The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast

“You’re meant to lead the way and if your plate is so full that you’re only doing things halfway, and not feeling really good about the job you’re doing, and how you can impact others, we need to really take a holistic look at what’s going on.” -Tonya Herb When our cars break down, we seek out a mechanic. We visit the doctor when we are sick. Yet in our businesses, we feel pressure to see to every single element of business activity. Running a business this way can only ever have one outcome: failure. It is not possible to do everything that needs to be done well enough that the edges don’t start to fray. From there, it's only a matter of time before everything we’ve worked so hard for, unravels completely. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can learn to delegate and share the load with others. People that fill and compliment your gaps, freeing you to focus on the things you love the most.   Tonya Herb, a life and leadership development coach, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, overcome their fears and embrace success. In this episode, Tonya and Michael explore how to spend time more effectively, beating back overthinking, and why all the best leaders delegate.  If you are struggling to quiet an overactive mind, want to expand your business, but are afraid of being in charge, or want to learn from others, but aren’t sure where to start, then this is the episode that will get you thinking about the true value of your time.  During this interview, you'll learn... Why overthinking is killing your success How to spend your time & energy more effectively The importance of delegation  To find out more about Tonya, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 01:31 - Tonya discusses her career journey  03:58 - Knowing where to start  06:01 - Unlocking delegation  09:50 - Overcoming overthinking  16:18 - The fear of responsibility  25:34 - Where are you spending your time  27:50 - Surrounding yourself with success

“You’re not your client's bank. Contrary to some beliefs, you’re doing work for them and getting paid. There are different ways to structure your payment terms that limit your exposure.” -Michelle Bomberger We know as bookkeepers just how much relationships matter in business; we want our clients to invest in us to fill their gaps. But we often don’t want to invest in others to fill our own. This is especially true when it comes to the legal side of doing business. Legal help and advice are expensive, and many of us run with the belief that we’ll only need that kind of help if something goes wrong.  But like insurance, investing in a good legal advisor can help cover and protect you from all the things you fear, and all the things that could affect our businesses that we don’t even know about yet. Michelle Bomberger, Founder and CEO at Equinox Business Law Group, is this episode’s guest. She has spent her career helping businesses with their strategic decision-making, working together to build strong and lasting relationships that keep her clients protected. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of taking a proactive approach to protection How to give your contracts more teeth The Three Tiers of Protection  If you are struggling with your business’ legal infrastructure, aren’t sure how to protect yourself and your business or just want to give your contracts more teeth, this is the episode to get you thinking about putting protection in place before you need it! To find out more about Michelle, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter Take the Business Health Assessment here. Time Stamps 01:43 - Michelle discusses her career journey 05:22 - The three tiers of protection  08:10 - Finding the right lawyer for you 11:20 - Building trusting relationships 16:30 - Iron cladding your contracts  20:40 - Getting paid upfront  25:03 - Challenging illegal activity   28:04 - Managing conflicts of interest  33:02 - Being proactive for long-term security  35:01 - Business Health Assessment 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 thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/sage!

