Help! I Need A Bookkeeper!!

Picture This

Photo by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-pointing-at-whiteboard-3727511/

You are in the second year of your business and it just takes off!

You are busy providing services to your customers and the revenue is rolling in. The laptop you used when you started your business isn’t cutting the mustard anymore and it is time for an upgrade. You also need a new office desk, one of those comfortable executive chairs for your new desk and the list goes on. It’s great that business is going well but now you are a juggler. You are juggling taking care of your customers, and staying on top of the latest trends in your industry and bookkeeping is last on the list. 

The list

Goes on & on…..

It’s tax time and your tax professional is asking for all these financial reports and receipts and that list goes on…..

You are stressed out and ready to run for the hills. You know you need help with your bookkeeping management but where do you even start to find it? 

This is a common scenario as you start to grow your business. It is good that you are reading this post because I will shed some light on the different types of bookkeeping professionals and how they can help you.

• Freelance Bookkeeping Professionals - These are independent bookkeepers who might have a day job and work as freelancers.

• Bookkeeper Firm Owners - These are full-time business owners who focus exclusively on bookkeeping management.

• Accountant/CPA/Enrolled Agent Firms - These firms handle tax planning, tax preparation, audit, and advisory and offer bookkeeping services.

Then there are the specialties

A bookkeeping professional can specialize in e-commerce, cleanups, cash-based businesses, restaurants, construction, service-based businesses, or, non-profit organizations. The list is vast.

What Can A Bookkeeping Professional Do For Me?

In general, a bookkeeping professional should be able to help ensure all your expenses are organized, the money in your checking account matches what your accounting software is reporting, and deliver financial reports that show how well your business is doing.

It all boils down to:

• How much help do you need?

• The uniqueness of your business.

• Your personality preference.

• Most importantly YOUR business goals.

These attributes are all going to play a part in the bookkeeping alphabet soup. Additionally, some bookkeeping professionals offer limited services and outsource things like payroll and bill payment. 

There are a variety of bookkeeping professionals who are available to help you on your business journey. The most important thing is to acknowledge that you should not try to be a juggling act and start to seek out professionals who can help you keep your business finances in order. This will help you to focus on your zone of genius and propel your business forward. 

Keep IT Sunny!

How Can You Use Goal Setting To Measure Business Success?

Photo by Engin Akyurt: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-dartboard-1552617/

Goals are an essential piece in your pie of success. They can be used to determine if you are on the right path to business success. Here are a few tips to guide you on using goal setting effectively.

• Brainstorm exactly what you are trying to accomplish in your business.

• Chunk down large goals into smaller manageable steps.

• Make sure that your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound better known as S.M.A.R.T.

• Take ownership and like NIKE says, “Just Do It.”

• Create Key Performance Indicators.

• Keep track of your progress.

• Make adjustments when needed.

• Celebrate achievements.

• Reflect on wins and learns.

I hope these tips help you to use goal setting to measure your business success.

Keep IT Sunny!

Ready Set Get Your Goals Done!

Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-portrait-of-marathon-runner-9947999/

I hope the first part of 2024 is treating you well. 

Last week I shared success tips about some of the habits of successful people like Warren Buffet and Steve Jobs. Today I want to share a previous post about goals and defining what exactly is a goal.

Check it out and I hope it provides you with the tools needed to make this first month of 2024 a true home run for you.

Keep IT Sunny

Tis The Season To Crush Goals!

Photo by Laura James: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-and-red-ceramic-mug-on-white-and-red-floral-textile-6101961/

Christmas is just around the corner and the atmosphere here in Las Vegas is filled with all things holiday season.

I am sure it is like that where you live too.

