The Blue Collar Back Office Podcast: Recent Episodes
Dan Murch
Dan Murch of Blue Collar Back Office will be talking about topics that matter to business owners, and literally anyone looking for a little motivation, insights on goal setting, and running a business. It is an opportunity to connect with our clients, meet new people and tell stories. Daily podcasts by Dan. Special podcasts with Gina Gondevas and other rotating guests.
Procrastination is the Enemy of Success
As small business owners, we all need to get things done. Lots of things. We know that we set the example for our employees, and how we carry ourselves affects the entire culture of the company. But despite this, procrastination still affects all of us!
You may think that procrastinating is just time wasting, but the short and long term consequences of it can go way beyond this. It doesn’t just waste your time. Procrastination affects the performance of your business. It is one of the nastiest bad habits that every one of us has to fight against on a daily basis.
Disappointing Customer Experience
- As small business owners, we often need to fulfill many roles. One that will always be of paramount importance is the satisfaction of our customers. After all, without customers, we have no business. Sometimes, if we put off certain tasks, the knock-on effect is that other tasks get delayed – sometimes for a long time if they rely on the previous tasks being done! Additionally, we often procrastinate over ‘boring’ tasks, but these tasks can also often be the nuts and bolts of our systems. And these tasks can be those that allow us to keep up to date with client communications and experience. And procrastinating over any tasks that relate to, or could impact on other client relationship or satisfaction tasks is a big no-no.
Confidence
- Procrastination can and does have a huge effect on confidence. It can also encourage feelings of Imposter Syndrome. When we procrastinate and put things off, it can often lead to a louder internal chatter. Chatter that talks us out of things or tells us we are not good enough. But to run a small business well, you need confidence. Without it, we just can’t put ourselves out there. It’s too painful. So keep an eye on your internal chatter and make sure your procrastination isn’t responsible for your deteriorating or faltering confidence. On the flip side, getting on and doing things builds our confidence!
Procrastination also creates a vicious cycle of stress. Deadlines eventually arrive, and next thing you know you are feeling the pressure to deliver and complete 8 hours of work in 30 minutes because earlier in the week you spent 8 hours doing 30 minutes of work! This takes control away from you and your day. Instead being able to be proactive and focus on the important tasks that will help your business succeed, you are constantly putting out fires. Fires you created! When the fire is put out you are so worn out mentally (and/or physically) that you decide you need a “break” for a while. That break turns into more procrastination which eventually turns into more fires to be put out and the cycle continues.
Your employees also see this behavior. No one enjoys working for a “Do as I say, not as I do” type person. The example you set for your team inevitably affects their performance, confidence, and enthusiasm. When the team sees that the owner is constantly putting off the important tasks that shows what is expected of them. If you reprimand employees for the same behaviors you are exhibiting that will eventually lead to resentment and disappointing results.
Procrastination makes easy things hard and hard things harder. There are some really amusing quotes about procrastination that will make you smile and laugh, but I promise you a successful business will make you even happier. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Be proactive. Take the first step. Reap the rewards.
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Maintaining a healthy cash flow is crucial for any business, regardless of size. Still, small and medium-sized businesses are particularly vulnerable to cash flow issues, especially in today’s volatile market. The good news is that embracing digital payments can help.
A healthy cash flow means you have enough money to pay your vendors, suppliers, utility bills, rent, and employees, and are still left with some extra cash for unexpected expenses or for growing your business. Cash flow health means your business is more resilient in uncertain times as it has some reserves it can lean into if push comes to shove.
Switching to digital payments is not just a matter of convenience (which is also a big deal for busy entrepreneurs like you). It helps businesses improve their cash flow management without requiring monetary investment, special equipment, or training. If you have an internet connection and can operate a computer or a mobile phone, you can start sending digital payments online.
Many digital payment tools allow you to schedule payments in advance. This saves time as you can handle all your payments in one sitting. It also improves your cash flow as it ensures you pay on time and never a minute too soon. So, you can hang on to cash longer without fear of forgetting a bill and incurring late fees and penalties.
By using digital payment tools you can get a clear picture of your finances at any given time. You can also see all of your scheduled payments in order to better plan ahead. Knowing exactly what’s coming in and out of your account and when will help you avoid payments accidentally depleting your cash flow. It will also allow you to know just how much cash you have to play around with at the moment.
Using digital payment tools can save you hours every week on writing and sending out checks. If you’re wasting less time on payments, you’re practically adding to your cash reserves by cutting staff hours and focusing on generating revenue instead of busy work. More cash means better cash flow. It’s that simple.
When it comes to cash flow, sometimes just having flexibility and choices can make all the difference. When you use QuickBooks Online Bill Payments (powered by Melio) for your payments, you can choose to pay with ACH to preserve cash by saving on fees (0% for ACH payments). If you’re currently low on cash and need a little extra float until some money comes in, you can easily pay your bills with a credit card, even if your vendors don’t accept cards. This way, for a 2.9% fee, your vendor gets paid immediately, whichever way they prefer—check or ACH—while you get to hang on to your cash until your next billing cycle, providing up to 60 days of additional float.
One of the newest features is combined payments. Say you need to pay ten different invoices, all from the same vendor. Sure, you can schedule ten individual payments, or, you can pay them all in one payment. Save time, money and make life simpler for you and your vendor. That’s what combined payments are all about! This feature lets you select the bills you want to pay to a single vendor and pay them all in one combined transaction. So, your vendor will see one ACH transfer or get one check for all the bills. And the same goes for you - all the combined bills will show and count as one transaction on your end as well.
Melio gives you the flexibility to pay vendors, suppliers and contractors exactly the way you want. Connecting Melio and QuickBooks Online syncs the two to save time and eliminate double data entry. Once connected, Melio pulls vendor information from QuickBooks, so you don't have to enter any vendor details, just select one from a list or start typing and have vendors auto-completed. Then, once you've completed a bill payment in Melio, your QuickBooks account is updated with the payment's details.
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Blue Collar Back Office continues to grow! We are extremely grateful for the sustained growth we have seen over the last couple of years. We continue to add new clients and new services to meet their needs. Throughout this growth period our team has continued to grow to meet the demand. I am extremely proud of the team and culture that we have here at BCBO and without the amazing members of our team we could never achieve the results that we have seen.
Hiring and training is not an easy or “fun” task. It takes a lot time to search through potential candidates and then interview those you think will be the best fit. When we are looking to hire for BCBO I try and remember the fantastic advice given by Warren Buffett:
We look for three things when we hire people. We look for intelligence, we look for initiative or energy, and we look for integrity. And if they don’t have the latter, the first two will kill you, because if you’re going to get someone without integrity, you want them lazy and dumb.
Especially in our industry, integrity is key. Our whole company is built on helping small businesses organize and grow their business, and the key function we provide is bookkeeping. With that, we have access to and see a plethora of information. While we take the necessary security measures to ensure that not a single person that works for our company (including myself) have access to our clients funds, we still see information that should not be shared. Hiring people with the highest level of integrity is the number one priority.
Intelligence and initiative are extremely important too. While we aren’t building rockets over here, bookkeeping and accounting is something that requires experience, training, and an extreme attention to detail. The majority of our team works remotely or at least semi-remotely. We are not Big Brother. We are not watching the keystrokes and micromanaging their day. We allow everyone on the team to take ownership of their day and their responsibilities. Every member our of team knows what is expected of them and has the initiative to take control of their day and deliver results for our clients.
It sometimes takes a lot of interviews to find the right person that checks all those boxes. This is not an area of your business to “settle” however. It is imperative that you surround yourself with great people that will represent your company well and provide outstanding service for your clients.
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Sometimes, you just need to show up
As many of you know by now, Blue Collar Back Office was born out of our construction company. We have been operating a successful construction company since 2008. Are we the biggest builders in NJ? Far from it. We run a successful business that turns a profit and has had steady growth year after year for almost 15 years now.
How do we do it? Mostly, we show up. We answer our phones. We reply to emails. We send out estimates that are clear and easy to understand and we do it in a timely manner. We communicate with our clients. We send out our invoices on time, and we keep detailed notes. None of it is rocket science. However, you might be surprised to hear just how hard it is to get someone to show up in our industry. And even if they do the chances of receiving an estimate is not nearly as high as you would expect.
That is today’s topic - showing up. It is such a simple concept. In today’s economy it is not as difficult as you think to set yourself apart from the competition and create a company that is stable and profitable. A lot of the competition is either unorganized or simply doesn’t have the discipline and drive to follow through on their commitments.
Want to really set yourself apart from the competition? Not only show up, but show up ON TIME. When you make an appointment, keep it. If you can’t, communicate it the people involved immediately. People understand when an emergency happens and you email or call to say you need to reschedule the appointment you had booked for Tuesday at 2pm. What they don’t understand, but will certainly remember is when it is 2:10 on Tuesday and when they contact you to find out why you aren’t there (or on the Zoom or haven’t called, etc.) and you provide some vague excuse.
Want to rise above the competition that does show up and shows up on time? Show up on time WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND A PLAN. Come prepared and with knowledge that will help the client. Don’t act like you have someplace better to be and you are doing them a favor by showing up. Don’t immediately go into a sales pitch without finding out what the clients needs truly are.
You would be shocked to hear how many jobs we have done over the years simply because we followed those three simple steps. We have landed jobs where we know we were nowhere close to being the most cost effective or had the best scheduling availability. However, we showed up on with a positive attitude and a plan and was able to develop a trust with the client that not only would the job get done when we said it would get done, but it would be done correctly because we had demonstrated a commitment to our clients and our business through our responsible actions.
Once you have landed the work, it is time to implement all of those same strategies in to how you run the job. Send out estimates and invoices in a timely manner. The amount of lost income we have captured for clients over the years is staggering. If invoices don’t get sent out you don’t have a very good chance of getting paid. Schedule jobs realistically and communicate with your clients. It is much better to tell your client up front that you probably can’t get to their job for three weeks and then have the opportunity to call them after two weeks to see if they would be available to start sooner if something changed in your schedule then to tell them you will be there next week and then delay them.
These simple steps are sometimes all it takes to rise to top of your industry. Simply not sitting back and waiting for it to come to you but instead going out and getting it is all it takes. This is not a magic trick. This is about making a commitment and putting in the work. Show up and I promise you will see the positive results.
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Budgets: How they work for you
A high number of clients that we work with did not implement the use of budgets prior to our relationship. Those that did primarily only did it on an annual basis in regards to the overall company results. That is important, and we will discuss the benefits of that throughout this episode, but just as important, especially for companies in the contracting industry is the ability to create budgets in QBO by individual job or class
Without even realizing it or necessarily in a formal fashion, many businesses already carry out the majority of the activities associated with budgeting, such as thinking about growth areas, competitors, cashflow and profit. The process does not have to difficult or time-consuming. QuickBooks Online has a budgeting feature built into the program that makes the process simple. You even have the option to import data from previous periods to use as a template moving forward.
The most important thing is that plans are made, they are accurate and realistic to your business or the job, and that the information is clearly communicated to everyone involved.
A few examples of the overall benefits of creating a budget (from and overall and per job basis):
Manage your money and cash flow effectively
- When you are planning per job (or per month, quarter, year, etc.) it allows you be more effective when making cash flow projections and make more informed decisions regarding payments
Allocate appropriate resources to jobs
- Labor schedule
- Management schedule
- Sub-contractor schedule
Monitor performance
- Budget vs Actual reports
- % of job invoiced compared to % of budgeted COGS sold is always a good indicator of where the job SHOULD be
- Are you behind on billing?
- Was there a miscalculation in the original budget that should be revised?
Meet your objectives
- In general, the use of detailed goal setting strategies has a profound impact on success
Increase staff motivation
- Clear, understood objectives and goals help drive motivation
- When there is no clear path and no clearly defined objective the ability to differentiate between success and failure becomes blurred which can lead to poor moral and motivation
New small business owners may run their businesses in a relaxed way and may not see the need to budget. However, if you are planning for your business' future, you will need to fund your plans. Budgeting is the most effective way to control your cashflow, allowing you to invest in new opportunities at the appropriate time.
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In both our professional and personal lives, we are at all times either being proactive or reactive. A proactive approach allows us to take more control and have more influence in outcomes.
The benefits of being proactive includes the following:
- With your clientsSeeking out ways to add value
Providing data / reports / etc. BEFORE they ask * With your employeesRecognition
Raises/Bonuses * How you manage and schedule your dayCalendar
Effective time blocking
Saying NO more often (every time you say yes you are saying no to something else) * Your financesSavings and planning * Personal timeLearning, reading, etc. or watching Netflix???? * Only time it is better to be reactive - Sports?? Maybe?Even they have a plan of attack and adjust accordingly
It is impossible to Proactive 100% of the time, but the higher percentage of time you spend in a proactive state, the better your results will be.
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As a culture we work hard. Like over the top extremely hard. Based on a recent study Americans work 137 more hours per year than the Japanese, 260 more than the British, and 499 more than the French. That equates to more than 20 full days per year! Mediterranean work cultures like Italy, Greece, and Spain are probably a category of their own. This episode isn't about all of sudden working less, but it is about giving yourself a break each week to give your body and mind the time it needs to reset. If I rest better, I work better.
The most common answer to the question “How are you?” is “Busy”.
90% of us check the phone first upon waking up.
37% of us take fewer than 7 days of vacation a year.
14% of us take more than 2 weeks a year.
20% of us stay in touch with the office while on vacation.
As we continue to work nonstop we actually put more stress on our minds and bodies and it impacts our ability to be creative and focused. Instead, based on a recent article, we should try to practice a weekly Sabbath. This has nothing to do with religion, but it is all about giving yourself a break from work every week for preferably 24 hours.
You may need a Sabbath practice if you…
- live a parallel life with your children
- feel uncomfortable being left alone with your thoughts
- laugh sarcastically at the term “passion project”
- have original ideas remain just that
- feel guilty when you do nothing
- wake up at night worrying about money
- haven’t had a date with your spouse in months
- have forgotten how wonder feels like
- have accepted anxiety as a constant
- sometimes feel like a slave while making a decent living
- desperately long for delight
When and how you celebrate is entirely up to you. Make sure spend it doing things that truly bring you joy.
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What keeps us healthy and happy as we go through life? If you were going to invest now in your future best self, where would you put your time and your energy? Unfortunately, many people think getting rich and/or famous is the answer. However, one of the key findings of an 84-year (and counting) study of human development at Harvard University called the Grant Study says differently. It is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.
Dr. Robert Waldinger is a Harvard psychiatrist who has been running the Grant Study or Harvard Study of Adult Development for almost 20 years (he’s the fourth person in charge in its history). It may be the longest study of adult life that's ever been done. For 84 years, they have tracked the lives of 724 men, year after year, asking about their work, their home lives, their health, and of course asking all along the way without knowing how their life stories were going to turn out.
About a dozen of the 268 men originally in the Harvard study are still alive. Most served in World War II, all were white. Some achieved great success; others failed to live up to their potential. Now, they’ve moved on to a second generation study. While there were many aspects of the men's lives that were striking, Waldinger says there are three key findings about relationships that predicted how happy and healthy the men were as they grew older.
Dr. Robert Waldinger said the following in his 2015 TED talk:
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Loneliness kills. "People who are more isolated than they want to be from others find that they are less happy, their health declines earlier in midlife, their brain functioning declines sooner and they live shorter lives than people who are not lonely. And the sad fact is that at any given time, more than one in five Americans will report that they're lonely.”
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Quality of relationships matters more than quantity. "It turns out that living in the midst of conflict is really bad for our health. High-conflict marriages, for example, without much affection, turn out to be very bad for our health, perhaps worse than getting divorced. And living in the midst of good, warm relationships is protective."
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Good relationships protect the brain. "People who are in relationships where they really feel they can count on the other person in times of need, those people's memories stay sharper longer. And the people in relationships where they feel they really can't count on the other one, those are the people who experience earlier memory decline."
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Last week we discussed the anticipated surge in new businesses opening up this year. Starting a business can evoke emotions like excitement and hope, but can also lead to feelings of overwhelm regarding the process. Today we discuss how to register a business, the reasons to register, the benefits of registration, and the steps you need to take to help eliminate any sense of dread while going through this process.
First, choose a business structure. Your business structure is the foundation of your business, including how your taxes are filed, how personal assets are handled, and how day-to-day operations are controlled. It also impacts business registration, including how and who you register with. There are many types of business structures, so it’s important to choose the one that best suits your organization's needs.
After choosing the structure, it’s time to settle on a location for your business. Even if your company operates mostly online, you still need to register a location for operations like receiving government documents, filing taxes, and more. Next, you’ll want to register your business name to prevent other businesses from using it now or in the future.
Next, register with the IRS. Registering your business with the Internal Revenue Service will give you a federal EIN, or Employer Identification Number. This is essentially a Social Security number for businesses (sometimes referred to as a federal tax ID). EINs are necessary for things like filing taxes, opening business bank accounts, and hiring employees.
You may need to register with state and local agencies such as: Department of Revenue, Secretary of State, Better Business Bureau, Franchise Tax Board. Each entity has its own requirements that must be followed, so it’s worth working with an attorney to get things done correctly and in a timely manner. Finally, specific licenses and permits are required to run different businesses, and they vary by industry and state. It’s a good idea to have any necessary licenses or permits before you start your business to avoid future problems. If you want to know what licenses and permits are needed for your business, you can contact your local branch of the Small Business Administration.
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The pandemic upended where, when and how we work. Over the last two years, employers have experimented with new, flexible ways of working, and many have made the move to permanent remote workplaces. When carried out correctly, remote work can bring many benefits to a company and its employees like reduced turnover, better work-life balance and increased performance. But even with the right skills and experiences, not every candidate is cut out to work from home. In an increasingly remote world of work, it's essential hiring managers know which interview questions to ask and how to identify whether or not an applicant is a right fit for a remote role.
Here are 8 of the best interview questions to spot great remote workers:
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Have you ever worked remotely? If so, what were some of the challenges you faced? It's important to understand a person's motivation for seeking remote work, as some candidates don't understand the reality of working from home. If the answer is, "Never," follow up with, "Why do you want to work remotely?" They should know what the challenges of remote work are and have strategies in place for tackling them.
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Where do you prefer to work? Not having a "home office" should not disqualify someone from the job, but understanding how and where an applicant works best can help you understand them as a potential employee. If they already work from home, ask about their home office setup. Do they have everything a remote worker needs to be productive? Is it someplace that is relatively free of distractions?
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How do you plan on communicating with a remote team? Remote employees should be comfortable using a wide range of platforms. Ask how the candidate will communicate with the team and how comfortable they are using different communication platforms.
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How do you stay focused on your tasks? By starting with the broad question, you'll be able to hone in on more remote-specific follow-ups. For example, if the candidate says, "I use noise-canceling headphones to block out noisy coworkers," you can ask, "Will you face that same distraction when you work remotely?"
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What do you like and what do you dislike about working in an office? If a candidate says that they love the company's team-building opportunities, or their favorite activity is the 10 a.m. coffee cart, see why they're interested in remote work. It could mean they never thought about the lack of face-to-face socialization and may discover that remote work isn't right for them.
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What's the most challenging project you ever designed and executed? Working remotely requires employees to be highly self-motivated. Without a manager nearby, it's easy for people to get distracted or lose their drive. The answer will speak to the candidate's motivation and ability to get the job done when there's nothing else motivating them--except themselves.
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Tell me about a risk you took and failed. What did you learn? Asking for an example will give some insight into how the candidate operates. Do they only have one way of doing things? Do they learn and grow from their mistakes? Are they willing to admit they made a mistake? These answers will help you determine whether or not they are truly flexible and can mesh well with the existing team.
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How do you switch off from work? Ask how applicants plan to manage their days, take appropriate breaks and stop working when it's quitting time. Understanding how they switch out of work mode will help you better understand how they will do it when they're on the job.
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It has been a fantastic week! We start off the episode with friendly reminders about laying that foundation for success and dedicating the time to working on the company finances. The work you put in today will pay off down the road. Take the time today to lay out your schedule for next week. Identify the items that are truly important and make them a priority for next week. You'll head into the weekend already set up to be successful come Monday morning. After that we have cover a fun list of 43 things to try to fall asleep faster.
Here are some of the highlights:
Try square breathing:
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Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
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Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
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Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
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Pause and hold for 4 seconds. Repeat as needed.
Blow bubbles. Dr. Rachel E. Salas, MD of the Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins: “When the brain sees the bubble go off and disappear or pop … You visually see something kind of released out of you."
Read a bit. A 2009 study showed that people who read before bed had by 68 percent less stress and fell asleep faster.
Set the temperature between 65F and 68F.
Stretch. Dutch researchers did a 2012 study in the Journal of Physiotherapy that found that people who didn’t stretch before bed were more likely to be awakened by cramps.
Practice mindfulness. A Harvard study showed people who studied mindfulness slept better than people who studied how to sleep better in general.
Try not to check email. A 2018 Virginia Tech study found that just thinking about checking email increased stress and made it harder to sleep.
Go to the gym. A 2018 study in the journal Sleep found that activity levels were directly correlated to sleep quality.
Take a shower to reduce your body's core temperature.
Get off your phone (and other electronics). A 2012 study in Applied Ergonomics found that backlit displays reduce melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep.
Practice gratitude. A 2015 study in the journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice found that it leads to better sleep and less daytime fatigue.
Tell yourself it might be better to stay awake anyway. This one is per Colin Espie, a professor of sleep medicine at the University of Oxford: "If you can be comfortable with the idea of remaining awake, then the performance anxiety and frustration that are associated with trying to sleep have nowhere to go and your arousal level drops.”
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Ever dream of starting your own business? You are not alone! According to a new study done by QuickBooks they project as many as 17 million new small businesses could be set up in 2022. The prediction comes from a recent survey of 8,000 U.S. employees, commissioned by QuickBooks in November 2021. The survey reveals that almost three out of five (57%) want to start a business and of these, one in five (20%) will make the leap in 2022 — equivalent to around 17 million people.
An overwhelming 83% of people who want to start a business say COVID accelerated their plans. This is either because they spotted a new opportunity online during the pandemic or because it made them rethink their priorities. Other reasons people gave for wanting to become business owners include:
“To be my own boss.”
“To have more control over my future.”
“To earn more money than I could by working for someone else.”
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As a self-employed freelancer or small business owner, knowing how to send an invoice correctly is crucial. Timely payments keep cash flowing, and money in hand now is worth more than it will be in the future. To make sure your clients pay you properly, it helps to understand common payment terms and how to use them. Payment terms outline how, when, and by what method your customers or clients provide payment to your business.
Payment terms are typically associated with invoice payments. They are an agreement that sets your expectations for payment, including when the client needs to pay you and the penalties for missing a payment. Having transparent payment terms can help ensure you get paid and makes it easier for your customers to understand your billing process.
Components of invoicing payment terms typically include:
- An invoice date
- The total invoice amount due
- The payment date and period of time that your client has to pay the total amount owed
- Stipulations for an advance or deposit
- Payment plan details
- A list of accepted payment methods
Payment terms are important because knowing how much money is going to hit your account, and when, is essential to accurate cash flow projections. Accurate cash flow projections help you plan for taxes, keep your business running smoothly, and manage its growth. A clear, professional invoice can help you ensure that clients pay in a timely fashion. Clearly communicating terms of payment helps ensure you and your customers are on the same page before work begins.
Payment terms are essential when negotiating a contract. Payment terms should maximize how quickly your clients pay you and minimize inconvenience for your customer. A good set of payment terms should benefit both parties.
As you start to invoice customers, remember that your payment terms should match your business goals. Selecting appropriate payment terms is an important step toward building and maintaining a healthy business. Always include your payment terms on your invoices, but discuss them with your clients first.
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Success has a funny way of making you comfortable. Sometimes, too comfortable. If the thing you're doing appears to be working, your natural inclination is to do more of if. The problem is, when you're comfortable, you have no motivation to look around and think about what might need to change. Who wants to be less comfortable? Especially if you've worked hard to get to that point. The thing is, what if the reason you were successful was temporary? What if there are small defects in your system waiting to become bigger down the road? Your comfort zone can be your own worst enemy. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Peloton has had a rough few months. After having record sales throughout the pandemic they are not in a position of having more inventory than anyone wants. Supply is way higher than demand. Barry McCarthy took over as CEO and held an all-hands meeting. McCarthy wasted no time trying to motivate the employees. In an email, he detailed 10 values that employees will find "reflected in my day-to-day interactions."
Here's the entire list:
1) Be stubborn on vision, flexible on details
2) Fast is as slow as we go
3) Intuition drives testing. Data drives decision making
4) Your comfort zone is your own worst enemy
5) Talent density is foundational
6) Stress context not control, freedom and responsibility
7) Understand in order to be understood
8) Get real
9) Think from first principles
10) Put first things first
It's not a bad list. Those are all good "values," though they're more like leadership principles. Nothing on that list is particularly new, but that doesn't mean they aren't useful. For that matter, they're all relatively good guiding principles.
