The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast

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 https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.

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 How to create effective value ads To find out more about Stacey, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.

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.

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.

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 https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.

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 referrals are a trend you should investigate To find out more about Cindy, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.

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 about Elaine Orr, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.

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.com.

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 discover... How to overcome the challenge of communicating with employees from various generations How trust and respect play an important role in having different generations of workers How to create a productive working environment To find out more about Dianne & Bianca, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.

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'll discover... How to let your employees make decisions that you can trust Why value judgement is important to your staff How changes can make your business grow To find out more about Rhamy Alejeal, visit https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com.