AUGUST IS - Wheel Make a Change - Every 14 hours, a child in Australia is born with cerebral palsy, making it the most common childhood physical disability. People with cerebral palsy have said it's like being trapped in a body they can't fully control. 30 minutes of your time can change the life of a child born with cerebral palsy.
I've also published my first E-Book to celebrate 5 years in business 'Words of Wisdom from Successful Small Business Superheros' - get your copy here
Enjoy reading this issue of basically business
Sharon
BUSINESS INSIGHTS Business planning isn’t something you do once then file it in a cupboard. It should be a habit that is referred to time and again. At least once a month take the time out of your business to look over to your business plan and see whether it’s meeting your estimations.
Facing the second half of the calendar year is a great time to review those plans and expectations you started out with on Jan 1. So where do you start?
1. Start with your clients.
2. Then review your marketing.
3. Follow this with a review of your pricing.
4. Finally review your schedule.
Then, update your written plan.
Most of us don't have business partners or a board of directors to answer to, but if you need someone to prompt you to make this part of your business a priority *aka kick up the butt* book a discovery call here
ENTREPRENEUR REVIEW - Assisting business owners successfully organise and manage their business is the primary role for a Online Business Manager / Virtual Assistant. They know what it takes to run a business and can take some of the pressure off so that it looks like you do it all!
With a background as an EA Kimberley Michael knows how to keep balls in the air so being a VA/OBM is a piece of cake.
How did the business originate?I was suffering major burn out working as an EA for the Board of a utility company and always wanted to work from home. I decided after being hospitalised for stress, that things needed to change. I started my previous business Virtual Office Stars in April 2013. I decided to rebrand at the beginning of this year and thus The Virtual Bureau was born.
How long have you been in this business? A little over 5 years.
What do you love about your business?The freedom. The dream is to be a digital nomad when my child is finished school in 3 years, and this is lending itself nicely to that!
Is there anything you dislike? The isolation. It can get lonely at times.
Favourite food:Anything Italian!
Favourite colour: Hmmm the Melbournite in me wants to say black but the world traveller in me says hot pink.
Favourite drink:Non-Alcoholic?? Coke. Alcoholic? A really good mojito.
Favourite movie: It changes all the time. Recently loved “Call Me by Your Name”.
Favourite time of the day:Midnight, when I know it’s a new day
Favourite item in your office:My 24K gold dipped real rose
Favourite app on your phone/tablet/computer:Loom
What book are you reading right now?The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
Which 3 people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party? Why?Jason Mamoa (eye candy), Anthony Bourdain (because I miss him and he was my spirit animal) and Ruth Bader Ginsburg (badass)
Name 3 things on your bucket list: 1. Travel the world for 1 year with my daughter (next year) 2. Take my business to a level where I can delegate to a team and let go of the reigns 3. Walk the Camino de Santiago.
What do you like to do for yourself?I love to travel. I have a travel Instagram account that will shortly become a blog. That is something I really enjoy working on.
Who do you seek advice from? My peers or friends.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting their own business?It’s a lot of work, sometimes you will ask yourself “What was I thinking?” but the freedom it gives you to be more flexible and spend more time with your family is priceless and it’s a privilege that we can do that!
What advice would you give to someone thinking of working with a OBM/VA? Try and get a referral for a VA/OBM from someone you trust. There are a ton of us out there but not everyone is up to par.
What is your tip for a work/life balance? Time block your work and stick to it, manage life outside of that.
Apple / Android: I pledge allegiance to Steve Jobs
Beach / Bush:Beach always!
APP REVIEW - Loom video recorder is a web tool that allows you to record your screen and create quick videos. It's great for teams as well as individuals. It can be used as a training tool or for those instances when a response requires more than text.
It integrates with Gmail as well as many other software applications .
Loom is a free and easy screen recorder for Mac, Windows, and Chromebooks. Simply record your camera and screen with audio directly from your Chrome browser and share away.
EVENTS WORTH NOTING THIS MONTH INCLUDE:
The August Fishbowl event will be held at 10am on 23 August at Alcara Cafe, Helensburgh. Keep an eye on the Facebook Group to stay up to date on the details.
If you have an event that you would like shared, please let me know the details.
SMALL BIZ TIP You should be using a Call to Action on each and every piece of content that you publish because it tells consumers what you want them to do. Start encouraging them to take action, with a sense of urgency and see the results.
Click through for a list of 123 Call to Actions that you can start using immediately.
