Welcome To October!

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Photo by 대정 김: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-roadway-surrounded-by-trees-2734469/

Fall is officially here and all things pumpkin and spice scents seem to be in the air. I love the fall season here in Vegas because it is a signal that cooler weather is upon us and we can all go outside to play without sweating to death. 

🙂

The fall season is also a great time to start planning for next year in your business. This month we will look at two main areas that should be on your to-do fall financial planning list. The first item that should be on your list is a year-end financial review of your finances. The other area that should be on your list is budgeting and forecasting. I am excited to dive into these areas and provide insights that will help you fall into next year with a solid plan in place for your business finances.

Keep IT Sunny~


How To Have Sustainable Growth & September Roundup!

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Many of us started our business out of a need to solve a problem or a passion for a skill set that we have. I started my business to use my background in accounting and administration to help service-based entrepreneurs create & sustain a business that they love so they can create the lifestyle of their dreams. I am a one-woman shop and look forward to growing my business but I want to do it smart.

According to a joint study shared on Entrepreneur.com, “Roughly two-thirds of the fastest-growing startups end up failing. Research from California State University also showed that companies that had fast revenue growth performed worse, long-term than their slow-growing counterparts.”

I am sure these business owners had the best of intentions and were super-excited to scale their business to increase revenue and jumped right in. We can learn from their mistakes by applying the 5 steps below as we move along the business scaling journey.

Step One

Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals. I shared in a previous blog post that SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Step Two

Take time to do market research on your industry and the competition to gain a better understanding of your competitive advantage or threats.

Step Three

Know your numbers. It is super important to understand where your business stands financially so that you can make good decisions. Additionally, creating a detailed business budget and financial projections are also must-haves in your business toolkit.

Step Four

Create efficiencies in your daily operations and use technology to reduce labor on repetitive tasks.

Step Five

Provide excellent customer service to your customers and ask for their feedback to improve your services.

There are many more things to consider when you are thinking about scaling your business. If you take your time and give some thought to the steps above you will be miles ahead of your competition as we sail out of the month of September. As usual, this month went by fast. People say that time flies when you are having fun so that must be true.

I truly enjoyed kissing summer goodbye and moving forward into the fall season. I hope you had a fantastic summer season and were able to get some things accomplished. This month I talked about 3 Ways To Create Measurable Goals and How Busy Entrepreneurs Can Continue To Learn New Things. If you have time for a few quick reads check them out and remember the tortoise won the race.

Keep IT Sunny~

How Busy Entrepreneurs Can Continue To Learn New Things

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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

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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

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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!!


August Roundup

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The month of August came fast and is leaving just as fast!

I hope you had a great time enjoying all the summertime fun with your friends and family.

I sure did.

In the midst of all the fun, I took time out to work on my business with my US Bank Goals Coach. If you don’t have one yet then I highly recommend working with one.

I also set time aside to help you focus on your finances by taking a look at a few areas in your business. If you have time over the Labor Day holiday weekend check out the posts below.

Got Cash? 3 Tips To Manage Cash Flow

How To Successfully Manage Debt In Your Business

The Importance of Capital Management -

Summer is winding down but we should be getting geared up for the final push to finish the year strong. A healthy business starts with mastering the fundamentals, cash flow management, debt management, and capital management are at the top of the list. 

Keep IT Sunny! 


The Importance Of Working Capital Management

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Successfully managing working capital is the lifeblood of any business. Let’s first define working capital. According to Netsuite.com, “Working capital is calculated by subtracting current liabilities from current assets, as listed on the company’s balance sheet. Current assets include cash, accounts receivable, and inventory. Current liabilities include accounts payable, taxes, wages, and interest owed. Additionally, key attributes are:

Working capital is a financial metric calculated as the difference between current assets and current liabilities.

Positive working capital means the company can pay its bills and invest to spur business growth.

Working capital management focuses on ensuring the company can meet day-to-day operating expenses while using its financial resources productively and efficiently.

Here are a few reasons why working capital management is important:

Managing working capital successfully helps with meeting your short-term obligations and ensures you have enough liquidity in your business to fund day-to-day operational expenses like payroll, utilities, and other business expenses.

