12 Reasons You Need A Business Coach

The purpose of having a business coach is to gain tactics, skills, and insight to achieve professional, financial, and personal success.

This is just the tip of the iceberg though. Having a coach on your team goes WAY beyond the nuts and bolts in ways you never knew how much you needed.

Imagine no longer having to blaze the trails alone. How much of a relief would it be no longer feeling out of your depth and overwhelmed. What if you no longer felt like you’re recreating the wheel… thinking there must be a better way. How comforting would it be not having to struggle and carry the weight alone? Wouldn’t it be amazing to be supported in the parts of your business that zap your energy and squelch your creativity??

The answer is NOT “go back to work for someone else” or “suck it up buttercup – this is the life of an entrepreneur”.

The answer IS – find a great business coach! Someone with loads of experience and whose personality and style feels comfortable and approachable to you.

Whether your business is facing challenges, or you want to take it to the next level, a business coach is an asset you absolutely need.

Still need convincing?

Here are 12 reasons why every business needs a great coach:

Accountability

A business coach helps you see your potential and teaches you how to leverage your talents and abilities and reach higher levels of success. They hold you accountable. Let’s face it - we all do better when we know we’ll be meeting with someone to discuss our progress. The coach you need is part sounding board, part advisor, and part cheerleader. Someone who fosters a safe, comfortable, no-shame environment, so you’ll actually get excited to talk about and work on your business. Doesn’t that sound amazing?? Knowing you’re in capable hands, you’ll be inspired to reach higher and stretch further in pursuit of your goals. You’ll feel safe because if you get sidetracked, your coach will help you get back on track and keep moving forward. Accountability is huge.

Clarity

The first thing you’ll do with an experienced business coach is have a strategy session to talk about where you currently are, where you see yourself in the future, and what you intend to accomplish in your business along the way. This is the foundation of your work together. Think about travelling; you need to know where you’re starting from and your intended destination so you can find the best route to get there. A business coach will help you find this level of clarity by looking at your business in a holistic manner, and then help you untangle all the thoughts, ideas, and plans you have for the future. Together you will create a clear roadmap to get you from here to there. It’s a collaborative process that will make you feel empowered and excited about your business again. Sounds great, right? The fact is most entrepreneurs aren’t as clear as they need to be and wander along trying to find their way which results in lost time, energy, money, and opportunities along the way. It’s absolutely common. If this feels like you, you’re not alone. It’s hard to figure it all out on your own. You really do need a sounding board and an expert who will ask the right questions, give you the right advice, and help you navigate around the otherwise inevitable costly and painful pitfalls.

[Important side note - If you interview a coach and they do not start with an in-depth 1-on-1 meeting – be very wary. Many coaches only offer ‘prepackaged generic coaching programs’ or ‘group coaching programs’ and they try to stuff you into them. Think ‘round peg – square hole’. This is NOT what you need at this stage. You need 1 on 1 business coaching that is personalized specifically for you. Group coaching programs have their place, but are generally suited best for people who have ‘graduated’ from 1:1 coaching and need or want the accountability piece and a community of similar business owners that comes with groups.]

Confidence

Once you have clarity, you will begin building confidence. This can be a tricky time in your growth though. When you’re actively working toward your objectives and goals, it’s common to feel that you're making less progress than you expected. It’s not unusual to feel like you’re taking one step forward and two steps back. This can be a confidence killer and cause you to spiral downward. This is the reason having a business coach continues to be necessary along your journey. They will help you see the bigger picture. Help you keep your eye on the prize, so to speak. They will encourage you and help you to stay in a positive frame of mind. Your coach will be able to show you how far you've come and what you've achieved at every turn. They'll provide the support you need to proceed and lead confidently even in the face of challenges. Having an expert in your corner reassuring and supporting you is vital to developing and maintaining confidence which will greatly increase your chances of success. Ask yourself - how much more could you accomplish if you had the confidence to stretch and reach, with the safety net of an expert business advisor to catch you if you start to fall? Trust me – It’s a game changer.

Goals Setting & Metrics to Reach Them

In addition to clarity and confidence, your business coach will help you set goals that are smart, specific, attainable, and measurable. They will also show you steps to take so you’re working methodically to achieve your goals. It’s not enough to have clarity and confidence. You also need a formula and a method to follow that leads directly to your vision of success. Specific methods and data driven objectives are critical to reaching your goals.  

Efficiency

Everything from the large elements of your business such as evaluating the function of your entire operation, to the finer details of how you manage your time & prioritize tasks, can be assessed for the purpose of discovering and removing barriers, creating smarter and simpler systems, and developing strategies that will greatly improve the efficiency of everything you do. We all know time is money, and time is also your most precious resource, so becoming as efficient as possible in everything you do is vital. It reduces stress and frees up time you can use to continue growing your business, or to spend doing things you love most outside of work. Working at maximum efficiency also has the direct result of making your business more profitable. We all want that. This is where the decision to invest in a great business coach literally starts to pay for itself and make your business more profitable. 

