Podcast appearances and mentions of meryl johnston

Join  Aly and Andrew on a wild ride through the future of accounting focusing on business structures and so much more. Special guest Meryl Johnston from Bean Ninjas brings her A-game, sharing expert insights on how technology is empowering smaller firms and independent pros. They'll dive into the hurdles and hacks of scalability and regulatory mazes. Trust us, this is an episode you can't afford to miss!They walk through the thrilling evolution from big-league conglomerates to niche powerhouses. They'll break down the impact of mergers, the need for deep industry know-how, and the magic of outsourcing and automation. Meryl will dish on lifestyle firms where partners balance work and play while raking in the big bucks.They'll also tackle the broader picture: private equity's influence, generational wealth transfer, and savvy exit strategies. Adaptability is the name of the game, and they're here to make sure you're ready for every twist and turn.So join us for a future-forward episode packed with laughs, insights, and a sprinkle of cheekiness. Don't miss out on the next epic accounting adventure!AAAAA IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY OUR SPONSORSBGL SMSF administration and ASIC company compliance management software solutionsATO SmartDocs | ATO documents processed in seconds. Built to future-proof your ATO document processing by securely connecting to the ATO servers and loading your documents ready to be securely delivered to your clientsFYI Document management for Xero accounting practicesFOLLOW US ON THE SOCIALSwww.accountingadventures.com.auAccounting Adventures (@accadvpodcast) | InstagramAccounting Adventures | FacebookAccounting Adventures | LinkedInAly & Andrews All Aussie Accounting Adventures (@accadvpodcast) | X Email: podcast@accountingadventures.com.auCHECK US OUTALL IN Advisory | Your squad of award-winning accountants, tax wizards, and business visionaries, perfectly tailored to elevate your biz. Let's soar together! Illumin8 | Purpose-led cloud-driven accounting humansMUSICENTENTE (@ententemusic) | InstagramPRODUCTIONDavid Easton (@davidjeasty) | Instagram

Ready to grow your accounting firm?  Let's listen to the wisdom shared by a seasoned entrepreneur, Meryl Johnston.  A Chartered Accountant, founder of Bean Ninjas, and Head of Accounting at TeamUp, Meryl brings a wealth of experience to the table.  Together, we chat about the power of niching down and the art of running a non-owner-centric business.  Meryl shares her entrepreneurial journey, transitioning from CEO to a part-time advisor role, noting the importance of sticking to your goals while growing a business, and ensuring your needs and life take precedence.

In this NICHE series episode, I talk with Meryl Johnston, the co-founder of Bean Ninjas. She shares her journey into e-commerce accounting and the valuable lessons she's learned along the way. From managing a team of contractors to choosing profitable clients, she provides valuable tips for success.In this episode you'll hear:The number one thing to think about when starting or growing a firmHow to analyze your client base for niching down (step by step!)The most important quality to look for in hiring senior employeesResources mentioned in this episode:The Lifestyle Accountant PodcastThe Bookkeeping Business Accelerator®️The Bookkeeping Client Closer (mini-course)About our guest:Meryl is a Chartered Accountant and investor. She founded Bean Ninjas in July 2015 with $1,000 following the 7 Day Startup methodology. Now 8 years later the company operates in Australia, the US and UK and has a distributed team of 30 people. She is now focused on her podcast, the Lifestyle Accountant Show, and investing in businesses in the accounting industry.Connect with MerylLinkedInThanks for listening. If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram stories and tag me, @ambitiousbookkeeperFor more information about the Ambitious Bookkeeper Podcast or interest in our programs or mentoring visit our resources below:Visit our website: ambitiousbookkeeper.comFollow the Blog: ambitiousbookkeeper.com/blogConnect on Instagram: instagram.com/ambitiousbookkeeperConnect on LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/SerenaShoupConnect on Facebook: Facebook.com/serenashoupcpaFollow on Twitter: twitter.com/serenashoupcpaThank you for your support of our show. If you haven't left a review yet it's super simple. Please go to: https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com/podcast and leave your review.Podcast Publishing Tools we use:Podcast Editing: Sabr Media LLCDescript (affiliate link)Buzzsprout (affiliate link)Join Breakthrough for Bookkeepers & Accountants for $1000 off regular pricing >> Join Dubsado Decoded for $197 off >>Get 20% off of Dubsado >> Join the Bookkeeping Biz Workshops HERE>Workshops Schedule:Noon PDT EACH DAYMon 9/11 - Pre-party: What to expectTue 9/12 - WORKSHOP 1: What It Really Takes Wed 9/13 - WORKSHOP 2: All About that Tech Thu 9/14 - WORKSHOP 3: Creating a Business, not a J.O.B. Fri 9/15 - Masterclass: Selling without the Sleaze

In this engaging episode of "Building the Premier Accounting Firm," your host Roger Knecht sits down with Meryl Johnston, a Chartered Accountant, investor, and the visionary founder of Bean Ninjas. Join them as they dive deep into Meryl's remarkable journey, unveiling the secrets behind her thriving accounting firm and her invaluable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs. The episode begins with Meryl sharing her inspiring accounting journey, revealing the pivotal moments that ignited her passion for the field. Meryl candidly shares how she started her company Bean Ninjas, the challenges she encountered, and the invaluable lessons she learned while establishing her business. One of the highlights of the podcast is Meryl's captivating account of the "7-Day Start-Up Methodology," the very strategy that enabled her to secure her first client within an astonishingly short span of time. Learn the invaluable tips and tricks on how to kickstart your own business efficiently and effectively. Meryl narrates her path to finding her niche, and sheds light on why she eventually specialized in e-commerce. Merely and Roger break down some of the advantages of niching, as Meryl provides valuable advice to entrepreneurs seeking a focused direction for their businesses. Meryl discusses the process she underwent transitioning into a part-time role in her company, and how she aptly prepared her clients for her absence. Listeners will benefit from her expertise in handling business continuity and client relations. The episode also delves into Meryl's unique approach of granting her employees equity in the company, offering a fresh perspective on incentivizing and nurturing a dedicated team. For those looking to enhance their marketing strategies, Meryl shares insightful tips tailored to new accounting businesses. Her candid revelations about marketing mistakes she encountered along the way will resonate with entrepreneurs striving to grow their clientele. Not only that, but Meryl also divulges her go-to lead-generation strategies, equipping listeners with powerful tools to expand their customer base. As the conversation takes a personal turn, Meryl bravely recounts her battle against cancer, sharing her journey of resilience and the profound lessons she learned during that challenging time. Her experience offers wisdom and encouragement for others facing adversities. Offering sage advice for entrepreneurs considering stepping away from their businesses, Meryl's wisdom on maintaining a balanced and fulfilling life will resonate with listeners seeking a harmonious work-life integration. The episode concludes on a high note as Meryl introduces her very own podcast, "Lifestyle Accounting," explaining its purpose and how it complements her mission in the accounting world. Meryl provides intriguing insights into international markets, offering keen observations on bookkeeping and accounting nuances and commonalities across borders. Tune in to "Building the Premier Accounting Firm" with Roger Knecht and indulge in an episode brimming with entrepreneurial revelations, business acumen, and the spirit of perseverance.   Your Host: Roger Knecht, president of Universal Accounting Center Guest Name: Meryl Johnston Meryl is a Chartered Accountant and investor. She founded Bean Ninjas in July 2015 with $1,000 following the 7 Day Startup methodology. Now 8 years later the company operates in Australia, the US and UK and has a distributed team of 30 people. After 6 years as CEO, Meryl stepped into a part-time advisor role at Bean Ninjas and has a leadership team running the day to day operations. She is now focused on her podcast, the Lifestyle Accountant Show, and investing in businesses in the accounting industry.  On the weekends Meryl can be found surfing at a local Gold Coast beach or hanging out with her partner and two daughters.   Sponsors: Universal Accounting Center Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.   Offers: Check out the Lifestyle Accountant Show podcast https://www.lifestyleaccountant.co/ or connect with Meryl on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/meryl-johnston-3a483728/ Get a FREE copy of these books all accounting professionals should use to work on their business and become profitable.  These are a must-have addition to every accountant's library to provide quality CFO & Advisory services as a Profit & Growth Expert today: “in the BLACK, nine principles to make your business profitable” – e-book “Red to BLACK in 30 days – A small business accountant's guide to QUICK turnarounds” – the how-to-guide e-book for accounting professionals   For Additional FREE Resources for accounting professionals check out this collection HERE!   Be sure to join us for GrowCon, the LIVE event for accounting professionals to work ON their business. This is a conference you don't want to miss.   Remember this, Accounting Success IS Universal. Listen to our next episode and be sure to subscribe.   Also, let us know what you think of the podcast and please share any suggestions you may have.  We look forward to your input: Podcast Feedback   For more information on how you can apply these principles to start and build your accounting, bookkeeping & tax business please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 8012653777  

Join us this Wednesday for a new episode where Roger discusses the 7-day start-up methodology with Meryl Johnston.

Learn how Meryl built a 30-headcount bookkeeping firm in eight years that can operate without her. We also get Meryl's take on the PwC scandal in Australia. Earn free NASBA-approved CPE credits for listening with the Earmark app. Learn more at earmarkcpe.com.SponsorsRelay - https://cloudaccountingpodcast.promo/relayFinDaily - https://accountingpodcast.promo/findailyEarmark for Teams - https://accountingpodcast.promo/freeshirtChapters (00:04) - Preview: Why can't the US tax deadlines be as relaxed as Australia's (00:50) - Welcome Meryl Johnston to the show and some background on Bean Ninjas (05:49) - Tell us a little about the growth of Bean Ninjas, remote work, and taking a step back from day-to-day operations (10:26) - How does Meryl track employees' work when they're remote? (12:13) - Can you tell us about Bean Ninja's journey of niching? (22:46) - How do you deal with communication challenges with remote work and different schedules (28:31) - What is the current size of your firm, and what type of work do you now do? (35:16) - What do you tell accountants who are afraid to niche? (39:20) - Is the accounting talent crisis also happening in Australia? (41:19) - Meryl gives her take on the PwC scandal in Australia (47:38) - Are 2 new Australian tech companies coming for Xero's throne? (55:25) - Is software plus a service the future of accounting tech? (59:02) - Wrap up and how people can listen to Meryl's podcasts Need CPE? Subscribe to the Earmark Accounting Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark CPE: https://earmarkcpeShow NotesFuel Up the Bus, PwC Australia Has Named and Shamed Eight Partners Tied to the Tax Leak Scandalhttps://www.goingconcern.com/fuel-up-the-bus-pwc-australia-has-named-and-shamed-eight-partners-tied-to-the-tax-leak-scandal/ PwC Sold Off Its Scandal-Plagued Government Consulting Business For 67 Cents - Going Concernhttps://www.goingconcern.com/pwc-sold-off-its-scandal-plagued-government-consulting-business-for-67-cents/ PwC Sold a Part of Its Australian Business for $1 Because of Tax Leak Scandal - CPA Practice Advisorhttps://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2023/06/29/pwc-sold-a-part-of-its-australian-business-for-67-cents-because-of-tax-leak-scandal/81609/ A new threat to Xero? The rise of Hnry: a one-stop shop for sole traders, ft. Karan Anandhttps://www.raskmedia.com.au/2023/06/27/xero-risk-hnry-accounting-karan-anand/ Exclusive: PwC Australia ties Google to tax leak scandal – sourceshttps://www.reuters.com/technology/pwc-australia-ties-google-tax-leak-scandal-sources-2023-07-05/ Thriday swings at big accounting platforms with AI expense toolhttps://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/tax/thriday-business-expense-bank-ai-artificial-intelligence/Meet Our Guest, Meryl JohnstonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meryl-johnston-3a483728/Website: https://beanninjas.com/Get in TouchThanks for listening and for the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and, if you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on iTunes, or Podchaser. Interested in sponsoring the Cloud Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus, and NOW, you can see our smiling faces on Instagram! You can now call us and leave a voicemail, maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribe Apple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcasts Podchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaser Spotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/Spotify Stitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/Stitcher Overcast: http://cloudacctpod.link/Overcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CloudAccountingPodcast ClassifiedsUncat - https://www.uncat.com/Nett Tracker - https://www.nett-tracker.com/FinDaily - https://findaily.io/Want to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Why not let the listeners of The Cloud Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad? Hit the link below to get more info.Go here to create your classified ad: https://cloudacctpod.link/RunClassifiedAd The full transcript for this episode is available by clicking on the Transcript tab at the top of this page

Meryl Johnston is a XERO accounting expert and the Co-Founder of Bean Ninjas.  Meryl launched Bean Ninjas in 2015 with $1000 and a dream of changing the global bookkeeping game. It has since grown from Meryl's kitchen table into the multi-national, award-winning business it is today. Learn more at beanninjas.com Visit our Sponsor:  Podbrandmedia.com – […]

#1200 I'm excited to bring back another entrepreneur who's been on the show before: Meryl Johnston, the founder and CEO of Bean Ninjas, an accounting service for ecommerce businesses. Meryl was on episode 1,113 , when she was thinking of adding some new services and even creating an all-new brand. Not surprisingly, a lot has changed for Meryl since then. Her business has made some pivots, and she shares some big announcements that I'm excited to share with you. She's even started a family. Oh, and I also have a big announcement to share at the end of this episode. So stick around for that! Show notes and more at SmartPassiveIncome.com/ap1200.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Bean Ninjas Podcast co-hosts Matt Stubbs and Meryl Johnston are back and live at the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand offices in Brisbane. In this episode, Matt and Meryl give us a recap of the early stages of Crossbeam; from its infancy as an idea to building the initial version of the app.  They […]

