The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast Michael Palmer

“You don’t have to be the best salesperson in the world. To be good at marketing a bookkeeping business, you just need to be good enough that you stand out in that crowd. You have to get good enough, you don’t have to become the world’s best marketer. “
- Peter Cook
We might be excellent bookkeepers, but that doesn’t mean we are automatically great business managers. It’s important to take the time to figure out where our skills are strong and where they could use improvement. If your passion and skill lie in the numbers, there is nothing wrong with focusing your attention there. 
Things start to slip or feel unmanageable in our businesses when we find ourselves spending a lot of time doing things we don’t love. Even if we are not in a position to outsource the work, by connecting with others, we open up a world of experience, where we can find people who have already solved our problems. And whose problems we may have already solved. 
Peter Cook, co-author of the E-Myth Bookkeeper and co-founder of Pure Bookkeeping, is this episode’s featured guest. This third episode on The Emyth Bookkeeper explores management, the challenges of growing a business, and why community matters. 
If you are drowning in your business, or want to learn more about what it takes to be a better manager, then this is the episode to help you take stock of your skills and explore connections with people who can help.
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of challenges as steps to growth How to manage your business with your passion in mind The importance of community in solving problems  Click here to find out more about Peter.
Connect with Peter on LinkedIn.
Get your copy of The E-Myth Bookkeeper.
Click here to listen to the first episode.
Click here to listen to the second episode.
 
Time Stamps
03:00 - The challenge of growing a business 
06:23 - Getting good enough 
08:45 - Taking score of your business 
12:46 - Finding your people 
17:24 - Building a business you love 

“Don’t just ask for the referral, deserve it. You deserve a referral, and you earn a referral by who you are and how you show up in people’s lives.”
- Curtis Lewsey
 
Referrals are a huge part of our businesses but despite this, we often don’t spend as much time and genuine effort as we should investing in the relationships around us. How well we are referred by others is a direct testament to our character. 
 
If we are being disingenuous, following the money only rather than the relationships, we are unlikely to build a sustainable network of connections. We have to stop expecting referrals when we haven’t made any authenticity deposits of kindness, gratitude, or appreciation into the relationship. 
 
Curtis Lewsey, owner of AM Cards and co-author of Appreciation Marketing, is this episode’s featured guest. Curtis has spent his career helping people get appreciative about their businesses and relationships. In this episode, he speaks to the power of saying thank you, putting authenticity first, and how to set healthy expectations. 
 
If your attempts to build client relationships are failing, or you just want to get more authentic about showing your appreciation to clients, then this is the episode to put you in the receiver’s shoes, to truly take stock of how you are showing up in the world.
 
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of saying thank you How to set healthy expectations in business relationships The importance of connecting authentically
Click here to find out more about Curtis.
 
Connect with Curtis on LinkedIn.
 
Time Stamps
01:34 - Curtis talks about his career journey 
04:34 - The power of authenticity and gratitude  
08:27 - The chain of appreciation 
14:07 - Appreciation marketing 
20:05 - Leading by example 
27:20 - Looking for opportunities to be grateful
32:20 - Learning more about Curtis 
 

“I think we just get sucked into this pattern of being busy, and telling ourselves that there aren’t any other options and that we have to accept this. That ‘it is what it is’. Instead of taking that step back, taking a deep breath and thinking what would I want this to look like, what could this be?”
- Erin Daiber
We are creatures of habit, but all too often those habits become a prison, preventing us from growing and stepping into our greater potential. Just because things have always been done a certain way, doesn’t mean we cannot choose at any moment to try something different. 
It is scary to step out of our comfort zones, but much worse to be trapped in a repeating cycle that will never lead us to the success we desire. As long as we remember we are the ones setting the rules for our lives and business, we can change them. 
Erin Daiber, returning guest and owner of Well Balanced Accountants is this episode’s featured guest. Erin speaks to the power of connecting with your passion, how to navigate high-stress environments and what your life could look like with the right coach and a willingness to set rules that work for and not against you. 
If you are feeling stuck, sure that success is within your reach, but are unsure how to grasp it, then this is the episode to help you take that step back, that deep breath that will bring clarity on the best way to move forward into a more successful business. 
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of setting rules that work for and not against you How to navigate high-stress environments The importance of connection to your passion Click here to find out more about Erin.
Connect with Erin on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps    
01:54 - Erin talks about her career journey
04:42 - Navigating high-stress environments
07:47 - Things don’t have to be as they’ve always been
14:57 - Creating your future perfect scenario 
17:56 - Taking control of your business 
23:30 - Transforming your business with small changes 
27:00 - Holding yourself to account
32:50 - Learning more about Erin

