer Hume is the owner of Coronation Bookkeeping & Tax Services that focuses on helping individuals and small to large-sized company owners with all of their financial and taxation needs. During this interview, you'll learn... How to establish your business with the right systems and processes The benefits of knowing your greatest Aha! How the Pure Bookkeeping System and Profit First help in growing your business exponentially To find out more about Jennifer, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com
25/08/2020 • 34 minutes 52 seconds
EP206: Colin Nanka - How To Use Your Failures To Succeed In Business
Will you let failure define you or will you use it as a springboard to your success? Today’s guest answered that question many years ago and it helped him become who he is today. Colin Nanka is a proven sales leader with over 20 years of sales experience. He’s worked at Salesforce.com and also spent time at Xerox Corporation. When he’s not at his job, he competes in multi-day, self sustained, adventure races in the world’s most difficult terrains. He is also leading the charge to defeat average in every aspect of life. During this interview, you'll learn... How to defeat the average within Tips on reframing your failure into an opportunity The four ingredients to having the energy that you need to be successful To find out more about Colin, visit https://www.thesuccessfu
18/08/2020 • 36 minutes 36 seconds
EP205: Sal Rezai - How Your Bookkeeping Business Can Prosper During Difficult Times
Look at a crisis as an opportunity. According to our returning guest, if you do that along with taking care of your physical and mental health, you and your bookkeeping business can thrive even during challenging times. Sal Rezai is the owner of the accounting training firm, Accounting By Sal. She's enthusiastic about educating entrepreneurs on how to efficiently manage their finances. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of seeking guidance from bookkeepers and accountants during difficult times Tips on how your business can thrive in a crisis The significance of having a reliable brand To find out more about Sal, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
11/08/2020 • 32 minutes 9 seconds
EP204: Maggie Craddock - How You Can Become A Better Problem Solver
Disruptions. They can come in the form of a career change, issues with your colleagues, challenging clients, unreachable quotas or deadlines. According to our guest, all you need to overcome those disruptions is emotional agility. Maggie Craddock is an executive coach with over 20 years of experience working with clients at all levels of the professional spectrum. She is the author of LIFEBOAT: Navigating Unexpected Career Change and Disruption. During this interview, you'll learn about... The big ship mindset vs lifeboat mindset Emotional agility and how it can help you become a problem solver A list of recommended books to read To find out more about Maggie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
04/08/2020 • 38 minutes 39 seconds
EP203: Jeffrey Love - A Lawyer’s Tips On How To Protect Your Bookkeeping Business
Some bookkeepers tend to disregard the legal aspect of their business. According to our guest, that’s a mistake. It’s crucial to pay attention to the legal side to ensure that you're protected both in times of success and most especially in times of chaos and uncertainty. Jeffrey Love is a corporate lawyer and partner at the firm, Gibbs Giden in California. His practice areas include business, commercial and real estate law. He provides outside general counsel to a wide array of businesses, advising on joint ventures, strategic alliances, partnership arrangements, entity formation, and general contract preparation. During this interview, you'll discover... How to correctly structure your business to reduce risk and liability The advantages of having contract provisions with your clients and what to include to avoid being sued Legal tips on how to draft and review your business c
28/07/2020 • 36 minutes 55 seconds
EP202: Crystal Ready - Why Physical Fitness Is Important For Your Business Success
Energy creates energy. According to our guest, you will look at things differently and positively when you are active. Crystal Ready is very dedicated to her physical fitness which contributes to her financial fitness. She started her bookkeeping career in 2005 and is now the proud owner of Ready Books & Consulting Ltd. During this interview, you'll discover... Why it's important to take care of your physical body How positive and love attraction can help the customer service side of your bookkeeping business Different exercises that you can do to enhance your mental health To find out more about Crystal, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
21/07/2020 • 30 minutes 1 second
EP201: Kerry Smithies - How To Handle Clients That Don’t Embrace Technology
Technology and outsourcing. According to today’s guest, those are the things that entrepreneurs need to use for their business and life to be much easier and more efficient. Kerry Smithies is the founder of My Cloud Bookkeeping which helps improve the financial management and cashflow of businesses by using a smooth QuickBooks Online setup and processes. She is also a finance and accounting consultant with over 25 years of experience in working with different organizations and high-tech companies. As well, Kerry is extremely knowledgeable about technology platforms that can help automate businesses. During this interview, you'll discover... How to work with clients that are having problems with embracing technology A list of tech tools to automate the administrative side of your business Tips on how to manage change To find out more about Kerry, visit <
14/07/2020 • 35 minutes 22 seconds
EP200: Debbie Roberts – Celebrating 10 Years of Pure Bookkeeping!
Get ready for a historic 200th episode! Pure Bookkeeping co-founder & E-Myth Bookkeeper co-author, Debbie Roberts returns to discuss the 10th anniversary of PB and why you need a 5 or 10 year vision for yourself. Pure Bookkeeping offers documented standard operating procedures that help you effectively and efficiently run your bookkeeping business. It has assisted over 800 bookkeeping business owners (and counting!) to simplify and systemize their businesses. During this interview, you'll also discover... How to overcome fear, uncertainty and doubt in the minds of small business owners around their finances The advantages of working with a community How Pure Bookkeeping deals with technology and change To find out more about Debbie Roberts, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookk
07/07/2020 • 49 minutes 58 seconds
EP199: Sharon Francisco - How To Be Great At Sales Even If You Hate it
Sales is not just about business and building businesses. It is about who you are and that's what makes it so exciting in learning how to sell. It can affect every part of your life in such a positive way. Our returning guest, Sharon Francisco passionately believes that. She’s a sales expert with nearly 30 years of experience in either supporting and teaching business owners, including bookkeepers, and franchisees on how to sell. According to her, it is important to understand how you make people feel because sales is 80% emotional and 20% logical. During this interview, you'll discover... The common obstacles in selling and how to overcome them The formula on selling 3 keys to sales and how it can scale your business To find out more about Sharon, visit https:
30/06/2020 • 37 minutes 52 seconds
EP198: Jim Flauaus - How Determination Will Guide You To Success
Determination. It is essential for the success of every business. Today’s guest knows this well. Jim Flauaus is the founder of Anchor Accounting & Tax, which works with small businesses across North America, and he's a Pure Bookkeeping licensee. Like any entrepreneur, he’s had to deal with the highs and lows of owning a business, but he was determined to make it work. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of determination How to promote your business Why you should have a clear message to your prospects To find out more about Jim, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
23/06/2020 • 41 minutes 39 seconds
EP197: Dan Baker – What You Need To Know About Making Your Business Profitable
Profit. Every bookkeeping business owner desires it. Today’s guest can help you achieve it. Dan Baker is the owner of DMB Tax Services and the CEO of Profit By Intention which is a small business specialty firm that helps to drive profitability in your business, increases your net worth through wealth management and ensures your company is protected through strategic use of insurance. Dan is also a Pure Bookkeeping licensee and Profit First strategist driven by increasing profitability and stabilizing cash management in gyms and health businesses. During this interview, you'll discover... How to build your business with maximum profitability Tips on making educated decisions The importance of embracing change To find out more about Dan, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
16/06/2020 • 42 minutes 32 seconds
EP196: Dr. Ivan Misner - Why You Should Focus On Hope & Action During Challenging Times
The Great Pause! According to our returning guest, this is what's happening to us right now. Dr. Ivan Misner is the founder of Business Network International (BNI) which is the world's largest business networking and business referral organization. With his leadership, BNI's community has evolved and embraced the current changes in our world with hope and a proper mindset. During this interview, you'll discover... How hope and action can neutralize fear Two types of people during a crisis Ideas that could come when you activate your network right now To find out more about Dr. Misner, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
09/06/2020 • 35 minutes 37 seconds
EP195: Julie Watson – How I Built My Thriving Virtual Bookkeeping Business
Having a virtual bookkeeping business is scary to some. In 2020, many bookkeepers were forced to take the leap out of necessity. People are creatures of habit, so all of a sudden, if they have to break out of their comfort zone, there’s a lot of uncertainty and fear that can arise. There’s no need to be afraid because you can follow the path of many successful virtual bookkeepers including today’s guest. Julie Watson is the Director of Bookkeeping Relief based in Australia and a Pure Bookkeeping licensee. Her business is booming, so she’s happy to share her success secrets. During this interview, you'll discover... How to overcome the snag of staffing and the advantage of outsourcing The importance of having Practice Protect app for your cybersecurity needs Why Pure Bookkeeping has been so instrumental to her virtual bookkeeping business To fi
02/06/2020 • 36 minutes 35 seconds
EP194: Erin Longmoon – What You Need To Know When Hiring An Employee
The right fit. Every bookkeeping business owner is looking for that when trying to hire an ideal employee. But, some don’t know it’s crucial to look beyond just skills on a resume. Today’s guest knows all about this. Erin Longmoon is a disruptor in the recruiting industry. She started Zephyr Recruiting LLC to support rising businesses in creating and maintaining great places to work. She is driven by her mission of eradicating toxic workplaces in the small business community. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of Culture Fit Recruiting Why we need to focus on brand marketing Tips on finding the right fit employee To find out more about Erin, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
26/05/2020 • 35 minutes 30 seconds
EP193: Femke Hogema – How To Become A High-Priced Advisor
Asking the right question is more valuable than giving the right answer. That’s according to today’s guest, where she believes that providing the answers too quickly is just solving the obvious and short-term problem. What the client needs is a long-term solution. Femke Hogema is the founder of Healthy Finance and the author of the bestselling book, The Profit Advisor: The new role of accountants and bookkeepers. She passionately believes that you can only have a successful company if you have a grip on figures yourself. Her passion for finance and communication allows her to speak and write about finance in a clear and fascinating way. During this interview, you'll discover... The practical steps that you can take to do a high value and high-priced advisory role The advantage of focusing on delivering results and practicing the L.S.A. process Why bookkeepers should help their clients do their administ
19/05/2020 • 36 minutes 34 seconds
EP192: Chris Spurvey – What You Need To Know About Sales Conversations
Sales. It’s a tough task for many introverted bookkeeping business owners, but when mastered, it can unlock an income stream that you wouldn’t have had before. Today’s guest is an expert in having sales conversations that convert. Chris Spurvey is also an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, podcast host and the author of the book, It's Time to Sell: Cultivating the Sales Mind-Set. During this interview, you'll discover... The different conversation tactics you can use with your prospects The importance of asking the first question and how to reply with a question that could generate a high energy response How you can master the Diagnostic Conversation To find out more about Chris, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
12/05/2020 • 39 minutes 25 seconds
EP191: Shrad Rao – Why You Need To Adapt To Scale Your Business
Have a painkiller solution not a vitamin solution. It means focus on a product or service that people have to have and not nice to have. With that in mind and backed by his team, today’s guest built a company that he always wanted to work on. Shrad Rao is the co-founder and CEO of Wagepoint, which simplifies the function of payroll to help small business owners while staying compliant with federal, state, and local payroll regulations. During this interview, you'll discover... • The criteria for choosing a business • The importance of adaptation in scaling your business • The advantage of staying focused on small business customers To find out more about Shrad, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
05/05/2020 • 37 minutes 20 seconds
EP190: Teresa Slack - What You Need To Know About Pure Bookkeeping
Keeping healthy and safe is the number one priority right now. But according to our guest, Teresa Slack, who is the co-founder of Financly, it’s also essential to keep businesses running if you can. Her virtual bookkeeping company is doing that by assisting many small business owners during this unique moment in human history. Teresa is an expert in e-commerce bookkeeping and has been grateful for using the Pure Bookkeeping System that has helped over 800 bookkeeping business owners streamline and automate their businesses. During this interview, you'll discover... How the Pure Bookkeeping System can help you expand your bookkeeping business The advantage of Zoom meetings and the Friday Success call with Michael The importance of maintaining normalcy for your clients To find out more about Teresa, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com" t
28/04/2020 • 34 minutes 39 seconds
EP189: Yoseph West - A new banking experience that will make you smile
Financial transactions. They are necessary in our everyday lives especially if you have a business. And during this difficult time, it's a struggle when we are hesitant to visit our bank in person for important transactions or can't even speak with customer service because of long call queues. With that in mind, today’s guest developed a system that can simplify banking needs. Yoseph West is the co-founder and CEO of Relay Financial which is a digital business banking solution. He worked several years with Wave and Hubdoc and used his experience to expand Relay Financial. During this interview, you'll discover... The difference between consultative sales versus hard charging sales The advantages of caring about helping your customers Tips on identifying your ideal customers To find out more about Yoseph, visit <stro
21/04/2020 • 36 minutes 8 seconds
EP188: Lisa Campbell - How To Pivot Your Business For Greater Success
Direction. Support. Accountability. According to our returning guest today, that's all it takes to succeed in any business. Lisa Campbell is a living example of how to transition from being a bookkeeper into a successful advisor. She turned her bookkeeping practice into a business that allows her the ability to serve her high-end client's needs as a profit strategist rather than a bookkeeper. Lisa is the owner of The Marcam Group (a profit strategy bookkeeping firm), Head of Mentoring North America for The Successful Bookkeeper and creator of the Accelerate 2 Advisor Mastermind program. During this interview, you'll discover... How to use your knowledge and experience to pivot and open up new opportunities for your clients Different positioning techniques and the importance of having everything systemized Generalist bookkeeping vs specialist bookkeeping To find out more about Lisa
14/04/2020 • 36 minutes 49 seconds
EP187: Kelly Phillips - Finding Trusted Info During These Unique Times
These are interesting times. Many things are closed or in lockdown and some bookkeepers don't know where to go for credible tax information during this tax season. According to our guest today, technology plays an important role as a great source of information in helping us do things efficiently while working remotely. Kelly Phillips, who is a U.S. Tax attorney and the woman behind TaxGirl.com, uses technology to provide accurate tax information to her clients, subscribers and followers. During the interview, you'll discover... A list of trusted resources for tax information Tips on how to avoid incorrect information A list of apps to use to stay connected with clients & colleagues To find out more about Kelly, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
07/04/2020 • 42 minutes 11 seconds
EP186: Robbie Randall - Why It’s Crucial To Choose The Right Technology
Technology. It can benefit your bookkeeping business in so many ways including improving your cash flow. Our guest, Robbie Randall, who is an Intuit Business Development Manager, has used technology to do this and to eventually help firms scale and grow their businesses. During the interview, you'll discover... How technology can play a major role in scaling your business How to implement technology that is meaningful to your business How running lean can help your business To find out more about Robbie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
31/03/2020 • 39 minutes
EP185: Analia Martinez - Why Improving Your Workflow Is Vital
Business-related problems. When your clients have them, they will likely be your problems, so educating your customers on how to handle these issues will strengthen your relationship with them. Today’s guest has been doing this and it has led her to where she is today. Analia Martinez is the owner of eBookkeeping Inc which is a virtual accounting and bookkeeping business that serves busy business owners. During the interview, you'll discover... How to overcome the challenges in starting with the right workflow Tips on how to improve your workflow & processes The advantages of following people and connecting in social media To find out more about Analia, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
24/03/2020 • 32 minutes 37 seconds
EP184: Jamie Shulman - How To Sell Your Bookkeeping Business
Companies are bought not sold. Our returning guest, Jamie Shulman, had that in mind when building the company, Hubdoc, he co-founded. In 2018, Huddoc was acquired by Xero for 70 million dollars, so Shulman’s vision was fulfilled. During the interview, you'll discover... Why it's important to be comfortable with the inevitability of automation Tips on how to seal the deal in a business sale The difference between selling a business versus growing a business To find out more about Jamie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
17/03/2020 • 33 minutes 56 seconds
EP183: Lisa Channell - Part 2 - How To Price Your Bookkeeping Services
Give yourself the grace to make mistakes and get the automation going. According to our guest, those are the keys to whole pricing and advisory services which help her be what she is today. Lisa Channell is the owner of Bonfire Bookkeeping and has been a long-time member of the Successful Bookkeeper community. She was also recently announced as a Helm Cashflows Brand Ambassador. During Part 2 of her interview, you'll discover... Package pricing vs value pricing The importance of course correct and price transparency A list of podcasts that can help grow your business To find out more about Lisa, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
10/03/2020 • 29 minutes 57 seconds
EP182: Lisa Channell - Part 1 - How Finding A Mentor Can Power Your Success
Sometimes accidents in life can be a great thing. Our guest, Lisa Channell, knows this well. Once upon a time she was called in accidentally (instead of the actual candidate) for a job opportunity that she would end up getting. During that job, she discovered her love for bookkeeping and met her mentor who taught her everything about it. Then Lisa surprisingly had a baby which was a beautiful accident that ended her stay at the job but then pushed her to pursue bookkeeping on her own. Today, she is the owner of Bonfire Bookkeeping and has been a longtime member of the Successful Bookkeeper community. During Part 1 of her interview, you'll discover... The significance of having a steady driving force How to find a good mentor Ways that bookkeepers can have better cash flow To find out more about Lisa, visit <str
03/03/2020 • 24 minutes 43 seconds
EP181: Trevor Blake - How Embracing Change Can Benefit Your Business
Looking to start a bookkeeping business? New York Times best-selling author, Trevor Blake, who has written books such as 3 Simple Steps and Secrets To A Successful Startup, has some insights. He’s not in the bookkeeping industry, but he has built four successful companies from the ground up, so he has plenty of experience when it comes to creating a business that works. Through those experiences, Trevor found the secrets on how to start, survive, and thrive as an entrepreneur which he shares with people around the world. During the interview, you'll discover... The importance of embracing technology How to take advantage of change Why you should start listening to your intuition To find out more about Trevor, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
25/02/2020 • 31 minutes 26 seconds
EP180: Blake Oliver - The Power of Setting & Revisiting Your Goals
Only 51% of businesses plan and set their annual goals and only 6% revisit those goals on a quarterly basis. Those who revisit their goals have an increase of 300% on their productivity and performance. That’s according to our guest, Blake Oliver who is a CPA that specializes in cloud accounting technology. He’s also the producer and co-host of a weekly news show called the Cloud Accounting Podcast. During the interview, you'll discover... The importance of having annual goals & revisiting them The perks of having a cloud partnership Jirav and other amazing accounting tools To find out more about Blake, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
18/02/2020 • 40 minutes 1 second
EP179: Justine Lackey - How To Keep Your Staff Happy & Productive
Overnight success is a rarity. Most of the time, when we hear an “overnight success” story, we find out later that the “overnight success” had been years in the making. It takes hard work and time. Our guest has definitely used both to build her success. For over 17 years, Justine Lackey has been the owner of Good Cents Bookkeeping which provides professional bookkeeping services to artists, creative professionals, and small businesses. It’s a bookkeeping company that focuses on an "atmosphere of excellence" that provides consistent, reliable, excellent end results for clients, and has a "Mom Army" of talented and loyal female staff. During the interview, you'll discover... The importance of employee retention How to have a dream client The pros and cons of hourly-based versus value-based pricing To find out more about Justine, visit <a href=
11/02/2020 • 33 minutes 30 seconds
EP178: Rachel Fisch - What Do You Want Your Legacy To Be?
