Podcasts about wave apps

In the dynamic world of software development, managing projects effectively and setting appropriate pricing can be challenging. In our latest podcast episode, we delved into project management and pricing, drawing on the experiences and insights of seasoned developer Michael. Project Management and Pricing Initial Project Assessment and Agile Development Michael highlighted the importance of conducting a thorough initial assessment before embarking on a project. This involves understanding the client's needs, potential challenges, and scope of work. Offering options such as a free assessment or a short bid can help align expectations and ensure clarity from the outset. Moreover, Michael emphasized the value of agile development methodologies, especially when working with clients unfamiliar with the software development process. Regular checkpoints, stand-ups, and clear communication help keep clients informed and mitigate potential misunderstandings or scope creep. Dealing with Unexpected Challenges and Scope Changes Despite meticulous planning, projects often encounter unexpected challenges or changes in scope. Michael shared his approach to addressing these situations, advocating for transparent communication with clients. Whether it's renegotiating terms, adding a service contract for additional support, or adjusting timelines, open dialogue is key to navigating such complexities. Setting Pricing and Handling Competitive Bidding Setting fair pricing is essential for sustaining a successful software development business. Michael provided practical advice on determining hourly rates based on salary, adjusting for taxes and other factors, and staying competitive in the market. He also discussed the challenges of competitive bidding, cautioning against undervaluing services and emphasizing the importance of delivering quality over price. Lessons Learned and Future Considerations Reflecting on past experiences, Michael shared anecdotes of clients who underestimated the value of proper project management and pricing. From outdated systems to indecisiveness, he encountered various challenges but learned valuable lessons along the way. Setting clear expectations, maintaining professionalism, and recognizing the worth of one's skills are vital takeaways for developers navigating the industry. In conclusion, effective project management and pricing strategies are essential for success in the competitive software development landscape. Developers can build strong client relationships, deliver quality solutions, and ensure sustainable business growth by prioritizing clear communication, transparency, and fair pricing. Get Involved We value your input! If you have recommendations for future podcast topics or questions you'd like us to address, please email us at info@developinorder.com. Your engagement keeps our content relevant and valuable to our audience. For more insightful discussions on software development and project management, be sure to check out our video content. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting in the field, there's always something new to learn and explore. Until next time, drive safely, and have a great day! Project Management and Pricing Resources Personal Project Management – Small Scale, Big Value 6 Agile Project Management Approaches For Your App Development Balance Your Time in a Busy World: Tools and Techniques Atlassian is a great tool for managing your projects. WaveApps is a free accounting and invoicing.

In this episode of Disruption and Kindness, Travis Swearengen and Caleb Monroe talk about what Automation tools that we use at Monsoon and recommend to our clients. We discuss the most effective places you can leverage automation in your business and when businesses take it too far.  — Disruption and Kindness is brought to you by Monsoon. Monsoon is a team of storytellers based out of West Texas that helps businesses and brands grow through design, web, and marketing. www.growwithmonsoon.com — You can listen to Disruption and Kindness on any of your favorite podcast apps!

No one likes talking about it, but staying on top of your books makes  a huge difference in your business. And most importantly, making sure that we have a handle on our numbers is a critical part of effectively disrupting our money and working towards economic equity. Join us as we discuss: Why bookkeeping matters so much The benefits of knowing your numbers Where to start and how to choose an accounting system Need a step-by-step guide to do your bookkeeping? Grab my free Wave Apps training over here: https://equitablemoneyproject.com/wave  Need to get your money stuff set up right? Join the Biz Money Library for Free- https://equitablemoneyproject.com/free  Submit Your Questions - DisruptYourMoney.com Leave A Review- Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen 

If you're thinking of starting a business or have just started one, you're probably overwhelmed by the million and one things you need to know. That's why the goal of this episode is to give you enough guidance to get some good systems in place without making things too complex. Listen up as we talk about how you can start your business and get the money stuff set up in a way that won't f*** it up. Join us as we discuss: The tools you need to build and grow a long-lasting and financially-stable business Why having a biz money plan is crucial to your success What "treating your business like a real business" means Want to set up your accounting system? We recommend Wave Apps for newbies: https://www.waveapps.com/  Ready to get a separate business bank account? We're big fans of Novo: https://equitablemoneyproject.com/novo (affiliate link)  Need to get your money stuff set up right? Join the Biz Money Library for Free- https://equitablemoneyproject.com/free  Submit Your Questions - DisruptYourMoney.com Leave A Review- Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen 

