Podcasts about Trello

Ask Jac & Ben A Question!Have you ever felt like your business would thrive if only your brain would cooperate? For wedding professionals with ADHD, running a successful business often means navigating a mind that feels like "sitting in Times Square trying to do Chinese algebra."In this illuminating episode, we welcome ADHD systems specialist Caitlin Blair who transforms what looks like chaos into strategic success for neurodivergent entrepreneurs. Drawing from her experience growing up in a household filled with ADHD family members and working with numerous wedding professionals, Caitlin shares insights that go beyond typical productivity advice.We dive deep into why traditional business systems often fail for those with ADHD, and how "organized chaos" can be harnessed rather than eliminated. Ben shares his personal journey with ADHD, offering a raw glimpse into how it affects decision-making, focus, and the emotional landscape of running a wedding business. From the anxiety that often accompanies neurodivergence to the transformative power of proper diagnosis, we explore the full spectrum of the ADHD entrepreneurial experience.You'll discover practical strategies tailored specifically for the ADHD mind: visual planning systems, how to approach tools like Trello without getting overwhelmed, time blocking techniques that prevent hyperfocus on single tasks, and methods for tackling those dreaded administrative duties every wedding professional faces. Caitlin also walks us through her process of creating custom systems that don't just organize your business, but actually work with your natural thinking patterns.Whether you have ADHD yourself or work with someone who does, this episode offers compassionate understanding alongside actionable strategies. The noise in your head doesn't have to be your business's downfall—it might just be your greatest creative asset when channeled properly.Subscribe to Wedding Empires to continue exploring the unique challenges and opportunities of running a wedding business, and find Caitlin at VirtuallyVitalCo to learn more about her specialized services for neurodivergent entrepreneurs. Support the show

Dans cet épisode, on est de nouveau avec Louis pour parler d'organisation : ce qui marche pour nous, ce qui ne marche pas du tout, et toutes les méthodes qu'on a testées avec plus ou moins de succès. On partage nos routines, nos astuces (comme la méthode Pomodoro ou les to-do lists), nos contradictions, et notre besoin de rester souples. En bonus, on vous raconte la routine (très) matinale d'Amélie Nothomb et le joli projet musical que Louis a mené grâce à sa régularité. Interactive Transcript and Vocab Helper Support Easy French and get interactive transcripts, live vocabulary and bonus content for all our episodes: easyfrench.fm/membership Open the Interactive Transcript (https://play.easyfrench.fm/episodes/s0f1ra5b93po5zk3s1yj0) Download transcript as HTML (https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/s0f1ra5b93po5zk3s1yj0/easyfrenchpodcast159_transcript.html?rlkey=3d7rl31ursev1xdiag5gkie1y&st=wufmm5ms&dl=1) Download transcript as PDF (https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/occmnsjfhjkgohy96o1hz/easyfrenchpodcast159_transcript.pdf?rlkey=j0yi2z4t0waopxxe8oottp0et&st=avjm00hv&dl=1) Download vocab as text file (https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9mee6vzp7tnnxf5xaetp8/easyfrenchpodcast159_vocab.txt?rlkey=a7fj7fxio0r3c7w3vk74z6e52&st=xtdde15b&dl=1) Download vocab as text file with semicolons (https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/eoobsqyzij8yf0i8jwd7t/easyfrenchpodcast159_vocab-semicolon.txt?rlkey=5qa57wwhb5jbywb30xdwwk96u&st=v5ro6xc6&dl=1) (for flashcard apps) Subscribe using your private RSS feed to see the transcript and vocabulary helper right in your podcast app while you listen. Show Notes

We've put together the ultimate list of 49 free tools churches are using right now. And here's the best part — these aren't just our picks. Every single tool comes directly from churches like yours, already putting them to work in real ministry.   ENTER 'The $11,988 Fall Kickoff Giveaway' HERE: https://prochur.ch/enter   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 3:17 - Communication 9:05 - Project Management 11:58 - Creative Resources 17:25 - Audio 20:43 - Production 24:50 - *Free, Not Free* 28:30 - Most Popular Tools   IMPORTANT LINKS - The Church Smartphone Photography Masterclass: https://youtu.be/KaUPT9o4Lus - WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/ - Slack: https://slack.com/ - Invite Everyone: https://inviteeveryoneapp.com/ - Messenger: https://www.messenger.com/ - Asana: https://asana.com/ - Trello: https://trello.com/ - Notion: https://www.notion.com/ - Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/ - ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ - Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/ - Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ - VSCO: https://www.vsco.co/ - YouTube Video Downloader: https://y2mate.com/ - 4K Video Downloader: https://www.4kdownload.com/ - Coolors.co: https://coolors.co/ - Motion Array: https://motionarray.com/ - Tally Forms: https://tally.so/ - Adobe Express: https://www.adobe.com/express/ - Noun Project: https://thenounproject.com/ - FontBase: https://fontba.se/ - Audacity: https://www.audacityteam.org/ - Loop Community: https://loopcommunity.com/ - Adobe Enhance Speech: https://podcast.adobe.com/enhance - MacWhisper: https://goodsnooze.gumroad.com/l/macwhisper - Otter.ai: https://otter.ai/ - Chrome Remote: https://remotedesktop.google.com/ - Bitfocus Companion: https://bitfocus.io/companion/ - PowerPoint: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/powerpoint - Keynote: https://www.apple.com/keynote/ - Presenter: https://www.worshiptools.com/en-us/presenter - Life.Church Open Network: https://open.life.church/ - Smash: https://fromsmash.com/ - Meta Business Suite: https://business.facebook.com/ - Google For Non-Profits: https://www.google.com/nonprofits/ - Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ - ImageOptim: https://imageoptim.com/ - OBS: https://obsproject.com/ - Freeshow: https://freeshow.app/ - CapCut: https://www.capcut.com/ - DaVinci Resolve: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve - Canva: https://www.canva.com/   THE 167 NEWSLETTER

Looking for some clever blogger collaboration ideas to help you grow faster and easier? Well, you're in luck, as in this episode of The Profitable Travel Blogger Podcast, we'll be going over 10 clever strategies that can help you gain instant visibility while growing your blog's traffic, email list, and income! By the end of this episode, you'll understand: How to collaborate with other bloggers beyond the usual guest posting Blog collaboration ideas specifically focused on fast business growth How to reach out to bloggers to collaborate (template included!) Ideas for collaborative events that can accelerate blog growth And more! Bonus: At the end, I'll also share some important implementation tips to help you see success with collaboration!

This week on The Jira Life, we're excited to welcome Brittany Joiner and Rob Hean as they showcase their brand-new Udemy course: Project Management with Trello: A-Z Guide. Whether you're a beginner exploring Trello for the first time or a seasoned project manager looking to streamline workflows, this course is designed to take you from basics to advanced practices. Brittany and Rob will walk us through their favorite features, how Trello can be adapted to fit different project styles, and why Trello remains one of the most flexible, user-friendly tools for collaboration. We'll also dive into the behind-the-scenes process of creating the course, what learners can expect, and how this resource can help individuals and teams organize projects, boost productivity, and manage tasks with confidence. 

¡Hola, opositoras y opositores! Tras el verano, llega el momento de retomar la rutina, pero puede ser difícil encontrar la motivación para hacerlo. Por eso, en este episodio os explicamos cómo detectar la desmotivación y cómo luchar contra ella. ¡Escuchad ya todas las claves! Desmotivación al opositar Es normal sentir una falta de ganas inicial, pero la desmotivación es un estado más profundo que, si no se gestiona, puede llevar al abandono. Es crucial distinguir entre la falta de rutina y la desmotivación real. Estas son las cinco señales clave de la desmotivación: Procrastinación constante: pospones tareas como leer un tema o hacer un test, encontrando excusas para hacer otras cosas Falta de energía mental: te cuesta el triple concentrarte y asimilar el contenido, lo que te hace sentir agotamiento Pérdida de interés: los temas que antes te gustaban ahora te parecen aburridos y difíciles de memorizar Autocrítica excesiva: te castigas constantemente por no cumplir tus objetivos, lo que crea un círculo vicioso de frustración y negatividad Excusas frecuentes: te justificas con cansancio, problemas externos o la proximidad de otras obligaciones para no sentarte a estudiar Si os identificáis con al menos tres de estas señales, es probable que estéis sufriendo de desmotivación. Cómo recuperar la motivación en las oposiciones Para combatir la falta de motivación en el estudio, os dejamos algunas herramientas prácticas: Planificación Progresiva No es recomendable volver de golpe a la rutina de estudio de 6 a 8 horas. Es preferible empezar con sesiones más cortas, de 3 a 4 horas de estudio de calidad. Aumentar las horas de forma gradual, permite que el cerebro se adapte. Metas realistas En lugar de planear estudiar un bloque entero, podéis dividirlo en metas más pequeñas y alcanzables, como cinco temas al día. De igual forma, los test permiten mantener la sensación de progreso y evitar la frustración. Rutina y horarios fijos A vuestro cerebro le resultará más fácil adaptarse a la rutina si establecéis un horario de estudio fijo. Autocuidado No olvidéis que sois más que un opositor u opositora. Incluid en vuestra rutina actividades que os motiven y os hagan sentir bien: Hacer ejercicio o practicar un deporte con regularidad Meditar, si es algo que os funciona Dormir lo suficiente (6-8 horas) Tener pequeñas recompensas, como un café con un amigo, un capítulo de vuestra serie favorita o simplemente una caminata Herramientas para una buena rutina de estudio Si necesitáis un empujón extra, considerad estas opciones: Apps de gestión del tiempo: utilizad herramientas como Trello o Notion para organizar las tareas Técnicas de estudio y concentración: por ejemplo, la famosa técnica del Pomodoro (bloques de estudio de 50 minutos con 10 de descanso) Métodos de repaso activo: haced resúmenes, esquemas y mapas mentales, ya que es una forma de repasar activamente y mantener la mente ocupada en el temario de una forma diferente Con estas herramientas, podéis retomar vuestro camino de manera progresiva y con una mentalidad más positiva. Esperamos que este episodio os ayude a volver al opozulo y a continuar estudiando para alcanzar vuestras metas. Enlaces de interés Estos son los enlaces más destacados relacionados con en este episodio: Inscribíos ya a #OPO2025, el mayor evento de oposiciones de España: https://www.opositatest.com/inscribirse/135 Informaos sobre los simulacros de examen: https://blog.opositatest.com/que-es-un-simulacro-de-examen-real/ Probad test gratis de oposiciones: https://www.opositatest.com/test-gratis Descubrid los cursos de OpositaTest: https://www.opositatest.com/cursos Si necesitáis ayuda en la oposición, rellenad este formulario y uno de nuestros asesores os contactará: https://opo.cl/ruJ0k Registraos gratis en OpositaTest para manteneros actualizados sobre las novedades de vuestra oposición: https://www.opositatest.com/registro/ Descargad herramientas para organizar el tiempo y planificar el estudio: https://blog.opositatest.com/calendario-para-opositar-consejos/ Enteraos de todas las reformas legislativas con OpoReformando: https://blog.opositatest.com/oporeformando/ ¿Queréis participar en Objetivo Oposiciones? Enviadnos un email a comunicación@opositatest.com con vuestras ideas, reflexiones, experiencias y todo lo que queráis compartir con el asunto «podcast». ¿Tenéis dudas? Probablemente ya las hayamos resuelto en nuestro centro de ayuda. Si no encontráis vuestra pregunta aquí, escribidnos a ayuda@opositatest.com o llamadnos al 919040798 y os ayudaremos. El equipo de OpositaTest www.opositatest.com

In this episode, host Dr. Bradley Block picks up with Dr. Cheryl Chase for part 2 on enhancing executive functioning for physicians and high-performers. They explore self-monitoring tools like tone tapes (or music playlists with varying intervals), buzzing devices, timers, and apps such as Brick for blocking distractions. Dr. Chase discusses visual timers for better time perception, productivity apps like ToDoist, Trello, and Notion, and prioritization using the Eisenhower matrix to sort tasks by urgency and importance. She emphasizes delegating to free up time and replenishing the "EF bucket" with mindfulness practices (e.g., box breathing), exercise, sipping glucose-rich beverages, sleep, and nurturing relationships. Drawing from Dr. Russ Barkley's insights, these strategies help anyone—not just those with ADHD—optimize focus, persist through tasks, and maintain work-life balance. This episode wraps up the series with essential tips for thriving in demanding roles.Three Actionable Takeaways:Enhance Self-Monitoring with Tools – Use tone tapes (or playlists with varying song lengths), buzzing watches, or timers to check in on your focus at random intervals; for distractions, try apps like Brick to physically lock social media until you complete tasks.Prioritize and Delegate Effectively – Apply the Eisenhower matrix to categorize tasks by urgency and importance, focusing on high-impact items first; delegate non-essential duties after investing time to teach others, freeing up your schedule for what matters most.Replenish Your EF Bucket – Before EF-heavy tasks, practice box breathing (inhale/hold/exhale/hold for 4 counts each) or mindful minutes; incorporate exercise (20-30 minutes, 2-3 times/week), sip glucose-rich beverages while working, prioritize sleep, diet, and social connections to boost cognitive fuel.About the Show:Succeed In Medicine  covers patient interactions, burnout, career growth, personal finance, and more. If you're tired of dull medical lectures, tune in for real-world lessons we should have learned in med school!About the GuestDr. Cheryl Chase is a licensed clinical psychologist in Independence, Ohio, specializing in assessments and treatments for ADHD, learning disorders, and emotional challenges across the lifespan. She's an international speaker on executive functioning, dyslexia, co-regulation, and performance improvement in work and school settings. Her strategies help high-achievers, including physicians, enhance efficiency and balance.Website: https://chasingyourpotential.comAbout the host:Dr. Bradley Block – Dr. Bradley Block is a board-certified otolaryngologist at ENT and Allergy Associates in Garden City, NY. He specializes in adult and pediatric ENT, with interests in sinusitis and obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Block also hosts The Succeed In Medicine  podcast, focusing on personal and professional development for physiciansWant to be a guest?Email Brad at brad@physiciansguidetodoctoring.com  or visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to learn more!Socials:@physiciansguidetodoctoring on Facebook@physicianguidetodoctoring on YouTube@physiciansguide on Instagram and Twitter This medical podcast is your physician mentor to fill the gaps in your medical education. We cover physician soft skills, charting, interpersonal skills, doctor finance, doctor mental health, medical decisions, physician parenting, physician executive skills, navigating your doctor career, and medical professional development. This is critical CME for physicians, but without the credits (yet). A proud founding member of the Doctor Podcast Network!Visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to connect, dive deeper, and keep the conversation going. Let's grow! Disclaimer:This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, financial, or legal advice. Always consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance.

