Coronavirus and the Mental Health Impact on Accountants

I have no words to describe the past three weeks of being a business owner running their own accounting and bookkeeping business during the Coronavirus pandemic, but I will try. There has been so much negativity, so much uncertainty, increased levels of stress and anxiety, frustration through the roof, so many tears – and that is from both clients and from me. “We are not immune to any of it,…  Read more

Tips on creating personal development plans for employees

Hopefully you have long – and short-term plans for your company and you may even have a strategy for your own development, but have you considered having a personal development plan (or individual development plan) for employees? An employee personal development plan is an action plan that focuses on helping staff improve their knowledge, capabilities, and skills in areas related to your business. Creating such plans shows your staff you’re…  Read more

10 Ways to Protect Your Business from Online Threats

Businesses of all sizes are under constant threat from cyber criminals and malicious software, with even some of the world’s largest and apparently impenetrable organizations making headlines in recent years after falling victims to cyberattacks.   Although the risk is generally lower for smaller companies, since they don’t tend to be primary targets for hackers, it is still essential to take every precaution to make sure that you, your employees…  Read more

Cybersecurity tips for business owners

It’s natural for small business owners to think that they won’t be victims of cyber attacks. Most of the news surrounding hacking and data breaches involves large corporations, but that is because that’s where a high number of victims are affected. Hackers may find they have an easier time going after small businesses and start-ups that aren’t prepared for a Cyber security breach. So while they might get less information…  Read more

6 vital questions to ask yourself as a business owner

As a business owner, we often get asked by clients “what does my profit mean?”, “am I doing ok?” and most often “am I a success?”. Now whilst profit is one measure of success, looking at that number alone is dangerous.It could mean that you sail along in your comfort zone, not knowing how, when or if your business is actually successful in the first place.     Now we…  Read more

Separate personal and business expenses

There are some things in life that go together well and others that definitely do not. Business and personal finances  are in the category of items that should not be mixed.       Although it may seem like a headache to keep them separate—who wants to manage all those bank accounts?—your life will be greatly simplified once you separate your personal and your business finances, especially your expenses. Paperwork…  Read more

Conference Tips for Small Business Owners

For small business owners, business conferences can be both a blessing and a curse. They give you the opportunity to develop new skills and learn strategies.  And they also provide you with the chance to meet new people and expand your business network. Unfortunately, they also pull you away from your business and they cost money.  So it’s important that you understand the return on investment for any business conference…  Read more

4 tips for stress free business travel

Business owners fall into two categories: those who love business travel and those who hate it. I am kind of in the hate it pile most of the time. The love/hate dynamic may depend on how much you travel for work or whether you fly in economy like me, but even if you love business travel there are stressful aspects to being away from your comfort zone. Although we can’t…  Read more

Three terrible management habits

Management habits of a business owner can be incredibly effective if everyone works in cohesion, but there is always a flip side. The problem is that many employees won’t tell their manager what any weaknesses are, often out of fear of retaliation. So while managers conduct employee performance reviews pointing out areas for staff improvement, when do the management habits get reviewed? And who is reviewing them? There are a…  Read more

How to check in on your work life balance

Small business owners already have a difficult and time-consuming job running their business. If their business is open five days a week, they usually need the weekend to catch up on paperwork, pay bills and manage any tasks they didn’t get to during the week. For those with a seven-day-a-week business, there’s even less time off – in fact often work life balance does not exist (although I think it…  Read more

Why small business boundaries are important

Small business is at times, heartbreaking. You bend over backwards for clients. Always going above and beyond behind the scenes which clients don’t see. You work 24/7 including weekends to get things done on time. Perhaps you initially didn’t set clear boundaries as you want to help so bloody much. You explain the same thing what feels like 57 times – and then the client will send you yet another…  Read more

Using Smart Goals to Achieve More

As a small business owner, you’re likely always looking for ways to achieve more. Maybe you made a New Year’s resolution about it. You might have resolved to make more money, find more clients, or grow your business. It’s fantastic to have an idea of what you want to do, but how will you know whether or not you’re successful?   That’s where SMART goals come in. SMART goals help…  Read more

Smart money tips for business owners

Small business owners know how important it is to save money and be frugal. They know that one day that dollar could come in handy, especially during slower times. Saving money is definitely important, but there are also things small business owners can, and should, spend their money on today. It might seem counterproductive to spend money when you want to put it in the bank – and make no…  Read more

How Accountants & Bookkeepers can use Facebook

Can accountants and bookkeepers use Facebook to grow their business? You bet they can.  You see – do you know where your clients, and more importantly your future clients, hang out? Social media. Facebook has on average 1.33 billion active users a day. 1.33 billion.  Now sure that is a world wide number, so the stats in Australia will be less, but that is still a whole lot of people…  Read more

What is a CRM and does your business need one?

Many complex moving parts are involved in operating a profitable business, but at its core, business success hinges on just one thing: customer relationships. So do you use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool? A CRM solution helps your business nurture and improve customer relationships by maintaining centralised data on all your leads and existing clients. With access to a history of customer transactions and communications, your team can make…  Read more

4 questions you should ask your accountant

Ideally, you and your accountant are more than just “adviser” and “client”. With your combined skills, expertise, and shared mission to support a thriving business, you should be more like business partners. The key to achieving success in any partnership is, of course, knowledge and expertise, but more important than that is strong communication.  If you can’t ask your accountant the questions you need answers to, are they really going…  Read more

Four easy ways to make your business environmentally friendly

These days, there’s an increasing focus on reducing our environmental impact. Many businesses offer recycling programs and even have composting, while some companies encourage car pooling, offer parking spaces for hybrid vehicles, or move their operations into environmentally friendly buildings. There are many things you can do as a business owner to make your business more environmentally friendly, but it’s important to take steps that represent permanent change rather than…  Read more

Three Reasons to Focus on Fantastic Customer Service

Small business owners know that to find a loyal customer base, they have to stand out from their competitors. One of the best, and easiest, ways to do that is to have outstanding customer service. How you treat your customers reflects your entire business. People think positively on companies that treat their customers and clients well. Unfortunately, many business owners focus their attention on their products and services, with customer…  Read more

Is a business mentor worthwhile – or is it like trying to find a needle in a haystack?

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” — John Crosby The opportunity to learn from a business mentor “can” do more for a small business owner than any course, educational program, or degree. Being a mentee means you get the benefit of first-hand experience, without having to make all the mistakes yourself. There are, in fact, a host of reasons why…  Read more

Avoid These Costly Accounting Mistakes

A Canadian bank recently surveyed over 500 small business owners about what they love and hate most about owning their own business. Unsurprisingly, flexibility and feeling in control ranked first in the “love” category. Meanwhile, almost 60% said bookkeeping was hands-down their most hated task. Most business owners understand that effective financial management is key to their success. But lack of knowledge, frustration, and even avoidance can add up to…  Read more

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