:)

As I peruse online and listen to my favorite podcast on podcast addict the theme of goals is swirling around. It makes sense because the new year is right around the corner and those pesky resolutions are waiting to be made. I heard a concept today around crushing goals from one of the best motivational speakers out there, Dr. Eric Thomas a.k.a The Hip Hop Preacher who shared this method:

1 day, 7 days, 30 days & 90 days

The focus is on starting your goal on day one and then measuring it on day 7. Next, you would continue to measure your progress in 30 days, and in 90 days that would be your milestone period. It’s such a good idea. Many times we start with zeal and vigor towards achieving our goals and then we get sidetracked by life. The goal gets placed on a shelf to nowhere. I am going to give this method a try. I encourage you to do the same.

If you are looking for more tips & tools around goals check out the posts I wrote below about it. 

How To Set Goals That Are Achievable In Life

Are You A Goal-Getter?

Merry Christmas Early & As Always Keep IT Sunny~

Welcome To December!

Photo by Boris Pavlikovsky: https://www.pexels.com/photo/gifts-with-pine-leaves-5499125/

We have finally made it to the end of the year.

I hope this year has been prosperous and productive for you. As we start to celebrate the holidays and plan for 2024, I encourage you to reflect on all the wonderful things that have happened this year and how you have impacted your customers. This month, I will focus on mindset, goal planning, and gratitude.

Keep IT Sunny~

Are You A Goal-Getter?

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-blue-denim-jeans-sitting-on-floor-3807737/

Are you a goal-getter?

According to Hive.com, “A goal-getter is someone who continuously sets and consistently accomplishes their specific goals.”

Most of us start off strong at the beginning of the goal-setting process and then we kinda fall off. 

We can be inspired and learn how two very famous people stayed on track toward their goals.

During my research, I learned that Beyonce stays motivated toward reaching her goal of receiving an Academy Award by keeping a photograph of one by her treadmill where she can see it every day. 

Similarly, Michael Jordan stayed motivated toward his goal of becoming a professional basketball player by keeping the memory of the rejection he received from his high school basketball coach because he was too short. After being told he would never play at a professional level, he trained even harder and visualized his name in a professional locker room. As they say, the rest is history. 

Today I want to spend some time looking at 4 simple steps that I call the Roadmap to Goal Success! Prepare, Plan, Execute Reflect

Step One: Prepare Your Mind for Success - You know the old saying, Garbage In, Garbage Out. You can’t put new positive information into a mind that is filled with negativity. The way I approach this is by reading the Bible and watching motivational speakers every morning that will inspire me to reach for my dreams. This ensures that I am ready for the next step.

Step Two: Make a Plan - Start to visualize and brainstorm what you want to accomplish. What does the end result look like for you? As an entrepreneur, my goal is to create services that add value and help other entrepreneurs make their businesses a success. What does your vision look like? Have fun with it. 

Step 3: Execute - I think this is a step that many of us get stuck on. I know that I have.  Sometimes I can get stuck in the “getting ready to get ready phase” and stall on carrying out the plan for my goals. A good way to get out of this cycle that I have found is to break up my plan into smaller manageable activities that I can easily accomplish. This helps to build momentum. And like Nike says Just Do It! 

Step Four: Reflect - This is the key component to making sure you stay on the road to success. It’s like giving yourself a report card. In my entrepreneurial journey, this could look like taking feedback from my clients and applying it to improve my services. Also, I look at my “wins” and “learns” daily to see how well I am doing as a business owner as I work to pursue excellence. 

In Summary, goal-setting and goal-getting are the key components to achieving success in your life. We can take inspiration from Beyonce and MJ that as talented as they are they still used tactics to keep them motivated toward their goals.

We all have set goals and gotten lost in the sauce as we work toward accomplishing them. I challenge you to start today on your journey to crushing your goals by following the 4 steps on the Roadmap to Success: Prepare, Plan, Execute Reflect

I will leave you with a quote by Dr. Eric Thomas, one of the top motivational speakers in the world who commands $100K to $200K per speaking engagement and started off homeless and eating out of trash cans as a teenager.

“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe then you will be successful”!

Keep It Sunny~

How To Set Goals That Are Achievable In Life?