The Bean Ninjas co-hosts Matt Stubbs and Meryl Johnston are back today walking us through Crossbeam's progress in recent weeks and they share the excitement of collecting their first recurring payment.  They then move into some topics around work-life balance and how they each ensure they are able to run successful businesses and have great […]

The Bean Ninjas co-hosts Matt Stubbs and Meryl Johnston are back today catching up on the progress Matt has made in the beta testing of Crossbeam. Meryl asks Matt to share some insights on when it might make sense to move from beta to paying users and she also picks his brain about the way […]

I am a mentor for the Notion Advanced track of Tiago Forte's Building a Second Brain, Cohort 12. You can catch Weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the previous weekend episodes. This is the cleaned up audio of the last of 5 mentorship sessions with Q&A at the end. Video version: https://youtu.be/emUfFWixQwETimestamps Recap of Last 4 Weeks [00:02:08] Shifting Perception to Sharing [00:03:07] IP's Personal Progress [00:09:38] How to Solve the Cold Start Problem [00:10:57]  The Invisible Pipeline and the 1% Rule [00:14:00] Peer Group Progress [00:15:48] Course Recap: Convergence vs Divergence, CO vs DE [00:20:41]  Your First Brain vs Your Second Brain [00:22:43]  Project Kickoff Checklist [00:24:06] Favorite Quotes [00:25:26]  Q&A: Denys on Learning in Public in YouTube [00:32:47]  Q&A: Meryl Johnston on Learning in Public [00:43:34]  The Resistance and Gratitude Journaling [00:46:04] Don't Just Write Essays: Remove Resistance [00:48:37] Three Strikes Rule [00:52:51] Guy Margalith on Fear and Your Second Brain [00:53:40] Organizing Files on your Mac [01:00:59] Swyx Twitter Journey [01:04:18] Tropical MBA and Balaji Srinivasan [01:09:05]  Closing Remarks [01:10:20] Transcriptswyx: [00:00:00] Okay, so we're in week five. I didn't know what to call it. So I just called it finale week. I, at this point I feel like everyone knows each other even.But feel free to say hi, if you're new you're still totally woke up and to jump around and visit the each other's sessions. I'm also going to blast through the housekeeping just because there's not that much more housekeeping left to do. And I will also want it to shout out what I did for last week's.Events which well that's Swyx week app, which was essentially right up my own experience of intermediate packets. And I broke my own journey down into eight intermediate packets. So that's tweet, tweet, livestream, blog posts, conference, conference conference, a job interview. And this took place over the course of a year.So it, it shocked me because even though I went through it, you don't, you never really think about intermediate packets dripping out over a year. And the thing that I really wanted to get across was that I think the way that immediate packets, which was presented last time was very much of a top-down thing.Like I want to do something big, let me work backwards and break it down into intranet, small things that can ship. But it also equally works for bottom up where you have no idea what the end goal is, but you're just like. That's just ship of small things, and try to build up to something big if the interest is there. Glen G says, paddle reminds me of bubbling off events. Yep. That's a very WebDev analogy and that's fully true there. The two directions of bubbling. I forget what the opposite of bubbling is in the dumb, but that's beside the point anyway. I wanted to offer that as my own perspective on intermediate packets.Oh, yeah. Dave says he is bubbling up NIST insider today. Yeah, totally. Yeah. We are bubbling ideas. That's great. That title doesn't resonate with me. So I just went with bottom up, but feel free to write your own policy. And I think that's something that we should talk about as well.Who's written stuff as a result of this course. And what post ideas do you have to share? You can feel free to throw that in the chat as well. Housekeeping, we've covered this plenty of times, but stupid questions are welcome. Often beats. Perfect. And then this is the discussion and not a lecture.Recap of Last 4 Weeks [00:02:08]All right. So we've covered all these 12. I think it actually works out without the 12. So it's cohort 12 with 12 items. I think so. I grabbed this, I went back to lecture one and grab this slide. And actually  the last week changed quite a bit, I think, but  the first 3 have been relatively stable.And it's quite a bit of content if you walk back and think about it. So I just wanted to acknowledge and pause for a bit and say I think the last five weeks have been a real blast in terms of flights and just a lot of ideas, especially if you're new to them for the first time. But even for me going through them the second time I felt like I just had a lot more to think about each on each in each time, because I've lived through it and I've had a year to really sit with it. I think it'd be interesting to hear from you in in, in the chat or if you wanna, if you want to speak up, I'm just going to pause here and it's just go was there, was there a particular idea that really stuck out to you during this these this whole curriculum w what's your favorite sort of takeaway that you really liked?Shifting Perception to Sharing [00:03:07]Speaker 2: [00:03:07] The one thing that I found which wasn't actually to deal with lessons wasn't to do with systems and processes. It was his perception for me. It's just been a shift in perception, but that's been the benefit of building a second brain, but I've taken that and I've applied that to everything. And I'm looking at, whether it be a task or whether it be something I want to do, what is the perception that motivates me most?And I've realized from second brain that all I came in, they wanted to share more and I wanted an output and I think it came from a selfish point of view of, I just want to share, I want to share, I'm going to attract more people, get more business, be a thought leader, et cetera. What I realized when I was sharing that circle and sharing, and here I'm not having that going a backwards and forwards.I like helping people and I look at even day-to-day friendships. I have conversations, anything that goes to the people I'm interested in they're gold as well. And I've realized that the perception was wrong for me to just look at output in isolation and say, oh, you just want to help her instead of, Hey, how do we respond most positively to actually get output?And for me now, I realized that for helping other people I'm building connections, like even the last week I've been really lucky people that they messaging me, ask them to connect. I've had zoom calls with people. I'm emailing people and we're all having backwards and forwards dialogue, but that wouldn't have happened unless I output in the first place to share my opinion, to actually attract those like-minded people as well.So that's where I say now to perception is going to help me. And I'm going to look at any future problem rather than just looking at like it's a task or a project on big into kind of alleviate and willpower and not having this battle that you have to get up every day and you have to do something against your will to finally get to the end of a journey.And for me, if there's that kind of, if there's those breadcrumbs of emotion for me and breadcrumbs of connection with people, I'll get more addicted to it. I'll enjoy it more. It will be easier for me all the time. And I think it will become more and more natural to do. swyx: [00:05:10] Yeah, that's brilliant. Thanks so much for sharing that.There's so many things I can go off in that, Diego and ended the his lecture by saying, chase what excites you and that's, I think that's definitely something that you're doing. I personally and th Speaker 2: [00:05:23] that's a good point. I think we have to shape it into a way that does excite you.It does not always naturally. That's what I didn't realize. It wasn't just, oh, that's, output is going to excite me. I have to find what does excite me and how can I tie that into output. And now what's going to, swyx: [00:05:41] I call it. So I call it a nexus of interest because it's not just X, if it only excites you and no one else, then you're just going to do it yourself.Ikigai and the Nexus of Interest [00:05:49]So you have to find the intersection. Okay. All right. A little bonus idea for you guys. All so, the internet is very In love with this idea of ikigai, because it's a foreign sounding word and we love foreign sounding words as thought leaders. So Zettelkasten and Ikigai, anything is not English.Speaker 1: [00:06:04] Sean, just real quick, my wife is Japanese from Japan. I've been married 27 years. But I asked her about Ikigai and she's what the hell is Speaker 3: [00:06:11] that? swyx: [00:06:13] I just wanted to share. It's not, Speaker 1: [00:06:17] it's real. But it's not just some secret thing that all Japanese people know about.So I just wanted to put that out there. All Japanese people do know about ninjas, but they don't know about Jesus, but they don't know about easy guy. So perfect. They're Speaker 2: [00:06:29] just not an air cold yet. That's all. swyx: [00:06:31] No worries. I was just going to say it's very invoke. And I think if it works for you, it doesn't really matter what the origin is, whether it's true or not.So my point is that it's this, there's this four circles. It says, what do you love? What you're good at, what you can be paid for and what the world needs. And I think that actually, it just, it really draws, drives down to...  What you love becomes, what you're good at, if you just do it long enough.And if you're good at it, you eventually start to love it so that this collapses into one circle and then where you can be paid for and what the world needs. Basically collapse the one circle as well, because the creator economy and just the internet economy has funneled, has created a lot of ways to make money for as long as you, as long as can supply the world of what it needs.They'll find a way to Speaker 2: [00:07:10] pay for this is 40, where you're going with this, because this reminds me of a conversation I had maybe a week ago about all peers and how I couldn't understand them. And I couldn't wrap my head around them. And when I did understand them, I realized that just done them naturally.And it wasn't a Eureka moment. And part of what we want to do is I want to help educate people and especially creative business owners to have more confidence in themselves. But what you're showing me here is actually making me realize that there's so many things that I do naturally. So even when I said, what excites me, that's in a conversation with you.But to me it would just be a given that it would make no sense to me just to talk. Self-serving really just about me. I'm going to empathize with other people, but. Th the point here is that it's sometimes I don't realize that I do things naturally and they're just in there and their parents were processed and not explain them.And that's one of the big things that I've learned here is to actually explain the full idea rather than what I do automatically that I don't even think about. And I think writing has made me document that better. This is really good. I like swyx: [00:08:16] this. Exactly. It's actually the advice that I give people.So B be sure that you're not only paying attention to  what excites you, but also what excites others.  The first part  of my sort of IPS is respond to others. It's very other oriented because that guarantees feedback that people are more people are the most interested in themselves.So if you're not appealing  to other people's self-interests, then. Yeah. People often, like when they start out re creating content online, they're wondering how come they don't get response. Like you're much higher. You're much more likely to get a response. Speaker 2: [00:08:50] And I heard this is in my newsletter today, which the challenge for people is to actually respond to people.If they've helped you, if they've saved you time, if they've made you think, go and respond to them. And I actually set a challenge to myself, the response. swyx: [00:09:04] Yeah. Pick up what others put down. I also have this.I refer to it so much that we have a shortcut for it, it's in our community. But yeah, you want to plug your newsletter actually, if people are, have like newsletters and blogs and stuff throw it in the chat so that we can actually see and sign up for each other and keep and stay in touch, but anyway,  it's a dance, it's not a one-way street. You absolutely are engaging with other people on that. I have a bunch of other hands now thanks, David. I'm gonna, I'm gonna move on to someone else. So who is this zoom? Doesn't show me your name Speaker 3: [00:09:30] and IP and Glen have their hands up.IP was first all swyx: [00:09:34] okay. IP. All right. Thanks guys. Yeah. IP's Personal Progress [00:09:38] Speaker 2: [00:09:38] Hey guys. I completely agree with what Dave said. It's the community aspect of building the second brain that has really helped me as well, this connecting to people and just to see what they're doing has really helped me. And one more funny thing I wanted to show you.I w I just did that swyx: [00:09:54] icky guy thing.What do you mean? What do you mean you did it? What do you mean you did? No, I thought icky guy it's architecture. I just hadn't been able to pinpoint, but I've always been in love with it. And this is something which I really want to pursue. And with building a second brain, what I've actually seen is it's, since it's relieved so much of cognitive overload, that.I can, that's helped me scale up like previously I could just manage one or two project at a particular time. Now I can see  by making it by making more intermediate packets, I can actually scale up my work. I can add this same moment in time. I can work on different projects, which I previously couldn't, so that's really helped me out.That's awesome. Awesome. Are you a practicing artist architect? Yes, I am. Yes I am. Yeah, that's awesome. I'm glad you really clarified that for yourself and yeah. Thanks for sharing that. Yeah, it's been amazing. Awesome. Thank you so much. Thank you. All right. Let's see.How to Solve the Cold Start Problem [00:10:57] Okay. Something's wrong with my zoom because it really doesn't show names. But Glenn, go ahead.Speaker 2: [00:11:02] I, I read Pick up what they put down post. But I was wondering if you had a few more example or four could show something, cause it seems key and kick-starting things when you don't really have so much of a following yet and how you generally engage with people or  what it would look like for example, do you make a blog post or do you just respond on a tweet or do you, swyx: [00:11:25] yeah those are quite, those are most often the common examples. One of the key examples, say I do is write a book review. If an author puts out a book you want to go through it and jot down like your top learnings and then send it back to them, they would probably really appreciate it.And even if  you're not on social media at all, just emailing them old school style they'll probably read through your response and like either, really appreciate it probably make their day. And if you got anything wrong, they'll probably correct you and that's free consultation or teaching that you just don't get anywhere else.And I think if you do it often enough, or if you have a really high quality correspondence, then you become partners in the, you become collaborators, because then there'll be like the next time you're working on something, they'll send it to you first and go what do you think? Because. You don't have to be an expert.  You do have something that you don't have. It's just at the beginning of my mind, I say that a lot. This doesn't have to be a whole lecture on ethic of what they put down, but I, if anyone else has similar ideas that, I'm interested to hear them as well.But I think I can keep coming up with stuff if you want.  Does that help?  I can show you,  I'm still sharing my screen, so let's see. Swyx what it's node design patterns. So I read I got sent a review copy of this book, and then went through then I went through it and I just listed my top five learnings. And it really resonated with a bunch of people. I don't know if we can see the stats on this. And then they sent me the book, Speaker 3: [00:12:47] soswyx: [00:12:48] autographed and everything. I didn't have, I just had the PDF before, but not then they just send it to me from Italy. I don't know if this is like the most, this is the one that comes up for me now, because I didn't know them before. And I was just interested in this book, like no, no design patterns.And then, I started chatting with them and now they're. Some of my go-to people for no JS. And these are experts  at the subject. I think all it is just like looking for opportunities in which like you're interested in something and someone else has just put out something that's super relevant to them.And just going out all out and picking up on it, like actually trying out the demo, reading the book, giving you honest feedback. A lot of the times they're not going to bite, especially if they're the superstars celebrity type people, but some of them will. And you'll you start having an honest conversation between them.And I think if you focus on people who are like, just a little bit ahead of you and not like  the same celebrities that everyone goes for you have a pretty good shot at building your network. And it's often that forming that peer group, that's all you're all on like roundabout, the same level in your industry.And then you progress together over years that you build up a very strong bond. Cause that's, that becomes your cohort. And and that's all it is. I don't, I'm not a believer in any sort of growth hacky style. Like there, there are tons of like how to crush it on Twitter courses out there.The Invisible Pipeline and the 1% Rule [00:14:00]Speaker 2: [00:14:00] Can I add something in? Yeah. One of the things that I realized when I started with, whether it be writing, blogging, sharing stuff, is. The amount of people that consume information and don't actually interact with you, there will be tons and tons of people. And look, we just spoke a minute ago about, me challenge people to say, thank you.And Swyx doing the same thing that there's a term called the invisible pipeline, which is people consuming. And all of a sudden they may come along and pull your broker cars or whatever. I'm just like, yeah, I've been following you for two years. I love everything. But you may not know about those people.So I think you have to either have somebody specific in mind that you're going to write for, or you have to write for yourself what I don't mean produce content, whatever way you're going to do it. There has to be a goal or either you're really interested in and you're going to share it in your learning on your growth are there's so many mind, whether it be you a few years ago, you in the future are a friend who somebody who's obsessed about something.But I think there has to be someone in mind for. That kind of that white noise of emptiness initially, because it's not going to metrics game of subscribers and how many people and stuff like that. I think slowly you will build a following. It has to be authentic and true to you to get your true, the slow part of it at the start.swyx: [00:15:20] Yeah, totally agree with that. I pulled up my favorite version of this, which is the 1% rule. So 90% of people lurk on the internet. And then 9% actually comment or contribute and then 1% actually have original creations. So yeah, you're going to have a lot of liquors and, but they're still paying attention anyway.It just takes a while for them to come out. You've got, sometimes you've got to encourage them a little bit as well. I don't know if anyone else has like how do you start an interaction and build a following? I'm definitely not the only source I have my own perspective.Peer Group Progress [00:15:48]Speaker 1: [00:15:48] I'm  happy to share just since it's new for me. One thing, I did the Rite of passage program just prior to doing this and out of that, I met a cohort of people. And so now we meet daily as a writing group. So we don't necessarily have a common interest other than writing, but it's like this group of people that I went through the program with that I know I'm supporting them, they're supporting me.That feels really nice. The other thing I did ship 30 for 30 did it get super into it? But one thing I did get out of that I really loved my accountability partner. And what I learned was I could go up and start to follow some people on Twitter and reply to their stuff and give feedback and interact with them.And then it turned not all of them. Some of them will come and start to follow me, especially if I'm producing some content. And to give an example, I think I had six Twitter followers in my. Whatever 14 years on Twitter. Cause basically I wasn't on Twitter and suddenly I'm on Twitter.And now I have 96 followers, which is it's not necessarily the number but I now know that those 90 people definitely are from like me writing and producing some content. And in turn I go and look at those people and I'm like, oh, that person's producing content. Oh, that stuff's neat.And so it becomes very personable and fun. Like you slowly start to get to know these other people and interact with them. And, and some of them I've even hopped on like a zoom call with them or whatever, or, exchanged emails to have a lengthier discussion off.Whatever platform. I would say, there's the circle group up here and BA SB, maybe you have some particular thing that you're interested in. Glen. I don't know, like some