The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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