If every new hire feels like it hijacks your entire month, this episode is for you. Today on Recruiting Conversations, I walk you through how to create a structured onboarding system that removes you from the center without removing your presence. Because if you're still doing 90 percent of the onboarding work yourself, you're not just overwhelmed. You're the bottleneck. But it doesn't have to stay that way. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction – Why onboarding feels overwhelming and why that's actually a systems issue [01:00] The Real Problem – Leaders treating onboarding like a one-week event instead of a repeatable system [02:00] Introducing the 4P Framework – People, Process, Playbook, Personalization [03:00] P1: People Assign ownership for tech, CRM, marketing, culture, support Move from shared ownership to clear ownership Use peer mentors and onboarding coordinators [03:30] P2: Process Map out day 1 through day 90 Use tools like CRMs, Trello, shared docs to organize the flow Filter every step through these questions: Does this build clarity? Confidence? Connection? [04:30] P3: Playbook Document what you say and do so others can repeat it Include logins, workflows, rhythm calendars, and short videos When it's not written, it's not real [05:30] P4: Personalization Welcome notes, calls, gift boxes, and personal check-ins Structure creates consistency, personalization creates belief [06:30] The Pushback – You say you don't have time to build this. But you don't have time not to. [07:00] Start Small – Use your next hire to document everything you already do [08:00] Beyond Tasks – Onboarding is not just about information. It's about belief Did I make the right decision? Do I belong here? Can I trust this team? [08:30] Final Challenge – Build a 30-day onboarding play. Start with what you already do, then improve it Key Takeaways If You're Doing It All, You're the Bottleneck – Scale happens when systems replace memory Structure Doesn't Kill Culture – The right systems free you up to lead with presence Clarity Creates Confidence – Documented onboarding builds momentum faster than ad hoc training Don't Just Transfer Knowledge – Transfer belief, identity, and purpose Use Every Hire to Improve the Process – Each round gives you a better playbook for the next one The best leaders don't just recruit well. They onboard with purpose. They build systems that scale their time, protect their culture, and create confident, connected team members from day one. Need help creating an onboarding system that reflects your leadership and scales with your growth? Subscribe to my weekly email at 4crecruiting.com or book a session at bookrichardnow.com. Let's remove you as the bottleneck and build a system that lasts.

In this season of Building Better Developers with AI, hosts Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche revisit a past topic: 'Transform Your Projects: The Ultimate Guide to Effective User Stories.' This episode offers a fresh perspective on how teams can achieve greater success by writing better user stories. The hosts initially tackled this subject in an earlier season, but they return to it because the challenge remains timeless: poorly written user stories continue to derail software projects. This time, they dive deeper into lessons learned, customer-centric approaches, and frameworks that make user stories truly work. Why Writing Better User Stories Still Matters Rob opens with a familiar frustration: sitting in sprint planning and realizing the user stories don't make sense. Vague requirements create confusion, rework, and wasted effort. A user story is not a specification—it's a promise for a conversation that builds shared understanding. By writing better user stories, teams maintain focus on outcomes, rather than implementation. They deliver features that users actually need, instead of technical solutions that fall short. The Philosophy of Writing Better User Stories User stories should always: Stay customer-centric by focusing on what the user wants, not the technical details. Break down work into small, manageable chunks that improve agility and estimation. Emphasize outcomes over implementation, avoiding the trap of data tables and CSS classes too early. Rob illustrates this with the ATM example: “As a customer, I want to withdraw cash so that I can access money in my account.” This keeps the story grounded in the user's experience. The Anatomy of Writing Better User Stories At the core of writing better user stories is a simple formula that makes requirements clear and human: As a [user role] I want [goal] So that [reason] This framework ensures that every story is tied directly to a user's perspective, their needs, and the value they'll receive. However, strong stories extend beyond this sentence structure. Rob and Michael highlight two key frameworks that add depth and clarity: The Three C's – Card, Conversation, and Confirmation, which explain how stories spark dialogue and define “done.” The INVEST Model – Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, and Testable- is a checklist that helps teams evaluate whether a story is ready to move forward. Finally, one important reminder: each story should only have one meaning. If a story can be interpreted in multiple ways—or contains “if/then” scenarios—it should be split into smaller, more focused stories. This keeps the backlog clean and avoids confusion later in development. The Three C's of Writing Better User Stories 1. Card The card represents the user story itself. Traditionally, teams would write stories on index cards. Today, tools like Jira, Trello, or Asana take their place. The key is that the card is just a placeholder for a conversation, not the entire requirement. It captures the essence of the story but leaves room for discussion. 2. Conversation The conversation is where the real value happens. Developers, product owners, and stakeholders discuss the story, ask clarifying questions, and uncover details that weren't written down. These discussions ensure that the team shares a common understanding of the user's needs. Without this step, the story risks being too vague or misinterpreted. 3. Confirmation The confirmation defines how the team knows the story is complete. This typically takes the form of acceptance criteria or test cases. Confirmation transforms a story from an idea into a verifiable piece of functionality. It answers the critical question: What does “done” look like? Card captures the idea. Conversation builds the understanding. Confirmation proves the work is complete. The INVEST Model for Writing Better User Stories The INVEST model is a simple but powerful checklist that helps ensure user stories are clear, practical, and actionable. Each letter represents a quality that a strong user story should have. Independent A good user story should stand on its own. That means it can be developed, tested, and delivered without being blocked by another story. Independence reduces dependencies and keeps projects moving smoothly. Negotiable User stories are not contracts carved in stone—they're open to discussion. Teams should be able to negotiate details, scope, and implementation during conversations. This flexibility encourages collaboration and prevents rigid requirements that may not fit real-world needs. Valuable If a story doesn't provide business or user value, it doesn't belong in the backlog. Every story should clearly tie back to outcomes that matter for the end-user or the organization. This keeps the team focused on delivering impact, not just features. Estimable A story should be clear enough that the team can estimate the effort to complete it. If it's too vague or too large, it can't be accurately sized. Estimable stories make sprint planning realistic and help track progress more effectively. Small Stories should be small enough to complete within a single iteration. Large stories, sometimes called “epics,” should be broken down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Small stories are easier to understand, estimate, and test. Testable Finally, a user story must be testable. The team needs to know how to verify it's “done.” This often takes the form of acceptance criteria or test cases, ensuring the functionality can be validated from the user's perspective. The INVEST model keeps stories clear, focused, and actionable. If a story fails any of these tests, refine it before moving forward. Lessons From the Trenches: Writing Better User Stories in Practice Michael highlights a recurring issue: customers often don't fully understand their “why.” They may use outdated paper trails, redundant processes, or even misuse tools they already own. Sometimes developers must reverse-engineer requirements by observing workflows, asking why at each step, and uncovering hidden pain points. Rob adds that trust plays a huge role—stakeholders may initially follow the “official” process, but only reveal their real practices after rapport is established. Avoiding Common Pitfalls Even with good intentions, stories can fall short when they are: Too vague or incomplete. Disconnected from actual business processes. Written without acceptance criteria. Michael stresses that implied requirements are dangerous. Developers should always strive for clearly defined acceptance criteria that leave no room for ambiguity or uncertainty. Practical Tips for Writing Better User Stories The hosts wrap up with actionable guidance for developers: Speak up – Don't code vague tickets without asking questions. Push for the “so that” – The business value matters most. Write acceptance criteria – Define what “done” means. Break down big stories – Smaller, testable stories are easier to validate. Stay user-focused – Keep technical details in subtasks, not in the story. Example: Bad: Add a contact form. Good: As a potential customer, I want to fill out a contact form with my name, email, and message, so that I can get in touch with the company about their services. This richer story sparks the right questions: Which fields are required? Should multiple contact methods be supported? These clarifications lead to solutions that match real needs. Final Thoughts By revisiting this subject, Rob and Michael remind us that user stories are more than backlog items—they are bridges between developers and customers. Writing better user stories keeps teams aligned, prevents rework, and ensures projects deliver meaningful results. Implied requirements are not good requirements. Defined requirements are good requirements. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Updating Developer Tools: Keeping Your Tools Sharp and Efficient Building Your Personal Code Repository Your Code Repository and Ownership of Source – Consulting Tips Using a Document Repository To Become a Better Developer The Developer Journey Videos – With Bonus Content Building Better Developers With AI Podcast Videos – With Bonus Content

A 22-year-old made a splash recently when he published a Wall Street Journal op-ed claiming that work-life balance makes you mediocre. He went on to brag about how sleeping less than 4 hours a night and gaining 80 pounds helped him become a millionaire. In this episode, Cal wades into the furious debate this article sparked. He argues that once you look past the author's dorm bro bravado, the kid does actually ask a good question. It's just that his answers are lacking. Cal then tackles listener questions and reviews the books he read in August.Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here's the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvoVideo from today's episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmediaDeep Dive: I Want Work-Life Balance. Am I Doomed to Mediocrity? [1:06]Is it possible to stay focused when having to check my phone for text messages? [42:20]When did you switch back to your teaching schedule to your summer schedule? [44:05]How has your deep life evolved since Episode 1? [49:22]How can I stop obsessively checking my work email? [53:47]Can you summarize how values and strategic planning documents, birthday projects and lifestyle centric planning combine? [58:14]CASE STUDY: Organizing household admin [1:01:44]CALL: How to tame Trello cards [1:06:39]AUGUST BOOKS: The 5 books Cal read in August 2025 [1:13:26] Boundless Realm (Foxx Note)Collisions (Alec Nevala-Lee)Before the Birds Sang Words (Ken Bruce)Desperation Reef (T Jefferson Parker)Shift (Hugh Howey)Links:Buy Cal's latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slowGet a signed copy of Cal's “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/Cal's monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX1XHMlX1J0Thanks to our Sponsors: ridge.com (use code “Cal”)drinklmnt.com/deepshopify.com/deepcalderalab.com/deepThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Send us a textQuitting your dream job to start a business is a risky decision, especially if you're in a high-ranking, visible position. And Nicole Marra, did just that.As the CEO and Founder of Fixer Advisory Group, Nicole works with some of the world's most dynamic luxury brands.Nicole led Gucci America's legal, real estate, compliance, security, and crisis management functions for over a decade before taking the leap and founding Fixer.In this episode, Nicole and I discussWhat prompts a person to leave a perfect-on-paper job to start their own thingWhy women need to get better about asking for helpWorking with someone so closely that it feels like you're sharing a brainConnecting with your inner child, your inspiration, and that part of you that wants to shineThis episode at a glance:[16:29] When Nicole made the leap, support was coming from all sides. The people around her carried her over the launch line. [21:13] The most significant challenge she faced: wearing all the hats simultaneously. [25:13] When men build businesses, they surround themselves with help. Women often try to build systems so they don't need to ask for help.[31:52] ”The Power of the Pack”: the power that women have when they work together. [37:19] The foundations of running a business (or having any type of career) as a woman.[56:03] What Nicole's Times Square billboard would say: Enough of being afraid of everything. Put yourself out there. You can't live in fear of what might happen.  Resources and links mentioned in this episodeCheck out Fixer Advisory Group - and follow Nicole on LinkedIn or Instagram10 Lives ExerciseCheck out Trello, a project management tool that works like digital post-itsGet a waterproof notepad for the showerGet groceries delivered with FreshDirect - and everything else with Amazon PrimeChief, the Female Networking organizationWant to increase revenue and impact? Listen to “She's That Founder” for insights on business strategy and female leadership to scale your business. Each episode offers advice on effective communication, team building, and management. Learn to master routines and systems to boost productivity and prevent burnout. Our delegation tips and business consulting will advance your executive leadership skills and presence.

¿Aburrido de Trello y de los servicios en la nube? En este episodio, te presento Tasks.md, una alternativa de código abierto para gestionar tus tareas con una metodología Kanban. Descubre por qué esta herramienta es la solución perfecta si buscas simplicidad, control sobre tus datos y una integración perfecta con tu flujo de trabajo basado en Markdown.Aprende a instalar Tasks.md fácilmente con Docker en tu propia Raspberry Pi o VPS. Exploraremos las ventajas de tener un Kanban autoalojado, las sinergias con otras herramientas como Neovim y Obsidian, y cómo esta solución te puede ayudar a ser más productivo sin las distracciones de las plataformas tradicionales. Si valoras el software de código abierto y la autosuficiencia, este episodio es para ti.Más información y enlaces en las notas del episodio

¿Aburrido de Trello y de los servicios en la nube? En este episodio, te presento Tasks.md, una alternativa de código abierto para gestionar tus tareas con una metodología Kanban. Descubre por qué esta herramienta es la solución perfecta si buscas simplicidad, control sobre tus datos y una integración perfecta con tu flujo de trabajo basado en Markdown.Aprende a instalar Tasks.md fácilmente con Docker en tu propia Raspberry Pi o VPS. Exploraremos las ventajas de tener un Kanban autoalojado, las sinergias con otras herramientas como Neovim y Obsidian, y cómo esta solución te puede ayudar a ser más productivo sin las distracciones de las plataformas tradicionales. Si valoras el software de código abierto y la autosuficiencia, este episodio es para ti.Más información y enlaces en las notas del episodio

Let us go through updates from the @atlassian ecosystem #ProjectsToSpaces #GoalsAnalytics #SchemaDataManager #TrelloShortcuts

Looking to cut through the chaos in your nonprofit's day-to-day operations? You're not alone—and you're in the right place. In this episode of Inside Incite, Kari Anderson (Principal Consultant at Incite Consulting) shares her top tech tools and strategies that actually work for nonprofits. We're not talking about shiny gadgets or expensive overhauls—we're talking about real solutions that bring clarity, save time, and strengthen your systems without breaking your budget. What You'll Learn: Why nonprofit operations often feel messy—and how to fix it Kari's top CRM picks (spoiler: ARIVA and DonorPerfect make the list) Communication tools that actually boost internal and external engagement Automation platforms that free up your team's time and sanity Strategic planning and succession tools for long-term growth How peer support and partnerships can enhance your tech decisions Whether you're a small team buried in spreadsheets or a growing org trying to get your systems to scale with your mission—this episode is for you. Tools Mentioned: CRMs: ARIVA, Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, DonorPerfect Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, MailChimp Workflow: Asana, Trello, Monday.com Strategic Planning: Succession tools and goal trackers Kari's Takeaway: The best tech tools aren't about bells and whistles—they're about supporting your people, improving collaboration, and making your mission easier to execute. Subscribe for more nonprofit leadership tools, productivity tips, and real-talk from someone who's been in your shoes. Follow Kari: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kariandersonincite Website: https://www.inciteconsultinggroup.com Listen on Apple & Spotify, or right here on YouTube!  