Organization

As a business owner, it's easy to get overwhelmed by day-to-day tasks and find yourself disorganized and running in circles. You find yourself VERY busy but not accomplishing anything significant. It’s beyond frustrating! A business coach with attention to detail will help you create the structure and organization needed to organize and run your business like a well-oiled machine. They will help you create, implement, and maintain systems and processes that radically improve organization. When your business operations and workflow are organized, there is room to tackle bigger, more important things that are all-too-often on the back burner for lack of time and energy.

Business Plan / Playbook

No matter what stage of business you're in, a technically skilled coach will assist you in crafting the perfect plan for your unique business starting from where you are and ending where you intend to be in some period of time (like a 3-year or a 5-year plan, for example). Some might say creating a business plan is unnecessary or obsolete. I’ve had people tell me they created a business plan at the beginning of their business and never looked at it again. That isn’t the type of business plan you want. A good business coach understands that a business plan needs to be a functional working document. A playbook of sorts. It’s the ‘what, why, and how’ of your business. While those things are likely to evolve over time, having a playbook for your business helps keep you focused and on track. From clear and specific objectives, goals, and metrics to strategic action steps to make; a working business plan is your guide.

Marketing Strategy & Branding

Marketing is an important function in every business. And yet, a marketing strategy is often lacking entirely, isn’t fully developed, isn’t cohesive, or it isn’t designed to work for you and your unique business. Whether you don't have the time to develop and implement an effective marketing plan or you're not sure how to, a savvy business coach will help you create a personalized, sustainable, easy-to-implement marketing strategy that works for your business and is (of course) effective. ‘Effective’ is the result of a winning marketing strategy but there is no one size fits all. Most coaches will recommend strategies that work effectively for other businesses – but it could be perfectly wrong for you and your business. If a marketing strategy is too complicated, too costly, too time consuming, is soul sucking, miserable or stressful… you won’t exercise it consistently or at all. An insightful coach understands this and will help you create an effective strategy based on what works FOR YOU. And if it works for you – it will be effective.

Unbiased Insight & Advice

A coach will give you unbiased, unemotional, constructive insights. Friends, family, partners, and employees naturally have biased opinions so listening to them and taking their advice won’t lead you to the place you envision. Even listening to or working with other entrepreneurs can mislead you because everyone has their own version of success and how to achieve it. When other peoples’ ideas intermingle with your own, your sense of clarity can become a real mess. This is another place where you can have a major spiral and spin out on your journey to success. The truth is, only YOU know what is best for you. When you work with an experienced business coach, your ideas are heard, understood, and supported. You’ll get unbiased expert insight and advice that supports your vision and moves you closer to your goals. You won’t be led astray.

Fresh Perspective

When you're deep in the weeds of your day-to-day, it’s easy to overlook the obvious. The fresh perspective a business coach brings is like a new set of eyes that helps you identify problems and create solutions that you wouldn’t have seen or thought of on your own. A coach will increase your self-awareness and illuminate blind spots, so every area of your business becomes clear. From this fresh perspective you can make better decisions and see what is REALLY going on. Think about that pile of papers that lives on your counter. It’s been there so long you don’t even notice it anymore. Your business is the same way. If you see and do the same things everyday you stop noticing things. It’s how our brains work. You need someone to help you see what you’re missing.

Business Growth

You may be just getting your business off the ground, or perhaps your income isn’t growing as quickly as you’d like. You might be established and trying to take your business to new levels, but you’re bumping your head on a ceiling. A growth focused business coach will see the things that need to be changed to eliminate the barriers and help you create a smart, strategic, business-boosting plan.

Balance

A holistic business coach will teach you how to balance your professional and personal life. It’s easy and very common to develop the habit of spending all your energy and time on work. This can really take a toll on your personal life and your loved ones. The right coach for you gets to know and understand you. They learn your personality, habits, and priorities. By knowing you they help you find ways to create harmony between the two halves of your life. They may even help you find time for a break to indulge in a much-needed vacation. Doesn’t that sound amazing?

In short, finding and hiring the right business coach who will meet you where you are and support you while helping you improve your mindset, your business operations, your profitability, and your LIFE so it all comes together with ease rather than with struggle is an absolute must-have. You can’t put a price on your sanity, but you will be able to measure the value your coach brings by watching your business growth and profit over time.

You’ll know you found the right business coach when they naturally become your most trusted advisor. They’ll feel like a parachute, a security blanket, and they’ll fit like an old shoe. You’ll feel comfortable and safe to show up as you are. You’ll be motivated to dig deep and enjoy the work that will make your business and your life a success. Success as YOU define it. They’ll become an invaluable partner to you, and in the long run, their presence in your world will more than pay for itself. You’ll always come away feeling empowered and motivated… every single time. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wondering why you didn’t find them sooner!

Trust me - whether you're just starting out, are feeling stuck or overwhelmed, or are looking to scale your business, investing in a truly great business coach is one of the best decisions you will ever make.

If you are ready to meet a truly experienced, intuitive, growth focused, rockstar of a coach (if I do say so myself 😉) - Click the link below to schedule a consultation. This could very well be the first step of the most wise decision you’ve ever made.

👉 Book a free consultation call

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~ Becky O’Neill, Author
Founder of Specialized Business Services LLC

Are you ready to make real progress in your business?

