Engineering Calmer Agencies & Consulting Firms: Calm is the New KPI

The landscape of software is changing: no longer do you need to know how to code to build what you need. Now, building software has been democratized. No-code tools allow you to build your own software which means you can build custom products, services and tools on your own without having to spend piles of money developing custom software.There are lots of ways you can use this technology to benefit your business: you can streamline and automate internal processes, you can build tools and resources to diversify your revenue streams, and you can even use these tools to market your business and bring in new clients. Oftentimes when we think about a product-based business, we think about physical products or about maybe a software-as-a-service business, but there are SO many more ways that you can harness no-code tools to build your own apps, resources, and tools. This month, we're talking about how you can harness these no-code tools to increase your operational capacity, attract new clients, add new evergreen revenue streams—and ultimately grow your business. Last week, I talked to Jason Staats about using no-code tools internally to automate and scale processes and to improve client communication. This week, we're talking about using no-code tools to actually build your own custom software products. My guest today is the queen of this. Brittany Berger is the founder of Work Brighter, a digital media company that helps productive unicorns go beyond working smarter to a version of productivity that makes room for “unproductive” things like rest, self-care, and fun.She builds all kinds of no-code tools and resources and sells them and she uses them in a LOT of different ways. We'll talk about this more in detail during the episode, but Brittany sells the tools individually as stand-alone products. They make up a good chunk of the value proposition behind her community, the Work Brighter Clubhouse, and she uses them to help folks who take her courses implement faster and easier.Listen to the full episode to hear:How Brittany’s business is structured around no-code toolsHow she comes up with ideas for new no-code productsWhat her development process looks like to build and refine these productsHow to use no-code to build products and additional revenue streams How to use no-code tools and resources to add value to a community or courseLearn more about Brittany:Work BrighterWork Brighter ClubhouseFollow Brittany on InstagramProductive Unicorns Group on FacebookFollow Brittany on TwitterLearn more about Susan:Scalespark Dollars + Decisions RoundtableTwitter @ScaleSparkLinkedIn @thesusanboles Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Software has come a LONG way in the last decade or so.  When I started my first business as a professional organizer in 2006, it was still pretty manual.  My business systems consisted of a website, Quicken, a label maker, some file folders, and printed out checklists. I needed physical signatures on my contracts and took checks as payments—and I had a fax number.It might seem like it was a simpler time before—there was less to keep up with—but our systems were also cumbersome, inefficient, expensive and the idea of building a customized software tool was only available to big companies with big budgets.Fast forward to today and we have apps and tools that can solve just about any problem in your small business with the click of a button pretty inexpensively. We can automate and streamline our workflows and take advantage of technology to operate a very lean, very profitable service business using tools that you don't need a degree in coding to figure out. I'm talking about no-code or low-code tools, which means that the tools have been built specifically to enable YOU, someone with no background or experience in building software, to build your own custom tools. And those tools are very, very powerful when it comes to operating a service business. They can be the key to you taking some time off and knowing that your systems are still flowing, clients are still being taken care of, your team knows exactly what to do. When harnessed, no-code tools can be THE thing that lets you scale to $2M+ with 2 team members. I've seen it happen. And this month, we're talking about the different ways you can harness these no-code tools to increase your operational capacity, attract new clients, add new evergreen revenue streams—and ultimately grow your business. To kick us off, I’m talking with one of my accounting friends, Jason Staats, who also happens to be a huge fan of no-code tools. Jason is a CPA in Salem, Oregon. He's a principal at Brenner LLP by day and accounting tech enthusiast by night. Jason spent his first 10 years in the tax profession and has now spent the last five years running a remote CAS team, working with staff and clients across the country. Jason is especially interested in the intersection of the accounting industry and emergent technology—and, specifically, how we can turn the automation doom and gloom narrative on its head and show accountants how to proactively leverage new technology.Listen to the full episode to hear:How to use no-code tools to scale operations (because the more efficient the workflow, the more clients you can serve with the same staff, and the more profitable you can be)Using no-code tools to automate workflow—both internal AND with clientsHow to leverage automated technology so client communication feels really personal