topic area, whether it's coding or psychology or downhill skiing,or maybe the intersection of all three of those, downhills gears that coded, that are into psychology, cool group discuss existentialism issue, ski downhill, and then code about it later. No but you probably can find people that you Speaker 3: [00:17:38] can Speaker 1: [00:17:39] interact with. And I guess what I'm trying to say is like meeting some people where you have some similar background, like there's already a little bit of, I want to say vulnerability, but commonality, even too, you know people versus just going out and trying to meet complete strangers, which can work, but you might get more of the crickets or as Dave was saying the invisible pipeline.swyx: [00:17:57] So yeah. Basically connects with people who are like, eh, add to your level and share your interests, right? And yeah. Yeah, like a small group of 10 or 15, like people who are also going through the same thing. It's much better than like a hundred people who have no idea who you are and never interacted with you.Speaker 2: [00:18:14] I connect with people with strong opinions. And whether they agree or disagree, I think that's whether it be online or friendships. I think I want somebody to have a viewpoint and stuff. I don't want somebody just to factually and say, this is how I deal with this. And sometimes that can happen in coding and stuff like that as well.Somebody can share some amazing code, but none of our personality or the benefit of why they saw it, how they got the realization of what they're doing or how they're going to utilize this later on as well. Those little small things I do think really help as well. They're just for me, because we're in that kind of overload of so much stuff that, everything's a Google way, but I find I follow more people who are not along and say, yeah, I have that same problem.Yeah. That really annoys me as well. swyx: [00:18:59] Yeah, you shared sharing problems. I don't know maybe it's community. This is where we're trying to Speaker 1: [00:19:05] quick shot seeing you. I saw you bringing up Dave for a Rite of passage for people now that we've been studying this code pipeline to C O D and E that Rite of passage really focuses.It jumps in at D and goes to eat pretty quickly. So it's all D and E with a little bit of CNO, like Dave Burrell gives you like a 45 minute recorded essays. Like here's how to set up the second brain. Good luck. In terms of the having someplace to collect your notes and to use it, he doesn't go deeply into that part.And and then for others who are maybe considering it, you can sign up for his 50 days of writing essays. And really if you just want the straight information, just like building a second brain where all the information is up on Chicago's blog, Dave, for L's 50 days of writing That's a hundred percent of the information that's in the course, but really you're doing it for the the community and the accountability.Speaker 2: [00:19:51] I'm happy to share a notes on his 50 days as well. I only started it the other day and know, been documented each day and I'm just pulling out tips and what he does, how he connects with people and stuff like that far, my newsletter as well. swyx: [00:20:04] That's great. That's great. Yeah. Don't forget to you're collecting all this information.You're taking all this in don't forget. Don't forget that you need to practice it. And sometimes you can do too much learning as well. But no, this is great. I actually was a subscriber for this thing. It was going to be a book of a hundred tips and then he got to 50 and then he stopped.I think he, I think, cause he, he found some other opportunity that he wanted to pursue. So he just stopped at 50 and then turned into like an email sequence. Speaker 2: [00:20:27] She was pretty fun. I finally realized as everybody's talking to know what I do in chat now or progressively somewhere else, everybody can talkyeah. swyx: [00:20:38] Use the knowledge. There we go. There we go. Appreciate that. Course Recap: Convergence vs Divergence, CO vs DE [00:20:41] Okay. W we don't have to w we'll have more conversations as we go, Glenn. I hope that's okay. I don't hear from you again, but Yeah, let us know if you have This is this is an ongoing topic anyway, but I was just going to go ahead and try to recap a little bit more, and then we can just go to the general discussion. I think I'm also trying to try to go from super granular in the course to less granular and then least granular and congrats.Can you hit 101 followers? Nice. You can all get donation coats. But, okay so what, we're, what we're trying step back from everything and go really into is to understand the structure of code, right? Cod we diverge and then we converge. We defined what it means to capture, what the capture habit is and how we focus on to our favorite problems when they find how it means to organize with the para system. And then we try to emphasize converging as well with distilling progressive summarization and then expressing the intermediate packets.And then we defined a little bit last week on project completion, as well as project kickoff this week. So that's the rough structure of this, but I think the diamond shape is really important to me. And I hope that it really comes across to you as well. That our natural tendency is to spend 90% of our time here in the divergence space.Cause it's fun because you're always learning new stuff and you don't have to lock yourself down and delete things and commit yourself to a single phrase or a sentence or paragraph or essay. But the real work comes here and it is safe and fun. Yeah. That's, let's put it that way. Yeah. No, Speaker 2: [00:22:12] but it's safe.You don't have to expose yourself to the world. You still have a sense of achievement. I've spent hours collecting and reading and stuff like that, but none of that is, self-expression swyx: [00:22:22] right, exactly.  You have to realize that a bulk of the learning that happens comes  when you go through the act of distillation and especially particularly when you express and you get feedback, which starts to loop to go back again.The reason that people stop is they don't get feedback. And you do need that feedback to, to keep going.   That's something I wanna, I really want to distress.Your First Brain vs Your Second Brain [00:22:43] And then at the highest level, what we're really here about is I wanna, I should probably have presented this if I was any good at this this is what we, this is why we're here, right?Fundamentally understanding that the way that we are historically trained to ingest information is to put everything in our first sprain and then try to have a single threaded output that, that doesn't really have a system to it. And the way that Tiago phrases it is that, all the routine stuff to your second rate your your, the stuff that machines are good at.So your second brain, and then the stuff that humans are good at, which is all the fun stuff creative writing, problem, solving, storytelling imagination, generating hypothesis, free that up. And to step aside the flow of information. Me personally, I tend to extend this as well. The two things that machines to do better, better than us is storage and search. So it's not just remembering, but also recalling things. It can be pretty good at that as well. I love by the way, I love people who are dropping their profiles and blog posts and newsletter in the chat.If you do want to connect I'd be happy to follow up on there and I'm putting together a list on the slides as well, so people can follow up. Okay. This is not supposed to be there anyway. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So the final piece of content that Tiago talks about.So what do Speaker 2: [00:23:49] you feel is a dev all the tech problems. You have so many tech problems,swyx: [00:23:57] I'm thinking at a different level there. Speaker 2: [00:23:59] Oh yeah. Your friend's too fast for the machine. Yeah. Sorry. I forgot. swyx: [00:24:03] So go on our genius one and it's fine. Project Kickoff Checklist [00:24:06]What I really liked was the commencement style of Tiago covering how to kick off a project at the end of this course, which. I don't think we had doing cohort 10.But it was really, it would have been really helpful for me to have this mental model of okay, when you kick off a project there's a way you do this, assuming that you have set up your second brain, you first ignore your second brain first. They just bring up everything that you currently think, and then go through your second brain by going through the notebooks, searching for terms and then re rearranging things, moving things up in the para system towards your current project that you've just, that you've just formed.And I find that a, an interesting parallel to the project completion checklist that was featured last week. So you can see like a nice. One-to-one correspondence of of the, each of the sections here. And it's how you promote stuff to projects and how you demold stuff to archive or something that's not project area resource.But yeah, I just wanted to note this parallelism and I think it's something that when you have a functioning second brain and it's and it's set up to make you productive in your, in subsequent projects. Having a system like this helps you get up and running really quickly. And I saw, and I think, seeing it in motion in the demo that he did this week was really helpful.So I'll just leave it at that. Favorite Quotes [00:25:26] Okay. I'm not sure what I have after this. Oh, then I have coats. Ha my favorite part. Again, I really encourage you to collect coats, whatever resonates with you. This is just what resonates with me. So the first quote that I, that outlines is one from his slide, a modern piece of work isn't created, it's assembled, right? So we're not. We're starting from abundance. We're starting from a place of we have 80% of the work done, which is a quote from last week. We don't start anything before it's 80% complete some things, something ridiculous like that, which is obviously an exaggeration, but it goes to show how much work should be done ahead of time and through intermediate packets.So that when you're at, when you're embarking on a project, you're really doing final assembly. And that's a step change from how people normally view their projects in their creative endeavors. Second quote, your second brain is not a library. It's an idea factory. It's not the place to do research.It's where you take action. Again, so similarly I think I'm still here, so I don't want to say I've done everything that's been recommended here. I definitely treat my second brain as a library. I look at the stuff that I read and I store stuff in the right place, like a digital.Librarian I have my own Dewey decimal system and I just slept there according stuff there. And I don't really set it up for internalization or summarization. So I need to do more personally to, to make it a, more of an idea factory where I take action, because right now I just do a lot of just in case storage.And it's not meant to do that. You can do that all day long and not really produce more. So the goal is not storing more information that you're not, you shouldn't measure yourself by the amount of megabytes that you store in your second brain. It's about the output. Your first brain is the bottleneck, give it a different job, step off the flow of information.So this is the, this, the one that I really resonated with in this in this thing, right? This is the first brain and it's like the bottleneck for the information. And this is the second brain where it's doing a lot more fun stuff. Give up low value work. We know how to do it, but it gives us a false sense of security.This one's really, so to me it actually makes a lot of sense. I don't know how well it relates for you guys, but I do a lot of things that give me a sense of security. Like something that's familiar and comfortable. I just do it more because I know how to do it, and it's not really stressing, stretching my brain very much.I can listen to podcasts or watch a movie while I do it. And yeah, it's shallow work, if we really want to do deep work we have to push past that free our brains up to do the deep work. And finally the piece that we already talked about, chase what excites you and take some notes along the way.Tiago's  very much promoting an inspiration driven approach where you live life more in the moment than others. Among like startup founders and tech people there's this very, there's a very involved trend of being detached right.To meditate a lot, to be stoic and to not let your emotions wash over you in any particular good or bad scenario. And telcos took us like pushing back against that and saying you should live in the moment more and see what can see where that takes you. So I liked that spiritually.Even though I know that, stoicism has, its has its benefits as well, but I just want to center that in terms of What Tiago is saying versus what he's not saying. So he's not saying be dispassionate about everything he's saying, really look for what excites you. And when that comes up, use a second brain to, to pursue that with all your heart.So yeah, that's those are my quotes. So does anyone else have, of course they want to share.Speaker 2: [00:28:35] Let's see. I want to know what you do with the quotes. swyx: [00:28:38] Right now I'm Speaker 2: [00:28:39] having to use the lowest them. Cause they're just, they're somebody else's words now. So I just want to know where they go when you were tagged as a quote, or do you add journal boards?  preference tots underneath it, like you explained them swyx: [00:28:53] to us.They would be eventually quoted somewhere in one of my blog posts. That's my action. Or with tweeted. But I tried to tweet all the stuff. That's my words. Whereas if it's a blog yeah. That's Speaker 2: [00:29:02] exactly why I poured a war. That's why I would put my and perspective, on the need.And are maybe trying to see what question they're trying to answer. swyx: [00:29:10] Yeah. Yep. Sure, exactly. Okay. There's some conversation going on there. Does anyone want to share quotes? Okay. Emma D says I really like "productivity is for people with no leverage". Whoa. Who said that? Was it Tiago? Yeah, I think so. I think there Speaker 3: [00:29:24] was in the last or second swyx: [00:29:25] to last session.Yeah. Okay. I missed that. That's that's fire, man. I got nothing else to say apart from yeah. Good job. I'm stealing that one. Okay. Who else? Guy says guy, he went, why you, when you come on and then explain what your quote is. I started Speaker 3: [00:29:41] your, I've been following your practice of collecting quotes for my session.So first of all, thank you for the inspiration. I think it's really helpful to focus my thoughts, but one of the quotes that resonated was the purpose of this second brain. And Dave, you were hinting at it before as well. Like why are we doing this? And I, and Tiago mentioned it a little bit in the Q and a for this week.He said that you can use your second brain to be a better citizen, family member and human. And a lot of times we may use our second brain to collect these internet points in quotes. It doesn't really, it's like a, in a video game. It's nice. It doesn't really do anything. The purpose should be something bigger than yourself.And when you have that kind of purpose, it makes things a little bit easier and better to be of service to others that resonated with me. swyx: [00:30:22] That's really great. Yeah. Yeah, that's true. I'm very, I'm definitely easily gamified by internet points, but I know that there's more important things out there.Yeah. Glen says regarding meditation, it's rather the opposite of detaching. It's coming into closer harmony with the actuality of the experience. Whoa, whose audio Shante.John Glenn. What's the context? Speaker 2: [00:30:43] Adia. Shanti is a Rotter popular now swyx: [00:30:47] a meditation teacher. I think it's mainly popular in the states are well known, but he's also one of the few  legit teachers. swyx: [00:30:57] Got it. Cool. Awesome. Yeah, I think there's a place for both. But definitely at work I try to do the more detached and stoic thing.And then in my personal stuff I definitely live in the moment more. Alright. That's it for our featured quotes? I was, I didn't have actually much else to talk about I haven't done this yet, we all have homework and there's still homework today which is to fill out the second brain snapshot thing and get access to second brain habits.I think habits are just like trending in general. If there's one thing that's probably not, there's only lightly touched on is habits here. And of course, James Clear owns that one. I'm curious and curious if if you all have have actually done this, I didn't have thoughts on habits that you're trying to develop.But think that's definitely one of those things where.  Everything here that's in second brain is more or less conscious. And it's a  step-change approach every single time. Whereas habits are much more focused on what James clear says, like being 1% better every single day and being automatic, they point that you don't think about it.Part of that is definitely being having your identity change to, towards being someone who does the habit without even thinking rather than having a, be some heavy lifts, like you don't even count it as work anymore. So that's something I really appreciate with with the habit faction of the productivity group type.Okay. Yeah, I was just going to open up for discussion before, before we leave. And that was definitely, I was going to share all the slides. I think we have all the sights in slide five sorry. We have all the slides in zoom. I was also going to offer my discord.I usually run a pay discord. But I'm just going to share it with everyone here, if, as a thank you for coming along if you want to, continue the conversation. I have a small group of people who talk about this stuff and we share our work and we learned in public and we talk about just, all sorts of stuff.It's more coding related. But you're all welcome to join because you've been through this journey with me. And, and this is discord, so not everyone's on this cord and I understand that, but I'm in discord. It's it's a nice place to hang out throughout the day. Q&A: Denys on Learning in Public in YouTube [00:32:47] Okay. Yeah, I'm just going to open it up for general questions and answers or if anyone has a question that has a takeaway that they want to share about this course how they've changed in, in, in their perspective.Speaker 4: [00:32:58] Hi at first I wanted to publicly thank Sean for letting me use his learn in public posts. I used it to send to my newsletter subscribers about some thoughts I was having around learning in public so I could get feedback from them.And then I could actually do a public blog post on it. And when I discovered, when I sent it to my newsletter, subscribers is their idea of learning in public was gathering information and discussing it with other people. It really wasn't like producing work. So I need a different term for it, for my field.It's not, I, so it's given me something to noodle about, and it's just interesting. How things don't always translate the way you think they're going to translate. And then the one thing I learned in doing this course, I have this thing about always wanting to do everything, right?There's one best way to do it, and I'm going to figure out the way to do it and I'm going to do it right. And then I'm going to be super effective and productive or something. And what I got from the mentor sessions is each mentor took the BSAP course materials and really customized it for what they needed to produce, what they wanted to make in the world.And so Like you Sean were talking about you know, podcasts and blog posts and a newsletter. And I was like, that was awesome. And then I go to Ali and Elizabeth's session and they during YouTube videos and they're like, yeah, I don't do any of this other stuff. I just like, I use like these two pieces and this is what I use.And I don't worry about that. No, I don't worry about doing habits. I just do what I feel like, no, I don't do a routine. I just do whatever. I feel like I have energy for that day. Like, they're just like complete opposite of like a lot of other people. So it was really helpful cause it's just like, yeah, there's like no way to mess this up.There's here's a bunch of tools you can use them how you want. Pick what you need. This is how it works together. Don't get obsessed about, you know, notion or Rome or, you know, whatever, like just, you know, make life easier for yourself here. Here's an invitation, you know, and I was like, oh, this is so much such a relief, such a relief.I I've had a good time then implementing pieces of this in making my YouTube videos. And now I have a clear vision of what I want to do with it and how to keep adding onto it without punishing myself and trying to set up this really rigid structure. swyx: [00:35:23] So, yeah, it's is that your primary, medium? I actually don't know.Is it, is it, is your YouTube connected to P ancestors Speaker 4: [00:35:33] podcast page the high swyx: [00:35:35] CAS? I'm still not used to video podcasts. This is awesome. Speaker 4: [00:35:38] Okay. Well, I started, I said the podcast started with doing like interviews with people. And then this last season, I thought I'd make it more a narrative and actually do the work in public.Right. And like, you know, but I do have interviews on there with archivists and librarians and historians and authors and stuff like that. That was the first season. And. They're just like audio without the video component. And I can't believe you're going to watch this. Oh my goodness. Of