Working with an expert when making important decisions in your business is a powerful tool to create significant growth and lasting change. It really helps to see things from a fresh perspective and consider ideas and concepts that may not come to you on your own.

If you would like to explore working with me, I invite you to schedule a Discovery Call. 👇 Don’t wait. I only take a very limited number of clients at a time.

Preparing for your tax return got you stressed and overwhelmed? How do you want to feel this time next year??

If you want to feel differently this time next year - NOW is the time to make some changes. Let me tell you why & how (and how this article came to be).

During an afternoon rest period, sweet Sadie was using me as her personal 'rest nest'... I was reflecting on the last few weeks and it occurred to me just how very tired I am right now so I decided to share my thoughts on a better way for us to do things this year.

If you don't feel totally great (like nothing stressful happened whatsoever) in preparing to file your taxes this year, you are going to be SO glad you hung with me on this. 

I am going to save you so much work, worry & stress this time next year... and more importantly, I am going to help you learn about your finances and be in MUCH better shape the entire year ahead.

[Would you rather listen to a recording of this post?
Click here to take you to the audio version 👉 VOICE RECORDING ]

I am going to let you in on a little secret.

I generally absolutely love helping people get their business finances in order. Get their system set up and running, get it organized. I absolutely thrive on teaching people how to use their systems, how to interpret the reports they get out of them, how to understand their finances, so they know whether they're profitable or not, so they can understand where their money is coming from and where it's going. I mean, I really, really love that because it's the foundation. I mean, if you're not in business to make money, what are you doing?

So, here's my little secret.

I am tired. I am SO so tired because I have been so busy these last few weeks helping people get their finances in order so that they can file their tax returns. And it is honestly as miserable for me as it is for you at this point because it gets so backlogged and becomes a huge project and it's just something that “has to be done” because the government says we have to file a tax return, right?

So the process is painful. We're digging back into receipts to find out what it is that we spent money on at Walmart in March of last year, and stuff like that. Digging back through our emails to find receipts and I mean, it's painful. It's just so painful.

And you know what?? That is NOT what your business finances are supposed to be about. I get why this just sucks because quite frankly, it sucks for me too. I'm in this to help you… that's my job but it is not fun when you wait until the last minute and you only are doing it because you have to file a tax return. That is not the purpose of your business finances.

The purpose of keeping track of your finances throughout the year is:

• - to make sure you understand where your money is coming from

• - how much money you're making & spending

• - what the trends there are (are there months you make more and months you make less, for example, or months your costs are significantly higher)

• - are you charging enough 

• - is your business' net income enough to pay yourself the salary you intend to generate for your household and personal financial goals

…you cannot know all of these things if you're not keeping track and if you don't understand your financial reports.

I WILL HELP YOU! I am not a bookkeeper. I am a systems expert and a small business finance expert. I will teach you (and your staff, if appropriate) what you need to know and I will support you as needed to make sure this doesn't fall to the wayside.

If you've worked with me at all on this already, you're already in a better place but it is something that people enjoy so little that oftentimes it just gets pushed to the backburner.

And, not only is the process of getting caught up at the end of the year painful but what is also painful sometimes - oftentimes – is when you haven't been keeping up is to look at what you actually made and say “holy crap”. I can't believe that I worked as hard as I did all year and I only made _______. (Or worse, I made nothing at all after expenses!)

I just can't tell you how often I have people come to me making little to no profit… their businesses might be making hundreds of 1000’s of dollars a year, but their profitability is little to nothing, and sometimes they're not even taking a salary. The biggest reason for this - right out of the gate is they don't know what's going on with their finances.

Once you know better - you do better. Until then you are operating in the dark.

So anyway, a little bit of a tire rant here today.

But the point of all of this is just to say if you're one of those people who waited until the last minute and you managed to get everything pulled together so you could file your tax return, and it was as miserable as you expected it to be, stop the madness. Just stop the madness!

Make an appointment with me. Let's get you set up & get you organized. Let’s get you educated about what's happening with your finances right now.

We will take a first quarter look back so you know where you are and get you ready for a whole different way of doing things this year. Let's just do it.

You're going to be so glad you did.

And you know what? I'm going to be glad you did too, because you and I will not be the ones banging our heads together this time next year just trying to get caught up.

• - You'll be making money (profit!)

• - You'll be setting money aside to pay your taxes

• - You'll have no surprises

• - You're going to be doing so much better financially

• - You're going to feel in control

It's just a win all the way around. So set up an appointment.

Let's get this thing rockin' once and for all. Let's do it.

Let's not feel this way again this time next year!

Here’s a link to schedule a call so we can make a plan for you –

👉 Book a free consultation call

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If you enjoyed this post and would like to keep in touch…

👉 Please join my community using the button below -
and receive a copy of my powerful mini eBook
How to Get Sh*t Done: 10 Productivity Hacks to supercharge the way you work

~ Becky O’Neill, Author
Founder of Specialized Business Services LLC

Could you use a little help?

Working with an expert when making important decisions in your business is a powerful tool to create significant growth and lasting change. It really helps to see things from a fresh perspective and consider ideas and concepts that may not come to you on your own.