Learn more about Jason:launchfa.comrlz.ioFollow Jason on TwitterLearn more about Susan:Scalespark Dollars + Decisions RoundtableTwitter @ScaleSparkLinkedIn @thesusanboles Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Is it worth it? That’s the number one question I get about this podcast. And it’s a good one because we should be evaluating any and every business decision based on the business results we’re expecting it to create. According to today’s guest, evaluating your podcast’s value and success can be evaluated based on if it drives results for your business, puts money in your bank account, gets emails into your inbox, or gets you sales calls."In the series, Is It Worth It, I’ve been talking about investing in our businesses and trying to answer the question of whether or not an investment was a worthwhile one. In this episode, I thought it’d be fun to take you behind the scenes and talk through how and why I decided to invest in starting this podcast, how it all works behind the scenes, and a look back a year into podcasting. To help me answer the question of if it's been worth it, I’m delighted to bring my friend Tara McMullin to discuss just that. Tara is a small business strategist, host of the What Works Podcast,  and the founder of What Works, an online community for small business owners. Tara is also the co-founder of Yellow House Media, the company that helps produce this podcast. Listen to the full episode to hear:How do you evaluate the ROI of a podcast?My decision-making process and how long I was willing to give it The strategy behind my podcast and what business goals I was trying to achieveHow much time goes into producing a single podcast episode Learn more about Tara McMullin:The What Works NetworkThe What Works PodcastYellow House MediaFollow Tara on InstagramFollow Tara on TwitterLearn more about Susan:Scalespark Dollars + Decisions RoundtableTwitter @ScaleSparkLinkedIn @thesusanboles Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

You've decided to make an investment in your business. You evaluated the alternatives, you accepted the costs and you decided this particular investment was the right one for your business.You're about to commit a significant chunk of time, money, and resources to this. And, at least for now, you've decided this investment is worth investing in. But later down the road, you'll need to decide whether this was a good, helpful investment that moved your business forward—or if it ultimately didn't accomplish what you thought it would.To evaluate your investment later on, you need to answer: what does success LOOK like? What will tell you that this investment WAS a success? What are the measurements for success?Is it new clients? New leads? More efficiency? More profit? What are your GOALS for this investment and how will you know you've reached them? Sometimes that metrics piece can be a little fuzzy. There's usually a lot of intangible benefits that come from investments as Michelle Mazur talked about in episode 46 with her rebrand. Investing in that professional rebrand and website paid off in credibility, speaking engagements, clients, and more. But sometimes that can be hard to get cold hard data on. Social media is one of those investments you can choose to make in your business where the ROI isn’t always super clear. That’s why I invited Andréa Jones—host of the Savvy Social podcast, creator of the Savvy Social School, and an expert at social media—to talk all about measuring the ROI on your investments even if there isn’t a straight line from investment to payoff. Listen to the full episode to hear:How to measure and evaluate whether or not your social media strategy is "working"How coaches, consultants, and service-based business owners can use social media as a tool for business connectionWhy Andréa prefers tracking profile visits and link clicks over followers and engagementHow to evaluate your social media data—and why any strategy needs at least 3 months to see what works and what doesn’tLearn more about Andréa Jones:Andréa’s Social Media Success Framework Social Media Management Business Building BlueprintSavvy Social PodcastSavvy Social SchoolConnect with Andréa on FacebookFollow Andréa on TwitterFollow with Andréa on InstagramConnect with Andréa on LinkedInLearn more about Susan:Scalespark Dollars + Decisions RoundtableTwitter @ScaleSparkLinkedIn @thesusanboles Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

How do you decide what to invest in? How do you examine the opportunity costs of that investment? How do you make sure you're giving your investments every chance to succeed? That's what we've been talking about in the Is It "Worth It"? Series. In the last part of this series, I spoke with Michelle Mazur about how to approach investments in your business and with Beryl Young about deciding WHAT to invest in. In this episode, I want to talk about when an investment seems like a pretty straightforward payoff—but taking advantage of that opportunity might conflict with your values. The question I’m asking, in addition to the others above, is: how do you balance the financial health of your business against your values? Of course, those values SHOULD be an important consideration of any investment you’re making. But we all still need to make money in order for our businesses to survive. In this episode, I’m talking with two guests, Nancy Jane Smith and Bonnie Gillespie, about their thought processes behind making some big business decisions. Nancy is a Licensed Professional