course, swyx: [00:36:09] you're doing more.You are more on YouTube than I am. I'm just, I'm just messing around. Speaker 4: [00:36:13] I am so excited. I now have a hundred subscribers and I am like, oh yeah, I hit a hundred this weekend. And what's funny is in the statistics, like when YouTube shows you the statistics, like I know like people watched like 26 hours of my videos, like in the last week.Right. But like I have a hundred subscribers, right. Like I know how many people have watched and you know, it's really funny. So it is that 1% like that are actually interacting and commenting. So swyx: [00:36:45] it is, it is. That's why, that's why I think there's. That's what, that's the rule for general audiences? Because they don't necessarily have to have anything to say.But if the response rates are much higher, if you have a conversation with someone actively in that field, right. Which is why I always wanted to try to push people towards you know, picking what others put down in a sense of like, who else is doing this work? Who else can you bounce the energy off of so that you're, you're, you're both pushing yourself in, in, in new ways.So, so that's great. Thanks. Thanks so much for sharing. Yep. No, Speaker 4: [00:37:14] you're free to watch my videos. Now. I'm used to hearing myself talk now I'm watching myself so I can handle it. But that's the hardest part. swyx: [00:37:22] The imperfection piece, like this is, this is an ideal, right? Like, particularly cause you know, Tiago has to has the model, his behavior.We shouldn't, we shouldn't, we shouldn't think that we all have to do it exactly like he does. Because we all, we don't all teach building a second brain. We have other contexts as well. So I definitely view it as like a menu where you just pick off the stuff that you like. I really like para I really like the capture tool toolkit.I think 12 favorite fibers. The 12 number is bullshit. Yeah, Speaker 4: [00:37:52] I do too. I did seven cause then I had one for each day of the week that I could like pick up and look at, you know, and kind of unit one. When I journal in the morning, I could look, you know, so yeah. But yeah, I. Be a mentor in the next session.Oh, absolutely not now. There's swyx: [00:38:08] I think it, I think it really, Speaker 4: [00:38:11] this is all the stuff I don't use with this. Wonderful. Maybe I'll maybe I'll have more done, but I swyx: [00:38:18] don't know. Well, I mean, if you, if you just see like how disorganized I am, like you're, you're, you're doing fine. Speaker 4: [00:38:24] Beautiful though. I, I really love it.It made me like re I only subscribed for a few weeks, but it it, it inspired me to be more I don't know what the word is. I guess it's vulnerability or just sharing in my newsletter part. So rather than just saying, oh, here's the latest podcast, here's the latest blog post, you know, and, you know, a couple of nice things.So it was just like, oh, I'm just going to dump. And just like, just really talk to people. Like I'm actually talking to somebody on the other end of this email versus, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. swyx: [00:38:54] Right, right. To your friends, right. Your friend, and, you know, make a, a letter to your friend would be like, you know, like here's, here's, what's going on in my life.And then here's some other, like, so recently what I've done, just, just to show people I forget, what's the CK thing. Oh Speaker 4: [00:39:09] God. Like I just moved my oldest daughter into her first apartment. Right. So like, you know, like talking about that a little bit, it's like, oh, you use, I can use convert kit swyx: [00:39:19] kit too.It's awesome. Yeah. I reluctantly use it. There's so many bugs. Oh, it's not Speaker 4: [00:39:23] as bad as MailChimp. That thing is awful swyx: [00:39:26] booking software, as you see all the bugs and you're like, I could fix that, but I can't. Speaker 4: [00:39:30] Oh, I do have to tell you something funny. Cause I used to script to edit my videos. And when you switch like the temporal switch or whatever, but the the transcription transcribed, like the automatic transcription instead of Denise Allen, it calls me Sid Sydney salad.swyx: [00:39:45] That's bad. It's Speaker 4: [00:39:47] really funny. No, it cracks me up. I put it on Instagram. I was like, oh, I didn't say just scripted it. I, you know, I wasn't going to say it, but it was just like my transcriber's like Sydney salad. This is Sydney salad swyx: [00:39:59] with PAs. I don't know if anyone else uses district, but you can train it.You can, you can train it. Yeah. Speaker 4: [00:40:05] I noticed that. Yeah. You've looked into it every week. I learned something new and descript to make my life easier because then at least once a week they update the software. So they're constantly like, Hey, restart it, restart it. Can you restart it again? We added more updates.I'm like stop. And they add like new swyx: [00:40:21] buttons. Oh, there we go. Yep. Right there.Yep. Every time. Well, they're, you know, they're hard for your, for your money? No, Speaker 4: [00:40:32] no, it's a great product. I, swyx: [00:40:34] i, I wanted to show people like so the, the way I do my newsletter now is I don't just drop the link. I tell you why, why. My pitch for you reading it. And then if you're not going to read it, I'm going to tell you the, the, the punchline anyway.So I don't know. I'm just like innovating. I'm just like messing around with it. Cause I don't know if this helps people or not, but it's just to kind of let it out. I would want, so that's, that's just, that's just my only guideline. So yeah, too Speaker 2: [00:41:00] pitchy, swyx: [00:41:00] just give me a link is what Speaker 2: [00:41:03] it's it's too salesy or too pitchy.Just giving me a link. Yeah. Well, I, I, I like a description and a little bit of kind of what's in it before you click. swyx: [00:41:13] Yeah, exactly. Like I just, like, I want to do things that are different from everything else I'm seeing out there. So that's my only thing. It's just like, don't even do Speaker 2: [00:41:22] that Speaker 4: [00:41:22] the same way and there's no other, there's no other genealogists doing what I'm doing.There's nobody yet. No, I'm it. I'm the only one doing this format of podcasts. There's two guys that do like a. I'm just going to say the boomer show. I'm sorry. They're just like two older guys and they're just talking, you know, and it's fun and it's, it's horrible, but it's just, it's, you know, swyx: [00:41:44] if you like, if you like storytelling, have you, have you come across them off Speaker 4: [00:41:47] the moth?No. Oh no. I mean, my kids listened to it Speaker 2: [00:41:52] and handling, Speaker 4: [00:41:53] oh wait, let me, let me write this down. Hold Speaker 2: [00:41:58] on. She's a great book called everybody writes and she has a newsletter. She has a newsletter, which she writes as a letter to you. So it's not, and I know you started doing the same thing. It's a real newsletter.We're real content. That's kind of, it's completely separate. It's nearly like a blog post and an email, but it's really, really good. And she sends it on the Sunday. Speaker 4: [00:42:21] Oh, let's do that. Okay. I've been using the, do you know the story grid format from who's the guy that wrote to do the work, the guy that works with him?swyx: [00:42:33] I have no idea. Speaker 4: [00:42:36] Yes. I don't know where my book is. Yeah. You know, the S the story grid. I use that book somewhere. The whole idea of conflict and the, the number of beats per minute. I don't have it down at all, but I'm like, I, it was one of those things. Like I could either wait till I get it perfect.Practicing it on my own, or I could just start producing episodes and people will. Yes, the story grid book. That's, it's fantastic for developing nurse narrative storytelling. swyx: [00:43:09] Okay. That's awesome. Yeah. Wow. Okay. Well, thanks for sharing. Oh, I was just going to finish the thought with if you find a really good story to tell you might want to go on the math and then tell it because they, they really, they really like good stories and you, I'm sure you have a ton.I have a Speaker 4: [00:43:27] ton. I'm doing gene genealogy research. Yeah. I have a swyx: [00:43:31] ton. Cool. I'm gonna, let's see, let's see what they did. Q&A: Meryl Johnston on Learning in Public [00:43:34] A bunch of, a bunch of people commenting. I want to answer some questions. Meryl Johnston says, what about working in public? That's actually a title of a book that someone who has, has built but that's, that's more on open source.But yeah, it's, it's absolutely a thing building in public working public producing in public Speaker 3: [00:43:48] was suggesting that I'll just quickly jump in. I was suggesting that for Dennis, when she was saying that the public term didn't resonate with her group, you are suggesting a different name for that. Yeah.I came across working in public. Cause as a concept before I, before I heard of your concept, Swyx with the learning in public. So I've done the work in public before with public podcasts to share accountability of what I'm working on. But I like the framing of the learning in public. Yeah. That's something that I've actually taken away from, from the, from these courses, trying to get things out there earlier, even if I'm learning, if it's something that I'm learning about and trying to think through and making my own knowledge face more public.So that's actually something, an outcome that I really am happy about with the course that I got my own notion, my personal blog page up using notion as part that was one of my intermediate packet tasks. That's awesome.swyx: [00:44:46] Yeah. I like the framing of learning because if you just come across like that, no one can get angry at you for them.If you've got stuff wrong, then then you, even your strongest critics can just become your, your teachers, right? Like if you, if you just listen to what they're trying to say, some people get really offended when, when you get things in their domain wrong and you just go like, yeah, I'm just, I'm just learning this thing.And, and, and listen with an open mind. I think, I think you can learn something from almost everybody. So that's, that's something I, I, I prefer the term learning rather than building or working, but they're all in the same vein, which is, you know, do, do more put stuff out earlier and get more feedback.Are there so congrats on doing that. Okay, awesome. Thanks Merrill. Let's see, Dave Dave says, I think it could help giving members of the same, the group, same guidance, guidance on how you see effective learning. Maybe share your process with them. I'm not sure is that, that address to be Speaker 2: [00:45:38] no, that was the Denise. That was both the name. I think the name is somewhat important, but I think actual guidance on helping frame things. Cause I think we have the idea of airway is the best way. And also theater people who are doing it, not your way will think their way is the best way on thing. You're going to lead by example and say, this is how I do it this way.And this is why it's so good. And this is why it's so helpful, kind of, you know, dangled the carrot in front of them.The Resistance and Gratitude Journaling [00:46:04] swyx: [00:46:04] Cool. Very cool. Steven Pressfield is also known for the war of art which I feel like it would be a travesty not to mention that because it's, as one of the most cited books for pushing through the resistance that I feel often you know, so I have a commitment to myself to publish one blog post a week.And today I did it. Literally sometimes I get unblocked and then sometimes I feel the resistance and I don't push out anything in between May 28th and June 7th. I didn't, I didn't write anything. So I did technically miss a week. But I just, I pushed out the one I knew I could deliver today just for this group, essentially.That, that I thought like, yeah. Okay. I felt guilty about last week having poor internet issues. So I just wrote up what I was going to say anyway. But yeah, War of Art, really great for identifying the resistance and saying like, it's a, it's something that everyone, everybody deals with.Okay. Dave, Dave has a screenshot here. I don't know what the screenshot says. Quick to open. All right. Am I going to regret opening this, Dave? All right. You want to talk through this? What is this? Speaker 2: [00:47:02] You have some brilliant. If it was like, like a side profile in a year or something was like, I'm in the room.This is at the end of my newsletter. That's going out later on today. So I just thought it was quite relevant to share what we were talking about. Derek could have, you know, actually I'm panting people and that's what I'm trying to do. And that's what I'm trying to encourage. And that's kind of prior to the forum, I thought I'm going to put on the bottom of my newsletters is people that have inspired me or given me a voice or helped me out.I'm going to try to actually kind of those people as well to mention them. swyx: [00:47:35] Yeah. Yeah. That's really, that's really great. Yeah. So I think a gratitude practice is really helpful, particularly for just like enjoying life in, in Just, I think sometimes when we feel down, when we don't, we don't necessarily remember how, how lucky we are sometimes.So having a gratitude journal like that can be, can be really helpful. It's like Speaker 2: [00:47:53] you wrote this newsletter today. It really is. You're talking about gratitude minors that are starting to put technology on how I went on the tour and looked at old famine houses in Ireland from the 18th century on how technology back then was a blacksmith and a forage and a hammer and how we're.So, you know, we've luxury of kind of multinational media company of 20 years ago. We've more reached than they data right now from our laptop. And I was talking about how we needed to kind of be grateful and actually shared it with the world as well. This is so strange. It's like take a screenshot to my machine today.swyx: [00:48:32] Well, I mean, I I'm saying it based off of your prompt, so I did have something to go off of. Don't Just Write Essays: Remove Resistance [00:48:37]Oh, I should mention for those people who are starting on new blondes you might get caught in this. I I'm currently in this trap, so I'll, I'll show you something I'm struggling with right now, which is that everything I write is basically an essay.Some of them are very high. A very high impact. So for example, this was a very, this was a very highly traffic blog posts of mine. And people expect quite a lot out of it. But some of them are just tutorials, like how to do X and it's just my notes for myself. So I think, I think there's, there should be some kind of hierarchy in your, in your blogs.If you're setting up a blog of like something, that's an essay, something that's a tutorial or something, that's a note. So I don't think I necessarily do this very well. But I want it to give you an idea that like having some kind of separation of like, okay, these are essays. I don't have to put these out constantly, but notes are very low bar that I don't have to be a big deal.They can just be like a three you three sentence thing. And, and that's something that I see, I see coming up a lot in, in other people's work. So I think I may have covered this, but I just want to cover it again. Who's the guy that does five years. I care. There we go. This guy I may have talked about this, but a lot of these tiles are just like PIL, and then you just kind of block this here and that's, that's, that's an intermediate packet, right?Because that's a, that's a reusable thing that you can you can come back and tie up into a bigger blog post, or just use that as a reference for yourself. So that's, that's one form of Tio. The other one I did not cover in previous sessions is Nikita Boulevard. If there's, if there's a proper Russian speaker here, let me know.But this is, he has his own Wiki, so he just throws in like, okay, I'm interested in writing writing prompts. Great. And it's just, it's just updated over time, you know? I'm gonna, I'm gonna drop the link here so that you can see it. Glen says, it looks like he's using dead. John. I think he's using GitBook maybe then John's the, the trading tool.I'm not sure, but like having a place essentially where it's not a big deal to drop a piece of information and store it somewhere. And this is a public second brain, essentially. Right? I really like this compared to what I have. I just have a bunch of messages. And I feel restricted. I feel restricted.I feel the resistance, you know, like every, like, AF especially after I have a good one, then the next one has to top it and I, and I never do. So then I just stopped writing for two weeks. So set yourself up so that you don't Yeah, fall into this trap, essentially because I'm facing it right now. And  it's a real problem that I'm dealing with.So I like this, I like this approach. I like the TIL approach. And just any other way, which in which you can unblock itself from, from publishing something out there that doesn't have to be a big deal. Okay. Okay. I'll give you one more example and then I'll shut up, which is this, these CSS-Tricks has been doing this a lot again, so I, you know, I'm very developer focused, but here, this blog post is one paragraph.Sorry. No, well, it it's, it's riffing off of someone else's blog posts. Let me, let me see if I can find a better example for you. Cause I don't think maybe I can just find his work. Speaker 2: [00:51:32] I know what you're talking about, but do you like swyx: [00:51:34] those posts? Well, he's, he's adding his commentary, you know, that's that's it it's it's it doesn't have to be a big deal.So maybe you don't, maybe you don't like it just cause like it's, it's, it's so minor. But it's actually substantial part Speaker 2: [00:51:46] of the behind CSS tricks that, that I find the value is to go and look for something. And then I learned that their article, I would be thinking, great, I'm going to get what I've used to.I'm going to get to swyx: [00:51:56] detail in here, look at this, like it's someone else's blog posts and he's just taking the most relevant parts. And then it says link to the blog posts. So it's a form of progressive summarization, but it's a blog post for him. But like, Hey, you know, he agrees. That's why he's quoting it.Speaker 2: [00:52:12] Well, I do agree with that, that if it can be as short as possible card is too much of that going to influence I'm writing a blog, it has to be at least 800 awards swyx: [00:52:23] know, I'll ask you what Speaker 2: [00:52:23] SEO bullshit swyx: [00:52:25] stuff. Yeah, exactly, exactly. So I really like this. I really like this idea of like, just removing resistance, you know, it doesn't, it's not about this format.It's not about my format or whatever, but just if you feel resistance like I don't Speaker 2: [00:52:38] think for people to start note though, I think for people starting now, you need to be cautious that this is not a shortcut to publishing more and more, and you haven't given it that time to kind of marinade in your consciousness as well.Three Strikes Rule [00:52:51]swyx: [00:52:51] Yeah. So yeah, th I would say, I would say to something on the order of like, that's why, that's why I have the three strikes rule. Right. Something, I, I definitely think about a lot in terms of like the first time you come across, the first time you come across something, you've just heard about it.So you don't have that much of an opinion. The second time you've started to explain it, but you also found it useful to, to explain the second time and the third time you have enough of a context to start writing about it. So I find, I find this very helpful for moving that, that diamond leftwards because there are natural positions for the diamond to be all, all the way shifted to the right this diamond the code diamond, right?Like the natural position is to be all the way here. We need to, we need to find ways to move it all the way, all the way left as much as possible to, to try to convert more. Okay. So, IP says 35 principles post. You got it coming up. I do have a search on my site. Okay. So, yeah. All right. All right.Guy Margalith on Fear and Your Second Brain [00:53:40]So I'm gonna, I'm gonna leave it there in terms of like the content that I have. But I wanted to leave some room for a guy since you're, since guys here. Not to put you on the spot again, but like, people love no last time you took over, what, what do you normally cover in your session?Yeah, I just recap Speaker 3: [00:53:55] yours actually. No, I mean only partially joking. I I've gotten such wonderful content today from you and also from others, Denise in particular. So thank you for that. I'm actually going to quote you. I hope you don't mind Denise in my session tomorrow. For me it's tomorrow, I don't know for others.So I would say the, the one big takeaway I got from your sessions and from Tiago sessions and from taking the course again and teaching it is something that's been really bugging me about my second brain. And I couldn't really articulate it as clearly until this until probably this week. There was a, in the premium Q and a, for those who are in the premium option for building a second brain Tiago had, well, one of the, I think one of the students also had a fantastic quote and I'm going to piece it in the chat here because it really resonated with me.And here I found it and just bear with me for one second. While I pasted in here, the student was Andrea Ames and she said she was talking about fear, fear, and your second brain. And for me, this really resonated you're talking about the resistance a bit. Swyx and for me it's that resistance is fear b