OVERVIEW: "Fortune favors the bold." – Latin Proverb Jason A. Duprat, Entrepreneur, Healthcare Practitioner, and Host of the Healthcare Entrepreneur Academy podcast, sits down with Joey Ferry, Nurse Entrepreneur, Co-Founder of Frontier Innovations Inc., and Co-Inventor of the Award-Winning SafeSeizure Pad. In this episode, we hear the story of how two innovative minds came together to revolutionize Healthcare through their Entrepreneurial vision. From the challenges they've overcome to the solutions they create, Joey's innovation paved the path toward their "good fortune."   3 KEY POINTS: You'll get to where you need to be, but take it one step at a time. To start a business, know what you're good at and talk to people about that. Sales expertise boils down to repetition.   EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Joey has a strong passion for entrepreneurship, even as a child. He once veered away from his Entrepreneurial passion and pursued Nursing for its financial security. Later, upon meeting his now business partner, Taofiki, he realized he could pursue both Entrepreneurship and Healthcare without sacrificing either. They discovered they had the same entrepreneurial passion and decided to work together towards a common goal. Joey creates products for ether two reasons: Solving a problem and providing convenience, even without much financial gain Creating a viable and potential business opportunity When creating prototypes, it doesn't have to be the final product. You simply want to test, feel, and play with it. Be okay with accepting the solution that might look different than when you first started. Joey and Taofiki are registered nurses who invented a new way to pad bed rails for patients on seizure precautions in the hospital setting. They source their materials from Alibaba from a manufacturer who can make the products in their desired dimensions. Once their business got off the ground, the product's revenue fueled itself. They once had struggles with their inventory. Fortunately, they won the 2020 Innovation Award and received $50,000, wherein half was directly invested in solving their inventory concerns. Joey recommends Wave Apps, a free software for new businesses for handling invoices, adding various products, adding customers, etc. Joey recommends upgrading to a paid tool when your business begins to scale. Sales expertise boils down to repetition. If you're not too experienced in sales yet, you might feel as if you're "bothering" people. Joey and Taofiki maintain a solid personal connection with their customers by signing emails with their names and including their contact numbers. To know more about SafeSeizure, visit their website at https://www.safeseizure.com/ Feel free to connect with Joey Ferry and LinkedIn.   TWEETABLE QUOTES: "You'll get there, but a lot of folks will give up early because they're looking at Z rather than looking at A, B, and C. Focus on the next couple of steps and don't worry about X, Y, and Z yet." – Joey Ferry "For anybody looking to start a business, know what you know, know where you shine, what you're good at, and where you thrive, and talk to people that want that." – Joey Ferry   CONNECT WITH JASON DUPRAT LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Youtube Email: support@jasonduprat.com Join our Facebook group: https://jasonduprat.com/group    RESOURCES: Want to become a Ketamine Therapy provider? Enroll NOW in The Ketamine Academy course: https://ketamineacademy.com/presentation Sign up for one of our free business start-up Masterclasses by heading over to https://jasonduprat.com/freemasterclass  Have a healthcare business question? Want to request a podcast topic? Text me at 407-972-0084 and I'll add you to my contacts. Occasionally, I'll share important announcements and answer your questions as well. I'm excited to connect with you! Do you enjoy our podcast? Leave a rating and review: https://lovethepodcast.com/hea  Don't want to miss an episode? Subscribe and follow: https://followthepodcast.com/hea   RELATED EPISODES: #284: BE OBSESSED OR BE AVERAGE: AN INNOVATOR'S GUIDE TO BUILDING A VIRTUAL CARE COMPANY WITH GUY FRIEDMAN #219: TRAVIS HORNSBY: TRUST IN YOUR BIGGEST INVESTMENT – YOURSELF #279: WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO INVEST IN YOURSELF NOW MORE THAN EVER? #HealthcareEntrepreneurAcademy #healthcare #HealthcareBoss #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #podcast #businessgrowth #teamgrowth #digitalbusiness