Dr. Trevor Cates is the author of the bestselling book Clean Skin From Within and host of The Spa Dr. Podcast.    She's also the creator of a natural and organic skincare and supplement line designed to support healthy skin from the inside out.    Known for her PBS special Younger Skin From Within, Dr. Cates blends her journey of overcoming chronic skin issues with her professional expertise in holistic and integrative medicine.   Dr. Cates emphasizes the importance of addressing the root causes of skin issues through the "clean skin from within" philosophy, which focuses on nutrition, mindset, detoxification, and non-toxic topical care.    She also shares key entrepreneurial insights, including the value of staying focused, building a loyal community, leveraging tools like Trello for team organization, and aligning health with productivity.    Website: The Spa Dr.  LinkedIn: Dr. Trevor Cates   Previous Episode: iam338-author-and-skin-care-doctor-helps-clients-achieve-confidence-and-beautiful-skin Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.  I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

In this LMScast, Zachary Katz from GravityKit presents Gravity Board, a WordPress add-on for Kanban project management that integrates Trello-like features into your website. Zachary Katz founded GravityKit, a business that creates robust Gravity Forms add-ons like GravityView, which gives customers extensive options for how to display and manipulate form data on their WordPress websites. […] The post How To Manage LMS Websites Inside WordPress Like Trello With GravityBoard appeared first on LMScast.

Welcome back to Snafu with Robin Zander. In this episode, I'm joined by Bree Groff, consultant, writer, and author of Today Was Fun. We talk about why mischief belongs at work, how humor and flirtation create real psychological safety, and the bold design choices behind her unforgettable book cover. Bree shares how she moved from CEO roles to full creative freedom, and how that shift helped her find her voice. We discuss marketing in 2025, how AI might reshape work and writing, and why personal agency, not hours, is the most important lever in a workweek.  Bree offers practical insights for leading with joy, helping kids future-proof their lives, and deciding what's “enough” in a world that always demands more. She also reflects on writing the book while parenting, consulting, and building her own business, and what it means to embrace the joy of not knowing what comes next. Bree will also be joining us live at Responsive Conference 2025, and I'm thrilled for you to hear her on stage. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, get them here. Books Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth, and Art — Lewis Hyde Anansi Boys — Neil Gaiman Work Less, Do More: Designing the 4-Day Week — Alex Pang Shorter: Work Better, Smarter, and Less―Here's How — Alex Pang Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less — Alex Pang Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts — Ryan Holiday Today Was Fun — Bree Groff The 4-Hour Workweek —Tim Ferriss Responsive: What It Takes to Create a Thriving Organization — Robin Zander Podcasts/Videos TED Talk: How to Start a Movement — Derek Sivers Start (0:00) The Story Behind the Book Cover (00:07.822) Robin opens with a personal observation: Bree's nails are the exact shade of green as her book cover – a smiley face on a highlighter yellow-green background.  Bree laughs and explains the choice behind the bold, offbeat cover: It was designed by Rodrigo Corral, known for iconic covers like The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*. When she first saw it (at 3 a.m.), she gasped and loved it — it stood out and made a statement. The smiley is cheeky but not cheesy; it suggests optimism with a bite. The color isn't quite yellow — it's that “gross green” that almost hurts to look at. That tension is the point. “It's got some edge... not your straight-up yellow.” This tension – bright and fun, but just a bit weird or off –  is exactly the tone she wanted for the book and for herself. The Wink That Makes Work Fun Again (01:51) Robin brings up his old graduation photo: he posed slightly off-center, adding a knowing smirk. At the time, he didn't know why he chose that shot, but later realized it made people curious, like a small rebellion baked into something formal. Bree relates completely. She talks about: Why humor and a bit of mischief matter in professional settings. The concept of flirtation – not romantic, but playful: A wink in a branding campaign. A reference that only a few insiders get. A running joke between team members. Mischief creates risk and intimacy, both essential for real connection. These small acts of rebellion are actually signs of psychological safety and creativity. “You need a little bit of flirtation at work... a wink that says, ‘we're in this together.'” She argues that fun isn't a distraction – it's a sign that something is working. Tricksters, SNAFUs, and the Role of Risk in Work (05:49.219) Robin brings in the idea of the trickster, from folklore characters like Anansi and Coyote to his podcast title SNAFU. These figures don't follow the rules, and that's what makes them interesting. Bree expands on the connection between play and professionalism: There's a cultural script that says “seriousness = competence.” But in her experience, some of the best work moments involve play, risk, and even slight embarrassment. Being human together – laughing too loud, saying something weird, trying something bold – is what builds bonds. Real joy at work comes from these edge moments, not the sanitized ones. “You have to go beyond professionalism to access the most fun parts of work.” They agree that creating spaces where people can color outside the lines is not just fun – it's productive. Beyond Palatable: From People-Pleasing to Belonging (08:29.068) Robin shares a lesson from his mother: that once you leave high school, life is no longer a popularity contest. But he's realized that in business, especially branding, people often still chase approval and “likability.” Bree offers a deeper lens: Being “palatable” – meaning universally acceptable – is actually the opposite of being memorable. People who try to please everyone end up blending in. What she wants is to be delicious, or at least striking, not for everyone, but unforgettable to some. She draws a line between Fitting in: performing a version of yourself to meet social norms. Belonging: being your full, vibrant self and finding others who welcome it. “Please don't chew me up. I'm not palatable — I'm not trying to be.” This philosophy shows up in her book's voice, design, and in how she shows up in the world. Selling a Book in 2025: Bottles in the Ocean (12:21.838) What's it been like trying to promote a book in 2025? Bree describes her strategy as both scrappy and intuitive: She thinks of book marketing as sending “a million notes in bottles” – not knowing which will land. Her approach includes: Partnering with a publicist. Creating swag kits with branded gear. Pitching the book to “chatty” communities (e.g., alumni groups, newsletters, podcast audiences). Posting regularly, even when it feels silly. She cites the idea of “luck surface area”: the more interesting things you do, and the more people you tell, the more chances something will stick. “You do interesting things and talk about them a lot... and maybe something takes off.” Still, she acknowledges that luck plays a role. There's no guaranteed playbook, just momentum and hope. Is It Worth Talking About? (14:47.63) Robin references a quote from Tucker Max: that all marketing, in the end, is just word-of-mouth. Bree shares what guided her during the writing process: Her goal was to create something remarkable — in the literal sense: Something people would want to talk about. Not just good – but distinct, resonant, and weird enough to share. She wanted to avoid the “business book voice” – flat, generic, overly polished. She lights up when she talks about: Strangers sharing the book on social. Friends are texting her about it. An old college boyfriend resurfaced after reading it. “When that starts happening... You realize the machine is working.” She's less interested in best-seller lists and more focused on impact – ideas spreading from person to person, because they hit. Finding Her Voice: From Blogger to Book Author (16:36.665) Bree traces the evolution of her writing life: Started a travel blog in her early 20s and loved it immediately. Played with writing publicly over the years: occasional posts on LinkedIn, Fast Company, and later Substack (which began two years ago, alongside early book ideation). Writing always felt natural, but being a public voice within organizations came with constraints: “Even when I was CEO, I still felt the need to toe the party line.” Going solo changed everything: No longer represents a company's brand – just her own. Writing feels more honest, bolder, and more fun when it's “Bree Groff's opinions” alone. Stepping out independently accelerated her writing voice and gave her creative freedom. Writing in the Age of AI (18:19.63) Robin asks: Does writing still matter in the world of AI? Bree's take: She's a verbal processor — writing is how she discovers what she believes. “I never know how an article is going to end… I write my way into the idea.” She rarely uses AI in writing (aside from Grammarly). She prefers human composition even for emails. Writing helps her organize and refine her thinking: “I'll write a sentence and go – wait, do I believe that? And rewrite.” What writing offers that AI can't (yet): Emotional authenticity. A confessional power — like stand-up comedy: humans telling uncomfortable truths, out loud. She hopes we'll someday have digital labels like: “This was made by a human.” Robin presses for Bree's take on what AI changes – for better or worse. Bree's pessimistic view: Mass unemployment is a likely risk. Not convinced by the “tech creates more jobs” argument – even referencing Jevons Paradox: as things become more efficient, we just use more of them. “I can't quite think my way out of the unemployment problem.” Bree's optimistic vision: We're burned out. AI could fix that. If used right, AI can reduce workloads, not eliminate humans: “Wouldn't it be great if we used these efficiencies to help people live happy, regulated lives?” This would require a policy change, like tax incentives for companies that adopt a 4-day workweek. But she admits: that's a long shot. “It would take a lot for companies to prioritize reducing burnout over cutting costs.” Entrepreneurship Isn't a 4-Day Workweek (And That's Okay) (25:04.686) Robin challenges Bree's hope with reality: Entrepreneurship is chaotic and demanding, as when he launched both a restaurant and a conference in one year. When building something from scratch, the work is relentless. “There's no 4-day workweek when you're going zero to one.” He notes Bree's book could become a “perennial seller,” but only if she builds that momentum now — and that means hustle. Bree agrees — and offers nuance: She's in a launch phase. The last 6 weeks have been intense: Nights, weekends, articles, appearances. Her daughter is in a full-day camp to support this push. But it's intentional and temporary. She frames her philosophy like this: Overwork can be fun, energizing, even addictive –  if it's seasonal. She's already planned recovery: A two-week log-off in late August. A blocked-out first week of September for reset. Bree continues on the myth of “reasonable” work limits: There's nothing special about 40 or 60 hours. The only reason we cap out is that we literally run out of time. Businesses will take as much as you give, and now AI won't hit those limits. So we have to decide what's enough, not the market. “If we're going to cap work somewhere, why not cap it lower and enjoy our lives?” She reminds us: Deadlines and pace are levers, not laws. You can pull other levers, like starting earlier, extending timelines, or balancing your team differently. Robin shares that his intense physical regimen (handstands, running, cold plunges, hikes) isn't about health prescriptions — it's about joy. That same mindset applies to work. If building his company lights him up, great – but it's a personal choice, not a universal blueprint. Bree underscores that agency is key: the danger arises when a founder's choice to overwork becomes the cultural expectation for everyone else. A CEO has different stakes than employees; assuming equal sacrifice is unfair and toxic. Overwork becomes problematic when choice is removed or social pressure distorts it. They introduce the idea of opportunity cost: Every hour spent grinding is an hour not spent with loved ones, moving your body, or simply resting. Many delay self-care with the illusion they'll "catch up later" – but your body and relationships exist in the now. Robin recalls a brutal 2016: two startups, no time, lost relationships – a visceral reminder that everything has a cost. Work, But Make It Weird (36:39) Robin draws a parallel between their playful ethos and The 4-Hour Workweek: redefining productivity with mischief and authenticity. He asks Bree how leaders can lead differently – more playfully – without violating norms or HR policies. Bree delivers a gem: Her team once suggested that a CEO explain their product to a bunch of 7-year-olds on a picnic blanket. They scripted techy questions ("What's your tech stack?") for the kids, hired a comedy consultant, and filmed the whole thing. It was wild, unexpected… and the most beloved part of an otherwise traditional company week. The magic was in the vulnerability and humanity of the CEO — letting people into his home, sharing space with kids, and showing joy. Bree's advice to leaders: Rearrange the office furniture for no reason. Use Comic Sans in a slide just to annoy a designer. Hide jokes in presentations that only two people will catch. Amuse yourself. That's reason enough, and it models psychological safety and play for everyone else. Robin calls this “the courage to play” – the bravery to step out of line just enough to invite others into the fun. Bree builds on this: We're often afraid that having fun will make us look stupid – but that fear is misplaced. She quotes Amy Poehler: “Nobody looks stupid when they're having fun.” Play is an act of self-assurance, not frivolity. Bree shares a personal win: she turned a project Gantt chart into a hand-drawn arcade-style horse race. No one else joined in, but she loved it. And that joy, in and of itself, is a worthy output. Work According to a 10-Year-Old (42:21.176) Robin asks: How does Bree's daughter describe what she does? Her answer? “You help people work together.” Bree beams — that's not far off. Her daughter has even become her little publicist, linking nail polish to Bree's book and promoting it to strangers. Robin dreams of having kids and wonders about their future in a rapidly evolving world. Bree is grateful her daughter is 10, not 22 – the future feels so uncertain that not knowing is oddly freeing. College may or may not matter; she might be a marketing manager or start an artist retreat in Tuscany. The one stable prediction? Human connection. Jobs built on empathy, presence, and the hug – literal or metaphorical – will always have value. Robin jokes (but not really) about resisting the idea of robot romantic partners. Bree wonders: Will we be seen as biased for resisting AI companionship? Is that the next generational tension? The Only Skill That Might Still Matter in 2040 (43:55.959) Robin asks: What durable skills should Gen Alpha learn in a world of AI and noise? Bree's first thought: “understanding human behavior” — but AI might already be better at that. So she lands on something deeper: The skill of knowing what kind of life you want to lead. It's rarely taught, and sorely needed. That's why so many people wake up at 40, mid-career, with a law degree but no love for the law, and end up switching to something that finally feels like them. Teaching kids to listen to their appetites and curiosities might be the most powerful, future-proof education we can offer. Bree argues that most people were never taught to ask foundational questions about the life they truly want: From childhood to college, we follow preset tracks – curriculum, majors, careers. If you're lucky, you get an elective or two. But real self-inquiry? Rare. We're missing education on key lifestyle preferences: What kind of schedule do I like? What kind of people energize me? Do I want to live in a city or near nature? How much solitude, structure, or chaos is ideal for me? Bree believes this underdeveloped self-awareness is the root cause of burnout: People follow “the path,” get promoted, tick boxes, and still feel unsatisfied. Companies gladly fill the vacuum with corporate ladders and titles – senior director, VP, etc. But we rarely stop to ask: Do I want my boss's job? Her hope for her daughter: not just career success, but aliveness. To develop the instincts and courage to ask: What do I want to get out of my short time here? And to find joy in helping others experience a bit more light while they're here, too. “Who Are You and What Is Your Purpose?” (51:33.666) Robin shares a surprising memory: a third-grade class titled Who Are You and What Is Your Purpose? He doesn't remember the content – school was tough for him then – but the title stuck. It captured something real and deep that still resonates. Bree lights up: “Okay, I take it all back – someone was teaching this, and it was you!” They land on a core truth: that mischief, self-knowledge, and authenticity are deeply intertwined. Knowing who you are is the first step. And honoring the weird, playful part of yourself makes life better — and work richer. Order, Chaos & a Trello Board (53:51) Robin pivots: What did Bree learn about writing through this book, especially while juggling parenting and client work? Bree shares her full process: She started with a Trello board: each list represented a chapter. Over many months, she collected bits of inspiration: ideas from the shower, great quotes, Substack entries, research snippets – all filed as cards. This meant when it came time to write, she wasn't starting from scratch. Her trick: separate idea collection from prose creation. Once she had a "pile of disorganized meat," she could stitch it together with intention. She scheduled 4-hour blocks to write ~1,000 words per session – 50 sessions = a 50,000-word book. She was thoughtful about pacing and reader experience: "That was a heavy part – maybe time for a joke. "I've been light for a while – maybe we need some grounding research." The outcome: a process that respected her creativity, time, and humanity. The Joy of Not Knowing What's Next (54:45.848) Robin asks: Now that the book is out, what's next? Bree doesn't know, and that feels exciting. She's booked through the fall with workshops, consulting, media, and speaking. But beyond that? It's open. She's leaning into serendipity: Publishing the book drew new, inspiring people into her life – people like Robin. She's open to building the classic “author-speaker-consultant” portfolio. Or possibly returning to SYPartners, depending on what fits. Or a totally new path. What makes it possible? A jumpy career history – she's used to leaps. A baseline of financial stability – and a partner with a more predictable job. Uncertainty isn't terrifying when you trust yourself to figure it out. “I can see through October. That's enough.” Robin wraps with heartfelt praise: Few first books feel as personal and reflective of their author as Today Was Fun. Even fewer come with so many shared connections vouching not just for the content, but the author herself. Where to Find Bree Groff (58:13.58) He urges people to read the book and see Bree on stage at the Responsive Conference (Sept 17–18). Bree shares where to find her: Website: breegroff.com Substack, LinkedIn, Instagram – all linked from her site. People Mentioned: Rodrigo Corral Lewis Hyde Neil Gaiman Tony Hsieh James Clear Tucker Max Alex Pang Ryan Holiday Tim Ferriss Amy Poehler Derek Sivers Justin Gordon BJ Fogg Seth Godin Organizations / Companies Zander Media SYPartners Nobel Zappos Microsoft Trello Substack AOL LinkedIn Instagram  