It’s not necessary or important for you to know how to do ‘all the things’ in your business. What’s important is who you have on your team and what THEY know that you can use to your advantage.

If you would like to explore working with me, I invite you to schedule a Discovery Call. 👇

Why the Cloud is the best place for your business documents & data

Let me tell you a story  ~

About 15 years ago, I had a computer catch fire right on my desk! (faulty internal fan😳) Fortunately I was right there to deal with it but I lost ALL my precious photos and tons of important documents and information. Everything.

I learned a very painful lesson and began searching for better ways to protect my data. At the time, the best and most accessible solution was external hard drives and manual backups. Before long though, I had an external drive die (again with all my data on it) Fortunately that time, I still had most of it on my computer as well.

Yet again, I learned the hard way there had to be a better way.

If this has never happened to you, you're lucky, and I totally understand if the thought of keeping your important, confidential, and proprietary information 'out there in the Cloud' strikes fear in your heart. Honestly, at the time I originally started using the Cloud it may have been less secure, but things have totally changed. Nowadays it's far safer than keeping data in any physical form (drives, disks, etc).

Skeptical? I get it. Here's the facts.... 

WHY USE THE CLOUD?

The Cloud is reliable, affordable, secure, and more flexible than physical drives when it comes to managing data. That's because internal and external hard drives can easily be damaged, lost, or stolen. Using the Cloud protects and gives quick access to your data wherever you are and whenever you need it. Best of all, the Cloud always stays current and never needs to be replaced or updated. Computers and other devices come and go. Your data remains safe and easily accessible. 

WHY THE CLOUD IS MORE SECURE

The Cloud provides the highest level of security. Just as clouds in the sky shade you from the sun, Cloud computing protects you from the many digital security concerns you face. It's a lot more likely data on a local drive will become corrupted, be hacked, or accidently erased. Not to mention natural disasters like flood, fire, or just a cup of coffee spilled, will irrevocably damage your hard drives, but when your data is in the Cloud you can rest assured, your data is safe and sound.

WHY THE CLOUD IS MORE CONVENIENT?

The Cloud is available anywhere you are. Whether you’re updating your social media with new photos, sending an email from your mobile device, or streaming your favorite movies, it's all happening in the Cloud. It's everything and everywhere. You're already using it. If you aren't taking full advantage of the technology to make your business run more smoothly and efficiently... it's time.

WHY THE CLOUD IS A SAFER PLACE FOR YOUR DATA

Today, the Cloud is a part of everyday life. If you're not using the Cloud — your data is at risk unnecessarily. The Cloud provides great data backup for unexpected events and it's an integral part of a data security plan. Information stored in the Cloud is far more likely to be secure than local files unless you happen to have a robust IT security company and/or on-staff experts working constantly to keep your data safe. Why? Because Cloud companies rely on far more robust cybersecurity measures to protect your sensitive data than most small businesses could ever have. It's just built in. So unless you are an IT company or already have massive IT security protocol in place... you're likely at much greater risk by continuing to keep things local.

SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?

There are many Cloud based file services available now. Which one will work best for you depends on what your individual needs are (how much storage space you need, what features are most important to you, how you use it, etc) and cost, of course.

Popular options include Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive. Another is Dropbox.

In essence they all work in a similar way. I've used them all. I prefer Dropbox for my business because it integrates in a more functional way with my computer and the programs I use. It lives right in my file directory so it looks, and acts, just like the local files. It's super easy to use. It's accessible from all my devices. And the app is PHENOMINAL.

If you would like help choosing and setting up the right Cloud based file service for your needs, please schedule a call with me to talk about it.

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If you enjoyed this post and would like to keep in touch…

👉 Please join my community using the button below -
and receive a copy of my powerful mini eBook
How to Get Sh*t Done: 10 Productivity Hacks to supercharge the way you work

~ Becky O’Neill, Author
Founder of Specialized Business Services LLC

Would you like help?

Working with an expert when making important decisions in your business is a powerful tool to create significant growth and lasting change. It really helps to see things from a fresh perspective and consider ideas and concepts that may not come to you on your own.

It’s not necessary or important for you to know how to do ‘all the things’ in your business. What’s important is who you have on your team and what THEY know that you can use to your advantage.

If you would like to explore working with me, I invite you to schedule a Discovery Call. 👇

Is it time to increase your fees?: Two things to consider in your decision

This is the time of year when you may be thinking about increasing your fees. I know pricing is a tricky subject with a lot of factors to consider and we won’t go into all of them here - but I want to give you a couple things to think about.

1) Costs

I know I don’t have to tell you about how much costs have gone up. Have you taken a look at your profit and loss statement lately? Look at your YTD Net Profit. Are you happy with it? Are you surprised by it?? Chances are, it’s a little more slim than you’d like if you haven’t raised your fees lately.

📌(side note - if you’re not actively using your financial reports to make decisions, I strongly recommend that you do. How much cash you have flowing in and out of your bank account is not a good indicator of your financial situation. If you’re not sure how to interpret your reports or your finances are not in order, let me know. I can help.)

