The boring sh!t in business Podcast with Amy Bajada

EPISODE 75 : 10 things to make the last quarter count in your business!

It's April. It's the beginning of the last quarter of our financial year here in Australia.  And it's no time to put the brakes on in your business!!!!
In all the years I've been doing this, I have seen many business owners get to April and convince themselves that it's time to start gearing up for the new financial year, and winding down from the one coming to an end.  STOP!! 
Mindset is such a powerful tool to achieving the results you want, and it's no different now.  You still have 3 months, 12 weeks, 90 days to make a huge impact on your business results and on your cashflow ... so now is certainly not the right time to slow down and wrap up.
In this episode, coming at cha with the high energy you should have right now, I take you through the 10 things you can do right now to make the last quarter of this financial year count!!
Here is the outline of what you can expect to hear;
#1 : Get clear on what record keeping tasks still need to be completed [0:47]
#2 : Perform your product stock takes and understand the impact of your stock levels and align these with your plans for the new financial year [2:04]
#3 : Get your Superannuation up to date [3:17]
#4 : Understand what your deductibles are, but don't buy deductibles you don't need [4:07]
#5 : Review your actual results against your forecasted results .. it's never too late [5:06]
#6 : Develop your Financial Forecast / Business Plan for the new year [6:10]
#7 : Understand what resources you will need to execute your new year plans .. never too early to start brining yourself up to speed and ready to go [7:21]
#8 : Check in your liabilities ... include these in your plans [8:22]
#9 : Check that your pricing strategy is effective enough to achieve your results [9:33]
#10 : Perform a Business Systems Review [10:46]
 
This should keep your energy up, your goals on track and you busy for now!  Go make it count my friend!! A x
 
Resources to assist you along the way ..
A FREE Guide to Business Forecasting (7 page PDF download) www.amybajada.com.au/freeforecastingguide
3 things you can do daily to improve your cashflow (PDF download) www.amybajada.com.au/cashflowpdf
 
Don't forget to join the waitlist for my Small Business Cashflow Course which is back in May/June 2022 www.amybajada.com.au/waitlist
 

EPISODE 74 : The 5 mistakes I made when starting my business

I often joke about leaving my 9-5 job to open my business so that I can work 24/7.  But is it really a joke.  This statement is false in two parts ... the first, since entering the world of corporate finance, I have never worked a 9-5 job EVER.  And the second was that it was a joke ... because it is no joke.  There are moments where I feel like I work 24/7 and moments when I actually do.  And perhaps this is the first mistake all these leading coaches will tell me, that I'm making ... but when you run a business, when you are passionate about something like I am about what I do, there have been plenty of mistakes I've made along the way, but I don't think this is one of them. So join me as we unpack this ...
 
Mistake 1 : Thinking work would just land in my lap [4:44]
Mistake 2 : Trusting my immediate network would carry my business in the early stages [6:35]
Mistake 3 : Assuming what I had on offer was for everyone [8:10]
Mistake 4 : Thinking I knew what tech I needed to run my business [9:57]
Mistake 5 : Stretching myself too thin just to get work done [12:33]
 
Whilst these weren't the only mistakes I made, and continue to make, I might add, I love learning ... I'm sure you can relate.  Come take a listen. A x
 
Tech mentioned throughout the episode
Canva [Graphic Design program] www.canva.com
Sked [Scheduling program] www.skedsocial.com
Convertkit [Creator Marketing program] www.convertkit.com
Audacity [Audio Editing Software program] www.audacityteam.org
Trello [Visual Work Management program] www.trello.com
Kartra [Online Business program] www.kartra.com
Squarespace [Website Builder program] www.squarespace.com
Podbean [Podcast Platform] www.podbean.com
 
Other links mentioned throughout :
Episode 72 : Mum Guilt
 
If you would like to learn about the ways we can work together, please head to www.amybajada.com.au
To schedule a FREE no obligation Discovery Call with me, simply follow the prompts at www.amybajada.com.au/discoverycall
 

EPISODE 73 : Michelle Crutcher (Business Coach)

My guest on this episode is no stranger when it comes to dealing with small business ... Michelle Crutcher has had over 20 years business experience working for some of the largest global organisations in the procurement space. Having had seen the struggles and challenges small businesses face when trying to compete with large organisations she is on a mission to help small businesses become more competitive in their market whilst creating profitable and sustainable businesses that fuels their purpose and passion and lights them up every day.
I first met Michelle last year, when we both embarked on the journey to take our talents and businesses online.  I clicked with Michelle immediately due to our joint love of bringing big business thinking to small business owners.  In this episode, Michelle and I not only talk about her new program the "Business Growth Mindset" | a 3 month Online Program designed to take your business to the next level and set you up for profit and sustainability, but also time management, procrastination in business and travelling to Italy.
It's a great episode packed sure to get you thinking about how you run your business and whether there is room for improvement.
Be sure to join us ... A x
 
Links on how to get in contact with Michelle to find out more about her program ...
 
Business Growth Mastermind Waitlist : https://www.michellecrutcher.com/businessgrowthmastermind
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/michelle.crutcher.12/
Small Business Success Facebook Group (run by Michelle) : https://www.facebook.com/groups/308144417852924
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/michellecrutcher03
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-crutcher-8186b526/
Website : https://www.michellecrutcher.com
2022 Planner Free Resource : https://www.michellecrutcher.com/2022planner
 
Other links as mentioned in the episode ...
 