Process improvement and creating systems in our business is boring work but there are so many tools out there that allow you to put structures and systems in place in your business to help it run smoothly  When you do the work to look at your systems and processes, and where you can improve in your business, you will be surprised at how much more efficient your business runs. When you have the right tools and the right people and processes and systems in place it allows your business to function smoothly.Episode Resources4 Business Tools Every Business Owner Needs (+ One Extra!)Dubsado monday.com WaveApps.comFlodesk Zapier Calendly Mind Map Journal for Business Trello   Support the show

As we're nearing the end of the year, it's a good time to start thinking about taxes. Why think about taxes in October when they're not due until April? Because even though it's true that you still have 6 months before you have to file, the decisions you make before December can impact how much you owe or is owed to you. It's much better to know now so you can adjust as needed before it's too late. As always, here's my disclaimer that I am not a CPA or tax professional, but as a business owner I think it's important to at least understand the basics of accounting and taxes and how all of it affects you. I've said it before, but I encourage everyone to build a relationship with a solid CPA. Even if you are capable of doing your own taxes, the laws change all the time and it can be hard to keep up. They have to keep up to keep their licenses. And it never hurts to have a CPA's signature on your tax return. I like to think it gives me an extra layer of protection. I trust my accountant to guide me in the right direction with my deductions and everything else. For most of us, our fiscal year is January through December, meaning that's the period we report our income and expenses to the IRS. So if we wait until March to start reviewing our numbers for the April deadline, it's too late to make any changes that could help us financially. That's why I'm talking about this in October. In a couple weeks, I'll meet with my CPA to review where I'm at for the year, and he'll make some recommendations for what I should do to minimize my liability. Sometimes that means paying myself a higher salary. Even though that means I'd have to pay more in payroll taxes, it also means I could contribute more to my SEP IRA, and the return on that investment is more beneficial to me than the extra expenses. I file as an S Corp so I have to pay a salary. If you are a sole proprietor or LLC, that's not the case since it all flows through to your personal return. But your accountant might advise you to spend some more money before the end of the year. Maybe it means buying a new computer or other equipment you need that will reduce your taxable income. It's a weird thing, right? I'm someone who likes to save, so if I have a really good year like this one, ideally I want to squirrel away as much as possible. It's not my norm to think about how I can spend more. But if I don't buy some things I need for my business, I'll end up paying more in taxes. If I'm going to spend the money either way, I'd rather spend it on some stuff that will be useful instead of sending it to the IRS. And while I've heard accountants say you can't spend your way out of paying taxes and believe that is true, my CPA has saved me quite a bit. If you find yourself in a position where you need to spend more at the end of the year, it means you're doing well. It's weird, but it's not a bad place to be. I'm often met with resistance when I recommend hiring a CPA, especially to people who are fairly new in business. The initial reaction is usually that it's going to be too expensive and they don't think they're at the point where they can afford or need it. I beg to differ. My CPA always says if he doesn't save me more than his fees cost, I should find someone new. It's true. The costs might seem intimidating up front, but if you've done your research and hired someone reputable, it'll pay for itself. How do you find a good CPA? When I say you should build a relationship with one, I mean you want to work with someone long-term who will get to know you and your business and can better advise you. Someone at one of those big chain tax services won't necessarily give you the same level of care, so I'd stay away from them even if the price tag is appealing. I'm sure they have great people, but I've also heard some horror stories. I always think getting recommendations from someone in your industry is the best place to start. You want someone who understands the nuances of your particular business and has already proven themselves with someone you trust. I recently hired a new CPA based on the recommendation of a good producer friend. I did my research and scheduled a call to interview him before hiring him, but her referral had the biggest impact on my decision. Yes, I interviewed my CPA before hiring him. It was more of a conversation than an interrogation, but I think you should always have a discussion with someone before agreeing to work with them. Think about what's important to you and make sure that person is in alignment. If you don't get the right answers or a good feeling, move on and find someone else. I think this should be the case with all working relationships, but it's especially important when your money is involved. I've been working with the same tax preparer since I was 18 and she's been great. But the last couple of years, some things have shifted and I realized it was time to look at other options. I wanted to know if this new guy would be hands on, meaning if I'd be working with him directly or if I'd be working with someone else. And if it was someone else, would it be the same person or just whoever was available? Fortunately, they assigned me to a dedicated team, meaning he's involved but there are also 2 others I can connect with if I have questions or need anything. They'll be familiar with my account so they'll be qualified to answer, not some random person who has to quickly look it over and answer me without knowing anything about me. That's important to me. I already knew he had experience with production. I also made sure the company and individuals are licensed in my state and other places from where I might want to work. I got an overview of their services and they said all the right things in terms of loyalty and building relationships, which you probably know are important to me as well. That conversation accomplished everything I needed, and I officially hired him the next day. The best way to keep this relationship working for both of you, and something that is necessary as a business owner, is to keep up with your bookkeeping. It's crucial to do this throughout the year. It will save you the stress when it's time to do your taxes, because you've already done the leg work. Hopefully you're using accounting software like Quickbooks or Wave Apps, or at least have some solid system in place, so all of your income and expenses are already categorized and tracked. Your receipts are attached or at least organized and saved in an easily accessible place. I do both. I attach my receipts to my expense transactions in Quickbooks and also save the PDFs on my computer and backup hard drives. If I ever get audited, it will be easy because my records are all right there. As long as you're up-to-date, you can easily send a P&L, which is a profit & loss statement, and a balance sheet to your CPA any time they need it. They can review, make adjustments, and advise you from there. If your books are a mess, it's going to make it difficult for everyone so do yourself a favor and keep it current. I have only had positive relationships with accountants, mine and my client's, because of this. I do my job and that makes their job easier. Everyone wins. I do understand that bookkeeping isn't everyone's favorite thing and it's one of the first to get put on the backburner when you're busy working on things that actually bring you income. It's fine when that happens, but prioritize catching up when you're able, especially when nearing the end of the year. No one likes thinking about taxes, at least no one I know, but there are a lot of perks that come from owning a business, and you want to take advantage while you can. Talk to your CPA towards the end of the year, ideally October or November. Let them review your books and advise you about what to do before December 31st to minimize your tax liability. Maybe that means you'll get some fun new gadgets to play with, or the opportunity to invest in that software you've been wanting to use but thought was too expensive. Or maybe it means you're already in good shape and need to keep doing what you're doing. Either way, find out before it's too late. Give yourself that head start so you can properly benefit from your business. And then maybe you won't be stressed out when April 15th rolls around and you can do something better, like celebrating the birthday of your favorite Aardvark Girl.

