The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast

“Like, suddenly it’s, ‘Uh, yeah, I agreed to do your payroll, and now you’re asking me to get all this paperwork filled out for the employee.’ Or, ‘Oh, you do my payroll, can you handle the workers’ comp?’ Or, ‘Hey, you said you do payroll, can you track what job every single employee works on at any given moment?’ And that creep of scope is tough, especially because I’m a bit of a people pleaser. I had real trouble just saying, ‘No, you didn’t pay for that.’” -Rhamy Alejeal Rhamy Alejeal discusses how financial professionals can support businesses in navigating HR challenges. He shares insights on scaling HR operations, mitigating risk, and enhancing efficiency through partnerships and specialization. In this interview, you'll learn: How HR services reduce risk and increase return on labor The crucial role of financial professionals in addressing compliance How partnerships enhance services while avoiding risk and scope creep Connect with Rhamy on LinkedIn and YouTube.  Click here to learn more about People Processes. Time Stamp: 05:57 - Challenges in Scaling HR Operations 11:53 - Navigating Client Needs and Referrals 17:52 - Partnership Opportunities for Bookkeepers 23:53 - Broadening Discovery for Client Needs 29:55 - Conclusion and Resources

“I think being ready to change your processes or adapt to processes, finding new efficiencies—that is a constant growth. Even if you're happy with the level that you're at, the revenue level that you're at, and you're not looking to grow or expand, things will still change and evolve with your processes and with technology. So I think it's really important to be open and accepting of that.” -Kimme Lafayette Kimme Lafayette, owner of Beyond Bookkeeping Business Services, reveals her journey from accounting student to business owner, sharing the lessons she learned about overcoming challenges like pricing and client relationships. With a focus on value pricing, mentorship, and community, she offers actionable advice to help bookkeepers grow and succeed in their own businesses. During this interview, you'll learn: Tips for adapting & thriving in a changing industry How value pricing can elevate your bookkeeping business The secrets to fostering strong client relationships To learn more about Kimme, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Time Stamp: 02:21 - Journey to Bookkeeping 06:13 - Starting a Business by Accident 10:41 - Overcoming Initial Barriers 14:44 - Transitioning to Value Pricing 19:23 - Facing Fear & Taking Action 21:48 - Advice for New Bookkeepers 25:34 - The Importance of Community 29:31 - Adaptability in Business 32:35 - Conclusion & Future Directions

“One of the things we kept running into was we would look at brands, we would look at firms, look at what they're doing and go, ‘Wow, this just isn't different. This is very copycat.’ It's very similar to what everyone else is doing.” -Mike Jones Mike Jones, CEO and managing partner of ReSound, highlights the critical role of branding and differentiation in the professional services sector, with a focus on accounting and bookkeeping. Drawing from the Remarca Brand Index, he shares key insights on avoiding common branding pitfalls, embracing authenticity, and taking practical steps to stand out in a competitive market. During this interview, you'll learn: How branding goes beyond visuals to focus on strategy & messaging Why differentiation is essential for success in a competitive market The impact of small, thoughtful changes on brand perception To learn more about ReSound, click here. Connect with Mike on LinkedIn. Time Stamp: 01:45 - Introduction to Branding & Marketing Strategies 06:13 - The Remarca Brand Index: Insights & Data Collection 11:47 - Leveraging the Remarca Brand Index for Improvement 18:00 - The Role of Authenticity in Branding 23:47 - Conclusion & Resources for Further Learning This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Sage! With the new Sage for Accountants, you can automate daily tasks and unlock not only more efficiency, but more time for valuable client collaboration all in one place! Learn more or get started for free at the below link. thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/sage