Loss and grief can become a catalyst to your success. Our returning guest has used it to her benefit and it made her who she is today. Rachel Fisch has 17 years of accounting experience in a broad range of industries and coupled with her "colourful” personality, she has trained thousands of bookkeepers in hundreds of training sessions across Canada and beyond in both Desktop and Online accounting software since 2012. She is currently the Product Evangelist for Accountant Solutions at Sage. During the interview, you'll discover... The importance of defining your legacy The benefits of community and collaboration in the bookkeeping industry The value of self-reflection and consistency regarding the reactions of people around you To find out more about Rachel, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com" target="_bla
04/02/2020 • 30 minutes 14 seconds
EP177: Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan - When Should You Fire Your Bookkeeping Clients?
Changing something dramatically in your business is scary. Even more so if that shift involves mass firing your clients. But according to our returning guest today, Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan, who is a bookkeeper that helps lawyers grow their practices profitably, it needs to be done once in a while as you go along in your business. By doing so, you'll see a much better growth and structure in your business and personal life. During this interview, you'll discover... The signs and tips on when to fire your clients The significance of working for your clients’ best interest The importance of honesty, respect, and protection between bookkeepers and clients To find out more about Nancy, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
28/01/2020 • 36 minutes 31 seconds
EP176: Heather Townsend - How To Attract Prospects & Business Partners
Partnership. Profitability. Business development mindset. Those three values can help you take control of where you want to be in the next few years. That’s according to today’s guest, Heather Townsend who is a speaker, author, and founder of The Accountants Millionaires' Club that helps accountants, lawyers and consultants make partner. With her no fluff, to the point style and approach, she helps professionals and firms become the Go-To-Expert. During the interview, you'll discover... The Accountant Millionaire’s Club and how it helps people Tips to secure quality prospects and business partners How to grow a profitable practice To find out more about Heather, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
21/01/2020 • 34 minutes 44 seconds
EP175: Kirk Simpson - Why You Should Have Empathy For Your Clients
The entrepreneur’s journey is a difficult one. Whether it’s the ups and downs of finding customers or hiring or laying off employees, your client’s path as a business owner is not an easy one. As a bookkeeping business owner, you probably know this yourself. A way you can stand out is by being more human and understanding of what your clients are going through and doing what you can to help them with your service. Our guest, Kirk Simpson, who is the co-founder and CEO of Wave, believes empathy is important. He is passionate about focusing on and empathizing with the human experience on both sides of the tech equation - the customers who rely on Wave to run their businesses successfully and the people who make up the Wave team and drive the company’s innovation and success. During the interview, you'll also discover... What to look for in solutions to increase financial success <
14/01/2020 • 36 minutes 30 seconds
EP174: Nick Sinclair - The Power of Having A Global Team
The accounting world is advancing, but are you keeping up? Our guest solved the problem that accounting partners, owners, and directors face today. Nick Sinclair is the founder and chairman of TOA Global which is a professional accounting outsourcing partner that helps grow your business capacity and profitability using offshore teams. During the interview, you'll discover... The benefits of having an offshore team How to overcome the challenges of having an offshore team How to grow your capacity and profitability with global outsourcing To find out more about Nick, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
07/01/2020 • 36 minutes 10 seconds
EP173: David Leary - Business Insight For Your Success In 2020 & Beyond
Accounting and technology news. That's the expertise of our guest today and it has helped bridge the gap between developers, small business owners, and accountants. David Leary is the co-host of the popular, Cloud Accounting podcast. With his innovative, influential force in the small business accounting world and over 22 years of QuickBooks experience, he has provided many small businesses, accountants, and developers with technical tools, deep industry knowledge, strategy, and solutions. During the interview, you'll discover... Competition in the niche side vs high volume side Apps for social media and marketing How automation can save you time To find out more about David, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
31/12/2019 • 45 minutes 43 seconds
EP172: Danielle Gadoury - How To Get Accountant Client Referrals
“I'm not going to milk the cow. I want to own a farm.” With that motto, today's guest has developed a relationship with clients and accountants that helps grow her business with no social media or marketing. Danielle Gadoury is the owner of D & D Professional Services which provides high quality bookkeeping with the utmost care and attention to detail that makes her clients focus on what they do best - growing and making their businesses profitable. During the interview, you'll discover... The significance of meeting your client's accountants and treating them like a client How to approach accountants about forming a referral partnership The importance of having a good foundation through education To find out more about Danielle, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
24/12/2019 • 36 minutes 36 seconds
EP171: Michael Braun - Listening To Prospects Can Power Your Success
Do you want friends or clients? Today’s guest receives both by doing two simple things. He listens to people and asks questions. Michael Braun is a virtual financial manager, profit advisor and founder of Upfront Consulting. He figured out that you can easily win friends by asking questions then they can be your clients by listening to them. During the interview, you'll discover... The importance of having a client success manual and advance mindset The significance of value pricing and charging upfront Books and other resources that could help in getting premium clients To find out more about Michael, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
17/12/2019 • 35 minutes 37 seconds
EP170: Kreg MacPhee & Bradley Rougeau - Why Time Tracking Is Vital For Your Efficiency
Opportunities increase when you have a partner. Today’s guests are a perfect example of a successful partnership. Kreg MacPhee and Bradley Rougeau are co-founders of a streamlined time tracking and payroll system called PayTickr. It helps eliminate manual mistakes and reduces time in the payroll cycle. During the interview, you'll discover... How to fast track and get the margin your business deserves Why you should improve your efficiency every day The significance of technology in time tracking and payroll To find out more about Kreg and Bradley, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
10/12/2019 • 31 minutes 46 seconds
EP169: Helina Patience - Why You Should Systemize Your Workplace
Today’s guest is not your typical accountant or bookkeeper. Helina Patience is the CEO of Entreflow Consulting Group which is a licensed CPA accounting firm, recruitment agency, and growth marketing strategy practice. But, she also recently launched Jude & Laurel, a GOTS (global organic textile standard) apparel brand where they use certified organic fabrics and trims. She’s had an interesting path where she’s successfully used the power of systemization for her business operations. During the interview, you'll discover... The significance of having a structured system in a workplace How to hire and train the right people The importance of engagement to look at your overall business To find out more about Helina, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
03/12/2019 • 28 minutes 24 seconds
EP168: Lauren Handel Zander - How To Rewire Your Mindset For Success
If you’re unhappy with aspects of your life right now, it’s your own fault! That’s according to today’s returning guest, Lauren Handel Zander who is a life coach, university lecturer, public speaker, and the Co-Founder and Chairwoman of the Handel Group. If you’re the common denominator of everything that isn’t working in your life, you can do something about it. Lauren will teach you how to dream big, examine your inner dialogue, and make promises and consequences that get you into action around your goals. She has spent over 20 years coaching thousands of private clients including entrepreneurs, couples, families, professors, politicians, Emmy, Peabody and Academy Award-winning artists, Grammy-winning musicians and Fortune 500 CEOs. During this interview, you'll discover... How to rewire yourself in the areas you need rewiring The importance of inner dialogue and personal integrity</li
26/11/2019 • 34 minutes 39 seconds
EP167: Dr. Ivan Misner - Attract The Right People To Your Life & Business
Are you living your life by default or by design? According to our returning guest, you need to stop living according to everyone else's rules. Business Networking International (BNI) founder, Dr. Ivan Misner’s new book, Who's in Your Room? The Secret to Creating Your Best Life, introduces the concept of your life being like a room. It's a room where anyone who enters affects your life — forever. This book gives you the tools and exercises you need to take control of your room and live the life you desire. During this interview, you'll discover... The concept of who is in your room Living in your flame and why deal breakers are easy while values are harder Engines vs anchors To find out more about Dr. Misner, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com<
19/11/2019 • 35 minutes 28 seconds
EP166: Shep Hyken - Focus On Your Client’s Experience
A business that makes life easier for the customer is a way to make you stand out. Our returning guest, Shep Hyken, who is a customer service expert and New York Times bestselling author, agrees. His focus is to help businesses build relationships with their customers and deliver amazing customer service which eventually leads to their loyalty. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of client experience How to be more convenient How to create a journey map To find out more about Shep, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
12/11/2019 • 35 minutes 51 seconds
EP165: Guy Pearson - Why Efficiency Is One Of The Keys To Your Success
Efficiency. It’s one of the important pieces to your business success. Our guest, Guy Pearson, knows this. He is the co-founder and CEO of an accounting automation solution called Practice Ignition. It helps accounting firms simplify their workflows and manage all other aspects of their accounting practice. It provides them the time to build and grow their client base while avoiding wasted energy, efforts, and time in producing the same desired results. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of delivering more value How to improve efficiency at work Why you should invest in your business To find out more about Guy, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
05/11/2019 • 38 minutes 22 seconds
EP164: Alisha Thomas - How To Find Creative Business Clients
A bookkeeper for creatives! Wait. What? Yes, it exists and our guest for today is the expert. With over six years experience, Alisha Thomas loves empowering creatives to get to know their numbers. She's the owner of Wait. What? Consulting based in Wilmington, North Carolina. During this interview, you'll discover... How and where bookkeepers can get creative business clients The pros and cons of having creative business clients What is a Line Grid in a creative business To find out more about Alisha, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
29/10/2019 • 35 minutes 43 seconds
EP163: Eric Burgmaier - The Power of Having A Bookkeeping Business Niche
Don’t be all things to all people. Today’s guest agrees. Eric Burgmaier is a CPA, CVA (Certified Valuation Analyst) and the owner of Burgmaier & Associates, Inc. that provides a broad variety of accounting services to small and medium businesses with a focus on medical and dental practices. He also has over 20 years of healthcare industry experience in public accounting, private industry, and academic institutions. During this interview, you'll discover... The pros and cons of having a niche practice Tips on how bookkeepers can help their clients plan to sell their businesses someday The advantages of working with your spouse To find out more about Eric, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
22/10/2019 • 34 minutes 57 seconds
EP162: Sal Rezai - Success Is On The Other Side Of Your Comfort Zone
Getting ready for a successful career transition isn’t easy. Just ask our guest, Sal Rezai who is the owner of Accounting By Sal. She stepped out of her comfort zone and grabbed the opportunity. She has a passion for accounting, small business and helping business owners achieve success, so when she started her own business in 2008, it was the beginning a fulfilling path that has expanded to many exciting opportunities including coaching and Quickbooks training. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of living outside of your comfort zone to achieve success Tips for getting ready for a career transition How to build a strong connection with clients To find out more about Sal, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
15/10/2019 • 32 minutes 40 seconds
EP161: Lee Caraher - How To Have Loyal Millennial Staff
Millennial employees. You might have one on your staff right now. How is your relationship with her? Are you worried she might leave because she’s not happy? If you’re having some challenges, there are ways to bridge the generation gap, so it can be a win-win for everyone involved. Today’s guest, Lee Caraher will help you with that. She is a highly sought-after communications expert known for her business acumen and insights. She is also the author of Millennials & Management: The Essential Guide to Making it Work at Work and The Boomerang Principle: Inspire Lifetime Loyalty from Your Employees. During this interview, you'll discover... Tips on how to have loyal millennial staff members The benefits of appreciation and being proactive with your employees How to run a business by understanding people To find out m
08/10/2019 • 33 minutes 25 seconds
EP160: Abbey Louie - How To Create A Healthy Workplace
How good are your leadership skills? If they’re not great, our guest today will offer some help. Abbey Louie is a leadership trainer, coach and a QuickBooks Connect San Jose conference speaker who assists clients in aligning, connecting and developing their employees and improving their leadership platform. She’s done this work, for Mintify and as a co-founder of Next Level Women Leaders, through training programs and workshops that have had a positive impact on many leaders from different industries. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of creating a healthy workplace The key qualities to becoming a great leader How to hire terrific staff members To find out more about Abbey, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
01/10/2019 • 37 minutes 47 seconds
EP159: Hector Garcia - How To Improve Your Marketing
Best Buy’s Geek Squad. You might have heard of it. It’s known for offering technical services for those who aren’t technical. Our guest, Hector Garcia mentioned how working for Geek Squad was a great education for how he’d eventually price his services. It was one of the many lessons he has learned along his unlikely journey into the accounting and bookkeeping industries. Today, he is a CPA, Quickbooks Consultant, CPA and Strategic Advisor who was on Hubdoc’s Top 50 Cloud Accountants’ list and is a YouTuber with over 3 million views on his channel. During this interview, you'll discover... What is menu-based pricing Why pricing is one of the most important marketing strategies you’ll have Why positioning yourself as a specialist is vital in attracting your ideal clients To find out more about Hector, visit h
24/09/2019 • 43 minutes 5 seconds
EP158: Dr. Mark Burhenne - How To Improve Your Sleeping Habits
You could have sleep apnea and not know it! There are millions of people who are suffering from it yet most people who have it never get diagnosed. Dr. Mark Burhenne is a practicing sleep medicine dentist and author of the book, The 8-Hour Sleep Paradox. He is a TEDx speaker and his advice regularly appears on media outlets like CNN, CBS, The Washington Post, and Men’s Health. He helps people realize the connection between oral and overall health. He also spends a lot of time teaching patients and readers about the importance of healthy sleep. During this interview, you'll discover... What is sleep apnea The connection between oral health and systemic health Insight about mouth breathing versus nose breathing To find out more about Mark, visit http
17/09/2019 • 36 minutes
EP157: Alexandra Levit - How To Manage Your Millennial Staff Members
Millennials. This is a generation of people that were born approximately between 1980-1995 and they are a big part of today’s workforce. Our guest prepares organizations and their employees, who are mostly millennials, to be competitive and marketable in the future business world. Alexandra Levit is an American writer, consultant, speaker, and a workplace expert who has appeared on major TV networks like CNN and has written for The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and The New York Times. She has written six career advice books including her bestseller, Humanity Works: Merging Technologies and People for the Workforce of the Future. During this interview, you'll discover... Insight about old millennials versus young millennials The importance of high-tech & high-touch technology The impact of incentives to employees To find ou
10/09/2019 • 32 minutes 9 seconds
EP156: Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan - The Importance of Peer Groups For Your Success
How do you make the right connections? Our returning guest, Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan, who is the President and founder of Graham Consulting & Training Inc., was hesitant, scared, and intimidated to join Business Network International (BNI) at first. After a long journey, she conquered her worries and fears, jumped right in, and as a result, she got a referral on her very first day of joining. Nancy’s BNI group works hard to help and support her in her business and life. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of conquering your fears How a positive outlook can help you Why it is important to have a support group To find out more about Nancy, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
03/09/2019 • 38 minutes 9 seconds
EP155: Jeremy Miller - Why Your Business Name Is Important
Clarity. According to our guest, it is the ability to describe who you are, what you do and who you serve in ten words or less. This is the key to successful marketing in your bookkeeping business. Jeremy Miller is a brand strategist, author of the new book, Brand New Name and best-selling writer of Sticky Branding. His blend of humour, stories, and actionable ideas will inspire you to innovate, grow your business and brand. During this interview, you'll discover... The 3-stage naming process How to overcome a naming drought Why naming is important and the common mistakes people make in naming their business To find out more about Jeremy, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
27/08/2019 • 30 minutes 27 seconds
EP154: Teresa Slack and Kellie Parks - The Benefits of Bookkeeping Conferences
Bookkeeping conferences. Why do you need to attend them? Will they help you? Are they worth it? Those are a few questions some bookkeepers might ask themselves and today they will be answered by our returning guests, Teresa Slack, and Kellie Parks. They are two talented and inspiring bookkeeping business owners who’ve attended their share of conferences including the upcoming Institute of Professional Bookkeepers of Canada (IPBC) Ignite event. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of attending conferences The advantages of learning new information in person at a conference rather than online A list of conferences for bookkeepers To find out more about Teresa and Kellie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
20/08/2019 • 33 minutes 49 seconds
EP153: Jessica Fox - Why It’s Important To Empower Your Clients
Be a guide. That’s exactly what our guest Jessica Fox has been for entrepreneurs. She’s a bookkeeping business owner who realized there are many entrepreneurs that wanted to learn about managing their business finances but didn’t know where to start. And that's where she found her niche. She is an advanced certified Quickbooks Online ProAdvisor and Xero certified advisor who is passionate about helping entrepreneurs succeed and is the author of the book, Bookkeeping Basics for Entrepreneurs. During this interview, you'll discover... Why focusing on having outstanding service is vital to your business The importance of getting reviews from your clients Why you should have an effective time management app To find out more about Jessica, visit https://www.thesuccessful
13/08/2019 • 30 minutes 50 seconds
EP152: Jesse Wood - Why Automation Is Crucial To Your Business
Are you efficient with your time? If you’re not, your bookkeeping business could be suffering. This is where automation can help. Today’s guest knows all about that. Jesse Wood is the CEO of eFileCabinet. It is software used by businesses that want to automate their processes, save time, save money, be compliant, and make all of their documents instantly and securely accessible from anywhere. Wood has over 20 years of leadership experience innovating custom technical solutions for a wide range of business applications. During this interview, you'll discover... The advantages of automation The significance of listening to your customers The importance of flexibility, accessibility, and role-based security To find out more about Jesse, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com</
06/08/2019 • 29 minutes 32 seconds
EP151: Dianna Thorne - Business Success Tips From An Accountant
Quality and efficiency. According to our guest today, those are the keys to having a successful accounting business. Dianna Thorne, who is the President of Targeted Accounting, has 15 years of accounting, financial and business management experience in the public sector and in the service, retail, investment, insurance, and various other industries. During this interview, you'll discover... The advantages of using the cloud Double work and challenges when working remotely Different apps for accounting services To find out more about Dianna, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
