Help! My Business is Growing

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Running a business is a lot of work, and you and your team are probably extremely busy right now, making sure things keep moving and get done. 

And that's how it is, right?  We need to stay busy and attend all the meetings because we think this will help the business succeed. 

Well, not quite. If you and your employees are too busy to the point of near burnout, that's a problem. 

Increased employee stress levels and poor work-life balance can cost your company thousands and even millions in annual revenue. 

In fact, it is employees engaged in efficient and effective work that make a bigger impact and drive your growing business to even greater heights - and they are usually not "crazy busy."

But how do we focus on and keep track of meaningful work and break away from being constantly busy? 

In this episode of Help, My Business Is Growing, the Queen Bee of Anti-Busy, Julie Hyde, shares life-changing tips and insights to busting the busy and how it is crippling your business (and how you're ironically too busy to see it).    

Julie is an author, speaker, and leadership guru who believes that 'busyness' is code for burnout. With more than two decades' experience in business leadership and coaching, Julie is a powerful people enabler who helps leaders make big things happen.  

In this week's episode, we discuss:
03:49 What does “being busy” really mean and what is "bad" busy?

7:05 Why do you think that being busy is so addictive?

10:27 How does busyness affect a growing business with a  "Let's be constantly busy" culture?

16:56 How do you cultivate a culture of non-business?  What steps should an organization, especially a growing business, take to enable employees to be effective and productive and not just busy?

23:16 What is the "Urgent-Important Matrix", and what does it look like daily? 

27:03 How does sleep, nutrition, and general well-being feed into the busyness?

31:25 What are microbreaks?

33:39 What is one tangible step you can do immediately to get away from the busyness and start doing things that matter?

Resources:
Julie Hyde, Queen Bee of Anti-Busy, Leadership Guru, Author, Business Coach & Speaker: 
https://juliehyde.com.au


Julie's LinkedIn:
https://au.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How Being "Busy" is Crippling Your Business
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-being-busy-is-crippling-your-business

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

A productive workforce is the key to increasing the efficiency and profitability of your growing business. 


It's a win-win situation when your team is productive and focuses on the right type of work: stress levels are lower, they can deal with customers better, they are motivated and satisfied, plus - things just get done! 

However, many small business employees - and founders too - can't entirely focus on deep work. They get distracted or get swamped with busy work. And not focusing on the right type of work, work that moves the business forward, will eventually affect the finances of the business. 

So how can we stay productive? And as business owners, how can we help our team identify and overcome the obstacles that are getting in the way of them being efficient, working smarter, and staying productive?

In this episode of Help! My Business Is Growing, productivity ninja Dawn O' Connor and I look at which skills will help you become more productive. She breaks down the specific steps you can take to boost your productivity to help benefit your growing business. 

Dawn O'Connor is a Master Productivity Ninja and the founder of Focus Bubbles. She is also a productivity trainer and process improvement consultant with over 30 years of experience helping more than 10,000 clients worldwide enjoy being more organized and less stressed and achieving their personal productivity best.

In this week's episode, we discuss:
3:06 Why are we working longer hours and struggling with ending the workday, despite the many productivity tips and tools to help us? 

5:54 What is the scientific explanation behind when either taking a shower or being in nature and taking a break that nurtures your brain's "idea neurons?"

8:05 What are "focus bubbles?"

12:09 How do you cultivate these focus bubbles within your own company? 

16:00 What is energy management?

17:48 Is mindless social media scrolling considered a “zombie” task?

20:57 What is “eating the frog”, and how is it helpful for increasing productivity?

25:49 What is the ADD process and how it helps?

29:02 What are some of the steps to take to implement the ADD process?

33:22 What is batch processing, and how can we use that to boost our productivity?

38:39 What are some of the mistakes people make when using time blocking as a productivity tool?

39:42 How scheduling for daily little life breaks (bathroom breaks, lunch breaks, etc.) into your schedule is both realistic and necessary.