This Podcast Is Episode 641, And It's About A Week In The Life Of A Profitable Contractor- Habits That Pay Off If you're a small construction business owner, you know what it feels like to be busy but not consistently profitable. You're running from job sites to supply runs to client meetings, answering calls at night, and still wondering where the money went at the end of the month. Here's the truth we see every day as construction bookkeeping specialists: The most successful contractors aren't just working harder—they've built weekly habits and systems that keep the business running while they build. In this post, we'll show you what a streamlined, systemized week looks like in a small construction business. Whether you're a solo contractor or leading a small crew, these routines can help you stay organized, improve your cash flow, and protect your profit. Why Weekly Habits Matter in Construction When you build consistency into your week, everything improves: You stop forgetting to invoice or follow up You get paid faster Jobs stay on schedule Clients feel informed (and complain less) You catch issues before they become emergencies The goal isn't to overload your week—it's to create a rhythm that keeps your business stable and growing, without requiring you to do everything at the last minute. Monday: Plan the Work, Work the Plan Morning – Weekly Kickoff Start your week with a short job planning session. Whether you're solo or managing a team, ask: What jobs are active this week? What phase is each job in? What materials, subs, or permits are needed? What deadlines are coming up? Use a whiteboard, spreadsheet, or project management tool (like Buildertrend or Trello). Assign daily goals to each job to ensure that nothing falls behind. Afternoon – Estimate & Lead Follow-Up Block off time to follow up on: New leads that came in over the weekend Outstanding estimates Questions from potential clients Even 30–60 minutes of focused follow-up keeps your pipeline warm and prevents "ghosted" leads. Pro tip: Utilize email templates for follow-ups and store lead information in a centralized location, such as a Google Sheet or CRM. Tuesday: Tidy the Books & Track Job Costs Morning – Track Labor & Materials Take 30–60 minutes to: Log hours worked so far (your crew's and yours) Review any receipts from the job site Match expenses to job names This provides a real-time view of how each job is performing against budget, enabling you to address issues before they escalate. Afternoon – Vendor Check-Ins Call or check with your suppliers: Confirm deliveries Handle any backorders Pay invoices on time (if possible to avoid late fees) Building good vendor relationships keeps your jobs on track and your business in good standing. Bookkeeper's tip: If you send us your receipts and labor updates every week, we can update the job cost reports and alert you if anything appears to be incorrect. Wednesday: Build and Communicate All Day – Focus on Production Mid-week is often when contractors are on-site all day. But don't go silent on your clients or back office. End of Day – Client Touchpoints Send a quick project update to each active client: What was completed today or this week? What's scheduled next? Are there any delays or updates they should be aware of? A 2-minute message can prevent hours of frustration or confusion. Systematize it: Use a weekly client update template or a shared project board where clients can check their progress. Thursday: Invoice, Collect, and Prepare for the Weekend Morning – Invoicing & Payments Every Thursday, review: What milestones were completed this week? What invoices should go out today? What payments are overdue? Send invoices promptly—don't wait until the end of the month. Progress billing maintains a healthy cash flow and reduces the risk of late payments. Afternoon – Financial Catch-Up Take another 30 minutes to: Send payment reminders Record payments received Pay subs (if applicable) Review your upcoming expenses Automation tip: Utilize QuickBooks, Joist, or another invoicing tool that automatically sends reminders. Friday: Review & Reflect Morning – Job Wrap-Up or Prep Use Friday mornings to: Finalize the week's job work Clean up job sites Prepare materials or tools for Monday Afternoon – Weekly Financial Review Block 30 minutes to review: Profit & Loss report Cash on hand vs upcoming bills Job profitability (are we still on budget?) Even a basic check-in provides insight into how your business is performing, not just how you perceive it's doing. What to ask your bookkeeper: Are we on budget for our active jobs? Did we hit our revenue and profit targets this week? Any unusual spending patterns? Weekend: Rest & Reset (Or Catch Up, Smartly) Use the weekend to rest—or if you need to catch up, keep it light: Review new lead inquiries Clean up receipts or paperwork Organize tools or truck inventory Try not to overload your Saturdays. You're running a business, not burning yourself out. Set boundaries: Let clients know you're unavailable on Sundays unless it's an emergency. Protect your peace. Recap: Weekly Rhythm for a Profitable Contractor Day Primary Focus Monday: Job planning & lead follow-up Tuesday: Job costs, receipts, vendor check-ins Wednesday: On-site work & client updates Thursday: Invoicing, collections, and financial review Friday: Job wrap-up, P&L check, planning Weekend: Light admin or complete rest This weekly flow doesn't have to be perfect. The point is to build structure into your week so you're not always reacting—you're leading. Why This Works When contractors follow a simple weekly routine: Jobs run smoother Clients are happier You get paid faster You make decisions based on facts, not gut feelings You work fewer nights and weekends You don't need to be a spreadsheet wizard or tech genius. You need systems that fit your workflow and a few key habits to stay consistent. And if you need help setting that up, that's where I come in. Need Help Building a Weekly System That Works? As construction bookkeeping specialists, we help small contractors: Automate financial tasks Track job costs easily Set up smart invoicing and reminders Build habits that protect profit Let's chat and streamline your week, so you can get back to building what you love. About The Author: Norhalma Verzosa is a Certified Construction Marketing Professional and serves as the Web Administrator of Fast Easy Accounting, located in Lynnwood, WA. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and is a Certified Internet Web Professional, with certifications in Site Development Associate, Google AdWords Search Advertising, and HubSpot Academy. She manages the entire web presence of Fast Easy Accounting using a variety of SaaS tools, including HubSpot, Teachable, Shopify, and WordPress.