30/07/2019 • 30 minutes 21 seconds
EP150: Amanda Quinn - How To Get Fit Even If You Have A Busy Life
6-pack abs. To some, you’re considered healthy if you have them. According to our guest, that's the common misconception of being fit and healthy. Amanda Quinn is the co-founder of FIT CHICKS, the largest women's only fitness company in Canada. From the award-winning bootcamp, online transformation challenges, weekend health retreats, FIT CHICKS has helped over 7,500 Canadian women get fit and fierce. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of moving your body and using it as a tool The significance of proper form and technique The risk of sitting in your desk in front of the computer and working long hours To find out more about Amanda, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
23/07/2019 • 36 minutes 24 seconds
EP149: Benoit Mercier - Effective Design Principles For A Successful Website
Online presence. Effective digital marketing. According to our guest today, those are the key ingredients for business success. Benoit Mercier is a web consultant for the web design and development company, Bloomtools. He helps small and medium-sized businesses grow their revenues by providing powerful websites, internet marketing tools and strategies that deliver results. During this interview, you'll discover... The 5 Ps of website design The value of a website and what can it do for your business Different tools to use for a successful website design To find out more about Benoit, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
16/07/2019 • 32 minutes 8 seconds
EP148: Frances Ferguson - How To Take Care Of Your Mental Health
Mental health. Many entrepreneurs don’t pay much attention to it because they’re too busy trying to succeed, but if not taken care of, it can be a big problem. As humans, we sometimes struggle with personal issues that get in the way of our happiness. When that time arrives, do you know what to do? Today’s guest will provide some great tips to help you. Frances Ferguson is a registered clinical counsellor from Campbell River, British Columbia who has 20 years of experience working with men and women of all ages, couples, children, and teens. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of saying no and setting limits on how much time to work The benefits of working smart How to bring balance to ourselves To find out more about Frances, visit https://
09/07/2019 • 32 minutes 11 seconds
EP147: Cora Lee Dunbar - Startup Tips For Your Bookkeeping Business
Starting a business isn’t easy. But, there are things you can do to make it less challenging and more profitable. Our guest, Cora Lee Dunbar, knows about this. She is a consultant and coach who has 24 years of professional business experience which includes starting a business and selling one herself. Building your business the right way with solid foundations, systems, and processes can help you speed up your success. It's going to take a lot of time, energy and you will encounter some hiccups, but the hard work will likely payoff in the end. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of shared leadership The benefits of having strategic planners Tips on how to attract clients To find out more about Cora Lee, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkee
02/07/2019 • 32 minutes 29 seconds
EP146: Meredith Bodgas - A Work-Life Balance Guide For Moms
It’s never easy. Juggling the responsibilities associated with running your bookkeeping business and having a happy family life can be a grind. Our guest, Meredith Bodgas, who is the Editor-in-Chief of Working Mother, understands what moms go through. Working Mother is a mentor, role model, and advocate for the country’s more than 17 million moms who are devoted to their families and committed to their careers. Through its website, magazine, research, social networks, and powerful events, Working Mother provides its educated and affluent readers with the community, solutions, and strategies they need to thrive. Luckily, she works with a great team who understands time constraints and figured out ways to be as efficient as possible. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of having a support system The benefits of having a shared space Why having a day-to-day che
25/06/2019 • 29 minutes 33 seconds
EP145: Julie Daniluk - Healthy Habits For Your Long-Term Success
Health is wealth. Our guest, Julie Daniluk, who is a registered holistic nutritionist, best-selling author, and media personality, is a big believer in that saying. You see, it's easy to neglect yourself with all the duties and responsibilities that need to be done when building a business, but having a healthy routine and being willing to cut back a few foods can really change your life. Julie helps thousands of people enjoy allergy-free foods that taste great and assist the body in the healing process. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of taking care of yourself The 7 foods that cause inflammation The benefits of having a healthy routine To find out more about Julie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
18/06/2019 • 48 minutes 58 seconds
EP144: Mike McDerment - Business Tips From FreshBooks' Co-Founder
Have you ever reached a breaking point? Today's guest sure did. It happened when he accidentally saved over an important client invoice then he “just kinda snapped.” That's when he realized when there's an invoice you need FreshBooks. Mike McDerment is the co-founder and CEO of FreshBooks which is the #1 invoicing and accounting software in the cloud designed exclusively for self-employed professionals and their teams. Built in 2003, he spent 3 and a half years growing the company from his parents’ basement. Since then, over 10 million people have used FreshBooks to save time billing and collect billions of dollars. During this interview, you'll discover... How to de-risk major concerns How to price your services How to embrace Impostor Syndrome To find out more about Mike, visit https://www.thesu
11/06/2019 • 29 minutes 59 seconds
EP143: Teresa Slack & Connie Smith - Increasing Your Self-Worth Can Make You Profitable
You're worth more than you think. Teresa Slack and Connie Smith learned this the hard way. But, with the mentorship of Value Pricing expert, Mark Wickersham, he helped to get them to where they needed to be. They worked hard to overcome their fear of losing clients by raising their prices and effectively communicating the value they provide. Today, they leverage their decades of experience by providing bookkeeping and business development solutions to small businesses and entrepreneurs. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of value pricing The benefits of having a mentor Why it's important to believe in your own worth To find out more about Teresa and Connie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
04/06/2019 • 29 minutes 39 seconds
EP142: Stephen Brown - Why You Should Embrace Technology
Find ways to free up your precious time. Our guest, Stephen Brown, who is the COO of LedgerGurus, figured this out. He embraced technology to do the mundane which allows him to do more of the strategic stuff that's hard to automate like budgeting, analysis, and things that bring value to customers. As a result, he's contributed to the growth of LedgerGurus, a virtual outsourced accounting firm focused on eCommerce accounting, as a company that is determined to help customers make good decisions and achieve their goals. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of adding value to your clients The benefits of using technology Where to find the technical tools and best practices To find out more about Stephen, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
28/05/2019 • 31 minutes 8 seconds
EP141: Lisa Campbell - How A Positive Mindset Impacts Your Business
Negative thinking. All of us do it. But, we can choose not to let it block us from success. Yes, you can break free from it. Our returning guest, Lisa Campbell, who is the owner of The Marcam Group, has done it. She focused on the main problem, took action and transitioned into a very successful advisor to bookkeepers. In fact, she shares her insight in the 7 Steps To Scale Your Bookkeeping Business Masterclass. Her positive mindset and willingness to take action has changed her business forever. Nowadays, she has a reduced workload, mentors bookkeepers, takes courses and training to improve herself which is adding more value to her bookkeeping business. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded people The 7 steps to scale your bookkeeping business How to keep yourself organized To find out more about Lisa, visit <a href=
21/05/2019 • 31 minutes 26 seconds
EP140: Steve Chase – Why Keeping Up With Technology Is Important
Being an entrepreneur is a balancing act. For example, having a harmonious relationship with your bookkeeping customers while keeping up with the latest technology trends can be difficult when you’re running your day-to-day business. Our guest today experienced this and has learned how to be successful. Steve Chase is an Advanced QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor and founder of Sequentia Solutions which helps small business owners grow their businesses with practical and effective solutions. He believes that it’s crucial to keep up with technology and understand the possibilities in order to thrive in this new era of online business. During this interview, you'll also discover... How to deliver valuable content to customers Creative ways to get your services noticed in the marketplace The importance of
14/05/2019 • 34 minutes 50 seconds
EP139: Jean Kristensen – How To Attract Government Contract Funding
Government contracts can improve and scale up any business. But, many of us think that doing business with the government is not a reality. Our guest today believes that's a myth. Jean Kristensen is the owner of Jean Kristensen Associates, which is a full-service consulting firm that provides tools and resources to small, minority, and women-owned firms seeking to increase revenues through government contracting, certification, and innovative business strategies. According to her, any government wants to diversify their suppliers and there is a certain percentage of allocation of contracts intended only to small businesses. During this interview, you'll discover... Why it's important for small businesses to be working with a bookkeeper to be ready for potential government contracts Why it's necessary for your business to be procurement ready and have a strong foundation Differen
07/05/2019 • 34 minutes 25 seconds
EP138: Mark Wickersham – Effective Pricing Tips for Bookkeepers
The easiest way to make more money is simple -- get the price right. Prices are the single most important element in your profit equation. Get them right and you make a profit. Get them wrong and you'll get a loss. Our returning guest is a profit improvement and effective pricing expert from the United Kingdom. Mark Wickersham is a chartered accountant, public speaker and author of many books including Effective Pricing for Accountants and Price: The Fastest Way To Change Profits. He is famous for helping bookkeeping and accounting firms double their profits in less than 18 months without having to work harder or do any uncomfortable marketing. During this interview, you'll discover... The different phases of value conversations and the fact finding process The cons in providing an hourly rate The cost plus pricing versus value pricing <
30/04/2019 • 35 minutes 37 seconds
EP137: Jeff Cates - Is Bookkeeping Dead?
What are your bookkeeping business fears? For many, they're afraid artificial intelligence will replace them. However, our guest, Jeff Cates, the former President and CEO of Intuit Canada, believes in the power of bookkeepers becoming consultants for their clients to keep themselves valuable in this changing world. This conversation was recorded before Jeff accepted a President and CEO position with an industry-leading employee engagement solution provider called Achievers. During this interview, you'll discover... How to have a transformational impact on your customers The importance of learning financial management skills early Different ways to bridge the gap between small businesses and professionals To find out more about Jeff visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
23/04/2019 • 32 minutes 23 seconds
EP 136: Sarah Palmer – Bookkeeping Business Tips You Should Know
Every business needs a great bookkeeper. It doesn't matter if you're in the US, Canada or Australia, all small businesses would benefit tremendously if they had the right person looking after their books. Our guest is one of those high caliber talents who runs the bookkeeping firm, Women Who Count based in the United Kingdom. She sits on the board of the International Association of Bookkeepers and her commitment and passion have been recognized when she was a finalist for the UK Women in Business Awards. She knows what it takes to build a strong business and is happy to share her success tips with you. During this interview, you'll discover... The process of hiring an employee How to automate your business Marketing strategies that work To find out more about Sarah, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com</a
16/04/2019 • 29 minutes 3 seconds
EP135: Kelly Paxton - How To Avoid Pink Collar Crimes
Pink Collar Crimes. If you don't know what they are and how destructive they can be to your bookkeeping business and life, you're listening to the right episode. The term pink-collar crime was popularized by Dr. Kathleen Daly during the 1980s to describe embezzlement type crimes that typically were committed by females based on limited opportunity. In this context, women were more likely to have committed low level crimes, such as bookkeeping fraud, from positions of less power compared to men who had engaged in acts of white-collar crime. Our guest, Kelly Paxton is a Pink Collar Crime expert who specializes in educating the public about this growing problem that has risen by over 40% since 1990. During this interview, you'll discover... Different ways that bookkeepers and their clients can avoid Pink Collar Crimes from happening The Pink flag signals The importance of knowing the various Pink Collar Crimes in a bookk
09/04/2019 • 35 minutes 24 seconds
EP134: Karl Kremer - Let Your Bookkeeping Business Do The Work
Are you tired of working for your bookkeeping business? Or... Are you ready to have your bookkeeping business work for you? Our guest, Karl Kremer knows how to make the latter a reality. He is a business coach who has over 30 years experience in business development, planning and execution working with Fortune 100 companies throughout the world. He helps his clients forge their business into a tool that they can use to improve the quality of their lives and the lives of those around them. During this interview, you'll discover... How to build your ideal firm Strategies and systems that help achieve faster results How to turn chaos and stress into fun To find out more about Karl, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
02/04/2019 • 29 minutes 51 seconds
EP133: Vicki Lynch - Business Tips From A U.S. Air Force Veteran
How do you provide your clients with peace of mind? Our guest, Vicki Lynch, who is the owner of Bottom Line Accounting Pros and a United States Air Force veteran, does this by getting her clients on a regimented process of routine to help them understand the bigger picture of their financial situation. After over 20 years of experience in the accounting field, Vicki realized that adopting a system oriented mindset is one of the key things that helped her succeed with her business. During this interview, you'll also discover... The importance of having feedback from your clients How to identify your values and what you stand for The benefits of having boundaries To find out more about Vicki, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
26/03/2019 • 35 minutes 5 seconds
EP132: Gerri Detweiler - Helpful Tips For Business Credit Issues
Business credit. For an entrepreneur, it can be a confusing thing. Enter our guest, Gerri Detweiler. She is a credit expert, author and speaker who has helped people find reliable answers regarding credit issues for the past 20+ years through her educational programs and materials. She gives all the needed information for small business owners to make better decisions with tools and strategies to create a financially healthy business. She has been featured in more than 3000 interviews including on The Today Show, Dateline NBC, The New York Times, USA Today and Reader's Digest. During this interview, you'll discover... What is business credit The benefits of talking to your accounting professionals Where to find free credit tools and resources for bookkeepers To find out more about Gerri, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/
19/03/2019 • 32 minutes 28 seconds
EP131: Gabrielle Fontaine – How To Succeed As A Virtual Bookkeeper
Working virtually is the new reality. As the years fly by, it's become increasingly popular. Our guest, Gabrielle Fontaine knows all about it. She is a freelance bookkeeper who is an expert in working virtually. As the owner of BookkeepingDirect, she's had a 100% virtual bookkeeping service since 2003 as an Advanced Certified QuickBooks Advisor. She is also the author of the blog, The Freelance Bookkeeper which provides practice building tips and training programs for startup bookkeeping firms and virtual bookkeepers around the globe. During this interview, you'll discover... The different challenges virtual bookkeepers face How caring about your virtual clients can improve your relationship with them How doing something that scares you every day can make you successful To find out more about Gabrielle Fontaine, visit <a href= "https://www.the
12/03/2019 • 45 minutes 7 seconds
EP130: Stacey Hanke - How Your Brand Can Attract Clients
How is your brand communicating to others? Today’s fast-paced business environment requires leaders who can create impact and influence others with sound communication practices. Our guest, Stacey Hanke has trained over 15,000 executives to influence, persuade, sell, or simply effectively communicate face-to-face with a clear brand message. She runs Stacey Hanke Inc. which is a company that exists to equip leaders within organizations to communicate with confidence, presence and authenticity, day in and day out. She is also the author of Influence Redefined: Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be Monday to Monday. It provides a step-by-step method for improving communication and producing the ideal type of influence that moves people to action long after an interaction is over. During this interview, you'll discover... How to navigate through transitions Importance of consistency in your personal brand H
05/03/2019 • 35 minutes 24 seconds
EP129: Roger Knecht - The Importance Of Creating A Pricing Model
How much should you charge? Our returning guest, Roger Knecht, who is the President of the Universal Accounting Center, is an expert in helping bookkeepers and accountants to be the best in the market. He has developed proven methods on how to understand your own pricing metrics and avoid the common mistakes. You will become more confident to charge your clients and it will give them clarity as to what services you're offering. During this interview, you'll discover... The 4 methods in charging for bookkeepers The importance of becoming a profit & growth expert How to improve your workflow To find out more about Roger, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
26/02/2019 • 49 minutes 41 seconds
EP128: Stacey Brown Randall - How To Fill Your Pipeline With New Clients
How important are referrals to your business? Our guest, Stacey Brown Randall, who is a coach, author, and entrepreneur, cracked the code to overcoming the decades old advice that says “to receive referrals you must ask for them” then she perfected the art of self-maintaining clientele that consistently grows and drives revenue. She was able to save more time, make more money and bring in new clients. Today, she helps thousands of entrepreneurs accelerate their business growth through referral generation. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of being memorable and meaningful Why you need to know who your referral sources are How to build a 1 year outreach plan To find out more about Stacey, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
19/02/2019 • 32 minutes 46 seconds
EP127: Cheryl Baldwin - Why You Need A Business Continuity Plan
Expect the unexpected. Whether it’s a natural disaster, family problem or serious accident, a shocking event can disrupt business operations at any company. No one can predict the future; however, you can be ready with a comprehensive business continuity plan. With over 25 years of experience in financial management, project management, and all aspects of business operations, Cheryl Baldwin is an expert in continuity planning. She is also a Certified Professional Bookkeeper who launched BCP Business Services with the mission to help businesses and non-profits prosper. During this interview, you'll discover... The advantage of having a business advisor The steps to having a foolproof continuity plan The benefit of having a support system To find out more about Cheryl, visit
12/02/2019 • 32 minutes 12 seconds
EP126: Cindy Stradling - The Power of The Follow-Up Connection
Opportunity is waiting for you. Sometimes you can access it by making a follow-up call, email or in-person meeting. But yet, not everyone does it. It's a shame because not following up can prevent you from attracting new bookkeeping clients, potential business partners or other rewards you've been searching for. Our returning guest is a master at following up. Cindy Stradling is a resilience coach, accomplished speaker and author. She has the skills and system that helped her align with great partners throughout her career and business life. She works with entrepreneurs, individuals and corporations (such as 3M Canada, Scotia McLeod and CIBC) to do what's needed to help them get where they need to go. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of following up with your prospects Steps in making a strong follow-up call Why LinkedIn referral
05/02/2019 • 33 minutes 21 seconds
EP125: Elaine Orr - Why Technology Is A Bookkeeper's Best Friend