Photo by Polina Zimmerman: https://www.pexels.com/photo/notes-on-board-3782134/

Goals

That word is so powerful. To some, it can lead to energetic excitement that inspires them toward success. 

For others, it can lead to stress, confusion, and anxiety. My goal is to be in the first group and to take you with me. Let’s first start with a definition.

Merriam-Webster defines goals as, “The end toward which effort is directed.”

That sounds simple enough. 

The first step is figuring out what you want your end to be and what kind of effort you are willing to put toward that end to obtain it. 

Here are some steps to help you along the way.

• Step One: Have fun and brainstorm what you are trying to accomplish. 

• Step Two: Take your brainstorming results and organize them into goal buckets; 5-year, 3-year, and 1-year buckets.

• Step Three: Write down what you would need to accomplish within the next 12 months to help you toward your 3-year goal.

• Step Four: Break down your goals into smaller chunks so that you can start to track and measure your progress.

Goals are the foundation of achieving success.

It is important to have fun and brainstorm some ideas, then get clarity around them, and create a roadmap plan that starts with your long-term, semi-long term and short-term goals. Finally, it is important to break everything down so that you don’t become overwhelmed and can track your progress.

Don’t forget to celebrate your wins.

Keep IT Sunny~

Welcome To November!

Photo by Maksim Goncharenok: https://www.pexels.com/photo/text-5552810/

Have you ever signed up for a course or training and never finished it?

Have you ever thought why am I in business this is so hard and felt like giving up?

We have all been there, but the thing that separates successful entrepreneurs from those who are not is execution. This month I want to look deeper into what is needed to help us execute our goals better to achieve success.

Join me on this journey.

Keep IT Sunny~

How Busy Entrepreneurs Can Continue To Learn New Things

Photo by Loe Moshkovska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-wears-black-kiss-print-crew-neck-shirts-sits-722244/

Has anyone heard of a company called Blockbuster?

https://news.airbnb.com/store-manager-lists-worlds-last-blockbuster-on-airbnb-for-local-residents/

I remember growing up in Detroit and going to my neighborhood Blockbuster on a Friday night to peruse through the aisles looking for a good movie. This is where all the fun happened in my neighborhood on a Friday night.

 Fast forward to today and BlockBuster is gone.

It has turned into a cautionary tale of what can happen when you allow your business to become complacent and stagnate. 

Your business becomes obsolete.

In the case of Blockbuster, according to the Business Insider article, “Blockbuster: The rise and fall of the movie rental store, what happened to the brand,” was their inability to learn new things and shift their business offering in a different direction. The company started by David Cook in 1985 in Dallas was based on the brick-and-mortar video store experience and worked very well for a long time UNTIL…..

The market changed.

Instead of taking a hint from the market that was quickly changing from going to the video store to rent a movie to watching movies on demand in their own homes, David failed to learn the new thing that was going on and well the rest is history! The craziest thing is all Blockbuster had to do was buy Netflix which was the dominant player in the market at the time. This would have helped Blockbuster pivot by learning a new thing.

I know you might be thinking well I am not Blockbuster and I am too busy to learn new things. 

Well, both are true.

But the cautionary tale is still the same. If you CHOOSE to stay stagnant and not learn new things your company might die a slow death as a result. This has been proven. However, if you do decide that you are ready to make space to learn new things that can move your company forward then I have a few ideas for you below.

1. Network, Network, Network

2. Take an online course via Coursera or another platform on a subject that interests you and apply the key principles to your business.

3. Read books and gain a blueprint about how other successful entrepreneurs have done it before you and apply those principles to your business. Audible is a great way to do this. 

4. Attend conferences, lunch & learns, webinars, or seminars that are about learning soft skills like relationship building or communication to learn ways to add your personal touch to your business offerings.

5. Benchmark from another business in a different industry to learn the key methods they use to stay competitive and implement those strategies in your business. Think Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Apple. 

The list is infinite but the bottom line is the same. Just because you are a busy entrepreneur doesn’t mean you can stop learning new ways to evolve your business. If you don’t do this then one day you might be gone with the wind just like Blockbuster.