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In a business setting, being rejected hurts. Sometimes it hurts so bad you just want to quit. But ask yourself, Would a successful entrepreneur quit after a simple rejection? Today we cover the interesting (and sometimes hysterical) story of someone who did not quit, but instead put himself through rejection therapy. The basic idea was that for 30 days, you seek rejection. In doing so, you gradually desensitize yourself from the pain, building courage and resolve along the way. Overcoming your fears can lead to getting more of what you want out of life, and learning some valuable lessons along the way.
The story is about Jia Jang and how he felt after being rejected by a potential investor. After starting the rejection therapy game he made over a hundred crazy requests, video recording all of them and posting to YouTube. Over and over, he heard the answer that had become so familiar to him:
Can I slide down the fire pole at this fire station? No.
Can I have a "burger refill"? ("It's just like a drink refill, but with a burger.") No.
Can I speak over the intercom here at Costco? No.
Can I attend your Super Bowl party (even though I don't know you)? No.
Can I have a free room at this hotel? No.
But as time went on, and Jiang's "rejection quest" continued, something interesting happened.
Although many rejected him right away, to Jiang's surprise, others actually gave him exactly what he wanted. And with every yes, Jiang gained courage.
For example:
A stranger said yes to letting him play soccer in his backyard.
A pilot said yes to letting him make an announcement on a flight.
Survivor host Jeff Probst said yes to singing Jiang's son a lullaby on nationally syndicated television.
A pilot said yes to brining Jiang up and letting him fly his private plane.
A teacher said yes to allowing Jiang to give a lecture to his college students.
Jiang learned some important truths along his rejection journey. For one, he discovered that if he didn't run, he could sometimes turn a "no" into a "yes," using a single, one-word question:
Why?
Often, when Jiang asked why (sometimes repeatedly, respectfully, and in different ways), the rejector would rethink the request. Or, they would offer some type of compromise. Or, they would offer something else in return.
For example, after a stranger rejected Jiang's request to plant a flower in their backyard, Jiang asked why.
"Well, I have this dog that would dig up anything I put in the backyard," said the man. "I don't want to waste your flower. If you want to do this, go across the street and talk to Connie. She loves flowers."
Connie was more than happy to honor Jiang's request.
The rule of rejection is simply. It's made up of three parts:
A. You won't get anything if you don't ask for it, so don't reject yourself.
B. If the answer is "no," ask, "why?" This may lead to you getting what you wanted, or getting something else that's close.
C. Remember that rejection doesn't define you. It's the way you react to rejection that defines you.
So, if you want to overcome your fear of rejection and get more of what you want, don't run. Remember the rule of rejection.
When you do, you'll start turning "No" into "Yes." More importantly, you'll change the way you view rejection, forever.
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There is a lot going on right now that can cause you to be frustrated and overwhelmed. The economy and rising prices is one of them. However, since we always try to see the brighter side of things today we are going showcase some of the ways things are way better today than they were 50 years ago even if most economists don't agree. This episode won't offer any solutions for rising gas prices or what is happening in Ukraine, but maybe it can give you a little bit of a different perspective on how much we have to be grateful for.
According to recent coverage on the news for “the first time in history average Americans have less education and are less prosperous than their parents.” Pew Research, meanwhile, reminds us that: “For most workers, real wages have barely budged in 50 years.” It seems to intuitively make sense that a major reason we feel so stressed and under pressure is that the economy is struggling. According to Grant Ryan, the writer of Comparonomics, there are both technical and philosophical reasons that is not technically true.
Rather than pick through the boring technical reasons these analyses are wrong, Grant created a simple tool to help you figure out for yourself how you’re getting on. It’s designed to help you ask yourself what parts of the economy are important to you, and then think about whether they’ve gotten better or worse. Here are some of the segments and areas he describes:
Housing: Many homes built in the 1970s would be illegal to build now, as they were of such low quality by modern standards (insulation, fire, noise, lighting, etc). Homes now are typically 70% bigger, and full of modern appliances and gadgets that make life easier—like dishwashers, TVs, speakers, etc.
Entertainment/recreation: You used to have to save up for an album; the only movie option meant going to a theatre. Now, for a few dollars a week you can have pretty much unlimited entertainment.
Health/medicine: We now live about 10 years longer due to a large range of improvements. For example, dangerous open heart surgery, in many cases, has been replaced with an outpatient procedure to put in a stent.
Education/information: In the 70s, buying a set of encyclopedias was a real investment. Many folks relied on the library. Now we have something 10,000 times better, for pretty much free. It’s easy to learn so much via online videos and information.
Travel: Forty or 50 years ago, you were much more likely to die in a transport accident. Flying was an occasional luxury; now it’s a normal thing for many people. Cars are much more reliable, efficient, and comfortable.
Communications: No more dollar-a-minute calls to relatives. It’s so cheap it’s essentially free to talk to anyone in the world.
Food/beverage: So many food options that we take for granted now were not widely available then, let alone delivered to your door. The best cook you knew was probably your mum, as eating out was a lot less common.
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Ever finish lunch and wish you could go take a nap instead of going back to work? You are not alone! Thanks to our circadian rhythms most people are at their sleepiest not just from two to four in the morning but also from two to four in the afternoon. The most effective solutions like taking a nap or getting in some exercise are not always viable options. Today we cover some alternatives to help break through and regain some of that energy and focus.
As this is a problem that's hardwired into us, people have long ago come up with solutions like taking a short nap in the afternoon. Science shows even just 20-30 minutes of shuteye will have a dramatic effect on your mood and productivity. But despite a mountain of research into the benefits of napping, the rhythm of modern work often makes this sensible solution unworkable.
The next best option for a lot of folks is to pound down some coffee (or, alternatively, if you're a bit of a health nut, to try to sneak in some energy-boosting exercise during your lunch break). The healthy option suffers from the same practical challenges as the nap idea, however, and caffeine in the afternoon can mess with your nighttime sleep. Are there no other alternatives?
Take two deep breaths. Deep breathing is good for you all the time (and can also help you get to sleep at night), but according to the Cleveland Clinic, consciously engaging your diaphragm and slowing your breathing can also resettle and revive you when you're feeling listless after lunch.
Read a chapter of fiction. Again, reading fiction has been shown to have benefits whenever you do it, but there are specific reasons you might want to enjoy a chapter of that new page turner before getting back to your desk after lunch. "Disconnecting, focusing on something else, and then re-engaging can pry you out of that state of being stuck or demoralized in dealing with what you're dealing with," Stanford psychiatrist Dave Spiegel tells Self.
Take an organization break. Your space has an outsize impact on your mood. You can use that to your advantage. "Tidying or organizing the physical space around you might feel like a little thing, but it's a way to physically and proactively attend to yourself and care for your space," University of Minnesota psychiatrist Kaz Nelson explains. "Pausing and attending to your immediate space is really saying, 'My time and workspace are worth my attention.'"
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Sometimes we cover topics that can save your a couple minutes here and there, maybe even seconds. They are important because they all add up and create a nice space in your week to tackle the important items that sometimes get pushed to the back burner. Today we are going to discuss something that immediately adds significant time back into your week. How much time do you spend writing/printing checks, stuffing them in envelopes and then mailing them out? If you use QuickBooks Online and the answer is higher than zero then you need to listen to this episode.
Small businesses rely on QuickBooks to record bills, keep their books up to date, and manage the accounting for their business, so enabling fast and easy bill payments is the natural next step for any accounting software package. QuickBooks offers Bill Pay powered by Melio, a free, integrated payment solution that allows QuickBooks users to easily pay business bills in the office or on the go.
Time is a valuable commodity. Reducing the hours allocated to tedious bookkeeping tasks such as logging payments and sending invoices is pivotal if owners want to focus on the success of their business. Bill Pay powered by Melio can automatically capture bills and invoices to digitize the paper trail and save time. It delivers easy tracking of money sent, so business performance can be monitored from the office or via smartphone when on the go.
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If your schedule was a glass of water would it be half-full, filled to the brim, or is it completely overflowing all over the counter? That's unfortunately where most people are these days, and a filled to the brim schedule can be just as messy. Hidden in the metaphor is a new way to look at the half-full versus half-empty question. We also discuss the implementation of simple solutions when it comes to data management and work flow. Bells and whistles are great sometimes, but nothing beats beats simple and effective.
Some people look at an eight-ounce cup with four ounces of water as being half full. We call them optimists. They see four ounces of water as more than nothing and that's a good thing. On the other hand, some people see it as half empty. We usually call them pessimists. We call them that because we assume that a full cup is an ideal situation, and anyone who sees the cup as less than that must have a negative mindset. What if, instead, we think of a different way to measure? What if we think differently about a half-empty cup.
Here's why it matters: A lot of us are walking around trying to fit 10 ounces of life into our eight-ounce cups--metaphorically speaking--and we're mostly just making a mess. We end up spilling on those around us because we can't possibly fit everything in our cup. At some point, it isn't complicated, it's just physics.
Practically speaking, if your cup is completely full, you have zero margin and that's a bad thing. Margin is the difference between your capability and your responsibility. Or, said another way, it's the difference between the time and abilities, and the way you choose to spend them. If you have no margin, it means you have nothing left for anything else. That's what is so meaningful about the "cup-half-empty" rule. Having room in your cup means you have margin. Margin is breathing room. It gives you space to think and focus. It gives you the ability to be intentional about what you are doing. It even gives you a chance to do more--to do something new.
The goal, then, is pretty simple. If you want to eliminate stress and be more productiveat the things that are really important, you need to create margin in your life. You need to have some room so that you can yes when something comes along that would add value to your life. That means you need to get rid of some of what's already in your cup. That sounds easy, but the reality is, everything that's already in the cup got there for a reason. It's not as simple as saying no to the thing, you're also saying no to the reason it was there in the first place. Even if it's not easy, however, it's still important.
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Whether you realize it or not, people buy your product or service based on feelings. It is the most important factor actually. There are plenty of companies out there that offer the same product or process we offer here, but our people is what makes the difference. The team here, specifically Gina and Lisa, make our clients FEEL valued and taken care of. Instead of focusing on how you can up-sell a client, focus on up-servicing them instead. The return on investment for how you make someone feel about your company is almost impossible to calculate.
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Very few things, if anything, are more stressful as a business owner than not having the money in the bank to cover payroll, pay bills, etc. More than 60% of small business owners say they’ve experienced cash flow challenges, according to recent research by QuickBooks. Today's episode is all about the habits and procedures you can put in place to help alleviate some of those cash flow challenges. At the top we talk about the importance of submitting deposit and progress invoices, and then discuss a new feature that QuickBooks has announced to help small businesses feeling the cash flow crunch.
In a perfect world, you would get paid upfront for every invoice and avoid stressful cash flow shortages. In the real world, you can request Get Paid Upfront—a new invoice financing tool available through QuickBooks®. Get Paid Upfront is an invoice financing tool that allows you to request earlier access to invoiced funds by receiving an advance on your unpaid invoices. Eligible QuickBooks Payments customers can request Get Paid Upfront for qualifying invoices. If approved, Get Paid Upfront provides you with early access to invoiced funds.
When your client pays their invoice with QuickBooks Payments, the money is applied to the outstanding balance of the financed invoice—no forms, no extra work, and no hassle. The invoice advance is interest-free for the first 30 days. If the invoice is paid within 30 days through QuickBooks Payments using ACH or credit card payment, you won’t be charged any payment processing fees. If the invoice advance isn’t repaid within 30 days, the outstanding balance will begin to accrue interest on day 31. You can repay the total financed invoice in 12 monthly installments at a fixed interest rate as outlined in your borrower agreement. You can prepay your loan in full or in part without being charged any prepayment penalties. No late fees are charged for Get Paid Upfront.
Once you’ve accepted an approved Get Paid Upfront offer, you’ll receive a deposit of 97% of the invoice amount into the business bank account provided in your application. The money should appear in your account within a few business days. You can access a total credit limit up to $30k in funds on one or more qualifying invoices. The maximum invoice amount for each qualifying invoice is $10k.
Get Paid Upfront is a fast solution for your immediate cash flow problems. Just pay a 3% loan fee per invoice financed, plus any interest that accrues after the first 30 days. As always, Get Paid Upfront is completely confidential to your customers, so you can keep running your business knowing QuickBooks is helping behind the scenes.
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Happy Monday! Today's episode is all about avoiding or at least identifying and addressing burnout. If you work too long, too hard, or if you genuinely don't like the work you do, you'll eventually be at risk of burning out. You can think of burnout as a kind of rock bottom for your disposition toward your job, and possibly your entire career. We also discuss how matching your skillset to your core values and your "why" can lead to a much happier set of circumstances.
People who are burned out find it extremely difficult to even show up to work-- let alone do their best at the job. Once you reach this point, you might start disappointing your team or suffer catastrophic losses in your business-- or you might be so fed up that you abandon your company entirely.
These are some of the most common warning signs of burnout:
Physical and mental exhaustion.One of the hallmark symptoms of burnout is physical and mental exhaustion. Even after a whole night of sleep, you feel tired in the morning. Your muscles may be sore or feel fatigued. You may find it harder to concentrate in meetings or pay attention to people when they're speaking to you, just because you don't have the energy.
Workplace dread. Most of us have some kind of love-hate relationship with our jobs. If you find yourself completely dreading the workplace and resenting the fact that you have to go into the office every morning, you might be on the path to burnout. You shouldn't dread your workplace, or your employees, or the work you do.
Hair loss. If you're so stressed that you're starting to lose your hair, there's no reason to continue in your current line of work with your current set of responsibilities.
Irritability. People at the highest risk of burnout tend to be extremely irritable. Their moods can change at the drop of a hat and they might blow up at somebody or even the smallest infraction.
Performance decline. With all the other effects, it shouldn't be a surprise to learn that burnout is also associated with a decline in your performance. You're not as productive or as competitive as you used to be.
Chronic anxiety. Do you feel excessive anxiety, even when you've left the workplace for the day? If so, you should be even more concerned about the potential for burnout.
So what should you do if you notice any of these warning signs? Here are some suggestions:
Don't be afraid to set stricter boundaries. If you don't want to be expected to respond to emails Saturday morning, say so. If your workload is excessive and it's causing you too much stress, delegate some of your tasks.
Take time away from your job. Doing so can help you relax and destress and come back to your position feeling refreshed. Depending on the severity of your burnout symptoms, that might mean taking a long weekend or taking a full vacation.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure you take care of yourself. Don't take time off from work only to overwhelm yourself with personal responsibilities. Relax, spend time with family, and do things that you genuinely enjoy doing. You'll be better off for it.
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The costs associated with recruiting and training a new employee can be significant, especially for roles that require more experience. This even more true now because of the difficulty many employers are experiencing when trying to fill open positions. That's why retaining your employees is so important right now. Today we discuss some warning signs that an employee is about to leave—and what you can do about it. Big thank you to Gina for sharing today's topic!
The warning signs:
Decline in work quality and/or quantity.Your employee's track record has always been to show up early, stay late, and crank out stellar work. While there may have been small dips in their performance here and there, this is different. Now you're seeing that while their work isn't exactly subpar, it's not up to their usual standards. You're concerned because you've noticed their work effort has declined recently.
Lack of interest in high-profile work. Many top performers like to be part of high-profile projects and teams. If an employee shows a lack of interest, after wanting to get involved in projects in the past, it could be a sign that they don't see themselves working for you long-term.
Dip in engagement. At staff meetings, they may have less input than before, or perhaps their contributions have been more superficial lately. They may also seem less interested in going out to lunch with colleagues or attending company functions than in the past.
More friction. An employee who typically gets along with colleagues is suddenly becoming difficult to work with. The employee may be complaining a lot more than usual, perhaps about minor things that have always been a part of their job.
Action Plan:
Be proactive. While a certain amount of turnover is inevitable, there are steps you can take to help improve retention before these warning signs appear. Administering employee surveys and conducting exit interviews with departing employees can help you assess employee satisfaction and engagement over your entire workforce. This will allow you to course-correct if needed. A growing number of employers are also conducting "stay interviews," During such interviews, you ask current employees questions that address both why they're loyal to the company (an indication of what you should keep doing) and why they may consider leaving (an indication of what changes may need to be made).
Don't make assumptions. If you notice any changes to an employee's work performance or attitude, don't assume you know the cause. While the above warning signs could reflect that the employee plans to leave, it could also mean there's something else going on.
Meet with the employee. Schedule a meeting with the employee in private. Start the meeting by expressing your appreciation for their contributions and be straightforward. Let them know that you've noticed changes in their performance and/or attitude and give examples. Ask if there's anything you can do to help and then give them an opportunity to speak.
Listen to the employee. If the employee reveals that they are in fact considering a job elsewhere or are otherwise planning to quit, ask them if there's anything you could do to keep them onboard.
Consider your options. Assess your options for addressing what the employee needs in order to stay with your company. Think about the whole picture, including the employee's value and potential cost to your company.
Follow up. Schedule a follow-up meeting with the employee and talk about options to help improve engagement.
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At the top of today's episode, Dan shares an app that can help anyone struggling with integrating journaling into their routine like he was. The practice of writing out your thoughts, gratitude, goals, etc. each day is something done by some of the most successful people in the world. It does not come easily for some people though. Next we take a quiz on critical thinking, which is about asking the right questions, challenging assumptions, seeing more angles and being aware of thinking biases. Some really clever questions in this one!
- A mother reads a scientific study that 17-year-old boys in the U.S. have fewer automobile accidents per 1,000 trips than 16-year-old boys. This prompts her to wait a year before letting her just 16-year-old son drive, to make him safer. Is her reasoning correct?
We don't know if the driving improvement is due to 17-year-olds being more mature or due to them having on extra year of driving experience under their belts. If the latter, waiting a year won't help. Probably both effects operate, so waiting may be wise. Lesson: Always consider multiple hypotheses when explaining a fact.
- You play a game of tennis against a slightly better opponent and decide to put some money on the match. You are both equally fit in terms of stamina and physical endurance. Are your chances of winning the match the same whether you play just one set or the best out of three?
The longer you play, the more the final result will conform to the law of averages. Since this favors the better tennis player, your chances decline if you play three sets. If you were to play Roger Federer, say, your best chance to beat him is to play just one point and hope he misses. Lesson: Lay your bets according to the underlying statistics; consider base rates. The race may not always go to strongest or fastest, but that is nonetheless the way to bet.
- Several studies about the benefit of bicycle helmets have shown that fewer severe head injuries occur - for most kind of falls or spills - if you are wearing a helmet. Does it follow therefore that making helmet use mandatory will further reduce head injuries in cycling?
Over the decades, helmet use has increased in the U.S. but head injuries did not decline as much as expect. Possible explanations include: improved bikes make riders go faster; wearing a helmet creates a false sense of security and more risk-taking on the road riders wear their helmets incorrectly; the type of people riding bikes may have shifted; traffic and road conditions may have changed. Experts especially blame the false sense of security that helmets give to bikers and car drivers. Lesson: Look for unintended consequences that may undermine your initial goal.
- During the early part of World War II, many English bombers were being shot down by the Germans. To reduce their high casualty rate, the Royal Air Force decided to reinforce its bombers with armor. But where? Their statistical analysis of the bullet holes in planes that returned revealed a very uneven pattern of locations where planes had been hit. Should the RAF reinforce its bombers where bullet holes were most numerous, evenly throughout the plane, or elsewhere?
The initial thinking was to reinforce the areas with the most bullet holes. But when statistician Abraham Wald examined the surviving bombers for damage patterns, he came to a different conclusion. He reasoned that the surviving planes had not been damaged fatally by the random bullets and thus suggested reinforcing in places showing the fewest bullet holes. These were the most vulnerable, he argued, since few bombers apparently survived those bullet shots. The RAF followed his counter-intuitive advice and improved the survival rate of its bombers and crews. Lesson 7: Ask what data you aren't seeing and why; there could be a selection bias, in this case known as a survivorship bias.
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Everyone doubts their abilities now and again. That's normal. However, if you start to change the way you behave or lead your company as a result of such thoughts then it is a bigger issue that needs to be addressed. What you are describing is imposter syndrome, and it can have severely negative effects on your personal life and business. You need to believe in yourself and your capabilities in order to achieve your goals. It's not your luck, it's your talent.
Dictionary.com defines imposter syndrome as "anxiety or self-doubt that results from persistently undervaluing one's competence and active role in achieving success, while falsely attributing one's accomplishments to luck or other external forces." This issue affects business owners at all stages of growth and can be debilitating. It affects all people, not just business owners. Here are some examples of behaviors that are in indication you may be suffering from imposter syndrome.
You Do Too Much
As a business owner, your time is valuable and as such, you should be learning how to delegate lower-level tasks to give you more time to focus on higher-level tasks that will bring value to your business. But if you suffer from imposter syndrome, you may struggle with handing off tasks because you don't feel like your time is valuable. You struggle to see the value in your work and don't see a reason to delegate those smaller tasks to someone else on your team. These feelings can slow the growth of your business, and make it more difficult to lead your team.
You Don't Celebrate Your Victories
Another tell sign that you may be suffering from imposter syndrome is how you celebrate your success and victories. A leader understands the importance of celebrating their success along the way and will encourage others in the team to do the same. If you have doubt about your own abilities as a leader in your position and feel like any success that you experience is simply luck or due to external forces, then celebrating those victories seems ill-placed.
You Need Validation
A good leader will try to create a foundation for their business that doesn't need their constant input. They will train their team to keep the business up and running without their day-to-day attention. If you struggle with imposter syndrome, you may shy away from this idea because the more that your business needs you, the more validation you receive on a day-to-day basis. This constant need helps validate your place in the company and helps you (albeit momentarily) dismiss the thoughts that you are an imposter in your position.
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Ever hear the saying "Nice guys finish last?" Apparently it is not entirely true. At least according to Andrew Whitworth of the Los Angeles Rams who credits their organizational cultural as a big reason why the team won. What Andrew describes is the rule of positive psychology, and it doesn't only work for NFL teams, it can work for yours too! Today we share some rules on how to cultivate it in your company.
During the Super Bowl LVI postgame interviews most players gave the usual typical responses like "I knew this was a special team," but Andrew Whitworth had a different take. He had this to say:
"I think this is a unique environment," Whitworth said in a postgame interview, speaking about the culture Rams coach Sean Mcvay and his staff have built. "We're relaxed. We have fun. It's energetic. We don't have coaches out there screaming at people. That's not allowed on our field. It's about having energy and positivity and belief that no matter what happens on one snap, the next snap's the next best one you can have. I think guys come in, they believe in it and they appreciate that opportunity to be in an environment where they're encouraged to just be themselves and go out and do what they do."
The rule of positive psychology is simple. It basically states:
When you build an environment focused on nurture, positive reinforcement, and highlighting strengths and potential, you help people to be the best version of themselves.
But how do you follow the rule of positive psychology in your organization?
It's easier said than done, but you can start by implementing a few more rules at your workplace. For example:
The help first rule: If you're in a difficult situation, and you notice someone else is too, try helping first.
The rule of recognition: Your default setting is to focus on what a person does right, and make a point to commend the person for those positive actions, sincerely and specifically.
The rule of turning critical into constructive: Transform your critical feedback by adding one word. Ask: "Can I share some constructive feedback with you?"
The rule of reappraisal: When you feel overwhelmed, don't focus on what you have ahead of you. Instead, look back on what you already accomplished, and use that to motivate you.
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Every have that feeling where a calm comes over you and you know exactly what you need to do and why you need to do it? That's clarity. Clarity is extremely important in both our personal lives and in our leadership roles. There is nothing quite like clarity to make a leader effective. Real clarity is born from a clear sense of purpose and acceptance of what is, not from wishful thinking or ego protection. It is honest, easy to understand, and calming; never arrogant, confusing, or mean-spirited. You won't be surprised to hear that starting with "why" is a great way to gain clarity.
Clarity in leadership builds self-confidence, wins trust, and strengthens teams. People know what's up and why. Direction and expectations are explicit and understood. Over time, clarity builds a momentum that uplifts and connects all involved. On the other hand, lack of clarity causes good leaders great suffering; spinning in circles, avoiding decisions, and never realizing the pleasure of full commitment. Though counterproductive and illusory, there are big payoffs that can sustain lack of clarity: 1) keeping options open, and 2) avoiding possible conflict.
Here are 7 techniques to help you gain greater clarity:
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Find your courage. Think of times you had great clarity in the past. Think of what got you there. Think of who supported you. Surround yourself with those resources often.
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Recognize what clarity feels like. It usually brings a sense of calm and peace - even when the clarity of a situation reveals something unpleasant.
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Focus on why, not how. Getting into details can obscure clarity. For your topic, keep asking yourself "why" it matters and what good will be achieved, rather than allowing the myriad of "how" possibilities to confuse you. First things first.
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Acknowledge what is clear. Assess if there are inconvenient or painful truths you or your people are clear about, that you wish were different so you pretend lack of clarity. Accept the truth and determine how to productively deal with the situation.
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Say no for a bigger yes. Remember the sense of purpose that helped you get clear. Sustain that clarity by identifying small things to say no to, in order to say yes to something greater and aligned with that purpose.
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Gain some altitude. Take a step back and look at the situation from a big picture. Notice what is working and what is not. Notice areas where you may be working against clarity.