42:02  What are the differences between how introverts and extroverts work and schedule their day?

43:41 What is a tangible step to take immediately to become more productive and focused at work? 

Resources:
Dawn O'Connor, Chief Focus Bubble™ Host & Master Productivity Ninja:
https://www.focusbubbles.com

Dawn's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnoconnorcalgary/

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How to Increase Productivity the Right Way
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-increase-productivity-the-right-way

Other Resouces Mentioned:
Dr.  Andrew Huberman | Huberman Lab Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110

Brian Tracy | Eat the Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

Deep Work Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport

Susan Cain | Quiet: The Power of Introverts in

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Hiring the right people - and keeping them - is such a crucial piece in ensuring the success of your growing business.


Bringing in people who will rock for your business from the get-go will improve efficiency, motivate colleagues and help your company take advantage of that growth. 


On the other hand, a bad hire can be demoralizing, disruptive, mentally stressful, and will cost you precious time and money. When you hire the wrong person, everyone - not just the job - suffers. 


So how can you, as a business owner, founder - and Boss - hire the right people? What is the most effective way to vet potential candidates?


How do you bring them into the company the right way, and once they are there, how do you manage them and help them succeed?


In this episode of Help, My Business Is Growing, my guest Talmar Anderson shares valuable insights on how to identify what your business needs, attract the best candidates for the job and assemble an effective team to scale your business.


Talmar Anderson has over 30 years of experience leading growing and designing kick-ass teams for small businesses and entrepreneurs. She's also a published author, the thought leader of the Boss Muse, and CEO, and founder of Boss Actions. Talmar believes that any business owner can learn to build a kick-ass team to grow their business. In fact, it is required. Through her groundbreaking Bossification program, she's led over 100 entrepreneurs to do exactly that. 

In this week's episode, we discuss:

2:55 Why do business owners struggle to place the right people in the correct positions and have the proper management in place?

4:20 How would a founder, who is getting ready to hire - and especially hire multiple people -  figure out who and how they should hire?  

10:22 How would a successful vetting process look like?

16:21 How important is it to involve your team members in making hiring decisions?

21:15 What does a good onboarding process look like?

25:25 What are the essential or bare minimum documents or processes that will ensure the successful onboarding of a new team member?

31:20 How do we manage our employees well and how does that look like?

34:30 Is there a way to structure meetings to tackle work and give employees space to say what's on their minds and what's happening in their lives?

36:50 How do you schedule one on one meetings when you don’t have the capacity for 1:1 meetings with everyone on your team anymore?

41:45 If someone is getting ready to hire right now, what is the one tangible step they can take in the next week to bring them closer to that perfect hire?

Resources:

Talmar Anderson, aka The Boss Muse, CEO & Owner of Boss Actions, Hiring Strategist & Boss Best Practices Expert for Business Owners:
https://bossactions.com/


Talmar’s Free Assessment | Which Boss Are You?
https://www.bossification.com/which-boss

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | Hire the Right People and Grow Your Team
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/hire-the-right-people-and-grow-your-team

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Data - specifically financial data - is vital to the financial health of your business.


It provides you with the insights you need to make better business decisions, increase sales and profits, and productivity as well  - as long as you can make sense of it!


Data overload or unclear data can get confusing. Choosing to ignore your financial data - or even worse - making decisions using wrong or muddled data - can cost you a lot of money.  


So how can you turn your data into profit? What does it look like, and what are the steps to take to make it happen?


In this episode of “Help! My Business Is Growing”, my guest Lynn Corazzi and I take a closer look at how to get the most of your data so you can make the best decisions possible.

Lynn Corazzi is called "The Data Magician" and is the owner of Data2Profit Consulting. He helps small and medium-sized businesses make more money with their data by sharing financial ideas and tools typically only available in large corporations. He brings his unique ability in helping clients think of the big picture while at the same time digging into the details of their results. 

