Getting the Help You Need Virtually

Getting the Help You Need Virtually

Defining A Virtual Assistant

Keeping up with all of the routines can be difficult for those who work hard in their company or personal life. There are fifty million things to accomplish in one day with too little time and too few people to help. If you want to begin saving time, you can invest in a virtual assistant who will take some extra things off your plate.

The best way to evaluate whether you need a virtual assistant (VA) or not is to see what you are doing all day. If you are spending time on administrative correspondence and not your vision, then a virtual assistant might be the right answer.

When you need an extra helping hand, look to a virtual assistant. Most VAs offer a variety of services, from administrative to technical to creative, and will advertise themselves in their area of expertise. For example, some assistants will focus on designing websites for you and maintaining the website or database after completion.

One of the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant is cost savings. They will work for you from their own home office; they are not employees, so you do not need to pay employee tax or benefits. Partnering with a VA allows you to pay for the work you need and not for idle time. Simply put, if there is no work, you don’t pay them.

Finding A Virtual Assistant

Finding the right virtual assistant means looking into the most well-known areas for virtual assistants. There are many resources available, all of which can help get you to the right person. For example, VANetworking, the VA industry’s market leader since 2003, thoroughly vets their VA’s and the businesses looking to hire and will help you find the best Virtual Assistant for your business needs.

Pricing a Virtual Assistant

As a business owner, you know the important questions to ask before you get involved in anything. One of the common questions you have probably grown familiar with asking is, “how much will this cost me?” Knowing how much each service will cost with a virtual assistant can help you define what work you want and need to complete and what isn’t essential to get done.

Pricing systems vary among VAs. Some will charge by the hour or on retainers, and others might have standard pricing for projects or packages such as website maintenance or social media management.

Long-Term or Short-Term

You can hire a VA for long-term management projects, such as ongoing social media management, or short-term projects, such as planning an upcoming event or building a website.

Short-term projects usually focus on a specific function or task; however, they can also be on-going, such as performing maintenance, which requires regular updating. For example, bookkeeping is typically a short-term project because it only needs to be maintained once every quarter.

No matter what type of extra help you need, you can find a virtual assistant who will see your vision and help you to reach your goal. You can easily find a virtual assistant who will do what is in your company’s best interest.

Have questions? I’m here to help! Set up a NO OBLIGATION, and TOTALLY FREE call to discover the possibilities!

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March 7, 2022

7 Tax Time Tips

7 Tax Time Tips

Prepare Now, No Stress Later

April 18^th will be here before you know it (March 15th for many small businesses). Start getting ready today with our FREE Tax Guide and Checklist. Preparing ahead of time for the filing of your income taxes can reduce your stress.

For many reasons, feelings of dread and the tax season seem to go hand in hand. Waiting until the last minute to file and scrambling to find your documents will only add to that sense of dread and elevate your stress levels. Follow these seven tips to get organized and file your taxes on time:

1. Collect all income related documents

W-2 Forms: If you held a job in 2021, you should have a W-2 for each job. Find the W-2s for each person in the household that worked. A W-2 contains your wage information and the various taxes that were withheld. Your employer is responsible for getting this form to you by February 1, 2022.

1099s: You should receive a 1099 based on the source of income such as NEC: contract labor, G: unemployment, MISC: school loans, gambling winnings, DIV: Dividends, INT: Interest Income.

1098: You can find payment information on your 1098 for items such as property taxes and school loan payments.

Other income-related documents and Information:

- Various income and interest statements from your bank or brokerage. Ensure you have a statement for each account.
- Bank account number: If you’d like your refund deposited into your account, you’ll need your account number and routing number. This information can be found at the bottom of your checks.

Be sure to review all the forms and information. Is everything accurate? It’s not unusual to find a mistake or two. Take the time to review all documents with a fine-tooth comb!

2. Collect all paid receipts

Collect any work-related receipts for anything you purchased for your job and didn’t receive reimbursement. If you are self-employed, the list of qualifying items is likely to be much longer. Computers, furniture, marketing expenses, and utilities are all viable deductions for the self-employed. Using a Profit & Loss (Income) statement during the year is a great way to keep it all organized. Bonus: you can track your monthly cash flow at any point and adjust your goals as necessary.
Hiring a bookkeeper will take the burden off your plate, and in many cases, it’s tax-deductible!

3. Collect proof of energy-efficient improvements

Did you make any energy-efficient improvements during 2021? You may be able to take a credit of 30% of the cost, limited to $500. Items like insulation and energy-efficient doors and windows qualify. Have your receipts handy.

4. IRA/Retirement Documents

Collect proof of your IRA contributions. Cancelled checks or the brokerage statement are ideal. Your employer will provide your 401(k) contribution information.
You will also need any payouts you received such as lump-sum distributions. You might have gathered this with your income related documents, so go ahead and put it in a separate pile. This type of distribution is not considered income, but may still be taxable.

5. Social Security Documents

Collect social security information for everyone in the household you will be claiming on your return. The social security number is required to ensure that each child/dependent is only claimed once. If you have a young child, it might be necessary to apply for a social security number. IMPORTANT: You must have a social security number for all dependents before any applicable tax credits will apply. This includes credits such as Earned Income Credit (EIC), Child/Dependent Care Credit, and Child Tax Credit.