Your tool belt. Like any professional service provider, from a plumber to a dentist to a hairdresser, you need quality tools to do the best possible job for your clients. For bookkeepers, those tools come in the form of apps and software. These days they are a must to run your bookkeeping business effectively. Our guest today is one of the first in Canada to embrace and use bookkeeping apps. With years of experience, her intuition is always spot on. Elaine Orr, who is the CEO of BalanceSheets.ca, has over 30 years of accounting and bookkeeping experience and a strong interest in using technological innovations to maximize efficiency and reduce data entry. During this interview, you'll discover... Different accounting and bookkeeping tools and software The pros and cons of working virtually The best apps for your lawyer clients To find out more
29/01/2019 • 29 minutes 37 seconds
EP124: Helen Latimer - The Importance Of Having A Coach For Your Success
Big goals. They can be scary and overwhelming, but breaking those big goals to little ones that you can manage is the key. That's according to our guest today, Helen Latimer, who is a career coach and owner of the company, 925 Resources which combines unconventional thinking and business acumen to help people achieve career success. She has been a speaker at events for a number of professional associations including the Human Resources Professionals Association's national convention and more recently, the Administrative Professionals' annual conference. During this interview, you'll discover... What mentoring is versus coaching The significance of having a coach The importance of taking the time for reflection To find out more about Helen Latimer visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper
22/01/2019 • 42 minutes 55 seconds
EP123: Bianca & Dianne Mueller - How To Close The Generation Gap
Communication. You see, each generation has different ideas, opinions, tactics, styles and preferences of technology they use when running a successful bookkeeping business. When different generations collide in a working environment (ie: you and your employees), it can be hard to collaborate at times because of their different points of view. As a result, communicating properly and getting on the same page can be a challenge. However, our guests today successfully found the solution in bridging the generation gap. They’re currently working together in helping businesses and entrepreneurs thrive. Returning guest, Dianne Mueller is the co-founder of the Institute of Professional Bookkeepers of Canada (IPBC) and owner of SOMA Small Business Solutions while her daughter, Bianca Mueller, is a second generation Certified Professional bookkeeper in Vancouver, Canada. During this interview, you'll
15/01/2019 • 39 minutes 19 seconds
EP122: Rhamy Alejeal - How To Trust Your Employees
Trust. It can be hard to earn especially if you're a bookkeeper who has never hired anyone before or has trouble letting current employees make their own decisions in fear they'll mess up and cause you more work and frustration. The process of taking an employee that knows nothing to one that will eventually know something to one that becomes someone you can trust takes time. Our guest, Rhamy Alejeal understands this. He has worked over 10 years in the payroll, benefits, and HR industry. He is the CEO of Poplar Financial which provides solutions to some of the toughest problems facing entrepreneurs today by providing products and services that can be catered to fit their business needs. He also has a best-selling book, People Processes: How Your People Can Be Your Organization's Competitive Advantage which was recently featured in INC Magazine as one of the top 10 leadership books in 2018. During this interview, you'l
08/01/2019 • 35 minutes 24 seconds
EP121: David Cristello - Big Ideas For A Successful Business in 2019
Happy New Year!! I have a question for you. Are you always striving to be LEGOS? Well, if not, you might want to consider it. Here’s what it stands for. L: Leave it better than you found it E: Execute G: Grow O: Ownership S: Serve There is a new level of competition in 2019, especially in tech enable and tech focus firms. Our returning guest, David Cristello, who is the founder and CEO of Jetpack Workflow, has followed LEGOS with his company. It helps small and medium business owners prepare, embrace and overcome what's coming in 2019. During this interview, you'll discover... Upcoming happenings that will affect bookkeepers and accounting firms in 2019 The concept of being 1% better a day for 72 days Characteristics to help you persevere To find out more about David Cristello, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com" target="_blank" rel
01/01/2019 • 32 minutes 33 seconds
EP120: Billie Anne Grigg – Embrace Challenges To Grow Your Bookkeeping Business
It can be terrifying. Starting a bookkeeping business or running one, can have so many potential pitfalls that it could make you tear your hair out. However, if you have clarity in regards to what your direction is and determination to execute your goals, you can overcome challenges. Our guest, Billie Anne Grigg has done that. She has been a bookkeeper for years and is the founder of Pocket Protector Bookkeeping which aims to provide an excellent virtual bookkeeping and managerial accounting solution for small businesses that cannot yet justify employing a full-time, in-house bookkeeping staff. During this interview, you'll discover... How to overcome the fear of letting go of clients How to see hiccups as a motivating factor to grow your business How to improve cash flow and profitability from the ground up To find out more about Billie Anne Grigg, visit
25/12/2018 • 27 minutes 49 seconds
EP119: John Bates – How To Generate Automatic Influence
“Life doesn’t happen to me anymore, I go out and happen to life.” Our guest learned that the hard way after realizing that communicating with humans is not logical, it is biological. Leadership and communication expert, John Bates has a methodology and training that is based in the evolutionary biology and neurophysiology of human communication, connection and interaction. It not only makes you a far better speaker and presenter, it makes you far more effective everywhere in your life including with your bookkeeping business. During this interview, you'll discover... How to create automatic influence using the power of Neurobiology How to 10x your sales and profits through human biology and connection Different ways to connect with any audience, anywhere and at anytime To find out more about John Bates, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeepe
18/12/2018 • 47 minutes 48 seconds
EP118: Jennifer Walsh - Managing Your Business In Times Of Crisis
Challenges. All bookkeeping business owners go through them. Our guest, Jennifer Walsh, who is the president of Censea Accounting & Business Solutions, is no different. She's experienced everything from being in the middle of a bad recession, competing with a lot of bookkeepers and staffing issues, but she has persevered because of her passion and desire to be successful. Today, her business helps small to medium sized business owners achieve financial success and has over 165 clients. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of keeping track of your books Strategies on how to handle your business How the Pure Bookkeeping System can help your business To find out more about Jennifer, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
11/12/2018 • 25 minutes 7 seconds
EP117: Dr. Sean Stein Smith - What Is Cryptocurrency?
Bitcoin. Litecoin. Ethereum. These are a few of the popular cryptocurrencies in circulation today. Our guest, Dr. Sean Stein Smith, who is an assistant professor in the business and economic department at Lehman College and expert in cryptocurrencies, has some guidelines on how they might work in the accounting and bookkeeping worlds. Cryptocurrencies are slowly launching their way into the real world and it is best to know the basics about them before they become more widely used. During this interview, you'll discover... What is cryptocurrency? How will cryptocurrencies affect accounting and bookkeeping firms? Negative and positive outcomes To find out more about Dr. Sean, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
04/12/2018 • 31 minutes 34 seconds
EP116: Jeffrey Shaw - How To Make Your Business Irresistible To Prospects
How do you stand out amongst the competition? You learn to understand your prospective clients' lingo. Our guest, Jeffrey Shaw, who is a nationally acclaimed keynote speaker and host of the popular business podcast, Creative Warriors, helps entrepreneurs and small businesses with their brand and messaging. He shares his practical action steps and insights on how to make your bookkeeping business easier and profitable. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of putting out the right branding Why lingo is the ideal marketing strategy Why you should understand yourself first To find out more about Jeffrey, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
27/11/2018 • 40 minutes 59 seconds
EP115: Ron Saharyan – Focus On Profit First in Your Bookkeeping Business
Eradicate entrepreneurial poverty. That is Ron Saharyan’s focus. He is the co-founder and managing partner of Profit First Professionals. He is also a thought leader in business cash flow management, a speaker on the topic of small business profit and a host of a podcast called The Profit First Podcast along with his business partner, Mike Michalowicz. There’s an ongoing uprising change in the accounting and bookkeeping sector. And from Ron's exceptional vantage point of working with bookkeepers, accountants and business coaches, he will be sharing his thirst for embracing change and pricing renovation. During this interview, you'll discover... How to be a value-based professional How to create personal pricing How to develop a profit first mindset To find out more about Ron, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/" target="_bl
20/11/2018 • 36 minutes 34 seconds
EP114: Ed Kless – What Is Your Perceived Value?
You can't do value lead pricing without having a conversation about perceived value. Our guest, Ed Kless, has taught this to many and he still sees the problem out there. He is the Sage Senior Director of Partner Development and Strategy who is also the host of the Sage Advice Podcast and co-host of the hit show, The Soul of Enterprise with Value Pricing expert, Ron Baker. Ed believes quite a few professionals have challenges around crafting a great value discussion. It shouldn't have to be that way. He will share his insight. During this interview, you'll also discover... How can intellectual capital help in growing your wealth What are the spiritual components to gain profit The hidden possibilities in accumulating wealth To find out more about Ed Kless, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noope
13/11/2018 • 41 minutes 9 seconds
EP113: Taunya Woods Richardson – What Are You Willing To Change For Success?
Your business finances mirror your personal finances. Taunya Woods Richardson learned that the hard way. She is not your typical finance personality. She didn’t get to where she is by belittling startups on national television. She didn’t create a pop-culture money-management app, and never wrote a best-selling book. What she does have in common with the money gurus of the world is knowledge. The kind that comes with 30 years of training, coaching and mentoring entrepreneurs to build better, stronger, healthier, and profitable companies. She knows what it takes to turn a profit in business and how to build the inner-strength and confidence needed to see you through any situation a business can throw at you. Taunya is the founding partner of Epifany Financial Group and the architect of several proprietary financial frameworks. She is one of a small and distinguished group of specialists emerging in the fi
06/11/2018 • 44 minutes 4 seconds
EEP112: Blaine Bertsch - Cash Flow Management Tool For Bookkeepers
A big percentage of business failures are due to poor cash management. Blaine Bertsch, Co-Founder and CEO of Dryrun, focuses on helping businesses and financial professionals work towards financial health through financial forecasting. Dryrun is used to visualize cash flow, budget and sales scenarios, compare 'what ifs' and give businesses direction and keep them in the loop. Today, Blaine manages core operations at Dryrun and leads product design. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of keeping ownership and control Benefits of cash flow management Prioritizing what really matters To find out more about Blaine, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
30/10/2018 • 34 minutes 9 seconds
EP111: Debbie Roberts – How To Speak With Your Legacy Clients
The next growth phase. It can be scary. Pure Bookkeeping co-founder and co-author of The E-Myth Bookkeeper, Debbie Roberts has been there. Back in her bookkeeping business days, she spent 12 months trying to manage the transition including preparing her legacy clients. Change wasn't easy, but with the help of proven systems, software, and standard operating procedures, she managed to effectively communicate with those clients to begin a smooth evolution of her business. During this interview, you'll discover... The steps you need to take to successfully speak with your legacy clients Bookkeeping standard operating procedures Different systems and software for bookkeepers that could help in their next growth phase To find out more about Debbie Roberts, visit http
23/10/2018 • 36 minutes 18 seconds
EP110: Kellie Parks – Great Apps For Organized Bookkeeping
Cloud financial technology is the key to organization. Our returning guest, Kellie Parks is a relentless organizer and a cloud accounting specialist who runs Calmwaters Cloud Accounting. An ardent devotee of QuickBooks Online, Kellie is passionate about introducing QBO and its app partner programs to accountants and their clients. During this interview, you'll discover... What is Cloud Financial Technology What are your cloud accounting options Different technology for small and medium businesses and how it can help your accounting clients To find out more about Kellie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
16/10/2018 • 34 minutes 42 seconds
EP109: Lauren Handel Zander - Face Your Fears & Live The Life That You Want
Risk. Every time you take one, it will either work out or not. But, both results will teach you something. Our guest, Lauren Handel Zander, who is a life coach, author and co-founder of the Handel Group, mastered a revolutionary approach to life and created a groundbreaking methodology called The Handel Method. Through this process, you will understand your own inner dialogue and where it comes from. You will develop personal integrity and align your heart, mind, and actions with your dreams. You'll rewire yourself to speak and think the way you would design it versus the way you were born into it. Lauren has fixed corporate business relationships, mediated contract negotiations, reconciled marriages, and helped resolve complex family issues. The Handel method has been taught in over 35 major universities and institutes of learning across the country. During this interview, you'll discover..
09/10/2018 • 34 minutes 54 seconds
EP108: Roger Pierce – How To Stand Out With Content Marketing
For busy business owners, writing blog articles is a hassle. Writing business blogs can be time-consuming, expensive and tricky if you don’t know what small business owners want to read. Our guest is one of Canada's top startup experts and he will help you get a fresh box of professionally written expert small business articles ready to post to your blog, newsletter, and social media channels. Roger Pierce is passionate about helping people to start a small business. While creating and running 14 small businesses during the past 20 years, he learned first-hand what new business owners need to do to succeed. Today, he focuses on one of his companies, BoxofBusinessBlogs.com which is used by bookkeepers and accountants to make their content marketing easier and more relevant. During this interview, you'll discover... What is content marketing How it will help your bookkeeping busi
02/10/2018 • 34 minutes 28 seconds
EP107: Melissa Agnes – The Ultimate Roadmap To Business Invincibility
Crisis ready. No matter the size, type, or industry of your business, being crisis ready will help you to be perfectly prepared for anything life throws at you. Our guest today is the author of Crisis Ready - Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World. Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation management, and brand protection. She is a coveted speaker, commentator, and advisor to some of today's leading organizations faced with the greatest risks, helping them become crisis ready and build brand invincibility. During this interview, you'll discover... Why it's important to become crisis ready What it means to build an invincible brand How to prevent and manage issues before they become catastrophic, with the aim of never having them become catastrophic at all To find out more about Melissa Agnes, visit <a href= "https://www.thesucce
25/09/2018 • 37 minutes 50 seconds
EP106: Beth Buelow – How Introverts Can Flourish In Today's World
Understanding and appreciating what it means to be an introvert in an extrovert-leaning world is hard to do. But, our returning guest, Beth Buelow has mastered it. She helps introverted entrepreneurs amplify their strengths and build sustainable energetically aligned businesses. She is also a professional coach, podcaster, speaker and author of The Introvert Entrepreneur - Amplify Your Strengths & Create Success On Your Own Terms. During this interview, you'll discover... How to create empowered, productive environments where introverts can flourish How to provide services for introverts and those who live and work with them Information and inspiration on professional introverts To find out more about Beth Buelow, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
18/09/2018 • 33 minutes 8 seconds
EP105: Jennifer North - Why You Need The Risk Management Checklist
Risk Management. The forecasting and evaluation of financial risks is vital to the life of your bookkeeping business. If you don't pay attention, your business will suffer. Our guest, Jennifer North is a certified professional bookkeeper who developed the Risk Management Checklist. She joined the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers USA (ICB USA) as an Administrative Manager. The checklist along with her wide range of skills and experience, both in marketing and accounting, are now helping ICB USA in its efforts to lead the future of bookkeeping certification in North America. During this interview, you'll learn about... The Risk Management Checklist The list of key mistakes to avoid What value and credibility you can add to your client To find out more about Jennifer North, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/" target="_blan
11/09/2018 • 34 minutes
EP104: Traci Yates – Tips From A Former Corporate Controller
Bringing peace of mind to clients so they can focus on their businesses and not have to worry about daily financial operations are passions of our guest, Traci Yates. She is the founder and owner of Tralissa Inc. which offers bookkeeping, tax, and controller services to small and mid-sized businesses in Texas. Prior to founding Tralissa Inc, Traci served as corporate controller for three businesses. Her experience includes the automotive, lending, and startup industries. During this interview, you'll discover... Importance of the 8300 form to your bookkeeping business How to communicate accurate financial information Tips on saving companies money and improving their efficiency through automation To find out more about Traci Yates, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
04/09/2018 • 27 minutes 53 seconds
EP103: Cindy Stradling – The Sales Edge to Help Your Bookkeeping Business
Resilience is the key to dealing with change, stress and adversity. Whether you are an entrepreneur who wants to make more money and experience more success, an individual looking for professional development program or an organization interested in giving your employees new skills and tools to work more effectively, our returning guest has the information to help everyone become more resilient. Facilitator, coach, speaker, sales consultant and author, Cindy Stradling brings over 25 years of practical hands on business experience to her work. She has developed unwavering resilience through her journey and has developed her sales and resilience programs to show others how they can too. During this interview, you'll discover... The keys to lasting resilience The right tools you can thrive in times of change How to develop new coping techniques needed when life throws you a curveball
28/08/2018 • 33 minutes 42 seconds
EP102: Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan – Great Apps To Improve Your Bookkeeping Business
Technology. If you're a bookkeeper, you must embrace it. Today, there are so many great apps that you can use to make your bookkeeping business more efficient, productive and profitable. In this special episode, you'll discover a few. This won't be a typical interview because you'll hear audio from a Pure Bookkeeping Licensee Monthly Success Call, hosted by Michael Palmer, which features the President of Graham Consulting & Training Inc., Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan. She'll share her technology findings from the Intuit App Roadshow she attended. During this interview, you'll learn... Different apps in the industry that can help small and medium businesses How to use technology efficiently How different apps can be powerful to business owners and their clients To find out more about Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookke
21/08/2018 • 47 minutes 13 seconds
EP101: Laura Vanderkam – Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done
Busyness is hyped in our present culture. It shouldn't be. Living a full life, at work and at home, is about doing the right things well, and positively missing out on everything else. Our returning guest will show you how to get there. Laura Vanderkam is an expert at finding that balance and has helped many people through her various time management and productivity books including her newest, Off the Clock - Feel Less Busy When Getting More Done. During this interview, you'll discover... How to spend your hours more meaningfully, regain enormous amounts of wasted time, and live an improved life What makes time so different for those rare productive and unstressed people Ways to do more without losing your sense of peace along the way To find out more about Laura Vanderkam, visit ht
14/08/2018 • 30 minutes 2 seconds
EP100: Roger Knecht - How To Make Your Bookkeeping Business More Profitable