Getting traction with any new business is a challenge. That is why selecting the right problem to solve for the right market is so important. Join co-hosts Matt Stubbs and Meryl Johnston for this ‘working in public' series focused around building a SaaS.  “Software that isn't shipped isn't useful to anyone' Matt Stubbs In our […]

Meryl Johnston is the Founder and CEO of award-winning, Xero Bookkeeping and Financial Reporting firm, Bean Ninjas. Her mission is to take the stress out of managing business finances for entrepreneurs, to allow them to have happy, busy and successful lives. Meryl and her team love working, with coaches, bloggers, e-commerce and services businesses. In addition to her role as being CEO of Bean Ninjas, she’s also an avid surfer and the co-host of the podcast, Bean Ninjas.

In this clip from episode #125 of the ProActive Podcast, Bean Ninjas' Meryl Johnston explains the importance of having perspective in your ambitions.

In this clip from episode #125 of the ProActive Podcast, Meryl Johnston reveals the inspiration behind her business pursuits, as well as how she balances her career and lifestyle.

In this clip from episode #125 of the ProActive Podcast, Meryl Johnston and Chris Hogan discuss curating an international business team, internships, and content marketing.

In 2016, Meryl Johnston founded an accounting business that now has roots in Australia, Serbia, the Philippines, Amsterdam, the UK, and the US. On this episode of the ProActive Podcast, find out how she built the Bean Ninjas empire while retaining her core value of ‘freedom'.

http://microconfremote.com What are Quick Fixes? We asked some pretty smart people a pretty hard question: What is 1 thing you can do today that is going to make tomorrow and on easier for you to run your business? Meryl Johnston, Co-Founder of Bean Ninjas, takes a deep look into things that founders at a few different stages of their journey can be optimizing their finances for the future. If you want to join in on the conversation with over 1400 other founders, join MicroConf Connect, a slack community space where you can meet founders from around the globe working on cool products in a sustainable way. Head over to http://microconfconnect.com for more details. This video was recorded on September 1, 2020 in Minneapolis MN. All proper social distancing, PPE, and health and safety measures were taken in the production of this show. Note, this is not a live session, so calls for questions, survey, etc… are all pre-recorded.

http://microconfremote.com What are Quick Fixes? We asked some pretty smart people a pretty hard question: What is 1 thing you can do today that is going to make tomorrow and on easier for you to run your business? Meryl Johnston, Co-Founder of Bean Ninjas, takes a deep look into things that founders at a few different stages of their journey can be optimizing their finances for the future. If you want to join in on the conversation with over 1400 other founders, join MicroConf Connect, a slack community space where you can meet founders from around the globe working on cool products in a sustainable way. Head over to http://microconfconnect.com for more details. This video was recorded on September 1, 2020 in Minneapolis MN. All proper social distancing, PPE, and health and safety measures were taken in the production of this show. Note, this is not a live session, so calls for questions, survey, etc… are all pre-recorded.

