The boring sh!t in business Podcast with Amy Bajada

EPISODE 69 : Funding options for small business

It's been said that "money isn't everything, but everything needs money"  Ain't that the truth when it comes to running a business!. 
Unless you have the balance sheet of Tesla or Microsoft, the idea of accessing funding for your business has probably crossed your mind once or twice.
At some stage you may need to make a choice, so it’s worth doing your homework when looking at the various financing options available for small businesses, and in what situation they may be appropriate.
In this episode, we explore the 3 main types of business finance available and what they each mean for your business structure and funding needs.
Some key points made throughout the episode;
[2:43] What is Debt Finance and what is it characterised by?
[3:48] Biggest upside to Debt Finance
[5:50] Qualifying for Debt Finance
[6:59] What is Equity Finance?
[8:23] Type os Equity Finance
[9:43] Retained Profits
[10:29] Other funding types
 
If you are exploring funding options for your business, perhaps you'd like to consider my Small Business Cashflow Course, that works through the management of cash for business in step by step detail and explores various strategies to make this easier on business owners to manage and therefore alleviate the stress that cash funding can create.
My next intake will be mid year, but you can join the waitlist at Small Business Cashflow Course Waitlist
 
Other cashflow resources that may be of interest
FREE 30 day cashflow challenge 
FREE PDF : 3 Things you can do daily to improve your cashflow
 
 
 

EPISODE 68 : Henry (Hank) Paul from Henry Paul Photography

Henry (Hank) Paul from Henry Paul Photography is a full-time wedding photographer and educator based in Sydney, Australia, specialising in sustainable and inclusive weddings. He is a lover of board games, indoor plants and all forms of fried potato as well as the co-host of the Profit on the Margins podcast, author of the book "Queer-Owned", and creator of Queer Wedding Ally Training.
I first met Hank through an online course I'd signed up for in 2021, and became instantly aware of how incredibly important his message, work and friendship were in my life.  And when I find something or someone incredible, I can't help but want to share. 
I am grateful that Hank joined me for this episode where we discuss getting started in business, being authentically ourselves, Queer Ally Training and why it's an important message, the joy of continuous learning and who would play him in a movie about his life and why.
We packed so much into this episode, it was so much fun ... here are some of the key discussion points for you to enjoy;
[2:48] - Hank's story of getting started in the photography business and what impact his personal journey had on this time.
[10:12] - Taking his business full time.
[13:25] - Why it's important to Hank to "always be a student" when running his business.
[15:22] - One piece of advice Hank has for other business owners.
[18:03] - COVID and the impact of running a 1:1 service based business.
[23:30] - On evolving his business module and writing "Queen-Owned"
[34:28] - Discussing his new "Queer Wedding Ally Training"
[40:05] - Who he would have play him in a movie about his life ..
[43:20] - Being co-host of the Profit on the Margins Podcast
Join me as I chat with Henry (Hank) Paul ...
 
To learn more about Henry Paul Photography head to https://www.henrypaul.com.au/
Want to build a profitable business while creating a social impact .. learn how you can do so with Hank at www.hankpaul.co
Sign up for Hank's Queer Wedding Ally Training here https://www.hankpaul.co/queer-wedding-ally-training-waitlist
Purchase Queer-Owned : The ultimate guide to personal branding for LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs at https://www.amazon.com/Queer-Owned-Ultimate-Personal-Branding-Entrepreneurs-ebook/dp/B098X1PG8Z
Listen to Profit on the Margins Podcast here https://open.spotify.com/show/1PpSfU8erpkL2xWdB5KdCP
Find out more about what Hank is doing on his socials;
https://www.instagram.com/hankpaul.co/
 

EPISODE 67 : To raise prices or not to raise prices, that is the question!

If you've ever found yourself continually dipping into your personal bank account to fund anything for your business, I can bet that it's because you haven't got your pricing right!  If you are constantly delaying creditor payments, or dread the "money shuffle" as I call it. You know the process I'm talking about, where you move money around so much trying to juggle due dates, that you make your own head spin.  
Again, I hate to tell you my friend, but you're pricing is off.
It has to be!! 
In this episode, I unpack why it's obvious your pricing is off PLUS:
Under what circumstances you may need to raise the pricing on your goods or services,
How you need to push through the uncomfortableness of the process of raising your prices,
Why raising prices is critical to the survival of your business,
What components you need to consider when developing your pricing strategy,
What communication channels may be appropriate to effectively use during this process,
How consistent, transparent messaging is important throughout the communication process.
After listening to this episode, you will definitely be able to identify whether you are ready to raise prices in your business and how you can tackle this transition.
To make it easier for you to locate the relevant sections of this episode;
[3:09] Why your pricing is important
[3:20] Why your pricing may be incorrect
[4:09] What components you should consider when pricing your products or services
[5:57] Some of the best ways to communicate your price change
[8:47] The importance of consistent messaging
[11:44] Some additional advice from yours truly ...
As pricing is undoubtably linked to the cashflows in our business, if you haven't already, be sure to take my 30 DAY CASHFLOW CHALLENGE ... 30 days, 30 key cashflow strategies to help you improve the overall flow of cash in AND out of your business!
"I literally did your 30 day cashflow challenge in like 3 days over Christmas, I literally just sat on the lounge room floor and did it. And found about $2,500 worth of spend each year that I just didn't need anymore, which I ditched. I'm going to do it again with my personal expenditure!"
Also, if you haven't done so already, follow the podcast.  I'm have so much exciting stuff to come this year, plus an impressive list of guests coming along to share the conversation with, and if you're not following, there is a good chance you may miss out!  FOLLOW HERE!
A x

EPISODE 66 : 5 Ways to start the year off right ... 2022 I’m coming for ya!

“Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” The Japanese proverb, meaning choosing to never give up hope, and to always strive for more. Focusing not on the reality in front of you, but on that which may not be reality yet. 2022, I'm starting you right, and I'm excited for what's to come ... 
After a tough 2021 ... I took some time and reflected on what was needed to come back in 2022 stronger and better than ever before.  And during that reflection I realised that there were 5 strategies I needed to implement to start this year off right. 
So in my first episode back for 2022 ... and as I put 2021 in that box marked "toughest year in business" ... I'm sharing the 5 ways I'm going to start this year right.
Whilst I'm sure this list isn't definitive by any means, I know I can't go wrong if I at least start here ...
 
Strategy #1 : Set a realistic plan (3:37)
Strategy #2 : Learn from the past (5:50)
Strategy #3 : Note down new skills you need (7:23)
Strategy #4 : Take time for ourselves (9:21)
Strategy #5 : Make learning a priority (10:52)
 
So join me as we discuss these strategies further. A x
 
To book a discovery call for 1:1 coaching : https://amybajada.kartra.com/page/freediscoverycall
Join my FREE 30 Day Cashflow Challenge and start the year right 30 DAY CASHFLOW CHALLENGE
 
 
Some resources mentioned throughout the podcast : 
TRELLO : https://trello.com/en
ASANA : https://asana.com/
 
 

EPISODE 65 : Doing it scared - Shutting down my socials

Making changes to our business model is always challenging, especially when you have worked so hard at a particular area of your business … change is always scary.
But what is it they say about being scared…. Do it scared.  So that’s where I’m at right now.  I have made the scary decision to shut down my Instagram and Facebook business pages.  After having worked tirelessly over the last 10 years to grow my following on these pages, it came down, ironically, to numbers.  
I’d finally reached the number I wanted for followers, but found that the most impactful number I needed to pay more attention to, was the engagement.  And this my friends isn’t great!
So join me for this episode as I talk through the why, the how and what’s next for me when it comes to the Social Media side of my business. A x
📧 EMAIL TO STAY CONNECTED : amy@amybajada.com
🔗 REGISTER FOR OFFICE HOURS : Sign up to register for Office hours and all the latest training announcement and early access to more cool free resources I have developed, join here … https://amybajada.kartra.com/page/signmeup or through the link in my bio
If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe and turn on those notifications so you receive alerts when a new episode drops.

EPISODE 64 : Don‘t discount the power of the bank reconciliation

Bank reconciliations .. many have heard the term and others haven’t.  But regardless of which camp you reside in right now, as a business owner, it’s one thing you need to be aware of. 
With all the automated systems we have available to us, performing a bank reconciliation now is as easy as the press of a button, literally.  But regardless of the simplicity of it, it comes with a warning … just because it’s automated, doesn’t mean the information contained within it isn’t important to know and to know regularly!
I know I say this a lot .. but business is all about 2 pieces of paper.  Invoice in and invoice out.  These two little pieces of paper, can make or break our cash situation and the value of these two pieces of paper, are found on the bank reconciliation.
So I wanted to take a moment to talk more about the bank reconciliation and the importance it plays as a daily reminder to all business owners, that your bank reconciliation pays tribute to the way you run your business.  Be sure to take a listen. A x
🔗 FREEBIE : https://amybajada.kartra.com/page/dailycashflowhabitsdownload
🔗 REGISTER FOR OFFICE HOURS : Sign up to register for Office hours and all the latest training announcement and early access to more cool free resources I have developed, join here … https://amybajada.kartra.com/page/signmeup or through the link in my bio
If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe and turn on those notifications so you receive alerts when a new episode drops.

EPISODE 63 : When there is more to cashflow than sales

Is this you?  Do you find your business living day to day or sale to sale just to pay the bills?  Just to make ends-meat whilst you are working your butt off yet you’re fully booked .. and you feeling like you’re playing Tetris when it comes to moving money around to make it work?
I recently polled a number of business owners and asked them to explain in their own words what cashflow meant to them.
An overwhelming 95% of those that I polled told me it was sales.  When I dug a little deeper to see whether they had an extended version of their understanding of cashflow, 87% of the 95% stuck with sales.
I can appreciate that sales plays an extremely important part in cashflow of small business.  But the trap I’m seeing over and over is that many business owners are disregarding the other significant aspects of cashflow.
The reality, cash moves even if no sale is made … so why aren’t we focused on ensuring that we manage it just as effectively?
Join me as I work through the common mistakes business owners run into when they make sales the only focus when addressing their cashflow needs. A x
🔗 FREEBIE : https://amybajada.kartra.com/page/dailycashflowhabitsdownload
🔗 WAITLIST FOR CASHFLOW ONLINE COURSE : For the latest training announcement and early access to all the cool free resources I have developed, join here … https://amybajada.kartra.com/page/signmeup or through the link in my bio
If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe and turn on those notifications so you receive alerts when a new episode drops.