My Small Business Cashflow Course waitlist : www.amybajada.com.au/waitlist
 

EPISODE 72 : Mum guilt and running a business

In my lifetime I have been an accountant, a CPA member, a CFO, a Director of Possibilities, a Commercial Manager, a CEO, a Financial Coach .. but the minute I gave birth to my son, the only title that seemed to matter to the outside world was "Mum".  And perhaps a little more internal than I gave it credit for.  But essentially from the moment I met my son .. my world and my perception of me in it changed.  I was flung into a feeling of guilt I'd never felt before.
Guilt because my business was where I felt more at home, more drawn to ... but I now have a child that needs me, that I love more than any other love I've known before .. but there just isn't enough hours in the day to be everything for everyone.
This episode is a glimpse into how my world changed when I had my son.  How every day since has been a combination of carrying my laptop around to get a moment of work in between my duties as a mum, how I feel the most aligned to my work whilst still figuring this mum stuff out and of course the steps that I take on a daily basis to combat these feelings.
I know I'm not alone in this .. and perhaps this is my way of changing the narrative, changing the words .. eliminating the term guilt and just recognising that more needs to be done to ensure that we educate our children along with ourselves on the premise that there is a human side to being a mum and how we have more outside of our "mum" world and that we have other things we need to attend to.
Take a listen ... let me know what you think.
If you like what you hear, please support my podcast by hitting that subscribe/like/follow button (who knows that it is these days as it's different for each platform where you may be listening)
If you'd like to know more about what work I do outside of being a mum, and how I can assist you with your business, schedule a FREE NO OBLIGATION DISCOVERY CALL here ... www.amybajada.com.au/discoverycall
If you are a business owner and would like to join my community and get early access to trainings, courses, free content and business support ... JOIN MY MAILING LIST here ... www.amybajada.com.au/signup
 

EPISODE 71 : It’s time to stop asking small business to give you shit for free! ENOUGH!

Whilst I have the pleasure of working with business owners on their financial strategies, the downside to this type of work is understanding the financial pressures and pains that business owners go through.  Downside only from the point of view that I really wish they didn't have to go through such pain to get to a better place.
So it pains me to no end, when I see on various forums like Facebook groups, business owners asking for something either for little fee or worst still ... for free!  Really?
I call time on this!  It's time to start to value small business more.  
In a recent scroll through Facebook groups as a way to keep my engagement up, I found myself getting more and more frustrated by the recurring theme of questions being asked ... One in particular sent me over the edge and prompted the discussion on this episode today ... it went something along the lines of "I'm about to reignite my coaching business and I need a website, but I have a very little, to no budget and was hoping someone could help me out" ... non threatening enough I hear you say, but when you dissect what this person is asking, is it really in the spirit of supporting small business, or just looking for something for nothing because it is posted in a way that disguises these questions as friendly support for other businesses ... lets chat about this.
If this is a recurring theme for you and you would like to work on this to improve your financial foundations for your business, let's book a free, no obligation discovery call where we can talk about strategies to get you to your desired outcome for your business.  Simply book your call here >>> FREE DISCOVERY CALL
Perhaps you're interested in my Small Business Cashflow Course and would like to join the waitlist >>> JOIN WAITLIST HERE
Other free resources that could provide assistance with your financial strategies ... 
30 Cashflow Challenge >> https://amybajada.kartra.com/page/Cashflowchallenge
Elements of an effective Pricing Strategy PDF >> https://amybajada.kartra.com/page/freepricingdownload
 
 

EPISODE 70 : Charelle Griffith - Marketing Strategist

Charelle Griffith is a Business and Marketing Strategist for coaches, consultants and service-based business owners. With a passion for supporting solopreneurs and small business owners, Charelle focuses on taking the overwhelm out of marketing and instead creates marketing strategies that help her clients to shine online, consistently create content that converts, and ultimately build a thriving business that supports the lifestyle they desire. Charelle is also an award-winning book blogger and Founder of PropelHer’s Book Club.
In an online conversation I had with Charelle late last year, Charelle was telling me how she'd recently gone through the process of changing up some of her services, including her pricing strategy, yet still maintaining a targeted and in her words "dreamy" client base. Charelle stopped by to talk all things content creation, pricing strategies, the changes she has recently made to her service offerings and pricing and who she would have play her in a movie about her life.
Some key points made throughout the episode that may be of interest ..
[2:56] Showing up on camera
[4:17] Content creation as a business owner
[7:35] The multiple platforms for content creation and how to approach these
[11:37] The 3 things Charelle suggests a platform should do for you and your profile
[12:37] Scheduling content .. consistency vs algorithm
[14:36] Who engagement numbers can be misleading
[17:52] Charelle's journey to change her services and why it's important to review yours regularly.
[24:15] Pricing ... the importance of getting this right
[35:10] Who Charelle would have play her in a movie about her life and why.
It's definitely a favourite of mine, that I know you will love also ... so come take a listen. A x
 
Link to Charelle's blog post and free workbook - How to create a content marketing plan' - http://www.charellegriffith.com/content-marketing-plan-free-template/
Website: charellegriffith.com
Book blog: charellegriffith.com/reads/
Mailing list: Join my mailing list
Connect on : Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
 
 

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/