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Follow clarity with commitment. Clarity takes practice and accountability. Keep working on it. Keep asking yourself the important questions.
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Ever feel exhausted just thinking about all the things you have to do? It might be because you are thinking of too many things that need to be accomplished at once! Tony Robbins (ever hear of him?) eloquently said in a recent post "Where focus goes, energy flow." We are almost programmed at this point to try and accomplish multiple tasks at once. Instead, we should start by prioritizing, and then focusing on a single task in the moment. This method will not only lead to increased effectiveness, but an increase in energy because we are draining ourselves on multiple fronts. Also, we cover why it is ok to drop a curse word into your vocabulary every now and then.
In the world of constant juggling that is commonplace for a leader -- especially an entrepreneur with limited resources -- physical energy is expended on an unending list of tasks. The problem is, focus is seldom very clear. With the mind buzzing around all of these must-dos, work on any of them lacks complete energy. Why? Because the mind is divided. Hence, energy is divided. Here are a few steps that will help:
1: Do you find that you lack sufficient energy (physical and mental) to complete core tasks? That might well be because you're not focusing on a single task in the moment. You're thinking about what's next on your to-do list.
2: If you've identified a lack of energy, then take a look at how you frame your tasks. Is it just a sprawling list with no prioritization? That's ready-made for lack of focus -- your mind has a hard time picking out the task you should be focused on in any given moment. You need to clean things up.
3: When you start the day and come to your first task, focus solely on the work in front of you -- ideally by tying that work to something physical. If you're brainstorming, physically write your ideas down. If you're strategizing, map the strategy on a whiteboard.
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Every single one of us can get caught up in dealing with the day to day requests and problems that pop up. Sometimes it seems like that is all we do. As the leaders in our company, it is important to keep an eye out for 7 problems that may seem small at first, but can have big impacts on the overall health of the company and long term success. Some might seem pretty obvious, but others are sign of potentially much larger problems. We also cover 4 ways to make sure you are cultivating a culture in your company that is focused on quality improvement.
- Your business image is slipping in the eyes of customers.
Customer feedback, online reviews and poor customer service is often rationalized as unreasonable expectations or one or two hard-to-please individuals. In fact, you need to carve out time every day for improving customer relationships. More happy customers are a major key to success.
- You see more personal people conflicts in your team.
Healthy debates and differences of opinion are good and lead to needed change. But any time you see personal verbal attacks or lack of engagement, you need to drop all else and get to the bottom of the issue. Healthy team culture is another key driver for growth and winning.
- Major vendor or partner relationships are suffering.
Businesses succeed or fail based on good people relationships, more than great processes. Your job as a business leader is to get the right people in place early and provide ongoing communication and oversight, rather than trying to run all the relationships yourself of a growing business.
- You can't find the time for coaching and mentoring.
Even the busiest leaders find time for management by walking around, and actually listening to their people.
- Meetings with your team seem to be non-productive.
If your team is not fully engaged, you need to take the lead in inciting participation, through positive motivation, better listening, or proactively asking for feedback. Positive team collaboration is a culture that you must foster to increase productivity and the ability to change with the market.
- Top employees are leaving for better opportunities.
Employees sometimes leave if they are not satisfied with you, rather than a salary level or role definition. Your challenge is to proactively build a caring and positive relationship with key individuals, and show them that you are providing the career development they crave.
- You see evidence of ethical compromises in the team.
Every business owner and entrepreneur has to be the role model for trust, a good moral compass, and ethics. You need to make sure you are sending the right signals, and you must communicate and act decisively to eliminate transgressions in this regard. Nothing can be a higher priority.
To help cultivate that winning culture that is focused on quality improvement, try these 4 steps:
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Value developing solutions more than determining blame. People have an incredibly good sense of whether they are more likely to win in an organization by coming up with a great solution, or if they are more likely to lose by making a mistake.
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Support others in finding their own solutions--but don't find solutions for them.
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Stay curious about why mistakes happen and why other people decide differently than we do.
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Don't celebrate heroes who save seemingly hopeless situations more loudly than those who achieve their goals without difficulties and escalations.
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Technical Tuesday is back! Today we do a refresher on reviewing transactions in the banking feed on QuickBooks Online and discuss a new feature that has been added to the feed to make your life easier! The banking feed is the core of QuickBooks Online. The health of your books and accuracy of your reports all stem from the actions taken here. We discuss the difference between proactive and reactive bookkeeping and how the new feature of categorization history can save you time and frustration.
Proactive bookkeeping is exactly what is sounds like. You enter the transaction in the system before it has cleared the bank and the transaction makes it way into your banking feed. When this happens, the system finds and suggest a match (or matches if multiple transactions for the same amount) making it very easy to navigate and clear the banking feed. Reactive bookkeeping is not entering into the system after you actually complete the transaction and waiting for it to come into the banking feed after it clears the bank. A great example of this would be using your credit card at the gas station and then not entering it as a credit card expense proactively.
The system is smart and based on past transactions will suggest a category for the transaction and if the bank detail of the vendor matches any vendor already in your system it will pre-populate that field. If you are unsure of what category the transaction should be applied to there is now a button labeled Categorization History. It brings up a box that shows all transactions associated with this vendor for the last 12 months and where those transactions have been categorized. From there you can assign the category or even create a rule to use moving forward. This small new addition to the system will save you a significant amount of time in the long run. Every few seconds you save today adds up!
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Great news! According to new data from the US Census Bureau, more than 5.4 million new businesses were formed in the United States last year. In 2020, the number was 4.4 million; the year before that, 3.5 million. It might also be a part of what explains the so called Great Resignation movement that is happening. Based a on a study performed in 2019 at least 20% of employees dreamed of opening their own business. However, with that dream came fears and today we dive into those.
The same study that suggested that 20% of employees wanted to open their own company also asked what was holding them back. The study suggested the five main fears that hold people back are:
- Fear of inconsistent income (35% said this holds them back);
- Fear of not having enough cash, or of incurring debt (28%);
- Fear of not having a fully formed business plan (27%);
- Fear of making less money than they did as an employee (27%); and
- Fear of not having health benefits (20%)
All of those fears are 100% legitimate. If you don't have a fully formed plan, or if you can't really afford to risk going without a paycheck (or making less money) for a bit, then going out on your own is riskier. Also understand that that in the first several months or potentially years you may have to take a pay cut, etc. This is where the all important "why" comes into play. If the why behind your reason for opening the company is strong enough, and you can realistically afford it then it makes the short term impact of a lower salary, etc. more manageable.
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Friendly reminder that we all fail from time to time. Every single one of us. Failing at something does not make you a failure. The important part of failing is to learn something from it, and realize the change it can make to you as a person. Today, Dan shares some details of a conversation that he had earlier this week, and a recent example of failing in his life. Because of these recent "failures" Dan and the team here at BCBO are better equipped for the future. It was a learning experience and it we are better for having gone through it. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Failing, learning, and growing and is a definition of success.
Secondly, sometime the word quit has an unfair negative reputation. Quitting before you even try or simply because something is "hard" is a negative thing. However, sometimes quitting is exactly what you should be doing. How can that be? We grow up hearing that quitters never win, and that quitting small things makes it easier to quit bigger things later in life. Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, no. But quitting in a vacuum is a morally neutral act; it's the thing one quits, among other factors, that lends its relevance.
Quitting a job that is a bad fit, ending a relationship that is toxic and/or abusive, or quitting on a business idea after all the signs and information prove that it is no longer a profitable or healthy pursuit is not a bad thing. Those are good things to quit. Don't throw good money after bad. Don't stay in a relationship or job that demeans or lessens you as a person. Quitting isn't necessarily signs of failure. Instead, they can mean new beginnings.
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One of the most important words in the English language is once again the topic of today's episode - Why. It is honestly one of the hardest questions for most people to answer. Why do you want that job? Why are you so interested in that reward? Why are you spending so much time each day working on specific tasks? We also cover the importance of taking a pause between stimulus and response, and discuss a better way to get honest answers from your employees.
Why is such an important and word and question. We can answer "why" to most things superficially, but that's not enough. The trick that emotionally intelligent people learn is to ask again and again, deeper and deeper. It is not always a comfortable experience. I want the job because I want to make money. (OK, but why?) Well, I need money because I have to maintain this lifestyle. (OK, but why?) If I don't maintain this lifestyle, I'll feel like a failure. (OK, but why?) The question is hard to answer because ultimately, there's often a hidden fact or emotion influencing the deepest answers. If you can't articulate a compelling, defensible "why," that's a big red flag. There's either something wrong with your ultimate goal, or there's something wrong with the specific activity you're doing to try to reach it.
We say honesty is the best policy; I think that's right. But, it's not just about just honesty toward other people; it's about being honest with yourself. Here's an example. As a boss, you might smartly make a habit of asking your employees if they have everything they need to be successful. Maybe they tell you they do, and that's comforting to hear. An employee might think, even in the short instant it takes to reply: "I'll say, 'Yes, I have what I need,' so I don't look as if I can't do my job." "I'll say, 'Yes, I have what I need,' because honestly, I haven't thought about what I need." "I'll say, 'Yes, I have what I need,' because I simply want this conversation with my boss to end."
If you're looking for hard truths, that might mean asking again and again (much like asking, "why?") until you find them. An article Dan read taught him to ask about problems three times:
Boss's first question: "How's everything going?"
Boss's second question: "What are the things that are getting in the way?"
Boss's third question: "OK, but if there were a problem, what would it be?"
Ask in order to get past the emotions, the assumptions, and the power imbalance--and give people implicit permission to speak up. Ask in order to find the hard truths.
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Buzzwords are common in the American workplace, but a lot of people hate many of them. Some buzzwords are so bad that if people see them in a job ad, some won't bother to apply. Today's episode covers the most hated words and phrases based on a recent survey. Also, when we're making a case for something we believe in or greatly desire, our tendency is to argue for it until we're blue in the face. We heap point on point until the person (or people) we're trying to convince have no choice but to concede. Or, at least, that's what we think we're doing. Listen to find out a more effective way to win your next argument.
If you've gone to the trouble of writing out a job ad and paid to post it on job sites or elsewhere, you probably want potential candidates to apply for the job. So it's a bad idea to use words that turn them off, and yet all too many employers do just that. Most of these words seem to really mean: "We plan to make you work as hard as humanly possible and maybe harder." Have you ever used any of them?
"Rockstar" - The implied meaning seems to be: "We expect you to wow us with everything you do." Not that we want you to feel pressured.
"Wear many hats" - It's easy to see why this phrase might put someone off. It sounds like code for: "We really need to hire several people, but we're going to keep costs down by having you do multiple jobs instead."
"Ninja" - The actual meaning of this word is someone who is trained in ancient Japanese martial arts for the purposes of espionage or murder. There probably aren't too many of these available for hire. Informally, of course, it means someone who's extremely good at something. As with rockstar, that can sound like a lot of pressure to a potential candidate.
When trying to win an argument leveraging several examples a recent presentation by Dr. Niro Sivanathan argues that it is counter productive. He makes it clear that our minds aren't great at weighing the quality of a series of points in an argument meant to sway us. Instead, the stronger points are diluted by the weaker ones, making the overall argument weaker. The more points you provide, the greater the opportunity for someone to pick one that they disagree with.
In short, stick to the "Fewer-Farther" Rule. Here are a few easy steps to use this rule as you structure your arguments:
Write out all of the points you've considered in support of your argument.
Rank the points by strength (the ones most likely to sway your audience should be at the top).
Write out all of the details of your first point so it is well explained with ample context and, if appropriate, sources that back it up.
Flesh out your second point with just as much detail -- but hold on to this as backup. Do not use it when you first make your argument. This should only be used as an additional tool of persuasion if your strongest point doesn't hit home.
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The team has grown! Very excited to welcome Joy to our group and the tremendous value she will be able to add to our existing clients. Everyone is extremely busy right now. It is impossible to say yes to everything. It is important, not only for your own mental health, but for your clients, employees and employers that you say no sometimes. You can't say yes to every single project, meeting, invitation, etc. It will impact your ability to be effective. While "No" can be a complete sentence, there are some ways to say no without worrying about being rude or feeling guilty.
Here are some great examples:
"I'm sorry I just can't prioritize that right now but best of luck."
"I know you're not asking for a lot of my time, but I need to concentrate on getting some projects done and can't let myself be distracted right now. Best of luck."
"I would love to help you out, but given my schedule, I wouldn't be able to get this back to you for a couple of weeks. If you would like to have this turned around sooner, I recommend that you reach out to X. Does that sound good?"
"I would love to help you out, but I already made commitments to other [coworkers, clients, etc.] to complete their projects today. It wouldn't be fair to them to not follow through on what I said I would do. Thanks for your understanding."
"That's not my area of expertise, but I would be happy to connect you with someone who could best help you solve this problem."
"I'm flattered that you are interested in my input. I don't believe I'm the best qualified on this topic. I did a little digging and it looks like X would have the necessary context. Would you be comfortable inviting X rather than me?"
When someone asks to 'pick your brain':
"Can you provide a little more detail over email so I can make sure I'm a good use of your time?"
Invitations to events:
"Thanks so much for the invite! I really appreciate you thinking of me. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to [event] on [date]. But thanks again for sending an invitation my way. Hopefully we can get together another time."
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Blue Collar Back Office is expanding again! We are looking to hire a new team member to help bring value to our clients. With that being said, today we cover some things that potential candidates may be looking for when on the hunt for a new job. We also cover the topic of path dependence. Change isn't easy, but sometimes it is necessary to help you and your company reach their potential.
Many companies are hiring right now. What are the type of working environments that candidates are looking for? First, we want to create an environment where employees can be themselves. Job-seekers value an inclusive company culture. Research shows inclusive workplaces are six times more likely to innovate, and employees who feel they can be themselves at work are 42 percent more likely to stay. Next, the desire for career growth is at an all-time high. Eighty percent of people planning to switch jobs post-pandemic said it's because they're worried about career advancement. The more confident employees are in achieving their career objectives, the more likely they are to stay.
Path dependence is an economic term that describes when people make decisions based on a sequence of past decisions or events rather than based on current conditions. Imagine someone suggests changing bank accounts for a better experience -- if your first thought is "Ugh, but I'd have to change all my auto payments!" -- that's path dependence. To put it another way, change isn't easy. We know that most new businesses set up their services in the first two years of business, but only 7% switch suppliers in a given year.
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Is now the right time to raise your prices? It depends on why you are doing it. Is there a justifiable reason or are you just hoping to blend into the crowd of everyone else who is jacking up their prices? Today we cover two articles that in some ways contradict themselves. One suggests raising your prices simply because everyone else is doing it so it won't lead to an uproar from your customers. The other takes a more long term outlook on the subject and reminds us that short term price gouging will lead to long term loss of customer loyalty. If there a reason to raise your prices, then do it, but make sure you can clearly explain and justify it. You only have one name, reputation, and brand - don't sully it for a few extra bucks in your pocket now at the expense of the future.
The first article did share some great financial strategies for this winter that can be beneficial to businesses. First, it is time to pay your deferred social security taxes. Back in March 2020, the CARES act allowed most businesses to defer paying their social security taxes for most of 2020. That deferred bill is due. You were required to repay half of that by 12/31/21, and the rest by 12/31/22 or face IRS penalties. Don't count on your payroll provider to do it automatically - you need to do it through the IRS website. Also, now is a great time to secure a loan if your company needs it. With inflation on the rise, the Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates around March of 2022. That means NOW is a great time to borrow money before the cost to borrow increases.
The second article dove deep in the price gouging situation that appears to be happening right now. The "new normal" sadly seems to be "grab as much as you can get" while the gettin's good and before the golden goose flies away. More importantly, whether the business is large or small, each one of them thinks that there's no reason in the world to take a step backwards and reduce prices. But consumers have longer memories, far more alternatives, and considerably less patience these days.
If you'd like for your business to be on the right side of this particular nasty storm - morality aside - now's the time to take a careful look at your own pricing and your going-forward strategy and to do two important things: (a) make sure the numbers still make sense for your business and your customers; and (b) make sure you communicate and carefully explain the reasons for price increases to your customers before you get lumped into the pile with all the other penny-wise and pound-foolish companies who are hoping that their regulars never catch on.
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We end the week with a couple of fun, but insightful stories. The first is a breakdown of the "revolt" that recently happened at DoorDash due to their policy "forcing" employees to make deliveries once a month. Hint: It wasn't actually a revolt, and they aren't actually forced to make deliveries. Next, Thomas Edison makes another appearance with another strange, but effective strategy he used when interviewing employees. Both stories give us something that we can take and apply to own business today to make ourselves more successful in the long run.
The DoorDash policy is not new, it has actually been around since the company started in 2013. It simply was put on hold the last several months due to Covid. When it was announced that intended to start it back up, the news that came was that employees were furious. In actuality, it might be just one employee complaining about it online. They also are forced to make deliveries. They can choose to shadow a customer service representative to understand their perspective. This is expected of everyone from CEO to the engineers. Why? To allow the people working "higher up" in the company a perspective on how their product is actually functioning in real life scenarios. How is the program and software actually working for the delivery drivers? What are the types of complaints or feedback that the customer service department is receiving? You can test software all you want, and send out surveys all day long, but the best way to get actual real word experience is to live in it.
Thomas Edison didn't only have a weird habit for bringing his bright ideas back from the "twilight zone". He also had a technique for interviewing potential employees that might sound strange, but was also effective. He'd invited candidates out for a meal and then ordered soup for the table. The reason for this soup test was that the famous inventor wanted to see if the applicants added salt and pepper before tasting what was in their bowl, or if they waited until they tasted it before proceeding with the seasoning. Edison immediately rejected the premature seasoners, as he reasoned he didn't want employees who relied on assumptions. In his opinion, those who were content to abide by preconceived notions had no place in his business because the absence of curiosity and willingness to ask questions were antithetical to innovation.
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Feel like you are missing out on eureka moments? Take a nap! That is what Thomas Edison used to do. Edison is known to napped while holding a ball in each hand, presuming that, as he fell asleep, the orbs would fall to the floor and wake him. This way he could remember the sorts of thoughts that come to us as we are nodding off, which we often do not recall. Edison believed he was able to bring back useful ideas from the twilight zone between sleep and wakefulness. His long record of exceptional creativity suggests that the idea might not be as wacky as it first appears.
Modern science research is now backing it up. Published recently in Science Advances, a new study reports that we have a brief period of creativity and insight in the semilucid state that occurs just as we begin to drift into sleep. The findings imply that if we can harness that liminal haze between sleep and wakefulness--known as a hypnagogic state-we might recall our bright ideas more easily.
Researchers asked 103 volunteers to solve a math puzzle after trying a version of Edison's tennis ball nap trick while hooked up to a machine that monitors sleep. The subjects who hovered just on the edge of sleep - a stage modern sleep researchers refer to a N1 - were vastly better at cracking the tricky problem.
If we want to try this ourselves, researchers suggest setting an alarm for 20 minutes into the future, and simply allowing your mind to drift. You may sometimes fall too deeply asleep to maximize creativity, but many times the alarm might just catch you as you're drifting through the weird and fertile twilight zone of N1. Keep a notebook by your side to capture any ideas you retrieve.
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According to the great Bob Proctor we should think of our goals like a three-legged stool; if one leg is missing the stool fail to function properly. When it comes to your goals, if you haven't considered the "why", "what", and "how" then there is a good chance the goal will fail too. In today's episode we share some fantastic tips on goal setting strategies that Bob has used over the years. The man is a legend!
According to Bob, these are the five steps to creating the perfect goals for 2022:
Step 1: Make a list
Write down everything that comes to mind, especially things that feel like they are beyond your reach now.
Step 2: Choose the one you want most
Read through your answers and rate each one on a scale of 1 to 10 as it relates to how badly you want it. Then, pick the one you want more than anything else—something extraordinary and meaningful to you.
Step 3: Write down your “why”
Write out why you want to achieve the goal you chose. For instance, if your goal is to start your own business, your reason might be to be free to earn as much as possible or create a legacy.
Step 4: Create a goal card
Write and say your goal, as one meaningful statement, in the present tense, as if the good you desire is already in your possession.
Step 5: Read your goal card
When you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious mind comes up with ideas to make it happen. To keep your subconscious mind focused on what you want, carry your goal card with you at all times and read it several times every day.
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Have to admit, this is not the most exciting topic, but that doesn't mean it isn't important - Sales Tax! It is obviously imperative that you track and make any sales tax payments as required by state law. Luckily, QuickBooks Online takes something that is often complicated and makes it easier. You can set up the system to automatically track your sales tax when you make a sale. The sales tax center has everything you need to handle tax in QuickBooks Online. You can run reports for your sales tax liabilities, record or edit sales tax payments, and see your payment for different time periods.
Instead of manually calculating sales tax, let QuickBooks Online do the work for you. Add a sales tax category to your products and services to accurately calculate how much to tax your customers. The rules on how to tax a product or service can change depending on what you sell and where you sell it. QuickBooks Online keeps track of those tax rules, so you don’t have to. The taxability of a product or service can vary from state to state, and in some cases, city to city. Some specific products and services have special or reduced rates and fees.
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We start the week by reviewing a hierarchy of thinking styles presented by psychologist Adam Grant. In his 5-tier pyramid, he reveals the how the vast majority of us process our day to day lives - and, consequently, grow or stagnate. It's simple, really: The best of the all thinkers are able to say, "I might be wrong." They welcome outside voices, opinions, perspectives. They lean on evidence without dismissing emotional impact. In sum, they're learners -- they always want to know more. And that knowing is not just information gathering; it's learning new processes, new systems, entirely new ways of thinking. The best thinkers are not afraid to overturn the proverbial apple cart.
We end the episode discussing a new program that Dan has started using that has made a dramatic impact on his daily work flow. The program is called Shift and it allows the management and compartmentalization of several email accounts into one program. Each account has its own working area complete with calendar, Google Drive if applicable, and browser tabs. The program is not free, but it is extremely useful for anyone who manages multiple email accounts and works in many different areas throughout a given day like Dan does.
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Another jam packed week is in the books. The focus, as always, should be on being effective, not busy. This week we accomplished that goal. We are going to end the week on a lighter note with some truths about life, some brutal and some beautiful. Two contrasting yet complimentary lists that offer some reminders about the way things are. As always, please make sure you are setting aside the time today to review your calendar, task lists, etc. and set yourself up for success heading into the weekend.
Now, about the lists. Some of the truths are truly brutal. For example, we are going to die, as are everyone we love. So start structuring your life in a meaningful way and tell the people you love how you care about them. On the beautiful side, remember that you will fail and more than likely nobody will notice! We all fail so don't beat yourself up about it. Remember, everyone is scared, not just you. All the stuff that holds you back: fear, inertia, complacency? Billions of other people also feel it. There's no shame in fear. Just don't let it rule you. You can't make everyone happy, and if you try, you'll lose yourself.
Your material wealth won't make you a better or happier person. Your obsession with finding happiness is what prevents its attainment. Live in the moment, appreciate what you already have. Investing in yourself isn't selfish. It's the most worthwhile thing you can do. People might not remember your name, but they will certainly remember how you made them feel. Clichés are true, and one of the truest is that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
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Are reviewing your company finances at some point this week a priority? They better be! Sometime each week you should have an appointment to review your company finances. Make it a priority and make it happen just like you would a doctors appointment. Review your accounts payables and receivables, jobs in progress, cash flow, and job profitability reports. It is the foundation of your company.
The rest of the episode is a bit of a love letter to Apple. Last week they became the first company worth 3 Trillion dollars. Trillion with a T. The ascent to these heights started back in 2007 when the iPhone was announced and launched. It is truly a breakthrough device and revolutionized the way we communicate and interact with the world. Pretty good chance you listen to this podcast on one...
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Many of us have goals set for the new year, but why? Why did we set these specific goals? What do they mean to us? Can you visualize yourself achieving it? Can you feel it? Those are the big questions of today's episode. Many of us, Dan included sometimes, start from the outside in when setting our goals. We determine what we want, and then how we are going to achieve it, and sometimes then figure why we want it. Instead, we should be starting from the inside out. Start with the why. Why is this goal important to you? Why did you open this company?
The why of Blue Collar Back Office is to help small businesses. That is the core of why we do what we do. The how is through our bookkeeping and coaching services, and the what is the result of that - loyal and successful clients and a profitable company. If we focused from the outside in we would not be where we are today. If our why was just to make a profit our clients wouldn't be as loyal or successful, we wouldn't be driven to go the lengths we do to service them, and our "product" and sales would suffer.
As you set personal goals ask yourself the same question. Are these goals really what you want or are they the goals that you think you are supposed to want? It is common for people to set goals based on the expectations of society, their family, friends, etc. You have a much greater chance of achieving goals that align with your why than those that don't. It is easy to give up on a goal that is really somebody else's. Goals should inspire and motivate you. You should be able to visualize yourself achieving it.
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First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA! You are an absolute joy and source of so much happiness in my life. Love you. Next, we jump into our Technical Tuesday topic of the week, and this week it is 1099s. QuickBooks Online gives you the ability to track, send, and file 1099 forms for your independent contractors so you can be prepared with it's time to file with the IRS and stay compliant.