In this week's episode, we discuss:

2:50 What's the difference between accounting and finance?  

3:55 What are some of the misconceptions business owners have when it comes to data and making decisions?

5:25 What to look for, what to process and what steps to take when using financial data (profit and loss statements, income statements, etc.) to come up with your sales strategy.

9:30 When does it make sense to sell certain products or services at a loss?

15:30 What are the steps to take to become proactive versus reactive when running a growing business?  

23:50 How do business owners and founders develop financial confidence? 

27:07 How are revenue, profit, and cash different and why is it important to know the difference? 

32:50 When you get a new client, what do you focus on when you start working with a business?

38:55 What is the next tangible step business owners can take in the next week or so to get them to be more proactive and have clean data in their business?

Resources:
Lynn Corazzi, Data Magician, Fractional Finance Expert, Financial Confidence Coach, and Owner of Data2Profit Consulting:
https://www.data2profit.net/

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How to Use Financial Data to Grow Your Business:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-use-financial-data-to-grow-your-business

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Starting, growing, and sustaining a business is challenging, especially if you want to keep costs down. The last thing you want is for your business to grow at a rate where it won't be able to sustain itself. 

Growing your business in a lean way ensures that it grows at a healthy and sustainable pace, increasing value and productivity and decreasing waste.

So what does a lean business look like? 

Why is it important to keep your business lean, and how does it affect your company's financials?

In this episode of Help, My Business Is Growing, my guest Crista Grasso shares deep insights and helpful, actionable tips to lean out your business successfully. 

Crista is a strategic planning expert for global businesses and online entrepreneurs when they want to scale and is the creator of the "Lean Out Method", which helps companies achieve accelerated results and increased profitability. She hosts the "Lean Out Your Business Podcast," a show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses and simplify success.

In this week's episode, we discuss:
2:15 What is a lean business, and how does it apply to businesses, not in the manufacturing space?

3:33  What does a lean business that is significantly growing in a very short amount of time look like?

5:12 Why is it, when running a business, important to sometimes say "No?"

7:44 What are the steps that founders can take to get them to lean out their business? 
 
13:13 What should founders prioritize in their business? 

15:40 How does a lean business work when hiring & putting teams together?

19:15 What are the common mistakes that small businesses encounter when in the process of leaning out?

22:15 How to successfully implement changes in business

24:15 How do you stay true to the lean method when your business is growing? Is the "lean" going to look different when you hit the $5 or $10 million mark?

27:40  Give us an example of how one of your clients successfully implemented the lean method and its impact on their business growth

31:15  What is the next tangible step someone who wants to implement the lean method into their business can take right now?

Resources:


Crista Grasso, strategic planning expert, creator of the Lean Out Method, and podcast host:
https://www.leanoutmethod.com/

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How to "Lean Out" Your Business For Next Level Growth:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-lean-out-your-business-for-next-level-growth

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

New opportunities, increased revenue, and more employees are all signs of a growing business.  But for founders, an uptick in legal expenses is a sure sign of growth too.

Bringing the right in-house counsel into your business delivers advantages, including knowing your business better and responding quickly to all your legal concerns and requirements.

So when is it time - and what is the process - of hiring an in-house legal counsel? 
What should you look for in an applicant, and what is a realistic budget for this investment? 

In this episode of Help, My Business Is Growing, my guest Amy Rowland and I examine the art of recruiting legal counsel into your business, from fractional legal help to hiring an in-house counsel full time. 

Amy Rowland is a legal recruiter and founder of Varia Search, a boutique legal recruiting firm that fills legal department roles, from general counsel to paralegals, in startups and tech companies. 

In this week's episode, we discuss:

2:00 How is a Fractional Talent Acquisition Consultant different from a recruiter specializing in the legal field?

3:00 Definition of terms: What is an outside counsel? What is an in-house counsel? And what is general counsel?