“And to my framework that I offer folks is, what is that? How do we always find a path forward? What do we do when these things hit? How do we keep moving forward when we just feel like, ‘I just can't flippin do this anymore. It is just too much.’” -Nina Sossamon-Pogue Nina Sossamon-Pogue, a former USA gymnast turned Emmy-winning news anchor and tech executive, shares her powerful story of resilience and transformation. She explores pivotal moments in her career, from overcoming gymnastics injuries to transitioning between vastly different industries, offering strategies to navigate change with purpose. Nina introduces her 'this' concept for categorizing challenges and emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in managing stress and thriving through adversity. In this interview, you’ll learn: How to turn adversity into growth opportunities Practical strategies for handling life & career transitions The 'this' concept for breaking down & managing challenges Tune in to discover actionable tools for transforming challenges into stepping stones and confidently embracing life's uncertainties. To learn more about Nina, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram. TimeStamp: 01:40 - Nina's Journey: From Gymnastics to Tech 10:49 - Resilience Through Adversity 14:28 - Helping Others Navigate Change 25:10 - Understanding 'This': The Challenges We Face 29:41 - Finding Your Path Forward

“Set your rules, stick to your rules, and only take clients that play by the rules. We call it rules of engagement.“ -Dida Clifton Dida Clifton, a former US Air Force veteran and founder of The Office Squad, shares her inspiring journey from military operations to running a successful bookkeeping business. She opens up about tackling challenges like pricing, hiring, and networking while revealing how her military background shaped her leadership style and company culture.  In this interview, you’ll discover: Proven pricing strategies to reflect your true value Smart hiring & training practices to build a strong, aligned team How outsourcing can help you scale without sacrificing quality Tune in to learn actionable strategies to overcome challenges, build your dream team, and create a flexible, scalable business model for long-term success. To find out more about Dida click here. Time Stamps 00:40 - From Military to Business: Dida's Journey 02:45 - Building the Office Squad: Strategies & Growth 06:45 - Pricing Strategies: Lessons Learned 09:15 - Networking: The Key to Business Growth 12:51 - Peer Groups: Support & Growth 14:49 - Military Influence: Leadership & Culture 19:58 - Systems & Processes: The Military Way 22:15 - Hiring & Culture: Finding the Right Fit 24:39 - Outsourcing: A Different Approach 27:53 - The Future of Bookkeeping: A Hybrid Model This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Hub Analytics! Imagine having all your financial data in one place, with real-time analytics and customized reports at your fingertips. Hub Analytics is a financial platform that streamlines bookkeeping operations, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering high-quality results for your clients. With Hub's easy-to-use tools, you’ll save time, reduce errors, and gain deeper insights into your clients' financials! Ready to take your bookkeeping to the next level? Book a demo to learn more and start your FREE trial TODAY!

“What I now do is I change the word 'problem' to the word 'situation' and when I change that one word, it just flips something in my brain where I can now work on it  and it turns it into something objective and something almost like, ‘okay, I can do something about this now’.” -Bernadette McClelland Sales coach and consultant, Bernadette McClelland shares her powerful journey from corporate sales to entrepreneurship, revealing the hard-earned lessons learned from overcoming bankruptcy and self-doubt. During this interview, you'll also learn… Actionable insights on building resilience, reframing challenges & viewing disruption as an opportunity for growth Shift from selling to serving Ways to build a strong support network & commit to continuous improvement Tune in to this inspiring episode to discover how to turn setbacks into stepping stones and transform your approach to business and life! To find out more about Bernadette, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 02:57 - Journey Through Corporate to Consultancy 05:56 - Lessons from Bankruptcy 09:11 - Reframing Problems as Situations 11:53 - The Power of Disruption 15:00 - Embracing Anti-Fragility 18:04 - The Evolution of Business Mindset 26:40 - Embracing the Present & Future Mindset 30:58 - The Importance of Mental Downtime 39:03 - Transforming Sales into Service

"The fear of speaking isn't a random thing, but rather it's pointing to experiences in our past that led us to believe it's not safe." -Linda Ugelow In this episode, we’re joined by Linda Ugelow, a speaking empowerment coach and author of Delight In The Limelight, who turned her own fear of public speaking into a mission to help others find their voice. Linda shares the key mindset shifts that build confidence, showing how confronting past experiences and silencing negative self-talk can unlock powerful communication skills.  In this interview, you'll learn how to... Conquer public speaking fears through self-reflection Replace negative self-talk for better communication Improve speaking with better posture, voice & delivery Whether you want to feel more at ease in front of an audience or in daily conversations, her insights are invaluable for anyone looking to speak with greater confidence and clarity. To find out more about Linda, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 00:20 - The Importance of public speaking 03:13 - Linda's journey & the root causes of fear 08:55 - Clearing past experiences & healing the inner critic 16:32 - Enhancing communication skills: posture, voice & delivery 23:43 - The impact of effective communication on personal & business relationships 29:16 - Linda's book & podcast

Lauren Shippy, founder of StoryWork and expert in identity-based strategy, shares her entrepreneurial journey and insights. She emphasizes the significance of having a clear vision and purpose for business success. Lauren discusses how aligning priorities can help eliminate distractions and stay focused, while also highlighting the power of habits and routines in achieving goals. Offering practical strategies, she inspires both seasoned business owners and newcomers to embrace their paths with clarity and intentionality.