6. Charitable Donations

Collect information regarding charitable donations. It’s becoming more important with each passing year to be able to detail and substantiate your charitable donations. Receipts are especially important. Taking pictures of donated items isn’t necessary, but recommended. Cancelled checks and credit card statements are also important.

7. Review Last Year

Review last year’s tax return. Last year’s return can be useful. You might find a carry forward from last year that should be applied to your current tax return. This is especially true for business gains/losses and depreciation.

Filing taxes doesn’t have to be a stressful process. Organization is the key. Keep track of your important documents and receipts. Take pictures of items you’re donating.

Make next year better than this year. After your return is filed, develop a system to manage your documents and receipts for next year. Choose a place to store everything you’ll need for the next time. A small amount of preparation can make everything easier in the future. When tax season rolls around, you’ll be ready to go!

February 28, 2022

How to Take Action on Your Plans

Do you have big plans for your life or your business, but aren’t quite sure how to get started? Don’t worry. You are not alone! Taking action is the hardest part of having plans! Kristen Rohde, a behavioral science professor, talks about the gap we all suffer between planning and doing in Tedx Talks.

How much our future selves will like what our current self decides today

From changing circumstances to failing to plan, we all have our reasons for not taking action. Below are some tips to help you take action on your plans so that you can bridge this gap and make your ideas a reality.

Eliminate Your Excuses
If you find yourself wanting to take action on your plans but often making excuses for yourself, then the first thing you need to do is eliminate your excuses. You can do this by recognizing when you are making an excuse for yourself and eliminating it. If you go to take action, then find yourself thinking that you probably won’t be able to do it anyway. This is an excuse. You need to tell yourself this and hold yourself accountable. This way, you can overcome the excuse to take proper action. Don’t Wait
Many times people wait to carry out their plans because they believe they are waiting for the perfect moment to execute their dreams. News flash, the perfect time doesn’t exist. You will always be busy and always have responsibilities, so there is no time like the present to start taking action! If you still find yourself struggling with this, ask yourself how you would feel if you never got to do something you wanted. Disappointing right? That’s why you should do it now, so you don’t miss out on your opportunity. One Step At A Time
Do your plans seem opposing? Not sure where to start? You can remedy this by breaking your goal or plans down into small steps. This way, you will know exactly where to start. When you accomplish that one small step, this will help you stay motivated to accomplish the next step. Just like learning to walk, you put one foot in front of the other and before you know it, you will be well on your way to achieving your goals one step at a time! Don’t Be Afraid To Fail
Many people don’t take action because they are afraid to fail. Failure, or mistakes, are part of life. The important thing to remember is you must fail fast. Learn from your mistakes and then quickly move on. They really are not a big deal, and you need to recognize this, so you will no longer let your fear hold you back from taking action!

No matter what action you want to take in your life, use the above tips to make your plans a reality. Although stepping from the planning stage to the action stage can be difficult and scary, and you may think that you should wait till a better time, there is no reason not to take action to make your plans a reality today.

February 21, 2022

Hire a Tax Preparer or Go It Alone?

Albert Einstein once said, “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax”.

But more and more people are making the move to doing their taxes at home. With programs like 1040.com andFreeTaxUSA available, the process can be simplified and the refund swift in coming. However, going it alone is not always the wisest or most cost-efficient choice.

Let’s weigh some of the key factors in determining whether you should go it alone, or enlist the aid of a professional tax preparer.

Is it worth your time?
For the self-employed, it may be more advantageous to enlist the services of a professional tax preparer or Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Doing your own taxes, especially those related to a business, takes time. And, time is money. Do you have the knowledge to glean all of the tax-related benefits involved in owning your own business?
Being self-employed may just be one of the greatest tax strategies of our time. As a self-employed individual, you are in control of your taxable income. With the right know-how, you can fully control how much tax you pay. In fact, there are many tax advantages to being self-employed, and, oftentimes, a professional can find tax savings and deductions related to your business that you may have otherwise overlooked.

Ultimately, for the self-employed, it’s a matter of weighing the cost against the advantages of hiring a professional. Keep in mind, however, hiring a professional can often result in tax savings that more than makeup for the cost of the service.

What if you aren’t self-employed? What if you are filing for yourself or your family?
In this case, it may be worthwhile to consider going it alone. Programs like 1040.com make it easier for you and will walk you through the process step-by-step and often make receiving your refund a simple and expedient process.

Above all else though, the best rule of thumb to follow in either situation is to trust yourself. Base your decision on whichever route gives you the most peace of mind. If you are comfortable completing the tax forms and utilizing the programs available for going it on your own, then this may be the best route for you. If however, you have any doubts or concerns, your best bet may be to hire a professional tax preparer.

Whatever you may decide, download our Tax Preparation Guide and Checklist to help you better prepare.

February 14, 2022

The Kaizen Way to Better Computer Performance

The Kaizen Way to Better Computer Performance

If you run a business then you may be familiar with the concept of Kaizen, a technique designed to improve your business process. This basically means making continuous improvements to your business model and workflow so that you see exponential gains in your productivity and profits. When we think about making small changes on a regular basis in order to ultimately improve on a larger scale, it brings to mind areas like Financial, Business, Personal Goals, Relationships, and Health. But there is another time-leak source that is often overlooked – your computer’s boot-up time. And it could be costing you money.