5:00 When do you know it's time to hire someone to be your in-house counsel vs. just an outside counsel?

6:25 Is there a difference between a startup needing in-house counsel versus an already established business? 

7:15 What quality should business owners look for when hiring an in-house counsel?

8:30 Is it beneficial to hire someone with prior experience working with the smaller companies/startups versus someone who's been in larger companies?

11:15 What is a realistic budget to have, inclusive of recruitment fees and fully loaded benefits to offer to a successful in-house counsel applicant

12:40 How do fractional legal counsels work?

13:45  What roles are founders recruiting more of as their companies are growing?

15:11 What is it that makes a great salesperson?

16:45 What does the process of involving a Fractional Talent Acquisition Consultant in a growing business look like? 

18:00 What is the difference between a contract manager and a junior lawyer? 

19:02 If trying to budget, can startup founders or business owners combine hiring an in-house junior lawyer with a more senior outside counsel? 

21:07 What is the next tangible step to take to determine if your business needs in-house legal counsel?

Resources:
Amy Rowland, Founder of Varia Search, a boutique recruiting and consulting firm:
https://www.variasearch.com/

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/


Blog post | How to Recruit Legal Counsel For Your Growing Business
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-recruit-legal-counsel-for-your-growing-business

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Your salespeople play a crucial role in the growth of your business. 

The more effective your sales team, the better it is for your company financially and otherwise.

But how do you set up your new - or even existing - sales department for success?

My guest Harry Spaight and I talk about the concept of "Selling with dignity" and why absorbing it into your company's culture is essential and beneficial for your future growth. He also shares practical tips and insights on how to sell well and how to manage your salespeople.

Harry has been an award-winning multi-million dollar sales producer and sales leader for over two decades.  He is also a keynote speaker, coach, and the author of the book "Selling with Dignity - Your Formula for Life-Changing Sales Results." He works with sales teams and executives to elevate their selling skills, empowering them to succeed with dignity.

In this week's episode, we discuss:

2:55 What are some of the mistakes that business owners make with their salespeople? And how does that reflect in the overall business?

12:40 What makes a good salesperson?

18:33 Are there any red flags that would indicate major issues with your new sales hires down the road?

25:48 What does selling with dignity mean? And how does that look in practice, not just for a salesperson but for a business owner as well?  

29:40 The importance of developing the right corporate culture to implement selling with dignity.

32:13 What are some of the financial benefits of selling with dignity?

36:12 What are three to five pieces you should have in your business to support the concept of selling with dignity and implementing it effectively?

Resources:
Harry Spaight, Sales Coach, Keynote Speaker, and Author of “Selling with Dignity”:
https://harryspaight.com/

Harry's Book | Selling with Dignity: Your Formula for Life-Changing Sales Results: https://us.amazon.com/gp/product/1956353011/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/


Blog post | Sell With Dignity & Set Your Sales Team Up For Success
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/sell-with-dignity-set-your-sales-team-up-for-success

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Business innovation is usually defined as when a company comes up with something new - be it products and services - for the market. 

However, innovation encompasses other things including new processes, new collaborations and partnerships and so much more. 

So how should you, as a business owner, innovate? Where do you start? Where do you focus your efforts? And how do you make it happen?  

My guest today, Michael Haynes, founder of Listen, Innovate and Grow, reveals specific and practical steps to take to successfully innovate and affect positive change in your growing business.

He empowers CEOs of service-based companies to acquire B2B clients and achieve the growth and impact they seek through business innovation. 


In this week’s episode, we discuss:

1:55 What is innovation and why is it important for a small and growing business?

2:47 How does innovation differ in B2B and in B2C?

6:40 What would the process look like for someone who wants to innovate, but has no idea where to start?

10:18 How would you do market research and your listening in the context of innovation

15:23 Is there a difference in how you do research/listening if you are a B2B targeting smaller vs bigger businesses?