2) The psychology of pricing from the client perspective

Where is your pricing compared to others in your market? If you are too low, current clients (and potential new ones) may view you as less experienced or credible. Clients may not take the work as seriously as they need to or they may even stop using you altogether. If you are too high, you may experience a challenge in landing and keeping clients due to price tolerance. There is a whole science around price tolerance and we don’t have to go down that rabbit hole now - just consider where you are in your market and what amount of industrywide ‘wiggle room’ you may have.

No, I am absolutely not saying you should base pricing on competitors, but it is something to consider in your overall pricing strategy. The client perception is very important in the psychology and success of the relationship. They need to perceive you as an expert.

Raising your fees may be necessary, if not inevitable, for the health and sustainability of your business as well as your personal financial success.

Basically, when raising prices, the goal is to keep most (no, I did not say ‘all’) of the clients you have, and still be marketable to new clients at a higher rate so you can remain profitable. Finding the sweet spot is key.

There are many ways to look at pricing and lots of things to consider. These are only two of them. You need to have a strategy and it should be revisited at least yearly, if not more often.

Make sure you are earning enough to be profitable. Have clear goals and understand your numbers so you’re not chasing profitability.

If you are not sure, or would like some help, let me know. Let’s get together and talk about it.

~~

If you enjoyed this post and would like to keep in touch…

👉 Please join my email community using this link:

https://mailchi.mp/s-b-services/becky-oneill-business-services

~ Becky O’Neill, Author
Founder of Specialized Business Services LLC

Would you like help?

Working with an expert when making important decisions in your business is a powerful tool to create significant growth and lasting change. It really helps to see things from a fresh perspective and consider ideas and concepts that may not come to you on your own.

It’s not necessary or important for you to know how to do ‘all the things’ in your business. What’s important is who you have on your team and what THEY know that you can use to your advantage.

If you would like to explore working with me, I invite you to schedule a Discovery Call. 👇

Intuitive Business Consulting - What It Is And Why You Need It Now

In these unprecedented times of sudden change and uncertainty - there is NO advice anyone can give you, no matter how great they may be at their profession, that is proven or concrete. Every business advisor, no matter their field of expertise, is pulling from knowledge and experience that is not specific to the set of issues we now face. The reality is... it's all conjecture.

Have you ever considered meeting with an intuitive business consultant to guide you? Did you even know there was such a thing?!

A little known fact of who I am and how I provide such spot-on business coaching and consulting; I am highly intuitive and receive what some call "downloads" when I am working with clients. It isn't a woo psychic ability or magic. It is the ability to reach deeply into the intention and emotion of my clients and 'read' them and their business. I combine the information I receive from my intuition with the knowledge and experience I have growing successful businesses and offer the steps to take that make the greatest impact in the least amount of time specifically for you in your current business environment. It looks like conversation, but clarity and actionable steps come from it. It is a simple but very powerful tool.

I don't talk about it or market myself as 'an intuitive' because people have "opinions" about such things that can be harsh and exclusionary... and it hasn't been necessary for me to call attention to it until now. The information just happens in the background and my clients benefit from it without even knowing 'how' I know what I know. Given the results they receive, they probably say they don’t care where it comes from!

So why speak of it now at the risk of turning people off? Simply to offer help to people in a time when all other forms of business advisory are not reliable.

What can you trust now? What information can you truly rely on? Intuition. Only that. You have within you a deep intuition of what you can and cannot do, should and should not do... most people are not in touch with this gift but it is there for everyone. This is where I come in.

When I work with someone to grow their business, I rely not only on my vast experience, but also my intuition and ability to tap into the intuition of others. Basically, I bring a spotlight to the equation and can easily help sort through the layers people get lost in to find the steps to get unstuck, free from fear, panic and overwhelm, and move directly into clarity and, most importantly, to actionable steps that produce real results.

Want to learn more about how an intuitive business consultant can help you? Contact me.

Published by:

Becky O'Neill
I'm a giant business nerd 🤓 helping Women #HaveItAll by growing 🌳 strong independent 💪 service businesses 💼

Originally Published • 09/03/2020

Intuitive Business Consulting

Focus on One Thing At a Time

You CAN Have It All. You can achieve most anything in life, as long as you focus on achieving one thing at a time. It’s a proven-successful strategy that is used and recommended by many successful people. Gary Keller and Jay Papasan wrote a whole book about this simple idea called The ONE Thing. 

Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this concept though. It’s one of the hardest things to implement in your life and it takes ongoing focus combined with discipline to maintain it. 

So the question is not whether focusing on one thing at a time is a good strategy (just look at the graphic at the top... it makes total sense, right?); the question is HOW can we accomplish this and then stick to it?

We, as humans are ambitious and easily distracted. Our desires are constantly changing. We pursue new objectives before we reach our old goals. We start new projects before we finish the ones we already have going on. Heck, we don’t always even finish our current train of thought before something new pops in. Am I right!?

Instead of focusing on one thing at a time,  we allow ourselves to be distracted and just float aimlessly -or- worse yet, we set multiple unrelated goals while thinking we can multitask our way to achieving them. (Revisit the graphic again and let that sink in!) 

Let’s talk for a minute about how this keeps us from Having It All. 