The Time You’ve Lost
A good computer should boot up in approximately 1-2 minutes. Bad ones though can take anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes. And while 10 minutes a day might not seem like the end of the world, it’s worth bearing in mind that that’s 50 minutes a week. 50 minutes a week meanwhile is 200 minutes a month, which is 2,400 minutes a year. To put that in further perspective, that’s 40 hours a year.

Imagine what you could have accomplished in 40 hours a year!

Now apply that to an office full of workers. If you have a team of 20 people, all with computers that take 10 minutes to load, then you’ve lost 800 hours of work every year! That’s like having 33 extra sick days in that year and all the while you’ll still be paying the heating bill and rent. Not to mention, computers that are slow to boot tend to be slow to run also. So you’ve probably actually lost much more time than that in reality.

Hopefully, this has made it clear how important it is to keep your computers running smoothly. Follow these simple steps and you will speed up your boot time, help keep your computer running efficiently, and maybe even increase your ROI:

Delete unnecessary files and empty the recycle bin

You should check your files regularly as well as empty your recycle bin. Files in the recycle bin are still on the hard drive, and as the hard drive nears capacity, your computer will slow down.

Run virus checks and malware checks on a regular basis.

Malware can seriously impact your computer’s performance and significantly increase your bootup time. Make sure you keep your software updated to the latest version. You can find out more about Malware in my course “Cybersecurity At Home”.

Stop unnecessary programs from starting when you start your computer.

Many apps, or startup programs, automatically load while your system is starting up. Reducing the number of active startup programs is an effective way to get a fast startup in Windows 10.

Upgrade your hard drive.

It takes much longer to load Windows on an older hard disk drive (HDD) than on a newer and faster solid-state drive (SSD). SSDs access data instantaneously, which can load your files in seconds rather than minutes. Now that’s ROI!

Upgrade to Windows 10 or 11

If you’re running Windows, upgrading to Windows 10 or 11 will make a big difference in your bootup time. Also, enable fast startup in Windows 10. This can be done through “Power & Sleep” under “Additional Power Settings” in the Windows 10 settings menu.

This is one example of how making a very small change can have profound impacts on your productivity, overheads, and profits. Imagine what else you could accomplish if you took this approach in every area of your business?

January 31, 2022

5 Mindset Traps You Don’t Know You’re Stuck In

5 Mindset Traps

(You Don’t Know You’re Stuck In)

Today is the Lunar New Year, and it’s the Year of the Tiger. The Tiger symbolizes recovery and growth so I thought this was the perfect time to talk about mindsets, or rather mindset traps.

What are Mindset Traps?
The term “mindset trap” is used to describe the ways in which we limit ourselves by thinking about how things are done in the past, or how they should be done. Mindset traps are not always obvious, and definitely not easy to escape. If you find yourself saying things like “I’m not good enough”, “It’s too late”, or “I don’t know what I want”, you could be stuck in a fear trap, or living in the past. How about, “I can’t do anything about it anyway”, or “I’m not creative enough”? These are common thoughts of a self-saboteur. 1. The Trap of Living in the Past
Living in the past can be a trap that keeps you from moving forward. Sometimes we get so caught up in what has already happened, that we forget how much potential there is for what can happen next. It is important to let go of the past and not allow it to control your life. I used to have a small wall plaque growing up, “We can’t change the past, but we can ruin the future by worrying about the present”. In order to live a fulfilling life, you have to let go of the past and focus on what lies ahead of you. 2. The Trap of Letting Fear Stop You
The fear of success is a common emotion that many people experience when they are on the verge of achieving something great. We may doubt our own worthiness, be afraid we’ll suck at it and we’ll fail in epic proportions in full view of the whole world.
The first step in overcoming this fear is to understand that it’s natural for anyone to feel some level of anxiety about success, especially if they’ve never experienced it before or if they have experienced failure in the past. Understanding that fear is natural will help you realize that there is nothing wrong with feeling some level of anxiety before accomplishing something new or difficult. 3. The Trap of Self-Sabotage
Are you giving yourself the wrong pep-talk? Instead of using some positive self-talk to get things done, are you by any chance using negative self-talk to keep you from trying? After all, it’s very easy to convince ourselves that we’re failures. Why do we do it? Because if we know it’s not going to work out, we never have to try in the first place. The self-sabotage trap is a common problem, yet it’s hard to identify and even harder to solve. The first step is awareness. You need to be actively aware of your thoughts all day, every day. When negative thinking tries to sneak in, stop it and remind yourself of all your strengths. Become your best friend! 4. The Trap of Doing What is Expected
In today’s world, most of us have fallen into the trap of doing what is expected at least once or twice. Staying in this trap, and continuing to live your life doing what you think you should be doing and not what you want to be doing, can lead to emotional burnout. But this doesn’t have to be the case. If you are not happy with what you are doing, then it’s time to break free from the norm and do something different. Listen to your inner self, your gut. You’ll find the answer. 5. The Trap of Being Overwhelmed
When we are constantly bombarded with information, we start to feel overwhelmed. When we feel overwhelmed, it is hard to focus on what matters. We need to learn how to manage our time and our energy so that we can stay grounded and balanced. Use a time management process such as the Eisenhower Matrix, the Pomodoro Technique, or the Pareto Principle – or develop your own from a combination of the processes. This will be your roadmap to follow each day as you focus on your tasks. Also, limit your time spent on social media, stop watching 24-hour news programs, and limit your podcast time to only programs that provide you valuable insight into your success. Declutter your mind and you will be more productive, less stressed, and more motivated.