Keep IT Sunny~

3 Ways To Create Measurable Goals

Photo by Markus Winkler: https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-typewriter-on-brown-wooden-table-4052198/

Have you ever started driving towards a destination and gotten lost because you didn’t use your GPS? You were thinking that you could remember how to get there based on the last time you visited the destination.

You Were Wrong!

Many times we have the same scenario play out in our business journey. We start up our businesses sometimes out of necessity and start working without a plan or goals.

Today I want to share 3 easy ways to create measurable goals. When I see the word “easy” in my Google searches it warms my heart. I am sure the tips that I will share below will help you along your business journey.

Number One

Start with the end in mind - This tip can’t be ignored because you must know where you are trying to go so you can get there. I like Simon Sinek’s Ted Talk on “Start With Your Why.” This always helps me to get back to the reason I am in business which helps to spark what goals I have for my business.

Number Two

Write down SMART Goals - I am sure you have heard of this. In this method, the objective is to make your goals clear so that you can measure them better. According to Mindtools.com, SMART stands for; Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.

Number Three

Chunk it down - We have all heard the expression, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time and your goals should be broken down into tiny bite-size steps so that you can easily get them accomplished.

Don’t continue to move forward in your business journey by the seat of your pants but instead elevate your goal setting and apply the tips above. If you do I am sure you will be a success.

Keep It Sunny!

Welcome To The Month Of September

Photo by Boris Pavlikovsky: https://www.pexels.com/photo/printed-september-calendar-paper-surrounded-by-dried-flowers-5490091/

Can you believe that we are pretty much done with summer?

I hope you had an amazing Labor Day weekend with your family & friends. I had the chance to rock out with my friend at the Metallica and Pantera concert in Phoenix over the weekend. It was so much fun to pump my fist in the air and yell to the top of my lungs all the song lyrics. 

Yes, now you know my secret - I am a rocker!!

One thing that I learned while watching the crowd go crazy as the bands played their sets is how well they engaged the audience. Both bands have been around for years and have played in a variety of venues but still manage to keep things fresh & engaging to the fans.

How do they do that?

I wish that I could ask them but I can’t. However, I can guess that these three things played a role and continue to play a role in their success:

• Having measurable goals

• Being able to continuously learn new things

• Have sustainable growth

I know it doesn’t sound dazzling BUT I can almost guarantee that they used these attributes to achieve and maintain their success and we can apply the same concepts to our businesses.

This month I want to take a dive into these 3 areas and see specifically how we can use them to build the business of our dreams.

Keep On Rocking & Keep IT Sunny!!

Why Did You Start Your Business?

Simon Sinek has a famous Ted Talk about remembering your why.

Today I want to ask you to remember your why as it relates to starting your business.

Take a look at the video below to help you get reenergized about why you are doing this.

Why

Keep IT Sunny~

The Month of May Review & Welcome To June

May is in the record books!

I hope you crushed your goals last month and are on track to make your quarterly goals. Memorial weekend in Las Vegas was bananas as usual but I had a great time with my family from out of town. Now it’s time to get back to work. If you have time to do some catch-up reading check out the blog posts from May below that I wrote just for you. 🙂

Welcome To The Month Of May

Why Do I Need A Bookkeeper?

4 Ways A Bookkeeper Can Help Your Business

The month of June is the official start of summer and I am ready to get some swim time in. I am also gearing up for the end of 2nd quarter with a few business goals that I am working on to help educate and empower fellow small business owners. This month I want to take a look at a few tips for cash flow management, an overview of what banks and lenders are looking for when deciding to give you a loan, and the anatomy of a workable budget. 

I hope you are ready to dig into these topics as we cruise into the summertime season.

Keep It Sunny!

4 Ways A Bookkeeper Can Help You In Your Business

You started your business because you were passionate about something and wanted to put your personal stamp on it. I know that sounds very general but at the root of every business owner's business is their passion for doing something that they could own. 