“The job of a good embezzler is to become the trusted bookkeeper.” -Ruth King The pace of change is exponential, and keeping up with all the new technologies is a real challenge. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We don’t have to chase every new invention; we need only to find the tools that make doing business for ourselves and our clients a little bit easier. The desire to keep up can lead us into all kinds of online traps. Theft is already a fact of life in business. If we aren’t paying attention, people will try to get away with anything they can. The same is true for AI and other tools. If you aren’t 100% confident in the tools you are using, perhaps it’s time to slow down and get sure. Trust but verify, not only your people but your tools too. It can be easy to pass off tasks to others, but if we let the pressure of keeping up force us to shift more information out of our eyeline, we can’t be surprised when that trust is taken advantage of.  Ruth King, who is a business advisor and author, is this week's featured guest. She has spent her career helping businesses get and stay profitable, by showing them how to leverage the best tools and processes for the task at hand. In this episode, Ruth and Michael discuss the importance of managing small problems before they get out of hand, protecting yourself and your business from theft, and what it means to have a financially fit business.   If you are struggling to get a grip on the latest tech, need to delegate but are concerned about who and what to trust, or just want to learn more about creating a financially fit business, then this is the episode to get you putting trust in the one place it matters most: yourself. During this interview, you'll learn... What theft looks like in the modern age & how to stop it How to create a successful & financially fit business The importance of managing the little things so they don’t get out of hand To find out more about Ruth, click here. Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn and Twitter. Learn more about Financially Fit Business.  Time Stamps 01:26 - Ruth discusses her career journey  03:36 - Fixing problems before they become a crisis 05:30 - Discovering AI 07:42 - Pay attention or face the consequences 12:29 - Be careful what you sign  16:45 - Making a difference  21:39 - Key elements of growth 23:24 - 14 Critical Trend Analysis 26:24 - Financial Fit Business     34:25 - Learning more about Ruth

“We’re actually biologically positioned and programmed to receive stories. For most of existence, for the hundreds of thousands of years humans have existed on the planet, we have not been able to transfer information in written form from one person to another.” -Matthew Dicks As bookkeepers, we love the details. We find patterns in them others struggle to see. But sometimes our love of numbers makes it hard to step away from pure and factual resolution. Think about a subject that bores you to tears, then imagine having to listen to a report about it. How we feel about those things is the same way others feel about bookkeeping. That is why we need something more than the numbers to not only get our clients on board but to keep them long-term. We need stories. We need ways of communicating that connect us through authentic and entertaining lived experiences.  Matthew Dicks, storyteller and bestselling author, is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his career helping others tell their stories in compelling, and authentic ways. In this episode, he will discuss... The value of sharing your story with your clients How to tell a story, not read a report The importance of connecting business and story together  So, if you are struggling to compete in a market saturated with services. It might be time to think beyond your skills, to how you connect and relate with the people you hope to serve. This is the episode to help you do just that! To find out more about Matthew, click here. Connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook. Check out his TED talk, Homework For Life. Time Stamps     01:18 - Matthew discusses his career journey  05:52 - Reporting vs Storytelling  07:44 - Connecting story to business  15:20 - Building authentic connections  20:27 - Sharing our story  30:58 - Stories sell  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!    

“Walking is our common denominator in terms of movement, almost all of us walk. It’s a really great place to begin, to teach people about movement.” -Bruce Fertman Our role as bookkeepers gives us unique insight into the health of a business. We can make sense of the figures in a way our clients would struggle to alone. We find the problems and successes and help our clients to make changes to their business that improve profitability and longevity.  Yet despite this being a critical function of what we do for others, we don’t invest nearly the same amount of time and effort into our own health. We ignore the telltale signs and symptoms in our own bodies in the same way our clients frustrate us by ignoring the areas of challenge in their businesses.  Sitting at our desks may feel productive, but we often spend hours sitting, with bad posture trying to generate the same productivity, creativity and insight we could gain from a 12-minute walk.  Bruce Fertman, co-author of Walking Well and lifetime movement specialist, is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his life helping others find their path to wellness through movement. In this episode, he speaks powerfully about the need to get the basics right, how small changes can make huge differences, and why you should invest in your health the way you do in your work. If you are feeling run down, exhausted, overwhelmed, or just want even more energy to get things done, then this is the episode for you! During this interview, you'll learn... The value of investing in your health How to walk for positive change and transformation The importance of getting back to the basics  To find out more about Bruce, click here. Connect with him on Facebook.  You can get a copy of Walking Well at this link. Time Stamps    01:28 - Bruce discusses his career journey  05:35 - The benefits of walking  08:39 - Are you walking enough? 20:52 - Small changes, huge differences   32:36 - Investing time in yourself  37:25 - Going back to basics  46:45 - Learning more about Bruce