You will stumble upon mindset traps often on your road to success. You can avoid stepping on them by developing a daily routine that includes meditation, and mindfulness activities such as journaling, deep breathing, and single-tasking. Stop being a perfectionist. We all make mistakes, learn from them. You will fail, and you will do it many times in your life. Embrace this as a gift rather than a burden. Don’t tell yourself you are a failure, tell yourself that you just learned what doesn’t work.

January 22, 2022

Popular Bookkeeping Software: My User Experience

Popular Bookkeeping Software: My User Experience

As we enter tax season, I wanted to talk to you about a few bookkeeping software programs that will help make your tax prep go smooth and stress-free. First let me say, there are many, many applications out there that are really good. A quick google search on “bookkeeping software” returns an onslaught of programs and reports on the best programs, comparisons, etc. It can be quite overwhelming! So what makes my comparison any different? Honestly? Probably not much, but I am going to talk about four programs based upon my user experience with them. Over the past two years, I have been on the search for the perfect SaaS business solution, from bookkeeping to email marketing to social media management, and everything in between. And yes, there will be reports on all! Today I want to share my real experiences and thoughts on four programs: Quickbooks, Xero, Wave, and ZohoBooks. Complete transparency, some of my links may be affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission should you decide to buy their product, but this report is by no means recommending one or the other. This is just a story of my search for my perfect solution. Quickbooks: I used Quickbooks Desktop in the past, so it made sense for me to choose this software as my business tool. There are at least fourteen different Quickbooks solutions, probably more but I lost count, and it’s not an easy task to sort through all of them and choose the one best for you. I chose Quickbooks for Self Employed and immediately realized my mistake, but gave it the old college try. Quickbooks for Self Employed (let’s just call it QSE for simplicity’s sake!), is an excellent tool for Schedule C filers. You can easily categorize between business and personal expenses, set routine recurring expenses, create tags, and more. The reporting is also fantastic, again for Schedule C filers. If however, you file a Form 1065, as I do, this is not the way to go as it combines all your personal and business data on the P&L and throws everything off. I could never get the two, QSE and my Excel spreadsheet, to match up. It was more frustrating than anything! My experience with Quickbooks customer service was not pleasant, but I’ll spare the war story. Suffice to say, that after a few attempts, I finally reached someone who could help me switch my current account to QBO or Pro, and she even offered to do the transition so I wouldn’t have to worry about messing anything up. Oops. I should have done it on my own. The transition went smooth, but she pulled EVERYTHING from my QSE, including my personal accounts! Contacted customer service again only to be told that they couldn’t fix it, but I could purchase their accounting service and have one of their bookkeepers’ help. Wait, WHAT?!?!?!?!? But it was your mistake Quickbooks! Overall: Quickbooks is a love/hate kinda thing for me. It has exceptional functionality and an array of accounting reports that will help you see your position at any given time. I love the tag feature and the ability to filter within accounts. It’s rather simple to use, but a little rigid if you need to fix a mistake. This is going to be the best solution for someone, just not me. Would I go back? I’ve thought it about, but then there’s the hate factor – customer service. Customer Service: Severely lacking, and this my friends, is a deal-breaker for me. If they up their customer care game, I could be persuaded. Cost: Reasonable. Different tiers based on your needs. Online Plus has an annual subscription. The desktop version comes with updates for three years. Xero: I liked what I saw of it. But, could not correct an account status from Bank to CC, even though I selected CC when I loaded it. When I reached out to customer service their response was to create a new account (complete new Xero account!) with a different organization name, and then link the credit card account to “Credit Card”. Hmmm, but I did that the first time. After a little more digging and researching, I came to the conclusion that if your banking account and credit card account are from the same financial institution, then it will revert to “Bank” no matter what you do. And then, once you link an account, there is no way to change its orientation – even though there is an option to do that just that! They do have a very easy invoicing system, that walks you through the process very easily, a zero on the frustration scale – haha, no pun intended there! However, I didn’t like their choice for ACH – the company wanted way too much information for my liking, and then they wouldn’t even cancel my application without first giving them said information. They continue to spam me for this information. Overall: I never really had a chance to dig in. I went in on a free trial and I spent so much time trying to figure out a workaround for the credit card account that my trial expired. Quick note: once your trial expires, you can not get in to retrieve your data. I recommend downloading your data a couple of days before it expires if you decide not to move forward. Customer Service: Slow in responses Cost: Free trial, then monthly subscription packages based on your needs. No annual plan. Wave: This is perfect for businesses just starting out, or if you have a small budget. The program is free for accounting and invoicing purposes. You will get charged transaction fees, just like any other merchant pay program, and you can add Payroll for a low monthly fee. It doesn’t have a lot of integrations, and recently discontinued its integration with PayPal. Their suggestion was to use Zapier and create a zap if you need PayPal. This is quite inconvenient not only because you need another program (Zapier), but depending on how many PayPal transactions you do each month, those zaps can get a little bit expensive. Overall: The lack of integration was a deal-breaker for me and I canceled my account. Customer Service: I was unable to reach anyone and had to find out about PayPal through a Google search. Cost: Free for basic service. Payroll plans start at $20 a month. Zoho Books: I’ve been using Zoho Books for a few months now and really enjoy it. It was easy to get set up and easy to use, once you get past the steep learning curve. They do have several webinars on YouTube to guide you along. The only issue I’ve had so far is the double, and sometimes triple entry it brings in with the PayPal connection. UGH! I have since disabled PayPal and it’s running very smoothly. Zoho Books connects with PayPal, Stripe, Square, and WePay. They also have an ACH program which I have yet to configure. They even have a project and time tracking feature! It may replace what I use in ClickUp! Overall: Extensive reporting system, invoicing, and accounting, with the ability to add Payroll. Connects to all your Zoho services with a key. Cost: Free version until your business grows, then tiered pricing plans based on your needs. So far, I’m loving it! And it doesn’t hurt that Zoho has a kazillion other products I can rabbit hole down!! Customer Service: I have not had to contact them, yet. Cost: Free for basic service. Payroll plans start at $20 a month.

