AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

In this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we talk to Chris Schalleur, CEO of Christo IT Services, which has been helping small businesses for the past 25 years. He explains the importance of cybersecurity in today's digital landscape. "The number one thing I hear, Ami, is from small business owners. This is all around cybersecurity, and how do I protect myself from all the bad guys out there? And most business owners I talk to say... 'I don't have anything of value. Why would anybody want to hack me?' And the book is to try and dissuade some of those myths from small business owners. And that you do have things that are of value to you, even if it's just a value to yourself." Today's episode will cover the importance of thorough due diligence and stress testing before an acquisition, the efficiency and transparency benefits of documenting every step of a client's ticket, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased cybersecurity risks due to the widespread shift to remote work. Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisschalleur/ Check out Christo IT: https://www.christoit.com/ Follow Christo IT on Twitter: https://x.com/christoit Follow Christo IT on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christoit Recorded on 6/14/24

In this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we speak with Elizabeth Convery, founder of The Confident Agent: A System for Growth and Success for Women in Real Estate. She shares how her transition from the corporate world right after college helped her become a more effective entrepreneur. "Women need a community of others who are at similar stages. And so the coaching model is group coaching because it allows women to experience together similar issues, similar challenges, hear how somebody's overcoming something, and get an idea from somebody else as they're saying things that have worked for them. And then, the coaching is me sort of facilitating and guiding that."

The main topics of today's episode will be how falling forward and learning from her missteps shaped her into a successful entrepreneur, how radical discipline and the confidence to delegate duties helped her transition to starting a second business, and why real estate agents need to have an authentic online presence. Connect with Elizabeth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethconvery/ Follow Elizabeth on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabeth.convery/?hl=en Follow Elizabeth on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.convery.1 Subscribe to Elizabeth's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUlmWZFTGbdd7QK8m0KVw7w Recorded on 6/13/24

In this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we talk to Lil Roberts, CEO and founder of Xendoo, which specializes in online bookkeeping and accounting, focusing on small business owners. Through a blend of cutting-edge technology and a dedicated team, Xendoo provides speedy access to financials with predictable pricing, seamless technology, and expert support.

"Business owners can't get their financials in a timely way and have visibility to operate their business from the traditional CPA industry," she said. "Not to say that CPAs are bad because CPAs are great, wonderful people. It's that they don't have the tools in that industry to be able to serve their customers in a timely manner…I'm not a CPA or an accountant. I'm just a fellow small business owner and entrepreneur and want to level the playing field by being able to deliver timely financials." The main topics of today's episode will include the importance of understanding financials as the first line of order for all business owners, the necessity of having a line of credit readily available for seasonality, working capital, or unexpected emergencies, and the value of surrounding yourself with team members who challenge you and possess different skill sets. Connect with Lil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianroberts/

In this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we talk to Bradley Baer, founder and CEO of Crafted Action, an innovation consultancy that enables organizations to create impactful and seamless visitor experiences, both onsite and online. He began his career as an architect but soon realized his business acumen, which led him to become an entrepreneur. "There's not a lot of those folks that are incredibly creative, but also business minded," he said. "So, my career has kind of been a back and forth of 'how do I be really creative, but how do I make something that actually is a business that I can be really proud of, as well.'" The main topics of today's episode will be how having successful side hustles made Brad more comfortable venturing out and starting his own business, how the skills and experiences gained from his previous job of 10 years positioned him well for his entrepreneurial journey, and how taking a short-term dip in profit by hiring the right employees now will pay off in the long-term. Connect with Brad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbaer/ Check out Crafted Action: https://www.craftedaction.com/ Recorded on 6/2/24

In this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we talk to health and performance coach Danny Martoe, owner of Agent of Change, which empowers individuals and organizations to reach new heights of personal and professional success. He explains how changing your health habits can change your business. "What happens with a lot of successful men and women and professionals is they tend to put the business before themselves, but then they realize that when they start putting themselves first, that they show up even better for their business – and that's the aha moment," he said.

The main topics of today's episode will focus on how the former sports agent transitioned into life coaching and how specific life wake-up calls often prompt people to seek out a life coach. We'll also explore how accountability, self-awareness, and strategic planning are essential ingredients for sticking with a healthy life plan.

Connect with Danny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-martoe-7b5b3025/ Follow Danny on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachdannymartoe/ Follow Danny on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachDannyMartoe Check out Agent of Change: https://agentofchange.org/ Recorded on 6/3/24

In this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we talk to Deanna Walker, CEO of Venturity, a professional services firm that helps small and medium-sized companies with all aspects of their back office accounting and finance needs. She explains how, in 2012, the company made a purposeful effort to invest in its culture.