Does your bookkeeping business earn enough profit? Our returning guest, Universal Accounting Center President, Roger Knecht, who co-wrote the book, In the Black, helps small business owners grow their operations successfully. It helps owners understand how they can run their businesses more profitably and also speaks to the importance of the accounting role in the success of the company. It is filled with principles and concepts that you can use immediately to enhance your expertise and wisdom in business decision-making. During our 100th episode, you'll learn... The importance of being efficient The tools you can take advantage to help your business The major functions of business To find out more about Roger, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
07/08/2018 • 42 minutes 53 seconds
EP99: Mark Bowden - How Your Body Language Affects Your Business
What's your body language? Our guest, Mark Bowden, who was voted the number one body language professional in the world, has been fascinated most of his life with visual imagery and the way other people perform and how they affect our behaviour. He's passionate about giving people the most influential and persuasive communication techniques to stand out, win trust and build credibility every time they communicate. Today, his work has reached millions of people and presented to many of the most innovative organizations in the world. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of being persistent in what you want to be good at What are the 2 types of body language and how they influence people Why thinking a little bit different than others will benefit you To find out more about Mark, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/" target="_blank"
31/07/2018 • 41 minutes 1 second
EP98: Andrew Argue - How To Strengthen Your Sales & Marketing Skills
Start investing in yourself. Andrew Argue, who is a CPA, spent years and years learning and understanding the fundamentals of how to become great at sales. He studied some of the most successful salespeople, read books, attended webinars, trainings, talking to mentors, and anything that he could get his hands on to help himself develop these skills. He started to work with larger accounting firms to grow their customer base. After a few months, his clients started seeing significant increases in new client fees. Today, he has assisted over 200 clients in 4 countries. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of seeing your clients’ situation Steps in taking control of your customer relationships How to help clients position themselves in the market To find out more about Andrew, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeepe
24/07/2018 • 27 minutes 31 seconds
EP97: Kathleen Shannon - Creative & Strategic Branding Will Help Your Bookkeeping Business
What do you want to be known for? Your brand can get to the heart of what you want to say, create a vision for where you're going next, and give you renewed focus and confidence in sharing what you do. Kathleen Shannon, who is the co-founder of Braid Creative and the co-host of the Being Boss podcast, has perfected her branding. Through her work at Braid Creative and Being Boss, she has helped thousands of creative entrepreneurs worldwide to authentically brand and position themselves as creative experts, cultivate confidence in their business, and blend more of who they are into the work they do. She continues to have a positive impact by co-authoring the book, Being Boss: Take Control of Your Work and Live Life on Your Own Terms. During this interview, you'll discover... Branding advice and insights Brand vision, positioning and platform Creative services and media st
17/07/2018 • 40 minutes 38 seconds
EP96: Louie Prosperi - How To Plan A Successful Bookkeeping Business
Starting a business is a risky journey. There is more than one way to make mistakes that could hurt your long term success. Our returning guest, Louie Prosperi, who is the CEO of ICB USA, shares a way to help you get a firm plan in place. It's through The Proactive Business Model which is a program that ensures bookkeepers are consistently valuable to their clients and are running their businesses more efficiently. During this interview, you'll also discover... The importance of taking care of your clients and employees The difference between working on and working in your business How an ICB USA Certification can lead you to success To find out more about Louie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
Our guest, Adele Spraggon, who is the CEO of Shaped Within, struggled with a lot of subconscious patterns. She quit 3 viable businesses, business partners, and sponsors. She even attended personal development programs to help her but didn't work out. Adele started to journal and created a highly effective 4 step technique that removes unwanted patterns. She created her own solution and it completely changed her life. Today, she speaks to hundreds of people about how to recognize when they are sabotaging their dreams. She also shows women entrepreneurs how to break through their limiting blocks and step into leadership roles in all areas of life. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of embracing being uncomfortable How the 4 step technique works The guides that will help you take on leadership roles To find out more about Ad
03/07/2018 • 31 minutes 23 seconds
EP94: Lisa Campbell-Marchese - Know Your Value By Implementing Systems In Your Bookkeeping Business
Do you know your worth? Our returning guest, Lisa Campbell-Marchese, owner of The Marcam Group, has 27 years of experience in the bookkeeping industry. In the beginning, she struggled in her business and worried about getting things done on time or missing a deadline. She sought help from the Pure Bookkeeping System and started implementing systems into her business. The results were incredible. It kept her organized and her clients trust her more because she doesn't miss any deadlines. It helped her grow as an individual because she knows she has more value and expanded her business beyond what she expected. Now, she has more control over her work day regardless of how many clients she has. She's freed up, and spends more time on what is important. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of day-to-day documentation Why focusing on the value you
26/06/2018 • 37 minutes 25 seconds
EP93: Emily Thompson - How To Take Control & Be Your Own Boss
Take charge. That's Emily Thompson's mindset and it helps her be “The Boss.” She is the founder of Indie Shopography, which helps creative entrepreneurs build online businesses, and she is also a co-host of Being Boss, a popular podcast for creative entrepreneurs where she inspires, writes and curates content. She is also a first time author with the release of Being Boss: Take Control of Your Work and Live Life on Your Own Terms. During this interview, you'll discover... How to be a boss How to take control of your work and live life on your own terms How to understand your strengths and challenges as a side hustler, freelancer, or business owner To find out more about Emily, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
19/06/2018 • 40 minutes 31 seconds
EP92: Brad Wolford - Why Client Communication MUST Be A Priority
How are you speaking with your clients? If the way you communicate with them isn't transparent and open, it can lead to trouble. Our guest, Brad Wolford, who is the CEO of Wolford Companies Inc., has made sure effective client communication is a top priority. By doing so, he's able to find out what his customers need and they understand specifically what his firm requires to assist them. This is one of the reasons why Brad's company has transformed from nothing to a large firm in a very short span of time. Today, Wolford Companies Inc. (with 11 staff including Brad) provides financial accounting services for business owners to manage operations on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. During this interview, you'll also discover... How to increase your rate and earn from $14,000/year to $65,000/year or even more How having a checklist will make your life and business easier and h
12/06/2018 • 44 minutes 18 seconds
EP91: Jennifer Blake - Why Emotional Fitness Will Help You Win In Life & Business
Concerns. Anxiety. Stress. These are some of the examples that may affect your emotional health and day-to-day living. Jennifer Blake, founder and owner of Blake Consulting, helps entrepreneurs shift their emotional health incrementally everyday so they can focus on growing their business and improving their lives. Since she was 14 years old, she began helping, facilitating and volunteering in workshops. It was always her passion to make a difference in people's lives. Most recently, she became the Director and Co-Owner of the Hoffman Institute of Canada which facilitates The Hoffman Process, a life-changing 7 day residential self-development program that helps people release the limiting patterns they learned in their childhood and lead their lives with choice, empowerment and passion. Today, Jennifer guides entrepreneurs to focus on finding a deeper sense of happiness, fulfillment and pass
05/06/2018 • 35 minutes 52 seconds
EP90: Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan - Tips For Improving Your Hiring Process
Hiring employees is not an easy process. Our return guest, Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan, President of Graham Consulting & Training Inc, encountered problems when she started hiring employees for her bookkeeping business. Three or four years ago, her practice got to a level where it didn't grow any further. She got super busy, her other employees quit the firm and she couldn't get anything done. That's when she decided to hire a professional bookkeeper. She started speaking with other bookkeepers, getting their advice, listening to podcasts and followed the Pure Bookkeeping hiring system which helped with her trust issues and the hiring process. Today, Nancy provides practice management and bookkeeping services to 35 law firms and counting. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of adopting a positive mindset everyday Figuring out your hiring process and what it's g
29/05/2018 • 40 minutes 44 seconds
EP89: Stuart McConnell - How To Be A Champion In Your Life
Did you know it takes 4 to 8 years to fully transition to a new chapter of life? Our guest, Stuart McConnell, is a life coach who helps transition professional athletes into retirement. He's also a part-time high school teacher who inspires students to embrace their entrepreneur within. He teaches his students the fundamentals of business then encourages them to leap into entrepreneurship and make money with their enterprises before the semester is done. During this inspiring interview, you'll discover... How to be an entrepreneur and make money Learn the tools to never have to work for somebody a day in your life if you choose Great life hacks on how to be a champion in your everyday life To find out more about Stuart, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
22/05/2018 • 32 minutes 6 seconds
EP88: Roger Knecht - How to Increase The Value Of Your Bookkeeping Business
Looking to get more out of your bookkeeping business? Since 1979, Roger Knecht, who is the President of Universal Accounting Center, has worked hard to help accountants and bookkeepers excel in their careers. His post-secondary school trains and certifies individuals in accounting, bookkeeping, tax and consultative skills so they can get paid what they're worth. He has developed proven strategies, processes and procedures for business owners to increase their profits and sales up to 71%. During this interview, you'll also discover... The importance of creating a plan and goal for your business What are the 4 keys to success and profit What are the accounting principles that will grow your firm To find out more about Roger, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
15/05/2018 • 39 minutes 33 seconds
EP87: Diane Brochu King - How To Improve Your Interpersonal Skills
Miscommunications. Often times, people tend to make a lot of assumptions and fail to ask more questions. That's why in order to avoid that, build your relationship and trust with your boss, employees or your clients. Our guest, Diane Brochu King, who is a team builder and coach, has helped people understand where others are coming from. She guides her clients to see their most pressing challenges in a new dimension and the world in a new light, inspiring and enabling them to make better choices, identify new ways of relating and reacting, resolve problems, and collaborate for success. Today, she has taught over 25,000 people to appreciate and learn new strategies for navigating the world of human relations. During this interview, you'll also discover... The importance of showing care to others by being interested What are the ways to developing awareness How to unde
08/05/2018 • 42 minutes 19 seconds
EP86: Cindy Stradling - The Key Ingredients To Lasting Resilience
Our guest, Cindy Stradling, who is a resilience coach, has faced many difficult life challenges as a single mother with very little education and has developed the mental fortitude to keep going no matter what. In getting from there to here, Cindy has shined shoes, waited tables, cleaned houses and was a parking lot attendant while building her business. Undeniably, she knows firsthand what resilience is. She has developed it through her journey and has developed a program, Thrive, to inspire others to be their personal best and keep moving toward their goals. If you set your mindset right and have discipline, you can be successful at whatever you want to do in life. During this interview, you'll also discover... The importance of knowing your goals and objectives How the value of consistent approach will help you What are the keys to overcoming the fear of cold calls a
01/05/2018 • 37 minutes 27 seconds
EP85: Tobyn Pearson - How To Become An Incredible Manager & Leader
Respect. After spending 31 years in the corporate world as an operations and country manager, our guest, Tobyn Pearson, the author of Manage This: An interactive Guide to Management and Other Absurdities, had success and many failures. He learned that it's not always easy to see your grumpiest employees or customers. Treat them with respect no matter who they are and keep working on building relationships because in the end they will see that you genuinely care and your efforts will pay off. It makes life a whole lot easier if you're able to deal with difficult people and situations along the way. All of his successes are directly attributed to the great people he had the privilege of working with over the years. During this interview, you'll also discover... The importance of having courage in yourself and your abilities Why having an incredible insights will help
24/04/2018 • 37 minutes 23 seconds
EP84: Andrew Royer - Improve Your Productivity & Work-Life Balance
Running a bookkeeping business is not easy. You will encounter many changes, so that’s why you have to create new habits to stay on top of your game. Andrew Royer, owner of Royer Accounting, has dealt with stress and frustration while building his company. To help him overcome his struggles, he was looking for support and inspiration from like-minded people then he found it by joining a mastermind group. By learning new ideas from different people, he was able to implement successful strategies to make himself more productive and efficient without sacrificing time with his family. Even creating a shorter to-do list that focuses on the most important things to accomplish in his day became a big game-changer. Now, he feels recharged and happy every time he gets home to his wife and kids. During this interview, you'll also discover... The importance of focusing on what's more important<
17/04/2018 • 36 minutes 6 seconds
EP83: Louie Prosperi - Why You Should Consider The Proactive Business Bookkeeping Model
The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers USA (ICB USA). It promotes and maintains the standards of American bookkeeping as a profession through the establishment of relevant qualifications and the award of grades of membership that recognize academic attainment, working experience and competence. Our return guest, Louie Prosperi is the CEO of ICBUSA and his organization is helping its members by introducing The Proactive Business Bookkeeping Model to improve their success. It's a program that ensures bookkeepers are consistently valuable to their clients and are running their businesses more efficiently. During this interview, you'll also discover... What are the 3 pillars of The Proactive Business Bookkeeping Model The importance of having a 100% capacity to be successful Focusing on what to do with your system and technology To find out more about Louie, visit <a href=
10/04/2018 • 34 minutes 42 seconds
EP82: Sharon Francisco - How To Sell Without Being Salesy
Lack of confidence. Some bookkeepers don't believe they are good enough to close a deal or get a sale. According to Sharon Francisco, who used the Pure Bookkeeping System to increase the success of her bookkeeping business and is making her return appearance on our show, you need to find strategies that will give you confidence and take the pressure off of you so you can make the focus all about your clients. Having a 90-day plan and building a relationship with customers are key to gaining their trust and will make things easier for you. Be patient. If you want to grow your business, you have to understand it doesn't happen overnight. It takes time. During this interview, you'll also discover... The importance of creating your own style Why focusing on having a plan will increase the demand for your service Why eliminating negative and unhealthy stress
03/04/2018 • 38 minutes 19 seconds
EP81: Amanda Birch – How Fixed Pricing Worked For Me
Charge an hourly or fixed rate? It's a decision many bookkeepers, who are business owners, have pondered at one point or another. Our guest, Amanda Birch, the President of Birch Accounting & Tax Services, was one of them until she figured out fixed pricing was the way to go. For her, fixed pricing made sense because it is offered upfront so that clients would know exactly what they're paying for, whether it be bookkeeping or taxes, so they would not end up with a surprise bill at the end. That decision has worked well. Amanda's business continues to provide value while her customers have reaped the benefits. During this interview, you'll also discover... How to optimize bookkeeping in real time with online applications How to provide cloud and desktop accounting solutions to your customers How to use a secure encrypted portal for your customers' tax return informati
27/03/2018 • 36 minutes 39 seconds
EP80: Kellie Parks – Choosing The Perfect Technology For Your Bookkeeping Business
Technology. It improves efficiency for your accounting and bookkeeping business. Our guest, Kellie Parks, a Certified Professional Bookkeeper and Financial Technology Expert, is a relentless organizer and believes cloud financial technology is the key to organization. While running her business, Calmwaters Cloud Accounting, she spends much of her days educating accounting firms and small to medium-sized businesses, but she loves taking care of her clients' day-to-day accounting needs. During this interview, you'll discover... Different financial technology that will help your bookkeeping business How Cloud Financial Technology makes it possible for you to enjoy working from different countries How technology can maintain your training and bookkeeping business seamlessly To find out more about Kellie, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/" target="_bl
20/03/2018 • 32 minutes 48 seconds
EP79: Joe Woodard - How To Become A Top Small Business Advisor
What impact do you have on your clients? Woodard exists to transform small business advisors to radically impact the way small businesses operate. Each business unit of Woodard serves to educate, support, and connect accounting professionals throughout North America and, increasingly, the world. It is led by Joe Woodard, CEO and Founder of Woodard Consulting and Woodard Events. He was recognized by Accounting Today as one of the Top 100 Influential People within the accounting profession in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2008, he was recognized by CPA Practice Advisor as one of the Top 40 Up and Coming Thought Leaders under the age of 40. Today, he has trained over 100,000 accounting and business professionals in the area of practiced developments, changing technology trends, strategic consulting and how to maximize the use of accounting software in their practices. During this intervi
13/03/2018 • 36 minutes 51 seconds
EP78: Keri Gohman - How Xero Can Help Your Business Become More Efficient
Small businesses. It’s the heart of the global economy. Our guest, Keri Gohman, President of Xero Americas, is passionate about helping small businesses grow and thrive by enabling entrepreneurs to work toward their financial goals. For bookkeepers, Xero automates many basic functions allowing you to do tasks quickly and easily while maximizing your time, build relationships with your clients and have instant growth results. Xero is helping over 1 million subscribers worldwide transform the way they do business and they’re just getting started. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of bringing together the “Financial Web” for business success Tips on how to grow your clients, team and profits How being a trusted advisor will attract great people To find out more about Keri, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/" target
06/03/2018 • 28 minutes 48 seconds
EP77: Seth David - How Social Networking Can Boost Your Marketing
Buffer. LinkedIn. Youtube. These are some of the applications that are out there and within reach to streamline your business and make it grow. Seth David, Chief nerd and President of Nerd Enterprises, Inc., built his company through his confidence of making training videos which created a powerful online lead generation engine that has people calling him for his services. Today, Nerd Enterprises, Inc. is one of the leaders in the small business accounting world in online training by offering courses on a wide range of software products. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of producing great content marketing Step-by-step actions on how to manage your business and gain more profit Tips on how to network more effectively To find out more about Seth, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopene
27/02/2018 • 41 minutes 54 seconds
EP76: Nicole Feliciano - How To Balance Your Bookkeeping Business & Family Life
We all need balance in our lives and she perfected it. Our guest, renowned publisher, founder & CEO of MomTrends, Nicole Feliciano, did this by understanding her priorities, taking action and making mindset changes that would alter her life for the better. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it. Work-life balance is possible and you're about to find out some tips to help make it a reality. During this interview, you'll discover... How to balance your entrepreneurship, family and success Powerful tips in making your bookkeeping clients satisfied How to have a successful bookkeeper and client relationship To find out more about Nicole Feliciano visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
