I consider myself a loyal person…I’m loyal to my family and friends, I’m loyal to my clients and suppliers, and I’m loyal to my football club and barista (…and I’ve got the club membership and the coffee card to prove it!)

But have you ever considered the term “loyalty” in reference to an employment relationship?

I spent yesterday conducting staff interviews at a local organisation as part of a process towards preparing some policies and procedures on their behalf, and I was struck by the loyalty of the women I spoke to…their loyalty towards their employer, their colleagues and their cause…and it made me proud!

One of the comments made was “when you feel trusted, you give more”…and for me, a huge part of loyalty is exactly that…trust…being trusted and having trust in others.

I’ve worked in businesses before where I’ve felt that I had to second guess every decision I made, or that every move of mine was being watched, and it’s not a nice feeling – I certainly didn’t feel “trusted”.

For any business owners who have staff, I sincerely recommend that if you feel you aren’t quite getting the best out of your employees, try approaching the topic of trust in your relationship, and see if you can work together to make some improvements.

I’d love to the know the outcome…

Regards

Everywhere you look at the moment, there’s a sports final of some sort, I’ve been watching the US Open tennis and the Australian Football League (AFL)…not that my team is playing!

I’ve always thought there are many parallels that can be drawn between sport and business, and I’m sure you’ve all heard many sayings that could be relevant for both.

One of these things is “strategy”…

While we’re watching our sporting heroes fight it out for glory on the television, and even at the local sports ground at grass roots level, you can be sure that each and every coach and team manager has a strategy…being is business should be no different.

As a small business owner, like so many others, I fell victim to having all my plans “in my head”…after all, I’m a sole trader and I know everything that’s going on right? Wrong…

One of the best things I have done recently is start to document my business plan/strategy and my marketing strategy!

Many business owners create these types of documents purely to satisfy the needs of a financier or the like, but they can go a really long way in assisting you to fine tune your business, aid your approach and ultimately help you to reach your business goals!

I have found that since I’ve started these documents, I’ve been able to congratulate myself on the things I do well in my business…and plan for the things that need attention – if anything , it makes me accountable!

If your small business would like to discuss a business plan/strategy, contact The Tax Chic for assistance!

Regards

It’s a well known concept that effort equals reward…

To achieve in your chosen sport you must make an effort to train, prepare and compete…

To succeed in your chosen field of study or career you must make an effort to learn, apply yourself and accomplish…

To succeed in your chosen business you must make an effort to lead, engage and organise…and that includes organising your finances too!

In recent times, business owners have been inundated with information about accounting software packages, particularly those based in “the cloud” – and they all claim to save you time and money!

Guess what?  They can…if you put the required effort into them!

I have had many conversations over the years with clients where we have discussed that the information you get out of your accounting package is only as good as the information you put into it – essentially meaning that you must have good processing systems in place, record accurate data and record the data correctly…if you want the reports you prepare to actually mean something!

I encourage each of you to have a think about the way your financial and accounting systems function, and ask yourself:

• Can you interpret your reports?
• Do you feel like you are continually handling mountains of paperwork?
• Does your accountant ask for lots of extra information and explanations at the end of each quarter or the end of the year?
• Do you have your information at your fingertips?

If you answered “no” to any of the questions above, contact The Tax Chic to arrange a consultation, you’d be surprised how a few tweaks to your processes can make them more effective.

Regards

I am a firm believer that planning, in all aspects of life, is important!

My friends and family can testify to my ongoing need to make lists and check them off!

Whether its a party, shopping, a holiday or a business to-do list…I love lists and I love seeing each line on a list crossed off – why?

As I cross off each line, it is proof that I have achieved something…and on some days that is really important to remind yourself.

Having said all of that, sometimes the wheels fall off my planning bandwagon – take for instance, right now…it is 10.15pm on Tuesday night as I prepare this blog post…probably doesn’t scream “good planning”!!

I figure I have a good excuse, I left home at 6.30am this morning and have been on the road ALL day – lucky for me I had some company, a driver, and a home cooked meal to return to…even so, I’m giving myself permission to cut myself some slack tonight, and I ask you to give yourself permission to do the same.

I guarantee I’ll be back in planning mode after a good night sleep and the first thing I do in the morning will be to write myself a list!

On that note…goodnight xo

Regards