The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast

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

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

“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 that stops you from giving away so many of your life hours to people that don’t value them or leave you feeling fulfilled. Some things are just not meant to be, you can’t force them, and it doesn’t make you a failure if you stop throwing away your time and energy on clients that don’t value it. When you are honest with yourself and commit to what you are good at, success can be the only possible outcome. During this interview, you'll learn… Why being honest & knowing your value matters How to recognize burnout and take steps to prevent it The importance of innovating rather than imitating To get Dr. Reeves' book go here. Find out what Nextions can do for you at this link. Learn more about Dr. Reeves here.   Connect with her socials: LinkedIn Twitter Time Stamps  1:15 - Your life hours 3:17 - Different senses of feeling 8:10 - If it feels like hard work, it won’t lead to success 11:00 - Knowing your own value 13:40 - Women & energy management 16:10 - Dealing with burnout 25:00 - Having the courage to move away from bad clients

“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 clients and yourself can bring and how to make those tough choices that will free you to work with those that truly matter. During this interview, you'll learn...  • The value of caring for yourself, so you can care for others  • How to make tough choices to free up your time & energy   • The importance of surrounding yourself with people that help you feel like you belong Find out what Nextions can do for you here. Learn more about Dr. Reeves at this link. Connect with her socials: LinkedIn  Twitter   Time Stamps  1:45 - Getting to know Dr. Reeves  5:20 - What it means to belong  7:10 - How women grow their business  12:25 - The value of caring  21:20 - Tough choices create new spaces 26:30 - Different kinds of success 

“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 Advisor, entrepreneur coach and author of Beyond Bookkeeping, talks today about the importance of taking responsibility for the future of your business, and having the bravery to act when your moment comes. During this interview, you'll learn…  • The value of surrounding yourself with like-minded people  • How to free yourself from an excuse mindset  • The importance of knowing your value & worth Learn more about Lisa here. Explore Accelerate 2 Advisor at this link. Connect to the Accelerate 2 Advisor Community Group by clicking here.   Connect with her on social media: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn   Time Stamps 2:05 - Lisa talks about her recent experiences 4:00 - Investing in transformation 7:10 - Taking the right action to transform your life 11:00 - Taking action vs making excuses 17:25 - Breaking the excuse mindset 23:15 - The rewards of committing to yourself 28:10 - More than ‘just’ a bookkeeper 30:00 - Her masterclass 32:30 - Building a better future

“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 connections bring. Bonnie Low-Kramen, workplace expert, speaker, and author with 25 years of experience as a personal assistant talks about the importance of having the heart for service and how to use your innate and learned skills to create value for your clients that enables them the time, space, and freedom to do the things only they can do.  During this interview, you'll learn… The value of conquering our irrational fears How to price on the value of your service What to do in order to have a harmonious work environment Learn more about Bonnie: Here   Connect with her on social media: Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Twitter YouTube   Watch Bonnie’s TED X Talk here. Time Stamps  1:40 - Bonnie discusses her career journey 4:50 - Understanding the role of a PA 8:00 - Adding value to your clients lives 11:50 - Mastering innate & learned skills 16:50 - Creating a harmonious work environment 25:00 - Bonnie talks about women in industry 32:30 - Conquering your fears 38:20 - Bonnie’s talks & workshops 

“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 the heart of new developments as they happen. To create the best possible value for yourself and the client. During this interview, you'll learn… The value of sharing with a group to resolve pain points How to get comfortable on the cutting edge of industry innovations The importance of asking what is needed & truly listening to the answers Learn more about LiveFlow here.    Connect with Anita: LinkedIn Twitter   Want to attend the FREE How to Automate Reporting & Become a Trusted Advisor webinar on April 26th mentioned in this episode? SIGN UP HERE! LiveFlow is also offering an incredible deal of 20% off for 3 months for new users. Find out more at this link! Time Stamps         1:40 - Anita talks about her career journey 5:40 - Learning & innovating from customer needs 8:40 - Finding the right service tools for you 9:25 - Overcoming the challenges of a new business 11:50 - Changes in the automation of bookkeeping 15:00 - Getting on the positive side of new trends 18:20 - The value of sharing within the community 20:45 - Best practices in automation 26:50 - Anita talks about LiveFlow 31:20 - Information about the upcoming webinar

“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 learn... The value of respectful & communicative collaboration How to market yourself correctly to the right people The importance of staying healthy on the job Learn more about Artesani Accounting Services at this link. Connect with Lynda: LinkedIn Twitter  Connect with Sarah: LinkedIn  Want to join the Accountant’s Law Lab? Click here. Time Stamps  1:30 - Lynda & Sarah talk about their career journeys 3:50 - Embracing teamwork 5:00 - The challenges of partnership 7:50 - Finding your niche  14:00 - Securing new clients  18:50 - Learning how to price 21:30 - Adapting to innovation 27:00 - Looking to the future  32:30 - Keeping healthy on the job

“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 any easier. When you find your niche, you make it possible to create a business that won’t feel like work.   Daniel Breez, owner of Measured Growth CPA and a Pure Bookkeeping licensee, talks today about the value of personal responsibility, finding your niche and learning how to leverage your strengths.  During this interview, you'll learn… The value of finding a niche you are passionate about How to hire the best & most capable people for the job The importance of personal responsibility Learn more about Measured Growth CPA here.  Check out Daniel’s socials: LinkedIn Instagram Time Stamps        1:50 - Daniel talks about his business journey 4:15 - Finding the right mindset 10:00 - Knowing the right niche for you 14:40 - Getting yourself in the right rooms 17:00 - How Pure Bookkeeping elevated Daniel’s business 20:50 - The right approach to hiring 27:30 - Looking to the future

“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 go a long way towards securing it into the future.  During this interview, you'll learn... The value of separating your personal & business finances Some key legal advice that can help protect your bookkeeping business The importance in finding clients you are passionate to work with  Learn more about Paige here. Looking for contract support? Visit this link. Check out her socials here: Facebook Instagram  Pinterest  Time Stamps  1:40 - Paige talks about her career journey  7:30 - The lightning bolt moment  12:46 - Overcoming obstacles  16:30 - The value of consistent learning  18:10 - Knowing the value of your worth  23:08 - Paige talks about finding the right bookkeeper  28:00 - Piercing the corporate veil  31:00 - Paige offers her legal perspective  39:35 - The importance of confidentiality