January 10, 2022

Your Complete Guide to Strategic Task Lists

Your Complete Guide To Strategic Task Lists

Here’s the honest truth for entrepreneurs – your task list will NEVER be complete. There will always be more to do! So how can you manage everything without tasks or projects slipping through the cracks? Use strategic task lists.

Why You Should Use a Strategic Task List

A strategic task list is a list of tasks that can help you achieve your goals. It is a tool that can help you stay organized and focused on what you need to accomplish. It can be used for a variety of purposes and is one of the strongest time-management tools you can have in your arsenal.

Strategic Planning:

Use the list to organize your thoughts and plan out your agenda for the day or week with each item representing an action or project you want to complete.

Goal Setting:

The tasks on the list are those things that support your goals, making it easier to remember what needs to be accomplished in order to reach them.

Resource Management:

This type of task list is often used by people who need reminders about what’s happening at work so they know which meetings they need to attend, identify gaps, and maximize capacity.

Change Your Strategy by Having a Strategic Task List

If you have a task list, you are more likely to complete it within time limits which will lead you to accomplish your goals faster.

With a written strategic task list, you are less likely to be derailed or distracted by small tasks that may not seem urgent but actually are urgent. Being able to identify what needs immediate attention is important for an organization’s success.

When there is clarity about what needs to be accomplished time gaps are eliminated and you achieve maximum productivity levels.

Create the Perfect Strategic Task List

Creating the perfect strategic task is easier than you might think. Following these simple steps will ensure that your task list is effective:

First, do a brain dump! Using a pen and paper, set a timer for 15 minutes. Write down EVERYTHING that you need to do – business and personal. Do not assign deadlines, edit or prioritize yet. When the timer goes off, try to go for another 5 minutes.

Next, prioritize the tasks using the time management matrix:

Urgent + Important: Must do tasks with a clear deadline such as paying taxes, paying bills, completing work on a deadline. If this isn’t done – there is a clear consequence!

Urgent + NOT Important: Time-sensitive tasks that should get done such as replying to your emails, client communication, working with your team. This is an excellent area to automate and systemize.

NOT Urgent + NOT Important: These are tricky tasks because these are the ‘should do’ tasks we say yes to without determining if they really help us reach our goals. Learn to say NO to these tasks. Outsource to another to handle this area.

NOT Urgent + IMPORTANT: This is where you want to play! Focus your time and energy on important revenue-generating tasks such as marketing, sales, or developing new revenue streams.
Many of the tasks should be based on your goals. I find it helpful to keep a printed copy of my goals on my desk, usually in my day planner, for quick reference.

Finally, check your daily task list at night and prioritize the remaining tasks based on what you should be working on first. Create a fresh list every morning pulling forward the unfinished tasks from the day before.

It is important for any organization to have a strategic task list. Whether your company has 1 employee or 100 employees, using strategic lists will help them understand the steps needed to reach the end goal and thus, provide stability and consistency in your strategy.

January 3, 2022

Are You Realistic About Your Goals?

Are Your Realistic About Your Goals?

People often struggle in both life and business with the process of goal-setting-more than likely, you’ve read a lot about creating SMART goals. SMART is an acronym for: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. SMART goals give direction and focus to your efforts. If your goal is without focus, or if you are unable to tell if it’s working, odds are you’ll be wasting time.

Let’s Be Clear

If there’s one thing that keeps people stuck, it’s a lack of clarity.

You know you want to quit your soul-sucking day job in favor of the freedom of self-employment, but you aren’t clear on the steps to take. You want to take an exotic vacation, but you aren’t sure where to go-or how to make it happen. You want to grow your business but aren’t even sure what that means.

The truth is, with ambiguous “goals” such as these, in five or ten years, you’ll still be right where you’re at today. But with a little clarity, you can achieve any goal you can conceive. The first step is simple, visualize what you want.

Start With A Vision

A vision board is a planning tool that allows you to unleash your creativity and daydream in a tangible format. Vision boards can serve to keep you inspired when boredom strikes and remind you of why you’re working so hard when all you want to do is take a nap. Best of all, creating a vision board is easy-and fun!

