The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast

"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 her mission to help business owners overcome their fears to get to grips with all aspects of their business, even bookkeeping. If you are feeling burnout, struggling to find the right clients or are looking for some top tips to ensure success from an industry pro then this episode is perfect for you! During this interview, you'll learn... The value of learning to get marketing right How to set expectations & boundaries with clients 7 ways to help clients become more successful To find out more about Crystalynn, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. You can order her new book at this link. Click here to access gifts for Successful Bookkeeper listeners. Time Stamps 01:45 - Crystalynn shares her career journey 04:15 - The highs & lows of building business 08:15 - Setting expectations & boundaries 11:02 - Managing client relationships 15:05 - The value of learning to get marketing right 20:18 - The 7 ways to help clients become more successful 28:54 - Financial fear factor 31:25 - Crystalynn talks about her book Mastering QuickBooks 34:41 - Focusing on the future This episode is brought to you by our good friends at Pure Bookkeeping! If you want to grow your bookkeeping business, get back your time, be more efficient and have confidence that your work is best practice, you need proven systems, processes and standard operating procedures. That's what Pure Bookkeeping offers. To find out more, visit PureBookkeeping.com TODAY!

"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 bookkeepers in the first place. Alex Frolek, co-founder of Stelex Solutions, is this episode's featured guest. She has spent her career helping businesses succeed, by focusing on how she can help clients achieve their goals and visions, not as a vendor who just does the books, but as a partner that can use her vast experience to ensure her clients' success. If you are just starting out, unsure of where to begin, this is the episode to get you thinking about what your life might look like in a year, if you started laying the groundwork today. During this interview, you'll learn... • The value of learning from every experience • How to become more than "just" a bookkeeper • The importance of building the right solutions for your clients To find out more about Alex, click here. Connect with Alex on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 01:36 - Alex discusses her career journey 04:03 - Deciding to start your own business 05:55 - Working & living with your partner 10:36 - The power of learning from every experience 13:18 - Becoming more than 'just' a bookkeeper 19:32 - Finding the right clients for you 23:05 - The parts we love & the parts we don't 29:20 - Alex shares her top tips for your business 31:19 - The best ways to get connected with Alex

"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 failure. It's the mark of success. Adrienne Barrett is this spotlight session's featured guest. A senior manager at Intuit, she has spent her career helping businesses get on top of their plans, systems, processes and relationships. If you are struggling to make contingency plans, unsure of your gaps or running outdated systems that are preventing you from growing your bookkeeping business then this is the episode to get you thinking about the power of your own plan. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of planning for bad & good times How to build the right team for your bookkeeping business The importance of taking care of yourself so you can take care of your clients Connect with Adrienne on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 01:41 - Adrienne talks about her career journey 05:20 - Understanding business & contingency plans 12:08 - The power of leaning on your plan 15:30 - Team building in bookkeeping services 19:02 - Systemizing your way to success 27:03 - Investing in financial well-being

"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 Daniels Business Solutions, is this episode's featured guest. She has spent her career helping businesses grow and become more profitable by doing what she does best so that her clients can focus on what they do best. If you are struggling to build connections, feel like you are serving your business rather than your business serving you or are worried about niching too early, then this is the episode to get you thinking about what the future of your business could look like. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of a consultative sales approach How to share your value in an advisory capacity The importance of building a business that serves you To find out more about Becky, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 01:31 - Becky talks about her career journey 07:02 - Building businesses that serve you 08:44 - Getting to know what matters to your clients 11:30 - Building value into your relationships 14:58 - Knowing who you want to work with 20:34 - Taking the time to get your processes right 23:08 - The power of Pure Bookkeeping 28:44 - Moving into an advisory role This episode is brought to you by our good friends at Pure Bookkeeping! If you want to grow your bookkeeping business, get back your time, be more efficient and have confidence that your work is best practice, you need proven systems, processes and standard operating procedures. That's what Pure Bookkeeping offers. To find out more, visit PureBookkeeping.com TODAY!

"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, developing the stories of these powerhouse businesses. She is often introduced as someone who 'knows everybody' and this well-deserved reputation has made her one of the best networkers around. There is no one right way to network, but if you are struggling to connect, reconnect or offer your services, advice, or opinion to others, this is the episode to help shift your mindset and get you ready to connect with anyone or maybe even reconnect with some old friends. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of cultivating healthy working relationships How to connect with people beyond your own needs The importance of your digital presence To find out more about Karen, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. Visit this link to order her new book, Taking the Work Out of Networking: Your Guide to Making and Keeping Great Connections. Time Stamps 01:48 - Karen talks about her career journey 05:39 - Following your passion where it leads you 09:45 - Cultivating healthy working relationships 13:30 - The big mistakes in networking 21:45 - Tending to your own garden 27:01 - Your digital presence- Karen talks about her book 31:20 - Reaching out for things beyond your needs 40:00 - Karen talks about how to get in touch This episode is brought to you by our friends at Katana! If you have clients using outdated and inefficient manufacturing software, Katana offers real-time data syncing for production, inventory, and accounting data, manufacturers get complete visibility over every inch of their business and their numbers stay up-to-date even as orders come in. If you sign up for the Partner Program and refer clients before April 30th, you will get 30% off the first 3 months of your Katana subscription. You'll also earn a 20% revenue share for every client you invite. Head to thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/katana to learn more.