Sometimes the line between an independent contractor and an employee is fuzzy. It’s important to know the difference in order to comply with IRS tax rules. 1099 workers are also known as self-employed workers or independent contractors. These workers receive a 1099 form to report their income on their tax returns. W-2 workers are also known as employees. Your company employs these workers directly, and they receive regular pay and employee benefits. You’ll use a W-2 tax form to report annual compensation and payroll taxes withheld from their compensation. Every small business owner should understand the differences between these classifications and when to hire a W-2 versus 1099 worker. But the differences aren’t always clear.
There is no magic formula to determine whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. But the IRS does offer some guidance. Three categories determine the degree of control you have over a worker.
- Behavioral: Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does their job?
- Financial: Does the company or payer control the business aspects, like how it pays the worker? Are the worker’s expenses reimbursed? Who provides the tools and supplies needed to get the job done?
- Type of relationship: Do you have employee policies or offer employee-type benefits like pension, insurance, and vacation pay? Is the work performed a key aspect of the business? Will the relationship continue once the work is done?
Some of your answers to the above questions may indicate the worker is an employee. Others may indicate the worker is a 1099 contractor. It’s up to you to consider all the factors, determine the extent of control over the worker, and thoroughly document your final decision.
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Another action packed week is upon us! For today's main topic, Dan is sharing some tips on how to be a better boss. It isn't all about the numbers, it is about the individuals. As you create and expand your team, it is important to remain focused on some fairly simple rules to help put the people around you in the best position to be successful. While sales and profit are important, the numbers are the result of how you manage people, not how you manage numbers. The only way to get better numbers (regardless of your measurements scheme) is to improve the performance of the individuals who work for you.
Here is a recap of the rules:
MANAGE individuals, not numbers
ADAPT your style to each person
MEASURE what's truly relevant
ONLY one priority per person
STAY even-tempered
TAKE responsibility for your unsatisfactory performance
SHARE your thoughts and ideas
ASK questions rather than always providing answers
TREAT everyone as equally as possible
DON'T expect more than you're willing to give
EXPLAIN the reasoning behind your decisions
DON'T procrastinate, decide now!
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First week of 2022 in the books! Today we cover 2 questions that came up in a conversation earlier this week. The first question is how to deal with an employee that is not meeting expectations, is confrontational with other employees, and does not handle constructive criticism well. Most people see three options. You can fire them, you can get more unfiltered and lash out, or you can keep silent. There is a fourth option that is not always possible, but it may be worth trying - you can attempt to help them change themselves.
You can't change people, and you can't nag them until they do. People resist being changed. It triggers a defensive and resistant attitude. They see you as a critic instead of an ally. Instead try to build a trust with the employee through understanding. Seek to understand what their issues are. Ask their permission to have a conversation about some of the issues you are experiencing. It might not work, but it is worth the try especially if you feel the employee adds value to your business.
The next question was in regards to taking things off your plate. There is only so much time in the day, and only so many things we are capable of before we burn out. So after listening to a client list all of the plans they wanted to start implementing in 2022, Dan asked a simple question - What are you going to stop doing?
The answer was fantastic. They are going to stop taking control. They like to have their hands in everything and try to shape the outcome of every project that comes across their desk. This behavior, while common, can lead to a lot of problems down the line. Not only does it severely limit the focus and attention you have for high-value projects, but it can cause you to lose good team members along the way. No one likes to be micromanaged. Trust you employees to handle the tasks you hired and trained them to do.
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It might be Dan's favorite day of the entire work year! Not only is it a Thursday where he will get to go over his company finances and cash flow, it is the first Thursday of the year! That means reviewing all of 2021. How did we do compared to our budget? How did we do compared to 2020? As always, please make sure you are setting aside the time each week to review the company financials. It is essential to your success.
We are also excited to announce a new team member here at Blue Collar Collar Back Office! Lisa Addeo is joining us the Director of Client Services and Business Development. Lisa has more than 20 years of contracting and accounting expertise. She will be at the forefront of expanding our business through client relations, community outreach, partnerships, and marketing. Lisa works with our existing clients to identify areas of need and the implementation of best practices.
Lisa’s experience includes the position of Director of Operations at Transwestern’s New Jersey office overseeing the day to day operations, finance, compliance activities, marketing and public relations and Chief Financial Officer for a New Jersey residential developer where she managed the daily office and financial operations along with overseeing all redevelopment projects. Lisa also worked with Avison Young for 11 years as Vice President of Finance and Operations where she managed all aspects of the Construction/Project Management divisions.
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Today's episode is chock full of tips/rules you can apply to help you achieve what they call "higher emotional intelligence". Want to accomplish your career goals? Focus on 5 instead of 25. Having a hard time getting started on a big project? Make a deal with yourself that you will only work on it for 5 minutes. If after 5 minutes you really want to quit working on it you can, but in the meantime you have "tricked" your brain from thinking something was huge and overwhelming to making it a small and manageable task.
Before you respond to an email or speak up in a meeting, ask yourself the following questions:
Does this need to be said?
Does this need to be said by me?
Does this need to be said by me, now?
How will I feel about this in:
a day?
a week?
a month?
a year?
Plenty more good tips shared throughout the episode.
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Today we wrap up our deep dive into The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. The book and its teachings can be transformative for your life and business. However, like an airplane getting knocked off its course, things won't always go as planned 100% of the time. That's ok! Don't get discouraged! When you have a plan, and the ability to make small adjustments you can get yourself to right destination.
To help remember the immense amount of information that is shared in the book they were nice enough to provide 21 Highly Effective Practices that will help along the way.
Habit 1:
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Pause and respond based on principals and desired results.
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Use proactive language.
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Focus on your Circle of Influence.
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Become a Transition Person.
Habit 2:
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Define outcomes before you act.
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Create and live by a personal mission statement.
Habit 3:
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Focus on your highest priority.
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Eliminate the unimportant.
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Plan every week.
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Stay true in the moment of choice.
Habit 4:
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Build your Emotional Bank Account with others
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Have an Abundance Mentality
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Balance courage and consideration.
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Consider other people's wins as well as your own.
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Create Win-Win Agreements.
Habit 5:
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Practice Emphatic Listening.
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Respectfully seek to be understood.
Habit 6:
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Value differences.
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Seek 3rd Alternatives.
Habit 7:
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Achieve the Daily Private Victory
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Balance production and production capability.
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We are back! After an update on Tucker's recovery we jump right into the new year. On most Monday's we talk about organization, structure, scheduling, goal setting, etc. and what better Monday to do it than the first one of the year! There are going to be lots of urgent items popping up over the next couple days, weeks, and months, but if you have done the work up front to set your goals and schedule it can all be managed without getting overwhelmed.
Didn't spend any time of the last few weeks of 2021 setting up your goals, budgets, schedule? That's ok! Today is new opportunity! Lay out your goals for the year. Breakdown the steps that you need to take to achieve those goals (because they are going to be reached magically). Start working on your weekly schedule so you can focus on what is important, not just what it is urgent. Start putting in the work today!
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Shorter and completely personal episode. The last 10 days or so have been quite the experience, and the next 10 days will be challenging and will require Dan to focus his attention elsewhere. With that being Thank you all for listening throughout the year and the incredible feedback you have sent. Daily episodes will be back soon. Until then be kind to yourself and the people around you. Put good out into the world, and you will get good back.
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Has there ever been someone in your life who believed in you even when you didn't believe in yourself? I think most people have. That person was seeing your potential, not labeling you or seeing your past. That is something we can strive to do for other people. It won't always be easy, but it is certainly worth the effort.
We wrap up today's episode and the week talking about balance. Balance in our organization and how it relates to our personal PC. Just as we must be balanced in what Stephen calls our 4 dimensions (physical, mental, spiritual, social) we must also seek that balance in our companies. A company that focuses only on profit (physical) can lead to a toxic culture inside the company. A company that only focuses on the social aspect while ignoring everything else won't be around too long - money is required to run a business! Just like in our personal lives we want to seek out that balance in our companies.
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Taking care of the physical dimension of our nature is pretty straightforward and easy to understand. The spiritual, mental, and social/emotional? Not as much, but equally as important and not as hard as you might think. All of these require a proactive commitment to improvement whether it be through reflection of our personal mission statement, spending more time reading and less time watching Netflix, or just practicing the habit of seeking first to understand and then to be understood. "Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things I am tempted to think there are no little things." - Bruce Barton
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Today we start our conversation about Habit 7 - Sharpen The Saw from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Habit 7 is about personal PC. It is preserving and enhancing the greatest asset we have - ourselves! Stephen breaks it down into four dimensions of our nature - physical, spiritual, mental, and social/emotional. Today we discuss the physical aspect. The single most important investment we can make is in ourselves. We must be proactive and act upon it. It doesn't require as much time as you think, and the benefits are staggering.
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Technical Tuesday is back!! Following up on our topic from yesterday in regards to overhead, today we discuss the ability inside of QuickBooks Online to create budgets for individual jobs and then track your progress throughout the job. Especially on larger jobs, this tools is extremely useful in helping to identify any areas where adjustments may be necessary and help with cash flow management. What you don't know can hurt you!
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We start the week by talking about one of the most important topics Dan can think of - Overhead! Understanding the company overhead and how to apply it to estimating and job costing is vital to your success. It is not a complicated process once you understand the math and how to apply it. The most effective strategy in our opinion is calculating your overhead as a percentage of your cost of goods sold. Some good nuggets in this episode - give it a listen!
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We wrap up another great week talking about a few tasks we can work on that will set us up for success down the road. After identifying goals for next year, Dan recently worked with a client to review their website. Why? Because the client had rightly identified their website as a key tool in reaching their goals for next year so they recently had it revamped and wanted a fresh perspective on it. Next, we review an article that highlights the 5 most common red flags in job postings that may be keeping you from finding the perfect candidates you are looking for.
While Dan is no website expert, he is a fresh set of eyes and sometimes that is all you need. While reviewing the website Dan was able to identify a couple of very minor tweaks that could be made to increase the user experience. This isn't about Dan's proofreading skills however, this is about taking the time to make it a priority to work on things of this nature that could pay off down the road. The client has lofty goals for next year, and decided that their website was going to be a key tool in helping to land new clients and achieve those goals. Identifying now the steps and tools required to reach next years goals and then making it a priority to work on them is an extremely proactive and smart approach.
Next we discuss an interesting article in regards to job posting. Many companies right now are looking to hire, and the article points out 5 common errors that job posting have that may impact the amount and quality of candidates they receive:
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Not listing the salary range. Salary is the most important part of the job ad. Listing the salary as competitive is not going to cut it. In addition to turning off many candidates, it could also end up with you receiving resumes from candidates whose salary requirements are far above what you are willing to pay therefor wasting your time and theirs.
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Using obscure (aka creative) job titles. Don't list an opening for Chief Happiness Officer when you are really looking for a Human Resource Manger.
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Role requirements are inaccurate. In an attempt to get more candidates you lower the bar for what is required for the job, but in reality you are only lowering it for the listing, not the position itself. This will result in a lot of wasted time on all sides. If the job requires a certain amount of experience or education then list it that way.
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You fail to include what you are looking for. This falls under listing only hard skills required, not necessarily the soft skills you are looking for. Want someone who is a team player? Say so. Want someone who is a night owl and enjoys working nights instead of morning? Say so.
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Asking for a cover letter. A cover letter is basically a recap of the resume you are already looking at. Forget about them, and instead ask important interview questions inside your posting to help weed through applicants and find the best ones to interview.
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So, today's podcast has some, uh, very important information, right? Doesn't sound too confident does it? Today Dan is airing some dirty laundry. About his actions and his words, and reminding everyone that every single one of us is a work in progress. One of the topics you might have guessed is the use of filler words and phrases in our speech and how it impacts our credibility with others. Dan has some work to do...
First of all, it is our favorite day of the work week and we start with a friendly reminder to make sure you are scheduling time each week to review your company finances. Go over your in-progress jobs, accounts receivables report, accounts payables report, cash flow analysis, etc. It is extremely important to the success of your company, so put it on your schedule like you would any other appointment.
With that being said, Dan then covers a couple of areas that he needs to improve. The first being scheduling. Despite all the talk over the past few weeks and months about using a weekly schedule and focusing on being effective, there is one item for a client that had been hanging out there not getting done. It was important, but it was not urgent. Every week, Dan and Gina would discuss it, and tentatively set up a time to do it, but it would never get done. Something urgent is always right around the corner. So this task kept getting pushed off. Not anymore! The task was scheduled and put on the calendar like any other appointment would be, and now it is done. It's not that hard. You won't be perfect at it, but over time you will get better at it. Start doing it today.
Next, we discussed the use of filler words and phrases. This is another area where Dan has a lot of work to do. He even used one of the filler words several times while discussing the subject of not using them! It's a hard habit to break, but if you work on it you can do it. Eliminating these phrases will increase your confidence and your credibility with your audience (even if your audience is just one person).
Avoid these five filler words or phrases:
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So.
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Uh.
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Right?
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You know.
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I mean.
This is not easy. One way to identify if you are using any of these words or phrases is to record yourself speaking. Dan first noticed the use of one of these phrases after recording videos for the website. It was almost impossible to watch the video because there was an "uh" in between every sentence. Now he notices that he uses "so" a lot. Pick up any other filler words he uses too much? Call him out on it!
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Today we wrap up our mini deep dive into Habit 6 - Synergize. One of the keys to attaining synergy is to understand there is not always a right way and a wrong way. Two people can disagree and both can be right. Recognizing that, and then communicating to understand the differences and working together to find a better alternative is the key of synergy. There is almost always a third alternative, and when working in a Win/Win philosophy and really seeking to understand, we can usually find a solution that will be better for everyone involved.
To find 3rd alternatives, you have to first believe they exist. You have to set aside your ego and acknowledge that you need the collective intelligence of everyone involved to find the best solution. Life is a team sport. This won't work all of the time, but it will most of the time. If you think synergy is corny or unrealistic and that it is either your way or my way then you will never achieve synergistic results.
Synergy doesn't just happen. You have to get there. If you are not sure where to start, Sean Covey offers this simple five-step process:
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Define the problem or opportunity
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Their way (seek first to understand the ideas of others)
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My way (seek to be understood by sharing your ideas)
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Brianstorm (create new options and ideas)
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High way (find the best solution)
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When does 1+1 not equal 2? When you Synergize! Today we jump into Habit 6 from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Simply defined, synergy means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It is not merely compromising, it is reaching a higher level of communication and results. This habit is a culmination of the previous habits as we strive to reach our full potential.
The essence of synergy is to value differences. Understand that you don't have all the answers, and open yourself up to creative cooperation. Many of us, Dan included, tend to hold firm to our beliefs in how a situation should be handled, problem solved, etc. When someone presents an alternative we sometimes to get defensive of our position, and block ourselves off from understanding a potential better path forward. We may compromise and accept "defeat" in some areas, but are we are not working in cooperation to find a new, better alternative. All parties involved must be open to this synergy and communication for it to work.
Synergy requires trust and cooperation. It also requires a strong foundation inside ourselves to be open to other peoples ideas and strategies. Whe trust and cooperation are low you end up in Win/Lose or Lose/Win situation. When trust and cooperation are "medium" you end up with respectful conversations, etc. and compromise. When trust and cooperation are high that is when you can achieve Win/Win results through synergy.
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We are back! After an enjoyable holiday weekend it is time to hit the ground running for the final stretch of the year. The next few weeks are going to throw a lot at us to keep us busy both professionally and personally so let's make sure we are setting ourselves up to be successful by identifying and scheduling our most important tasks. A little bit of time and effort up front will lead to pay dividends throughout the week.
Before jumping into our next deep dive of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, Dan wanted to get back into the podcast routine by reminding everyone to spend time this week putting together their weekly schedule if they have not done so already. Dan has identified 17 key items that he needs to accomplish this week. Not all of them have to do with work. Not all of them will have an immediate impact on the business. But all of them are important. Some are time sensitive. Some are the groundwork for goals set for next year. Every single one is important to having an effective week.
The next several weeks are going to be extremely hectic. The holidays are right around the corner, and so is 2022. Whatever our goals are for next year, they are not going to happen by themselves, and most likely they are not going to happen with the completion of just one task. Start by identifying the steps that need to take place to reach your goal, and then identify the first best step you can take to achieve it. Put that on your weekly schedule. Make incremental progress towards your larger goals and start feeling the positive effects of a focus on being effective.
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Road trip day! Time to head back down south, but not before ending the week with some time management tips! How do you get on top of all those cash flow management items we discussed yesterday? By making it a priority!! You need to schedule the time in your week to go over your company financials the same way you would schedule a doctors appointment. Take control of your day. Don't let your day control you.
We are flooded everyday with emails, text messages, phone calls, etc. Many of them will be urgent, but the main question is are they important? As we have been discussing over the past several weeks, it is not necessarily important to be busy, it is important to be effective. Being effective is dedicating time to work on the things that are important, not just urgent. Our inboxes can easily take over our day and have us bouncing from one task to the next, but at the end of the day will we have spent any time working on the important things to our business?
One of the major shifts Dan has implemented based on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is creating a weekly schedule and then working off of that. It has been transformative. Take the 20-30 minutes over the weekend and determine what are the most important items for your to accomplish or dedicate time to this week. It can in both your professional and personal life. Then schedule them out accordingly. As the week goes on you can make adjustments daily, but the clear guideline to help you throughout the week will pay off.
Lastly, this is likely the last episode until after Thanksgiving unless a surprise episode appears next week. Thank you all for listening, and have a wonderful holiday with your families. Dan is thankful for all of you and your support throughout the year. Be well.
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What do we like to talk about on Thursday? Company financials! The seminar went great yesterday, and not surprisingly one of the main topics was cash flow management. Managing you cash flow is way more than just calling on clients with past due invoices. It is also more than just receiving money. Paying bills and developing a good reputation is part of your cash flow management as well. Increase your buying power, influence, and overall success by making cash flow management a priority!
We have discussed the past the importance of starting the invoicing procedure before the job has even began. Contracts and estimates should spell out clearly the payment terms and include deposit and progress payments if applicable. This will help maintain a steady flow of cash to cover expenses and overhead throughout the project. You should be reviewing your in progress jobs on a weekly basis to ensure that your billings and expenses are inline with each other.
Also make sure your invoices and clear and easy to understand. When something is difficult or confusing, people tend to push it off. If your invoices are confusing, and you don't provide an easy way to accept payment you can expect it take longer to receive payment. Many companies offer ACH and credit card payments. Make it easy and get paid faster.
Paying your bills on time is also a big part of cash flow management. Want to increase your buying power and influence? Want to attract reliable subcontractors who do their work on time and at a high level? Pay your bills on time! Your ability to negotiate better pricing will improve, and who is the subcontractor more likely to help in a pinch when something comes up - the person who pays their bills on time or the person they have to constantly chase down and beg for payments?
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Today is the day! The Blueprint for Curing Contractor Business Headaches seminar is happening today at 12pm and it is going to be great! Dan is a contractor, and speaks with tons of contractors so he knows a thing or two about the headaches we all deal with. Time to share some insights on how to work on your business and limit those problems going forward. Dan also shares a fantastic story about LEGO that shows once again why they have such a high customer satisfaction and loyalty rating. They do things right!
Just about everyone has built with LEGO at some point in their lives. Just about everyone has also lost some LEGO pieces at some point in their lives. It happens. LEGO receives almost 4 million phone calls per year from customers, and over a third of them have to do with missing pieces. Most of the time it is the company's fault (missing from package, etc.) but occasionally it is not. Regardless of who is at fault, guess what they do? They take care of it! LEGO does not focus on the problem, they focus on the solution, and the goal is to delight the customer.
Their customer service interactions are based around something they call "freaky". Freaky stands for FRKE, which is short for fun, reliable, knowledgable, and engaging. That is what they train and want all of their customer service representatives to be. Their staff is empowered to go above and beyond to exceed their customer's expectations. It is why they have of the highest customer satisfaction and loyalty ratings of any country in the world. Do right by your customers and it will pay off.
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Today we wrap up our deep dive into Habit 5 from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood is something we can start practicing today. We can always make that choice to seek to understand. It might not be easy, but the opportunity is always there, and the impact it can have on your professional and personal relationships is huge.
The time you invest you deeply understand the people you love, care about, work with, etc. brings tremendous dividends in open communication. Communication is free and easy. You have accurate information to work with which allows you to actually address the needs and concerns more quickly and effectively. The trust between the two people grows which increases the ability for you to influence each other. The more you understand someone, the more you will appreciate them.
This goes in your business and professional life as well. Make time to listen to and understand your employees. Make time to listen to and understand your clients. Make the human element as important as the financial or technical element. When you do you will see that they are all intertwined. When you listen, you learn.
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We are almost done with Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood. Today we talk cover some questions and answers supplied by Stephen's son Sean at the end of the chapter that relate to how hard it is to implement this habit, when you should be using the Emphatic Listening techniques, and what happens if you aren't genuine in your attempts to understand.
At the end of each chapter in the 30th anniversary edition Sean Covey shares some additional insights and comments regarding each habit. In this habit he treated it like a Q&A session that provided some valuable information.
Should you use Habit 5 all the time?
No! There is a time and place for Emphatic Listening. Use Emphatic Listening in situations where the topic is important or sensitive, emotions are high, of if you are having a communication problem. It does not need to be used in everyday, casual conversation. It is ok to point out to somewhere where the bathroom is without truly understanding why they need to go to it.
Why is Habit 5 so hard?
It is hard because we are trained and wired to think from our perspective. It is hard for almost everyone. We listen with an agenda and an intent to respond.
Does use of email and text change anything about Habit 5?
Yes! Email and text strip out the tone of voice, facial expressions, etc. from a conversation that help us empathize. It can lead to miscommunication and hurt feelings. Anytime you are dealing with and important or emotional issue, it is highly recommended you deal with it in person or at the very least over the phone.
What if you can't get to a resolution through Emphatic Listening?
Resolving conflict isn't the actual goal of Emphatic Listening - understand is. Not every problem or conflict can be solved.
Sometimes when I try Emphatic Listening, the other person feels like I am using a technique?
The intent must be genuine. If someone feels you are just using a technique it will erode trust and work against the relationship, not for it. You must feel confident in yourself to allow yourself to be influenced by this other person in order to truly understand their point of view.
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We have been working all week on Habit 5 from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey - Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood. So far we have focused on the understanding side of it, today we start to work on being understood. It is equally critical in reaching Win/Win agreements. Seeking to understand requires consideration; seeking to be understood requires courage. Win/Win requires a high degree of both.
Stephen writes about a fantastic early Greek philosophy that in his words contains the essence of seeking first to understand, then to be understood - ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is your personal credibility. Pathos is your emphatic side - your relationships. Logos is the logic or reasoning part of a presentation. The order of the words is important. First your character, then your relationships, then the logic. Too many times people skip the first two parts and go right to the logic without considering the first two parts and how they are perceived by the person you are presenting to.
When you can work in order and present your ideas clearly, specifically, and in context to what the other person's needs and concerns are you significantly increase the effectiveness of your presentation. You are no longer in your own head about the presentation or the result. You really understand what the desired outcome is for BOTH parties, and your chances of making a highly effective presentation sky rockets.
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Typically, we all listen with the intent to reply. We want to share our thoughts, expertise, advise, etc. However, if we share that information before we really understand what the person is saying we are not making a true connection. When people have a problem or concern and you listen with a pure desire to understand, it is amazing how quickly they open up to you. Sometimes they even solves their own problems!
Usually when we listen to someone speak we respond in one of four ways. We evaluate - we either agree or disagree; we probe - the equivalent of playing 20 questions; we advise - we give advise based on our own experiences; or we interpret - we just to figure people out. It is a natural way for almost all of us to listen, but it impedes our ability to truly understand someone. How can someone open up to us if they feel they are constantly being evaluated based on what they say for example?
There are four developmental stages to Emphatic Listening:
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Mimic Content - basically just repeat back word for word what the other person has said. It can be insulting to the other person if it is not sincere, but at least you are listening
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Rephrase the Content - slightly more effective, but you are just taking their words and rephrasing them. Again, at least you are listening.
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Reflect Feeling - Now you are starting to listen to what is being said, and trying to understand the feeling behind it. Even if you are incorrect it shows that you are listening and concerned.
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Rephrase the Content and Reflect the Feeling - The person knows you are listening, knows you are trying to understand their perspective, and this can lead to great communication.
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Would you continue to go see a doctor that gives out prescriptions before diagnosing the problem? Probably not! Seeking first to understand before wanting to be understood is along the same lines. It is a critical trait for all professionals. How can we meet our client's needs without first understanding what they are? Are we selling products or are we selling solutions?
As a consumer or patient, etc. if we don't have confidence in the diagnosis, we won't have confidence in the solution. If Dan spent every conversation with a prospective client rattling off what HE thinks is great about Quickbooks Online for example before finding out what the client's needs are chances are he won't actually be pitching something they are interested in. Instead of selling a solution to their problems, he would simply be selling a product. Without emphatic listening and true understanding of the client there will be no way to know how to meet their needs, and if there is even a good fit or possibility of serving them properly.