If you want to get started with your one-person business, you might not be sure where to start. Here is a super quick introduction to what it takes to become a solopreneur. -- Connect with me on your favorite platform: https://pods.link/aardvarkgirl -- I'm still not sure how I feel about these made-up words like solopreneur, but they seem to be common so I'm doing my best to embrace them. I think the word entrepreneur has been overused to the point it hass lost its original meaning. Everyone is some kind of preneur these days. But I get the sentiment and this episode isn't to challenge what's appropriate in the preneur space. It's about what it takes to be a solopreneur, or a single person business. The most common comment I get in my business sessions is “I don't know what I don't know.” It's coming from people who are wanting to start their businesses but aren't quite sure where to start. They often already have full-time job jobs and would like to leave them but how do you know when it's the right time? If it's the right decision? How do they know they won't mess it up and regret the decision? The thing is, there never really is a “right” time. It's all about choices and how hard you're willing to work to make it work, if self-employment is actually what you want. It's good to arm yourself with information, but not to overwhelm yourself so much you get stuck and don't make any progress at all. To me, the biggest thing to keep in mind is that, no matter what service or product you'll be providing, you will be running a business. You have to stay in that mindset. Even if you don't consider yourself to be a “business-y” person, there are certain things you're going to have to do. So here is a quick Intro to Solopreneurship. First, form your business. Pick a name, get your licenses, define your services, and start offering them. Don't spend too much time worrying about whether you need an LLC or not. You will not find the answer by Googling because it depends on a lot of personal factors. So if you want to save a lot of time and confusion, discuss it with your accountant to see if it's the right choice for you. Otherwise, you can start as a sole proprietor and change it later if it makes sense. Second, set up your accounts. As soon as possible, you want to open separate bank accounts so you aren't mixing your business and personal funds. It's a huge red flag to the IRS if you don't have that separation and can hurt you when it comes to business deductions. All business income should go into those accounts and all business expenses should come out of those accounts. It doesn't mean you can't transfer your money to or from your personal accounts as needed, but you need to show that paper trail of it flowing through the business account first. If you end up setting up or filing as an S Corp, keep in mind that how you withdraw money is going to be different than if you're a sole proprietor or single member LLC, so make sure to discuss that with your accountant in that case. After you've done those two things, you're running a business. Congratulations! So then what? Now you get to work. And as a single-person business, that means you're wearing a lot of hats, so it becomes a balancing act of getting all the things done. It can feel like a lot in the beginning, but you'll get in a rhythm as you go. You'll figure out your systems, how to make the most of your time, and which things are worth outsourcing so you don't have to deal with them. One of the most important, and most people's least favorite hats, is the bookkeeper hat. You can't get around it. You're going to make and spend money and there's this lovely agency called the IRS that needs to know about it. It's so important to stay on top of your money. Not just for taxes but for your own decision-making, too. I've talked about this a lot and will surely continue to talk about it in other episodes, but for this one I'll keep it simple. Get your bookkeeping in order as soon as possible, ideally from the time you start your business. If the monthly subscription cost of some of the accounting software out there scares you, check out Wave Apps. It's free and has all the function you need to keep your financials organized. I have no affiliation with Wave Apps, but I recommend it to a lot of people because it's hard to argue with a zero-dollar price tag. As a single person business, you'll also be responsible for your own marketing and sales, too. That looks different for every business, but you usually need to make some effort towards getting new clients, maintaining relationships with existing clients, networking, and all that fun stuff that ensures you always have people needing your services. It's easy to forget about that part when you're busy and have all the work you need in the moment, but you don't want to ignore it completely and end up in a place where the jobs have ended and now you have nothing lined up because you didn't talk to anybody because you were too busy. It's a cycle I've witnessed too many times. Maintaining your business is good. Growing it is better. Keeping up with your sales and marketing helps ensure you have a steady stream of work coming your way, and that's a big part of earning that freedom we all love so much - the freedom that allows us to choose which projects we want to work on and which people we want to work with. You never want to get stuck accepting a job that doesn't align with what you want to be doing because you need the paycheck. And along the lines with marketing and sales, is social media. These all kind of blend together, but each has its purpose. Social media can be used with different strategies. If you do it right, it can be really effective in getting you more business. Sometimes it helps you connect with new people and make new working relationships. Other times it's just about staying connected so people don't forget you're out there. Some people avoid it completely, which is always an option, but I think we live in a time where we have to have some presence online, even if we aren't posting every day. I've mentioned many times that I'm no expert in social media and could definitely utilize it more, but I've never prioritized it. I post more about this podcast than I do the actual work I'm doing. It's a work in progress for me. Maybe I'll figure it out eventually. Who knows. Then there's the part that probably gives bookkeeping its biggest competition for most hated hat, and that's admin work. All that other stuff you have to do to run your business but you probably don't love doing. Scanning receipts, filing important documents, checking your PO Box, responding to emails, ordering office supplies, scheduling meetings, renewing licenses, payroll, all kinds of things that you now get to do as a business owner. You don't want to get behind on that stuff because even though it's usually just a few little things here and there, the more those little things pile up the more it can seem overwhelming and stress you out more than it needs to. Take a few minutes every day or every week and try to catch up before you get too far behind. And let's not forget, you're doing the actual service. You know, the thing you actually do for your business that people actually pay you for doing? Yeah, that. That probably takes up most of your time and deserves a lot of your focus. Just be careful not to give it so much time that you fall short on the other parts of running your business, or that you end up getting burnt out and don't want to do it at all. Balance, right? It's always about balance. At some point, you'll probably want to hire someone else to do some of these things so you can focus on the work that actually makes you money. But where do you even start with that? The best things to outsource are the things you don't like doing or aren't great at doing. If you cringe every time you open Quickbooks, you might want to pay someone else to do your bookkeeping. Or if you know it takes you a long time to create content, it might be best to let someone else do that for you. Before you say, “but I can't afford to hire someone,” think about the value of time. If you freed up that time you're spending doing the things you don't like, could you use that to make more money? For example, say your admin work takes you 5 hours a week. That's 5 hours doing tasks you don't enjoy and don't bring you more income. If you were to hire a virtual assistant, chances are that person is going to be more efficient at those tasks and maybe it only takes 3 hours a week. If you're paying that person $25/hour, that's $75 per week. But you're getting 5 hours back, which I'm pretty sure is worth more than $75, right? See? I told you this would be quick lesson. The reason I do these short podcast episodes is because most of you listening are solopreneurs, too, and don't have a lot of time. So thank you for spending a few minutes with me. Now, go run your business.  