Counselor with thirteen years in private practice and has spent 20+ years working as a counselor and coach for people with high-functioning anxiety. She's written three books on living happier and is the host of the Live Happier podcast. Bonnie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. As a weekly columnist, she began demystifying the casting process for actors in 1999. Her most popular book is Self-Management for Actors, the curriculum upon which her teaching is based. As a producer and Emmy-honored casting director, Bonnie specializes in indie darlings. Whether casting, coaching, or exploring the woo as The Astrologer's Daughter, she is passionate about leaving this world better than she found it.Listen to the full episode to hear:What if the ROI could be great, but it conflicts with your values?Why Nancy decided to fully pull her business activities out of Facebook and Instagram—and why they were at odds with her personal valuesWhat Nancy’s noticed in her business since leaving social media and how she’s grown her email list without the help of Instagram How Bonnie uses her Facebook account strictly for business (and how she’s set it up that way)The strategy behind Bonnie’s Facebook ads and why she prefers Instagram and Facebook to other social media or professional platformsLearn more about Nancy Jane Smith:live-happier.comCoach In Your PocketThe Happier Approach PodcastThe Happier Approach BookLearn more about Bonnie Gillespie:bonniegillespie.comFollow Bonnie on InstagramFollow Bonnie on TwitterSubscribe to Bonnie on YouTubeFollow Cricket Feet on FacebookMore about Bonnie on IMDBLearn more about Susan:Scalespark Dollars + Decisions RoundtableTwitter @ScaleSparkLinkedIn @thesusanbolesOther resources mentioned in this episodeStop Hate For Profit campaign Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

When you're deciding what to invest in, examining the opportunity cost of your potential investments is a crucial part of the decision making process. Every option includes a cost associated with it because any opportunity requires an investment of time, money, or resources—or all of the above! And if we invest them in one initiative? Then they're not available for other opportunities. We all have a process we go through when we're thinking through new investments in our business. Whether you're conscious of your process or not... it's there. In the last episode, you heard from Michelle Mazur about how she thinks about investments—that 3-6 month minimum investment. Today, we’re continuing the conversation about making investments in your business with Beryl Young.Beryl is the founder & CEO of Momtography and Teentography, about how she decides what to invest in for her business. As a former elementary school teacher, Beryl's true calling is in education. Through a range of curriculum and programs for ANY type of skill level or camera, Momtography and Teentography is on a mission to show families how to unlock their creative potential and find a bit of joy in each and every day. Listen to the full episode to hear:How Beryl decides what to invest in—or not—for her businessThe opportunity cost of the investments Beryl’s made over the yearsThe 3 main buckets where Beryl invested her resources and the outcome of eachLearn more about Beryl Young:Mammography ClubFollow Beryl on FacebookFollow Beryl on InstagramLearn more about Susan:Scalespark Dollars + Decisions RoundtableTwitter @ScaleSparkLinkedIn @thesusanboles Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Deciding whether or not to make an investment in your business — whether it's hiring a consultant, enrolling in a course, getting a new piece of software — is always a bit of a gamble. You're trying to manage your risk, manage your cash flow, predict the future, evaluate the opportunity cost, and a million other parts and pieces. All to answer the question, "Will it be worth it"? Because when it comes to return on investment, that's the question we're really trying to answer. Many entrepreneurs ask whether the investment will make enough money to cover the expenses. But that's just scratching the surface. The return on investment question goes much deeper than that and involves many factors. For the next month, we'll be talking about return on investment, how to think about it, how to evaluate it when it's murky, and, ultimately, how to use that to make better decisions about investment in your business.To kick us off, today I'm talking to Michelle Mazur, the founder of Communication Rebel. Michelle helps business owners shake things up (but having trouble talking about it) through their messaging. In this episode, Michelle shares some of the significant investments she's made in her business that had a long payoff, her approach for evaluating investments in her business, and her view on the intangible, long-term benefits of those investments.Listen to the full episode to hear: The framework for making investment decisionsWhat categories of things to consider and evaluate againstHow to consider the intangible benefits that are often hard to measureWhen big investments don't always pay offLearn more about Michelle Mazur:Communication Rebel Michelle Mazur on InstagramThe 3-Word Rebellion (book)What’s Your Rebel Roadmap For Exponential Impact + Influence (quiz)Learn more about Susan: Scalespark Dollars + Decisions RoundtableTwitter @ScaleSparkLinkedIn @thesusanboles Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Hiring the RIGHT people in the RIGHT positions with the RIGHT