Re-releasing a DAT listener favorite! The Dental A-Team is seeing a lot of burnout across practices we visit, so Kiera's here to offer tips about delegating. Just because you can do a bunch of tasks doesn't mean you should. Kiera provides DAT insight on the best/easiest way to delegate, how to fill the time you've delegated out, and what the delegator and delegatee should absolutely not do. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript Kiera Dent (00:05) Hey everyone, welcome to the Dental A Team podcast. I'm your host, Kiera Dent, and I had this crazy idea that maybe I could combine a doctor and a team member's perspective, because let's face it, dentistry can be a challenging profession with those two perspectives. I've been a dental assistant, treatment coordinator, scheduler, pillar, office manager, regional manager, practice owner, and I have a team of traveling consultants where we have traveled to over 165 different offices coaching teams. Yep, we don't just understand you, we are you.   Our mission is to positively impact the world of dental. And I believe that this podcast is the greatest way I can help elevate teams, grow VIP experiences, reduce stress, and create A-Teams. Welcome to the Dental A Team Podcast.   Dental A Team listeners, this is Kiera and you guys I hope today is a great day for you. I am car casting today I am headed down to see my parents for a little bit today and Decided you guys know me when I drive between that Nevada, California state line I love to podcast if you have not heard about the time I was headed to my little sister's graduation and I was Car casting with a microphone. They have an agriculture check   point and go take a listen to that one. If you don't know which one that is, email us Hello@TheDentalATeam.com guys. just want to say a massive, massive, massive thank you to all of you who have been stepping up, taken on our review challenge and honestly leaving us reviews. I've seen you guys posting on our Google reviews to help deadly team. Get the word out. You've also been posting on Apple, Spotify, YouTube. I have been seeing those and I just want to say thank you. Shout out today. I saw Annie.   had posted and gave us a massive five star review and Annie, thank you. There's so many of you that have been listening in. Brooke Birdie saw your review as well on iTunes. And I just want to say guys, number one, it feeds my ego. So thank you. I am a words of affirmation girl. So that definitely is the best way to give back to me and make me feel like a million bucks. That's number one. So if you really want to make my day, please leave us a review and just tell us how great we are. I would love that. And number two,   Thank you guys for helping us help more practices. We have actually been seeing an upward trend on our podcast downloads. That is kudos to you guys. ⁓ Massive, massive, massive boosts on our downloads. And I just want to say thank you to all of you for doing that, because this is helping us help more practices. You know, when I started working at the dental college, the dean asked me why I wanted to take on this position. And I said, you know, I want to find a way to positively impact the world of dentistry in the greatest way possible. That's honestly why we   I did my job at the college and then that's also why I decided to ⁓ take on and work with the consulting company. And then that's why we started the podcast. So you guys, the only way for us to reach every dentist in the world is by you guys helping spread this. I think that that's the way we'll be able to positively impact the world of dentistry in the greatest way possible. So guys, keep hitting those downloads, keep leaving us review, keep sharing these.   When I see you guys on social media platforms where you're sharing our podcasts with people, it's been so helpful. So thank you guys for taking that on. So today's topic is how to delegate. I know I've chatted about this a few other times, but it's just been coming up more and more. And I know a lot of offices are struggling. I'm seeing more and more burnout amongst team members and owners. And so I thought that this would be a very applicable topic for you guys today. So basically number one, when it comes to delegating,   We've got to look to see what is the reason for delegating? Are we trying to find more time for ourselves so that way we can be more balanced? Are we trying to grow team members into another position? Or are we just trying to ensure that all team members are being utilized throughout the day? Maybe you have another reason you want to delegate, but oftentimes I find that the number one reason we don't delegate is because we're concerned about losing our place in our job.   and the value that we're bringing to the practice. When in actuality, I think it's let's get people into their zone of geniuses so we can work more effectively and consistently together. So for me, I think one of the best and easiest ways to delegate is for everybody just to do a brain dump on the tasks that they're doing day in and day out. Now the reason I like a brain dump rather than a time journaling is because oftentimes those things that we put on a brain dump are going to be the things that we can actually think about.   that are for for for front of our mind. So those things tend to be the ones that are consuming the most of our time. There might be other things on there that we don't think about, so you can always add back to this list. But what I really love to do is I love to brain dump all the information and then after I brain dump, I go back through, you guys know if you don't know, my favorite color is pink, and I go back through with a pink highlighter and I literally look at all the tasks that only Kiera can do. A lot of times the tasks that I'm doing are not things that only I can do.   Or if they are only things I can do, I might need to train. So for example, I used to be the only person who could podcast on our team. So we decided, Hey, the consultants actually have a lot of great information that they could be sharing. And it doesn't necessarily have to just be Kiera. So we decided to start training the consultants to see could the consultants ever podcast if something were to ever happen to me. And the answer is yes, I trained them about the microphones. I taught them how to podcast. taught them how to do cadences, but I realized.   That was something that only Kyra could do before, but you guys, I am looking to try and have a baby. We've been talking about this forever, but guys, don't worry. I'm a walking bag of, I feel, lethal hormones right now. We are starting the process of IVF and ⁓ if you haven't done it, that's great. Congratulations. If you have gone through it, please send me help because I literally feel like a lethal bag of walking hormones and don't even know how to control myself right now. It's like one minute I'll be fine. The next minute I'm bawling my eyes out. And I heard even after you have babies,   this doesn't go away. I don't, I don't quite know what to do. But the bottom line is our team had to be able to start delegating things to our other team members that they could do just as well, if not better than me. But that also came up with, I had to realize I needed to start training. So delegating, we've got to look at like, what's our ultimate goal. So for me, my ultimate goal was I wanted to ensure that Dental A Team could continue to grow, bless people's lives, positively impact the world of dentistry in the greatest way possible. And for me,   to also be able to be a mom. So in order for those two things to happen, I had to start delegating and utilizing it. I realized I don't delegate that much. I like to swoop in and save the day because I think I can do it faster and better. Well, the answer is yes, I theoretically can, but that doesn't mean I should. Okay, I'm going to say that again. Well, yes, I theoretically can do everything potentially faster and better. That doesn't mean I should because what that does is that actually means that I'm a one man team.   rather than a multiple person team. So I want to have all of the people on my team working super well. And I want to ensure that they're all able to do the task. And it's not just me. So I would say that you guys are going to be able to start looking for your why of why you want to delegate. So once you have figured out your why as to why you want to delegate and the plan,   Then we go through, like I said, and you highlight all the tasks that are actually tasks that only you can do. Like I said, some of those tasks that only you could do, maybe if you trained, you could actually get those tasks passed off your plate. But I really like you guys to ensure that you know exactly why you want these tasks to be completed, why you want to delegate. I think having a strong why helps you realize that that's what you're actually going to do rather than it just being a wish that you're hoping one day will come true.   Like I said, I'm not a great delegator and I realized that because I like to swoop in, save the day, make everything better and theoretically I can do it better, faster. However, I can't ever grow the company. I can only grow as big as I can grow. So realizing that sometimes delegation also will be an avenue for growth for your practice is one of the best pieces of advice I could ever give any of you. So realizing that when you delegate, you allow other people to blossom and shine, you allow yourself to blossom and shine and grow to a larger scale.   Now I will say some people I watch them delegate and then they get lazy. They will pass all their tasks to other people. They'll grow everybody else, but then they forget to grow themselves. So when you delegate off of your tasks, say if you're an office manager and you get a front office lead and then you get a clinical lead, well, sometimes you as an office manager, no longer know what you should do. This is where you start diving deep in the areas. Maybe you don't know. Let's talk about the business aspect. What are the financials of your practice? What about overhead? Do you know how to adjust that?   You're going to start thinking like a business owner. Also go to your dentist and figure out what's on their plate. Have them brain dump and look to see what tasks you can take off immediately and what tasks you need to learn and grow into. So making sure as you delegate, you don't get lazy. You don't pass too many things there. Also before you delegate, I want to make sure that you've built an admin time into your schedule. So doctor time, you can have that as CEO time. You can have it as admin time. You can have it as golden time. I don't care what the heck you call this time, but it's set block time every single week in your schedule.   Oftentimes the practices all notice that they'll want to hire somebody else before they put in this admin time. I chatting with a front office team. Typically we like to have one front office team member per doctor, unless it's a solo doctor, then I for sure want two front office people just so we avoid any temptation of embezzlement or fraud or anything of that nature. So what happens is a lot of times people feel like they need to get more people upfront, but they don't realize you can delegate tasks that would actually make the patient experience better. For example,   chairside treatment plans on an iPad, taking fluoride payments in the hygiene operatories that make it so much faster and easier for every single person in the practice. What about tasks like insurance verification? That might take a long time and it might actually be cheaper to outsource that. So looking at that, but also before we even consider that, I want to see, you actually doing ⁓ that admin time every single week?   And if you're not, that might be a critical place to start before we even start delegating. Because a lot of times, a lot of those projects that we want to delegate, if we just had one or two hours in a week where it was dedicated, not interrupted time, we could actually crank a lot of those things out and be super hyper productive. So for me, I have a business focused time. I have a three hour block every Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. My team knows, do not even think about scheduling something there. Don't do it. It's not good for you or for the business.   So that is my blocked golden time and I work on big project items. So for me specifically, I work on, I'm looking to bring in a different position in our company and I'm mapping that out, talking to mentors, figuring it out, writing job descriptions for it. Other things like I'm not going to use that time to podcast. As much as I love to podcast, I have that built into my schedule in another place. I'm not going to use that time to answer my emails. Instead, I'm going to use that time to work on high level.   most productive projects. For some dentists, that's where you might be designing cases. So getting all that ortho completed or designing those cosmetic cases that you know you need to get completed. That's where we're going to be able to have a much more successful and productive schedule if you actually block that time. For office managers, this time might be where you actually go through your one-on-one employee check-ins. It also might be where you work on maybe sign development or looking at all the KPIs.   and figuring out what KPIs need to be adjusted, doing a deep dive on the numbers. For billers, this is the time where you call on those collection calls. You work on your AR, that's the deeper projects, the ones that have to have a ton of time dedicated to solving them and figuring them out to get them paid. That's where we utilize this time. For our scheduling team, this is the time when you call all those unscheduled re-care calls. Same thing for treatment coordinators. We call those unscheduled treatment lists.   Just think of every person did this. ⁓ I forgot the clinical team. Let me give the clinical teams some ideas. Don't want to let you guys feel left out. So for our clinical team, we might want to give them some block time to maybe get those crowns or those ortho cases done. This might be the time that our team actually orders for the practice. It could be the time ⁓ for a lead hygienist. This might be the time that you create like the perio protocols or review the numbers on your hygiene, on your hygienist and see.   How is their fluoride ratio? How are their perio numbers? This is the time when you'll deep dive in there. It's not the time we dedicate for sharpening scalars. This is the time where we literally are maximizing and doing those high level projects that will move the practice forward. Hey, Dental A Team listeners. You guys have heard the early bird gets the worm, right? What does that even mean? Well, it means that the early bird is the person who maximizes on benefits.   optimizes their practice and they take advantage of great deals. So guys, right now, this week, last chance to save on Dental A Team's virtual team summit. It's all about optimization and execution with an emphasis on full team. And then Saturday is all about leadership. So guys, don't miss out. You know, you're going to come. So you might as well pop on over to TheDentalATeam.com snag those early bird tickets, because once they're gone, they're gone and you'll be paying more for the same event. So head on over to TheDentalATeam.com.   Snag your early bird virtual summit for April 22nd and 23rd, and I'll see you there. So again, before we ever delegate, I want you to make sure you have that time built in. After that, I want you to figure out why you want to delegate. What's the bigger purpose as to why you want to delegate these tasks. Then what we do is we come up with a game plan of, fantastic. This is what we are going to delegate. This is how we're going to delegate. This is why we're going to delegate.   then we actually have to delegate. Okay? So we have to delegate guys. That's part of the game. That's what we have to do. Now people get really nervous to delegate because why? We don't want to what? Dump on somebody else and make their life stressful. Well guess what? They might already be doing half of what you're doing and if it just was their project, you might make their life a lot less stressful. Let's just pivot that a little bit. Also, we might be able to do things like, ⁓ we might be able to find efficiencies.   I will tell you if I give Shelby a project that I've been working on for quite a while, Shelby is way more efficient and organized and structured than I am. And so she usually can come up with a better way of doing it than I can. That's going to create ease and efficiency for our entire team. So when we go to delegate, we can check in with people, ask how much time and say, hey, here's the list of items. First and foremost, you can have a team meeting and be like, here are all the items up for grabs. Who wants to own this section? Now.   I say to team members who are being delegated to one of the number one ways for you to lose confidence in your practice, the person who's delegating to you is by not following through. If you say, yeah, I'll take that on, but then you never actually do it, I do not want to delegate to you again. I lost trust. So when people do this, I'm going to say you've got to own it with integrity. So if I say, yes, I'm going to take this on, I don't care how I've got to remember it. I don't care how I need to figure it out.   my job because I committed, I'm going to own this process. I'm going to own the fact that I need to do this because I committed to it and I own my word. It's not accountability. You don't your office manager following up like, okay, Kara, I know you said you take on ordering. Did you get it done? The answer is yes, the office manager should still do that. But me as a person who took this on, I need to have an attitude of ownership in my practice where I don't need somebody to come follow up with me.   check in because I know when I say I'm going to do something, I will fall through a hundred percent. So team members, leaders, everybody listening, check yourself. Are you a person who actually owns your word, takes ownership of the things that you commit to doing with your job, with your personal life, all those areas. Do you actually take ownership of it? Do you take ownership of your health? Do you take ownership of your happiness? Do you take ownership of your financial wellbeing? Do you take ownership of the schedule if you're a scheduler?   Do take ownership of making sure every doctor hits goal every single freaking day if you're a treatment coordinator? Do you take ownership as an office manager that you will continually hit a minimum of a 10 % growth rate every single year and make sure that your team is super happy and content? As a doctor, do you take ownership that you are going to produce and increase your clinical skills so you can be the best provider that there ever was? As a hygienist, do you own that you should be producing 3.3 times   or 3.5 times your pay or 3.0, I don't care guys, choose your number and stick with it. There's a million of them. Minimum three, maximum 3.5 and less your fee for service. Then I for sure, for sure, for sure, for sure want you to be producing at least 4.5 times your pay. Okay? Do you take ownership that it's your job, not the scheduler's job to ensure you're hitting your production every single day, that you're mixing your schedule, that you're maximizing, that you're getting a 98 % reappointment percentage?   Assistance, do you own the fact that you should not be getting up in a procedure to go get something because you didn't set up your operatory? Do you own your job? Do you own that you should be looking for same day treatment you can add on because you look at their treatment plans. You don't just robotically do what's on the schedule. You actually proactively look for things and own that as your job. Okay, so if you're not there, let's start there. That way when people come to you to delegate to you, you know that you can count on yourself to.   own whatever is coming to you to delegate. So then once we delegate, we pass it off. We have to make sure we've got clear expectations of when we want people to follow back up with us. So for example, I passed a task to Shelby. I wanted to find out a report on our consultants. That was something guys that was on my to-do list for about nine months. Yes, nine months and I did not complete it. So I decided this is something that is not just a Cura only task.   Shelby is probably much faster and could probably get this done faster for me. So what do I do? I pass it to Shelby. I asked her, Hey, this is what I need done. What do you need help with me? I gave her all the resources and tools so she could actually execute on it very well. And then I asked her, okay, what will you need from me? ⁓ she told me, and then we said, what date could you get this completed by? Shelby had to methodically think about, Hmm, this is going to take me a while. I have a lot of tasks on me. I think Kiera, I could get this done by the end of Q1.   does that work for you? So that means March 31st. And I said, totally no problem. We put it in, we have a task organizer. We utilize a CRM. So it's kind of like your guys's Dentrix open dental. And it's where all of our clients are housed. Plus it's where all of our tasks are housed. So we have it there. Shelby and I put the deadline on there. And then when she gets it done, she checks it off. If you guys don't have a task manager or things that these projects, I would suggest you get one. For practices, I've seen the software Asana or Trello.   or Google Docs all work really, really well when we're assigning out a bunch of projects and needing to have deadlines on them. So those would be the ones. Some offices love Basecamp, other offices love monday.com. For me, Asana is probably your easiest, fastest one to set into place. Or a simple task manager, ⁓ Google Docs is honestly going to be your easiest one. And then just make sure you review it every week and check it off. We noticed with our team, we were delegating. Our team was taking ownership of it.   However, we didn't have a consistent follow-up process. And I would say that's the next piece of delegation that oftentimes fails in a practice is we don't follow back up. So for us, we just said it as Friday morning at our morning huddle. We pull up the task sheet and we pull up our Asana board. And we go through every single task that should be done and everything headed up for the next week to make sure our team stays responsible and they don't forget. And we have a consistent follow-up process. So that way it's not sitting here thinking, well, I'm sure Shelby will do it.   We actually have a set process in our company where we follow up every single week. That was because we realized we were passing out tasks. Our team was doing a great job. But then we all kind of would get sidetracked and forget what we had committed to doing. And we need to have a place where we could have everybody aligned. So those are some of the key pitfalls that I see with delegation. Those are some of the solutions that I've seen work well. But at the end of the day, we can sit here, we can talk about it, we can create solutions, all these different things.   But what really is the number one piece is actually doing it and then following up. Those are the two most paramount pieces with delegation. I will say having a strong why is going to make you delegate faster and more consistently than just talking about it until I decided, Hey, I'm getting pregnant. Hopefully fingers crossed. I didn't really see the need to delegate. Yes, I did for my own mental sanity, but until I had that why.   And other times when I've opened up a second practice, instantly I've got a strong why that I need to delegate these tasks so that way all the information can come back to me as a regional manager and I'm not having to micromanage or check in all the time with my team. Guys, there is a different between micromanaging and checking in. Checking in, keeping track of all the projects is not micromanaging, period. Micromanaging is where it comes sit over your shoulder and tell you how to do your job. That's micromanaging.   but checking in with you to ensure that you're actually doing your projects, that's just called running a business. That's called running a team. That's making sure all the team is growing in the same direction and the team knows the set expectations. So guys, try delegation. I see it happening. You can make your team work so much more effectively and efficiently. So I suggest, one, get a list of all the things that could be delegated. Two, let's pass it out to the team and ask people who can own it. Three, let's make sure we have a set time of where we can actually follow up as an office.   and ensure all projects and tasks are being completed and done. And four, create a culture of ownership where when we say we'll take something on, we own it, we don't drop the ball. I want to sing this song to you guys like, we own it. You can go look it up. I didn't do it justice and I'm not going to sing karaoke for you guys. However, get your team to own it, delegate, rise everybody up, make sure that you guys don't have a set process for it and realize how much more effectively your team can operate when all of us are working together.   growing the company in the way that's best for the company to grow. All right, guys, as always, so much love to you. Thank you for being a Dental A Team listener. I super appreciate it, guys. So thanks for listening, and I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team podcast.   that wraps it up for another episode of the Dental A Team Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and we'll talk to you next time.  

