3 Tips To Help You Develop An Entrepreneurial Mindset!

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What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur? A slew of thoughts come to mind BUT the single most important attribute that you must have in my opinion is an entrepreneurial mindset. What does it mean to have this type of mindset?

According to Inc.com, “It starts with becoming more mindful and connected with what you want and believe in. From here, your business will have a clear direction, you'll be able to sell from an authentic place, and you'll connect more easily to your clients, team, and community.

Building a mindset is the process of taking beliefs that don't serve you and replacing them with ones that do. 

Here are 3 tips to get you started in the right direction:

  1. Develop a Positive Attitude - Yes, I know this might sound like a no brainer BUT it is necessary. Things will get tough along your journey and sometimes the only person who is there to cheer you on is yourself. It is natural to get down from time to time and that is why developing a positive attitude will come in handy to help pull yourself out of the dumps and propel forward.

  2. Remember your “Why” - Put your vision statement in a place where you are able to review it often so you can remember why you are doing this entrepreneurial journey in the first place. If you need some help with figuring out your “Why” check out Simon Sinek’s TED Talk about this.

  3. Surround Yourself With Great Entrepreneurs - Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” So who is in your circle? If you have a bunch of negative nelly’s in your circle then you are shooting yourself in the foot and your friends who are not entrepreneurs are great to have but will not understand what you are facing on this treacherous entrepreneurial journey. So what can you do to fill in the gap? Join business groups online or in person and listen to entrepreneurship type podcasts. My favorite one to listen to on Stitcher is Entrepreneur On Fire by John Lee Dumas.

I hope these tips help you to develop an entrepreneurial mindset that will bring business success!

Keep IT Sunny~

Welcome To The Month of March!

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Spring is in the air and new beginnings are on the horizon. Are you a new entrepreneur? If so in the month of March we will take a look at a few key essentials needed to get you started on the right foot:

Mindset & Motivation

Operational Setup

Licenses & Accounting

I hope you are ready to go on this journey together!

Keep IT Sunny~

February Round Up

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Did you enjoy the month of love? February went by like a blur but I did have a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather here in Southern Nevada. I spent time reflecting on my own business and how I can deliver even more value for my clients. I put a few books on my reading list. The first book is Atomic Habits by James Clear. As I write this I just realized that I have been on his email list since July of 2020 which tells me that I need to slow my life down.

:)

His book is on everyone’s lips. I even heard a sermon at church that included a reference to his book. My business club is reading his book so it is time for me to see what all the talk is about. The second book is Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress - Free Productivity by David Allen. This book is a game changer.

I hope you find time to read these books and take time to reflect on your business journey. If you didn’t get a chance to read my previous posts about how to get out of a business rut & how to get organized then I hope you will add those short posts to your list as well.

Keep IT Sunny!


2 Steps To Get Better Organized in Your Business

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How organized are you in your business? Don’t answer that. If you are getting stressed out looking for items or looking at a growing digital e-file system gone array do not fret. Here are 2 steps to help you to get better organized.

Declutter Your Workspace - We work in a myriad of ways these days but somehow clutter still finds us. Pick a time weekly to go through all your physical paper items like stickies on your work desk and give them a home. Next, make a plan to tackle your e-files in small bites until everything is where you need it to be.

Document Your Work Procedures - These are better known as S.O.P.s or standard operating procedures. These are the processes and workflows for how each part of your business operates down to the smallest detail. This is another project that you might want to break down into tiny bites so you won’t get overwhelmed.

A great book to read on how to make your business and your life more organized is Getting Things Done by David Allen. It is a business book classic with tips that will change the way you live.

I hope these tips help you to get better organized in your business and it overflows into your personal life.

Keep IT Sunny~

Are You In A Business Rut?

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Picture this: You are a new business owner. You are filled with excitement at the idea that you are going to be your own boss and call the shots. You have so many creative thoughts that you are ready to put into action. Your customers are great and they pay you well. You are making more money & experiencing more freedom.

Life is beautiful~

Well, that was your first few years in business and now it is year 4 or 5 or even more and you have hit the wall. The ideas are not there like they used to be and you are overwhelmed with all the work that you have to do to keep up with demand.

Life is not so great~

You are in a business rut my friend. That is the bad news. But the good news is that you can climb out of that hole and get back to living the good business owner life. Check out some tips below to see how:

Go back to the basics - Revisit “your why” which is the reason you began your business journey in the first place. If you are looking for more insight into “your why” check out this TED Talk here by Simon Sinek.

Maybe it is time to rebrand your business - If your brand is outdated or just needs a little bit of sprucing up then this could be just the thing to get you reinvigorated. Check out this article to learn how to do it.

Take a vacation - You might just need a break to collect your thoughts, rediscover yourself and chill out.

We all get into a funk from time to time and that’s OKAY. Just don’t live there for too long. Check out some of the tips above to get the pep back into your step.


Keep It Sunny~

Welcome To The Month of January RoundUp

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I hope you had a productive first month for the new year. It went by pretty fast it seems. Did you keep any of your new year's resolutions? Don’t feel bad if you leave some by the wasteside. Now is a great time to reassess everything and get back in the saddle.