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When someone is speaking do you listen? REALLY listen? Unfortunately, many of us do not and that is a problem. Today we discuss the concept of Emphatic Listening. It involves not listening with the intent to merely reply, but to truly understand what the person is feeling and dealing with. Most people listen with the intent to reply, we are either speaking or preparing to speak. It undercuts our ability to understand and actually address whatever the issue is.
According to Stephen there are 4 levels of speaking:
Ignoring - not listening at all
Pretending - "Yeah. Uh-huh. Right"
Selective - Only picking out parts of the conversation
Attentive - Truly focused on listening to each word, but again mostly for the purpose of being able to respond.
Emphatic Listening takes it to the next level. We are only seeking to understand. To truly put ourselves in their shoes and see the world through their point of view. In addition to helping create better communication, emphatic listening will also help cultivate amazing bonds of trust because that person will know how much you value them because you are seeking to understand them.
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Big announcement at the top of the podcast about the upcoming seminar on Wednesday 11/17/21. Dan will be making a presentation to discuss the headaches that almost all contractors deal with and some tips on how to solve them. Next, we start our deep dive into Habit 5 - Seek first to understand, then to be understood - from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Far too often we have a tendency to rush in with our good advice without taking the time to actually diagnose the problem. Communication is the most important skill we have in life, and we have spent years being taught how to read, write, and speak. What about listening? Have any of us been trained on how to properly listen and truly understand another person's point of view? Listening and understanding are the two main components of this habit. It is not easy. We all want to help. We all want to talk. We can't truly help however if we don't know the problem.
Check out the website for more information www.bcbousa.com
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We end the week with a little wisdom shared by General Colin Powell. Among his many accolades is that he was the first Black officer to be named a four-star general commanding troops. This episode has nothing to do with his political beliefs or anything along those lines. He established and wrote about many times his 13 rules of effective leadership and we share them with all of you today. Check out the website for more info www.bcbousa.com
RECAP
General Colin Powell had a compelling and complicated legacy. In addition to being the first Black officer to be named a four-star general commanding troops, he was also chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and eventually Secretary of State. Of course, his biggest legacy may be the way he pushed inaccurate intelligence information in support of the invasion of Iraq in the early 2000's. However, in his also known for, especially in military circles, for his 13 rules of effective leadership. He used these rules to guide him and lead many people throughout the years. We share them with you today:
Rule No. 1: It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. A wonderful rule to start with, since it encourages you to strip anxiety and fear from your decision-making.
Rule No. 2: Get mad, and then get over it. Anger is part of the normal range of human emotions. Better to feel it, acknowledge it, and let it go before it negatively affects your decision-making.
Rule No. 3: Don't become so attached to an argument that if it fails, your ego goes with it.
Rule No. 4: It can be done. Always start out believing you can get it done until facts and analysis pile up against it. Have a positive and enthusiastic approach.
Rule No. 5: Be careful what you choose. You may get it.
Rule No. 6: Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
Rule No. 7: You can't make someone else's decisions. (And don't let others make yours.)
Rule No. 8: Check small things.
Rule No. 9: Share credit. People need recognition and a sense of worth as much as they need food and water.
Rule No. 10: Remain calm and be kind. Anxiety breeds anxiety; calm begets calm.
Rule No. 11: Have a vision.
Rule No. 12: Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
Rule No. 13: Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
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It is hard to believe sometimes, but 2022 is almost here. As we aim to finish 2021 on high, make sure we are also setting aside some time in the next few weeks to start our planning for next year. The work you put in now can lead to a big payoff next year. We also discuss some techniques that can improve your communication and relationships. Check out the website for more info www.bcbousa.com
RECAP
There are less than 2 months left in 2021. It is busy. The holidays are coming. There are going to be a lot of things that are going to distract us in the next 8 weeks or so. Now is the time to set some time aside on your weekly schedule to start planning for next week. Evaluate your goals. Evaluate your sales processes. Review your website and content. Make a budget. Review your staffing, equipment, and inventory needs if applicable. The work you put in now will pay off next year.
Next, we discuss some techniques or tips to help improve your communication. According to an article Dan read these techniques are an indication of your emotional intelligence.
Think ahead of time of your ideal outcome. Fairly straightforward, and does not have to be anything dramatic. Before each conversation visualize a preferred outcome for it, even if it as simple you want to go out for Italian tonight and you hope your spouse doesn't pick Chinese.
Pay attention and stay focused. It is extremely demoralizing when someone you are talking to looks down at their phone or spaces out from the conversation. Don't be that person. Limit distractions by minimizing open screens, putting your phone face down, etc. Stay focused in the conversation. Just as important, look focused! Don't wander your eyes around the room, etc. and be aware of your facial expressions.
Pay attention to your pace, timing, and length of time you are talking. This is something Dan struggles with. He talks fast, and sometimes it can lead to miscommunication. Control your pace, and remember that this is a conversation, not a monologue so don't be the only one talking. Give the other person an opportunity to speak, and really listen to what they are saying. It will allow you to address any concerns they have and make a real connection with them.
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Whether you call Employee Engagement, Employee Satisfaction, or Employee Empowerment, the goal is to have employees that are actively involved and giving their best effort. That isn't always an easy thing to accomplish, but today we cover a few things to take into consideration to help you get there. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Simply stated, employee engagement is the alignment of individual aspirations and organizational goals to better drive both business results and personal ambitions. Without an engaged staff, managers have a tough time accomplishing much--let alone the best--work possible. If employees are engaged in their work, they have a greater desire to work harder, to be more productive and to be more responsible in completing work to the best of their ability. When organizations make employee engagement a priority, they can obtain increased organizational profitability, productivity, flexibility, and employee retention, and better be able to attract talent as well.
What are 3 ways to get greater employee engagement? Recognition, or more specifically, recognition for high performance. It's a simple concept: "thank workers when they do a good job." Most people in a recent study considered themselves to be overworked and under appreciated. That is not a formula for good employee engagement. Career development is next - people want to know that they have a future with the company. They don't want to get themselves into a "dead end" job with minimal chance for development. Lastly, the immediate manager. How an employees immediate manager engages with them and treats them plays a big role in one's engagement. The company mission statement and leadership may be great, but if the immediate managers are not cultivating that positive atmosphere on a individual basis you may end up with employees just going through the motions.
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Today we finish our deep dive into Habit 4 - Think Win/Win from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. We cover the systems and processes necessary for a Win/Win negotiation, and wrap up with some application suggestions to have more Win/Win agreements in your life. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Win/Win shifts the ownership of responsibility to the individual that is expected to achieve certain results. They know clearly what is expected of them, what parameters they must work in, what resources they have, and what the consequences of their results are. It is liberating for all parties involved. Typically people are much better at judging themselves anyway, and it creates an environment of cooperation and support. When people know what is expected of them, they don't want to disappoint you and more importantly themselves.
There is no way to make someone think Win/Win unfortunately. It has to come through the systems and then through negotiation. It is important in negotiations to try and take a principled approach. You are not negotiating with a person, you are negotiating a problem. Try and separate the two. First, try to really understand their point of view. What are their concerns? What are their needs? Understanding their position will help you create a Win/Win agreement for all parties. Identify the key problems and concerns for both parties. Determine what constitutes a Win for you, and consider what you think might constitute a Win for them. Then brain storm any ideas that will help both parties reach that goal.
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A brand new month is here! The rent is literally and figuratively due. Today we discuss the systems that must be in place inside your organization to cultivate Win/Win attitudes and agreements. There is a place for competition, but amongst your employees is not one of them. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Win/Win can only survive in your company if the systems support it. If the owners and management talk Win/Win, but all of the reward structures are Win/Lose you have a losing formula. You get out of people what you reward. If you reward competition and Win/Lose, then that is what you will get from your employees. If you reward cooperation and set goals that reflect your mission statement and company values then that is also what you will get. You can't just talk the talk. You have to walk the walk.
Competition has its place. Competition in the marketplace or amongst other offices where cooperation is not required, etc. Competition against last years numbers is a great example of healthy competition. It is about maximizing the potential of the company, and inspiring the employees to maximize their own potential. That can breed cooperation and true Win/Win results.
Often times, the problem is not the people, it is the system. A good person in a bad system is going to produce bad results. The systems of the company must support a Win/Win attitude, and it starts at the very top. The training system, communication system, planning system, compensation system, etc. all must support a Win/Win attitude.
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We wrap up another week and another month with a little relationship talk. Your relationship with people is key to developing Win/Win agreements. It starts with trust. Without trust, it is almost impossible to get to an agreement that will truly benefit everyone involved. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Our character is the foundation for creating Win/Win relationships. Trust inside the relationship is the key. Without trust, the best we can hope for is compromise. Without trust, we assume the other person is trying to win something over us, and vice versa. With trust, we can open communication. We know that we are both committed to understanding each other, and reaching an agreement that is mutually beneficial.
Attaining a Win/Win agreement with someone where there is no trust is difficult, but not impossible. You can build trust with a person by listening more. Don't focus on what you want to achieve or your "sales pitch". Really listen and understand their concerns and then address them. Have the courage to do the same and express your concerns and hope that they also listen. It is amazing how much you can accomplish when the people involved in the negotiation have a trust built up.
From relationships come the agreements. There are five key elements to a Win/Win agreement:
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Desired results (not methods)
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Guidelines - specify any parameters within which the results are to be accomplished
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Resources - identify any resources they have available to them to help them accomplish the results
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Accountability - set the standard of performance and when it will be evaluated
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Consequences - specify what will happen (good and bad) as a result of the evaluation
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Favorite day of the work week, and we are covering one of Dan't favorite topics - Abundance Mentality! My piece of the pie does not affect yours. There is infinite pie to be had. Take as big a piece as you want. There will be plenty left for the rest of us. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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There are some people (too many people) that have what is a called a Scarcity Mentality. They believe if someone has something or achieves success that means they cannot. If their piece of the pie is big, that means mine is smaller. The opposite is an Abundance Mentality. The understanding that there is plenty of success to go around for everyone.
People with a Scarcity Mentality have a hard time recognizing or appreciating other people's success. In even in their personal lives, they get jealous of what friends or family achieve because in their minds it means that they cannot have it. They might not outwardly say it, but they harbor those feelings. Instead of focusing on their own self-worth and what they can achieve, they compare themselves to others.
Dan strongly believes in the Abundance Mentality. As someone who believes so strongly in small businesses and has helped create a company that's main purpose is to help other small businesses be successful, the Abundance Mentality is essential. Abundance mentality is more than understanding there is success for everyone - it is sharing in recognition, prestige, decision making. It means working together, communicating openly, understanding that you are able to create more as a team then you ever could individually.
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Want to know something that is liberating? Going into a negotiation with a Win/Win or No Deal mentality. It eliminates a lot of pressure. If we can't find a solution that benefits us both, we agree to disagree - No Deal. This kind of thinking is a great way to build long term relationships with your clients. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Thinking Win/Win or No Deal is a liberating experience. There is no agenda to push. There is no feeling like a loser if you don't get your way. It is based on the idea that everyone involved needs to benefit, and if we can't then we simply do not make a deal. Using the Win/Win or No Deal approach is most realistic at the beginning of any business relationship, and it is something we use with every potential client here at Blue Collar Back Office. All of our clients our long term clients, and if at the beginning of the relationship we have not established an agreement that is mutually beneficial to both of us then it is doomed to fail.
There are five dimensions to Win/Win mentality according to Stephen. It begins with our character, moves to our relationships with other people, out of which will come agreements. These are supported by our systems and processes which nurture a Win/Win attitude. Character is the foundation of Win/Win. Without high character everything else will crumble.
Our character starts with integrity. Something we have discussed many times in the past throughout the first 3 habits. If we can't keep commitments to ourselves, how can we keep them to other people? If we haven't clearly defined our values, how can we proactively work and organize around them each day?
Next is maturity. Maturity is the balance between courage and consideration. It is having the courage to go after the things you really want, but also taking into consideration how it will affect those around you. A Win/Lose mentality his high on courage and low on consideration. A Lose/Win mentality is low on courage, but high on consideration. A Win/Win mentality is high on both, and what we should be striving for in every interaction.
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Our entire lives are not a competition. We do not have to lose for someone else to be successful, nor do we have to be in competition with everyone around us. Today we discuss the concept of Win/Win - where we are seeking agreements or solutions that are mutually beneficial and mutually satisfying to everyone involved. It does not apply to ALL areas of your life, but it should apply to many. Check out the website for more info www.bcbousa.com
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Most people tend to think in a win or lose mentality. It is something we are brought up throughout school, athletics, family, etc. While there are certain areas where there can only be a winner and a loser, having that mentality in all areas of your life is not the path to long term success. Today we break down 5 different types of thought for human interaction, especially in regards to your professional life (business owner, manager, etc.).
Win/Win - Win/Win seeks mutually beneficial and satisfying solutions. Everyone gets what they want out of the interaction, negotiation, etc. It is based on cooperation, not competition.
Win/Lose - Self explanatory - I want to win, so that means you lose. You may get more results in the short term, but the effect this attitude has on your relationships is damaging.
Lose/Win - These type of people are programmed for defeat. They let others push them around, always assume the worst is going to happen, and seek out acceptance or popularity by giving in.
Lose/Lose - Usually when two Win/Lose people are in competition with each other and decide that "If I can't win, no one can" or something similar. It is rooted in vengeance, and vindictive behavior that does not actually serve anyone.
Win - Don't necessarily think about care if someone else loses. Doesn't consider them at all. Only thinks about winning. That's it. Everything else is irrelevant.
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As we work our way through The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey we are now transitioning from the habits that result in "private victory" to the habits that result in "public victory". Our foundation must be strong before we can start to build upon it, and our relationships with other people in our lives play a huge role in our success. Check out the website for more info www.bcbousa.com
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Before we dive into Habit 4 "Think win-win" we cover the transition from private victory to public victory. Private victory must come first. We must be independent, and sure of our principled center, etc. before we can start to attract and make real change on the outside world. One of the real keys to success according to Stephen is interdependence. We are not relying on only ourselves to be effective and get things done. We are working with others, and utilizing all of our strengths as one to achieve true greatness. That starts with you, and your foundation, and your relationships with other people.
How people view and think of you will play a big role in your ability to achieve interdependence. It is important that not we not only focus on tasks and goals, but also on the relationships in our lives. We need to maintain that P/PC balance. We can help do that through carrying ourselves with integrity. Keeping our commitments. Being honest. Apologizing when me make mistakes. Take the time to understand the individuals in your life. Make real connections with them so that a trust and loyalty is built up between you.
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Let's end this week on a high note! Today's episode is chock full of tips and strategies from everything to dealing with a business crisis to adding a little more gratitude into your day. Plus, a friendly reminder from Gina that small habits can make a big difference. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It is finally Friday! What a hectic and at times crazy week it has been. It has been effective though! That is the goal right? To be effective, not just busy, so let's end the week strong and head into the weekend feeling good. At the top of the episode Dan shares a meme that Gina gave him detailing how small little habits have a big impact over the course of a year. Another little simple reminder that the small everyday choices we make have big implications in the long run. Make good choices!
Next, Dan shares information he read in an article about 3 easy habits to fuel your mind with some positivity. The world is filled with negative news - social media, news channels, etc. It works. Science shows that people respond more to negative news. It gets us to react and engage significantly more than positive news does. How do we get more positivity in our lives? Two of the tips have to do with reading! Reading is good for us if we are reading the right things. According to many successful CEOs across many industries two types of books stand out - biographies and progress books. Learn from the people who have already done it. Lastly, end each day with gratitude. Write down 3 things that you are grateful for that happened each day, and then review them the next morning when you get up. It is a great way to inject some positivity into each day.
The next article was about dealing with a business crisis. They happen. Some are worse than others, but they will strike, and when they do these 5 steps might make it easier to deal with.
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Get clear on the issue. Don't get locked into tunnel vision just dealing with the problem in front of you. Examine what happened, what is the root cause of the problem, and determine if there is actually a bigger problem that caused this problem that you need to address. Once you know what the real problem is it will be easier to take it on.
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Reduce the fear associated with the problem. Access what has happened and write out some possible outcomes and real risks. Could you lose clients? Income? Employees? Once you know what the real risks are you can create a better game plan.
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Visualize the worst case scenario. Imagine what would happen if you did nothing. Just let the problem run its course without you attempting to fix anything. What is the worst possible scenario? It will help put things in perspective.
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Create a game plan. Now you that you have identified the problem, the risks, and the worst possible outcome, put together a game plan to solve the real problem. Lay out what is the best first step to take. What things can I easily accomplish? Lay it all out.
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Find support. Finally, realize you don't need to do this all alone. Find and get the support you need to execute your game plan.
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Dan's favorite day of the work week is here again! In addition to the friendly reminders about spending some time going over your company financials and how important that is to your overall success, Dan also shares what he put together so far for his personal mission statement. Using the exercise of identifying his roles in life and goals associated to them has been extremely useful so he is sharing that with everyone. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Dan has not completed his personal mission statement. Yet. Not 100%. However, he did use the exercise shared in Habit 2 to identify his roles in life and then create goals associated with each of them. In the spirit of transparency, and in hopes it might inspire someone else to take up this exercise, Dan has decided to share them with everyone.
ROLES and GOALS
Uncle:
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Be someone Kevin and Emma can count on and trust.
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When I am with them give them 100% of my attention.
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Be a source of wisdom and guidance. Share my experiences.
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Be someone they respect, but also someone that they look at who is fun to be with. Don't just be another adult telling them what to do, but also don't be a pushover.
Friend:
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Be known as reliable and trustworthy.
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Keep my commitments to them.
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Make them laugh.
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Support them.
Family Member:
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Never allow them to be able to question my loyalty to them
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Keep my commitments
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Support them when needed
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Be honest and allow them to know the real me
Business Owner:
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Put the people that work here in the position to be successful
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Listen and learn
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Provide leadership through my actions, not my words
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Remember that I can not change my employees or clients, I can only change myself
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Provide focus and attention to whomever I am engaged with. Do not allow distractions to take away from my current task.
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Be honest and genuine
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Praise in public, ridicule in private
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Be effective, not busy
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Reach my daily potential
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Today we cover what some people might consider red flags in their lives that might actually be a good thing. Don't have many close friends? Good! You think you are wrong all the time? Great! Don't "feel" rich? Fantastic! You are probably better off than you realize. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Most people can't help but compare themselves to other people. We look at others who we consider more successful and try to figure out why - maybe they have more employees, more funding, more skills, more talented, etc. We also tend to look over our lives and seek out red flags. Problems, or at least what we think are problems, that might be holding us back. Today, we discuss an interesting article that pointed out 3 "red flags" that many people see in their lives that might actually be a sign that you are more successful than you realize.
The first being that you only have one or two "close" friends. Think of a close friend as someone you can call at any time day or night and that person would be there to help you. You need them, they come. Simple as that. No questions asked. Having only one or two close friends is a sign of success, a sign of independence and according to studies can increase your chances of survival compared to those who have many friends, but the bonds are not strong. It is ok to only have a couple of close friends, and then have plenty of people in your life that you share experiences with, have fun with, communicate with that aren't "close".
Next, if you tend to think you are wrong all of the time there is pretty good chance you are smarter than you realize. According to research, people with high ability tend to underestimate how good they are. They think if something is easy for them then it is likely just as easy for other people. Do you find yourself saying "I think..." as opposed to "I know..." often? It is a sign of wisdom. Wisdom comes from realizing that while you might know a lot, there is still a lot left to learn.
Finally, if you don't "feel" rich it might be because you have already reached a level of success where money isn't the only driving factor in your happiness. Money is important. We need it to pay bills, etc. However, at a certain threshold, money no longer has as big of an impact on your happiness, stress levels, etc. Increases in your income will make changes in some of the things you can buy, vacations, investments, etc. but it will not drastically change how you live your life. What is more important is how you feel about how you earn your money. Do you enjoy your job? Does it make you feel satisfied and happy? Those are the more important things to feel.
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Technical Tuesday is back! Today we cover an absolutely brilliant and easy to use feature in QuickBooks Online - receipt capture. This feature will save you hours, get you more organized, and eliminate a ton of clutter in your office. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Anyone here have a shoebox of receipts sitting in their office? Get rid of it! QuickBooks Online has a feature that will eliminate all of that clutter and save you tons of time. The receipt capture feature is available on all subscription levels. It is a feature that will increase productivity and make you more effective immediately.
There are 3 main ways to get receipts into QuickBooks Online. The first is to upload the image from your desktop into the Receipts center (under the banking tab). The second is to email the receipt to the custom email address you create through the system. The third is to utilize the QuickBooks Mobile App to take the picture and capture the receipt right through there.
Once uploaded, the system will work to extract information directly from the receipt. It will extract the amount, vendor information, make a suggestion for category of expense, etc. In the receipt center in QuickBooks Online you can review all of the receipts that have been uploaded. There you can make changes to the vendor, category, add memo notes, assign it to a customer, etc. Once you then create the expense the image is saved to the transaction for future reference if ever needed. If the transaction has already been processed through your bank feed and is on your register, the receipt center will notify you that a match has been found.
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We start our week by ending our deep dive into Habit 3 - Put First Things First from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Today we cover some application suggestions to get us started on the right path, and take an urgency addiction quiz that was truly eye opening. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It is time to start implementing Habit 3 into our lives. Shifting our focus to what is important, and spending as much time as possible in box 2. Stephen shared some application suggestions for doing this:
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Identify a Box 2 activity that you know you have neglected. One that, if done well, would have a significant in your life, either personally or professionally. Write it down and commit to implement it.
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Draw a time matrix and try to estimate how much time you spend each day in each box. Then log your time in 15 minute increments for 3 days. Were your estimates accurate? Are you satisfied with how you spend your time? What changes do you need to make?
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Make a list of responsibilities you can delegate and the people you could delegate them to or train to be responsible for these items. Then determine what is needed to start the delegation or training.
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Organize your week. Identify your roles, and then goals for each role for the week. Then transfer those goals to a specific action plan. At the end of the week evaluate your plan and see how effective it was.
5 Commit yourself to start organizing on a weekly bases and set up a regular time to do it.
Lastly Dan took an Urgency Addiction test that asks 16 questions on a scale of 0-4 to determine how "addicted" someone is to urgency. Dan is extremely addicted!! It is hard to let go of doing certain tasks. There is a small ego boost in solving someone's problem. In the long run it is not serving you though. This is a very tough habit to implement. It will take time. It will be worth it.
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Effective delegation is essential for both personal and organizational growth. It is hard to "let go" sometimes, but trying to do everything yourself is the not the path to being effective. Today we cover what two different types of delegation looks like, and how it can make a huge difference in your life and organization. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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We accomplish everything we do through some sort of delegation. We either delegate our time to accomplish it, or we delegate the task/responsibility to someone else. Sometimes people have a hard time delegating tasks because they thing to themselves "I can get this done quicker and probably better than so and so..." Delegating time comes down to efficiency, delegating to people can be more effective. As a person, you can only go set much done in a hour. Through delegation, one hour of management can leads to several hours of production depending on the size of you team, etc.
There are 2 types of delegation according to Stephen. 1 is Gofer delegation - go for this, go do that, go do this, do it this way, tell me when it is done. This is not an effective way to delegate. It can end up taking you just as much time if not longer than doing it yourself, you are not transferring any ownership of the responsibility to the other person, and can lead to frustration from both parties. Additionally, how many people could you possibly manage or supervise if you delegated in this way?
The proper way to delegate according to Stephen is what he calls Stewardship Delegation. It is focused on results, not the methods. It takes some time in the beginning to set up, but in the long run it is a true and proper delegation of responsibilities and creates substantial results. The key to stewardship delegation is clear communication. Stephen breaks it down into 5 areas:
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Desired Results - Focus on the what, not the how. What are the desired results.
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Guidelines - Parameters for the person to operate in. While you don't want to tell them what to do, it is ok to point out potentials problems or failures for them to avoid.
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Resources - People, websites, etc. that can utilize to help them achieve the desired results.
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Accountability - Create the performance standard in which this will be judge on and when it will be evaluated.
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Consequences - Specify what will happen (good or bad) based on the results of the evaluation.
This is not something that will be mastered overnight. Continued practice and growth is required. The payoff is worth it for everyone involved.
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Shifting our priority from urgent tasks to important tasks is not easy. It takes some planning and discipline. Today we talk about the tools available to manage not only our time, but more importantly ourselves. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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As we discuss the importance of spending more time in box 2 on the items that are truly important to our personal and professional development it is important to discuss some ways to actually get there. Earlier in the week we discussed the transition that people make in time management. From checklists, to calendars, to eventually prioritizing and setting goals on a daily basis. Daily scheduling is useful, but it is also restrictive, sometime reactive, and can lead to burn out and more focus on the urgent than the important. The key is to shift to a 4th generation tool that helps us manage ourselves, not necessarily just our time. The goal is to be effective.