“I find, even just that connection, talking to other people… helping each other out, so important to the success of an entrepreneur because you can’t do it alone.”
-Roger Pierce
Starting our own businesses is a daunting prospect. There are many roads to becoming a successful entrepreneur, and each person’s journey is so different, it can often feel like we have to walk the path in isolation. 
Acting in isolation, it can be hard to maintain course or connect to our purpose, chasing instead the hope of more money and clients. This is why support systems matter. When we surround ourselves with people who have or are on a journey of their own, it really helps us avoid common pitfalls and feel like we are a part of something bigger.
Roger Pierce, who is an entrepreneurship expert, is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his career not only as a successful entrepreneur but also in bringing other like-minded people together to create their own business success. Roger speaks to the power of networking and community in building successful businesses, learning to pivot and how to approach your life with purpose. 
If you are tired of working for other people or are already on your journey but feel lost and isolated, this is the episode to get you thinking about the people you surround yourself with and the power of your purpose. 
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of learning to pivot How to approach your life with purpose The importance of building lasting relationships To find out more about Roger, click here. 
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Time Stamps
01:43 - Roger discusses his career journey 
05:42 - The challenges & opportunities of small business 
09:05 - Approaching your life with purpose 
13:05 - Evolving through education
16:30 - The Unsure Entrepreneur 
22:09 - Learning to pivot 
25:52 - What’s next for small businesses 
29:56 - Building lasting relationships 
34:50 - Learning more about Roger

“If I was just open to meeting somebody and having a conversation and understanding where they were coming from, it naturally turned into a client, and that’s what we have continued to do to this day.”
-Melissa Broughton
We all feel like imposters in our businesses at one time or another. This fear can paralyze us, stopping us from taking any action at all. But it will always be better to try and fail, than let fear stop us from ever trying at all. 
When it comes to putting ourselves out there, it is hard to know which school of thought to listen to. Do you go for the soft or hard sell, hit the pavement, or focus on online marketing? The answer will always be to try everything and see what works for you. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. 
Melissa Broughton, owner of Busy Bee Advisors, is this episode’s featured guest. She has spent her career helping small businesses gain financial clarity. She speaks to the importance of stepping out of our comfort zones, leaning into our inner problem-solvers, and the way embracing technology will help you find financial freedom. 
If you are struggling to find clients, or just aren’t sure about the next step to take in your bookkeeping business, then this is the episode to help you get intentional about your goals, objectives, and purpose. 
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of leaning into our inner problem-solvers How to use technology to your best advantage The importance of stepping out of our comfort zones To find out more about Melissa, click here.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Check out Busy Bee Advisors at this link.
Time Stamps     
01:11 - Melissa discusses her career journey
04:53 - Stepping out of our comfort zones
07:41 - Building a successful network
12:38 - Embracing technology 
13:55 - Leaning into your inner problem-solver
16:28 - Working with family 
21:47 - Looking to the future 
24:25 - Passing your knowledge on
27:17 - Learning more about Melissa

“When people say, ‘What do you do?’ instead of saying I’m a bookkeeper, say ‘I run a bookkeeping business.’ It’s a subtle difference, but it’s actually a really big shift in mindset.”
-Peter Cook
We must all leave our businesses one day. This confronting reality can make us quite uncomfortable. So much so that we bury ourselves working in our businesses, rather than working on them. More than the work we do, our businesses are valuable assets, if we treat them as such.
Problems arise when we lean into negative thoughts and actions. If we only ever refer to ourselves as ‘just a bookkeeper’ that is all we'll ever be. Our habits define who we are, what might change if you began to introduce yourself as a business owner instead?
Peter Cook, co-author of The E-Myth Bookkeeper and co-founder of Pure Bookkeeping, is this episode’s featured guest. He speaks to the power of shifting mindsets, how to prove the value of your business to yourself and others, and why even small changes to our habits can have huge impacts. 
If you are worried about the future of your bookkeeping business, or just starting to consider it as a valuable asset for the future, this is the episode to get you thinking about long-term value and what leaving your business might look like.
During this interview, you'll learn...
The value of long-term thinking How to shift into a business owner mindset The importance of creating successful habits  To find out more about Peter, click here.
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Get your copy of The E-Myth Bookkeeper!
Click this link to listen to Peter's previous Successful Bookkeeper episode in 2024.
Time Stamps
02:01 - How you exit your bookkeeping business 
08:58 - Creating habits for success
10:46 - Positive versus negative thought
14:10 - The value of a bookkeeping business    
16:44 - Proving the value of your business 
19:55 - The challenges of stepping away
24:48 - Thinking with the end in mind