mix of skills makes your business more efficient, more effective, and more profitable. And having just one wrong team member can tank the whole thing. Getting this right is all about your strategic—and every day—decisions. Your decisions on who you hire touches everything in your business. Decisions about what your process looks like affect your software choices. Decisions about your business model affect your marketing strategy. Decisions about your software affect your cash flow. And this all ties back into how your business is an ecosystem. Each and every decision you make matters and can affect all the other areas of your business.Your decisions around who you choose to fill those roles and how you onboard those new team members all impact how effectively and profitably your business can operate. No stranger to making hard decisions and priming herself for growth is Emily Thompson. Emily is the co-founder and host of Being Boss, a podcast for creative entrepreneurs and coauthor of Being Boss: Take Control of Your Work and Live Life on Your Own Terms. Emily is also the founder of Almanac Supply Co, a retail concept that makes and curates products that help people connect with the seasons and live closely with nature.Listen to the full episode to hear:How Emily uses key members of her team to run both Being Boss and Almanac Supply Co.What her hiring (and firing) process looks like—and how she preps herself for those hard conversationsHow she hired the right person in the perfect role for their skillset and it resulted in tripling their revenueLearn more about Emily Thompson:beingboss.clubalmanacsupplyco.com@beingbossclub on Instagram@almanacsupplyco on InstagramLearn more about Susan: Scalespark Dollars + Decisions RoundtableTwitter @ScaleSparkLinkedIn @thesusanboles Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Software is the lifeblood of any modern business. Software keeps projects on track and helps clients pay you. Software is how we communicate with each other. Software allows you to operate leaner and smaller than ever before. And every piece of software involved in your business has a role to play—an integral part of your business’ ecosystem. It has a job description and it's a core member of your team, just like any human. That’s why it’s even more important that you have the right tool, doing the right job, at the right price. Choosing the right software tool, particularly when it comes to your choice of project or task management, can impact how well your team communicates, how well-informed your clients are, and how they feel about your service as a whole. Your financial software choices can also affect how quickly you can send an invoice, how quickly clients pay you, and ultimately, how healthy your cash flow is. And that's what we're talking about today with Melanie Richards, owner of Modern Traction, a boutique web design agency. Mel is an award-winning web designer and brand strategist with over two decades of experience. Her turnkey approach is designed to save you time, ensures your brand and messaging is on point, and that your website is built to drive growth. Mel’s on a mission to create efficient marketing solutions that support busy entrepreneurs to gain faster traction and multiply their impact. Listen to the full episode to hear:How the right choice of software has helped Mel scale her company, increase profits, and deliver better results for her clientsHow the right software tools make your team more effective and how ClickUp helps Mel’s team know what to do nextAll the tools that have been essential for Mel’s businessLower costs, less complication, more opportunities for automation Learn more about Melanie Richards:moderntraction.comLearn more about Susan: Scalespark Dollars + Decisions RoundtableTwitter @ScaleSparkLinkedIn @thesusanboles Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here

Do you know the secret to scaling profitably and effectively? In reality, it’s not much of a secret. It’s just something that not a lot of companies prioritize: building a solid process and making sure it's documented.It’s unfortunate, really, because creating well-documented processes is the one thing that I consistently see that makes a huge difference in growing lean, resilient companies. It's not necessarily sexy but documented processes affect every area of your business ecosystem and make a big impact. A rock-solid process allows you to deliver better service to your clients, onboard team members with ease, deliver projects and services more profitably, free up time for you and your team, and use software to automate tasks.My guest today is one of my favorite fellow process geeks. Meet Tamara Kemper, the founder of The Process Mavens where she helps CEOs get back time and peace of mind through systematizing and documenting their business. As a former classroom teacher, she puts humans first when it comes to improving business processes and patiently guides her clients through a clear plan to make things work better.Listen to the full episode to hear:How having solid processes make your business more profitable and effectiveWhy your processes inform your software and team choicesWhy it’s so important to document your processAnd the giant return you get out of investing in your processLearn more about Tamara Kemper:The Process MavensConnect with Tamara on LinkedInLearn more about Susan: Scalespark Dollars + Decisions RoundtableTwitter @ScaleSparkLinkedIn @thesusanboles Grab the Calm Service Design + Delivery Swipe File here