Whatever tool we use to help manage ourselves and in turn our time should meet 6 important criteria:
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Coherence
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Balance
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Focus
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A "People" Dimension
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Flexibility
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Portability
We are looking to shift away from prioritizing what is on our schedule and to instead schedule our priorities. We need to spend less time dealing with crises and more time dealing with important tasks. One of the key ways Stephen discusses doing that is to shift away from daily planning and use a weekly plan instead. Spend some time each week identifying your roles and what tasks are priorities to complete for each of those roles over the next 7 days. Once you have that you can begin to build out your weekly scheduled that covers all of those priorities at different times throughout the week. Reviewing this daily and adapting where necessary due to unforeseen circumstances will always happen, but the priorities of the week are still there and accounted for.
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How do you get to spend more time working on the things that are important to you? By saying to the things that are not important. It's that easy! It's also not that easy. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Today we continue to stress the importance of working as much in possible on the things that are important to you. These things are not necessarily urgent or important to anyone else, but because we have developed our personal mission statement, and we have goals in place we should be able to identify and work on the things that truly matter. There will always be things that pop up in box 1 that are urgent and important so start by saying no to things in boxes 3 and 4. Remember, box 3 are items that are urgent, and they may be important to someone, but they are not important to you, so say no to doing those things.
Working in box 2 on the things that matter takes being proactive. They aren't urgent. It is easy to put other things in front of them. However, we know that the more we ignore box 2 that more things will continue to pop up in boxes 1 and 3 and pretty soon our whole lives can be moving from one crisis and urgent matter to the next without ever getting to really work on what is important. Say YES to your priorities. Say YES to your goals. Say NO to working on items that don't align with them.
We say yes or no all day everyday. Every time you say yes to someone else's priority you are saying no to your priority.
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Once again we are skipping the technical part of Technical Tuesday to continue our deep dive into The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Today we jump right into the importance of not managing our time, but managing ourselves. Rather than focusing on time or things, we want to focus on results! Remember, the goal isn't to be busy, it is to be effective! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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As we move through our lives, we have what Stephen Covey calls "waves" of time management. The first wave includes using stickie notes, checklists, etc. The second wave includes calendars, starting to plan ahead, using appointment books, etc. The third wave is where most of us are now. We prioritize tasks, focus on being efficient, set short and long term goals. The problem is some people start feel so restricted and burnt out by the over scheduling that they revert back to the first and second wave and give up all together on time management.
The key is to move into the fourth wave. The challenge is not to manage time, but to manage ourselves. Rather than focus on time and things, we need to focus on results. We need to focus on being effective. Our activities can be broken out into essentially 4 boxes:
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Urgent and Important - Crises and pressing problems
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Not Urgent and Important - Prevention, Opportunities, Planning, etc. This is where we want to spend as much time as possible.
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Urgent and Not Important - Important to someone, but shouldn't be important to you. Some emails/calls, unnecessary meeting, etc.
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Not Urgent and Not Important - Time wasters - not getting anything done, and not moving you towards any goals (short or long term)
Things are always going to pop up in box 1. There will always be things that are urgent and important in our lives. The key is to try and shrink the box down to something that is manageable. Some people spend almost their entire lives in box 1. Constantly dealing with problem after problem and using box 4 as an escape when they can. The key is identify the things that are truly important (see Habit 2) and be proactive to make them a priority in your life. Urgent things are going to come up, but you need to proactively work on important things. More on this in future episodes.
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Back in NJ and ready to jump into Habit 3 - Put First Things First from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Today we dive right in by asking 2 important questions at the top, and then discussing independent will. Successful people don't like doing everything they have to do to be successful, but they do it anyway! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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The chapter starts with 2 very important questions: What one thing could you do (something that you aren't doing right now) that, if you did it on a regular basis, would make a tremendous positive difference in your personal life? The second question is the same but is in your business and professional life. Not necessarily an easy question to answer! Think on it, write it down, and we will come back to it later in the week.
Habit 3 is the fulfillment of habits 1 and 2. Habit tells us that we are in control, that we are in charge. Habit 2 is the first or mental creation (our personal mission statement, goals, etc.). Habit 3 is then the 2nd or physical creation. We now realize we have the control and we now we know what it is that is important to us and our goals. Habit 3 is now the management of that on a day to day basis to become principled centered and reach our goals.
Independent will is what makes habit 3 and effective self-management possible. It is our ability to make decisions and choices that are in accordance with our values and principles. We are acting instead of being acted upon. Despite great underdog stories that take up the news or movies, true empowerment and success usually doesn't come from a once in a lifetime opportunity. It comes from the day in and day out discipline to do what is right. To do the things we know we should do even if it isn't any fun to do them.
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Road trip episode! Dan is hitting the road back to NJ today, but before he does he shares some interesting statistics on the importance of sleep. Not getting enough sleep can be the equivalent of drinking beers on the job! That is usually frowned upon! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Not many people will brag to you about eating poorly or smoking or not exercising, but some people will brag about how little they sleep. They wear as a badge of honor to show how busy they are, and motivated, etc. However, studies show that what they may actually be telling you is unproductive they are. Compared to people that sleep 7-8 hours per night, the study shows that people who only sleep 6 hours a night are 19% less productive, and those who sleep less than 5 hours are 30% less productive!
Lack of sleep makes any task that requires multiple steps, focus, problem-solving, and deep thinking much harder. The study shows that the effects on your brain from only sleeping 6 hours is like having a couple of beers. Only sleeping 4 hours is like having 5 beers! Your brain and body need a chance to rest and refresh. As we have discussed many times in the past, there is difference between busy and being effective. How many hours you work is not nearly as important as how much work you get done. We want to focus on being effective and on results. Take care of your body, take care of your mind, and focus on being effective.
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Today we discuss the optimism that exists throughout small businesses for growth over the next few months. There is one thing that is putting a damper on it however, and that is the problem with hiring availability. There are more jobs available today than there has been in over 20 years. Why are companies having a hard time filling these positions? How are they combating it? Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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We start off today's episode with a reminder to make sure you are setting the time aside each week to go over the company financials. It is the first Thursday of the new quarter, and Dan can't wait to dig into all the financial reports, in-progress reports, scheduling, etc. It is a wonderful time to review the work that has been completed over the last 3 months, and set yourself up to be successful for the home stretch of the year. Block out the time and do the work - it will pay off in the long run.
Next we cover an interesting article about a survey recently completed amongst 500 small to medium sized businesses throughout the country. Overall, almost 75% of business owners are optimistic about growth over the next six months. However, hiring struggles are putting a damper on some of the expectations. There are more job openings today than there has been since 2000, but companies are having a hard time filling them. The main suspected culprit is the expanded unemployment benefits that people had been receiving. The expectation was that once those ended after Labor Day the hiring market would improve. So far that has not been the case, and in 22 states that ended expanded benefits in June the hiring rate only rose minimally over the next couple of months.
Companies are trying to address the larger issues of hiring by improving pay and benefits. This includes increased compensation for both new hires and existing employees (to help retain existing employees), improved benefits, flexible working arrangements if possible, etc. These changes will come with a cost however, and with increased costs will come increased pricing to consumers. As inflation and increased prices start to effect the consumer it may lead to an increase in pressure on the unemployed to get back into the work force.
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Today we wrap up our deep dive into Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. We have worked the last couple days on writing our personal mission statement. Today we take it a step further and discuss the importance of having an organizational mission statement. A mission statement that the whole company creates and buys into. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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As a personal mission statement helps you identify and reach your goals, an organizational mission statement helps your company do the same. It is important that your company/organizational mission statement is written using involvement from the entire company, not just a few people at the top. Everyone should participate in a meaningful way. The involvement process is as important as the written statement itself.
Throughout the book, Stephen shares several examples of wonderful customer service that he has received throughout the years from hotels and different organizations. The common thread between all the stories was that each company had a mission statement that was created by several people throughout the organization. They were all working towards the same goals. Everyone was involved and everyone bought in.
A proper company mission statement with involvement from the entire team clarifies what the company stands for. What the people stand for. How they relate to the customers. How they relate to each other. It affects management and leadership styles. It affected the type of people that you recruit and hire. It affects training and development. It affects every single part of your business. Without involvement, there is no commitment. Simple as that.
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Feeling overwhelmed trying to write your personal mission statement? Break it down! We each have a number of different roles in our lives. If we examine our roles and start to identify our goals in each role it will help bring the entire mission statement together. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Sitting down and writing a personal mission statement can be overwhelming. Trying to figure out everything you want out of life can seem like a big task - and it is! However, there are some steps we can take to break the process down and make it more manageable. Each of us have a number of different roles in our lives. Dan for example has the roles of uncle, brother, friend, and business owner to name a few. Each of those roles are important and carry a certain amount of responsibilities.
As we get older and busier certain roles in our lives can start to consume our time and energy at the detriment of the other roles. If Dan focuses too much time being a business owner and not enough time being an Uncle where will that leave his relationship? Where will that leave Dan in terms of his overall success and happiness? The personal mission statement can help us balance out our lives and ensure that we are moving toward an overall success and happiness that encompasses all of our roles.
Start by identifying your roles. Next set 2 to 3 long term goals for each role. These roles should be results driven, not activity driven, and be based on your core values and principals. Breaking down your life into roles and then working to identify what it is important in each role will help give organization and structure to your overall mission statement. It will also help you identify not only what you want out of life, but where you are now on your path to get there.
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This week starts with us continuing to dive deep into Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Last week we covered our personal mission statements, today we discuss some strategies of how to write and use them. There is some science in this one! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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One of the great anecdotes from the book is that people do not invent their mission or calling in life, rather they detect it. Through our upbringing and personal experiences we find what is truly important to us and what we want to achieve and be known for. Every single person on this planet is unique. Not a single person is living a duplicate life of another. Our thoughts, our actions, our experiences are all our own. No one has lived our exact life prior and no one will live our exact same life in the future. With that in mind, why would any of us want to live a reactive life where we let the outside world and other people control us? Being proactive allows us to be in control of our very unique and special experience.
In habit 1 we discussed being responsible for your actions and thoughts. Being Proactive. In habit 2 we discussed the 2 creations - first the mental. creation and then the physical creation. The habits tie together in our personal mission statements. By being proactive we remember that we are in control, we are the programmer. In habit 2 now it is time to write the program. A mission statement is very personal, and is not something you should expect to complete quickly. If done seriously, it is something will require a lot of inner thought and contemplation about who you really are and what you really want out of life. It could take weeks, even months to complete. Even then, it something that you likely go back to time and again as the years go to be to make changes and reflect upon.
One of the tips for writing you personal mission statement is to use your whole brain. Our brains are basically split into what they call the left and right brain. Our left brain is the more logical, verbal, analytical brain. Our right brain is the more creative, imaginative brain. Our society is a primarily left brain world. We focus on data, efficiency, how-to's, etc. While all people use both the left and right sides of their brain, everyone tends to have a more dominant side. Using our right side is extremely important for writing our personal mission statement and beginning with the end in mind. Through visualization we can see where we want to go. Experience it. Feel it. Then our left side can actually write out the road map for us.
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The 4th Quarter is here! Time to push and finish the year strong! We finish this week strong talking about centering our lives on our principles. Our principles don't change or react to anything. They don't get mad at us. They give a strong foundation. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Yesterday we discussed all the different type of "centers" we can have in our lives. Whether it be our spouse, family, job, money, pleasure, or self all of them are reactive and can change and influence our well-being. By centering our lives on our principles we can create a solid foundation for development and happiness. Principles don't react to anything. They don't get mad at us. They won't cheat on us and run away with some other guy. They also don't depend on our environment or the behavior of others. They are rock solid and by centering our focus on them it will allow us to strengthen and develop our life support factors of security, guidance, wisdom, and power.
Our security, guidance, and wisdom come from knowing that we are making decisions based on the correct principles that guide our lives. We are not being reactive. As humans, we all have limitations, but we know that we can push the borders of those limitations by learning and growing. This is in both a physical and mental sense. We can learn new skills, read more books, run farther, etc. We make decisions on how to push our limitations based on our principles and it guides us down the correct path.
Our power (or influence) is only limited by the consequences of our actions. We have freedom to make any choice we want, but we need to be willing to live the consequences of those choices. Good or bad. All four life factors tie together to allow us to make decisions based on our strong sense of self-worth, our wisdom from past experiences, and the expectation of what will happen. We all know that everything doesn't always turn out as planned, but the more often we spend time living a principled centered life, more often than not good things will follow.
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At the center of our lives is what we value most and the source of our security, guidance, wisdom, and power. Today we continue to discuss Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind, and what alternatives to a principled center can mean for your happiness, feeling of self-worth, influence, etc. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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The four factors that stem from your center (security, guidance, wisdom, and power) all existing on a spectrum. It is not a matter of whether you have it or not, but to what levels. Security lies somewhere between totally insecure on one end and have complete confidence and faith in your abilities on the other. Guidance ranges from following the latests fads or crowds to knowing exactly what you want and how to get it. Wisdom can fall between feeling like you have no idea where you are going in life and knowing exactly how all the puzzle pieces fit together. Your power lies somewhere between being a puppet to everyone or being in total control of your actions and able to wield influence. All of these factors work together and impact all functions of your life.
In the book they discuss the different alternative centers that people create in their lives. Instead of having a principled center that is based on your core values and principles, your center is based on other things like your spouse, family, money, work, friends, possessions, or self. This could lead to wild swings in both your happiness and self worth.
Let's discuss spouse centeredness as an example. Deep relationships with your spouse are important. However, if you entire emotional worth comes from your relationship and you have an emotional dependence to that person that is stronger than your own self dependence it could lead to hardships. Relationships change, you can become vulnerable to mood swings or changes in behavior. As stress enters the relationship it could lead to more fighting and conflict because you are both dependent on each other instead of yourselves.
Every person is a function of a variety of influences in their life and their "center" is not usually just one thing. Depending on the situation a person fluctuates from one center to another. As we continue with tomorrow's episode we will dive deeper into why have a principled center as often as possible is what to strive for.
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You have probably read dozens of business mission statements right? Maybe you have even written one yourself. Have you ever read or written a personal mission statement? According to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People it is the most effective way to begin with the end in mind. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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A personal mission statement (or philosophy, creed, constitution) focuses on what you want to be and do and on the values and principals upon which the being and doing are based. Think of your personal mission statement as the foundation from which all your choices are made. It is fundamentally the type of person you and what you value. All long term and short term goals would be created based on the vision created by your personal mission statement. The following is a personal mission statement shared in the book as an example:
Succeed at home first. Seek and merit divine help. Never compromise with honesty. Remember the people involved. Hear both sides before judging. Obtain counsel of others. Defend those who are absent. Be sincere yet decisive. Develop one new proficiency a year. Plan tomorrow's work today. Hustle while you wait. Maintain a positive attitude. Keep a sense of humor. Be orderly in person and in work. Do not fear mistakes - fear only the absence of creative, constructive, and corrective responses to those mistakes. Facilitate the success of subordinates. Listen twice as much as you speak. Concentrate all abilities and efforts on the task at hand, not worrying about the next job or promotion.
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Skipping the technical part of Technical Tuesday and continuing our journey through Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind. Today we discuss the very real and very important difference between leadership and management. Understanding the difference and implementing leadership in your personal and professional life is imperative to success. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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In yesterday's episode we discussed the two creations, mental and then physical. Leadership is the first creation, management is the second creation. Great management without proper leadership will not lead to long term success. Management is a bottom-line focus, leadership is a top-line focus. Management is making sure you are getting things done right. Leadership is making sure you are doing the right things.
Our effectiveness does not solely depend on how hard we are working or how busy we are. We can be busier than we have ever been in our entire lives, and working hard 12-16 hours a day. If we are not working on the right things that it won't truly lead us anywhere. Especially in business where the market is constantly changing in regards to the needs of your clients, technology available, etc. If proper leadership is not in place to be guiding the company and making sure that management is working on the right things, then failure is right around the corner.
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Today we begin our deep dive into Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Last week we dipped our toes in the water with an overview of its meaning and today we jump right into one of the guiding principals. All things are created twice. First there is a mental creation, and then the physical creation. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Beginning with End in Mind is all about having clear understanding of your destination. That not only means your physical destinations, but also mental, moral, and emotional destinations. What do you want out of life? What is your definition of true success? Answers to these questions tie into your principals and values and should help drive you as you move throughout life and work on your goals. Without a proper understanding of what you want and where you are going you can end getting caught up in what is called an activity trap - you are busy, but not effective.
Begin with the End in mind is based on the principal that all things are created twice. First there is the mental creation and then the physical creation. An example would be building a home or starting a business. You wouldn't (and shouldn't) just start building a home without taking the time to plan out the design and construction, right? There needs to be blueprints, schedules, material selections, etc. before you actually start building. The same is true with your goals. Without spending proper time planning and visualizing where you want your goals to take you, you can't properly chart the course to get there. Poor planning leads to poor results. Don't spend enough time planning on the build of your house, and you may end up with a bathroom without a toilet.
All things are created twice by design or default. Someone always has the first creation, it is only a matter of whether or not you are the one that is doing the creating. If we do not develop our own visions and goals based on our principals and values, someone else will write a script for us. We will find ourselves reactive, and constantly trying to please other people and live the life that they (people or circumstance) have written for us. Humans have the amazing capabilities of imagination, self-awareness, and conscience that enable us to create and then act upon them. Use those capabilities, don't leave them up to someone or something else.
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We wrap another jam packed week by covering a topic that came up on a phone call earlier. Do you compare yourself to other businesses in your industry or area? If so, what criteria are you using? If not, why? BCBO is in competition with BCBO and its potential. Nothing but continued success to other companies in the industry! Check out the website for more content.
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Earlier this week while on the phone with a potential (now current) client, the question was asked how BCBO compares to other bookkeeping companies in the area. Dan assumed the question was in regards to pricing, but it was meant more in terms of clients, size, etc. We here at BCBO have no idea how many clients other bookkeepers in the area have and quite frankly don't care.
Our goal at BCBO is make sure we are maximizing our potential and reaching our goals. We focus on the value that we can provide our clients, customer loyalty, continued growth, and teamwork. Our sales goals are based on data and the structure we have created in the office to handle bringing on new clients and based on budgets for new growth year over year. There is not a finite amount of success in the world. We hope that all bookkeeping businesses in the area are thriving and growing. Their growth plan and size does not impact ours.
Dan believes small businesses are a backbone for American society and the economy. The mission of Blue Collar Back Office is to help other small businesses be successful. Any other company out there that has similar goals and is helping other small businesses we are in support of and want them to be as successful as possible.
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Today we dip our toe into Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The idea of the habit is right there in the title and it encompasses all aspects of your life. You rarely start a journey without knowing the destination! Deep dive next week. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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As we get ready to dive deep in the next habit from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People today we are going to give a brief overview of what Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind means. It's not complicated to figure out, but considering all the ways it applies to your life it doesn't make it easy to implement. The goal is to start each day, project, goal, etc. with a clear understanding and visualization of what you expect. This can be a simple as knowing you never get in your car and start driving without knowing where you are going. It can also be as deep as thinking about what you want people to remember you for and say about you at your funeral, and everything in between.
Next week will devote several episodes to breaking down all the ways to understand and implement this habit into your life. For today, take into consideration where you are now in life. Is it what you expected? Beginning with the end in mind allow you to understand where you are now so you can continue to make decisions and take steps that are always moving you in the right direction.
It is easy in today's world to get caught up in the busyness of life. Try to work harder, faster, keep climbing. Often you can find yourself caught in what they call an activity trap. You are busy, possibly very busy, but are you being effective? Are you sacrificing what you want out of life from personal level to achieve more on a professional level? Are you sacrificing relationships with people you love to focus on things that don't truly feed into what you want out of life. We can be very busy. We can very efficient. We can only truly be very effective when we begin with the end in mind.
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Wannabe Wednesday is here and today we are talking about hiring and building a winning culture. Even if you don't own a business and are on the hunt for a new job this is a great episode to listen to for insight about things owners and managers are looking for in new hires and things you should be looking for in a new company! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Hiring the right people is one of, if not the most important parts of starting and operating a successful business. As is usually the case, it starts with integrity. Renowned investor Warren Buffet said integrity is the number one things he looks for in a potential hire. Without integrity, all the skills, hard work, energy, and initiative don't matter. You don't want to build your team with people you can't trust. Another character trait to consider when hiring a new employee is humility. A little bit of ego is needed, and people should be proud of their achievements and capabilities. However, someone who takes all the credit when things go right without sharing any of the praise with other members on their team can lead to a toxic work environment.
As you work to build a positive and winning culture in your business, remember that it starts with you. The way you carry yourself, the way you handle problems, the way you speak to people sets the tone for the rest of the company. It cannot be a "do as I say and not as I do" situation. Instead of focusing on the problems or placing blame, focus on the solutions. Provide positive feedback in public if you like, but always provide negative feedback in private. Be accessible and maintain open lines of communication.
Lastly, know your employees. Learn their personality traits. How do they best receive constructive criticism? How they best learn? What are areas they excel at and areas they struggle? Define their work roles and assign tasks that meet their strengths. Trying to fit a square peg into a round hole is only going to lead to unhappy employee, poor work environment, and reduced productivity. As an owner or manager it is important that you put people in a position to be successful.
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Technical Tuesday is back! Today we discuss the ability to create and track Purchase Orders in the system. It is a wonderful tool to use to stay on top of your payables, particularly when it comes to running larger projects. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Similar to how we are able to track estimates, bills, and invoices in QuickBooks Online, we have ability to track Purchase Orders. POs are in a nutshell an agreement between you and your vendor that you are going to purchase an agreed upon product or service for an agreed upon price. It is different than bill because the money is not owed yet, simply and agreement that it will be owed in the future as long as all items on the PO are completed.
Purchase orders are great for tracking expenses on large projects. As the project begins and you secure bids from your vendors for their portion of the work to be performed you can create purchase orders once contracts are awarded. As bills come in from the vendors you can apply them to the purchase orders thus reducing the amount still owed on the original PO. Change orders for additional work or subtraction of work can be done as necessary. As always, you have the ability to save any supporting documentation directly to transaction for future reference.
As the project moves along you can access reports that will keep you informed on your payables remaining. Open Purchase Order reports can be customized to pull data from specific projects. Reports will provide data such as the total amount of POs issued for the project and the remaining open balance. As the job progresses this allows you to stay up to date to make sure you are current on your billings and plan out future expenses that already agreed upon to be incurred until project completion.
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What do we get to do today? We get to go to work! We get to work on our vision and our goals! Let's start the week off with a little reminder of why we work so hard, and why it is important to continue working on our goals even when we aren't seeing immediate results. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Sometimes you can be working hard on your goals and not seeing results. Putting in the hours, putting in the planning, doing all the right things and still not seeing any tangible results. Is it time to quit? NO! Make adjustments along the way as necessary of course, but if you truly believe in what you are working on, and truly believe you are doing the right things then keep working. It will pay off.
Dan uses this very podcast as an example. There aren't thousands, or even hundreds, of people listening everyday. But he knows this is the right thing to do, not only for himself, but for the business. The podcast creates content, spreads the word of the company around to people who might have never heard of us, updates the website daily which has background benefits. After almost six months, we are starting to see some tangible results in terms of website traffic, phone calls, social media interactions, etc. If Dan had quit doing this two months into because he did not see the immediate results he wanted none of the long term benefits would showing themselves now.
Once you quit, the opportunity of something good happening disappears. That doesn't mean that 100% of the time you hard work is going to pay off exactly how you envisioned it to, it means you are giving yourself the chance. Put good out into the world and get good back. Give yourself the opportunity to experience something great by not giving up on your goals.
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We wrap up the week by finishing our discussion about Habit 1 - Be Proactive from the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Today we focus on a thirty day challenge to test yourself and commit to spending more energy focused on things the you can control and putting yourself in a proactive frame of mind. You have the freedom of choice, use it wisely.
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In today's episode we wrap up Habit 1 - Be Proactive from the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. We start by recapping the week and all of the topics discussed such as: the freedom of choice between stimulus and reaction, taking responsibility for your choices and actions, spending time focused on the things you can control and not on the things you can't, admitting when you make mistakes, and making and keeping commitments to others and yourself.
We outline a thirty day test to work on being more proactive. What is the worst that can happen? For thirty days work on focusing your energy and time on only things in your Circle of Influence. Make commitments to yourself, no matter how small, and keep them. Don't argue with other people about what you perceive to be weaknesses. Own up to mistakes without making excuses. If someone treats you poorly, try to be compassionate. Remember you have the choice in how you respond and think.
The book provides a few suggestions on exercises to try over the next thirty days:
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For a full day, pay close attention and listen to your own language and the language of people around you. How often are you or other speaking in a reactive way? "If only," "I can't," "I have to"?
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Think about a past experience that in retrospect you would probably react differently. Analyze the experience and consider how now with a proactive approach you could handle it. Really visualize it and experience it happening.
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Select a problem in your work or personal life right now that is frustrating you. Spend time analyzing it and decide whether it is a direct, indirect, or no-control problem. Once you have done that, identify the first step you can take in a proactive way to start resolving that problem and then take that first step.
The change won't happen overnight. It will take time, but the more you do it the more empowered and confident you will become. Nothing bad can come from trying this approach from thirty days.