I am sure bookkeeping was not on your list:)

Many business owners might only see the QuickBooks Online commercials that pop up on t.v. during tax season and the thought of bookkeeping pops into your mind. I get it. Bookkeeping and accounting are not for everyone. You might have thought what can a bookkeeper help ME with? I have my spreadsheet and my shoebox and life is going fine.

Here are 4 ways a bookkeeper can help you:

• Help you get ready for tax compliance season - Yes this one is pretty popular from January to April but a lot of work needs to be done before these months roll around. 

• Help you get ready for tax planning -  If you are not already having tax planning meetings with your tax professional BEFORE you see them at tax time you could be missing out on many tax advantages. I can assure you that your tax professional wants clean books and a fresh copy of your financial statements to peruse while they chat with you about your tax strategies.

• Help you with managing daily & monthly operations - This is all the stuff that it takes to run your business financially. Let’s say you are getting very busy and want to hire some new team members. Do you have enough cash flow to support this? What do your monthly expenses currently look like? How much-projected revenue are you expecting to bring in? These are all questions that a bookkeeper can help you answer so that you don’t have to worry about hiring and then laying off your new team members due to a lack of funds. 

• Help with making strategic business decisions - Do you want to grow your business in different locations or provide new services? What is your goal for the business 5 years from now? In order to make your goals a reality it is important to look at the numbers and start creating a plan to make sure you hit those targets with no problem. 

The list of ways a professional bookkeeper can help you are endless and in my view depends on your goals. I hope this list answers your questions about what a bookkeeper can help you with. I would love to hear from you to learn more about your business and goals for the future. 

Keep IT Sunny!

February Monthly Round-Up

This month went by fast!

I don’t know about you but I felt like I was on a very fast-moving treadmill that just kept going. It’s tax time and although I do not prepare taxes directly I do provide tax preparation help. Let’s just say being busy is an understatement. However, I did manage to take time to focus on my goals. In a few posts this month I discussed the definition of a goal and also remembering your “Why” and the reason you are doing what you are doing. It was a true eye-opener. 

My Challenge To You

I want to encourage you to go back and read the post about goals & remembering your “why” to help reset your mind to go toward success. 

That’s it for me. I hope your February was filled with lots of love from others and most importantly from yourself. 

Keep IT Sunny!

What's Goals Got To Do With It!

Photo by Markus Winkler: https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-typewriter-on-brown-wooden-table-4052198/

Tina Turner had a movie titled, “What’s Love Got To Do With It” that also had a hit song attached to it. In the movie, Tina’s life was on display as she unraveled from being in a musical group with Ike Turner and out of a tumultuous marriage. I am sure she must have literally asked herself what does love have to do with me remaining in this crazy relationship that is keeping me from living a great life. She had a goal to be a world-class artist. 

How do I know that? 

There is no way she would have attained that level of success without FIRST having a goal to accomplish it. 

What Is The Definition of A Goal?

According to Merriam - Webster a goal is, “The end toward which effort is directed.” That is it plain and simple. You pick an end goal and start to take one step at a time toward it. 

I hope that you will start today by taking one directed step toward your goal. Tina did it before she was successful and in the midst of very trying times. You can do it too!

Keep IT Sunny!

3 Tools You Can Use To Help You Crush Goals in 2023

This month I want to take a look at goals. We will dive into what it is, how to do it right, and what tools are available to help you to crush those goals in 2023. 

The month is over and the excitement of setting those new year's resolutions like getting more fit is starting to fade. Let’s face it setting goals and going after them can be super tricky UNLESS you put a plan in place to help you reach your goals. Here are 3 tools you can use to help you crush your goals in 2023.

Do it with a friend - There are many things you can do by yourself and reach success but goal setting and goal getting is not one of them. Speak to a friend and you can help each other reach your goals.

Make it matter - One of the most important things you can do to help reach your goals is to put it on your calendar and in your daily spaces like on a bathroom mirror or phone. I am very visual and must-see my goals or it doesn’t exist. The next thing I do is right down a goal date, notes for steps taken, and track my progress. I use a Google spreadsheet to do this that I see every day when I open my computer. 