In this episode of Building Better Developers with AI, Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche revisit their earlier discussion on defining ‘done' in Agile – how to stay on Track and Avoid Scope Creep. They explain why “done” must mean more than “I finished coding,” and they show how a shared Definition of Done (DoD) keeps teams aligned and projects on schedule. What Does “Done” Really Mean? In Agile, “Done” extends beyond writing code. It often includes: Passing unit and integration tests Receiving QA approval Deploying to staging or production Updating documentation Securing acceptance sign-off Without a clear, documented DoD, each team member may interpret “done” differently. As a result, projects risk rework, delays, and frustration. “If we ask, ‘Is it done?' we should get a clear yes or no—no ‘sort of' or ‘almost.'” – Rob Broadhead Why Ambiguity Leads to Trouble Michael points out a common problem: a developer finishes their code, marks the ticket as done, and passes it to QA—only for testers to find gaps in the requirements. A login screen ticket might say “Allow users to log in with username and password.” But does that mean: Username is case-insensitive? Special characters are allowed? Do error messages display on failure? If these details aren't defined, both the developer and tester may interpret “done” differently, leading to frustration on all sides. The Link Between “Done” and Scope Creep Rob and Michael agree: unclear definitions open the door to scope creep. Without a firm DoD, features get stuck in an endless loop of revisions: Developers feel QA keeps moving the goalposts. QA feels developers aren't meeting the requirements. Clients think the delivered feature isn't what they expected. Over time, this erodes trust and pushes delivery dates further into the future. Lessons from the Field Michael contrasts two scenarios from his career that highlight the power of a strong Definition of Done. Before an acquisition, his team worked with a crystal-clear DoD. Every ticket had precise requirements, clear acceptance criteria, and well-defined testing steps. As a result, tasks finished on time, testing followed a predictable pattern, and rework was rare. The team knew exactly when work met the agreed standards, and stakeholders trusted that “done” truly meant done. After the acquisition, the situation changed dramatically. Tickets became vague and massive in scope, often resembling open-ended “make it work” directives. Multiple teams modified the same code simultaneously, resulting in merge conflicts, inconsistent results, and unpredictable delivery schedules. Without a clear DoD, developers, testers, and stakeholders all had different ideas of what completion looked like, and work frequently circled back for revisions. The difference between the two environments came down to one factor: a clear and enforceable Definition of done. In the first scenario, it acted as a shared contract for quality and completion. In the second, the lack of it created confusion, wasted effort, and missed deadlines. Building a Strong Definition of Done The hosts outline key components every DoD should include: Code complete and reviewed – Ensures quality and shared understanding. Automated tests passing – Reduces regressions. Documentation updated – Prevents future confusion. Deployment verified – Proves it works in the target environment. Acceptance criteria signed off – Confirms alignment with the original requirements. Pro Tip: Keep your tests fresh—don't just update them to pass without meeting the real requirement. Who Owns the DoD? One person doesn't own the DoD—it's a team responsibility. Product owners, Scrum Masters, and developers should collaborate to create and update it, reviewing it regularly to adapt to evolving project needs. Making “Done” Part of the Process Once defined, your DoD should be visible and integrated into your workflow: Add it to user stories during sprint planning. Track it in tools like Jira, Trello, or GitHub. Use workflow stages that match your DoD steps—coding, testing, review, deployment, and sign-off. Michael emphasizes that personal accountability matters just as much as team accountability. Great developers hold themselves to the DoD without needing reminders. Your Challenge: Define “Done” This Week If your team doesn't have a documented Definition of Done—or if it's been more than three months since you reviewed it—set aside time this week to: Write down your current DoD. Identify where ambiguity still exists. Get agreement from the entire team. Update your workflow so that every ticket must meet the DoD before it is closed. This single step can prevent months of wasted effort and ensure your work delivers exactly what's intended. The Bigger Picture A well-defined DoD is more than a checklist—it's your guardrail against wasted effort and shifting goals. It ensures the final product matches what the client truly needs, not just what was coded. Your Definition of Done is your “why” for each task—it keeps your work focused, aligned, and valuable. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Getting It Right: How Effective Requirements Gathering Leads to Successful Software Projects The Importance of Properly Defining Requirements Changing Requirements – Welcome Them For Competitive Advantage Creating Use Cases and Gathering Requirements The Developer Journey Videos – With Bonus Content Building Better Developers With AI Podcast Videos – With Bonus Content

Think you need huge blocks of time to make big progress in your floral business? Think again! In this episode, I'm sharing 10 practical, actionable things you can do in short bursts — just 20 minutes — that will move the needle in your business, even on your busiest weeks.Whether you're juggling weddings, a day job, kids, or farm chores (

If you've ever felt overwhelmed, boxed in, or just plain bored by traditional business plans as a small business owner with ADHD, this episode is for you! Host Diann Wingert is here to reimagine business planning in a way that's actually ADHD-friendly—lean, flexible, visual, and, most importantly, useful. Whether you're new to entrepreneurship or tired of winging it and hitting hidden roadblocks, Diann guides you through a business planning approach that celebrates how the ADHD brain works best. Get ready to create a plan you'll actually want to use!Episode highlights: The Big Lie:Your ADHD brain thinks planning cramps your style—but done right, the opposite is true. Planning can be the external structure that fuels freedom, creativity, and calm in your business. The trick? Ignore the boring templates and create a plan tailored to how your brain truly operates.Why Traditional Business Plans Don't Work for ADHD Brains:The pitfalls of rigid, lengthy plans and how they trigger resistance and procrastination.Why our tendency to wing it isn't always as productive (or painless) as it feels.The Hidden Costs of ‘Winging It':Missed opportunitiesWasted energyUnfinished projects.Introducing the ADHD-Friendly Minimal Business Plan Framework:Four simple pillars (instead of 40 pages)North Star: Your “why,” distilled for everyday decisions.Revenue Reality Check: Getting real with three simple numbers.Zone of Genius: Maximizing what energizes you and minimizing the rest.Next Three Moves: Concrete, short-term steps—no five-year forecasts here!Making Your Business Plan Visual & Flexible:Why a one-page, visual dashboard beats a document you'll never open again.Tools and formats—Trello, Canva, voice-to-text, and more—that play to ADHD strengths.Get it Done (Without Overwhelm) with The Sprint Method25 minutes a day, one pillar at a time, over four days.Walk away when the timer rings—even mid-sentence.No giant blocks of time, no perfectionism, no overwhelm.Homework:Take 25 minutes this week and pick ONE pillar to focus on—whichever feels easiest or most fun. (Money anxiety? Start with your North Star instead!) Next week, another pillar. Within a month, you've got an ADHD-friendly business plan that you will actually use! Share your ADHD-friendly business plan with Diann Email: diann@diannwingertcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannwingertcoaching/SpeakPipe voice messaging: https://www.speakpipe.com/AskDiannAnythingAbout the Host:Diann Wingert (she/her) is a former psychotherapist turned business strategist with a passion for supporting neurodivergent entrepreneurs. With real-world experience as both a clinician and a business owner—and her signature no-BS, motivational style—Diann specializes in helping business owners find strategies and systems to balance their passion and purpose, with profit, and avoid burnout in the process. Be sure to subscribe/follow so you don't miss future episodes full of practical, ADHD-friendly business advice!© 2025 ADHD-ish Podcast. Intro music by Ishan Dincer / Melody Loops / Outro music by Vladimir

If you've ever felt overwhelmed, boxed in, or just plain bored by traditional business plans as a small business owner with ADHD, this episode is for you! Host Diann Wingert is here to reimagine business planning in a way that's actually ADHD-friendly—lean, flexible, visual, and, most importantly, useful. Whether you're new to entrepreneurship or tired of winging it and hitting hidden roadblocks, Diann guides you through a business planning approach that celebrates how the ADHD brain works best. Get ready to create a plan you'll actually want to use!Episode highlights: The Big Lie:Your ADHD brain thinks planning cramps your style—but done right, the opposite is true. Planning can be the external structure that fuels freedom, creativity, and calm in your business. The trick? Ignore the boring templates and create a plan tailored to how your brain truly operates.Why Traditional Business Plans Don't Work for ADHD Brains:The pitfalls of rigid, lengthy plans and how they trigger resistance and procrastination.Why our tendency to wing it isn't always as productive (or painless) as it feels.The Hidden Costs of ‘Winging It':Missed opportunitiesWasted energyUnfinished projects.Introducing the ADHD-Friendly Minimal Business Plan Framework:Four simple pillars (instead of 40 pages)North Star: Your “why,” distilled for everyday decisions.Revenue Reality Check: Getting real with three simple numbers.Zone of Genius: Maximizing what energizes you and minimizing the rest.Next Three Moves: Concrete, short-term steps—no five-year forecasts here!Making Your Business Plan Visual & Flexible:Why a one-page, visual dashboard beats a document you'll never open again.Tools and formats—Trello, Canva, voice-to-text, and more—that play to ADHD strengths.Get it Done (Without Overwhelm) with The Sprint Method25 minutes a day, one pillar at a time, over four days.Walk away when the timer rings—even mid-sentence.No giant blocks of time, no perfectionism, no overwhelm.Homework:Take 25 minutes this week and pick ONE pillar to focus on—whichever feels easiest or most fun. (Money anxiety? Start with your North Star instead!) Next week, another pillar. Within a month, you've got an ADHD-friendly business plan that you will actually use! Share your ADHD-friendly business plan with Diann Email: diann@diannwingertcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannwingertcoaching/SpeakPipe voice messaging: https://www.speakpipe.com/AskDiannAnythingAbout the Host:Diann Wingert (she/her) is a former psychotherapist turned business strategist with a passion for supporting neurodivergent entrepreneurs. With real-world experience as both a clinician and a business owner—and her signature no-BS, motivational style—Diann specializes in helping business owners find strategies and systems to balance their passion and purpose, with profit, and avoid burnout in the process. Be sure to subscribe/follow so you don't miss future episodes full of practical, ADHD-friendly business advice!© 2025 ADHD-ish Podcast. Intro music by Ishan Dincer / Melody Loops /

Have an app idea but don't know how to code? In this episode of Payrollin', Matt Vaadi walks through how to build a real, working app in under 30 minutes using only AI tools like ChatGPT, Replit, and WhisperFlow. No coding experience needed.Learn how vibe coding works, how to prompt ChatGPT to build inside Replit, and how this AI-powered stack can replace tools like Trello, your CRM, or your client onboarding workflow.Whether you're a founder looking to automate tasks or a small business owner wanting to bring an idea to life, this episode offers practical tips, live examples, and honest insight into what works and what doesn't when building apps with AI.Featured tools: ChatGPT Replit WhisperFlow Claude AI Zapier Mailgun PandaDoc Trello

This Podcast Is Episode 640, And It's About How To Build Systems That Support Your Construction Business Turning the 3 Pillars—Marketing, Accounting, and Production—Into Repeatable Routines(without adding more work) You've done the hard part—you're running a construction business, getting jobs, and turning out quality work. Perhaps you've even begun to refine your marketing, job costing, and project delivery strategies, thanks to the three pillars we've discussed: Attracting the Right Jobs, Controlling the Money, and Delivering Projects Profitably. But here's the next step that will take your business from reactive to reliable, from "just getting by" to scaling sustainably: You need systems. Not paperwork piles. Not more apps. Just smart, repeatable steps that make your business more efficient—even if you're still a one-person show. As construction bookkeeping specialists, we help contractors every day who are great at swinging hammers but are overwhelmed by admin. This post will show you how to build simple systems around your existing workflow, so you can run your business more smoothly, make better decisions, and free up your time. What Is a "System" Anyway? A system is simply a repeatable process that occurs consistently without requiring you to reinvent the wheel each time. It could be: A checklist An automation A template A recurring habit Or a combination of all of the above The goal is predictability—so your business can function smoothly whether you're at a job site or taking a day off (yes, that's allowed!). Why Small Construction Businesses Need Systems You might be thinking, "I'm not a big company—I don't need systems." But the truth is, you need them even more. Why? Because without systems: Every invoice is different Every client interaction takes extra effort You forgot to track your hours or materials You lose receipts or miss billing for change orders You're constantly reacting instead of planning The right systems save you time, reduce stress, and increase your profitability. And they don't have to be complicated. System #1: A Simple Lead-to-Job Process The Problem: You get an inquiry, scribble notes on paper, forget to follow up, or lose track of what was discussed. Sound familiar? The System: Create a basic lead intake form (Google Form, CRM tool, or paper checklist) Pre-qualify leads with a few standard questions: Project type, location, timeline, budget Save all client information in one place (e.g., Google Sheet, Notion, Trello). Use a standard estimate template so every quote includes: Scope Pricing Timeline Payment terms Send a welcome email template after a job is accepted (include next steps, policies, and what to expect) Bookkeeper's Tip: Keeping track of leads and estimates helps you compare projected vs. actual profits, so you can learn which jobs are truly worth your time. System #2: A Weekly Money Routine The Problem: You're too busy to check the books, so you don't know if you're making or losing money until tax time. The System: Set aside 30–60 minutes each week to review your finances: Reconcile transactions (or send to your bookkeeper) Check outstanding invoices Follow up on late payments Log hours worked and materials used (by job) Review your cash flow forecast for the next two weeks Even if you outsource the bookkeeping, your weekly check-in keeps you in control. Make it part of your Friday routine, just like packing up your tools. Bookkeeper's Tip: We can set up automated reports to send you a cash flow summary, job costing update, or overdue invoice list via email each week—no extra work on your end. System #3: Job Costing and Change Order Tracking The Problem: You think you're making money on jobs, but in the end, you can't say for sure, and you might've given away work for free. The System: Use a spreadsheet or job costing software (like QuickBooks Projects or Buildertrend) Track: Labor (hours × rate) Materials (receipts, delivery invoices) Subcontractors Permits, rentals, and other direct costs Add a simple change order log to each job file Description, date, price, status (pending/approved) Get approval before starting extra work   Bookkeeper's Tip: When you track jobs this way, we can help you compare estimated vs. actual costs and margins—so your future quotes get sharper and more profitable. System #4: Project Timeline & Client Communication The Problem: Clients get anxious when they don't hear from you, and scope creep happens when there's no clear plan. The System: Break each project into 3–5 major phases (demo, framing, finish work, etc.) Assign rough start/end dates Use a whiteboard, app, or calendar to stay on track Send weekly updates to clients (template email or quick text summary) "Here's what we completed this week… Here's what's next…" Bookkeeper's Tip: When jobs stay on schedule, you're more likely to invoice on time and get paid faster, which improves your cash flow. System #5: Receipts, Invoices, and Tax Readiness The Problem: You have a shoebox full of receipts and scramble to find documents when tax season rolls around. The System: Use a digital system like Dext, Hubdoc, or even a shared Dropbox folder Snap photos of receipts as you go—tag them with the project name Save estimates, signed contracts, and change orders in organized folders Send invoices promptly at milestones (use progress billing templates) Review reports monthly with your bookkeeper (Profit & Loss, Job Profitability, etc.) Bookkeeper's Tip: With clean books and digital records, tax time is painless—and you'll never miss a deduction. The Myth of "More Work" The biggest myth about systems is that they add more to your plate. In reality, they save you time and stress by preventing confusion, wasted effort, and missed revenue. Stop rewriting the same emails Stop digging for info buried in texts Stop guessing at prices or costs Stop forgetting to bill for work you did With systems in place, your business becomes predictable, profitable, and easier to manage—even as you grow. Ready to Systemize Your Construction Business? You don't have to figure this all out on your own. As construction bookkeeping specialists, we help small contractors establish and maintain systems that align with their workflow. Whether it's: Automating job costing Simplifying invoicing Organizing digital receipts Reviewing job margins Or building custom templates We'll help you take the guesswork out of your money—and give you back control of your time. Let's identify one or two areas in your business where a system could save you hours (and dollars) every week. You build homes. We'll help you build the business behind them. About The Author: Norhalma Verzosa is a Certified Construction Marketing Professional and serves as the Web Administrator of Fast Easy Accounting, located in Lynnwood, WA. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and is a Certified Internet Web Professional, with certifications in Site Development Associate, Google AdWords Search Advertising, and HubSpot Academy. She manages the entire web presence of Fast Easy Accounting using a variety of SaaS tools, including HubSpot, Teachable, Shopify, and WordPress.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2685: Cara Harvey offers a practical and empowering guide to help moms transition smoothly from the carefree days of summer into the structure of the school year. Learn how to reset routines, manage time without overwhelm, and create a flexible plan that supports both your kids and your own goals. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://apurposedrivenmom.com/transition-summer-to-school/ Quotes to ponder: "Take a few minutes to look at what's currently on your plate and see if there's anything that you can remove." "Back-to-school time means that routines and structure are coming back in, so this is a great time to reset your rhythms." "Make sure you also build in space in your week for rest and margin." Episode references: Trello: https://trello.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Marketing Over Coffee: Katie Robbert returns to talk Project Management, Software Development Lifecycle, Wednesday, and more! Direct Link to File Project Management, The List: Asana, JIRA, Monday, Trello, MS Project, Wrike, Basecamp, Airtable, Excel Project management vs. Task Management Project management vs. Digital Asset Management vs. Community Building Applying Software Development Lifecycle Practices […] The post What’s In Your Project Management Toolbox? appeared first on Marketing Over Coffee Marketing Podcast.