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Are you waiting for the outside world to change before you are happy or take action? A reactive person focuses on the problem that is "out there", they work from the outside in. A proactive person focuses on what they can change in themselves and work from the inside out. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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As we continue through habit 1 of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey today we diver deeper into Habit 1 - Being Proactive. Being a proactive person is all about taking control and responsibility for your actions. Focusing on the things you can influence and control and distinguishing between what they call the haves and the bes. A reactive person thinks the problem is "out there" and that thought alone is part of the problem. They are constantly waiting for the outside world to change before they can "have" something. That can range from anything from happiness, to wealth, to a better relationship with their spouse, etc. It is an outside-in thinking.
A proactive person works on change from the inside-out. How can I be different? How can I be more patient? What new skills can I learn? This shift in thinking is not an easy one to make, but the more you work on it and the more successful you become at applying it the more of a difference you will see. It is empowering to think of the control we have on our lives, our days, our success and not attach it to what someone has already decided for us. The world will always throw obstacles our way, and sometime they will overwhelm us, but as often as possible we want to make sure we are making the choice to be happy and making the choice to take control.
Other items to keep in mind as we build towards becoming a more proactive person are considering the consequences of our decisions, owning up to mistakes, and keeping commitments. We can only control our actions. We cannot control the consequences of them. We can have a good idea what might happen, but we must be willing to accept responsibility for our actions, good and bad, at all times. Owning up to mistakes is part of that. When you make a mistake, own up to it. Trying to cover up the mistake with a lie or something along those lines is only creating a second and potentially larger mistake. Lastly, keep commitments. Not only to others, but more importantly to yourself. The more times you keep you keep commitments you have made to yourself, the deeper the habit becomes, and the more confident and empowered you will feel.
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We continue today to discuss the difference between being a proactive or reactive person. Another excellent way to evaluate and become aware of whether you are proactive is to consider where you focus your time and energy. Do you focus on the concerns in life you can influence and control or do you spend more time focusing on things that you have no influence on at all? Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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The world today provides a wide variety of things for us to be concerned about - our heath, our children, climate change, political issues, etc. However, there are only certain things that we actually have the ability to control and have influence over. Assessing whether we focus more time on the things we can influence and control and not the things we can't is a good way to determine how proactive or reactive you are as a person.
Proactive people focus their efforts in what Stephen Covey calls the Circle of Influence. These are the items we can control and where we can make an impact. Their energy is positive and as they continue to work on themselves and make changes their Circle of Influence grows. Reactive people focus their efforts and time on what is called the Circle of Concern. These are items they can't control. We have no impact on whether or not it is going to rain this weekend. Focusing our energy and time on the possibility it might is fruitless. The negative energy created only continue to increase the Circle of Concern and shrink the Circle of Influence.
As we go through our day let's remember that we have the ability to choose how we respond to things. We have the ability to determine where we are going to focus our time and energy. Focusing on the things we can change and the impact we can make, particularly in ourselves, makes a big difference in our overall well-being, success, and happiness.
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Today's Technical Tuesday episode isn't technical at all! We are continue to discuss the difference between being proactive and reactive. The difference starts in our language. How we speak to others, but more importantly how we speak internally to ourselves. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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How we speak to ourselves plays a big role in whether we are a proactive or reactive person. A reactive person speaks in ways that absolves them of responsibility. We speak in ways that blames someone else, or some condition for the way things are without taking any responsibility for our role in it. An example would be "That's me. That's just way the I am. I have always been this way." That creates the illusion that you are not capable of changing which is simply not true. It might not be easy, but we are all capable of changing even the hardest and most enduring habits we have.
Instead of speaking to yourself in a reactive way, try to be more proactive in your speech. A few examples:
Instead of There is nothing I can do say Let's look at alternatives.
Instead of That's just the way I am say I can choose a different approach.
Instead of I have to do that say I am choosing to do this.
You always have a choice. When someone says they have to do something what they are really saying is that they are choosing to do it because they don't want the consequence if they don't. Instead of framing it in your mind as something you must do, instead frame it as a choice you are making and the reason why you are making it. You still might not enjoy doing it, but at least you are taking control of your decision and your behavior.
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Today we are kicking off our deep dive into the habit of being proactive. Being proactive is much more than having the initiative to do something without being told. It is taking responsibility for our own lives and our behaviors. The outside world provides plenty of stimulus. How we respond to it is our choice. Be proactive instead of reactive. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Like he assumes many people, Dan thought being proactive was all about taking initiative. Not waiting to be given directions before acting. Not procrastinating. Doing the little bit of extra above what was required. It is so much more than that. It means that we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. A proactive person does not blame circumstances or conditions for their behavior. They accept their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice.
People that allow outsides conditions or circumstances control their behavior are reactive. They react to their physical conditions or environment. For example, if it is sunny out they are in a good mood, if it is raining out they are in a bad mood. This is something in particular that Dan has experienced and talked about many times in the past. He would allow the weather conditions to impact his mood, motivation, etc. A proactive person does not do that. They carry their own "weather". If the sun is shining or not should have no impact on what your value and what your motivation is for the day. We have work to get done today. We have goals that we set and need to work towards. The weather should have no impact on our desire and motivation to accomplish those things.
It is also the same for the "social weather". The moods of the people around you or how they speak to you or treat you does not need to impact how you feel. That is much easier said than done, but you do have the choice. You do not need to build your emotional well being around the behavior of others. If someone wants to be in a bad mood, let them. If someone wants to be rude and insult you, it doesn't and shouldn't change how you feel about yourself. This is not an easy transition to make. It will not happen overnight, but over time if you continue to work on accepting your responsibility it can have huge impacts in your life.
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Have that one habit you wish you could break but just can't? Most of us do. In today's episode we talk about sticking to your new habit and reaching that all important tipping point where the hard work starts becoming enjoyable and the new routine is now easier than the old one. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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In a conversation earlier this week with a client, the topic of breaking bad habits came up. It is a topic that comes up often. Breaking old habits is HARD. It is not something that can typically be done overnight or even over the course of a few days. Habits have gravity just like the earth and in both cases the gravity is strong. It is not easy to break away from the earth's atmosphere, and it is not easy to break away from an old habit that is not serving you.
Dan shares a personal story regarding his diet and exercise on this topic. For years he ate unhealthy foods, and did minimal if any exercise. It showed in his health and appearance. Something needed to change, and one of the things was exercise, and in particular running. The first few days, weeks, months, etc. were hard. Did not enjoy it. Did not want to do it. Did it anyway.
There is a tipping point when you are starting a new habit, where it goes from being hard to being enjoyable or easier. Just like a rocket leaving earth. Once it breaks through the atmosphere the rest of the trip requires less fuel that the initial first few miles. You just need to break through. For Dan that happened with running. Now, it is something that he not only enjoys, but if he doesn't get to run it can effect his overall mood. Running became something that was habit in his life in the exact opposite way then what it was 10 years ago.
Moral of the story - yes, it is is hard. Yes, you will probably want to give up. But don't. There will be tipping point, and it will get easier, and you will start to see the results. Just keep at it.
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Today's episode covers a very important topic that just keeps coming up again and again - honesty. Being considered an honest and trustworthy person is critical to achieving what you want out of life in both a personal and professional sense. Everyone considers themselves honest, but the truth of the matter is that we don't get to decide if we are. Everyone else does. Act accordingly. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Ask any person whether they consider themselves honest, and every single time they are going to say yes. I have yet to meet a single person who says "Oh no, don't trust a word I say. I'm always lying". The thing is though, we don't get to decide whether we are honest, everyone else does. Those who we deal with get to decide. Our co-workers, clients, family, friends, neighbors, etc. Whether we say we are honest or not doesn't matter either. It is our behavior, how we carry ourselves, and how we treat others that determines whether others consider us honest and trustworthy or not.
Good news! There are some very basic and easy things you can do to help you lead a more honest and trustworthy life and demonstrate it to others around. None of them are hard.
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Keep and make your commitments
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Offer excuse-free apologies (No "I'm sorry, BUT...")
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Demonstrate some humility. Be a little humble. Remember that what is right is more important that who is right.
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Stop gossiping. Speak about people as if they were standing next to you.
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Take responsibility and manage expectations. Give honest updates on the status of job, etc. The confrontation in the beginning might be uncomfortable, but in the long run you are doing the right thing.
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Keep confidences. When someone shares information with you, they are sharing it with you. Don't spread that word around - see gossiping above!
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Remember that every idea you have does not need to be expressed immediately. It is ok to have a thought in your head that you don't blurt out.
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Life is all about balance. In today's Wannabe Wednesday episode we talk about the P/PC Balance. It is derived from the fable of the Goose and the Golden Egg and helps us understand how to be effective over the short and long-run. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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The fable of the Goose and the Golden Egg by Aesop is the guiding story that starts our episode. In the fable, a farmer finds a glittering, golden-colored egg sitting beneath his goose. The farmer thinks it is a prank, but gets the egg appraised anyway. To his amazement, the egg is solid gold. Each morning the goose lays another golden egg. The farmer becomes rich, but also becomes greedy and impatient. Out of frustration, he kills the goose to get all the golden eggs at once. As expected, there were no golden eggs inside, and now the farmer has no more goose and no way to get any more eggs.
The P/PC balance is the ability to manage both your short term and long term effectiveness. P stands for production of desired results (golden eggs). PC stands for production capability, the ability or asset that creates the golden eggs. Without a balance on how you focus on either of these you will eventually have nothing. Focus too much on the desired result, and the asset or ability to create will wither and die. Focus too much on the asset and not the result itself then you will not be able to provide for yourself or the asset.
This balance applies to all aspects of our life, whether it be work and home life balance, finances, investments, yard equipment, our employees and customers, etc. If you do not have the proper balance then creating and sustaining long-term, repeatable success is not possible. Think about this in all areas of your life, including your health, your sleep patterns, your interactions with others, investments.
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Dan is back from vacation! After recapping what was a wonderful vacation, today's episode starts to dive into some of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It is a book written by Stephen R Covey and the insights shared throughout are valuable in every aspect of life. Today we cover the difference between principles and values. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Throughout many past episodes Dan has discussed the importance of values. What they are, how they should shape your goals, your working situation, choices you make, etc. What you may not know, and what Dan himself learned more clearly while reading on vacation, is that values and principals are not the same thing. Values are something you can determine. You make a choice what you value you in life: money, family, honesty, etc. Principals are like the laws of nature, they are what they are. You are an honest person or you are not. You have integrity or you do not. You are a fair person or you are not. You can value those things in other people, but the principals from which you live your life are constant.
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Friday is here! Today's episode is full of gratitude and reminders. Dan is getting to take a well deserved vacation (he means it this time!) so there won't be any new episodes until after Labor Day. Listen to catch up on some the time management and skill development tools that we have discussed over the past several weeks. Have a great weekend! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It is Thursday, Dan's favorite day of the work week. Not everyone feels that way though. Some people don't like any of the work days because of their job. That is today's topic. There has been a mass movement of people quitting their jobs in the last several months. The reasons why vary considerably, but today we are going to be focusing on questions that you should ask yourself if you are unhappy in your current working conditions. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Quitting your job is a big decision that should not be taken lightly. However, working in the same job year after year if it is making you miserable is not a good way to go through life. If the thought of quitting has crossed your mind then take following questions into consideration and go from there. First, is this a fleeting feeling or one that you keep having over and over again? Everyone wakes up some days and simply don't want to go to work. Dan loves his job, but there are certainly days he would rather be at the beach instead. That doesn't mean he should quit his job. However, if you find that over and over you wake up dreading going to work and is now the norm instead of the exception then maybe it is time to consider making a change.
Next, ask yourself if you would like to aspire to have your boss's job. Is your boss's job something you could never see yourself wanting? Would you dread that job even more than the one you currently have? If that is the case then you are in a position where you could end up being stagnate. Without any desire to advance or move forward in the company you could see yourself becoming more unhappy as time goes on. In addition, do you feel like you are learning anything from your job? Developing any new skills? Again, a key to life is learning and progressing as a person. If you are in a stagnate position where you are simply trading your time for a paycheck it might be time to seek out something else.
Is the job negatively affecting your life? Is it causing you physical or mental health issues? Affecting relationships with people you love? Preventing you doing things in your life that truly bring your joy? Asking you to do something that is direct conflict with your values and goals? Those are really important questions to ask yourself.
Lastly, if you decide it is time to make a change, then make a plan first. There are plenty of jobs available out there, and there is no reason to quit today when you can properly plan things out and make sure you are doing what is best for your future. Life is too short to spend it miserable everyday. Access how you feel and what you want and then make a plan and execute it.
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Today's episode starts with a birthday shoutout to a very special person in the BCBO world - GINA!! Happy Birthday G! Then we jump into our Wannabe Wednesday topic which includes more goal setting strategies that you can implement to help you receive the success you are looking for. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com.
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First of all, want to wish Gina a very happy birthday! Gina is so important to what we do here at Blue Collar Back Office, and is also simply an important person in Dan's life. You can find tons of reviews online about our company, and almost everyone of them is people raving about Gina and what an impact she has made on their business, etc. Gina also has one of the all-time best laughs that you will ever hear. If you ever meet Gina, make her laugh, you'll be glad you did.
For today's Wannabe Wednesday episode we wrap up going through the 14 step guide presented by Brian Tracy that covers goal setting techniques. In the past we have covered writing down your goals clearly, setting deadlines, identifying obstacles, identifying skills you can work on, identifying people whose support you will need, making lists, prioritizing your tasks, and making a plan to start working on those tasks. Today's first topic involves the self discipline of working on tasks single-mindedly. As discussed in many past episodes, single tasking instead of trying to complete multiple tasks at once has a big impact on your overall success. The ability to eliminate distractions and work with 100% focus on one task at a time will lead to more effective and efficient results.
Next, we want to practice visualizing our goals. Dan knows this may sound cheesy for some people, but visualizing yourself already achieving and having what you want makes a difference. It can effect your confidence and how you present and carry yourself. Dan uses the example of how he visualizes a sales call with a potential client before it happens. He pictures it going well, being able to show the value we can offer, etc. If instead he visualized the call going poorly and focusing on all the negative things that might happen you can guess how the call would likely go.
Lastly, work on a goal setting exercise of writing down 10 goals you would like to achieve in the next year. Write each goal in the present tense starting with the word I followed by an action verb. Instead of saying "I will earn enough money to purchase such and such dream car" say "I drive such and such dream car". Mentally work on putting yourself in the position of already achieving your goals. Then look over the list ask yourself "If I could wave a magic wand and achieve any goal on this list in the next 24 hours, which one goal would have the greatest positive impact on my life?". Circle the goal and then move it to the top of your list. Start working towards it. Today.
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In this weeks Technical Tuesday episode we cover recurring transactions in QuickBooks Online. This handy feature will not only save you time, but will save you brain power. Be responsible for remembering less things! Get more time in your day, week, month! Let the system do the work for you. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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In QuickBooks Online you have ability to create templates for recurring transactions, like expenses, bills, invoices, etc. This is a great tool to implement into your business that will save you time and streamline your operations. There are 3 types of templates you can create - scheduled, reminder, or unscheduled.
A scheduled template creates a transaction according to the schedule you set (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, etc.) This is great tool for fixed schedule and fixed amounts that don't change, such as rent payments, loan payments, etc. You can choose where or not to be notified when the transaction occurs. Regardless they are recorded without any intervention or work from you.
A reminder template proposes a transaction according to the schedule you set (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, etc.). However, the transactions are not performed/sent/activated until you decide to create and send them. You can find these reminders in the Dashboard in the Tasks section. You then select each task and decided whether to create the transaction or review and edit it before using. These are wonderful for transactions that have a fixed schedule, but not necessarily a fixed amount such as your utility bills.
When you using recurring transactions for creating invoices it is important to specify that it should or should not include unbilled charges and also indicate whether you would like the system to send the invoice via email automatically. You can also mark the appropriate boxes to allow your clients to pay via ACH or credit card if you are utilizing QuickBooks Online merchant services.
Setting up a template is as easy as could be. Once you have the template screen up you follow the prompts and fill in the categories just like you would for any normal transaction. You can also convert any existing transaction to a recurring transaction by going into it and hitting the "make recurring" button on the bottom of the screen.
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Who couldn't use a little motivation to get this Monday started off right? We have a busy week ahead of us, and there is no doubt things won't always go our way. Today we share 3 short stories that may just be the reminder you need so you can start the week with a positive attitude. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Another busy week has begun, and while there will be obstacles and disappointments throughout the day there is no reason to start the day off in a bad mood. Start off high and positive and ready to handle whatever the world throws at us. Dan is excited for the week, and after reading a few short stories decided to share a few that may be the reminders we all need.
The first story is a reminder of how much time we have in a day. 86,400 per seconds a day. It may sound like a lot, but it goes by quick. Once you run out, you can't borrow any or loan out for more. Whatever time you don't use wisely is lost. Forever. The moral of this story is to make sure you are using your time wisely. Are you working on the things that are important? That bring you joy? That will bring you closer to your goals? Or are you scrolling social media and wasting your time on other tasks that do not feed you as a person or your company? Spend your time wisely.
The second story speaks your value as a person. A speaker at a convention stands up and holds up a $20 bill. He asks the 200 people in attendance who would like this $20 bill. All 200 hands go up. The speaker then crumples up the $20 bill. Who still wants it? All hands stay up. He then drops it to the ground and stomps all over it. Who still wants it? All hands stay up. The speaker reminds everyone that the reason they all still want the $20 bill is that even though it has been crumpled and is now dirty it is still worth $20. It has not lost its value. Whatever happens in our lives, however many times life crumples us up and makes us dirty, our value does not change. You are special. Don't let the negative things that happen in the world diminish how you see yourself or take away from you know you are capable of.
The final story is about potatoes, eggs, and coffee. A chef boils three pots of water and in one pot places potatoes, in the next eggs, and in the final coffee. He boils each pot for 20 minutes before taking the potatoes and eggs out and pouring the coffee into a cup. His daughter, who is upset with her life and feels there is no reason to go on, does not understand why he is doing this. He asks his daughter to touch the potatoes which are now soft, to peel the egg which is now hard boiled, and to sip the coffee which smells so good his daughter could not help but smile.
The father tells his daughter that even though all three were subjected to the same treatment, each responded differently. The potatoes, which were hard and unrelenting, were now soft and weak. The egg, with its thin outer shell and liquid interior, was now hard on the inside. The coffee beans were unique. After being exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new. Which are you? he asked his daughter. When adversity knocks, how do you respond? In life, things are going to happen all around us, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.
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The time has come to make the journey back down south. Today we discuss the dynamics and differences of being in office versus working remotely. Dan is able to share his first hand experiences and the key takeaways he has from his summer spent in NJ. Be back in time to see the leaves change colors! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Today's episode is more of a personal episode as Dan shares his thoughts and feelings about being back up in NJ these past 11 weeks. The transition back into the office after such an extended time working remotely was awkward at times at first, but overall the experience was great. As discussed in many previous episodes, there are pros and cons to both in office and remote working. Luckily for Dan, he truly enjoys and gets benefits from both. The time spent in the office this summer with everyone has been rewarding and productive. The time spent outside of work with family and friends that he missed was exactly what he needed.
No big technical or inspirational nugget in this episode. Just a good old fashioned personal message. Thank you all for listening and be back in NJ in October. Have a great weekend.
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In today's Thirsty Thursday episode we wrap up the two part session about trust. Developing trust with both your employees and customers starts with you and your credibility. It is a function of your integrity, your intent, your capabilities, and the results you deliver. We also discuss 13 actionable items you can address to help develop good trust behaviors. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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In yesterday's episode we covered the first 2 cores of credibility - integrity and intent. Today we cover the next 2 which are capabilities and results. No matter what your integrity or intent if you do not have the capabilities to complete the job or deliver the expected results it is going to be hard to grow and maintain your business. The mechanic discussed in yesterday's episode may be the honest man Dan has ever met, but if he doesn't know how to change the rotors on his car then he cannot trust him to complete the work.
In terms of results, while it is important to deliver the expected results, how you got there also counts. People don't want to work with or for someone who is known to cut corners or cheat. People not only judge your results, they also judge how you achieved them. Getting a perfect score on a test is not impressive if you cheated and stole the answers first. People want to know you are honest and doing things the right way. All 4 cores of credibility is vital to both your personal and company credibility.
The research Dan did pointed to 13 high trust behaviors that you can reflect on and work on where necessary. Some are likely strengths for you, others you may need to work on and improve. The 13 Trust Behaviors are:
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Talk Straight. Are you honest? Do you tell the truth?
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Demonstrate respect. Do you genuinely care about the people around you?
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Create transparency. Do you tell the truth in a way people can verify for themselves?
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Right wrongs. Do you apologize quickly? Do you make restitution where possible?
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Show loyalty. Do you give credit to others? Do you badmouth people behind their backs?
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Deliver results. Do you get the right things done?
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Get better. Are you a constant learner?
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Confront reality. Do you address the tough stuff directly?
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Clarify expectations. Do you write them down? Do you discuss them?
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Practice accountability. Do you take responsibility for results, good and bad?
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Listen first. Do you assume that you know what others think and feel without listening?
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Keep commitments. Do you attempt to spin your way out of a commitment you have broken?
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Extend trust. Do you trust others based on the situation, the risk, and credibility of the other people - but err on the side of trust?
Research performed and presented by Franklin Covey. For more information visit their website: franklincovey.com
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Today's Wannabe Wednesday episode is the first of a two part episode. It's so good we had to spread it out! It's all about trust, and building trust in your company with both your employees and your customers. People want to work for and buy from people they trust. Simple as that. Today we cover the first 2 cores of credibility. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Developing and nurturing trust in your company is one of the keys to success. Whether it be with your employees or customers, being none as a trustworthy person and trustworthy company can mean the difference between success and failure. People want to work for and buy from people they trust. Simple as that.
Customers who trust you and your company will come back for repeat business over and over again. A great example Dan uses is our mechanic. We trust him completely. We depend on his expertise. We do not question his pricing or suggestions. Over time he has shown to be a man of high character and integrity. There is no reason for us to shop our business elsewhere. In your own personal life the experience is the same. You are likely to go to the same stores and use the same services over and over again if they have developed a trust with you. Conversely, you are not going to shop at a store or use someone's services who you feel is looking to take advantage of you.
The same holds true for your employees. People want to work for a company where they feel like they are appreciated and doing honest work. If the owner of the company or it's managers are untrustworthy and always looking to take advantage of people it can lead to high employee turnover and employees who are in turn looking to advantage of you before you take advantage of them. It is a lose-lose.
There are 4 core of credibility according to the company Franklin Covey (developer of many training and leadership programs, etc.). The first two are your integrity and your intent. Integrity speaks to your honesty, truthfulness, and congruence. It means doing the right thing, and sticking to your word. Intent speaks to your motive and agenda. Are you honest and transparent with your motivation or do people think you always have a secret hidden agenda?
People want to work with and buy from someone who they know is honest, transparent, and is not looking to advantage of them. An open, honest agenda creates a win-win situation for everyone involved. If someone has to question everything you say or do because you have a track record of dishonesty or being unreliable it can lead to the downfall of your company. The golden rule goes a long way here. Do the right thing. Treat others how you want to be treated.
Tomorrow we will cover the other 2 cores of creditability and discuss trust behaviors that can be practiced and implemented into your daily routine.
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How much you got? Not sure? QuickBooks Online can help! Today's Technical Tuesday episode covers the ability to track inventory for your business right in the system. QuickBooks Online has everything you need to manage your inventory. Track what's on hand, get alerts when it’s time to restock and see insights on what you buy and sell. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Depending on the type of business you run, you may have inventory that you keep track of. Or inventory that you should be keeping track of and you are not. Either way, in today’s Technical Tuesday episode we are going to cover the ability to track inventory right in QuickBooks Online.
QuickBooks Online has everything you need to manage your inventory. Track what’s on hand, get alerts when it’s time to restock, and see insights on what you buy and sell. These features are only available to customers who have a Plus or Advanced subscription. Obviously not all businesses have inventory that needs to be tracked, but if you do this will make your life easier.
Once you have gone through the steps to turn on inventory tracking in the system (call Dan if you need guidance) you then have to add your inventory products into the system. You can also add non-inventory items, and services so creating estimates, invoices, sales receipts, etc. are a breeze.
After the products have been set up, the system will keep track of your inventory based on purchases you make, and your invoices and sales receipts. As you mark inventory items on your invoice or sales receipt, the system will decrease the amount on hand by that amount. It will also tell you in real-time what your on-hand amount is.
You can set reorder points and low stock inventory alerts so QuickBooks Online can let you know as you need to reorder products. You can order inventory right in QuickBooks. Then, track what you receive from vendors and what’s still on order. When you do, the quantity on hand automatically increases by the number of items you receive.
The system also has a variety of reports available to instantly see what your best sellers are, what you have on-hand, total asset value, etc. You can also utilize the many Apps that integrate with QuickBooks Online including Etsy, Amazon, and Shopify to help streamline your process. There is no longer a need to keep track of inventory in your head or on an Excel spreadsheet. Use the tools QuickBooks Online provides to take your company to the next level.
