If you are a small business owner, an entrepreneur, a solopreneur, a mumpreneuer, the next Zuckerberg or a combination of all of these – you need to constantly upskill or fear getting left behind. Or worse – get a knock on the door from the tax office because you have failed in some kind of business obligation that you had no idea about. And I am not just talking about… Read more
Cyber crime is a serious concern for business owners in this modern digital age. Hackers are good. Really good. So how do you stay one step ahead? Recently IBM Chair, CEO, and President, Ginni Rometty, called it “the greatest threat to every company in the world”. According to Juniper Research, by 2019 cyber crime will cost businesses a staggering $2 trillion. $2 trillion – WOW. Personally, we think it is impossible… 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
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
Customer Service is not something you set up when you start your business and then you forget about it. It is not programs and processes that you implement and you kick back and relax, simply because you assume your process is working. Recently we had a potential client contact us before Christmas and sadly the contact form on our website was not working. Cue customer service fail. So their first… Read more
There is so much choice when it comes to accounting software. So how do you choose the right one? How do you choose the accounting system for your business – the one you really need. So not the one everyone tells you that you need – but the accounting system which is the right fit for YOUR business? We face this question with every new client we see. Not to… 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
We see posts all the time asking “How do I choose an accountant?” or even worse “My accountant is ripping me off, who can you recommend?”. I can’t stress enough that any service provider, whether it is an accountant or anyone else, needs to be offering you value. What you need to firstly understand is that there are various types of accountants. If you are looking to get a tax… Read more
I know when you start a business finances are tight and every cent is watched like a hawk but if I had a dollar for every time I heard a startup say “I couldn’t afford an accountant so I just googled the answer…but I think I have stuffed it up…can you fix it” – well let’s just say I wouldn’t be sitting here at 9:05pm writing this blog post from… Read more
I know you are not an accountant, I know numbers are not your thing, I know tax invoices are not the most exciting topic, but sending out invalid invoices says a lot about your business – and it is not all good news. “I know I shouldn’t judge, but I hustle just as hard as the next entrepreneur, I work 60+ hours per week, have two kids, pay my taxes,… 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
Cash Flow is the major cause 56% of small businesses don’t survive past their 5th birthday. It is time to turn the tables on that horrific statistic and be in charge of your cash flow (with confidence) and remove the stigma and fear around asking for your invoices to be paid. The first thing to consider is that cash flow is not just chasing debtors. Cash flow is understanding – when… 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
Dear Random Stranger (who doesn’t want to pay for my services) Thanks for you phone call tonight at 5:55pm (on a Friday) and asking me if I have 5 minutes for…. “just a really simple GST question”. Whilst I appreciate that you think your question may only take five minutes of my time, the reason it takes five minutes of my time is because I have a lot of skills… Read more
What does SaaS mean to you? Traditionally, it means Software as a Service. So generally the software is a subscription type model, where the user usually uses the software via a web browser. Now I have no issues of this type of product – my business wouldn’t be where it is today without cloud technology and the ability to work remotely. Especially as the three main types of this service… Read more
It is 2016 and if you are not an agile business, you will simply get swallowed up by your competitors before you have a chance to adapt. Times are changing – and so are your surroundings. But are you aware of what is happening? Business owners are becoming far more savvy, their expectations are much higher and technology is moving at a rapid pace. So where does an agile business… Read more