“I actually feel like AI is going to level the playing field for smaller firms, more than ever before. That’s an incredible thing, I think it’s an amazing opportunity in front of us.” -Tommy Vincent   The window of change gets shorter every day, and this can leave us feeling pressured to keep up, or frustrated that no sooner have we caught up, than the next innovation is speeding away from us again.   While it’s true technology is racing ahead on an exponential curve, we don’t have to. We don’t have to know how to build apps, read code or create the next step in technological development. We just have to get good at finding things that work for us and leveraging them before our competitors do.   While you can use AI to replace people, the quality of the work won't be as good. AI, at its best, will help us accelerate our system of checks and business processes to give us back our time. More time away from the mundane leaves more time for the things you love to do.   Tommy Vincent, VP of Sales at Hub Analytics, is this spotlight episode’s special guest. He has spent his career helping businesses understand their complex needs, and then align them with the right solutions.    During this interview, you'll learn... The value of AI in levelling the playing field  How to leverage technology in your business The importance of embracing technology as it shifts If you are curious about the future, worried about the pace of change, or just want to free up more time in your business, then this is the episode to get you leaning into technology in the way that works best for you!   To find out more about Tommy, click here.   Connect with him on Linkedin.   Time Stamps   01:26 - Tommy discusses his career journey  03:40 - The future of bookkeeping 06:00 - Embracing technology shifts 07:50 - Levelling the playing field  18:11 - Leveraging technology   26:17 - How Hub Analytics can help you thrive  31:40 - Learning more   This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Hub Analytics! Imagine having all your financial data in one place, with real-time analytics and customized reports at your fingertips. Hub Analytics is a financial platform that streamlines bookkeeping operations, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering high-quality results for your clients. With Hub's easy-to-use tools, you’ll save time, reduce errors, and gain deeper insights into your clients' financials! Ready to take your bookkeeping to the next level? Book a demo to learn more and start your FREE trial TODAY!  

“Everybody has to find their own way to reduce their stress…what works for me may not work for you.” -Tiffany Cagwin We all experience stress, it is a fact of modern life. But our bodies cannot adapt to our changing world at the same place as the demands we place upon them. There comes a time when we all have to stop and ask ourselves if everything we are grinding for is truly worth the cost to our health and well-being.  There is nothing wrong with working hard to provide the kind of life for ourselves and our families that we have always dreamed of. But there needs to be balance, making it to the goal, but realizing we are in pieces is often the final nail in our sense of physical and mental well-being. Tiffany Cagwin, executive leader and transformation coach, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career applying her skills, knowledge and life experiences to help others find better long-term health.  During this interview, you'll learn... The value of making small changes for a big difference How stress is impacting our health The importance of listening to your health, not everyone else’s Whether you are already doing your best to work through health challenges, or just starting to notice things are getting harder, this episode will help you! To find out more about Tiffany, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Time Stamps     01:33 - Tiffany discusses her career journey  08:33 - Coming to terms with life’s challenges  10:42 - Managing our stresses  18:23 - Getting back on track 26:51 - No one size fits all 34:50 - Learning more about Tiffany This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Dext! Dext captures your clients’ data with incredible accuracy and deliver it seamlessly into your workflow, integrating with over 30 accounting softwares. Imagine having more time to focus on what truly matters, like helping your clients, growing your firm, or taking a well-deserved break. With Dext, you can trust that data is accurately extracted, categorized, and submitted every time. Are you ready to streamline your bookkeeping processes?  Join thousands of accountants and bookkeepers in the Dext community. Go to thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/dext to book a demo today and see how Dext can make your work life easier!