Managing working capital well means that if an operational interruption occurs like Covid you have enough money to keep the business running and prevent major disruptions.

Efficient working capital management can help with managing debt and increasing profitability.

Successful businesses understand the importance of keeping a keen eye on their working capital and cash flow. It is extremely important to put together a plan to manage working capital on a regular basis to ensure your business stays healthy and strong.

Keep IT Sunny

How To Successfully Manage Debt In Your Business?

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-faceless-person-with-cash-and-calculator-app-on-smartphone-4386292/

Picture this:

You have a growing business, your customers are happy and you are happy providing services to them. The sales are increasing month after month and finally, all your hard work is starting to pay off. There is one problem. You are exhausted and hiring a new team member would be so helpful to take the strain off you and help to keep the momentum going in your business.

You decide to tap into loan solutions to help with cash flow. This isn’t a bad idea but is it a well-planned idea?

Many times as business owners we have to make decisions on the spot to keep progressing forward but using debt without planning for how you will pay it back can be a recipe for disaster. 

What are some key things to consider to successfully manage debt in your business?

  • Create a budget plan for how you will pay the loan back.

  • Make sure you are considering your business goals when taking out the loan.

  • Don’t overleverage yourself and take on too much debt.

  • Manage your working capital.

  • Monitor your cash flow.

  • Negotiate good terms that you are comfortable with.

    The financial challenges that entrepreneurs face when they are in a growth phase can be tough. The key to successfully managing debt is first understanding all the moving parts associated with servicing the debt and making a realistic plan to pay it off as soon as possible.

Keep IT Sunny~


Got Cash? 3 Tips To Manage Cash Flow

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Cash flow management is critical for any business's success. According to efinancemangement.com “The fundamental goal of cash flow management is to ensure that the incoming flow of funds is always greater than the outgoing so that the business sits on a surplus. 

Here are 3 tips to help you to achieve this goal:

Tip One - Create an emergency fund for your business

According to PNC Bank, “Surveys show that 17% of business owners say that if faced with two months of declining revenue they would have to close, and other statistics show that 25% of businesses won’t open again after a disaster.” Think about what happened as a result of the pandemic. The first step to creating an emergency fund is understanding how much you need to operate each month and how many months you would like your emergency fund to cover.

Tip Two - Create a Budget

This tip goes hand in hand with creating an emergency fund. This is about going deeper to dig out specific information to create categories of spending so that you can create a plan that is realistic based on your past experiences.

Tip Three - Track Your Money 

This one is the most important tip because if you don’t know where your money is going you can’t create a plan for it. 

Successful cash flow management is key to running a successful business. It starts with getting clarity about the current status of your finances. Additionally, creating an emergency fund and a budget will help you to achieve your goals and stay cash flow positive.


Keep IT Sunny~


Welcome To The Month Of August!

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Photo by Jess Bailey Designs: https://www.pexels.com/photo/composition-of-august-letters-on-table-4926898/

We are coming to the home stretch of summer but it’s not over yet. There is still plenty of time to get outside and play. It’s also a good time to take a look at what roadblocks may stand in the way as you try to grow your business. There can be a variety of challenges that might crop up as you try to grow your business but we will look specifically at:

  • Cash Flow Management

  • Debt Management

  • Working Capital Management

We will also look at smart solutions that you can put into practice to remove these roadblocks along your business journey.

Keep It Sunny!

July Monthly Roundup!

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This month is almost in the record books! I hope you are enjoying the summer season so far. It’s been so hot everywhere in the country including Las Vegas. My main goal for this month has been to stay cool!!!

In a recent mastermind meeting, a colleague mentioned her excitement for purchasing training that would help move her business forward. I mentioned that we should all strive to have clients like her and she agreed.

What does it take to deliver such an exceptional client/customer experience that will make your business look red hot and leave people raving about your business like my colleague? It starts with caring about your clients and customers’ needs. In a recent post by Hubspot, they mention that you must make your customers feel special. They go on to say that “Every interaction needs to revolve around the concept of individual value, mutual respect, and a shared vision for your future as their brand of choice.”