20/02/2018 • 34 minutes 9 seconds
EP75: Karine Woodman - How To Be the Firm Of The Future
Focus and confidence. Those are the keys to attain success and become the Intuit Firm of the Future Global Winner. According to our guest, Karine Woodman, who is the owner of 24hr Bookkeeper, putting everything into experience will help bookkeepers avoid costly mistakes. During this interview, you'll discover... Effective tips in marketing, hiring & training Staff How to develop from desktop to QuickBooks How to build internal structures that are a company structure and not a customer facing structure To find out more about Karine Woodman visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
13/02/2018 • 29 minutes 31 seconds
EP74: Alexis Prenn - How Productivity Manifesto Makes Your Business More Profitable
Productivity, Production & Profitability. They play an important role to a successful bookkeeping business. According to our guest, co-founder & CEO of Receipt Bank, Alexis Prenn, bookkeeping should be a very profitable business and Productivity Manifesto explains how you can make this a reality. Productivity Manifesto will help you learn how focusing on one key ratio can be the foundation for building a productive, profitable, and scalable bookkeeping business that’s ready for the future. During this interview, you'll discover... The importance of productivity in industrial scale How technology can help clients and “wow” them How technology can assist your staff and benefit them To find out more abou
06/02/2018 • 29 minutes
EP73: Ben Robinson - The Bookkeeping Answers You've Been Searching For
Facebook. It's a powerful tool in bringing together like-minded people to create supportive communities. That's what we have with The Successful Bookkeeper Facebook group. It's filled with great bookkeepers who are always willing to help each other. Recently, we mentioned to them that Ben Robinson, the founder and chief teacher at the Bookkeeper Business Launch program, would be returning to our podcast. So, we asked them to pass along any questions. Ben was more than happy to answer and deliver incredible insight. During this informative interview, you'll discover... The importance of finding a support network that will guide you through your business What are the four pillars in launching a successful bookkeeping business What is the best marketing strategy for home-based companies To find out more about Ben, visit <a href= "htt
30/01/2018 • 32 minutes 13 seconds
EP72: Scott Zarret - How CPA Academy Can Help Your Bookkeeping Business
Free. Everybody loves the sound of that. CPAacademy.org offers a free, easy-to-use platform for knowledge sharing and idea exchange through the marketing and presenting of the most up-to-date educational content and developments important to the accounting profession. According to our guest, CPAacademy.org President, Scott Zarret, his website isn't just for accountants, but bookkeepers can also receive great value by consuming its online courses and live webinars. To stay ahead of the game, it's important to have a continuous thirst for knowledge, so that's why a useful resource like CPAacademy.org can definitely be an asset as you grow your business. During this interview, you will discover... What to look for at CPAacademy.org and where's the best place to start for bookkeepers <
23/01/2018 • 28 minutes 41 seconds
EP71: Omar Visram - How Coffee Meetings Lead To Business Referrals
Do you want clients? For those bookkeeping businesses that do, especially startups, it can be challenging to find them. Many bookkeepers aren't comfortable with prospecting because they'd rather just do the books. According to our guest, Omar Visram, who is the co-founder of Enkel which is a Vancouver-based bookkeeping practice, it doesn't have to be hard. When he began his business in 2016, he leveraged the power of coffee meetings for business referrals and it worked incredibly well. It was such a hit, his firm now has over 15 employees to handle the increased workload. During this interview, you'll learn... How to master an effective coffee meeting to produce results and not feel uncomfortable while doing it Why you should use your warm network to select people you'd like to meet Why coffee meetings are a quicker referral strategy then SEO and content marketing</
16/01/2018 • 37 minutes 43 seconds
EP70: Sharon Francisco - How To Set Yourself Up To Win Every Day
It's all about your perspective. If you think it's going to be a bad day, chances are it will. You're in control of your attitude and mood. You set the tone. Many of us forget that. According to business mentor, Sharon Francisco, who used the Pure Bookkeeping System to skyrocket the success of her bookkeeping business, you have to start your day right. Since many bookkeepers are operating solo, it's hard for them to be their own champions. Negative thoughts and doubts always seem to find a way into their minds. There are ways to break those mental cycles and become the confident and successful bookkeeper you are capable of being. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of using your first hour of the day to be inspired & filled with positivity Why it's okay to make mistakes and not beat yourself up over them Why y
09/01/2018 • 40 minutes 45 seconds
EP69: Debbie Roberts - How To Set Goals For A Profitable New Year
Are you THAT bookkeeper? You know, the one that tells her clients to set business goals for the year, but she, herself, doesn't set any? Our guest, Pure Bookkeeping co-founder, Debbie Roberts has chatted with bookkeepers like that. She's discovered that if you don't take the time to set goals, you'll wander aimlessly without achieving what you'd like. Don't begin a fresh year like that. Instead, listen to Debbie as she will help get you on track by discussing... The importance of setting 12 month, 3 year and 5 year goals Why KPI reports are crucial to tracking your success Why you should have an accountability partner during your business journey To find out more about Debbie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
02/01/2018 • 34 minutes 22 seconds
EP68: Scott Friesen - 5 Productivity Apps That Organize & Save Your Time
Time. It's a precious resource. Yes, if you lose money, you can make it back, but once your time is used, it'll never return. With this in mind, our guest, Scott Friesen, who is a productivity expert, will help you better organize your time by introducing us to some great tools. During this interview, you'll discover... The power of Asana, Slack and Trello when it comes to project management and communication Why note-taking apps such as Evernote and Google Keep can help you store your ideas and give your overworked brain a break Why the Pomodoro Technique could be a time management strategy that changes your business life forever To find out more about Scott, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
26/12/2017 • 40 minutes 5 seconds
EP67: Jeremy Allen- Your Clients' Success Is Your Success
Why do you do what you do? Do you run a bookkeeping business only because it makes money? Is there deeper meaning? Our guest, Jeremy Allen, who owns System Six Bookkeeping which generates over a million dollars per year, has his own answer. The core value for his company is “Our Clients' Success Is Our Success.” At the end of the day, it's about assisting businesses to become as healthy as possible so they can flourish which ultimately helps our economy, feeds families and provides the quality of life you'd like. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of putting your clients first & committing to excellence with your bookkeeping services How to avoid being full up with the wrong clients by raising your prices Why you should always strive to improve and never rest on your success To find out more about Jeremy, visit <a href= "htt
19/12/2017 • 34 minutes 53 seconds
EP66: Ron Trucks - The Power Of Online Learning For Your Bookkeeping Clients
Udemy. Have you heard of it? It's an online learning and teaching marketplace with over 55,000 courses and 15 million students. Recently, on The Successful Bookkeeper Facebook page, we noticed today's guest, Ron Trucks of RJT Consulting, posted a link to his Udemy course, Bookkeeping Basics, which received incredible engagement from our community. The course is 3 1/2 hours long and features 55 video lessons. Originally it was for people from non-bookkeeping backgrounds such as small business owners. So, why would established bookkeepers want to invest in a course that is mainly for beginners? You're about to find out. During this interview, you'll learn... How this course helps bookkeepers teach their clients bookkeeping fundamentals Why giving the gift of online education can make a great impression with customers Why it's important to com
12/12/2017 • 34 minutes 40 seconds
EP65: Carrie Mulrooney - How To Create A Great Bookkeeping Work Culture
Bad hires. As you probably know, they can be an emotionally, financially and psychologically expensive decision for your bookkeeping business. If you don't have the RIGHT people working for you, you'll be inviting a storm of trouble. This is why it's absolutely crucial to bring employees on that are a fit. How do you do that? Today's guest, Carrie Mulrooney has some insight. She is an expert in establishing great work culture. Her company, Mulrooney & Associates, was named Canada's 2017 Bookkeeping firm of the year, so she knows what it takes to form a fantastic team. During this interview, you'll learn... The ingredients to look for in a terrific employee The importance of staff having input on company decisions Why celebrating group accomplishments together is great for morale To find out more about Carrie, visit <a
05/12/2017 • 31 minutes 48 seconds
EP64: Alexis Prenn - How Receipt Bank Can Help You Provide A Better Client Experience
Workflow. If your systems regarding it aren't great, your whole bookkeeping business suffers. Today, there are plenty of tools in the marketplace that help heal this pain point, but today we'll focus on one - Receipt Bank. What is it? Receipt Bank extracts the key information from your clients' bills, receipts and invoices, removing the need for manual data entry. It then allows you to publish this data directly to their accounting software. During this interview, our guest, Alexis Prenn, who is Receipt Bank's Co-Founder & CEO, will discuss... How Receipt Bank can help you deliver an awesome client experience Why you should always think of how workflow tools will ultimately result in giving customers value The importance of reviewing your clients' files at least 2 times a week To find out more about , visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com
28/11/2017 • 35 minutes 40 seconds
EP63: Rachel Fisch - Take Control Of Your Bookkeeping Client Relationships
Over 30,000 bookkeepers. According to the Canadian Revenue Agency, that's how many there are in the Great White North. You can only imagine what the number is in the United States. But, here's the thing, many bookkeepers across North America haven't taken leadership with their client relationships. Many choose to “fit in” by adapting to the software and workflows their customers currently have as opposed to letting the clients know how they want the working relationship to operate. According to Rachel Fisch, Accountants Group Leader at Sage Canada, the reason is bookkeepers are at odds with saying NO. They're kind people and problem solvers. They usually don't like conflict. But today, it's important to remember one thing. YOU have the choice to select the clients, software and workflows you want to work with. Hopefully, this episode will help you realize that. Duri
21/11/2017 • 35 minutes 51 seconds
EP62: Megan Goodall - Are You Afraid To Turn Away Bookkeeping Clients?
Desperation. It lives within many business owners who are struggling to make revenue. When the panic heightens, they're likely to accept any clients that walk through the door. But, here's the thing, not all of them are a fit. In fact, by agreeing to help those bad apples, they sometimes end up costing you more in the long run. So, why don't bookkeepers say NO more often? Well, it's likely because of FEAR. Many don't want to lose the income. Our guest, Megan Goodall of Bastion Bookkeeping, is the classic example of how you shouldn't let fear paralyze you when it comes to recruiting new clients. She's realizing the magic formula is about knowing what you want your life and business to look like FIRST then finding the customers that will support your vision. During this interview, you'll learn... How to create the standard you want for your ide
14/11/2017 • 33 minutes 48 seconds
EP61: Hamed Abbasi - Why Plooto Is The Ultimate Business Payment Solution
55 percent. According to our guest, Plooto Co-Founder & CEO, Hamed Abbasi, that's the percentage of North American businesses that still use cheques daily to make payments. In today's advanced technological age, that's hard to believe. Fortunately for bookkeepers, Plooto is a business-to-business payment management platform that makes things easier. During this interview, you'll learn... How Plooto works and why it's a powerful tool How it can be used to teach and impress your bookkeeping clients Its new features that will make it even more user friendly To find out more about Plooto, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
07/11/2017 • 28 minutes 44 seconds
EP60: Ben Robinson - Let's Get Excited About The Future Of Your Bookkeeping Business
The robots are coming! So what? Yes, Artificial Intelligence has and will continue to take away some duties from bookkeepers, but according to our guest who is the founder and chief teacher at the Bookkeeper Business Launch program, the future is something to look forward to and not to be feared. Ben Robinson has helped thousands of people start their own virtual bookkeeping businesses and along the way has realized relationship building with clients and becoming their trusted advisor will protect bookkeepers from the AI invasion. During this interview, you'll discover... Why you should call your clients once in awhile to check in on them with no business agenda to build deeper rapport Why you should know the jobs, pains and gains of your ideal customers and use simple marketing methods to reach them How you can go from pain to power by taking action des
31/10/2017 • 38 minutes 18 seconds
EP59: Debbie Roberts - Round 2! More Answers To Your Bookkeeping Questions!
She's back! After Pure Bookkeeping co-founder and E-Myth Bookkeeper co-author, Debbie Roberts did such a great job answering bookkeepers' questions in her previous appearance, she has returned to answer some more! During this interview, you'll learn... Her proven strategy to transition from a full-time job to running a bookkeeping business The importance of having a powerful vision to power you through the hard times Why being a part of a bookkeeping association is a wise investment To find out more about Debbie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
24/10/2017 • 32 minutes 23 seconds
EP58: Evelyn Jacks - Continuous Learning Will Keep Your Bookkeeping Business Alive
Technology. As you've heard, it's quickly taking over some bookkeeping duties and it doesn't appear to be slowing down. However, there's a way to keep your business viable during these interesting times. According to our guest, Evelyn Jacks, who is the founder and president of Knowledge Bureau which is Canada’s leading tax and financial services post-secondary educational institute for continuing professional development, you need to be a trusted advisor. Artificial Intelligence can't replace the human touch of offering guidance to your clients. To become a trusted advisor, you have to be on top of your education and always be learning, so you can utilize that insight. During this informative interview, you'll also discover... Why you should consider yourself as a Real Wealth Manager Why you must have corporat
17/10/2017 • 33 minutes 33 seconds
EP57: Cheryl Knight - How To Scale Your Bookkeeping Business
So, you want to grow your business to the next level? As you probably guessed, it's not easy, but it can be done and there are many ways to get there. For our guest, Cheryl Knight of the Balcatta, Australia-based, Carbon Bookkeeping, she partnered with others to form a mega firm where she runs her $1 million dollar business inside a $7 million dollar one. It's a unique situation, but it's one that likely wouldn't have happened if she hadn't set up her business for success beforehand. During this interview, you'll discover... The power of documenting your business procedures and writing checklists to teach staff The importance of being open to new ideas that could provide profitable opportunities Why you should be adaptable to industry trends to always remain relevant and valuable to clients To find out more about Cheryl , visit <a href=
10/10/2017 • 39 minutes 3 seconds
EP56: Dorie Clark - How To Stand Out In A Competitive Bookkeeping Marketplace
Bookkeepers are everywhere. As a result, prospects have a lot of choice, so what makes you stand out? Why should someone choose you over another bookkeeper? Today's guest, Dorie Clark, who is a branding expert, author and speaker that has worked with Google, Microsoft & Yale University, feels you can get an advantage by becoming a recognized expert. During this informative conversation, you'll learn... Why you should take control of your narrative and personal brand The three ingredients you'll need to broadcast your bookkeeping expertise to the world Why you should always look for ways to bring client value and create additional revenue streams To find out more about Dorie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
03/10/2017 • 32 minutes 36 seconds
EP55: Debbie Roberts - Answers To Your Bookkeeping Questions!
Experience. Pure Bookkeeping Co-Founder & E-Myth Bookkeeper Co-Author, Debbie Roberts has been in the bookkeeping industry a long time. She's made every mistake possible, but learned from them and eventually documented all her wisdom into systems she would use to successfully run her bookkeeping business. Today, she's on the podcast to answer YOUR questions! During this interview, you'll learn... Why having a vision for your business impacts your future decisions Why checklists can be a powerful way to keep your staff on track Why bookkeeping startups should focus on one type of bookkeeping software To find out more about Debbie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
26/09/2017 • 33 minutes 40 seconds
EP54: Tammy Christiansen - How To Empower & Appreciate Your Bookkeeping Staff
Let's face it. Without your team members, you'd likely be drowning in client work right now. But, fortunately, you have great people working with you that believe in you and your company and are providing terrific results. Sometimes, though, things can get busy and, as a business owner, you might forget to let your staff know how grateful you are for their efforts. It's important to acknowledge their excellence and help them grow in their roles. Our guest, Tammy Christiansen of Aeble Business Services realizes this and has seen her business prosper as a result of taking care of her staff. It truly does make a difference. During this interview, you'll discover... Why you should allow your staff to make some decisions to improve the business while you have the final say Why you must encou
19/09/2017 • 35 minutes 11 seconds
EP53: Amy Hooke - Why You Should Join A Bookkeeping Community
You don't need to be alone. As a bookkeeper, it's pretty easy to isolate yourself especially if you're a solo practice working from home. For some, they don't even realize how big of a community of bookkeepers there is in the world. Our guest, a marketing and branding expert for bookkeepers, Amy Hooke had no idea. In the early days of her bookkeeping business, she was too busy dealing with terrible clients to notice. But, that all changed for the better. Today, she's a part of a supportive group of bookkeepers that give her the confidence she never had before. Being with these like-minded people definitely changed her world for the better. Joining a bookkeeping community can do the same for you. During this interview, you'll learn... How fellow bookkeepe
12/09/2017 • 37 minutes 37 seconds
EP52: John Jantsch - How To Profitably Systemize Your Marketing
Predictable and repeatable. It might sound boring, but when it comes to creating systems, that's what you want in order to ensure you and your staff create the same positive result over and over again. Your marketing is no different. Today's guest, John Jantsch, the author of the popular book, Duct Tape Marketing, has some tips on how you can fine tune your marketing efforts. During this interview, you'll learn... The power of building a 90-day plan from your marketing strategy Why it's important to know who your ideal clients are & what your core promise is to them The importance of focus and delegation when creating your marketing system To find out more about John, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com</
05/09/2017 • 32 minutes 4 seconds
EP51: Debbie Roberts - How To Overcome Your Fear of Failure
What if you fail? That question has crossed the minds of many bookkeepers when first starting their businesses. It's perfectly normal and it's something that our return guest, Debbie Roberts asked herself in the beginning. She was concerned that if her bookkeeping services weren't good, her reputation would be damaged and that would affect her business. It scared her that, as a small business owner, she didn't have any backup. Fortunately, for her and bookkeepers worldwide, the co-founder of Pure Bookkeeping and co-author of The E-Myth Bookkeeper overcame her fears and became a tremendous success. During this interview, you'll learn... Why having small wins through bite-sizeable, manageable & planned actions can give you confidence The importance of realizing your mind usually makes your concerns worse than what they seem Ho
29/08/2017 • 32 minutes 32 seconds
EP50: Siobhan Harrop-Scott - How To Create Great Relationships with Clients, Referrals & Staff
Are you introverted? If so, you're not alone. Many bookkeepers are. But, what if there were ways to be more at ease around people and have win-win partnerships with them? Today's guest, Siobhan Harrop-Scott of Harrop Scott & Associates Ltd., has some ideas that just might help. Through her bookkeeping business, she's developed hundreds of connections and has become a terrific leader for her staff. During this insightful interview, you'll learn... The importance of listening and taking notes when speaking with people and having a system to record that information for future meetings Why you must be supportive and consistent in your daily communication with your staff Why building positive relationships are good for relieving stress To find out more about Siobhan, visit here.