Start by collecting images that represent your biggest goals. Gather pictures from magazines, photos from a favorite vacation, ads of products you want to have. I had a postcard from the New Yorker hotel I used to keep pinned on a board above my desk. I looked at it every day and knew I would be there one day. Four months later, I accepted a position at a start-up company in New York City!

Use images, graphics, photos that express what you want. Dollar signs, or a specific figure, to represent your desired bank account balance. Phrases and quotes that inspire you. Add it all to your new vision board.

Your vision board is a living document. Your dreams and goals will change. Some you will achieve and remove from your board to make room for bigger and better dreams. Some you will decide no longer matter, and you’ll trade them for some others. It’s your vision, and it’s entirely up to you what dreams you choose to follow.

Keep your vision board within sight; you’ll be better able to focus on the steps necessary to reach your goals. I keep mine hanging on my wall directly opposite my bed. It’s the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see before going to sleep.

Now, Create Your Goals

Using your vision board as your roadmap, create three SMART business goals and at least two SMART personal development goals. Quantitate each goal and include a deadline date. Write your goals out and keep them visible. If this is not feasible, make sure they are easily accessible.

Keep It Real

It’s fun to fantasize about becoming a millionaire or making a high six-figure salary while sitting on the beach. The problem with this is that it’s just not that realistic. It’s not to say that no one has ever done it, but more than likely, they already had tons of resources like money and contacts that allowed them to delegate while they’re lying on the beach.

When you come up with a figure or a measure for your goal to track, you want the number to be realistic and not just pulled out of thin air.

To be accurate and realistic about how much you can earn, you need to figure out the order of operations at your business. How many hours will you have available for clients, and how many hours will be set aside for business administration? A typical 40-hour workweek will probably give you four or five hours billable in a day, and the rest of the time, you’ll need to work on marketing and other aspects of your business. If your billable rate is $40 an hour, that will provide a gross income of $1,000/week. Reduce that by business expenses and personal draw to reach your net income. Will that be enough to sustain and grow your business?

Perhaps you can find other ways to increase your billable hours, such as outsourcing or hiring full-time employees. The main thing is that you should not leave these numbers to chance. Design your entire day and figure out what is realistic for your goals in each case. Don’t just pull a number out of the air. Think about the number and how it can happen or not happen before you put it in writing.

Personally Speaking

Use the same process for your personal development goals. Think about what skills you want to improve; how long will it take to develop? Are there classes you can take? A good freelance education source is Freelance University. You can find just about any skill development course you need in their extensive library. Now, create a SMART goal. For example, perhaps you want to become more efficient with Excel to maintain your financial plan or even automate some of your tasks. You could write, “By March 1 (or any date you choose), take an Excel course to increase efficiency with some of my business administration tasks.”

Review Your Goals

Now that you’ve taken the time to create some fantastic goals, set up a schedule to evaluate your goals. I suggest reviewing your goals quarterly at a minimum. Assess where you are, is the goal progressing as you anticipated, are you on track to complete as stated? Make any necessary alterations and keep notes as to why the changes are required.

Planning and working towards your goals should not be a source of stress if you remember to not only think about what you want but also how you will get there. This step helps clarify expectations and makes sure that the goal is SMART and worth your efforts.

December 13, 2021

Tips For A Smooth Return After The Holidays

Tips For a Smooth Return After the Holidays

Taking some time off during the Holidays? Looking forward to enjoying some festivities, but dread the mountain of work you know will be waiting when you return? Make a few preparations now, before you leave, and follow some tips when you return, to help ease you back into a routine and maybe even stretch your relaxed and festive mood well into the first week or two of the new year!

Tips Before You Leave:

Automate Your Email

Create Rules to Filter Emails:

Setting up filters to determine which emails should receive priority upon your return is a huge time saver! Gmail allows you to mark which email type, or contact, as important or with a star. You can even color-code your stars in order of priority in the Settings section.

In Outlook, go to “Rules & Alerts”. There you can fully customize how you want your incoming messages to behave. Sending them to a folder or marking as high priority, are just a couple of timesaving filters.

Out of Office Automatic Reply:

First, take time right now to set up your Out-Of-Office and Voicemail message. These are probably the two most overlooked yet simplest tasks to quickly take care of. Outlook’s “Automatic Replies” and Gmail’s “Vacation Reply” will let you schedule the OOO in advance. Your message can be anything from “I’m outta here!” (not really recommended ????) to something more elaborate with information the sender may need. You can also decide if you want the automatic reply to go to everyone, even those outside your organization, or contact list only.

Most voicemails will let you schedule an outgoing message to run at a specific time, but if your phone system doesn’t allow for advance messaging, write the message out now and have it ready to quickly record.

Remember, the idea of advanced settings is so you don’t stress yourself unnecessarily by waiting until 5 minutes before you’re trying to get out the door!

Organize Your Calendar Now

Schedule Meetings Now:

That New Year staff meeting can wait until Tuesday afternoon – 2:30PM to be exact – after you return. A study by YouCanBookMe, shows this to be the very best time to schedule a meeting. Also, don’t forget to schedule a reminder, preferably with a scheduled email in addition to the popup reminder notification.

And, while you’re adding meetings to your calendar, I want you to schedule 3 lunches your first week back. As you ease your way back into the routine, time away becomes paramount. Schedule alternate days (I recommend this!), or consecutively, but do it in “ink” and do not allow yourself to cancel.