Meryl Johnston is Chief Executive Officer & Founder of BeanNinjas.com About Meryl Johnston Meryl is a Chartered Accountant who previously worked in commercial accounting roles and as an auditor and lecturer before a friend and fellow entrepreneur playfully challenged her to redefine the future of bookkeeping. Seven days and a thousand dollars later, Bean Ninjas was born and has since gone from strength-to-strength. Nicola met Meryl online, became a client, they then had lunch when Nicola went to speak in Sydney & The Gold Coast where Meryl is based. You can follow Meryl on the Bean Ninjas podcast and blog where she interviews interesting entrepreneurs, shares her ideas about entrepreneurship, surfing and building a thriving global business that supports the freedom of its founders, staff and clients. Connect with Meryl BeanNinjas.com Please listen to the podcast to hear Meryl's full mind, marketing and money tips for entrepreneurs. You may also be interested in my book, "Mindset, Marketing & Money" Vol 1, featuring Rich Schefren, Jeni Hott, James Schramko, Dan Norris, Margaret Wright and Ryan Levesque, available now on Amazon UK | Amazon US

Today I’m speaking with Meryl Johnston, Founder and CEO of Bean Ninjas. In this episode, we talk about . . . Meryl’s goal of wanting to start and run a business. We explore why Chartered Accountants launch bookkeeping practices and the importance of clean data. The impact of public facing accountability, working in public and sharing what you are doing, the highs and the lows in real time. The Bean Ninja tech stack, which included a few new tools I’d not heard of! How they nurture continuous learning in the work environment, through a structured Emerging Leaders program, and lunch and learn opportunities.  And Meryl mentioned the book Deep Work by Cal Newport. Subscribe to the Accounting Apps newsletter here http:// HeatherSmithAU.COM

Today’s Guest Meryl Johnston Meryl is a Chartered Accountant who worked in commercial accounting roles and as an auditor and lecturer before a friend and fellow entrepreneur playfully challenged her to redefine the future of bookkeeping. Seven days and a thousand dollars later, Bean Ninjas was born and has since gone from strength-to-strength. ​ You can follow Meryl on the Bean Ninjas podcast and blog where she shares her ideas about entrepreneurship, surfing and building a thriving global business that supports the freedom of its founders, staff and clients. Website: beanninjas.com Gain Business Financial Control Step 1: Implement a cloud-based accounting system. Step 2: Create your business bank accounts. Step 3: Have a look at your chart of accounts. Step 4: Establish your bookkeeping timetable. Support the show: https://www.systemhub.com/podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It takes a truly fearless person to act on a leap of faith, but the most ambitious entrepreneurs know that taking risks can be  essential to progress. You can't go anywhere without stepping outside your comfort zone, but knowing that doesn't necessarily make it any less daunting of a prospect. Meryl Johnston is a serial entrepreneur who knows how to make shit happen. Her company Bean Ninja, and even Meryl herself, would not be where they are today if she didn't fully embrace taking on calculated risks and the occasional leap of faith. Trust is required to grow your company. As you bring new people on, contract work out, and share more of your content and company with the world, there's an inherent feeling of vulnerability. In this episode, Meryl shares how she cultivates trust with her team, her clients, and other key figures. That willingness to follow her gut instincts about people and take chances has propelled her company to incredible heights. To learn more about Meryl and Ninja Beans, check out the company's website or connect with Meryl on LinkedIn.The Finding Fearless Podcasts primary purpose is to highlight female entrepreneurs' voices. This has been a Fearless Foundry production. All audio is recorded and owned by Fearless Foundry.

Productized services have long been a subject of discussion on this podcast. They are a relatively attractive business model, especially among first-time entrepreneurs, and we've shared many examples over the years of how to create these kinds of businesses and scale them. Meryl Johnston, founder of the online bookkeeping firm Bean Ninjas, recently started a rather lively debate in the members' forum of our online community The Dynamite Circle with a post titled, ‘Are Productized Services Overrated?’ We've invited Meryl on to the show to find out why she decided to raise that question and to hear her thoughts on a business model that she has personally followed for the last five years. Meryl joins us today to discuss what a productized service really is, the strengths and weaknesses of the model, and why she's wondering whether her own company needs to evolve past it.

In this episode I sat down with Meryl Johnston, Founder and CEO of Bean Ninjas, host of the Bean Ninjas podcast and creator of the Know Your Numbers online finance course. Meryl is a Chartered Accountant who specialises in the cloud accounting software “Xero”.She founded Bean Ninjas in July 2015 with $1,000 following a 7 Day Startup methodology.Now, 5 years later, the company operates in Australia, the US, and UK and has a distributed team of 15 people. Meryl is also a mentor of Rob Walling's accelerator Tiny Seed and has been featured in articles by Xero, Chartered Accountants ANZ as well as popular podcasts including, TMBA, SuperfastBusiness, and Pat Flynn's Ask Pat2.0.Meryl believes in people over profit, the power of building systems, remote work, and being a coach rather than a manager. When not out transforming how services businesses operate, Meryl can be found surfing at a local Gold Coast beach or hanging out with her partner and baby daughter. Connect with MerylLinkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/meryl-johnston-3a483728Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnston_merylKey Points Discussed:Xero Awards Experience, Bean Ninjas and Surf Routine in Between 01:30Personal Finance and Freedom Number 10:05Maneuvering Business Hold Downs 21:35Biggest Learnings and Takeaways in Business Partnership 26:25What Does Success Look Like to you now 33:34 Making Data Driven Decisions 35:04Key Takeaways:There is no such thing as overnight success in business. The importance of looking into the grind needed before setting off on a business journey.Being able to sort out personal finances and think on how you can maintain a base income.Picking an easy business model that will compliment your skill set to start with and always ask questions that make you think bigger.The definition of success can vary from owning your time to actually finding value in growing a team and creating business opportunities to running a business while being a parent at the same time. But on a grand scale, success is really about freedom and creating time for the things that you love to do while creating an impact for others.Connect with Me and the Barrels and Business Community:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrelsandbusinessInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/barrelsandbusiness/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadegreenau/YouTube: https://bit.ly/jadegreenytWebsite: https://www.barrelsandbusiness.com/ Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's coaching call, I talk to a Bean Ninja. That's bean as in bean counter. A great name for a full-service bookkeeping website, right? Meryl Johnston started her business in 2015 with just $1,000 and a dream of changing the global bookkeeping game, and it's grown into something amazing. Sometimes, when we grow our businesses, we have new opportunities that come up and we aren't quite sure how to handle them or how they might even fit into the brand, or even if we should just ignore the opportunity altogether. Meryl is here to talk about whether she should add services for a new audience onto her brand and if so, how to do it. If you enjoyed today's episode and you love the format of this show and helping other entrepreneurs, can you help me convince others to listen too? All you have to do is leave a quick review and rating on iTunes (and subscribe if you haven't already). That would mean the world to me, so thank you so much!Today’s sponsor is FreshBooks, who make the best financial management software out there. It’s ridiculously easy to use and their interface is highly-visual and super-intuitive. You can actually get an unrestricted, thirty-day trial for free; just go to FreshBooks.com/askpat and enter “Ask Pat” in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.Buy my new book Superfans!

When does it make sense to create or launch a new and separate business unit to your core business? This is the question that Bean Ninjas CEO Meryl Johnston and Anfernee Chansamooth, Bean Ninjas Learning & Community Lead, answer in this episode of the Bean Ninjas Podcast. Bean Ninjas have offered courses since January 2019 […]

Numbers. Finances. Financial reports and systems.  These are just some of the words that challenge business owners often but something that is extremely  crucial in any business.  But what if you don’t consider yourself a numbers person? If you can resonate, then this podcast is for you.  In this episode, Samantha and Meryl talk about what you need to know to be confident in knowing your numbers and building a strong financial system that will work for you.  WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Tips on financing your way into a business (8:58) First stepping stone to building your business (11:14) The Profit First methodology (12:34) Being confident with numbers (15:30) Importance of getting the right team for your business (17:00) What knowing your numbers actually mean (17:23) The two key financial reports you need to have (19:13) Elements of a financial system (19:46) Do you need to use an accounting system like Xero straight away? (21:38) Disadvantages of using a Spreadsheet in the long run (24:21) Communicating with your accountant (26:03) Financial system frameworks (27:20) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/158 Haven’t left a review yet?  We’d love your help to get to 100 reviews.  All you have to do is go to http://samanthariley.global/itunes Thanks so much for your support of the show! Do you have a guest suggestion for the Thought Leaders Business Lab podcast, a suggestion for a topic, or maybe a question you’d like answered on the show?  Click here and let us know: https://samanthariley.global/submit-suggestion/

Numbers. Finances. Financial reports and systems.  These are just some of the words that challenge business owners often but something that is extremely  crucial in any business.  But what if you don't consider yourself a numbers...

Are you using Xero for your business accounting the right way? Here are some common Xero mistakes for you to avoid.   Episode 86 is a solo episode with Meryl Johnston, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Bean Ninjas, where she talks about 9 common Xero mistakes in the areas of Xero set up, admin, […]

In another exciting Rising Tide Startups, we chat with Bean Ninja founder and XERO accounting expert Meryl Johnston.  Meryl launched Bean Ninjas in 2015 with $1000 and a dream of changing the global bookkeeping game. It has since grown from Meryl’s kitchen table into the multi-national, award-winning business it is today.  Learn more at beanninjas.com […] The post 3.9 – Meryl Johnston – Bean Ninjas appeared first on Rising Tide Startups.

This episode of Fractal Marketing with Gerard Doyle is “Scaling Your Business Using A Remote Team – with Meryl Johnston”. Meryl is the Founder of Bean Ninjas, a bookkeeping and financial reporting firm, and today leads an in-depth discussion on how to achieve success using a remote team that works with members from anywhere in […] The post Scaling Your Business Using A Remote Team – with Meryl Johnston appeared first on The marketing agency for service professionals.

Diving into entrepreneurship is challenging, especially if you already have a high-paying job in the corporate world. However, many people still underestimate the mindset they need to adapt to become successful as a business owner. The transition isn't for everyone, but those that are courageous enough to pursue this path should know how to scale their businesses sustainably.   In today's podcast, Meryl Johnston shares her experience in building Bean Ninjas, a thriving bookkeeping firm that provides accounting services to clients from around the globe. She lets us in on the lessons she learned in her journey from leaving her corporate accounting job to becoming CEO and Founder of Bean Ninjas.   Check out these podcast highlights and remember to listen to the show to learn about the strategies you need to build a global business.   Making the Jump From Accounting to Entrepreneurship (2:57) Accounting is a great way to get insights into the business world. By running the numbers and working behind the scenes, accountants can get an in-depth view of the finances of businesses. Leaving the corporate world to pursue entrepreneurship is risky. You need to have a vision that will steer you onward and the willingness to make sacrifices. For Meryl, it was the desire to build something bigger than her corporate world that convinced her to establish her own business. She knew that becoming an entrepreneur means temporarily postponing her target lifestyle. Nonetheless, her desire for work-life balance motivated her to pursue her business. The Importance of Establishing a Corporate Vison (08:30) Business owners must be able to set a vision that is effective at inspiring their teams. Your vision may be very motivating for you, but it may be ineffective for other people. Be more inclusive by establishing a corporate vision that accounts for what your employees want. Identifying the Unique Needs of Your Customers (10:54) Any business should be able to give something of value to their customers, setting them apart from their competitors. Global enterprises can benefit from diversification, ensuring that their employees can understand the intricate businesses of their various clients. Bean Ninjas distinguishes itself by providing accounting services finetuned to the businesses of their clients, many of which aren't familiar with other accountants. Building and Maintaining Remote Teams (14:34) It takes time to build a global scope. Focus on consistent but sustainable growth. Hiring top-notch talent is crucial at the beginning since their performance helps establish a platform for future growth. Look for flexible people, since early on, you'll require them to work on roles that may change frequently. Engage with your employees, understand their career goals, and steer them toward roles that will make them grow and keep them invested in the company. Coping in Difficult Times (21:53) Just keep working at it; even the worst periods don't last forever. Focus on the fundamental day-to-day operations and keep your resilience. Book Recommendation and Rituals (25:20)   The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss Meryl relies on a disciplined morning routine focusing on surfing or beachside runs at 5 in the morning, along with regular sessions of yoga and meditation.     You can connect more with Meryl through her LinkedIn profile. You can also check out Bean Ninjas for more information about their bookkeeping services.   Thank you for listening! If you want more podcast episodes and other resources, visit my website, John Murphy International.

How to find an ideal employee? Listen in as Meryl Johnston and Barbara Turley discuss finding high-quality workers.

Today's Guest In this episode we take you through a case study. Meryl used her productized bookkeeping service to figure out the content for her online course. We go over the beta & first launch and her experience marketing the course. Meryl Johnston is an expert in accounting and book keeping.. This is the 140th […] The post SBM 140: Using Solutions from Your Service to Create an Online Course with Meryl Johnston appeared first on The Smart Brand Marketing Podcast: Online Business | Content Marketing | SEO | Sales | Lifestyle Design.