22/08/2017 • 37 minutes 32 seconds
EP49: Katrina Aarsman - Why Facebook, LinkedIn & Joint Venturing Can Be Powerful Marketing Tools
Prospects. How do they hear about your bookkeeping business? Do you do in-person networking? Do you advertise in local media? Do you solely use referrals? Our guest, Katrina Aarsman, who is from Melbourne, Australia and is the owner of Bookkeepers HQ where she mentors bookkeepers, has some strategies that you can add to your marketing basket. During this interview, you'll learn... How joining business-focused Facebook groups and providing value to those audiences can lead to sales How using the LinkedIn advanced search engine can connect you with your ideal clients How leveraging a joint venture referral partnership with someone you know, like and trust can become profitable To find out more about Katrina, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
15/08/2017 • 38 minutes 10 seconds
EP48: Peter Broberg - The 5 Purchases That Can Transform Your Bookkeeping Business
Investing. For your bookkeeping business to be successful, you'll need to invest money into products, programs, systems and tools to ensure your operation has all the resources it needs to deliver great service to your clients. This reality is one our guest, Peter Broberg of Monitor Bookkeeping Services based in Perth, Australia, accepted and has never looked back. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of buying a proven and pre-made system that allows you to focus on your business instead of reinventing the wheel Why exploring fixed pricing can be a game-changer and who you should research to implement it properly The importance of always looking for ways to automate your enterprise to increase its efficiency and productivity To find out more about Peter, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
08/08/2017 • 29 minutes 54 seconds
EP47: Debbie Roberts - How To Overcome Your Fears & Grow Your Startup Bookkeeping Practice
Starting out is always scary. There are so many unknowns which makes it incredibly easy to stay in your comfort zone and not take any chances. Our special return guest today, the lovely and talented, Debbie Roberts of Pure Bookkeeping, remembers what those times were like. Fortunately, with the help of her longtime business coach and co-founder of PB, Peter Cook, she overcame those fears and realized her true potential as a successful bookkeeping business owner. For those of you who are just beginning your bookkeeping entrepreneurial journey, don't worry, Debbie is about to give you some golden tips to help you through the bumps. During this inspiring interview, you'll learn... How to increase your confidence when speaking with accountants and prospects The importance of leaning on qualified mentors to ask questions and advice to avoid mistakes Why practice and preparation will always serve you well when marketing you
01/08/2017 • 32 minutes 14 seconds
EP46: Bob Wang - Hiring Tips To Attract Great Bookkeeping Staff
Hiring mistakes. Unfortunately, many bookkeeping business owners make them. Those poor decisions likely cause emotional and financial stress in addition to the large amount of time used to mop up the bookkeeping messes of those you thought could do the job. One man who has cracked the code on how to hire great and loyal staff is our guest today, Bob Wang. He is the owner of Legacy Advantage which has 2 offices and around 15 employees and will make $1 million in sales this year. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of building a powerful company vision that will inspire others to want to be on your team Why having the right culture fit is a huge requirement when hiring someone new How to craft an effective and unique job advertisement that will attract your ideal future employees To find out more about Bob, visit
25/07/2017 • 25 minutes 19 seconds
EP45: Ingrid Edstrom - How To Find Your Profitable Bookkeeping Client Niche
Who do you want to work with? If you answered, “EVERYONE.” That could likely cost you. Many bookkeepers don't have a clear niche of clients they focus on and, as a result, they likely accept any new customers that walk through the door. Unfortunately, that thinking can attract potentially bad clients who are not a fit. By not taking the time to identify what type of client would be ideal from a financial and personality standpoint, accepting “EVERYONE” can lead to increased headaches, stress and payment issues. It doesn't have to be this way. Our guest, Ingrid Edstrom pointed out that in 2015, her bookkeeping company, Polymath, had 96 clients, but after finding a profitable niche, it now serves only 30, but it makes double the money. Once you figure out what core group of customers work best for you, it can be an absolute game-changer in your bookkeeping business. During this fun and inspiring interview, you'll learn...<
18/07/2017 • 38 minutes 1 second
EP44: Lynne Moore - How To Get The Best Referrals Partnering With Accountants & Clients
Be of service. Usually, you'd think helping your bookkeeping clients would be enough. But, if you want to be truly valuable and generate countless referrals, it pays to be on the good side of accountants as well. Today's guest, Lynne Moore, who is the owner of LAM Consulting, has mastered the art of attracting the best referrals by being of great value to accountants and her clients. By assisting both, it has created a profitable business where she doesn't spend a penny on marketing including not even having a website. During this interview, you'll learn... What to ask your new clients in order to connect with their accountants Why it's important to know how accountants want their files prepared Why clients and accountants like when you have a relationship with both sides To find out more about Lynne, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.c
11/07/2017 • 41 minutes 57 seconds
EP43: John Warrillow - How To Make Your Bookkeeping Business Built To Sell
Have you made this important decision? Many bookkeepers haven't. The decision in question is whether you want your bookkeeping business to make lifestyle income where you trade your time for dollars to hopefully earn $100,000 to $200,000 per year... Or... You want to grow your business by creating teachable and repeatable systems so it can run without you and eventually be sold to a third party for potentially bigger profits. Our guest today, John Warrillow, who wrote the book, Built To Sell, feels you should figure out what direction you want to go so you can align the appropriate actions towards achieving your goals before it's too late. During this interview, you'll learn... Why your profit and loss statement isn't a good business value indicator How to determine if your business is scalable using the Trifecta of Scale The importance of having teachable systems to help your business function without you and
04/07/2017 • 35 minutes 36 seconds
EP42: Alan Salmon - Discover Revealing Details of How Bookkeepers Learn
The classroom. It was once the main destination where people consumed educational information, but in today's online world, things have changed and bookkeepers are slowly becoming more open to learning in new ways. Managing Director of K2E Canada Inc. and IPBC board member, Alan Salmon recently conducted a survey that measured how bookkeepers and accountants learn. It was sent to 10,000 contacts and 990 responded. The results were fascinating. During this informative interview, you'll learn... What is the number one online educational tool for bookkeepers How active bookkeepers are in social media groups Whether bookkeepers still consume traditional forms of media To find out more about Alan, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
27/06/2017 • 33 minutes 19 seconds
EP41: Melissa Lenos - How To Attract Non-Stop Bookkeeping Referrals
Are you looking for clients? If you're just starting your bookkeeping business then you might be. If you're already up and running then maybe you'd like to add some more business. A way to do it other than spending thousands of dollars on marketing is to get referrals. How do you do that? Our returning guest, Melissa Lenos of King Accounting Solutions, knows how to master this fine art. She never spends money on advertising because her revenue comes strictly from referrals only. During this interview, you'll learn... How to turn a conversation with your client's accountant into a new referral partnership Why you should have lunch and learns with senior managers at accounting firms How to leverage BNI to have a 30-50 person sales team for your bookkeeping business To find out more about Melissa, visit https://www.thesuccessf
20/06/2017 • 32 minutes 5 seconds
EP40: David Cristello - Why Your Process Will Keep Your Bookkeeping Clients Happy
Chaos. No one likes that in their bookkeeping business. But, when you don't have a trusted process or system in place for staff to follow which details how your operation works, a tornado of destruction will likely ensue. This could happen because clear instructions are not given on how things get done, so others will come up with their own solutions which can lead to disaster including some angry clients. Today, our guest David Cristello, who is the founder of Jetpack Workflow, will offer some suggestions to get you started on systemizing your bookkeeping business. During this interview, you'll learn... Why it's important to download your brain into a Google Doc Why the quality of your product is dependent on the quality of your process Why you should include your staff in the creation of your systems To find out more about David, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com" target= "_blank"
13/06/2017 • 36 minutes 14 seconds
EP39: Scott Friesen - How To Master Your Inbox & Increase Your Productivity
Emails. According to our return guest, productivity expert and owner of Simpletivity, Scott Friesen, he says the average professional spends 6.3 hours per day tending to their emails in some capacity. Those are easily hours that could be dedicated to more important things, but for many reasons we're choosing to be a slave to our inboxes. Today that's about to end. It's time you take a stand and Scott will help. During this informative interview, you'll learn... Why you should space out the time in between checking emails How to turn off your email notifications Why it's important to acknowledge email requests quickly & provide a deadline to address them To find out more about Scott, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
06/06/2017 • 36 minutes 3 seconds
EP38: Tanis Young - How To Handle Isolation When Starting Your Bookkeeping Business
Your home office. It's the location where many bookkeepers begin their business journey. It's convenient, affordable and comfortable. It can also be a lonely place. Think of the days when you're so swamped with work that you don't even have time to go outside. Before you know it, you're completely cut off from civilization. You're essentially on your own little island. Sound familiar? Today's guest will help you get a little more balance in your life. Tanis Young is an Alberta-based bookkeeping business owner who knows what it's like to feel isolated because she experienced it herself when she was starting out. During this interview, you'll learn... How to be intentionally social by actively engaging with your clients' accountants & seeking associations to join Why having a mindset of collaboration can build strong bonds with fellow bookkeepers & clients Why surrounding yourself with
30/05/2017 • 31 minutes 12 seconds
EP37: Dianne Mueller - The One Tip That Will Keep Your Bookkeeping Business Alive
Technology. For bookkeepers, it can be a great thing, but also a scary one. With all types of automated bookkeeping software and apps out there, some of you might be worried that your services may be obsolete because of new advances in technology. According to today's guest, the co-founder and chair of the Institute of Professional Bookkeepers of Canada, Dianne Mueller, there is a way to make yourself valuable so you can thrive despite these uncertain times. During this interview, you'll learn... The one mindset shift that will help your business adapt and prosper during this rapidly changing digital age Why you need to get out of your bookkeeping box to expand your network and build strong connections Why you should learn from successful bookkeeping leaders to get where you want to be To find out more about Dianne visit https://www.thesuccessf
23/05/2017 • 36 minutes 55 seconds
EP36: Shep Hyken - How To Deliver Amazing Customer Service
Do you WOW your clients? If not, you might lose them. According to our guest, customer service expert and New York Times best-selling author, Shep Hyken, you have to recognize every interaction you have with a client forms an impression, so make it a good one. During this interview, you'll discover... The power of gratitude and how it will take your customer service to new heights The importance of truly understanding your clients' needs How to deal with difficult customers in a respectful way To find out more about Shep, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
16/05/2017 • 31 minutes 41 seconds
EP35: Lisa Campbell-Marchese - How To Organize Your Office & Be More Efficient!
Your office. Does it look like a tornado whipped through it or is everything organized and tidy? For some bookkeepers, when life gets hectic, it's pretty tough to keep their desk in order. Have no fear, today's guest has some great suggestions to help you get on track. Lisa Campbell-Marchese is the owner of a bookkeeping company called The Marcam Group. Throughout her 25 years of experience, she had to learn different tricks to handle not only the constant referrals she received and current workload, but she's had to do it all while balancing being a mother too. She understood things had to change to increase her efficiency and make her work/life balance realistic. As a result of being open to learning new strategies, she's been very successful and now she'll share some of her golden tips with you. During this informative interview, you'll discover... Why having 3 monitors in your personal workspace can help you be
09/05/2017 • 35 minutes 12 seconds
EP34: Mark Wickersham - How To Use Value Pricing In Your Bookkeeping Business
Value Pricing. Some bookkeepers love it while others don't. There's no question Value Pricing can be complicated to implement because setting rates for bookkeeping services is very subjective due to the varying needs of different clients. Our guest today, Mark Wickersham, who is a chartered accountant, author and public speaker, will give you clarity on how you can profitably use Value Pricing in your business. During this informative interview, you'll discover... Why it's important to ask commitment questions to prospects Why you need to build up the value of what you do first before revealing your price Why the first price you present to a client should be the most expensive To find out more about Mark, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/.
02/05/2017 • 41 minutes 44 seconds
EP33: Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan - How Streamlining Your Family Tasks Can Help Your Bookkeeping Business
Are you overwhelmed? Some bookkeeping business owners with families are. Let's face it. It's hard work making sure the kids are fed and your clients are happy. Our guest, Nancy Gwynne-Vaughan knows the battle all to well. She's a bookkeeper who helps lawyers grow their practices profitably. But, she also doesn't like grocery shopping. It used to really drain her. In fact, doing some of these family tasks would take up her weekends then she'd dread going to the office on Monday especially during tax season. Well, that all changed when she discovered how to streamline these duties so she could not only be more efficient at home and with her business, but she was able to enjoy life at a more reasonable pace. During this interview, you'll learn... How to utilize the power of productivity apps such as Evernote to keep you on track Why delegating tasks to family members is a must Why plann
25/04/2017 • 35 minutes 16 seconds
EP32: Angela Meharg - How To Improve Your Customer Service
Ask questions. Some bookkeepers don't do this when working with clients. As a result, they are missing out on an incredible opportunity to not only help their customers grow their businesses, but they lose the chance to become a powerful asset to them in the process. Our guest, Angela Meharg, who owns Datisfy which helps business owners receive custom QuickBooks reports, feels bookkeepers should increase their value by digging deeper and truly getting to know what their clients' needs are. During this interview, you'll learn... Why you should research the industry your customer is in and find out the things that are typically measured The crucial questions to ask your client that could be the key in solving their major problems and catapulting them to greater success Why you must send a monthly email to your customer detailing how you've gone over and above to assist them To find out more about Angela, visit <a
18/04/2017 • 32 minutes 12 seconds
EP31: Melanie Power - Why Joining A Bookkeeping Group Can Power Your Success
You're not alone. According to our guest, Melanie Power, who is the head of bookkeeping at Xero, many bookkeepers are working on their own. They might have staff, but they probably aren't as like-minded. As a result, bookkeeping can be isolating, but there's a way to battle that. You could start by joining bookkeeper communities like Melanie's Bookkeeper Revolution and our own Successful Bookkeeper Facebook Group. It's a great way to share challenges and wins with people who know what you're going through and are willing to support you. During this interview, you'll learn... How to collaborate with bookkeepers across the globe Why selling isn't a dirty word The importance of getting your business model down To find out more about Melanie, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
11/04/2017 • 24 minutes 21 seconds
EP30: Jan Haugo - How To Be A Leader For Your Bookkeeping Clients
Fear. Your bookkeeping clients have it. They're always frightened or worried about something especially the survival of their business. When incorporating new software (ie: cloud-based or otherwise) into your bookkeeping services, this may also be scary for them since it's their money you're working with. Our guest today, Jan Haugo, who is the CEO of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) USA, sees a great leadership opportunity for you, the bookkeeper, when it comes to learning and informing your clients about the new technology you'll use, so you can help grow their business and become their trusted advisor. During this interview, you'll learn... The importance of testing new software first for effectiveness before incorporating it with your services Why you should confidently detail what benefits this new technology will do for your customers Why you must reassure and offer continuously support for your clien
04/04/2017 • 30 minutes 23 seconds
EP29: Debbie Roberts - How To Create Realistic Business Goals You Can Achieve!
Goal setting. Yes, it can be hard. It requires deep analysis of what you truly want to acquire, why you haven't achieved it yet and how you'll go about making your dreams a reality. Our guest today knows how to master the fine art of successfully setting and executing goals. Pure Bookkeeping co-founder and the co-author of The E-Myth Bookkeeper, Debbie Roberts wouldn't have achieved her great wins without determining her destination first. During this informative interview, you'll learn... The importance of taking time to evaluate what you want to achieve Why you should work backwards when figuring out how to accomplish your goals Why you'll need an accountability partner to keep you focused To find out more about Debbie and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
28/03/2017 • 32 minutes 50 seconds
EP28: Alan Salmon - 3 Tools EVERY Bookkeeper Should Consider Using
Technology. Most bookkeepers can't survive without it. You probably have your “go to” software that helps you run your business. Today's guest, Managing Director of K2E Canada Inc. and IPBC board member, Alan Salmon, who is Canada's leading analyst in the area of accounting technology, will open your mind with some different options you might have never considered before. During this interview, you'll discover... 3 tools that can dramatically increase your productivity and efficiency The fascinating results of a survey that reveal what the average bookkeeper earns per year and other details Tips on how to organize your day the night before to achieve optimal success To find out more about Alan, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
21/03/2017 • 34 minutes 46 seconds
EP27: Dr. Ivan Misner - Powerful Business Networking Tips From The Founder of BNI
Business networking. If you're an introverted bookkeeper, it can be a scary thing. But, it doesn't have to be. Just ask our guest today. Dr. Ivan Misner is the founder of Business Network International (BNI) which is the world's largest business networking and business referral organization. It has over 7,800 chapters and 213,000 members in 72 countries. So, he knows what he's talking about. During this fascinating interview, you'll learn... 4 things to look for when deciding on what networking group to join How identifying certain body language cues in others can enable you to approach them more easily Why networking isn't a face-to-face cold calling opportunity To find out more about Dr. Misner, his books, BNI and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
14/03/2017 • 37 minutes 54 seconds
EP26: Melissa Lenos - How To Create A Great Workplace Culture
Bad hires. If you're a bookkeeping business owner, you've probably had one of those. They can be painful and toxic for many reasons including the damage they can inflict on your workplace culture. Our guest today, Melissa Lenos of King Accounting Solutions, knows what it's like to hire poorly. She's done it before, but she is wiser now and will share her lessons learned to help you avoid the same mistakes. During this informative conversation, you'll discover... Why you should consider looking for your ideal employee 6 months in advance Why you must hire based on the job candidate's skills AND personality The importance of having consistent staff communication and being available for support To find out more about Melissa and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.