"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 processes that free up time and energy while maintaining profitability. Her approach focuses on getting relationships right so that your good work can speak for itself. If you are struggling to systemize, feel like you are patching cracks slower than they are forming, or just looking for some advice on building healthy business relationships, this is the episode for you. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of workflow software in streamlining your bookkeeping business How to stop leaking time & energy The importance of being clear about what your services cost To find out more about Heidi, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 01:30 - Heidi talks about her career journey 06:10 - Overcoming the obstacles of business 09:19 - Building connections to beat overwhelm 11:39 - Effectively implementing systems & processes 16:51 - Streamlining your engagement strategy 20:15 - The power of learning from our mistakes 23:15 - Automating client payments 27:11 - Getting your charges & mindset right 29:48 - Good work is its own marketing 32:50 - Heidi shares her top tips for building your bookkeeping business This episode is brought to you by our good friends at Pure Workflow! It's a simple, easy-to-use workflow practice management solution which will help you manage your clients, deadlines, workflow and team with ease. The BEST PART? It's specifically made FOR BOOKKEEPERS! For more information, visit PureWorkflow.com!

"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 chase down your dream then this is the episode to get you thinking about what truly makes you happy, and how (with a little help), you might reach your goal. During this interview, you'll learn... • The value of systemizing your bookkeeping business • How to decide what success looks like to you • The importance of setting healthy boundaries Connect with Shannon on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 01:33 - Shannon talks about her career journey 03:58 - Overcoming the obstacles of taking over existing businesses 05:21 - Adapting to unforeseen changes 06:12 - Setting healthy boundaries with your clients 07:30 - Finding the way that works for you to find clients 09:53 - The Pure Bookkeeping journey 12:05 - Implementing the right systems 19:10 - Getting your time back 23:04 - Dreaming big: the future of Shannon's business 29:00 - Designing the business you want This episode is brought to you by our friends at Katana! If you have clients using outdated and inefficient manufacturing software, Katana offers real-time data syncing for production, inventory, and accounting data, manufacturers get complete visibility over every inch of their business and their numbers stay up-to-date even as orders come in. If you sign up for the Partner Program and refer clients before April 30th, you will get 30% off the first 3 months of your Katana subscription. You'll also earn a 20% revenue share for every client you invite. Head to thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/katana to learn more.

"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 building a framework that helps others create their dream businesses without suffering the same common setbacks. His meticulous approach to management and diagnostics has helped elevate hundreds of businesses to new heights. If you are trying to build your own castle, this is the episode to hear from a master business builder and learn what it takes to build walls that will not crumble under pressure. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of transforming complaints into requests How to manage & measure your business effectively The importance of getting structure & discipline into your business Connect with Sandeep on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 01:58 - Sandeep talks about his career journey 05:15 - Overcoming the big obstacles 08:54 - The principles of building & running a business 12:10 - Staying effective in the face of challenges 17:20 - Using the right tools for maximum efficiency 19:50 - How to transform a complaint into a request 25:12 - The ups & downs of business 30:20 - Transitioning & training for success 33:55 - Sandeep explains how his book can help you This episode is brought to you by our friends at Katana! If you have clients using outdated and inefficient manufacturing software, Katana offers real-time data syncing for production, inventory, and accounting data, manufacturers get complete visibility over every inch of their business and their numbers stay up-to-date even as orders come in. If you sign up for the Partner Program and refer clients before April 30th, you will get 30% off the first 3 months of your Katana subscription. You'll also earn a 20% revenue share for every client you invite. Head to thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/katana to learn more.

"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 career helping small businesses and entrepreneurs take back their weekends, by getting them focused on what they do well and helping them in their areas of struggle. If you are having a tough time getting your bookkeeping business off the ground, not sure how much to price or who to connect with for help, this is the episode to get you networking for success. During this interview, you'll learn... Why you don't have to do everything alone How to overcome the obstacles that prevent successful businesses The importance of networking & building connections To find out more about Mindy, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 01:30 - Mindy talks about her career journey 04:37 - Overcoming the challenges of starting your own business 09:00 - Finding clients that fit your business 13:29 - Learning from the mistakes of the past 17:30 - Secrets to networking success 21:50 - The value of Pure Bookkeeping 26:05 - Mindy shares her tips for business success 28:00 - Preparing for the future This episode is brought to you by our good friends at Pure Bookkeeping! If you want to grow your bookkeeping business, get back your time, be more efficient and have confidence that your work is best practice, you need proven systems, processes and standard operating procedures. That's what Pure Bookkeeping offers. To find out more, visit PureBookkeeping.com TODAY!

"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 wasted. Like many bookkeepers, you may have steered clear of the manufacturing sector for a long time, but with the advent of new and more integrated software solutions, it might be time to consider stepping into an industry desperate for support and advice from bookkeepers capable of helping them solve issues in real-time. During this interview, you'll learn... Why you shouldn't be afraid of the manufacturing sector How to add value beyond financial services The importance of integrating the right software for the right client To find out more about Shawn, click here. To book a call with Katana, visit here. To start your free Katana demo, click this link. To join the Katana partner program, check this out. Time Stamps 01:58 - Shawn talks about his career journey 03:42 - Getting to grips with human kinetics 05:14 - The processes of manufacturing 06:57 - Adding value as a bookkeeper 09:45 - Overcoming the obstacles of industry 12:10 - Integrating from the source 18:42 - Finding solutions beyond the financial 22:08 - Supporting clients remotely 23:42 - Stories of successful 25:49 - Bringing your clients into the future 28:25 - Getting in touch with Shawn or Katana