Here are some of the details we are going to talk about today:How to earn four figures a month within 90 days of launching using Instagram ONLYWhat it takes to create a winning engagement strategyHow to use your working skills to create a passive side incomePricing according to your valueThe techniques to get started without a websiteHere’s how it all began; Tameka says one afternoon she sat down with her laptop and got really clear on her business structure. She wrote out things like, what is it that I offer? How much am I going to charge? Then, she developed the story behind it.  She suggests asking yourself questions like:How can I create more connectivity around my offer or my product? What is my product or service for (how is it used)? Who does it or serve? What will people get out of using my product or service?What made you want to create this product or service?Why are you so attached to this idea? Why do you think it's a great idea? Of course, so many of us struggle with perfectionism, and we feel like we have to have everything just perfect before we get started; however, this episode will tell you something different. Getting started and working through things helps you niche down and become clearer on what you're offering. Believe it or not, your Instagram bio and page should act as a website for your personal brand, even if you don't have one. Tamika says that even though she made money quickly in her business, she still made lots of costly Mistakes by over-analyzing herself and what she calls getting lost in the sauce. She found herself struggling with being too self-analytical and the Imposter syndrome. In this episode, you will hear the best ways to stay in your zone of Genius so you will avoid over criticizing yourself.  Despite what you might have heard, people buy from you because it comes from you. I Seth Godin once said, "People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic."What Are Her Productivity Secrets?If you’re like me and you’re wondering her productivity secrets, Tameka spills it all here.  Contrary to popular belief, you really can run a successful side hustle. Fortunately, automation tools make it easier for solopreneurs like Tameka to run their business while working full-time. Here are some of the tools she uses for productivity and automation, and you can to:Automate your post by scheduling; she uses Creator Studio; another suggestion is TailwindCRM software like Dubsado or Wave Apps makes it easier to invoice and keep up with customers.You can also use design software like Canva, email automation like ConvertKit or FlodeskAnd if you need a little help from time to time, you can always reach out to someone on FiverrWhen and if you are ready for a website BlueHost is a great option.If this sounds interesting, listen in for all the tips, including how Tameka shifted her business from active to passive income. Are you ready to make money on Instagram, no matter how many followers you have?Follow Tameka Bazile and check her out: www.tamekabazile.coIG: tamekabazile.coFB: tamekabazile.co