It would be very difficult to successfully build a highly profitable business, get in top physical shape, compete in a marathon, write a book, raise children, and travel the world... all at the same time... right? It is unlikely any one human can, or should, attempt to obtain these enormous goals simultaneously. It would be frustrating, exhausting, and highly unlikely to produce true success in all areas AT THE SAME TIME. 

This is the trap we fall into without realizing. The ‘everything at once’ vision of Having It All only leads to mediocrity, frustration, and never actually reaching your goals and objectives. 

BUT - don’t be dismayed. There is a way! Think about it. You could do all those things in a lifetime, right? Possibly even within the span of a decade if you plan and are diligent about sticking to one thing at a time with your end goals in mind. So Having It All is often a matter of prioritizing what you want, planning out how you intend to achieve those things, and fully immersing yourself in life and work with your current singular objective in mind! 

Sure. This is easier said than done, but it can be done and there is a process to follow. 

I have found that if I stick to one major priority per area of my life at a time I make HUGE gains and it is VERY fulfilling. I categorize my life into five main areas: Business, Health, Me Time/Self Development, Recreation, and Relationships. My children are grown now so having that behind me has freed up significant space in my life to peruse more of what I love but even if you are currently in the throws of child-rearing... there IS time and space (if you intentionally choose to create and maintain it) so fear not. 

The categories I’ve chosen are based on my own perspective on life. You can categorize your life the way you want. What matters is that you create structure and boundaries based on how you categorize your life. Otherwise, there’s no road-map. And when there’s no structure or road-map, there’s chaos. And when there’s chaos, there’s no ‘one thing’: There’s everything. That’s a recipe for NOT getting what you want or need now or in the future... in other words... NOT Having It All. 

I am in the process right now of developing a course series to help you learn my process to clear and ‘make’ TIME, free up ENERGY, REDUCE the STRESS that comes from being pulled in all directions, ELIMINATE the FRUSTRATION of not actually winning at anything, and charting a course for freedom to HAVE IT ALL. 

Contact me today to talk about your business and how we can work together to get you growing!

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#concentrate #focus #productivity #freshperspective #comegrowwithme #ineedhelp #sbsgrowthcoaching #businesscoaching #businessconsulting #startups #smallbusiness #businessgrowthstrategy #businessgrowth #smallbusiness #business #strategy

Why Small Business Matters

My heart swells with national pride when I think of the impact American Small Businesses make on all of our lives, our communities, and our economy. Where else in the world could we ‘the people’… just your average Joe… dream up an idea and venture out to make it a reality with almost limitless possibility and potential? As a result, they create jobs, bring necessary services, commerce, and prosperity to our communities. It’s a beautiful thing. 

The Presidential Proclamation for National Small Business Week 2019 “honor[s] America’s entrepreneurs who take a risk on an idea, invest in their neighborhoods, and create jobs for others. Small business owners exemplify the American spirit by developing new ways to provide goods and services to consumers. As a Nation, we reaffirm our commitment to the free market so that American small businesses continue to thrive.

America’s 30 million small businesses are central to our economy and our communities. Their courageous innovation make our cities and towns vibrant places to live, work, and raise families. Small businesses employ almost 59 million workers, more than one-third of our country’s labor force. These companies foster environments that reward problem solving and accountability, enabling workers to develop skills and valuable hands-on experience that propel their careers.“ (Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/national-small-business-week-2019/)

I have dedicated my entire career to building successful small businesses and helping other entrepreneurs do the same. It is truly my passion. It is where I do my best work. The creative and flexible space that American Small Businesses operate within is totally unique in the world. The depth of potential and breadth of creativity inspires greatness in me, and I do everything in my power to pass along that inspiration (as well as a lifetime of expertise) to everyone that seeks it in order to do my part to support our communities and our economy.

Some people are firefighters, police, military, nurses, teachers… I am an entrepreneur. My contribution matters. Not only to me and my family, but to our community and the whole of our economy. I am proud to be an American Small Business owner!

Join me in the sBs Community on Facebook where you will find support and resources you need to grow and succeed in your Small Business. We will help you make the impact you dream of.

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#ineedhelp #sbsgrowthcoaching #businesscoaching #businessconsulting #startups #smallbusiness #smallbusinessmatters

How to Kill Your Small Business or Startup

Here are just some of the fastest ways to kill your small business or startup:

- Building something no one wants or that you can’t sell at a profit 

- Inadequate business planning 

- Lack of clarity or focus

- Hiring poorly

- Failure to ask for help

- Ignoring social media

- Lack of appropriate financial accounting and internal control practices

- Spending too much money and/or being underfunded

Unless killing your dreams is actually your goal… you must be asking “How can I avoid these things??”… read on 

1) Are you trying to sell something people don’t need or aren’t willing to pay (enough) for?

Before you ever start a business... the first thing you have to do is extensive early market research and testing. If, in your product or service's earliest stages, you aren't seeing conclusive proof that people want what you intend to offer, and at a price point you can profit at, it's best to keep working on it before investing in a full launch.

2) How comprehensive and complete is your business plan?