Get a coach - Do you know there is a person known as a “Goals Coach” that will help you reach your goals for free? For FREE!!  US Bank offers this service for free and you do NOT have to be a member of the bank. In fact, they are not allowed to sell services to you. Now that is a good deal. Check them out here. 

This month has flown by and I shared the definition of a goal, how to set goals the right way and now 3 tools you can use to help you achieve goals. The ball is in your court. Are you going to be in the same place next year this time due to inaction or are you finally going to get out there and see how far you can really go in life? 

Keep IT Sunny~

Are You Setting Goals The Right Way?

Photo by Polina Zimmerman: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sticky-notes-on-board-3782235/

In January, people usually start off strong by setting new years resolution goals. The problem is that February shows up and the glitter of the new year resolution starts to fade and folks just throw in the towel. The issue could be that they are not setting goals the right way. If you find yourself in this dilemma then check out a post I wrote some time ago about how to set goals that are achievable. My hope is that this will lead you toward keeping and crushing your goals in 2023.

Keep IT Sunny~

What Is The Definition of A Goal?

The New Year is the gateway to a new beginning and a fresh start. Many people make promises to tackle a new idea or habit to improve their lives, known as new year's resolutions. Did you make any new year's resolutions? I asked a friend on new years eve if she was going to make any new year's resolutions and she replied no that is too much pressure to put on yourself.

That got me thinking about whether I make new year’s resolutions or just set goals. I determined that it was a mixture of both. My new year's resolutions are to set and accomplish the goals I make in each area of my life for the year. 

No pressure at all:)

Then that got me thinking about what exactly is the definition of a goal. According to Merriam-Webster, a goal is an end toward which effort is directed”. Dictionary.com describes a goal as “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed”.

This is food for thought. A goal is the prize for pushing your efforts toward a single point of focus. That is my definition. I also read an article that stated that focus is:

Following

One

Course

Until

Success

My encouragement for you today is to just sit in silence with a pen & paper. Think about where you want to be this time next year and start to jot down those ideas. Pick ONE goal and next week we will look at how to f.o.c.u.s on that one goal to reach success. 

Keep IT Sunny

How To Find A Good Business Coach

The year is winding down and as we start to look forward to 2023 now is a good time to take a look at your business goals. Create a spreadsheet and start brainstorming the following:

• What is working right now in your business? 

• Write down all your successes. 

• Jot down what isn’t working.

• Write out what your goals are for 2023.

Next, find a coach to help you reach your goals. As business owners, we think we can do it all by ourselves. In the beginning, we are tasked with doing everything inside our business from reception, customer service, bookkeeping, and marketing to delivering the actual service we offer. In short, we wear all these hats out of necessity but the path forward toward growing our business is where we will need some help. This is where a good business coach can make all the difference. 

What Is A Business Coach?

According to BetterUp.com, “Business Coaches are seasoned professionals who enable startups, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders with advice and feedback based on their real business needs. The best business coaches combine real-world business experience with coaching skills like active listening and the ability to ask powerful questions.”

So now that you know what a business coach is, the next question you probably want to know is how can you find one. There are a variety of ways to find a business coach and you can always start with our favorite tool Google. Additionally, there is another resource that you can try called Score.org. Score.org according to their website is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground and achieve their goals through education and mentorship.”

They offer a variety of resources including business coaching via their client mentoring program; the best part is it is all FREE. Let me say that last word again FREE. It is a win/win for you. I have attended numerous in-person events this year co-sponsored by SCORE and have made great business referrals as well as learned a lot. 

So as we look forward to 2023 my challenge to you is to create your spreadsheet of wins, loses, or draws so that you can have a full picture of how successful 2022 was for you. Finally, use some of the resources above to go find a business coach that is a good fit for you that will help you reach your business goals. 

Keep IT Sunny!