Meryl Johnston launched Bean Ninjas in 2015 with $1000 and a dream of changing the global bookkeeping game. It has since grown from Meryl’s kitchen table into the multi-national, award-winning business it is today.

Discover what makes a business partnership successful: Wayne Richard shares what he came to learn in his 1st year of running Bean Ninjas alongside Meryl.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first few years of a new business can be rather messy and disorganized as you experiment with your products, branding, strategies, pricing, etc. - but if you want to grow and scale, then you need to get your house in order. Today's guest is Meryl Johnston of Bean Ninjas, and she shares exactly what she did to give her company a great foundation for growth. We also talk about how her own role in the business has evolved, and how she has adapted to running a business while being a new parent. Links and comments: http://www.entrepreneursinmotion.com/beanninjas

Do I Need a VA and a Bookkeeper? Want the transcript? Download it here. In this episode, Matt and Barbara speak to Bean Ninjas founder and CEO, Meryl Johnston about why it's so important for companies to have a strong financial team, what that team needs to look like, and why financial reporting tools are the key to business stability and growth.   Some of the areas covered include: Meryl's journey from a consulting firm to global, systemized, online business and the perils behind bringing in virtual contractors before you have your processes in place.   Let us know what your key takeout has been from this episode and join the continuing conversation over in the Virtual Success Facebook Group.   In this episode: 1:50 Xero as a Platform 2:38 Aspects of Utilizing Virtual Teams 4:50 Boundaries 5:12 Key Roles Within the Finance Team 8:21 Cost-Effectiveness Medium 10:14 Bookkeeping Role vs VA Role 12:55 Differences with Bookkeepers and VAs 15:11 Stop Doing Book 16:42 Xero Cleanup 19:29 Reporting Practices 20:53 Where to Start 22:10 Building Skillsets 23:22 Next Steps Intro: Do you find yourself running out of time to accomplish your work, are you spending time doing things that you're not that good at? There are effective ways to outsource these tasks so you can focus on your business. This is the Virtual Success Show, we bring the inside scoop on outsourcing success for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. And now here are your hosts Matt Malouf and Barbara Turley. Barbara Turley: Hey everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Virtual Success Show. Where we dissect everything you need to know about how to outsource, how to get the right team members into your business, and how to do it all in the right order. Because today's show we're going to be dissecting a very common problem, and I'm going to be sharing a big trap that I fell into myself. But of course today I'm joined by my cohost, Matt Malouf. Hi, Matt! How's it going? Matt Malouf: I'm well, Barbara, and yourself? Xero as a Platform Barbara: I'm great, thank you. And I'm pretty excited that on the back of last week's show, we invited Meryl Johnston, who's the founder and CEO of Bean Ninjas back to the show to dissect this particular problem with me. So Meryl, welcome back to the show. Meryl Johnston: It's great to be back. Thanks. Barbara: So guys, I was chatting with Meryl after we interviewed Meryl around the growth of Bean Ninjas and her experience around managing a global virtual team. Because obviously, that's the genesis of this show. But in chatting after the show, I was sharing a story that I... A trap I fell into myself around using Vas, bookkeepers, accountants. And in the very early days, not that long ago, really, I decided in my wisdom that if I had Xero as a platform, which is your, you know the platform that everyone's using I guess globally for bookkeeping and accounting. And a good VA that I could show a few tricks of the trade to, that then I wouldn't need a bookkeeper. And I went that route, and needless to say it blew up in my face. Let's just put it that way. After a couple of years, and really cost a lot of pain. It wasn't the VA's fault. It was just a whole host of problems. And Matt, I'm sure as a recovering accountant yourself, this is making you chuckle because I'm sure you see this a lot. Aspects of Utilizing Virtual Teams Matt: I do. I do. You know, I think it's interesting. Barbara, you and I have talked about this in many aspects of utilizing virtual teams, but find it, yeah. People's expectations of that whole concept of the super VA that can do everything is still very, very prevalent in today's society, business community. Barbara: Absolutely. And you know, actually, I am still recovering, honestly, from that mistake myself. I was quite badly burnt. All my own fault. Completely and utterly my own fault. And Meryl, that's kind of what led me to your company in the end, to go, "Oh my God.

How Bean Ninjas CEO Meryl Johnston Built A Global Virtual Powerhouse Want the transcript? Download it here. In this episode, Matt and Barbara speak to Meryl Johnston, the CEO, and founder of Bean Ninjas. Some of the areas covered include: Meryl's journey from a consulting firm to global, systemized, online business and the perils behind bringing in virtual contractors before you have your processes in place.   Let us know what your key takeout has been from this episode and join the continuing conversation over in the Virtual Success Facebook Group. In this episode: 1:20 Meryl Johnson the founder and CEO of Bean Ninjas 3:38 The power of systems and processes 4:29 Building a business to scale 8:38 Key Tools or Methods to manage your team 10:24 Wrike 12:06 Systems, tools, and Processes as the front driver 13:30 The Strength of the machine 14:01 Team Meetings 17:07 Concept of the Lunch and Learn 18:02 Virtual Christmas Celebration 20:43 Local knowledge vs Overseas Knowledge 24:39 Training Guide Procedures 29:27 Highlights of the show 33:14 External Leverage 35:09 Top 3 Learnings working with Virtual Team Intro: Do you find yourself running out of time to accomplish your work, are you spending time doing things that you're not that good at? There are effective ways to outsource these tasks so you can focus on your business. This is the Virtual Success Show, we bring the inside scoop on outsourcing success for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. And now here are your hosts Matt Malouf and Barbara Turley. Barbara Turley: Hey everyone and welcome to another episode of the Virtual Success Show. I'm joined by my co-host Matt Malouf as always. Hey Matt. Matt Malouf: Hey Barb. How are you? Barbara: I'm good. And you? Matt: I'm excellent. Yeah, I'm enjoying a sunny day here in Sydney after what's been a very, very wet sort of week down here. Barbara: Yes, unusually so for Sydney. But the Sydney sun is back, which is awesome. Matt: It is, it is. Barbara: Yeah. So we're back, guys, doing one of our interview series, which we love doing. We love when we find interesting business owners that are building virtual teams and can really add value to our listeners and to ask quite frankly about how they're doing things. So today's guest is someone who's become somewhat of a friend of mine, Meryl Johnston, and she is the founder and CEO of Bean Ninjas, which is a bookkeeping, financial reporting, and education business. She's also a chartered accountant. She's host up her own podcast, the Bean Ninjas podcast, which I definitely can recommend listening to. And she's also a big surfer living on the Gold Coast, the beautiful Gold Coast here in Australia. So welcome to the show Meryl. Meryl Johnson the founder and CEO of Bean Ninjas Meryl Johnston: Hi Barb. Hi Matt. Great to be here. Barbara: Good. So listen, why don't you just give us the quick rundown, Bean Ninjas. What is it? Why did you start it? Meryl: Well, Bean Ninjas is a bookkeeping and financial recording business, and before starting Bean Ninjas, I was running a consulting firm, not very cleverly named MCJ Consulting, my initials. And I was doing project accounting work and quite quickly found the business difficult to scale. It was hard from a cash flow perspective, with project work being lumpy, and it was difficult to build a team. And I looked at some other business models out there and the kind of business that I wanted to build, which was recurring revenue, it would have processes so I could scale the business and I wanted it to have global potential. And then I looked at my skill set, which is accounting and thought about how I could marry the two together, my skill set and the kind of business that I wanted. And that's where Bean Ninjas was born. I founded the business with a co-founder who had a similar vision of creating a global business and a business that we could run from anywhere in the world. So that was where it started.

How are million dollar coaching businesses built? Taki Moore teaches us what's working for him and his clients. In Episode 52 of the Bean Ninjas Podcast, Meryl Johnston talks to Taki Moore about how to build million dollar coaching businesses using content and frameworks. How Taki Moore transitioned from ‘marketing guy' to maker of million […]

Want to learn from our new product launch strategy? This week Meryl Johnston and Wayne Richard share lessons, challenges and wins from launching 2 products.

On this week's episode I sit down with Meryl Johnston of Bean Ninjas, a productized service focused on bookkeeping i.e. tracking day-to-day transactions in Xero.   Meryl came from a background in accounting where she worked on a lot of custom projects that took a lot of time to scope and scale. From this experience, she was able to look back on all the flaws and backtrack to create processes solving those problems.   There are some great tidbits on systemized scaling in this episode. Meryl and I agree, it's all about going to market and then figuring out how to deliver. Generating leads and making sales isn't so much the problem - it's working out how to deliver the service and having the right teams members and processes in place to deliver well.   Tune in to hear about the evolution Bean Ninja, from the early stages of figuring out what types of customers to market to, through to delivering great experiences for people they enjoy working with.

Want to go behind the scenes of an actual product development process? This is the first of our Product Development Process series. Meryl Johnston and Wayne Richard go behind the scenes of 2 Bean Ninjas product launches - a new Xero Foundations online course, and a Virtual CFO offering for small business.

Struggling to free yourself up from day-to-day operations? This week Bean Ninjas founder Meryl Johnston shares her thoughts and tips on how To Build A Business That Can Run Without You.

Meryl chats about some common questions she gets asked about Bean Ninjas and business in general.

Meryl talks through what a week at CEO of Bean Ninjas is like, including the problems and challenges that are faced.

In this episode, I am joined by Meryl Johnston, founder of Bean Ninjas. We will talk about her journey on growing her business, building relationships and networking, the systems they use and, most importantly, building her remote team based on values that enable parents to have a career and at the same time take care of their families.Important Links Mentioned in the Show:Bean Ninjas WebsiteBean Ninjas Facebook Business PageAngela Henderson WebsiteAngela Henderson Active Business Facebook GroupAngela Henderson Facebook Business Page Angela Henderson Instagram

http://www.tropicalmba.com/maitie/ Today's show is all about seizing opportunities. Last year, Dan and Ian invited Greg Gerber, who is a member of our community The Dynamite Circle, on to the show to talk about how he gifted an up-and-coming entrepreneur an all-expenses-paid trip to our annual event in Barcelona. This idea of "paying it forward" has really taken off in the community since then. At our recent event in Austin, TX, Meryl Johnston offered two free tickets on behalf of her company, Bean Ninjas. Dan and Ian contributed a few free tickets of their own, with others offering free airfare, coaching, and more. On today's podcast, you'll hear from one of the recipients of that gift. Jen Anderson is the founder of Mai-Tie, a company that makes unique, fashionable bowties out of vintage Hawaiian shirts. While her business is still in its infancy, she has a huge amount of experience in the startup world, and some interesting insights into that as well. This is the story of what it takes to find your people.

In this episode, I answer 2 questions from a meetup I ran at a conference in Bangkok with Meryl Johnston from episode 3. In this episode: Choosing the right accounting software. When to hire an internal accounts team?

Meryl Johnston from Bean Ninjas has many hidden talents including professionally playing tennis. She had a career in Management Accounting but could not get this to work and she was backed into a corner where she was forced to create a career in consulting.  She has great advise and mentoring from her father and Dan Norris and launched a fixed fee bookkeeping service.  She talks through what she has learnt from helping small business owners grow their business by focusing on the financials. She also shared her personal experience of scaling her own business.    There were lots of great takeaways in the episode, so grab that pen and notepad, and enjoy! How to productise a service business  What support you need when you are faced with limited options How to define your ideal client How to create repeatable processes for your team Importance of cash flow and the difference between net profit and net cash The 2min rule   Important Links & Mentions From This Episode: Meryl Johnston's LinkedIn Profile Bean Ninjas Website  Podcast: Dan's Mastermind and Tropical MBA Out for Australia Loom Slack

My guest on this episode is Meryl Johnston, an entrepreneurial chartered accountant based on the Gold Coast, Australia who runs Bean Ninjas online bookkeeping service. In this episode: Meryl's background; she’s more entrepreneur than accountant! The difference between a bookkeeper, (tax) accountant, and virtual CFO. Why and how to track the profitability of individual clients and team members, with minimal effort. Meryl and I started Bean Ninjas in June 2015, and then after 18 months of decent growth I sold my share of the business to Meryl. This episode was recorded 6 months after that sale.