Make Time to Socialize:

Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of “The Humor Advantage,” recommends:

“If your work situation permits it, leave a day after you’ve ‘officially’ booked off and arrive a day before you’ve announced your official return. This buys you an extra distraction-free day at both ends of your vacation so that you leave feeling better prepared and more relaxed and return to work without feeling overwhelmed.”

Another wiggle room tip is your catch-up time. Everyone wants to catch up, get the details of your holiday, whether they stop by your desk, or catch you in the Zoom meeting, these quick “water cooler” chats can quickly morph into a time vampire! Block about 30 minutes of “catch up” time to socialize and catch up with your office pals. Scheduling this time will help avoid unnecessary interruptions and keep you focused.

Prioritize Your Task List:

Make a complete list of all the projects you are working on. Are there any projects that have been on a backburner for over a year, take a good look at it – are you really going to work on them? Can they be delegated or even discarded? Take a few minutes to prioritize everything – use the Eisenhower Matrix to help organize these projects. Your “vacation brain” will thank you when it’s time to jump back into things.

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix

Set up your return task list now for at least the first two days back. When adding tasks, keep it real! Don’t set unrealistic deadlines for your first day back and don’t try to do everything on that first day, this will only leave you overwhelmed, underproductive, and put you behind in your work.

The first day should be sorting through and answering priority emails, just dip your toe in the water, no cannonballs on this day!

Day two should consist of your top three priorities, in order of deadline dates.

Schedule Social Media Posts

Schedule your Holiday messages now using programs such as Hootsuite and Sendible. You can also schedule posts directly on your Facebook and Instagram business pages using Publishing Tools.

If you have a lot of customer interaction, you could hire a Virtual Assistant to reply to comments and private messages, and keep the engagement going.

Communicate

Get in touch with your clients and let them know you’ll be away. If you’re able, have a backup contact for them in case any urgent needs arise. Clients will appreciate the high-touch service.

Kerr says:

“Contact any high-priority clients before going to make sure you’ve answered any questions and addressed their needs before heading out. It’s not only a great customer service habit to get into, it will give you greater peace of mind. It also gives you a simple but legitimate excuse to reach out to clients you may not have talked to in a while.”

If you work with a team, make sure everyone is aware of your travel plans and how to reach you in case of an emergency.

Clean Up Your Desk

About 20 minutes before the end of your day, take some time to clean up your desk. Put away the files you’ve been working on, put books back where they belong, straighten up the supplies. Take one last look at your Task list. Are there any projects that have been on a backburner for over a year – are you really going to work on them? Can they be delegated or even discarded?

Tips For Your Return:

Stealth Mode

Try to stay in a selective stealth mode the first few days back, giving those that “need to know” a heads up about your return. Break up the first few days into little chunks. For example, take care of emails and phone calls on the first day, and review reports on day two.

Do Not Stay Late

As tempting as it might be, slowly easing back into that full “work late” schedule will help you be more focused and productive.

Part of the lure of a vacation is that you’re free to do as you please. Work often seems like the end of the fun part of your vacation. Nonetheless, with a bit of strategic planning, and following a few return tips, you can help relieve the stress of the return and harness the excitement and happiness of your vacation.

Happy Holidays!

December 6, 2021

The Handwritten Letter

The Handwritten Letter

Letter writing seems to be a lost art in today’s age of instant messaging and email. However, whether it’s the power of the written word or the belief that a handwritten letter is more meaningful and unique, it is still alive and kicking as many people prefer to receive handwritten letters and cards. I remember receiving my birthday card, or an encouraging note (on a notecard!) from the VP of our division, back in my Corporate life. I cannot express how I felt opening that card and reading the handwritten note from her. Even more amazing, was knowing that she took the time to write a personalized message in all the notes and cards she sent out, to all the employees. This is the same tradition my mother instilled in us girls, and I hope I have passed it on to my daughter. The handwritten letter or note is about as personal as you can get, and something I do in my business today. The process of letter writing has changed over time as we moved more into a digitalized world. However, some people continue to put pen to paper because they believe that there is something more personal about it than other digital formats. Handwritten letters can be more personalized than an email because they can show personality in their words through the actual handwriting itself, or drawing pictures on the letter or card. This personality cannot be replicated in an email or text. While some people may argue that handwritten letters are less efficient than paperless postcards or emails, there are many benefits to handwritten postcards and letters.

Surprise and delight your clients

Companies should not underestimate the power of handwritten letters. It can increase clients’ enthusiasm and surprise them with a personal touch. A handwritten letter helps to form a bond with your client.

Improves your memory

Handwriting helps us remember things better. The act of writing by hand engages more of the brain than typing on a computer or using predictive text on your smartphone. It’s easier for us to remember what we’ve written down if it’s in our own handwriting.

Promotes mindfulness

The simple act of handwriting something generates a sense of calm and mindfulness that you can’t get from typing or even talking on the phone. This is the same sense of calm we feel when coloring. Some people use handwritten letters as an excuse to send snail mail – hand-written postcards, letters with drawings, thank you notes, etc. Others use them as a creative outlet – drawing doodles or little sketches on their envelopes for no reason at all.