It’s a mouthful but it’s very true!

They go on to list the following ways you can deliver an exceptional client and customer experience:

  • Go beyond their expectations

  • Go beyond what the competition delivers

  • Strive to deliver a frictionless experience

  • Be appreciative and say thank you

  • Get client and customer feedback to make enhancements

These are all things we as business owners can strive to do. Tools like Hubspot, Survey Monkey & Zoho can help us with this task. The one tip that I have is to listen to your clients and customers. This one tip will give you a mountain of information about what is working and not working in your client/customer journey.

I hope you will take these tools, tips, and checklists with you into August. Go out there and be amazing.

Keep IT Sunny~

Welcome to the month of July!

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Photo by Travis Rupert: https://www.pexels.com/photo/scenic-view-of-ocean-during-sunset-1032650/

I hope you had a great 4th of July holiday. We are officially in the summer season filled with backyard barbeques and fun times. Many times during the summer months we can forget about working on our business and put things on the back burner. I encourage you to do something different. 

This month I want us to dig into the core of what keeps revenue flowing through our collective doors: customers/clients. Specifically, I want to focus on how to deliver exceptional customer/client service experiences, tools to manage customer/client relationships, and tips to help us be the best in class as it relates to delighting our customers/clients. Let’s go on this journey together.


Keep IT Sunny~


June Monthly Roundup!

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The flowers are in full bloom and summer is officially here. I don’t know about you but I am ready to have fun in the sun. I wrote a few posts this month for you to check out while you are doing your summer reading.

5 Tips To Improve Your Cash Flow Management

What Do Banks Look For When Deciding To Give You A Business Loan

4 Things To Consider When Creating A Workable Budget For Your Business

I hope your summer is getting off to a great start and these tips help you along your business journey.

Keep IT Sunny!!

4 Things To Consider When Creating A Workable Budget For Your Business

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What comes to mind when I say the word BUDGET?


It probably isn’t anything fun - right?


What exactly is a budget anyway? According to Zoho.com, a “business budget is a spending plan for your business based on your income and expenses. It identifies your available capital, estimates your spending, and helps you predict revenue. A budget can help you plan your business activities and act as a yardstick for setting financial goals. It can help you tackle both short-term obstacles and long-term planning.” 

Now that we know what a budget means let’s look at 5 things to consider when creating a workable budget:

  • Practical Revenue Projections - It is great to aim for the sky but don’t aim so high that your goal is unattainable. It is a good idea to reflect on your industry trends, market conditions, market research, and your past history to develop your revenue projections.

  • Review your expenses - Are you aware of your spending habits and how they impact your cash flow?

  • Plan for an emergency - Do you have emergency funds available for your business? In the same way, you have a savings account with funds set aside for emergencies in your personal budget, your business budget needs the same contingency funds.

  • Pay attention - No budget plan is useful if it is created and ignored. Make a note on your calendar schedule to review your budget at a regular interval that works for you. This will help you to celebrate your wins and quickly get back in alignment if you are off-track. 

I hope these 4 tips will help you to create a workable budget that makes sense for you & your business. 

Keep IT Sunny~


What Do Banks Look For When Deciding To Give A Business Loan?

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Photo by Expect Best: https://www.pexels.com/photo/buildings-with-glass-windows-351264/

Your business is growing and you need more time in the day to do everything. A new team member would be great BUT you want to maximize cash flow and some of your cash is still on its way. 

What do you do?

It’s like the chicken and the egg because you need one thing to do the other. It might be time to look for a business loan at your local bank but you are not sure what they will ask from you. 

Today I want to share the top 3 things banks look for when giving business loans.

Number One: Credit History

We all understand the importance of having good credit but some of us might need help understanding one of the easiest ways to get there. Sorry, this will not be earth-shattering news. I was recently at a local networking event sponsored by US Bank and one of the panel guests from US Bank said the best practice for having good credit is using no more than 50% of your total credit utilization. She went on to say of course not carrying a balance month to month is also a great way to establish good credit. If you need help achieving this goal check out a goals coach courtesy of US Bank. 