Meryl Johnston runs Bean Ninjas, a bookkeeping service primarily for online businesses. She's based in Australia. In this episode of The Next 100 Days Podcast she advises us about cloud accounting and how you can move to the cloud and sort your book keeping problems easily in the next 100 days. Meryl's background Meryl had a traditional path – university and worked at a mid-tier firm where she became a chartered accountant. She questioned why she was working in a Melbourne firm and moved to a Gold Coast. To another firm. She repeated the same long nights etc, so decided to start her consultancy business. Having thought about the frustrations of working a consultancy business, she started Bean Ninjas in July 2015 with a business partner. She wanted recurring revenue. Fixed cash flow that she could predict each month. Making it easier to hire a team. Concentrating on one defined task, to make it easier to systematise the business. Bean Ninjas now have a team of 10 and 100 clients. Meryl Johnston - Bean Ninjas and cloud accounting in the next 100 days Who are Bean Ninjas? Bean Ninjas offer a bookkeeping service. Requires a lower skill set. Make sure all information in accounting software is accurate. Day to day transactions, sales, expenses and payroll are all entered accurately. Her clients include ex-accountants – it's a task they realise they ought not to do, so they free time to grow their business. Some business owners are in a mess. Once the business gets to $100k they ought to be focusing on other areas rather than accounting. Meryl has taken a service business – consultancy and created a systematised product business. She learnt quickly to identify her market. A market that has a particular set of clients. She has 3 fixed pricing tiers, fixed service products suited to different clients. Once she realised which clients saw value in the different aspects of her product, and where her unique skills were, she evolved her prices into the 3 pricing tiers. She worked out there is a gap in the bookkeeping industry in understanding online businesses. They might be selling overseas They might have customers throughout the world Their business works online They might have a remote team They might pay their staff in different currencies The business might be selling on Shopify or Amazon To do the bookkeeping for those types of business requires knowledge that traditional bookkeeping services don't possess. Bean Ninjas now specialise in this area. They didn't start with that niche, but their business evolved there. What cloud accounting service do Bean Ninjas use? Meryl's team uses Xero as her accounting service and Shoeboxed for receipt processing She also uses Skype and Slack as tools to communicate as her clients are remote. Bean Ninjas are not the right fit for someone who wants a book keeper to visit their premises, Most of bookkeeping happens online now anyway. Xero takes bank feeds. Xero has 500 add-ons. Bean Ninjas makes sure everything is setup correctly. Less about entering information but more about ensuring the system is setup correctly. Kevin has experience of this too. He bought Shoeboxed, a plug in for Xero, taking photos of receipts and automatically enters the information. He admitted the image capture was a little wrong – it meant he had to correct the currency back to £ from $ on occasional receipts, but even with this issue the time saving is enormous. ReceiptBank is similar but excellent too. Kevin also has T Sheets, to record consultancy time. T Sheets works with Xero to link timesheet and client billing. We featured another Xero add in in episode 72. Floatapp. Kevin also uses Floatapp with Xero to forecast and manage cashflow. There are lots of plug-ins for all kinds of business. Think about what industry you are in to prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed. What influenced the Bean Ninjas mindset?

On this episode, I'm joined by founder of Bean Ninjas and business growth and systems whizz, Meryl Johnston. Meryl has embraced the true art of business ownership. If you want to know how to scale and grow your business or want to get tips and insights into accounting for dentists, this episode is for you. Meryl is a Chartered Accountant. She started her career in the audit division at BDO (Melbourne), followed by a number of years in commercial roles and a stint as a lecturer in accounting and audit. Meryl is a keen surfer and can often be found at her home break at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast. We talk about: • The phenomenal growth of Bean Ninjas • Transitioning into real business ownership from the owner-operator mindset • Building a team • The importance of key drivers • Streamlining your bookkeeping to free up your time • And much more. Upcoming Workshop: Profitable, Scalable, Sellable 23/24 February 2017 - Surfers Paradise Register here: drjessegreen.com/nailit Find out more about Meryl Johnston: Bean Ninja's website: https://beanninjas.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meryl-johnston-3a483728/

On this episode, I'm joined by founder of Bean Ninjas and business growth and systems whizz, Meryl Johnston. Meryl has embraced the true art of business ownership. If you want to know how to scale and grow your business or want to get tips and insights into accounting for dentists, this episode is for you. Meryl is a Chartered Accountant. ...   Read more... This article is copyright ©  Dr Jesse Green The post 45. How to Accelerate Your Business Growth Without Losing Your Mind with Meryl Johnston appeared first on Dr Jesse Green.

Meryl Johnston is a Chartered Accountant who specialises in cloud accounting software “Xero”. In July 2015 she launched Bean Ninjas - a highly successful, productised service style bookkeeping business which helps businesses keep their books up to date and meet their sales tax obligations - with co-founder Ben, and the business model has grown from $0-$100k annual recurring revenue in 8 months.

Today's guest is the co-founder of Bean Ninjas, a productized service style bookkeeping business which helps businesses keep their books up to date. Now if you're thinking BORING... accounting! Think AGAIN!  Bean Ninjas grew from $0-$100k annual recurring revenue in just 8 months! The business is now 14 months old, has a monthly recurring revenue of $15k and a distributed team of 12 based in Australia, USA and United Kingdom. #EPIC!  Meryl Jonhston shares some absolute GOLD in this episode... you don't wanna miss it! "Think about what makes you happy... not about what makes other people happy." Some questions we asked... Where did you start from? How did this idea become about? How did you come up with your service offer? What are your tips for business owners to stay on track with money? What tools do you use in your business? How do you think bigger when you have a business? How do you figure out what your vision is? "You need to figure out what's important to you... and go after that." Some AHA! Moments in this episode... You need to set up your foundations to create an epic business. The importance of scheduling your time. Trusting that although it feels you're only making small changes... you are improving what you're doing. Why you need to find the right people for your team. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My guest today is Meryl Johnston, founder of the international accounting agency Bean Ninjas. She has a background in accounting and began her first business as a consultant. She has grown her current business from the ground up and is now generating over $100,000 in recurring revenue through monthly productized bookkeeping services. We discuss her career, how she transitioned to a productized service business and lessons learned along the way.

“We’re clear with our team about what we want but we also offer… the ability to work remotely. So if someone wants to go and live in Bali for a month and work from there, then we’re fine with that.” A passion for working hard and playing hard is what inspired Meryl Johnston to build her small business, Bean Ninjas. Less than 12 months on she has a small team of global employees, a growing client list and a shrinking timesheet. Tune in to Xero Gravity #65 as Meryl joins Elizabeth Ü for a conversation on crafting a well-balanced week. She’ll share tips on spending less time in the office and making more time for the good things in life, like surfing. And yes, it is possible.

Adam and Meryl talks about how BeanNinjas started and how it continues to grow.

Meryl is the co-founder of Bean Ninjas, an online Xero bookkeeping service. Along with her business partner, she's created a business that helps ecommerce stores and product-type businesses keep track of their finances.Meryl loves to surf, which is why she moved to the Gold Coast in Australia. She found herself in paradise, surrounded by the beach and perfect waves BUT had no time to go and actually live the lifestyle she worked on getting. She realized she was always deep into her work with long hours and clients calls during the weekends. She didn't get to enjoy family and friends.   "It was easy to get caught up in other people's goals."   So she decided to take a shift - and that’s when Bean Ninjas was born.   "Say no to everything else that doesn't align with your goals."   I had a great time chatting with Meryl, as we have very similar visions and use sports metaphors - which I totally enjoy! Listen in to learn more about how Meryl finally achieved time, location, and financial freedom.   "The wrong action comes about from not truly understanding the problem."   *** What does success mean to you? “Freedom of time, location, financially free   What does balance mean to you? “Having time to do things I love.”   What do you do to get in the zone? “I usually exercise to clear my head.”   What do you do to recharge your batteries? “Go on camping trips.”   What do you want to tell people to stop doing if they want to have success in their lives? “Stop saying yes to everything and pleasing everyone.”   "Do it, learn from your experience, adapt, and carry on."   Resources: Bean Ninjas website LinkedIn profile Bean Ninjas Facebook Twitter: @Johnston_Meryl

Hey there, welcome to this week's action-packed episode of the OpenWorld podcast. Thanks for joining us! In this interview I was joined by Meryl Johnston from the Gold Coast, in Australia. Meryl is the co-founder of Bean Ninjas, a bookkeeping accounting firm which in just one year she's grown to over 70 customers and approximately […]

Accountancy leads to a lifestyle business we would all want. My guest today, on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots free podcast interview is a lady who was recommended to me by Danny Flood who appeared on episode 293 of the show. He said to me “I have a friend that you have to have on the show, as she has done something that all entrepreneurs want to achieve.” I said to him “What's that Danny…tell me more!” And this is what he told me. Our guest went from running a time-sucking accounting consulting firm where she could never “turn off” from work to create a profitable productive service based business. And best of all this company has grown from 0-$15k MRR in 12 months, while scaling herself out of the operations to surf and spend time with family. Yes, whilst so many entrepreneurs are finding themselves trapped by the business that they have created our guest today has found the utopia that the world seeks. But its been a bit of a strange road to where she is today, as it was clear to see even as a young lady that she had the entrepreneurial spirit in abundance, evidenced when she started ‘Get a Grip Tennis' a tennis coaching business . Over a period of 2 years she grew the business to a customer base of 70 and employed 4 assistant coaches. So you can see that she had the ideas, the hustle, the persistence, so why then slip into a quite convential route of acounntacy and auditing? And now that she gets chased by sharks through the waters of Australia astride her surfboard, does she have a blueprint that can work for anyone? Or is the lifestyle she has achieved, and that anyone can achieve, 100% down to the decisions that an individual makes? Well lets find out as we bring onto the show to start joining up dots, with the one and only Meryl Johnston.

Meryl is the co-founder of BeanNinjas, which:  Focus on growing your business. We'll count the beans! Cloud-based, fixed fee bookkeeping and support with the beautiful XERO software. Our specialty is online businesses including, e-commerce, SaaS, bloggers, coaches and digital agencies that operate in more than one country/currency. Currently operating in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, and United Kingdom. We also lodge GST (Australia, NZ and Canada), sales tax (US), and VAT (UK). Bean Ninjas material on this page has been prepared for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon as accounting, tax, or other professional advice. Please refer to our advisors for specific advice.

Meryl Johnston is a Chartered Accountant, which is the Australian version of a certified public accountant. She started her career in the audit division at BDO (Melbourne), followed by a number of years in commercial roles and a stint as a lecturer in accounting and audit.  She started her own consulting business, but found scaling it to be extremely difficult, and thus looked for a better option — thats when she discovered accounting software. Meryl is a keen surfer and can often be found at her home break at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast. Its actually the main reason that she left her Melbourne home, and that building her company, Bean Ninjas, actually allowed her to do what she loved. In This Episode: Creating a business to pursue your passion. Taking the reins and starting your business. When your business idea doesn't scale… The importance of having a co-founder. Why recurring revenue is the best model The difference between an accountant and a bookkeeper The financial mistake that most new entrepreneurs make. How much do you charge for your product? Meryl's Favorite Quote: “Decide your no's in advance.” — Tim Ferriss Meryl's Favorite Books: The 7 Day Startup: You Don't Learn Until You Launch Get Your Free Audio Book Links From Today's Show:www.beanninjas.com Today's Sponsor: www.iboommedia.com www.jeremyryanslate.com/hosting www.jeremyryanslate.com/book  

Meryl Johnston is a Chartered Accountant, which is the Australian version of a certified public accountant. She started her career in the audit division at BDO (Melbourne), followed by a number of years in commercial roles and a stint as a lecturer in accounting and audit.  She started her own consulting business, but found scaling it to be extremely difficult, and thus looked for a better option — thats when she discovered accounting software. Meryl is a keen surfer and can often be found at her home break at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast. Its actually the main reason that she left her Melbourne home, and that building her company, Bean Ninjas, actually allowed her to do what she loved. In This Episode: Creating a business to pursue your passion. Taking the reins and starting your business. When your business idea doesn't scale… The importance of having a co-founder. Why recurring revenue is the best model The difference between an accountant and a bookkeeper The financial mistake that most new entrepreneurs make. How much do you charge for your product? Meryl's Favorite Quote: “Decide your no's in advance.” — Tim Ferriss Meryl's Favorite Books: The 7 Day Startup: You Don't Learn Until You Launch Get Your Free Audio Book Links From Today's Show:www.beanninjas.com Today's Sponsor: www.iboommedia.com www.jeremyryanslate.com/hosting www.jeremyryanslate.com/book  

Meryl Johnston is a Chartered Accountant, which is the Australian version of a certified public accountant. She started her career in the audit division at BDO (Melbourne), followed by a number of years in commercial roles and a stint as a lecturer in accounting and audit.  She started her own consulting business, but found scaling it to be extremely difficult, and thus looked for a better option — thats when she discovered accounting software. Meryl is a keen surfer and can often be found at her home break at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast. Its actually the main reason that she left her Melbourne home, and that building her company, Bean Ninjas, actually allowed her to do what she loved. In This Episode: Creating a business to pursue your passion. Taking the reins and starting your business. When your business idea doesn’t scale… The importance of having a co-founder. Why recurring revenue is the best model The difference between an accountant and a bookkeeper The financial mistake that most new entrepreneurs make. How much do you charge for your product? Meryl’s Favorite Quote: “Decide your no’s in advance.” — Tim Ferriss Meryl’s Favorite Books: The 7 Day Startup: You Don’t Learn Until You Launch Get Your Free Audio Book Links From Today’s Show:www.beanninjas.com Today’s Sponsor: www.iboommedia.com www.jeremyryanslate.com/hosting www.jeremyryanslate.com/book  

I spoke with Meryl Johnston, co-founder of Bean Ninjas, about how she launched a new online bookkeeping business and took it from 0 to $100K in just 8 months. Also, learn the top frustrations small business owners have with bookkeeping and why accounting is powerful for fast-tracking your business growth. “A lot of small business could be more focused on tracking on the profitability of different customers and identify which is their best customer and how to market to their best customers”- Meryl Johnston Connect with Meryl Johnston: http://beanninjas.com/ #Business #PersonalDevelopment #Marketing #Entrepreneurship #Bookkeeping --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/anf-transitions/message

In this session of Transitions Podcast, I speak with Meryl Johnston, co-founder of Bean Ninjas, about how she launched a new online bookkeeping business and took it from 0 to $100K in just 8 months. Also learn the top frustrations small business owners have with bookkeeping and why accounting is powerful for fast-tracking your business growth.

http://www.tropicalmba.com/productized4/ Longtime listeners know that one of our favorite things to do on the show is to ask our guests to donate business ideas to our audience. For the fourth part of our Productized series, Dan and Ian put out a call for anyone that has used one of those ideas to come on the show. On this week's episode, you'll be hearing from Ben McAdam and Meryl Johnston, otherwise known as the Bean Ninjas. They will be sharing how they took an idea that was donated on this very podcast and turned it into their own Productized Service business.