EPISODE 62 : My business journey

Think :  work hard, play hard! My journey to where I am today was far from traditional.  But I got here.
Whilst it’s sad but true, I knew from a very early age that I wanted to be in business.  Even more so, that I knew that the best path there was in the field of Accounting because I learnt quickly that the heart of any business started and ended with their numbers.  I see the world in black in white, so it was only natural that I gravitated towards a career that was black and white.  
One of the things I love about what I do, is that one plus one will always equal two.  There is no grey area.  
But what a crazy ride it’s been to get here.  Because whilst I gravitated to accounting as a profession … I’m anything but a traditional accountant.  I never could be, it just wasn’t in my nature.  So I needed to find the right path for me that would provide the right education and support needed to land where I wanted to land, whilst staying true to myself.
So this is my story.  Everything from nearly being kicked out of uni to camping through Africa to challenge my comfort zone and ensure that I was where I needed to be. Join me …  A x
If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe and turn on those notifications so you receive alerts when a new episode drops.
For the latest training announcement and early access to all the cool free resources I have developed, join here … https://amybajada.kartra.com/page/signmeup
 

EPISODE 61 : Let‘s talk about webinars

Let me ask you this ... Have you ever been in the position where you are struggling with an aspect of your business, have no idea how to move the needle to make it work and you feel like your back is against the wall?? Then along comes an ad for a webinar that promises to resolve the issue for you by simply signing up to a webinar that will provide you with the secret sauce. And to sweeten the deal, the webinar is free! 
I grew up in a time when you held your cards close to your chest when it came to your services and what value you could provide. It was the strategy of the time. You weren't going to give away too much, but certainly not as much as we do now. In all fairness we do live in the information age now and thats the ticket to getting the balance right so much so that you provide enough that keeps your audience wanting what you have over anyone else offering the same thing. A balancing act to say the least. But one that's effective. This is where webinars come in and are a great vehicle to do this exact thing. If of course it's done well enough. The kind of webinar that gives you something really tangible to take away and execute immediately into you business regardless of whether you purchase the offer that's presented at the end or not.
Now whilst I'm not an expert on delivering webinars, I've taken a few in my time not only as a business owner, but during my corporate days.
In this episode, I break down my thoughts on the following aspects when it comes to the topic of webinars.
[3:00] How I'm all for selling of goods or services through webinars, in fact I'm support it and think it's a great way to do so
[7:23] The 3 elements a webinar should have to ensure it's an effective selling tool
[10:10] Aspects of webinars that I loathe and why we should be challenging their current structures
[13:15] Why i'm motivated to discuss webinars at this point in my business
Webinars are now going to be something that I provide to you, my audience on a regular basis.  As such, and the best way for me to reach you reliably to advise when topics will be presented, webinars scheduled or even new free content is available, is via my mailing list.  To sign up to be part of my mailing list to have early access to announcements and member only discounts, simply head to my website www.amybajada.com.au
And if you haven't already, please don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and/or leave a review ... your continued support means the world to me. A x
 

EPISODE 60 : Em Sparrow from Em Sparrow Design

It's always a pleasure having a guest appear on my podcast.  So of course, this week, I was very excited to be joined by the talented and insightful Em Sparrow from Em Sparrow Design.
Em tore up her acceptance letter to business school and moved to Australia because like her work she has always looked at life like this —the goal is to design something that feels good. So the Canadian prairie girl left everything behind to find something more —a box with an ocean view that fits her style instead of trying to cram her future into someone else’s vision.What started as a leap year to travel before university led to many more living on the opposite side of the world. Since then, she has now built a business that aligns with the life she wants and helps others do the same.
Owner of Em Sparrow Design, Em and her team help female-led businesses build out-of-the-box custom web solutions that help her clients grow and scale to sig-figure businesses. Her passion is more than just building 'pretty' websites. She finds her creativity in functionality.  
 
In this episode, we got to chat about Em’s business journey, all things websites, the importance of the planning phase when it comes to thinking about what sort of website you want for your business and the profound piece of advice she has for anyone going into business.
Whether you’re a do-it-yourself-er or looking to have your website professionally done, Em opens up and shares some amazing insight and useful tips in this episode, so it’s one that can’t be missed.  Be sure to take a listen.  Ax 
If you'd like to get in contact with Em Sparrow, you will find her hanging out here ...
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/EmSparrowDesign
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/emsparrowdesign/
Website : https://emsparrow.com/