In this throwback episode, Monica gets real about one of the least glamorous, yet most powerful tools for building a business that lasts: Standard Operating Procedures. Whether you're a one-person show or leading a team, documenting your processes might be the difference between staying stuck and scaling smart. Monica shares her own journey from handwritten scripts to training software, and how SOPs became the backbone of her company's growth.This episode is for anyone who's tired of repeating themselves, wasting time, or feeling like no one else can do the job “right.” Spoiler: they can... if you show them how.What you will learn in this episode:How to create simple SOPs that save you time and moneyHow to make training new employees easier and more consistentHow to use tools like Google Docs, Trello, and Trainual for documentationHow to avoid common mistakes that hurt productivity and qualityHow to prepare your business for growth — even if you're solo right nowTune in now and take the first step toward building a business that runs smoothly — with or without you.Listen, subscribe, and leave a review to support the show and join a growing community of entrepreneurs like you!Episode Sponsor -  Zeus' Closet Helpful Entrepreneurial Resources from Become Your Own BossHelpful Entrepreneurial Resources from Become Your Own Boss⁠Monica FREE ebook⁠Get your⁠ Become Your Own Boss Planner⁠Get the 30 point checklist for building a clothing brand at www.zeuscloset.com/checklistWays to reach Monica:Instagram: @becomeyourownbosspodcastEmail: monica@monicaallen.com

Time-starved. That was me.Every morning, I'd make my to-do list. And by the end of the day, it would be LONGER, not shorter.All day long, I raced from task to task — and then from my home office to my mom's assisted living to the run club happy hour.If — heaven forbid — I was bored for a minute, I took it as an invitation to dive into my Trello project backlog. (Which was extensive.)I was constantly in motion. But never quite getting anywhere. Stuck at the same weight, run splits, drinks per week, business earnings, etc.And honestly, starting to look like a shipwrecked castaway because I couldn't even find the time to get a haircut

In this episode of the Property Management Podcast, I dive into how digital tools can completely transform the way property management businesses run. If you're feeling bogged down by the daily grind and wishing for a little more time to focus on growing your business, you're in the right place. I share the digital tools I rely on to automate tasks like email marketing, social media scheduling, and content creation, all designed to free up time and reduce the stress of constant manual work. Technology doesn't have to be overwhelming – it's all about working smarter, not harder.I talk through the importance of streamlining workflows and staying organized with tools like calendar management systems and CRM platforms. The best part? These tools don't just help you stay on top of things, but they can also improve client relationships, which is crucial when you're managing multiple properties or dealing with clients who expect nothing less than excellence. You'll hear about how these systems help me keep everything ticking along smoothly, giving me the space to focus on the bigger picture, like building stronger relationships and scaling the business.I hope you'll be inspired to incorporate more technology into your day-to-day operations. Automating repetitive tasks is a game-changer, and with the right systems in place, you can reduce stress and create a business that not only survives but thrives. So, if you're ready to take your property management game to the next level, don't miss this episode – it's time to embrace the power of technology! "With the right tools, you can save time, reduce stress, and become more efficient in your day-to-day operations." - Kylie WalkerWe explore:Best digital tools for automating property management businessesEmail marketing automation tools (e.g., Mailchimp, ConvertKit)Social media planning and scheduling tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer)Content creation and design tools (e.g., Canva)Video editing tools for real estate content (e.g., CapCut, InShot)Calendar scheduling tools (e.g., Calendly)Task and workflow management tools (e.g., Trello, Asana, Notion)Customer relationship management (CRM) systems (e.g., Vault, HubSpot)Importance of streamlining marketing efforts and client communicationsStrategies for enhancing efficiency and productivity in real estate operationsConnect with Done For You ServicesDone For You Services - https://dfys.com.au/Find out about our Done For You Social Media Management - https://dfys.mykajabi.com/done-for-you-smFind out about our Done for You Lead Generation - https://dfys.mykajabi.com/done-for-you-lead-generationConnect with Done For You Services: https://www.instagram.com/doneforyouservices_/Kylie's ResourcesProperty Management Growth School: https://courses.thatpropertymum.com.au/TPM-BDMSchoolDigital Marketing School: https://courses.thatpropertymum.com.au/digitalschoolThat Property Mum Courses:

Scott and CJ go full productivity nerd, swapping notes on their favorite web apps for writing, coding, planning, and more. From terminals to to-do lists to dumb phones, it's a deep dive into the tools powering their workflows. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:35 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 01:56 Text to speech or speech to text. 02:20 Superwhisper. 08:29 Kiro. 16:16 CJ's current editor preference. 17:59 Finding the right editor. 18:47 Terminals. 20:22 Ghostty. 24:16 Note-taking. 26:32 Obsidian. 30:24 Logseq. 31:03 Todo lists. 31:08 Tweek.so 34:42 Trello. 37:25 Notion Calendar. 38:55 Email. 43:21 FairEmail. 43:43 Dumb phones. 45:10 Olauncher 47:39 Audio Bookshelf. Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

Jay and Andrew dig into the difference between organization and orderliness, unpack how simply arranging clutter isn't true organization, and how failing to eliminate what's unnecessary leads to inefficiency, wasted time, and blocked flow.From red-tagging unused bandsaws to preserving museum-worthy prototypes, the conversation explores the emotional and practical side of decluttering. Jay shares a maintenance wake-up call involving a long-forgotten gearbox and walks through how proactive systems (like Trello and SOPs) can prevent downtime disasters. Then the duo touch on their favorite tools, ranging from $20 Japanese nippers to precision CMMs.You can get those amazing Fujiya pliers Andrew mentioned here and here.

What if your smartest, most efficient business partner was already on your laptop — and free? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes dives deep with with 24-year-old trailblazer Bella Taazieh — a rising force in Northeast Florida real estate who's harnessing AI to build a modern, personal, and wildly productive business. Bella unpacks how she's blending ChatGPT, Gamma, Notebook LM, and more to save hours, close deals faster, and create lead-gen systems that work for her — even while she's at the beach. From building her own GPT assistant to turning transcripts into podcasts and sending weekly AI-generated “Deals of the Week,” Bella's strategies are not just innovative — they're replicable. She breaks down how even the busiest solo agent can reclaim time and scale their impact by letting AI carry the heavy lift. Whether you're tech-curious or AI-obsessed, this is the blueprint episode you've been waiting for. If you're a realtor stuck in the hustle and grind, it's time to future-proof your business! Subscribe now, share this episode with your team, and follow Bella for game-changing content. Want Bella's GPT tools? DM her now on Instagram @bellataazieh and unlock your AI-powered future!   Highlights: 00:00 – 07:58 Bella's AI Philosophy & Client-Centered Automation Why AI isn't impersonal—it's powerful Helping more clients without losing personal touch Fear vs. opportunity: why agents must adapt Hiring AI without payroll Examples of AI replacing team roles 10:11–21:16 ChatGPT as Your Smartest Assistant Bella's “Who Am I” project: feeding ChatGPT her story Letting AI learn your tone, habits, and goals Using ChatGPT for negotiations and emotional intelligence AI-generated bios for branding Using AI like a personal coach or mentor 21:17–33:15 Building Lead Funnels: 250 Leads with Zero Ads Creating the “Deals of the Week” email funnel Turning weekly listings into relationship-building touchpoints Mass emails that feel personal Workshop results: leads within 11 minutes Why simple formatting and real-time data beat Canva graphics 33:16–45:00 Custom GPTs & Gamma AI for Seller Presentations What a custom GPT is and why you need one Bella's Control+Me GPT and its four powerful commands How she created presentations in 5 minutes with Gamma AI Real-world example of winning a listing on short notice Beat experienced agents using speed + AI insights 45:01–57:45 Notebook LM & The AI Podcast Hack What is Notebook LM and how to use it Turning training sessions into listenable podcasts AI-generated conversation between two fake hosts Training your team with AI audio content Brainstorming business models from knowledge conversion 57:46–01:09:35 Automating as a Solo Agent: Scaling with Systems Using Trello + Zapier + ChatGPT for email workflows Email funnels that feel personal but are fully automated Creating daily motivation prompts from AI Monday GPT: the brutal but honest motivator Why AI saves time, energy, and sanity 1:09:36–01:18:51Branding, Follow-Up & Where Agents Waste Time Branding is not your logo—it's your legacy Using AI to stay top-of-mind with leads weekly Automating touchpoints without sounding generic Following up with 200+ leads in 5 minutes Top two AI strategies every agent should implement now   Quotes:  “Every single one of my clients feels loved—because I use AI to give them more of me, not less.” – Bella Taazieh  “I created a GPT called Control+Me. It's my assistant, strategist, and motivator all in one.” – Bella Taazieh  “I built a Deals of the Week system that gave me 250 leads, 5 consultations, and didn't cost me a dime.” – Bella Taazieh  “AI isn't here to replace agents—it's here to empower the ones who are willing to lead.” – Bella Taazieh   To contact Bella Taazieh, learn more about her business, and make her a part of your network, make sure to follow her on her Instagram.   Connect with Bella Taazieh! Instagram: https://instagram.com/bellataaziehrealtor   Connect with me! Website: toprealtorjacksonville.com   Website: toprealtorstaugustine.com    SUBSCRIBE & LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW as we discuss real estate excellence with the best of the best.   #RealEstateAI #BellaTaazieh #ChatGPTForRealtors #ControlPlusMe #AIRealtor #DealsOfTheWeek #LeadGenerationTips #RealEstateInnovation #AIWorkflows #SoloAgentSuccess #RealtorMarketing #DigitalRealEstate #AIProductivity #NotebookLM #GammaAI #CustomGPT #RealEstateBranding #ModernRealtor #AutomatedSystems #TimeSavingTools

By now, we've talked a lot about moving from being an implementer to someone who empowers others. You've started offering supportive services and built out a design system to help teams move faster. But if we're serious about scaling UX across an organization, we need to go even further.We need to make sure people have access to the right tools.Because even with a design system, your colleagues won't be able to do much UX work unless they have the means to run surveys, test ideas, analyze user behavior, or check accessibility. And if they're left to figure that out on their own, they'll waste time, pick poor tools, or give up altogether.Why a UX Tool Suite MattersIf you want your colleagues to take on more UX tasks themselves, you can't just leave them to it. You have to make it easy.Providing a pre-approved, easy-to-access set of tools helps in several ways:Saves time: No more researching dozens of survey platforms or testing toolsEnsures quality: You know the tools work and produce reliable resultsMakes training easier: Everyone is using the same toolset, so onboarding is simplerImproves collaboration: Results are more consistent, making it easier to share and interpret findingsYou're not just giving people tools. You're removing friction. And that makes adoption of UX practices far more likely.What Tools Should You Include?There's no single "perfect" toolkit. What works for one team may not work for another. But in general, you'll want to support the following areas:User ResearchSurveys, polls, and feedback tools. Things like Typeform, Google Forms, or UserTesting for more in-depth work.Data VisualizationTools to create personas, journey maps, or visualize research insights. Miro, UXPressia, or Figma's FigJam are good options here.Usability TestingRemote or in-person tools like Lookback, Maze, or even moderated sessions using Zoom and screen sharing.PrototypingFigma is the go-to for many teams, but simpler tools like Balsamiq might be better for beginners. Adobe XD or Axure offer more advanced options. Pick what fits your team's needs and existing skills.AnalyticsHeatmaps and behavior tracking via tools like Microsoft Clarity, Hotjar, or Google Analytics.AccessibilityBasic checks can be done with free tools like Axe DevTools, WAVE, or Siteimprove.It doesn't matter whether you go with an all-in-one platform or mix-and-match a few niche tools. The important thing is that the tools are:Easy to learnAlready availableApproved through procurementClearly documented, ideally with how-to guides or short trainingMake It Easy to Say "Yes"The best way to roll out a toolkit is to make it dead simple for people to start using it. That might mean:A Notion page listing your approved tools, with links and login infoA 15-minute intro video explaining what each tool doesTemplates for common tasks (like a usability testing plan or survey structure)Short drop-in training sessions to help people get startedWhen you lower the activation energy, you increase adoption. It's that simple.You're Not Just Providing Tools. You're Shaping BehaviorThis isn't just about giving people tools. It's about shaping a new culture.By equipping others, you're embedding UX into their daily practice. You're helping them build good habits. And you're removing one more excuse for not putting users first.It's one of the clearest ways to expand your influence without burning out.Outie's AsideIf you run a freelance practice or agency, this applies just as much to you. But in your case, your "colleagues" are your clients.Most clients want to do the right thing. They just don't know how. By giving them a simple toolkit, you make it easier for them to run with your ideas even after the project is done.Here's what that could look like:Provide a shortlist of free or low-cost research tools they can use between engagementsCreate a reusable testing script they can adaptOffer a client dashboard (Notion, Trello, or similar) that links to helpful resourcesRecord a short Loom video showing them how to run a simple usability testThat small investment makes you more valuable and deepens the relationship. It shows you're thinking long-term. Not just about the deliverables, but about their ongoing success.Curating a suite of UX tools might seem like a small step, but it can have a huge impact. When you remove the guesswork and make it easy for people to do good UX work, you unlock progress across the whole organization.It's one more way you move from being the person who does UX to the person who enables it.In the next lesson, we'll look at creating a preferred supplier list - another essential resource that helps your colleagues stay on track, even when you're not in the room.