“A lot of people say, ‘Oh retirement, that’s for old people. I don’t need to be thinking about that now.’ But it is just good cash flow management. It's good financial planning. To be thinking not only about what I am spending my money on today as a business owner but also what does this look like in 5, 10, 20 years.” -Courtenay Shipley As bookkeepers, it is our job to help others understand how the flow of money works in and around their business. A critical yet often overlooked part of that, is how we plan for the future. It’s easy to get excited by success, so much so that we don’t feel the need to save for a rainy day. This is true for our clients too. They’ve worked so hard. They want to enjoy the profits of their labour. When planning for the future, it’s hard to ignore the glaring warnings of our own mortality. This is perhaps why we take the first most accessible retirement plan we find, and let it tick over in the background.  But saving doesn’t have to be from a place of fear in what the future holds, you can create a plan that celebrates your success and keeps you solvent long after you’ve stopped working.  Courtenay Shipley, founder of Retirement Planology is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping businesses navigate the retirement landscape in a way that aligns with their values, saves time and makes their money work harder. In this episode, Courtenay and Michael discuss all things retirement, from finding the right plan to essential resources for success. If you are finding yourself in a place of success but aren’t sure how to provide yourself and your employees with a plan for the future then this is the episode for you! During this interview, you'll learn... The value of building long-term financial freedom How to effectively plan for the future The importance of sticking to the plan To find out more about Courtenay, click here. Connect with with her on LinkedIn. Time Stamps   01:46 - Courtenay discusses her career journey  05:28 - Planning for the future 08:54 - Finding the right fit 13:47 - Sticking to the plan 16:34 - The essentials of a great retirement plan 18:06 - Building your financial freedom 23:23 - Resources that can help you 25:50 - Getting integrated  28:35 - Learning more from Courtenay  This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Payworks! If you're looking for a reliable and affordable payroll platform for your business, look no further! To learn more, visit Payworks.ca TODAY!

“Oftentimes, we’re our own worst enemy, and so we listen to the one negative comment or the one negative undertone that someone gives us, and we hold onto that.” -Trixy Castro Every challenge provides an opportunity for growth. A chance to build a mindset of resilience, that will let us face any problem with a mind to solutions. That bias and barriers to success exist, is not in question. What is in question is how we react to them.  We spend far too much time paying attention to the opinions of people who aren’t paying our bills. It is time to cut out the noise, get focused and start chasing our goals with everything we have in us. Criticism is important, but we must cultivate the ability to filter out whether it is really something about us that we need to work on, or about someone else wanting us to feel as bad as they do. Trixy Castro, business executive and entrepreneur, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career founding and selling businesses while breaking down every barrier put in her path. She speaks powerfully about the need to build a resilient mindset, embrace challenges as learning experiences and how to get focused on your goals. If you are struggling with negative self-talk, quitting before you’ve even begun, or after a few bumps in the road, then this is the episode that will set you free of your limiting beliefs and put you on the path to enduring success. During this interview, you'll learn... The value of embracing challenges as learning opportunities How to build a resilient mindset The importance of getting focused on your goals To find out more about Trixy, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 01:46 - Trixy discusses her career journey  13:35 - The path to success  19:07 - There’s always a way around 22:37 - Building a resilience mindset 27:10 - Getting it done

“All of a sudden, the customers no longer perceive us as valuable because we failed to reframe the value that we created. The accountant and the bookkeeper’s job should be giving the business owner confidence in their number.” -Hector Garcia For as long as we define our value by our skills alone, we will have to bear the threat of replacement. If all we are communicating to our clients is the completion of tasks that could just as easily be automated, we cannot be surprised that automation seems like a better option.  AI is here to stay. If we don’t want to be replaced by it, we have to start reframing what it is our clients are actually paying for. We need to move away from charging for the completion of tasks, towards charging for the relationships and insights we create and offer.  Computers aren’t going to steal our jobs, they are going to enhance them by freeing up more of our time to give clients more personal and meaningful services than just fixing their numbers. Hector Garcia, a popular YouTuber and CPA, is this episode’s featured guest. In this second half of a two-part series, Michael and Hector discuss the value of doing things differently, and how to build client confidence and stay ahead of the curve.  If you are struggling to innovate, not sure how to get creative with your business or build client confidence, then this is the episode to get you thinking about how to leverage AI rather than be afraid of it.  During this interview, you'll learn... The value of doing things differently How to stay ahead of the curve The importance of building client confidence To find out more about Hector, click here.   Connect with him on LinkedIn, YouTube or X.   Learn more about Hector's Reframe 2024 and Right Tool App.   Click here to listen to Part 1 of this series.   Time Stamps     01:34 - Doing things differently  06:04 - Building client confidence  10:14 - Getting ahead of the curve  19:38 - Can’t find the right tool? Build it! 27:17 - Getting started with AI