Looking for tips on how to start a craft business or grow your existing one? Today's guest shares tips learned along her journey from stay at home mom with two kids to successful small business owner in just two years. In early 2018, Ari Candles began from a desire to create not just a candle but something that will purify and benefit the atmosphere and air quality of your home. The idea was ignited after burning a candle received as a gift and seeing black residue in our kids' noses after burning the candle. That’s when Dasha said, “Never Again!” and began work on creating a candle that would not only be pleasant to burn but also beneficial. Dasha is now the owner and founder of Wellness by Ari. They hand-pour 100% pure beeswax candles combined with aromatherapy essential oils. BUSINESS BUILDING INSIGHTSCheck that your business name is unique and available to register before you start creating social accounts, etc., even if you don't actually do the paperwork and http://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/indielaw (legal stuff) until later. If possible, invest with your own http://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/positive-money-mindset (money) as you grow rather than taking out loans to avoid building up debt. Remember that a No from one person doesn't mean you'll get No from others. Don't be afraid to get help when you need it. http://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/marianaruiz (Find the courage) to reach out to potential sellers, customers, and promo opportunities. When you do, you're taking action 90% of your competition isn't! If you're not willing to push yourself, you’re not going anywhere. Give yourself time to grow. Growing slow but steady is the best way to build a stable business. Listen in to get all the biz-building insights! Dasha's Best Tips For Starting A Craft BusinessWhen http://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/littlepinkladybug (developing your product), focus on what *you're doing,* not what others do, so you develop a unique product. Get feedback from others to help you improve your products. Find a platform that makes accepting payments easy and then build the website around it. If you start with the website first, it can be much harder. Pop-up sales are an easy way to start making sales and get feedback from real customers. Start slowly and evolve your display table over time - add backdrops, signs, etc. - as you grow. Offer product samples to introduce your product to people. Don't be afraid to reach out to potential sellers of your product - local shops, etc. - and keep following up over time. How to motivate yourself to approach people when you don't like http://giftbizunwrapped.com/episodes/nikole-marie (selling)? Remember your goals and your why.