Ever heard the saying... ‘a failure to plan is a plan to fail’? When it comes to a comprehensive business plan... this is absolutely true. Many new entrepreneurs fail to appreciate the need to engage in a thorough business plan process. They ‘fly by the seat of their pants’ and in a lot of cases... have no idea what they don’t know. Until... they find themselves in a bind later down the line. Planning ahead for every conceivable scenario IN ADVANCE and then continuing to use your business plan as an active tool to stay focused and on course is absolutely vital to long term success. 

3) How clear is your vision and how focused are you on your goals?

This goes back to your business plan which is vital... but it’s more than that. It’s the ‘bigger picture’. It’s ‘your why’. It’s the vision you had when you started. But did you ever take the time to really flesh out every aspect of your vision? Did you set clear and attainable goals to start? Have you updated your goals as you have achieved them? If you haven’t done this work - you will never realize your full potential and it is likely that you will fail in trying. 

4) Hiring the wrong people. 

Many new entrepreneurs have no idea who to hire or how to go about it. Many have never hired or managed others before. This is a whole area of expertise that you will have to become familiar with as a business owner. But don’t be disheartened... there’s a science to it. It starts, though, with clearly identifying the role/job description you need to fill. Then there is an important step many businesses fail to take - which is to clearly identify their company culture (or begin to build one) which is based on your core values and your vision - and then figuring out what type(s) of individuals best ‘fit’ into your culture and your vision. Before you can even begin looking for someone to join your team... you have to know exactly what you’re looking for. (Yay! More planning!)

5) Failing to ask for HELP! 

Oh this is one of my favorites! Look around you... small businesses make up the vast majority of our commerce and support our amazing American economy. Small business, while it is a daunting adventure at the beginning... is not a new thing and there are a wealth of professionals out there just waiting to assist you. ((PICK ME!)) There are also networking groups and professional development resources (free and paid) that you can take advantage of. Do not go it alone... tap into the knowledge base of people that inspire you. Stay connected to people and groups that will educate, encourage and help hold you accountable. There is absolutely no need to try to reinvent the wheel as a business owner. 

6) Social media - do I have to?!

Yes. You have to. I admit... I have been a little behind the curve myself. It’s a bit daunting but it is the way we connect in this modern age. Spend the time. Get acquainted with it. Learn about the various forums, formats, tools... and get started. If you’re truly overwhelmed or unable to wade in on your own, there are plenty of people and services out there that are educating business owners on the subject (again, free and paid). Find resources, make a plan, get busy. CONNECT. 

7) Financial accounting and internal controls. 

Unless you are an accountant or financial planner, it is likely that this topic does not excite you. That’s quite alright but it doesn’t mean it can be put on the back burner for ‘when I’m making money’. Part of your business plan will be financial goals. In order to meet those goals you will need a means by which to account and report your current status and be able to compare it - real time - and proactively to your goals. There are a number of other very important reasons why you MUST have a proper system of accounting and internal controls... such as tax planning, avoiding fraud and theft, preparing for future capital funding needs, etc. Suffice it to say, you MUST have a proper system in place to assure your success. 

8) Spending too much money or being under funded. 

This goes back to both the business plan as well as the need for proper accounting and internal controls. Without these things in place at the very beginning... you are almost certain to over spend or be under funded. Or both. When it comes to money and business, you really have to be a proactive planner and a good steward. Think of money, particularly in the beginning, as a vital resource for your success. You have to spend it in order to make it. You need to know how much you need, how much you have, where the rest it is coming from, and how you will ultimately pay back borrows funds. Then you need a budget to adhere to so that you remain solvent while your venture grows. With the right strategies in place and given proper attention to executing those strategies... your business will grow and so will your bottom line. 

Contact us today to discuss sBs Growth Coaching™ and Consulting options for help in developing a strategy to avoid the common pitfalls of startups and small businesses. We can help you chart a course for success that will be sustainable and will grow as your business grows. Don’t go it alone.

https://www.s-b-services.com/get-started

#ineedhelp #sbsgrowthcoaching #businesscoaching #businessconsulting #startups #smallbusiness

Common Accounting Mistakes in Small to Mid Sized Businesses

(These principles often apply to fledgling nonprofits as well…)

Accounting doesn’t just involve keeping the books for tax purposes... it’s also a very important mechanism for saving money and identifying waste, fraud and theft. That's why it's so important for business owners to hire professional accountants instead of trying to do the books themselves or delegating the work to inexperienced staff members. Even successful companies can quickly and easily go broke because of accounting mistakes that result in unpaid taxes, fraud, theft or embezzlement.

Accounting mistakes can include basic math errors, entering data incorrectly and failing to document expenses and income. Here is a list of the 5 most common accounting mistakes that we see. 

Organization (or Lack Thereof)

Organization is critical in accounting and record keeping practices. Having a system that works is key. This means using a business credit or debit card for expenses, keeping receipts, ensuring the books are up-to-date, keeping track of petty cash expenses accurately on the day they’re incurred and absolutely not mixing personal and business finances.

As a busy business owner, it is probably common for you to pick up supplies while doing your personal shopping and errands. This can be efficient, however, it’s essential to get separate receipts for business related purchases. Although expenses under $75 generally don’t require a receipt, I always recommend that you get one. In an audit situation, when you can show receipts for all your expenses, auditors are less likely to challenge them. One of our accounting clients recently had an IRS audit and not only were they found to be 100% correct in their bookkeeping but they were also complemented on their super clean record keeping... a simple system that was designed by our firm and that they have consistently practiced for years.