20:45 How do you fit the innovation process into your company's strategic planning? Is there a specific process to move into that innovation type of thinking? Do you listen on a regular basis or is it scheduled eg annually?

26:55 The shift of B2B buyers formerly getting insights/information/data from one source of authority to now consulting/asking their peers and members of their network.

29:55 Are there tactics that work well universally or does it depend on the industry as well as the company?

34:00 Why does collaboration and co-creating content with clients and partners work so well?

35:57 In the B2B market, does education come first and selling second?

39:20 What does organizational innovation look like, particularly in a growing business space?

43:42 What does process innovation -within the company - look like? 

47:40 Are there any common misconceptions and mistakes when going on this innovation process/journey?

50:20 Change as an obstacle: the importance of change management in a growing business.

Resources:
Michael Haynes, Founder and Principal Consultant:
https://listeninnovategrow.com/


Michael's Book | Listen, Innovate, Grow:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F6RQNLX/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1


Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How to Innovate: A Blueprint for Your Business:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-innovate-a-blueprint-for-your-business

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

Setting up systems and processes are essential in driving business growth.

Not only do they keep your operations efficient and organized, but they also directly affect your bottom line.

In today's episode, my guests Meagan Ruppert & Athena Quinones, owners of Scale Business Consulting, reveal how your systems and processes are vital to sustainably scaling your business.

They help female coaches build empires with the delegation, systems, & simple strategies they need to uplevel to true CEOs

In this episode, we look into:

02:45 What is the difference between scaling and growing a business? 

04:35 What are some common mistakes businesses make when trying to scale and grow?

07:23 Sustainable Infrastructure: What does it mean, and what does it look like?

11:15 Who does / Who should come up with the business processes? 

13:18 What are Visionaries and Integrators?  

27:03 Tips for growing a CEO mindset.

31:30 Advice for those who have a hard time letting go and empowering someone else to make decisions on their behalf

Resources: 

Meagan Ruppert & Athena Quinones, Professional Training & Coaching:  https://www.ladieswhoscale.com  

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO: 
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How To Build Systems and Processes That Will Support Your Growing Business:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-build-systems-and-processes-that-will-support-your-growing-business

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint

Comments? Suggestions? Text the show here!

As your business grows and you start to hire dedicated salespeople, you're going to need a competitive commission plan. 

Not only is it vital to your sales organization, but your commission structure also directly impacts your financial strategy.

In today's episode, my guest Chris Michel brings over 30 years of sales and management experience to help me dissect how sales commissions & the right compensation plan drives growth and affects your business. 

Chris is an Outsourced Sales Manager that coaches and guides business owners who are self-managing sales and should not be.

In this episode, we look into:

02:05 When is the best time to start hiring dedicated salespeople for your business.

03:50 Why finding a business/marketing/financial/sales coach is key.

07:50 What should an owner or founder look for when hiring salespeople?  

12:40 What are the elements of a good commission plan/structure? 

18:40 Building your compensation plan into your pricing.

20:40 The disadvantages of overly complicated & frequently changing compensation plans.

30:10 When is 100% commission the best way to compensate a salesperson?

35:30 Should a Sales Manager also be placed on 100% commission?

37:10 How do you structure the commissions when there are two salespeople working on one deal together? 

Resources: 

Chris Michel, Outsourced Sales Manager & Coach: 
https://coachchrisconsulting.com/

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How sales commissions and the right compensation  plan help you grow your business:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-sales-commissions-the-right-compensation-plan-help-you-grow-your-business

Is your growth causing financial headaches? Sales up, but profits lagging? Financial practices stuck in entry level mode?

Don't worry, it's not you—it's your financial setup.

Introducing NextGen Finance Blueprint by NewCastle Finance. This CFO-led roadmap: • Brings fuzzy finances into focus • Gives you a clear money picture • Creates a step-by-step action plan

Ready to level up? Visit newcastle.finance/blueprint