“Innovation means always doing it differently, always doing it better. Innovation is not always technology; innovation is providing a different point of view to the status quo.”  -Hector Garcia   There will always be people more successful than we are. This is only a problem if we decide it's not worth taking any action to better our lives because we’ll never be better than those we idolize. Success doesn’t have to mean being the best. Having a healthy, steadily growing business, with loyal clients and dedicated employees is a feat that should be celebrated.    Very few people become well-known overnight, it takes time and the confidence to keep putting yourself out there, even if your numbers are low to start with. The more consistent we are, the faster those numbers begin to rise. Especially when you stop trying to sell people something and start showing them you want to authentically help them.   Hector Garcia, CPA and YouTuber, is this episode’s featured guest. In this first of a two-part series, Michael and Hector explore how to successfully market ourselves, the power of an innovation mindset, and why connecting authentically matters.    If you are tired of letting other people’s success paralyze you into inaction and want to learn to market yourself better, then this is the episode to get you thinking innovatively about the future of your business.    During this interview, you'll learn... The value of putting yourself out there How to embrace an innovation mindset  The importance of competing against yourself, not others To find out more about Hector, click here.    Connect with Hector on LinkedIn, YouTube or X.   Time Stamps   02:48 - Hector discusses his career journey  08:33 - Transitioning to hands-off business  14:55 - Putting yourself out there 21:49 - Success isn’t a zero-sum game This episode is brought to you by our great friends at BILL! BILL automates your clients’ AP, AR, spend, and expense, and lets them track and manage their cash flow, in real-time. You can also use the BILL Accountant Console to access insights to level up your advisory services plus so much more! To learn how BILL can help you and your clients, and to sign up for the referral program, visit thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/bill.

“If they don’t have the right mindset and the right willingness to adopt the technology, it's just not going to work.”  -Tim Sernett Everyone is different. There will be those who love trying new things and those who are more hesitant to leave their bubble of security. One isn’t better than the other, but when it comes to business, you must consider who is best for you and your business. If you are someone who loves new technology, systems and processes, it’s probably not the best idea to seek clients who like to be set in their ways and keep things the same. The same is true in the other direction, if you have a tried and tested method, clients that want the latest up-to-date tech as part of your service, aren’t going to be a good fit. It’s okay, encouraged even, to embrace every kind of new experience you can have, we don’t know what we don’t know, and time spent searching for that one thing or niche that truly sparks joy is not time wasted.  Tim Sernett of Financial Optics is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his career helping clients not only improve their profits but build peace of mind and future security in their businesses. In this episode, Tim and Michael discuss all things technology and much more!  If you are struggling to serve too many people, to the detriment of your true passions, want to embrace new technologies, or just want to give a little more thought to the future, then this is the episode to get you thinking about what your success could look like.  During this interview, you'll learn... The value of embracing opportunities to gain experience How to find your business niche The importance of seeking out the gaps in your business  To find out more about Tim, click here. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Time Stamps 01:53 - Tim discusses his career journey  04:27 - Embracing opportunities to gain experience  09:11 - Future forward thinking  12:29 - Seeking out the gaps in your business  17:44 - Finding your niche 23:30 - Bringing your team with you 27:12 - The value of your knowledge and systems