The road ahead is waiting for you. If you need help check out the post I wrote this month below:

This Is Your Year To Make Your Dreams Come True

New Year's Resolutions

How To Crush B.H.A.G's in 2022

Keep IT Sunny~

How To Crush B.H.A.G 's in 2022

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In my search for a photo to depict the title of this post I found this funny looking guy and thought I would add him for humor's sake.

Today we are looking at B.H.A.G’s (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) and how we can crush them in 2022. Let’s start by defining what exactly are B.H.A.G’s.

According to Investopedia.com, A big hairy audacious goal, or BHAG, is a clear and compelling target for an organization to strive for. The term was coined in the book “Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies” by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras. A BHAG—pronounced “bee hag”—is a long-term goal that everyone in a company can understand and rally behind. BHAGs are meant to excite and energize people in a way that quarterly targets and lengthy missions statements often fail to.

So now that we know what it is the question is how do we crush it? Here are a few tips.

  • The best way to achieve a BHAG is to start where you are by taking stock of what you have achieved so far in your business.

  • Create your BHAG and make sure it is something you are really excited about achieving

  • Break your goal down into tiny bits that can be measured for success along your journey

  • Celebrate your wins so you can continue on the path towards BHAG success

Check out this article from inc.com and dive into the perspective of the man himself, Jim Collins.

Keep IT Sunny~

New Year's Resolutions

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Every year we all go through the cycle of making or not making new year's resolutions. The people that make them most say they don’t keep them throughout the year. In contrast, the rebels don’t bother making them at all.

Is there another way to go?

I think goal setting can be the path forward. There are SO many choices out there that picking a method can be a daunting task in itself. According to betterup.com here are some simple tips to apply to goal setting:

  • Make them specific, measurable, relevant and time sensitive

  • Write them down so they can be visible

  • Develop a plan and break them down

  • Get busy moving

I know these are not new ideas but more of a reminder to get energized and go after your goals to make your life better than it was last year.

Keep IT Sunny!


This Is Your Year To Make Your Dreams Come True!

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Happy New Year Officially!!

I am super excited for what the new year will bring and how I can make an impact on the world.

What about you?

Do you have dreams that you are ready to make come true?

I hope so. As a small business owners we might dream small but this is a new year and I want to challenge you to dream BIG!

This month we will look at goal setting and how to achieve B.H.A.G’s better known as big, hairy, audacious, goals in 2022.

Do you have 2 words that will help set the tone for you in 2022? My 2 are: invest & f.o.c.u.s.

Follow

One

Course

Until

Sucess!

I can’t wait to hear yours.

Keep IT Sunny!!

Happy New Year & Month of December Round Up!

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The month of December is just about over and so is 2021. I hope you had a better year than 2020. This is a great time to look over your business goals for the upcoming year and start planning for success. The tax man is just over the horizon and now is a great time to start getting your ducks in a row to make sure you are ready to file on time. Check out the blog post I wrote this month about Planning for the Tax Man. This will give you information to help you get started on your tax planning journey. I will keep this post short and sweet. I hope you have an amazing NYE & holiday weekend and that you crush your goals in 2022!

Keep IT Sunny!

Merry Christmas!

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Christmas time has arrived! This week I decided to take a step back from business as usual and just say thank you for taking the time to read my blog posts. I truly appreciate it & hope that it has provided value to you. If you have time during the holiday weekend to be still and reflect that is what I wish for you. I want you to celebrate your wins & jot down your losses so that next year will be even better than this one. Most of all I hope you take time to spend some quality time with your friends, family and yourself.

Merry Christmas!

3 Tips To Stay On Top Of Your Finances!

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Greenback,Moolah & Dinero. These are all references to money. For many of us the profit and loss report is the most important financial statement that we want to see on a regular basis. Why? Because it tells the story of how much we made, how much we spent and what is left over affectionately known as the bottom-line. So how can we stay on top of our finances so that we can know how much money our business is making?

  1. Use a bookkeeping system on a regular basis to keep fresh data flowing into your reports.

  2. Look at your reports on a regular basis. If you have monthly bookkeeping done and don’t review your reports on a monthly basis then you won’t be able to measure how well financially your business is doing. If you don’t understand your reports a good bookkeeper can help you with that roadblock.

  3. Spend some money on a good CPA who will help you to create tax planning goals for your business.

We are all in business for different reasons BUT the one neutralizer is that we want to make money. The bottom-line is the reason and by applying the tips above you will be on the road to financial success.

Keep IT Sunny!

Planning for the Tax Man

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Are you ready for tax time? 

Do you have a list of vendors that will need a 1099 sent to them in January? 


Have you made your appointment with your CPA to discuss tax planning? 


If not, now is a good time to reach out to them to get your meeting scheduled. I recently spoke to a tax professional who said that business owners started contacting him in early November which was very unusual. So demand is high and now is a good time to send an email or make a call to get your appointment booked. I read an article from NASDAQ.com that mentioned there will be new tax concerns for business owners that use third party payment apps like Venmo, Zelle, Cash App to name a few to accept payments in their business.