07/03/2017 • 30 minutes 42 seconds
EP25: Garry Carter - Bookkeepers Are More Valuable Than They Think
Are you ready? The time has come for you, the bookkeeper, to realize you're a truly valuable asset to small businesses. The days of you thinking you're not a core piece are over because, without your expert knowledge and skills, your clients would be in serious financial distress. According to our guest, Garry Carter, the co-founder of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB), bookkeeping isn't a trade, it's a profession. Many bookkeepers don't think that way. That's unfortunate because you are a valuable professional. The more you realize that, the more profit and impact you'll have. During this interview, you'll learn... Your number one thing that makes your business unique Why your day-to-day client care is crucial to establishing trust and value Why ICB is a powerful organization to support bookkeepers To find out more about Garry and the ICB, visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessf
28/02/2017 • 37 minutes 15 seconds
EP24: Mike Michalowicz - Become A Profit Advisor, Not Just A Bookkeeper
Do you know what a lion looks like? Of course you do. Your brain automatically creates an image that needs no explanation. Unfortunately, when you introduce yourself as a bookkeeper, people automatically have a mental picture of someone who does data entry, collects receipts and so on. If you're trying to set yourself apart, your label has to change. Our guest, Mike Michalowicz, who is the author of books such as Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan and The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, can help you stand out. During this interview, you'll learn... Why becoming a profit advisor is more attractive to potential clients than just being a bookkeeper Why you should learn the envelope banking system then teach it to your customers for their financial health How you can use the power of Parkinson's law to help you and your clients' businesses To find out more about Mike, his newly revised book, Profit First and h
21/02/2017 • 42 minutes 32 seconds
EP23: Mira Salter - The Power Of Having A Bookkeeping Niche
Niverville, Manitoba. The population is around 3500. You'd figure running a bookkeeping business there would be extremely challenging. Well, it can be unless you're our guest today, Mira Salter. She is the owner of Emerald Tree Accounting Services who found a way to be a success despite operating her business in a small town. Her secret? She discovered a couple of niches by catering her bookkeeping services to non-profits and parishes in her surrounding area. Her business has been doing extremely well ever since. During this inspiring interview, you'll learn... Why focusing on a specific niche can lead to more business Why you should always get referrals from clients you love Why you should take advantage of networking opportunities To find out more about Mira and access the script for generating referrals from your customer base visit <a href= "https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.co
14/02/2017 • 24 minutes 9 seconds
EP22: Jamie Shulman - Why Hubdoc Will Change Your Bookkeeping Business Forever
Do you hate asking clients for their receipts? Or any other documents to get your bookkeeping job done? If you said yes, you know how incredibly frustrating that scenario is, for not only you, but your clients as well. You might be spending more time doing those administrative duties than actually advising your clients on the financial state of their businesses! Our guest today found a solution. Jamie Shulman is the co-founder & co-CEO of Hubdoc which is software that extracts key information from your receipts, invoices and bills. It's changing lives for many bookkeepers, accountants and entrepreneurs. During this interview, you'll discover... How Hubdoc can allow you to become a trusted advisor, instead of an administrator, with clients Why standardizing your bookkeeping software can help you find your ideal customers Why you should always be keeping up-to-date with the latest bookkeeping technology</l
07/02/2017 • 33 minutes 2 seconds
EP21: Debbie Roberts - How To Network Your Way To More Profit!
Are you determined to having a successful bookkeeping business? If you are, you'll have to commit to doing things that are likely out of your comfort zone. One of them is networking. For many bookkeepers, this is a terrifying task. But, you know what? Networking is necessary and effective. Just ask, Pure Bookkeeping co-founder, Debbie Roberts. In the early days of her business, she remembers being afraid of networking, but once she realized that mastering it could lead to more clients, she worked on her confidence and communication skills then the referrals began to roll in. You can do the same. During this interview, you'll learn... Strategies on how to successfully approach people at an event even if you're scared The power of Givers Gain & not focusing on helping yourself first when networking The qualities of a great networking group and where to find them Why business coaches
31/01/2017 • 36 minutes 51 seconds
EP20: Peter Cook - Expert Business Tips From The Co-Founder of Pure Bookkeeping
Do you want a successful bookkeeping business? Pure Bookkeeping co-founder, Debbie Roberts certainly did. When she first began her entrepreneurial journey, it had many bumps, but the best decision she made was hiring master business coach, Peter Cook to help her along the way. At the time, little did she know that Peter would become the source of inspiration, guidance and accountability she'd need to create the now popular Pure Bookkeeping System and eventually sell her personal bookkeeping business for over 6 figures. Peter, who is a co-founder of Pure Bookkeeping as well, saw the potential in Debbie and now she has transformed into a terrific success story. During this interview, you'll learn not only about Peter and Debbie's journey together, but you'll also discover the crucial tips you'll need to operate a prosperous bookkeeping business. Some include... Why clients will pay any price if you focus on solving their pain firs
24/01/2017 • 33 minutes 2 seconds
EP19: Lori Richardson - How To Be Great At Sales Even If You Hate Selling!
Are you ready to get some sales? If the thought of you finding new clients makes you want to curl up in a ball and hide from civilization for a few days, you're not alone. Most bookkeepers just want to do the books and let word of mouth referrals bring in the business. That's not always enough. Many times you'll have to go out in your community and go to networking events or other public places to meet prospects. For bookkeepers this can be a frightening thought. Our guest today is a sales expert who has lots of experience helping service-based business owners get over their fears in order to increase their profits. Lori Richardson of Score More Sales will help you change your mindset around sales and show you that it's actually a way to help build strong and vibrant communities. During this informative interview, you'll learn... -Why it's important to focus on relati
17/01/2017 • 35 minutes 55 seconds
EP18: Patricia Sawatzky - Break Out Of Your Comfort Zone To Have The Success You Deserve!
Are you afraid to take risks? Many people are. It's fear that paralyzes them from catapulting their businesses to higher levels of profitability. Patricia Sawatzky was like you. She was scared to get out of her comfort zone. An admitted introverted bookkeeper, who operates her business, TAP Bookkeeping, out of small town Campbell River, British Columbia, was hesitant about making any big leaps. But once she recognized the value in taking a risk, her business and world would change forever. Today, the clients are rolling in and now she's become an inspiration to bookkeepers across Canada. During this interview, you'll learn... The tools that can help you feel more at ease when making scary decisions about your business Why it's important to take advantage of organizations like the IPBC to get you comfortable in social environments Why professional gro
10/01/2017 • 30 minutes 56 seconds
EP17: Scott Friesen - How To Effectively Manage Your Time & Get Things Done!
How many to-do lists do you have? How many of the tasks on those lists have you actually finished on a consistent basis? For many bookkeepers, the answer is likely “not many.” Why is that? For most, distractions get in the way such as email, useless meetings and other potential time wasters. Our guest today, Scott Friesen of Simpletivity is here to help! He's a productivity expert who will teach you the following... How to batch the amount of times you check email to improve your focus on more important activities Why planning the night before to complete 2 top priorities the next day is extremely powerful Why spending too much time on strategizing “what to do” instead of actually executing negatively affects your results To find out more about Scott, visit http://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/
03/01/2017 • 26 minutes 40 seconds
EP16: Debbie Roberts - How To Hire & Keep Great Staff
Are you struggling when it comes to recruiting or maintaining a terrific team? You're not alone. Pure Bookkeeping co-founder and co-author of E-Myth Bookkeeper, Debbie Roberts has been there. Over her 30 plus year bookkeeping career, she realized there were many moving parts when assembling her rockstar squad of great, talented and loyal bookkeeping staff. She learned from her mistakes and is now passing on those words of wisdom to you. During this fascinating interview, you'll learn... How to engage your employees in your vision and mission How to build loyalty with your staff How to create systems that give great job satisfaction for your team To find out more about Debbie, visit http://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/
27/12/2016 • 31 minutes 57 seconds
EP15: Vicki Fenn - How To Build Your Confidence Despite What Your Inner Voice Says
How confident are you? If your answer is not very, you're not alone. Many bookkeepers struggle with self-confidence for various reasons. According to our guest, Vicki Fenn, who is an elite leadership and personal improvement coach, you don't have to. During this interview, you'll learn... How to boost your confidence to a level you've never had before Why it's important to focus on your strengths to build you up Why you should get excited about hearing “no's” from prospects To find out more about Vicki, visit http://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/
20/12/2016 • 41 minutes 51 seconds
EP14: Trent McLaren - Cloud Accounting & The Future of Bookkeeping
Will you be left behind? In recent years, cloud accounting has been all the rage. For some bookkeepers, though, it has been a challenge to implement for various reasons. Here's the thing. If those bookkeepers aren't willing to adjust and find ways to figure it out or hire people to help them, they will eventually be out of business. According to Senior Business Development Manager for Intuit Australia, there is hope. You just have to block out some time and evaluate how being in the cloud can help your business then take action. During this interview, you'll learn... How to choose the right cloud accounting software for you Why automation is powerful for your enterprise Why it's important to become a digital mechanic To find out more about Trent, visit http://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/14
13/12/2016 • 32 minutes 50 seconds
EP13: Laura Vanderkam - Yes, You Can Have It All!
Are you wasting your time? Many of us do. It's usually in the form of busy work or other activities that shouldn't be a priority. Before you know it, a week has gone by and you don't even remember what you did! What if you could do the fun things you want and still get done the necessary stuff that isn't as enjoyable? According to Laura Vanderkam, the author of I Know How She Does It, it's completely possible. She conducted a time diary study that focused on the 1001 days in the lives of professional women, who have children, to see how they used their waking hours. The results were quite eye-opening. During this interview, you'll learn... How many hours you really have to dedicate to creating the work/life balance you crave How to find out what you'd truly like to do with your spare time Why tracking your time is absolutely crucial to your
06/12/2016 • 28 minutes 26 seconds
EP12: Debbie Roberts - How To Hire Trustworthy, Talented & Loyal Bookkeeping Staff
Stop hiring poorly qualified employees! Pure Bookkeeping co-founder, Debbie Roberts knows the effects of that. During her 30 plus year career, she's hired her share of disasters that cost her time, credibility and sanity. After learning from her mistakes, she eventually figured out how to systemize her hiring process which was one of the things that eventually helped her bookkeeping business sell for high 6 figures in 2014. During this episode, you'll learn... How to create a skills test to measure the ability of potential bookkeeping employees What questions to ask when interviewing job candidates Why you should never believe a resume To check out the resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/episodes/12
29/11/2016 • 36 minutes 26 seconds
EP11: Ron Baker - Stop Selling Your Time For Money
It's time to investigate value pricing. Ron Baker has devoted his life to eliminating the billable hour and time sheets. If you're a bookkeeper that depends on those things, you might be concerned. But, Baker has an alternative. He is an expert on Value Pricing where he believes set prices for services should be presented upfront to customers. His movement is catching fire and may be something that could help you. During this episode, you'll learn... How to implement value pricing in your bookkeeping business How to have a value conversation with your new and old customers The importance of offering 3 different price packages To check out the free resources mentioned in this episode, visit: https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/episodes/11
22/11/2016 • 35 minutes 5 seconds
EP10: Heather Weiler - Mindset Is The Determining Factor In Your Success
Inspirational. Heather Weiler is exactly that. She is the owner of Weiler Bookkeeping Services, but more incredible is the journey she travelled before becoming a business owner. A few years ago, while she was 7 months pregnant with her third son, her husband died in a car accident. For many, it could have broken them forever. Not Heather. It was a heartbreaking moment in her life, but she kept moving forward. Through sheer courage, determination, perseverance and conviction, she found a way to support her kids and create a great business that continues to grow every day. During this powerful episode, you'll learn... How your mindset is the determining factor in your success especially during challenging times How the power of community can help you in your darkest hour Why it's important to have grit, focus, a willingness to learn and a great work e
15/11/2016 • 35 minutes 12 seconds
EP09: Beth Buelow - How Introverts Can Win At Business Networking
Networking. If you're an introvert, the very thought of it might strike fear into your heart. It's hard to gather the energy to meet strangers at events and attempt to create rapport, so they can like you enough to want to hear how your business can assist them. Today's guest is an introvert and has been where you are, but she cracked the code on how to overcome her struggles to achieve success. Her name is Beth Buelow and she is a trusted speaker, published author and host of The Introvert Entrepreneur podcast. During this episode, you'll learn... How to let go of your negative inner stories around why you don't like networking The importance of seeing networking as having meaningful conversations with people and not feeling like you have to push your business onto them Why listening is an introvert's greatest superpower especially when it comes to networking and sales To find out more about Beth, visit
08/11/2016 • 29 minutes 40 seconds
EP08: Debbie Roberts - How To Market Your Bookkeeping Business Even If You Hate It
Sales & Marketing. For many bookkeeping business owners, they'd love to outsource those activities and just focus on doing the books. But, if you're an underpaid bookkeeper, you'll have to roll up your sleeves and do the marketing and sales yourself. This reality is a frightening thought for many introverted bookkeepers. But, today's guest, Pure Bookkeeping co-founder, Debbie Roberts was just like you. She hated marketing, but with help from her business coach, Peter Cook, she got over her fears and discovered some great marketing and sales tips along the way which enabled her to create a 6-figure bookkeeping business with a staff of 12 bookkeepers. So, if she could be successful, it's possible for you too. During this episode, you'll learn... -How to overcome the negative mindset you have towards marketing -Various useful strategies to attract more referrals including approaching accountants -The importance of havi
01/11/2016 • 30 minutes 38 seconds
EP07: Laura McClellan - Productivity Tips To Make Your Life Easier
It's a busy world. You're overwhelmed with distractions. For many bookkeeping business owners, they're not only balancing an enterprise but families too. How do you make it all work? Today's guest will show you how. Productivity expert and host of the podcast, The Productive Woman, Laura McClellan will give you some proven tips to help you navigate through your action-packed life, so you can have more time to do things you truly love without feeling guilty about it. This interview was recorded during a mastermind call with Michael Palmer and the licensees of the company, Pure Bookkeeping. Enjoy! To find out more about Laura and The Productive Woman podcast, visit here - https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/episodes/07
25/10/2016 • 50 minutes 10 seconds
EP06: Perry Monaco - How To Create A Profitable LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn. It's likely the most powerful business related social media network out there. If you don't have a presence on it, it's also a huge untapped opportunity that could be the golden ticket for many more sales leads and networking opportunities for your bookkeeping business. If you're like many bookkeepers, who don't know how social media works or seriously question if it's worth their time, you're about to find out some extremely useful information. Our guest, LinkedIn Customer Success Leader, Perry Monaco, whose worked there 6 years and has helped many companies attract new business leads, will walk you through step-by-step on the following... How to create an effective profile that will clearly communicate who you are and what you offer, so prospects will know where to find you The importance of figuring out your target audience and knowing exact who they are so you can cater your LinkedIn profile to them How to furt
18/10/2016 • 35 minutes 29 seconds
EP05: Melika Hope - How To Develop Meaningful Client Relationships
Most people don't want to be sold to. They want to feel special. They want their voice heard and have their needs taken care of. Most importantly, they desire a service provider that will truly look out for them in their time of need. According to Intuit Canada's Quickbooks Online Senior Product Manager, Melika Hope, the best way to do that for bookkeepers is to create an authentic relationship with potential clients. If you do, you'll open the door to opportunity. In this interview, you’ll learn... Why meeting your prospects in person to understand their small business and its challenges are great ways to build trust and rapport Why prioritizing time to develop meaningful client relationships is a must And why having a mindset of service will endear you to stressed small business owners who urgently need help with their finances To find out more about the resources Melika mentioned in this episode, visit <a href= "
11/10/2016 • 28 minutes 24 seconds
EP04: Debbie Roberts - How to Get More Freedom In Your Business
Bookkeeper Debbie Roberts built a business that gave her freedom and a great income. She had 12 bookkeepers working for her. She charged some of the highest rates in her market place, was able to take up to 6 weeks off at a time, only worked 1 day a week in her business and eventually sold the business for over $500,000. While this sounds amazing, it was not easy. She made every mistake in the book along the way but instead of making those mistakes again and again she build systems around the solutions. It took over 6 years but she eventually got the business to operate more like a business and less like a job. In this interview, you’ll learn... Some of the mistakes Debbie made and how to avoid them How to get staff to take ownership 1 resources that change the game completely (Plus you can have a free copy by signing up for our FREE RESOURCES) To find out more about Debbie and Pure Bookkeeping, you can visit
04/10/2016 • 32 minutes 23 seconds
EP03: Michael E. Gerber - Become A Leader, Not An Invisible Bookkeeper
It's not everyday you hear from a legend. In this episode, you will. INC Magazine calls Michael E. Gerber, “The World's #1 Small Business Guru” and deservedly so. He's a New York Times Best-Selling author of The E-Myth Revisited, which has sold millions of copies, and has co-written other impactful books including The E-Myth Bookkeeper. During his over 40 years of teaching the value of systemizing your enterprise, Michael has helped transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs and small businesses across the globe. In this powerful interview, you’ll learn... * Why you're invisible as a bookkeeper and how you can break through that perception by becoming a leader in your client's eyes * The importance of changing your “technician” mindset and not operating your business like a job * And why you should be the chief aggravator in your industry To find out more about Michael, his books and courses, you can vis
27/09/2016 • 51 minutes 39 seconds
EP02: Louie Prosperi - Why You Shouldn't Fear Your Bookkeeping Business Future
You hear it all the time. As technology improves, more human operated jobs are becoming obsolete. What about bookkeeping? Will software or a robot be the end to your business? According to Louie Prosperi, the CEO of the Institute of Professional Bookkeepers of Canada (IPBC), there is definitely hope, but you have to adjust with the times. His organization helps hundreds of bookkeepers nationwide learn cutting edge skills, meet new people and prepare for future trends that will allow their businesses to grow. In this informative interview, you’ll learn... * Why you should communicate your value in this age of automation by providing more services, including consulting, that best suit your client's needs * The importance of keeping up with technology to better serve your customers and make sure software is properly monitored and running smoothly * Why it's crucial to document what services you provide onsite so you can charg
27/09/2016 • 31 minutes 40 seconds
EP01: Debbie Roberts - The Power of Systemizing Your Bookkeeping Business
Debbie Roberts. During her over 30 year bookkeeping career, the Australian made every business mistake in the book. But, the key was she learned from them and the global bookkeeping community would benefit. How? Thanks to Debbie's chance meeting with a business coach, Peter Cook, at a networking event in the early 2000s, he'd suggest she use all her learnings to create systems in her business. Eventually they'd form a company called Pure Bookkeeping then develop The Pure Bookkeeping System which is helping hundreds of bookkeepers over 3 continents. Today, Debbie is an inspiring success story after selling her original bookkeeping business for a high 6-figure amount in 2014. In this interview, you’ll learn... * The one question that Debbie asked herself every time she made mistakes with her business * Why it's crucial to have systems in place before hiring new staff * And why it's critical to not be afraid to communi
