Why should every business owner go on a “Bizcation”? Recently I answered this question from MYOB in the hope to win a spot at the Nurture Change business retreat in Fiji. 4 days of learning, networking, inspiration and working ON my business. No distractions, but building for the future. Why would I not enter? I was asked – what does a Bizcation mean to me. Here was my response: Bula… Read more
Teamwork is something that a business needs to succeed. So how is it possible to build a growing brand and business with a virtual team? How do you flip the traditional business model into a virtual business model without losing the relationships? Well – I am so glad you asked. OK – so you didn’t exactly ask – but I bet you are wondering how the heck I have built… Read more
I am a big believer that whilst I run my small business, community comes before competition. Relationships come before profit. And happiness comes before growth. Yes, I have over 100,000 competitors in the accounting & bookkeeping space in Australia alone – but I see those people as my mentors, my rocks, my shoulders to cry on, my support network to learn from and my community first and foremost. “Call me… Read more
Why would an accountant start a milestone card business? Because I feel like a failure. I see things on social media and I feel like the most imperfect person, and it stresses me out. When I see those “perfect mums” who are running a business, have the perfect home life, make perfect dinners, get enough sleep, have a social life, have time to work out and still build a successful… Read more
I know, all the digital marketers, google analytics lovers and SEO guru’s are going to hate me. However my thoughts on blogging is the blog and the information shared needs to be useful, meaningful, relatable and not just the word accountant written 527 different ways just to cover yourself in SEO glory. “Timing is not everything when it comes to blog posts.” Sure, I think SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is… Read more
I have many qualifications – not because I love studying, but because I love what I do. I am a numbers nerd through and through. I am a qualified Chartered Accountant, a Member in Practice, a member of the Institute of Public Accountants, a member of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, I have an accounting degree and I have worked in the accounting space since I was 20 (so for… Read more
So you run an amazing business, you are growing your brand, you are starting to get amazing customers, you have loyal staff, you are known in your industry, things are bloody fantastic – and then you go and ruin it by posting a dubious question on social media. What the heck am I talking about? How can a flippant question or comment, posted innocently in a Facebook group possibly damage… Read more
The honest truth about working parents – is that we don’t always get it right. We think we are getting it right, we think we are building the best future for our family….until our child mutters the words “But Mum, I just want to spend time with you” and a little piece of your heart breaks off and shatters into pieces on the floor. As a mother, and entrepreneur and… Read more
I am writing this on behalf of every entrepreneur, every small business owner, every hustling parent – pretty much everyone busting their gut for the own business. I know deep down, you have also had days where you want out of your business. You want less stress, less hours, less hectic-ness, less fights with your partner, more happy times with your family, less constant struggles with balance and you want… Read more
It seems everywhere I turn at the moment, there is someone who has an opinion on how a bookkeeping and accounting business should run. It also appears that these “so called experts” are quite willing to judge me and my business without knowing a single thing about me, how I operate, how I attract and retain clients, how my staff operate – and they certainly have no freaking clue about… Read more
My business is 4 years old (nearly – but I am an accountant so I round up!). I am about to release into the world my third website in 4 years. Am I crazy, or have the updates been necessary? Is a website still relevant in this digital age? Well let me give you my perspective on whether an accounting or bookkeeping business NEEDS a website. Last year, I attended… Read more
Running a business, no matter how busy you are, does not give you the right to “mis-place” your manners. Common courtesy and respect seem to be not so common these days with the busy entrepreneur expecting, or perhaps it could even be classed as demanding, answers at the drop of a hat (and usually for free). So lets rewind a little bit and get old school for a minute. Do… Read more
Coming up to 8 years ago I was faced with a health scare – 6 weeks pregnant (first time mum – I should have been so excited), I had developed a 20 cm blood clot in my lower leg, I was in agony, I had a job I loved – and I was told I was unable to reduce my hours to part time, as my condition didn’t warrant it.… Read more
Well the festive season is in full swing – this means parties, gifts, eggnog, mistletoe, Santa and normally family feuds. But the thing causing the most stress at Christmas, is the level of credit card debt people put themselves in, which hangs over their heads for many months to come. Australians spent over $47 billion in the Christmas spending period between November 15th and December 24 (2015 statistics) according to Inside… Read more
As most of us in the startup phase of our entrepreneurship journey would know, getting cash to fund our dream is not an easy (or quick) task. There are many “No’s” before you hear the magical “Yes”. Or will you even hear the “Yes” at all? Your dream idea is only loved by a third party finance option, if it can see that the idea has the ability to generate… Read more
Yesterday I met an inspirational man. Michael Crossland. Someone I had never heard of until I googled him the night before attending MYOB Partner Connect Conference. Accountants are not supposed to have emotions – but let me tell you why I spent time on the beach crying after listening to his key note speech. During the day – I was learning, networking, seeking advice, making connections, seeing developments in the… Read more
I am not a travel operator. I am not a travel guide. I don’t even travel that often. But seriously, how hard it is to show some common sense and respect when travelling? Clearly much harder than I thought. So the past month has seen me “get around a bit” as I sleep my way around Queensland attending accounting/bookkeeping software conferences. Next up is MYOB Partner Connect conference starting tomorrow… Read more
Why do I invest so much in training, education & development? This month alone I have two conferences which are interstate that I will be attending. And when I say I am going to the Gold Coast to attend the MYOB Partner Conference, people say to me, “Oh, you are just going for a holiday!” And I know they are only saying that in jest (well I think they are),… Read more
Not all accountants are the same. We don’t all want to do the same things, we are not all extroverts (surprise surprise), and we don’t all love big accounting conferences and sitting down with people that we don’t know (even if they are in the same industry). Some of us even have a life outside the accounting space, and love, (dare I say it), AFL. So, yes, while I am going… Read more
Your level of exhaustion should not be used to measure your level of success. So many business owners I speak to – whether that be on social media or in person, tell me that they are just so exhausted. Their business is consuming every waking minute, and even those minutes where you should be sleeping you are instead running all your business scenarios through your head. It never ends. I… Read more