Been using this financial small business tool for years. Recommend it and use it frequently as alternative to Quickbooks. www.waveapps.com #quickbooks #waveapps #cashflow #smallbusiness --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/toddlyden/message

In this episode of Syntax, Scott and Wes talk about how to make freelancing easier — how to avoid burnout, and tips and tricks to make it successful. Sentry - Sponsor If you want to know what’s happening with your errors, track them with Sentry. Sentry is open-source error tracking that helps developers monitor and fix crashes in real time. Cut your time on error resolution from five hours to five minutes. It works with any language and integrates with dozens of other services. Syntax listeners can get two months for free by visiting Sentry.io and using the coupon code “tastytreat”. Netlify - Sponsor Netlify is the best way to deploy and host a front-end website. All the features developers need right out of the box: Global CDN, Continuous Deployment, one click HTTPS and more. Hit up netlify.com/syntax for more info. Show Notes 02:15 - Code Use starters and resets and component libraries Don’t build in something you don’t know, unless you have time and budget to do so — WP is good enough for most projects Feel free to go over time on projects if you are learning something new Re-use code from project to project Target similar types of clients 13:09 - Communication Often, clear and frequent People won’t be mad for being too informed — just know when to leave out the technical jargon Clients typically don’t care about Git, React, etc. — they care about results Don’t overwhelm them Train your clients that you aren’t available 24/7 22:19 - Time management Set calendar alerts early and often to not miss communications Set meetings at 9am, don’t wait around all day for meetings Block off large amounts of time for dev — you won’t be able to get meaningful work done in one-hour slots 27:54 - Contracts + quoting Have a boilerplate contract that you can just fill in Same for a quote Value-based billing 33:47 - Billing + taxes Don’t be shy when talking about money. Be clear on what you need, when you need it, and on what terms. This is business. This is your art, but it’s also your business Pay quarterly taxes - most likely Or don’t and take the small hit — then you can pay once a year Put taxes into another account if you aren’t good with money Get a billing management system or get an accountant — you need to focus on working on code Wave Apps, Xero, Freshbooks 42:03 - Marketing Be loud — people need to know what you offer The best marketing is a referral from a previous client If you show up, return emails and do a good job, you’ll kill it Show people what you are excited about: blog posts, videos, tweets, etc. Go where your clients are: Do you want to be serving small businesses? Family and friends Do you want to be a hired gun for a technical team? Conferences/Twitter, blog posts 48:25 - Final thoughts Scott — It’s ok if freelancing isn’t for you. Not everyone is great at all of these factors, myself included. However, with practice, you can be your own boss, work on your own terms, and make money. Also, don’t be afraid to take on longer contracts with established teams and companies. Wes — Freelancing can be a great filler between jobs or career transitions. Links Syntax 117: Hasty Treat - How To Email Busy People Freshbooks - Breaking the Time Barrier Design Is a Job - Mike Monteiro Wave Xero Freshbooks ××× SIIIIICK ××× PIIIICKS ××× Scott: Displaced Gamers YouTube Channel Wes: Battery Adapter for DeWALT 20V Max 18v Dock Power Connector Shameless Plugs Scott: React For Everyone - Sign up for the year and save 25%! Wes: Master Gatsby - Use the coupon code ‘Syntax’ for $10 off! Tweet us your tasty treats! Scott’s Instagram LevelUpTutorials Instagram Wes’ Instagram Wes’ Twitter Wes’ Facebook Scott’s Twitter Make sure to include @SyntaxFM in your tweets