Rasheedah Thomas is the principal and co-founder of RC Communications, a Washington, D.C. based strategic communications firm specializing in media coaching, branding, crisis communication, and public affairs.   Rasheedah brings over a decade of experience helping organizations, from local governments and nonprofits to international leaders, refine their messaging and navigate complex public narratives.   She is especially passionate about supporting women leaders and entrepreneurs in building authentic, impactful brands.    Rasheedah is also a sought-after media commentator on U.S. and global issues, a proud native of South Carolina, and an alumna of Howard University.   Rasheedah highlights how RC Communications stands out through its hands-on, high-touch approach with clients ranging from municipal governments and nonprofits to international heads of state.   She emphasizes the importance of media coaching rooted in real-world experience, the power of self-care for sustainability as a business owner, and the lesson that “comparison is the thief of joy.”   She also discusses using project management tools like Trello and prioritizing self-care to avoid burnout.   Website: RC Communications  LinkedIn: Rasheedah Thomas   Previous Episode: iam311-media-coach-passionate-about-helping-women-and-leaders-define-their-brands   Check out our CEO Hack Buzz Newsletter–our premium newsletter with hacks and nuggets to level up your organization. Sign up HERE.  I AM CEO Handbook Volume 3 is HERE and it's FREE. Get your copy here: http://cbnation.co/iamceo3. Get the 100+ things that you can learn from 1600 business podcasts we recorded. Hear Gresh's story, learn the 16 business pillars from the podcast, find out about CBNation Architects and why you might be one and so much more. Did we mention it was FREE? Download it today!

Podcast Show Notes – Episode 237 | 07.07.2025 Episode Title: Why Projects Fail   Episode Summary Introduction:  Starting a project is easy, but achieving proper project closure is where true success lies. Effective project planning and project status updates are crucial for keeping your team aligned and on track. Use these business tips and never underestimate the value of solid project management.   Key Moments 0:00 - Introduction to project management challenges 2:27 - Starting and consolidating project management efforts 4:45 - Issues in small and medium-sized businesses with project completion 5:52 - Ownership, accountability, and key focus areas for success 7:13 - The significance of project completion in brand and reputation building   Key Takeaways Prioritizing project completion over starting new initiatives is crucial for driving meaningful progress and achieving organizational goals. Utilizing project management tools like Trello or Asana can streamline task tracking and accountability, ensuring everyone is aligned and aware of their responsibilities. Building a reputation for finishing projects can significantly enhance your brand and open up further opportunities for growth and success.   Host: Sean Barnes Website: https://www.wsssolutions.com/ https://www.seanbarnes.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanbarnes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wsssolutions/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/thewayofthewolf/ LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7284600567593684993/

Doug interviews Paul Davis, a business growth consultant and author of "Genius Unlocked." Paul shares his methodology for finding life purpose, challenging popular concepts like ‘start with why' and passion based approaches. He explains his four-element framework and advocates using intentions instead of goals and shares stories about achieving targets through rewards like biplane wing walks. The conversation covers why conventional advice about purpose may be flawed and how to align with your true mission in life. KEY TAKEAWAYS • Use intentions instead of goals, intentions create stronger commitment and act as a contract with yourself and the universe beyond the usual goal setting. • Your true purpose is set from birth and never changes, though it develops and evolves throughout your lifetime. • Passions are temporary and the word means to suffer. Focus on what provides lasting fulfilment through your core drivers. • Universe operates a three-stage warning system: Gentle nudges (feathers), then setbacks (bricks), finally major disruptions (trucks) guide you toward your purpose. • Four elements define your genius, inspiration (divine guidance), quest (life mission), drivers (fulfilment sources), and role (natural archetype) work together. • Avoid planning the "how" and instead set clear intentions but let inspiration and opportunities guide your path rather than forcing detailed plans. • People make decisions based on personal benefit, not company purpose or brand mission statements which is why the ‘start with why' philosophy is so flawed. • Track both current and completed intentions. Use systems like Trello to monitor progress and maintain motivation through visible achievement records. BEST MOMENTS "Every single human being will only do something when they perceive that there's more benefits than drawbacks to themselves." "Your quest is not enjoyable. Believe me, your quest is not enjoyable, but that's your mission to achieve." "The feather are those gentle nudges that you get from the unconscious and everybody gets them... That's your unconscious.” ABOUT THE GUEST Paul Davis, a renowned business growth consultant and intuitive personal advisor helping entrepreneurs build a better business, a better life and a better world. https://davisbusinessconsultants.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauldavisdublin/ https://davisbusinessconsultants.com/book-shop/ VALUABLE RESOURCES Website: http://dougbennett.co.uk/ Email: doug@dougbennett.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/financialdoug/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FinancialDoug Facebook Wealth Tribe: https://join.dougbennett.co.uk/ Download Your "Ten-Step Guide To Financial Freedom" Here: https://bit.ly/Struggle-Success BOOKS: Goals Do Come True is now live and available to buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3phcy6Z Think Simple, Win Big is now live and available to buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Simple-Win-Big-Business/ Enjoy, and come back for the latest podcast each Wednesday. Thank you for listening.

Send us a textEver feel like you're just not a "routines person"? Before you blame yourself, listen in. In this episode of the Real Happy Mom Podcast, we're breaking down five reasons why your routines aren't sticking—and none of them have to do with your motivation or willpower. If you've ever tried someone else's perfect system and felt like a failure, this is your reminder: it's not you, it's the routine.What You'll Learn:Why most routines are built for ideal conditions (and what to do instead).How to build a routine that fits your energy, season, and lifestyle.Why flexibility—not perfection—is the secret to consistency.3 Takeaways:Make It Fit Real Life: Routines built on someone else's perfect day won't survive real-life interruptions. Yours should bend with your season, not break at the first challenge.Keep It Simple + Flexible: Small, repeatable routines—like a 10-minute tidy or 3-step morning reset—are more effective than rigid, overwhelming systems.You're Not the Problem—The System Might Be: You don't need more discipline—you need tools that support you, not stress you out. A Trello board or 3 go-to dinners might be your real secret weapon.Links & Resources Mentioned:

Send us a textThis month on the Real Happy Mom Podcast, we're doing something special! I'm sharing some of the most powerful moments from the 2025 Let's Get More Time Virtual Summit—so if you missed it (or just need a mid-year reset), you're in for a treat.In each episode, you'll hear from expert speakers who share simple, practical ways to help you take back your time, build routines that actually work, and finally feel like you're not always playing catch-up.Want the full experience? You can grab the Let's Get More Time 2025 Recordings PLUS two powerhouse bonuses:

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Julia Linehan, founder of The Digital Voice, a UK-based PR and marketing agency specializing in ad tech and martech. Julia shares her journey from a solo consultant to leading a remote team of 36, including 28 full-time equivalents. Over the past six years, she has grown the agency's revenue sixfold and doubled profits, driven by her people-first approach. Julia discusses the challenges of letting go, the power of consistent company culture, and the value of tools like Trello and Slack. She also highlights the importance of work-life balance and strong client relationships in building a sustainable, scalable business. Other Resources: When should a growing small business have a Board of Directors or Advisors? Get a return from an effective Chairperson of a Board An easy way to measure if your customers love you in 21 minutes – use the Net Promoter Score (NPS). And it's FREE. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? According to Julia Linehan, the hardest thing in growing a small business is managing stress. She explains that without effectively handling stress, it can quickly become overwhelming and negatively impact both the individual and the business. She also highlights cash flow management as a significant challenge, noting the delicate balance required between growth, maintaining profitability, and ensuring financial stability. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Julia Linehan's favorite business books that have helped her the most are "Big Impact Without Burnout" by Bianca Best and "Radical Candor" by Kim Scott. She also recommends "The One Minute Manager" and "Monkey Management" for their practical insights on leadership and team communication. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Julia Linehan recommends several valuable podcasts and online learning resources for small business growth, including her agency's own shows Off Record On Point and Legends of Adtech. She also highlights podcasts by Tamara Littleton and Paul Gubbins with Wayne Blodwell for insights into the ad tech and marketing industries. For ongoing learning, she suggests platforms like Skillshare and Coursera and encourages dedicating regular time, such as a weekly “Boost Your Power Hour,” to continuous professional development. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Julia Linehan recommends using the right tools to support remote collaboration and project management when growing a small business. Her top picks are Trello, for organizing tasks and workflows with transparency, and Slack, for maintaining strong team communication and connection. She emphasizes that investing in effective software tailored to your business needs is essential for sustainable growth. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Julia Linehan's advice to herself on day one of starting out in business would be to be present, enjoy the journey, and smile through it. She believes that the more you enjoy what you're doing, the more others around you will too, creating a positive ripple effect in both team culture and client relationships. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: People over profits—invest in your team, and the returns will follow – Julia Linehan Let go, trust your team, and watch them fly – Julia Linehan You don't need to chase every opportunity – protect your culture first – Julia Linehan      

Beginner's luck was real—but it's not forever. If you got into real estate during the pandemic boom years, chances are you saw fast wins and easy closings and you might've thought, “Wow, this job is amazing!” But now, things feel different. Harder. Slower. And maybe you're wondering… “Do I even have what it takes?” In this episode, we're having an honest, sometimes tough-love chat about what it really takes to make it in real estate today. We're sharing our own early career stories: what worked, what didn't, and why survival back then looks a lot like what it takes now. We're talking about the shift from pandemic market momentum to today's unpredictable reality and why so many agents are feeling lost, confused, and ready to walk away. If you're in that spot, we want to help you find clarity (not just blind motivation). We cover: The hard truth about beginner's luck What it means to truly commit to a real estate business Why some agents succeed and others don't How to know if it's time to quit—or double down Real questions to audit your situation honestly The shift from “I want to” to “I need to make this work” Why having a backup plan can actually hurt your chances This episode is for you if: You're thinking about leaving the business (but feel guilty or unsure) You're wondering if this slump is just temporary or a sign You want to stop spinning your wheels and start working a real plan This one might sting a little—but we promise it's full of encouragement, clarity, and direction too. Consider this your wake-up call and pep talk rolled into one.    

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 1727: Carl Pullein shares six straightforward yet powerful tips to help anyone regain control over their time and boost productivity. With a focus on practicality, his strategies encourage small shifts in daily habits that create long-term impact, making productivity more accessible and less overwhelming. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.carlpullein.com/blog/6-common-sense-time-management-and-productivity-tips-anyone-can-use/27/11/2019 Quotes to ponder: "One of the most effective ways to become better at managing your time is to start planning your day before the day begins." "You don't need a new app or the latest gadget to be more productive, you need clarity." "If everything is urgent, then nothing is." Episode references: Todoist: https://todoist.com/ Evernote: https://evernote.com/ Things 3: https://culturedcode.com/things/ Trello: https://trello.com/ Getting Things Done: https://gettingthingsdone.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Hughes, Head of Corporate Development and Product Partnerships, Atlassian Uncover the inside workings of Atlassian's M&A strategy—from how Sarah's team sources deals and aligns with product to the importance of relationship-building and a structured, founder-first integration approach. With over seven years of experience leading corporate development at Atlassian, Sarah shares practical lessons on building strategic pipelines, cultivating founder trust, and operationalizing successful integrations across Atlassian's global portfolio Things you will learn: Building long-term relationships with founders, even years before deals happen Aligning product, venture, and partnership decisions under one roof Atlassian's approach to cultural diligence, integration planning, and transparency post-close _______________

Send us a textThis month on the Real Happy Mom Podcast, we're doing something special! I'm sharing some of the most powerful moments from the 2025 Let's Get More Time Virtual Summit—so if you missed it (or just need a mid-year reset), you're in for a treat.In each episode, you'll hear from expert speakers who share simple, practical ways to help you take back your time, build routines that actually work, and finally feel like you're not always playing catch-up.Want the full experience? You can grab the Let's Get More Time 2025 Recordings PLUS two powerhouse bonuses:

You asked, we answered! It's been way too long since we've done a good old-fashioned Q&A, and y'all delivered some great questions. From systems and tools to mindset, burnout, and building consistency—we're covering it all in Part 1 of this 2-part Q&A series! Grab your sweet tea (homemade by Jac, no less!) and join us as we tackle everything from unresponsive leads to what “making it” in real estate actually feels like. We'll give you a peek into what a “day in the life” looks like for us, plus share some pivotal moments in our careers that could have totally changed our path. And spoiler: if you're feeling behind, unorganized, or like you made some bad business choices… you're not alone. We're getting real and talking about what to do next. In this episode, we're chatting about: Our favorite systems, tools, and apps we use daily How we handle unresponsive leads (hint: it's all about permission and perspective) What a “typical” day really looks like (if that exists!) When we finally felt like we “made it” in real estate What to do if you've made some bad financial choices Preparing for busy seasons without burning out Tips for creating long-term consistency in your business The emotional and financial investments that paid off in our careers A behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run Hustle Humbly