Check out the article here and discuss it with your CPA to determine what implications it could have for you in 2022. 

Do you need help finding a tax professional? Check out this link to Ramsey Solutions to find a tax professional in your area.

Keep It Sunny!


Welcome To The Month Of December

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I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your friends and family. I love this time of year when one holiday rolls into the next one. In the month of December we get two for the price of one; Christmas & New Years Eve. As we wind down the year it is time to start getting organized for everyone’s favorite time of year which is tax time. 

Yay!

 Well maybe not:( 

But we do want to start getting our ducks in a row so that when the taxman comes knocking we are well prepared. This month we will take a look at a few ways that you can stay on top of your finances and be ready for your tax professional.

What is your favorite thing about the holiday season? Share in the comments below!

Keep IT Sunny!


The Month of November Round Up & Happy Thanksgiving!

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Today is Thanksgiving and a great time to slow down and take stock of what you are thankful for. I know many people will be celebrating with their friends & family but let’s also remember that some people will be alone so be sure to reach out to them. This time of the year is also a good time to slow down and count the many ways you are thankful to be a small business owner.

 In the work world today many people had to pivot fast due to the pandemic and they jumped feet first into entrepreneurship. No matter how you arrived in the small business arena it is the best decision in the world to run your own company. I wrote a few posts this month to help you to stay focused on your goals and organized within your business. I hope you take some time to read them and apply the tips.

 The life of a small business owner is hectic and fast paced with requirements to oftentimes wear many hats. We are all in this together. Take some time today to turn off the entrepreneur inside you and enjoy the festivities of the holiday and then get after it as soon as the business day starts next week.

Keep IT Sunny!

Apps That Can Help You Stay Organized In Your Business

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Have you missed a meeting because the date was not on your calendar? Are you constantly feeling overwhelmed because your digital files are in disarray? Are you paying late fees to vendors because you don’t have a system set up to ensure timely payments are made? Do you get paid on time by your customers? Is this costing you time & money? The answer is probably yes.

“According to Entrepreneur.com, “Express Employment Professionals, a staffing agency, surveyed 18,000 business leaders to learn that company-wide disorganization cost 57 percent of respondents six working hours per week.

Disorganized employees can cost their company more than one-fifth their actual salary: $11,000 per year out of their $50,000 annual earnings. Elsewhere, a report by SaaS company MediaValet says employees spend eight percent of their workdays searching for files, and end up wasting time recreating between five and 15 percent of their company’s digital assets after giving up the hunt.”

Those are serious consequences.

The Solution

We have all heard there is an app for that and that is very true. Here are 4 apps that will help you to stay organized in your business.

HubSpot - This is a great tool to check out for customer relationship management. They also have great marketing automation tools too.

Flow - Flow is a project management tool and list creation app. It also intnegrates with Slack.

Google Calendar - This is by far the best calendar app out there if you are on the Google universe. It is free and is accessible on multiple devices. To check out other options look at this list created by Zapier.com.

QuickBooks Online - This is a no brainer in my option. QuickBooks Online is tailor made for small businesses and will help you to stay on top of money that is owed to you and money you owe others. The software can do a lot of other things but a word of caution is that it is easy to use and easy to get things screwed up so seeking out a professional to help you is priceless.

Digital Files - There are a host of document storage solutions out there like DropBox to Google Drive. The key to making the storage solution work is to delete unused files, organize the files the same way your paper filing system is and create shortcuts on your computer for frequently used files. Check out this article for more tips.

I hope you found this post helpful. What apps do you use to stay organized in your business? Share in the comments below~

Keep IT Sunny!

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Got Goals?

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Do you have goals for your business or are you just going through the emotions day to day? What is a goal? According to Merriam-Webster, a goal is “something that you are trying to do or achieve''. That’s it plain & simple.

So what are you trying to do or achieve for your business right now? If you are having trouble figuring it out in an organized way check out this article about how to plan your business goals so that they are achievable.

Do you have any goal setting tips & tricks that work well for you? Let’s learn together &  share in the comments below.


Keep IT Sunny!

Welcome To The Month Of November!

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We are coming down to the last stretch of the year and I hope you are hitting your business goals. If not then don’t fret. This month I want to take a look at goal setting and apps that can help you to stay organized. This is the time of year when everyone can get lost in the holiday shuffle.

It is also a great time of the year to start goal planning for the next year & to take stock of all that you have accomplished so far.

Keep IT Sunny!

The Month Of October Roundup!

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The month of October went fast! I hope you had a chance to get outside and have fun enjoying the pumpkin season. As we move toward the end of the year I wanted to take a look at ideas that would set you up for success.

This month I wrote about how to set yourself up for success first thing in the morning & how to make effective decisions in your business. As you wind down from the Halloween and pumpkin season activities I hope you have a chance to read the posts above and apply them to your business goals.

Keep IT Sunny!