Getting Behind on Paperwork

Business owners often wear many hats and are frequently guilty of putting off doing the books until the end of the month-quarter-or longer... not realizing the vital importance of a timely bookkeeping function. This is a risky strategy because it's easy to get behind on financial statements, reports that need to be filed, such as sales tax or payroll tax filings and payments, vendor bill payments and even billing customers for money that they owe you.

Delayed customer billing can result in mistakes on invoices and lower collection rates in general which will directly affect your bottom line. You could be liable for penalties and interest for filing important reports and payments late... and even lose out on big financial opportunities all because the books aren’t current. If you have to struggle or rush to catch up on your books, it's significantly easier to make costly mistakes. 

As a personal example, I really dropped the ball on the simple yet sometimes overwhelming task of processing the mail for my most recently sold enterprise. I intended to find a professional to handle the closing out tasks but failed to do it in a timely manner. But let’s face it - that business was gone and it wasn’t fun thinking about it any more. I was off to bigger and more exciting things! Before I knew it the piles were HUGE! It’s been costly in both time and penalties now for my lack of timely response to a necessary business function. Take it from me - timeliness, especially with the un-fun things, is absolutely critical. Delegate if you have to but get it done.

Hiring the Wrong Person for the Job

If the person in charge of doing your books doesn't know what they are doing, you are the one who ultimately pays for the errors. No employee, relative or friend is going to worry about your books as much as you or a professional accounting company will. The other risk of hiring someone who is not a professional is that the person could easily embezzle funds or steal from you. I’ve seen it time and time again. You think it won’t happen in your organization but trust me... it can and it will.

Being Unwilling to Delegate

Business owners are often unwilling to delegate their bookkeeping to experienced accounting professionals.... whether it’s because of price-point concerns, a misguided feeling that outsourcing is not a secure solution, or just simply not realizing the inherent risk of not having it done properly and in a timely fashion... yet business growth depends on the critical leadership ability to let other professionals handle anything outside of your business core competencies.

Simply put, you have to be willing to let other people do their jobs while you do yours. You need expert advice and an experienced accountant to maximize your income and minimize taxes and other expenses in order to be as financially successful as you can be. 

Poor Systems of Communication

Poor communication between you and your bookkeeper can result in serious mistakes or omissions in your records, report filings, and can result in everything from impossible to reconcile statements to inaccurate financial data. It's easy to forget that you paid someone a bonus in cash or gave a cash discount unless you have a system with which to document it and convey it to your bookkeeper. 

If you want to keep the most profits from your sales and expenses, you need to utilize an experienced accountant or bookkeeping service to handle your books the right way and help you avoid errors, find savings, and uncover business opportunities based on your financial picture.

In Summary -

An organized system of record and bookkeeping, communication, and internal controls will help save you from the pitfalls of costly accounting mistakes. 

We can help you design and implement a system that works for your unique business or organization. 

Contact us today to discuss sBs Growth Coaching™ options for help with creating a road map to success and using task management to break down that map into actionable items that will lead you to your goal.

https://www.s-b-services.com/get-started

#motivation #businesscoaching #ineedhelp #sbsgrowthcoaching

Are You Productive or Just Busy?

“Focus on Being Productive Instead of Busy” - Tim Ferriss

I am a self-proclaimed efficiency nerd and proud of it! I am hardwired to constantly be searching for better, smarter, faster, easier, more productive ways of doing absolutely everything. This quote by Tim Ferriss speaks to me on the deepest levels and inspires me. I had to share. 

As leaders and entrepreneurs... we are absolutely some of the busiest people. Others wonder how we accomplish so much in a day. People look to us for inspiration. Regardless of how productive we may be though, every one of us is guilty at times of being ‘busy’ but not always ‘productive’. Why does this matter? Our time is very valuable. 

Time is the most valuable resource we have. If we had more time... how would we spend it? Growing our business? Furthering our mission? Would we spend it with loved ones and friends? How about that vacation we’ve been wanting (no, NEEDING) to take? Whether it is to accomplish more in our work or spend more time in our personal lives... we can all agree that there is absolutely no time to waste being ‘busy’. 

When is the last time you have given careful consideration to the practices that you or your team focus on and spend time doing day in and day out? sBs offers a comprehensive Business Process Review & Systemization Analysis. Let us help you take a critical look at your business ‘habits’. We will offer valuable insight to the areas of opportunity for greater efficiency. Armed with fresh perspective, new tools & renewed clarity... you will be able to break through the ceiling and rise to new heights of productivity. You don’t need ‘more time’ in your day in order to accomplish your goals... you need to make the best use of the time you already have. We can help! 

Contact us today to discuss sBs Growth Coaching™ and Consulting options for help with reviewing your systems and processes to identify areas of increased efficiency that will open the door for more time to devote to making your goals a reality.

https://www.s-b-services.com/get-started

#businesscoaching #ineedhelp #sbsgrowthcoaching