Number Two: Business Plan

The banks want you to show them your plan before they show you the money. It makes sense and we see this even on popular tv shows like The Shark Tank. The sharks always start by asking about elements of the entrepreneur's business plan like asking about sales projections, who is their target market, and many other questions. It starts with your business roadmap. If you need help with getting started on this check out SCORE.org  for help.

Number Three: Financial Statements

Yes, the banks want to look at your business health through the lens of your financial reports. The financial reports tell the story of your business. The income statement tells the story of your sales, expenses, and what was left. The balance sheet tells the story of what you own, owe, and what remains as equity in your business. Additionally, banks look at the financial statements to locate trends in revenue, profitability, and cash flow. They are looking for strong healthy businesses that will be able to pay them back. If you need help with creating your business financial story I am always here to help.

To recap, you need money because there are only 24 hours in a day, and hiring a new team member is paramount. Additionally, you want to maximize your cash flow and use O.P.P. (other people's money:) to help grow your business. The banks are looking for 3 key things which are good credit, a solid business plan, and your financial story via your financial statements. My challenge to you is to take a hard look at your business and these three criteria to see if your ducks are in a row. If they are not in a row try scheduling 15 minutes per. day to work on them.

Keep IT Sunny!


5 Tips to Improve Your Cash Flow Management

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In the world of small business entrepreneurship, cash flow management is King! The lack of it can quickly derail your business. According to Fundera.com, a U.S. Bank study stated that a whopping 82% of failed businesses cited cash flow problems as a factor in their failure.” That is a huge percentage. Today I want to share 5 tips to help you improve your cash flow management. 

  1. Create a budget - This one is a no-brainer. You can’t begin to understand where all your money is going & plan for the future until you have a budget in place. A simple spreadsheet could get the ball rolling.

  2. Create a Cash Flow Forecast - This sounds big & scary but it’s just simply tracking where your money is expected to come from and where you expect it to go over different intervals of time. Your budget will help you to gather the data for your cash flow forecast.

  3. Track your cash flow regularly - This can be done daily, weekly, or monthly. I like to do it on a daily to weekly basis so that nothing falls through the cracks. Life can get busy inside of your business and you always want to stay on top of what is going on with your money.

  4. Understand Your Business Cycle & Timing of Payments -  It is crucial to understand when there are slow periods inside your business so that you can plan for those low sales periods within your business. Additionally, you also want to understand how your customers pay you as it relates to the timing of receiving payment vs. business obligations you might have such as loans and overhead expenses. 


  5. Create a cash reserve - This is similar to having a personal rainy day fund within your personal bank account. This will help you to continue moving forward with growing your business despite market fluctuations. 


Ensuring that you have enough cash on hand to run your business is crucial for success. Creating a budget, a cash flow forecast, tracking your cash on a regular basis, understanding your business cycle and timing of payments along with having a cash reserve can make or break your business. 

Keep IT Sunny!


The Month of May Review & Welcome To June

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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!


What Services Can A Bookkeeper Provide For My Business?

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The industry of bookkeeping and accounting has changed over the years. Traditionally a bookkeeper has been the one-stop shop for small business owners to handle all things related to the daily upkeep of their debits & credits. In recent years, the role of a bookkeeper has started to include taking on the role of business advisory with clients to explain what the numbers mean and how you can use them to help meet your business goals. 

A bookkeeper can provide the following services & more:

  • Monthly bookkeeping management

  • Weekly bookkeeping management

  • Cash Flow Analysis

  • Budget preparation

  • Tech Stack Consulting

The list really depends on the unique needs of your business but the idea of a gray-haired lady or wired-brim glasses guy sitting in a corner with a paper ledger are things of the past. The 21st-century bookkeeper is utilizing technology to deliver real-time results for clients.

I hope this brief list sheds light on a bookkeeper's various services. Share in the comments below what current things you are struggling with related to your bookkeeping.


Keep IT Sunny~


4 Ways A Bookkeeper Can Help You In Your Business

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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!