Allows for reflection and a more thought-provoking message

Handwritten letters are deliberate, thought-provoking, and represent a deeper meaning than an email can. As we move deeper into the digital age and instantaneous writing with predictive text, we sometimes forget how important it is to be intentional with our words and expressions.

Sends the message that you care

Companies that use handwritten postcards or greeting cards for clients show that they have taken the time to personally put something together for them – which is an unexpected touch.

A handwritten letter is a time-honored tradition. It is the perfect way to show someone how much you care. Whether it’s a heartfelt note, a long overdue apology, or even an invitation to be your date for the evening-a handwritten letter will express all of your feelings in just the right way. Handwritten letters are not just about saying what you want to say-they are about who you are as well. Understandably, there are many things that people send by email these days that would have traditionally been sent by paper mail. But if you’re looking for something personal and thoughtful, nothing beats the intimacy of the written word on paper!

November 29, 2021

Why Do We Need Cybersecurity?

Today is Computer Security Day and I want to answer the question:

Why do we need cybersecurity?

First let me say, I had a completely different statement prepared, until last week. What changed? GoDaddy’s major security breach, of which I was affected. I spent pretty much all of last week trying to get in touch with their tech support, and had my awesome web guy, Mark Hunter of MarkOfApproval, looking into what we could salvage if GoDaddy was not able to get me back up and running. It was probably the most stressful week I’ve had since I launched my business in 2019. And completely avoidable! Many of you may have heard of GoDaddy’s system breach which affected over 1.2 million users, as well as managed hosting resellers. This breach could have been avoidable if GoDaddy had proper cybersecurity systems in place, first and foremost being encrypted passwords! We can make our passwords strong, complicated, and basically unhackable for 30,000+ years, but how secure are we if we write it down and leave it out for anyone to see? Or, if the company there to protect your data is using plain text to store passwords? This is pretty much the same thing as writing it down. Shame on you GoDaddy! The good news is that they are now using encryption. So let’s move on to what today is about. Cybercriminals can make changes in a system without being detected by antivirus, and they know about the software vulnerabilities. They are smart beings and they find ways to get into our systems and create havoc in less time than we expect. One of the most common transgressions is phishing or social engineering–deliberately trying to get you, a family member, or an employee, to download malware or give up their credentials by pretending to be someone they trust. Security experts predict that these malicious activities will only increase in the future, so this is a serious issue that needs our full attention. Still asking why do we need cyber security?

Here are five pretty good reasons why:

Reason #1

Hackers are everywhere; your business rival, your neighbor, or simply a person out to take over your computer. Hackers make use of software loopholes and hijack your computer through backdoors, usually installed programs, or through cracking software. They can gain access to possibly all your personal and sensitive information such as bank accounts, credit cards, or top trade secrets. They can also use your computer to attack other networks, with you oblivious to all the malicious operations.

Reason #2

Internet scams and frauds are rampant. These include phishing, a very organized cybercrime, which deceives people into giving their banking and other sensitive details by pretending to be representatives from legitimate financial institutions, sending e-mail messages, and asking unsuspecting people to verify their passwords, account numbers, and other vital information.

Reason #3

A virus can slow down your computer. Worse, it can cause your system to crash. The virus reaches your system through a number of entryways. One is through unsecured and unknown websites from which you download files, programs, applications, or tools for free. As much as it can infect home computers, viruses can leave damaging effects on companies, both big and small.

Reason #4

Spyware, as the name hints, can spy on you. A computer program automatically installed on your computer, spyware tracks personal information you entered and sends it to its creator. Unlike computer viruses, spyware leaves the computer owners totally unaware of its presence. Most users with infected systems don’t even know that spyware has been installed into their computers.

Reason #5

Adware can fill your screen with those annoying popups. Like spyware, adware penetrates the system through shareware. On its own, it downloads ads and allows them to run and pop up. This proves to be quite annoying for computer owners. But what’s even more troubling is that adware can sometimes contain spyware. This increases the risk for cyber threats.

Computers today are faster and more advanced, and so are the cyber bad guys trying to gain access to your information. Computer Security Day reminds us to protect our computers. The nature of the Internet as a tool for communication and education has been used and misused for personal gain, which has resulted in an unprecedented rise in cybercrime rates. We need Cybersecurity to protect our people and data from threats like ransomware and hackers. The threats are real and they happen more often than we think. So take a few minutes today to review your cybersecurity habits. Use the #ComputerSecurityDay checklist below to secure your computer.

☐ Enable Windows Update.

☐ Install and keep running antivirus software.

☐ Turn on Windows Firewall.

☐ Keep all software updated.

☐ Always use strong passwords.

☐ Don’t share passwords and don’t write them down.

☐ A password is required to access my computer.

☐ Remove unused programs.

☐ Secure your wireless network.

☐ Back up critical data.

☐ Use caution when browsing the Internet.

☐ I log off the computer when I’m not using it.

☐ My web browser does not store or remember my passwords.

☐ Periodically remove temporary Internet files.

Spread the word on social media using #ComputerSecurityDay to inform others how they can secure their data!

For more information on how you can protect yourself, your family, and your home-based business, grab my e-course “Cybersecurity At Home“. Get it today and use Coupon Code: CSD21 for a 30% discount! Expires midnight 12/1/21.

Read more on the GoDaddy breach here: GoDaddy Breached