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One of the most important time-management skills that we can work on and hope to master is blocking out time. The world is filled with tons of distractions, and all of them are stealing away our productivity. Blocking out even small increments of 30 minutes to focus on a single task can make a world of difference. Give a listen and start the week off right. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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One of the most important time-management skills that we can work on and hope to master is the blocking of time. The world is moving at a very fast pace. There are hundreds of potential distractions throughout the day from emails, phone calls, text messages, etc. and all of them are stealing away our productivity.
With so much going on for most people, it is easy to scale back your focus and “skim” emails or half listen to conversations because you are so focused on the dozens of things you need to accomplish. Behavior like that can lead to diminished results which over time can have big consequences. Small mistakes add up and before you know you can have unhappy customers, employees, lower sales, lower profit, etc. Blocking out time can help prevent that.
Blocking out time in even small increments like 30 minutes will have an impact on your productivity. For example, block out 30 minutes to work on that estimate that you need to prepare for your client. Turn off email notifications, put your phone on silent mode, close your office door, and just focus on the estimate. You will be surprised how productive you can be without all the distractions and interruptions.
Dan has started implementing this in his daily routine with great success. Blocking out time, and then leaving small gaps between blocks to catch up on emails, phone calls, etc. has greatly improved not only his productivity, but also his overall well-being. It is a great feeling to focus on something, complete it, and know you gave your best effort to it. It is energizing and can carry you through the day.
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It's Friday the 13th! Don't be frightened though, nothing in this podcast except for useful organizational reminders and covering a client question regarding QuickBooks Online subscription levels. What level is right for your business? Have to listen to find out! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Who's looking forward to happy hour? Dan is! Today we discuss an interesting article that covers five services that you may want to consider paying for instead of doing it yourself. One of them is very near and dear to Dan's heart. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Make your list, and check it twice! Today's Wannabe Wednesday episode is all about putting together the lists and plan you need to help taking those steps towards your ultimate goal. Be organized, be a good teammate, think win-win, and tackle those tasks! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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What's better than driving around with the windows down and the wind in your hair? Getting the proper tax deductions for it! On today's Technical Tuesday episode we cover the ability to track mileage in QuickBooks Online to make sure you are getting all the proper deductions and doing things the right way. It's so easy! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Another busy Monday is here. How are we going to get through it all? What are the most important things on our task list? Good news! Today we discuss a great strategy of prioritizing your tasks and life to help make it all make sense. This one exercise can have a revolutionary impact on your business and life. Listen to find out how. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Friday has arrived! Are you taking off this weekend? Should you? That is topic of this week's Fan Friday episode. As a small business owner should you be taking the weekends off? Simple question - complicated answer for some people. Separation of work and personal life is important, but not always easy to achieve for some people. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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We are flying through the week - it's Thirsty Thursday already! Today we double up on a topic that we covered yesterday - working with other people effectively. Today we touch upon the classic book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and the importance of elevating into the category of being an Interdependent person. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Whether you realize it or not, you are going to need help achieving your goals. In today's Wannabe Wednesday episode we discuss the help and cooperation you will require to reach the levels of success you desire. We also drill down on targeting and communicating with the customers that you want to purchase your product or service. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Technical Tuesday - let's get paid! Today we cover the ability to send and track progress invoices in QuickBooks Online. Whether you want to send a standard 50% deposit invoice or something more complicated, QuickBooks Online is built to handle it. Send out those invoices and get paid! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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A new week and a new month is upon us. How are going to get through it all without totally stressing out? Being organized is a great place start! Everything from where you leave your keys to how you ask a question plays a role in your organization. Get organized, be more efficient, get things done! Give a listen to find out more. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Yes! It is Friday!! Time for our Fan Friday episode where we cover a listener or client question. Today we touch on two very important topics that make huge differences in your bottom line. 1. How do you calculate the value of your time? 2. Where do you spend your time to make sure you are maximizing your revenue and profit? Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Thirsty Thursday is here and Dan has a great story to share. It is the story of an inspirational speech given by John Scolinos in January 1996. It is a story that can resonate with every single person who listens about holding ourselves to a high standard and accepting responsibility for our actions. Don't widen the plate! Give a listen to find out more. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Wannabe Wednesday, and today we are discussing some more soft skills to help you achieve your goals. Want to be a good teammate? Want your clients to look forward to talking to you? Things like active listening and adaptability go a long way. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Technical Tuesday, and today we are talking about Projects. It is a great feature in QuickBooks Online to track your project’s profitability. You can add project income, expenses, and labor expenses, add old transactions to new projects, and run project-specific reports from a single dashboard. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Time for another uplifting story to get our week started off right! Ever hear the story of the chicken and the eagle? Don't let the people around you convince you are not capable of attaining your goals. Be an eagle! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Oh Friday. How we have waited for you. We end this week's slate of episodes with a fan question about skill development. Sometimes the opportunity to develop or learn a new skill presents itself. Make sure you seize it! Don't let ego or being afraid to step out of your comfort zone get in the way of expanding your abilities. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Thirsty Thursday and Dan needs a drink! Life and work are filled with disappointments and road blocks sometimes. What is the best way to handle them? While there isn't necessarily one magical solution, there are some steps you can take. One of them is slowing down, and the other is to remember that sometimes you just need to keep it simple. Give a listen to find out more. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Wannabe Wednesday and a very special episode! Today is Dan's birthday! After making a special request, today we talk about some goal setting strategies to implement and help you achieve the success you want in life. How you go about setting goals is extremely important in whether or not you actually achieve them. Give it a listen and start moving towards what you want out of life today! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Technical Tuesday episode! This week is all about payroll and the full service payroll feature available in Quickbooks Online. Manage and pay your employees and subcontractors with ease right inside the program. Payroll is also fully integrated with tracking time on jobs to help streamline your company's overall finances. Tons of other great features including options for workers compensation insurance, 401k investments, tax compliance, etc. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Let's go! It's Monday! We have a lot to get to this week so let's start off with a little motivation and positivity. The story of the elephant and the rope is a great short story about the power of our beliefs. Don't let a small rope hold you back! Believe in yourself and believe in your dreams! Give a listen and start your week of strong! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Friday is finally here! Today we cover the importance of managing expectations and accepting responsibility when things go wrong. Dan made a mistake earlier this week and the easiest thing to do when you make a mistake is to just say it. No excuses. No deflecting of blame. Just say it. Once you accept responsibility it allows you to move on to correcting the problem. Give it a listen and check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Life can get pretty overwhelming sometimes. Especially if you are trying to do everything all at once. This Thirsty Thursday episode is focused on implementing the "Small World Rule" and how shrinking down your thoughts and schedule can help you get more accomplished. Focus on your next "meal" and get more done. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Wanna hit your goals? Well, this Wannabe Wednesday episode is going to help you get there. We again touch on a couple of soft skills that will help you achieve success in your career and business. How you react to obstacles, disappointments, and constructive feedback has a major impact on whether you will be able to achieve your long term goals. Have a growth mindset and give it a listen! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Technical Tuesday episode! QuickBooks Online is smart! It learns your spending patterns and will make suggestions to make the bank feed process more efficient. This is called creating a "rule" and It’s another layer to the onion of being more efficient in your office and laying the foundation of success. Give a listen and make your life easier. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Another Monday is upon us. Another Monday we GET to go to work. We GET to work on our vision and our goals. Today we talk about the benefits of being organized and how time management plays a big role in your overall well being and success. Ever get sucked down a rabbit hole working on something that wasn't all that important and looked up at the clock and 2 hours had flown by? That's time management! Give a listen and get more focused. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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We made it! It's Friday! Today we cover a client email about cash flow. What does an increase in a company's accounts receivables do its cash flow? It doesn't help it! Money owed is great on the balance sheet, but not in the bank account. In this episode we cover payment terms on both accounts receivables and payables and some guidelines for making sure the company cash flow stays in a good place. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Thirsty Thursday is upon us! Today's episode is all about saying Thank You. It is important to remember to give positive reinforcement to your employees and people you work with. Who wants to just be told they are doing a bad job all the time? Nobody! Without giving out the positive feedback the constructive criticism when needed will fall on deaf ears. We all like to be recognized when we are doing a good job. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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What do you wanna be? How are you going to get there? What skills do you need to get there? That's the topic of today's Wannabe Wednesday episode. Today we dive into a couple of "soft skills" that can help you achieve your goals including your ability to play well with others. Soft skills might not make you a better a plumber or bookkeeper from a technical standpoint, but they will certainly play a role in how successful you are. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Technical Tuesday episode! First we recap the holiday weekend, and cover a short story regarding the use of pencils in space. Then it time to jump into the feature in QuickBooks Online that allows you to track when vendors owe you money. This episode is packed with useful information to get the short week started off right! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Happy Birthday America! Instead of sharing the usual history lesson for the holiday, today we talk about some fun facts associated with Independence Day. Want to know how many hot dogs are going to get eaten this weekend? Curious how much money people in this country spend on fireworks each year? This is the podcast for you! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Wake up, wake up, wake up! It's the 1st of the month! The first day of a new quarter too! There is lots to do and we GET to go to work today. Today we focus on some basic human habits that we could all use a reminder on from time to time to put ourselves in a position to start the new month and quarter off right. Give it a listen and check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Your time has a dollar amount attached to it. It is valuable. Make sure you are using it wisely. Today we discuss making sure you are using your time as a business owner to put yourself in a position to be successful. Using the figures of a painting company in NJ we break down just how much money you could be losing each week by trying to do the bookkeeping yourself. Are you working hard, but the bank account isn't growing? This is the episode for you, give it a listen. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Technical Tuesday podcast! More and more businesses are moving their companies online and taking advantage of virtual processes. One of those processes includes accepting digital signatures. Electronic signatures have several benefits ranging from security to better tracking to faster turnarounds. DocuSign can now be fully integrated into QuickBooks Online Advanced. Listen for more information and check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's a birthday celebration podcast of 2 amazing people. One of them most of you all know, the other one you would all be better off if you did. Plus each of them can teach us a thing or two about how to go through life and get the most out of it. We have a busy week ahead of us, let's start it off strong with some positivity and the right mindset. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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We have made it to the end of another work week. A sometimes overwhelming and stressful work week. Today we cover some tips on how to deal with the overwhelming feelings to bring some order back in your day. One of them only takes 14 seconds! Give a listen and find out more. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Commuting to work doesn't have to be a miserable experience. There are ways to add a little peace into the process even if it means adding a couple of extra minutes to the ride. Give a listen and find out more. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Everyone loves getting paid, right? Today we cover how to properly receive and deposit funds in QuickBooks Online so you don't make getting paid into a headache down the road. Give a listen and find out more. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Is it important that you like the people you work with? YES! The topic of transitioning back into the office keeps coming up, and today we discuss the bonds that people working together can build. Life long friendships can be developed at work, and short of that just enjoying the people you spend so much time with plays a big role in your overall happiness. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Another Monday! More opportunities! More daylight! The summer season is upon us and with that we get more daylight and positive vibes. Today we also recap a Friday that had a breakthrough in our office for how we create estimates. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Want to know if you have enough money to pay your bills? Want to know when you are getting more money in? That's cash flow! It's really important and today we talk about some pretty basic steps you can take to make sure your cash flow stays in the positive. Give a listen and find out more. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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What's the point of setting up an LLC to protect your personal assets if you aren't going to follow the rules and "pierce the corporate veil"? Based on a conversation earlier this week, today we cover the importance of separating your business and personal finances to protect you down the road. Give a listen to find out more. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Is paying bills ever exciting? Probably not for most people, but Dan has found a way to get excited about it. Features built right into QuickBooks Online can help, and a new rollout of features has Dan excited for how we can help our clients. Give a listen to find out more. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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The world is opening back up and people are heading back into the office. Is everyone happy about that? Apparently not. Today we cover an article regarding the pushback Apple is getting from some of their employees and the transition back to a "normal" work environment. Plus Dan rants about the Yankees again. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Another Monday! Another week we GET to go to work. We GET to work on our goals. Let's recap the weekend, jumpstart our week, and have a little history lesson. Today is Flag Day. Do you know why it's today and some of the history of the holiday? Give a listen and find out. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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TGIF! What a week it has been. Dan's brain has turned to Jello so today's episode is a mish mash of different topics and reminders to make sure we are putting ourselves in the best position to be successful. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Every single person who works for our company plays a role in our success. We all have tasks that are more tedious than others and skills that benefit the company. It's important to remember the role that you and others play in making the magic happen. Give a listen and find out more. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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If it ain't broke don't fix it right? Ehhhh... Maybe not. Today's podcast touches on not being so stuck in your ways and being open minded to new ideas. It could make big differences in how efficient you are as a company. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Do you want to succeed as much as you want to breath? Is that even a question you should be asking yourself? Today we recap a hectic Monday and then focus a little time talking about being committed to your goals and the possibility of being TOO committed. Give it a listen. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Back in NJ! Back in the office! Back to complete and utter chaos! That's right! Dan has a TON on his plate today, and he knows it is going to be overwhelming at times. How is going to handle it? By utilizing all the stuff he's constantly talking about in these podcasts of course! Give a listen and find out. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Friday and another opportunity to set ourselves up for success heading into next week. Today's podcast is a refresher on the use of reminders and why you should be taking advantage of all the technology advancements available to us. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Are you taking advantage of all the tools QBO has to offer? I hope so! QBO is chock full of great features that can help your company run more efficiently and today we talk about two of them - tracking billable expenses and using the the new tags feature. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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What's one thing you always want more of that you can't buy? That's right - time. We only have so much of it in any given day, week, month, or life, so let's sure we are making the most of it. As a business owner are you spending your time wisely? What effect could an "extra" 10 hours in your week have on your business? Give a listen and find out. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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A new week and new month is upon us! Let's start strong by making sure we are doing the housekeeping tasks required to keep our company on point. Even just one hour of work at the start of each month can help build the foundation of success going forward. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Memorial Day weekend is upon us. Today's podcast is a tiny history lesson on the meaning of Memorial Day and its origins. It's not just all about barbecuing and a long weekend. Give a listen a gain a little perspective on how and why Memorial Day came to be. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Bring it on Thursday! Today we touch base like usual on the importance of spending time looking over the company financials, and then we shower Kerriann with some love! It's a Kerriann appreciation podcast. She is the glue of BCBO and deserves a little time in the spotlight. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Hiring and bringing on new employees seems to be the theme of the week. Today we go over a great article shared by Gina with some tips for finding great candidates for your business. Also cover a few no-no's you want to make sure you avoid. Give it a listen! Everyone say thank you to Gina for sharing! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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We are back for another fun filled Tuesday. Today we recap a busy Monday, and touch on a key component of running a successful business. A little extra work up front can really pay off down the road. Give a listen and find out how. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Opportunity is knocking! Take advantage of it! It is Monday, and it is going to be an exciting day in the BCBO world. New employee is starting, and Dan has the opportunity to work on something that he knows he needs to improve on. Give a listen and start your week with the right level of motivation and excitement and let it carry you through the week. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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TGIF! Today Dan recaps the week, touches on an important topic missed yesterday, and shares a little story about WD-40. Even if you already know the story it is worth listening to again. Failure + failure = Success! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Bring on Thursday! Today's topic is supplied by Gina, and here is the nutshell recap - be a good person. That's it. Be a good person to the people you work with regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, age, etc. Don't do the easy thing, do the right thing. It pays off. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Happy Wednesday everybody! Dan had himself a great Tuesday, and can't wait to share some of the details of a great conversation with a client. We talk about what is and isn't overhead, and once again drill down on the importance of taking the time to go over jobs individually as you review your business. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's a Tuesday therapy session. Dan is working through some things, most notably how to be more flexible and open to change. Think you can relate? Give a listen and offer any suggestions you have! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Why is Dan thinking about Goldilocks? Give a listen and find out. Hint - he did not have porridge for breakfast this morning. Let's lay the foundation for another great week by starting off talking about setting good goals. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's finally Friday! Today we recap the week, and talk about managing expectations. No. That's it, that's the sentence, and sometimes you need to say it. There is only so much time in a day and so much that you are capable of. Reminding yourself of that and communicating that clearly to your clients can save lots of headaches down the road. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Are you a profitable company? Are you sure???? It's Thursday, and like most Thursday's Dan has company finances on his mind and that is what we are talking about today. Make sure you have the complete picture of what is going with your business. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's already Wednesday! Yesterday did not go as planned 100% of the time, but you know what? It's ok. It happens, and today Dan talks about what went right, what went wrong, and shares a tip on how to handle it when someone tries to bring you down. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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What lesson can be learned from a bamboo tree? Give a listen and find out! It's Tuesday, and today we discuss the patience and foundation it takes to achieve your goals and fulfill your vision. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Let's start the week off strong! Today we dive into eliminating distractions in your day like social media and what it can me for your productivity and overall wellness. We also recap the weekend and set ourselves up for another great week. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Bring on Friday! Are you reaching your potential everyday? Is your company reaching its potential? Is there a difference between success and reaching your potential? That's the rant for today as we wrap up up the week, and like we always do let's set ourselves up to be successful next week. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Dan's favorite day of the work week! Lots on the plate today, but we are excited for it. Today we talk about the physical reaction in your brain and throughout your body when you are positive and believe in yourself. Take the 9 minutes to get reminded that being good to yourself is more than just talk, it's science. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! Today we get a little technical talking about the difference between and independent contractor and employee and how the distinction between the two can affect your business. For more information on the topic click the following link:
https://sbshrs.adpinfo.com/blog/1099-vs-w-2-what-you-dont-know-could-cost-you?utm_campaign=Tip%20of%20the%20Week&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=124936785&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--f8mvv-TK5E5y0iaNUu54HllI4prLUW-6w2OXHPoKYmGiqKl8Nrsq52PCXw0kWPB9LpGvEJqbJ_vqSh6sQYYdxUYaH-3v9J6h4RboQcdfNGPwQRUw&utm_content=124936785&utm_source=hs_email As always check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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May the 4th be with you! Happy Tuesday everyone. Today we talk about taking the time to focus on big picture goals and working towards your vision. It not only helps you down the road, it can help you today! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Monday! Ever feel the excitement of a new project or goal wear off so you kind of just stop working on it? Yeah, I thought so. Lots of people do and while this podcast won't fix your problem overnight it can certainly help. Give a listen and start your week off right! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com.
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It's Friday! Let's end the week on high note! Today we recap the week and dive a little more into building out your vision. Simple questions can have big answers and huge consequences. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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How do you eat an elephant? Give a listen and find out. Today Dan recaps a crazy Wednesday, and sets up what is looking to be another jam packed Thursday. Lots of good content and reminders in this one. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Dan is back in the grind and ready for the challenges ahead of him today. Are you? Today we talk about starting from the beginning and building out your ideal work day. How does the time you wake up in the morning play into that? Give a listen and find out. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Dan’s still on vacation, and he’s still not great at it. But he’s getting better and provides some updates on it. Also a few friendly reminders on structure, commitment, and the work required up front to develop and pursue your vision. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Monday! Dan is technically on vacation. Full disclosure - he stinks at taking vacation. So here is a short and sweet podcast to get your week started! Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Bring on Friday! What a week! Let's recap how things went and set ourselves up for success heading into next week. We also touch on how it takes courage to make the changes you need to make to help you reach your vision and end the week with a little positivity and motivation. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Are you spending enough time on your finances? Are you job costing, considering your overhead, and doing cash flow analysis? Do you wonder why you keep attracting the type of customers who don't pay on time and generally cause chaos in your life? Well, then do we have a podcast for you! Give it a listen. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Happy Wednesday. Tuesday was a better day, and today is shaping up to be great too! Today we dive into job costing and discuss the importance of understanding where you are making and losing money on EVERY job, not just overall as a company. Check out the website for more content at www.bcbousa.com
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It's a Tuesday therapy session... Monday was rough one, and the Yankees are terrible. So here are some rantings, and some reminders that it isn't going to go right 100% of the time. Sit on the therapy couch for 8 minutes and see if it helps you tackle your Tuesday. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Monday and another week of opportunity is ahead of us! Let's start it off by taking 7 minutes to talk a little bit about overhead. What it is, and why it is important to understand in order to run a successful and profitable business. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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FRIDAY! FRIDAY! FRIDAY! What a week we've had! As we wrap up the week with 7 minutes in heaven let's recap all the things that went right, make adjustments on the things that didn't go so well, and make sure we are keeping an eye on our podcast. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Thursday and we are grinding our way through the week. In a good way! Lots to get accomplished and lots to discuss! Take 10 minutes to listen and find out more about putting yourself in a position to succeed, and why Dan is so frustrated with the Yankees. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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It's Wednesday, and it has been a crazy week so far! How is Dan keeping it together? With a little time dedicated to his mental health, and by utilizing the tools and technology available to him. Dedicate 10 minutes to this podcast and we promise you'll be the better for it. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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8 minutes of good technical information, praise for Gina, and the importance of hiring good employees. The SBA has announced new guidelines regarding the EIDL, and why a great employee like Gina can be a difference maker in the success of your business. Check out the website for more great content www.bcbousa.com
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It’s Monday! Lots of opportunities in front of us as we start the week. Are you ready? Do you have a plan? Start the week off right by taking the 9 minutes to listen and insert some positive vibes into your day. Check out the website at www.bcbousa.com
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Got 8 minutes? Great! Listen to this podcast! Today’s topic is about being ok with sometimes having to walk the path to your success alone. Check out the website for more content www.bcbousa.com
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Take 9 minutes out of your day and try to gain a new perspective. You have a choice in how you react to things and a choice in how you go about your day. Make the choice to listen to this podcast and check out our website! www.bcbousa.com
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8 minutes of good stuff to start your day! Another Yankees recap, good habit building tips, and some positive vibes to help start a great Wednesday. Check out the website at www.bcbousa.com
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Pick up a few tips on how to ditch bad habits. Find out what happened in the Yankee game last night, and find out why changing one word in a sentence can change your entire outlook on the day.
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Introducing a new daily pod where Dan jumps on and shares some thoughts, gratitude, inspiration, etc.
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This week we talk about the importance of utilizing online storage like Google Drive and Dropbox. If you are not using these services you are putting yourself at a big disadvantage. We also talk about some other ways to stay structured and organized online, and Gina pulls back another layer into Dan's silly brain. Check us out online www.bcbousa.com
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This week's episode is a little for you and a little for us. The top half of the podcast we answer a listener question about staying on the right path. Then we spend time going over some of our favorite movies and television shows. It's been a long week, we needed to have some fun! Check out our website www.bcbousa.com
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Dan and Gina talk about something that has affected a lot of people over the last 12 months - working from home! It is not always an easy transition so we share some tips and advice to help make the process easier. We also discuss the pros and cons of working from home and the importance of separating the work from the life. Check out our website for tons of content: www.bcbousa.com
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Dan and Gina had the pleasure of answering a couple mailbag questions from our awesome listeners. Topics includes creating new habits, breaking bad ones, the importance of prioritizing time to focus on your financials, and why doing everything yourself might not be the best use of your time. Adjectives galore and whole lot more! Check out our website for tons of great content www.bcbousa.com
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
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Special guest alert!! In this episode Dan is joined by Lauren Hansch to discuss her company Simply Serendipify. Lauren discusses her inspirations, challenges, resources, and shares some incredible insight into starting a company. Dan asked above average questions. Lauren provided great answers! Plus our grievances and gratitudes to end the week. Check out our website www.bcbousa.com
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In this weeks episode we dive into what it means to have a vision, and some of the steps to take to find it. What is a vision? Why is it important? What are your values and how do they fit into your vision? Grievances and Gratitudes to end the week and adjectives at Gina's request! Check us out online at www.bcbousa.com
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In today's episode we dive a little deeper into the features of QuickBooks Online and discuss the differences between Online and Desktop. QBO is the best accounting program available in our humble opinion, and after listening you will know why! Essential information for anyone running a business! We also get a little more feisty than usual with our Grievances and Gratitudes. Check us out online at www.bcbousa.com
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Stop listening!! Not to us obviously, but sometimes other people, and more importantly yourself! In this weeks episode we talk about the importance of self confidence and how you treat yourself and your dreams. Contact us through our website at www.bcbousa.com
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In today's episode we talk about what bookkeeping really is and why it is so important to the success of your company. Listen! Learn! Apply it! Contact us through our website at www.bcbousa.com
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In today's episode we discuss a topic submitted by a listener that everyone can relate to. It's all about teamwork! Like us on Facebook and send in your comments and questions or email us at dan@bcbousa.com
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Dan and Gina are back at it already! In this episode we talk about some ideas we want implement in the podcast, introduce two new segments, and go over exactly what a coaching session is and why they might be useful to people.
If you have comments or suggestions please reach out to us!!!
Email: dan@bcbousa.com
Website: bcbousa.com
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Welcome to the 1st episode of Blue Collar Podcast. Dan and Gina are the two key cogs in Blue Collar Back Office and will be talking about topics ranging from everything to bookkeeping, business coaching, ducks, and whatever else comes up in their lives. This episode is just short introduction to let everyone know who we are and what we are trying to do. Thanks for checking it out!
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
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