"That's really where Small Giants comes into the picture," she said. "We got introduced to that organization, and it really resonated with us – a lot of values, alignment, investing in your people and doing the right thing."

The main topics of today's episode will be how transferring into an ESOP company has made all team members more committed and accountable, how having an in-house trainer and recruiter has helped the company deal with the accountant shortage, and how adopting open-book management has educated all team members on how they can make an impact on the company.

Connect with Deanna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannacwalker/

Check out Venturity Financial Partners: https://venturity.com/

Recorded on 5/17/24

In this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we talk to Verne Harnish, owner and CEO of Scaling Up, a global executive education and coaching company with over 260 partners on six continents. Verne discusses the vital importance of field reporting and accounting in business operations.

"We were given speech a 100,000 years ago. We were only given Excel spreadsheets 50 years ago. I think we're much more highly developed to feel and sense patterns and get a good gut feel for the business by speaking and hearing the data instead of staring at Excel spreadsheets."

The main topics of today's episode will cover how wealth is created through transactions and acquisitions, the importance of having your fundamental bookkeeping and accounting sheets in order before making strategic business decisions, and how you can achieve what a private equity firm can do for you, without the associated costs. Connect with Verne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verneharnish/ Check out Scaling Up: https://scalingup.com/ Recorded on 5/15/24

In this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we talk to Peter Winick, founder and CEO of Thought Leadership Leverage, a company that helps thought leaders, authors, consultants, and speakers monetize and scale their content and products. Despite their backgrounds or professions, thought leaders all have several traits in common.

"The problem with a lot of thought leaders is that it's the curse of the expert. They're so good at what they do, and some of them are literally the best in the world, that they've lost the beginner's mindset in other things. So when you start to make changes and move the business in different directions, it's like, uh-oh, I might not be the greatest at that. Like no, you might not, but that's okay."

The main topics of today's episode will be how thought leadership is the most cost-effective way to elevate your brand and acquire new clients in different spaces. We will also discuss why setting a strategy in place is the top priority in developing a thought leadership plan. Peter will also share how building a strong referral network helps all facets of a business. Connect with Peter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterwinick/ Check out Thought Leadership Leverage: https://thoughtleadershipleverage.com/ Check out the Thought Leadership Leverage Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/60I6dYoR8A2Ljbu7M5i8CV Recorded on 5/15/24

In this week's episode of the AmiSights Podcast, Ami talks with Pete Heald, CEO of Signature Analytics, and Jason Kruger, President and Founder of Signature Analytics, a firm specializing in outsourced CFO and business advisory services. They delve into why they started the business, emphasizing the crucial role of accounting and finance in driving value, and discuss the risks associated with relying on a single individual for accounting tasks.

"What I saw back then, and continue to see now, is the need for these types of companies in the small mid-market – they deserve better than what they're getting," Kruger said. "A lot of them are looking at accounting and finance as a necessary evil. And what we want to do is educate them and show them how accounting and finance can drive value to their business."

The main topics of today's episode will be how CEOs and leadership team members need to understand their financials and fundamentals, especially as they scale and grow. We will also discuss why it is critical to not have just one person in control of all of the financials. We will also talk about how, as a business owner, it is important to know every aspect of your business. Connect with Pete: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petercheald/ Connect with Jason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-kruger-a0b159b/ Check out Signature Analytics: https://signatureanalytics.com/ Recorded on 5/2/24

In this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we talk to Devin Gage, founder and CEO of Engage Personal Training. He explains how he knew he didn't want a desk job but didn't realize he could make fitness into a career. "I've become obsessed with business and understanding this game of business, and just this understanding that every one of these things has been done before. These problems have solutions and exist in the market, and I love thinking about it from a strategic lens of like, if this then that, and how does this puzzle all fit together? It just excites me." The main topics of today's episode will be how hiring his first employee motivated him to spend more time working on marketing his business. We will also talk about how entrepreneurs are often driven by insecurity and the desire to keep growing and prove something. Devin will also share his goal to increase his locations from seven to 100 in the next 10 years by centralizing systems and building a pipeline of fitness trainers. Connect with Devin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devin-gage-59184baa/ Check out Engage Personal Training: https://engagepersonaltraining.com/ Subscribe to Little Gym, Big Heart with Devin Gage: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4pn4FO6nLy49cJVZBEUcbA Recorded on 4/30/24