On this episode: Perception = marketing. . . Sole vs LLC. . . Pro invoicing. . . Waveapps. . . And a “VO cameo” by Steve Pearson. Fist bumps to Ed Bishop for his production and voice assistance. Additional vocal credit to my LaVOsanostra brotha Charlie Toro. WHO IS COREY DISSIN? Corey Dissin, The Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of Content and long-time broadcast production executive, is a voice talent authority and social media influencer who has impacted over 100,000 unique voiceover projects over the last 27 years. As the host of The Go Get It Podcast, Corey has gone toe-to-toe with industry pros like Joan Baker, Randy Thomas, Chuck Duran, and many others. He's also been “in the ring,” mixing it up and sharing his brand of common-sense, tough-love and career help as an expert guest on a dozen other podcasts. In addition, Corey mentors voice talent all over the country as a one-on-one marketing coach and is the author of the “5 Steps to Help Achieve the Voiceover D.R.E.A.M.” ebook. Corey's motivational and professional counsel extends outside the bounds of the media industry as well. Whether a CEO or an average Joe, Corey is trusted by many to develop personal brands and unique selling positions, providing grass roots guidance on how to harness the power of social media and discover the amazing benefits of content marketing. Entrepreneurs also look to Corey to help refine sales communications and optimize business infrastructures. As a long-serving head of two national corporations, owner of two others, and founder and president of a 501c3 non-profit, Corey puts his experience and acumen from all three to work for his clients on day one. CONNECT WITH COREY: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Facebook Youtube

In this episode, Joe will discuss the importance and benefits of wave apps on your business and the difference of it from the rest. When it comes to bookkeeping and accounting Joe is someone to call on. He is a business coach and a CPA that can make complicated things easier for you to understand.

In this episode, Joe will discuss the importance and benefits of wave apps on your business and the difference of it from the rest. When it comes to bookkeeping and accounting Joe is someone to call on. He is a business coach and a CPA that can make complicated things easier for you to understand.

When I’m working with people on their businesses, the comment I get more than any other is, “I don’t know what I don’t know.” When you start going down that rabbit hole researching all the things, it can seem like there is just too much to do. What do you do first? My best advice is to not overthink it. Start simple and grow as you’re able. You don’t have to have it all figured out ahead of time. And sometimes you don’t even want to because as you start doing more business, you realize what needs to change. You learn as you go. You make adjustments and you keep going. You make more adjustments and you keep going. Wash, rinse, repeat.I emphasize this because I like to have everything in order before I launch anything. But in the past, that put me in the habit of wasting time. Time that I could’ve been spending actually doing business and not just planning for it. I couldn’t even count the number of times in the last 5 years that I’ve changed my focus, my website, my services, my internal processes, everything about my business. It’s constantly evolving, and I love that. I’ve had to learn to trust and accept that you can’t know everything ahead of time – you have to get in there and start doing. That’s the best way to figure out what you don’t know.That being said, you have to start somewhere. So start with the basics. But even if you’ve already started and are running your business, don’t tune out just yet. I’m going to talk about two of the most important things that all self-employed business owners should be doing, and I find that a lot of people aren’t. First, and most importantly, be clear on what your business is.01:30 Decide on your business name and get the matching domain.02:04 Make sure you have a strong logo and website. My personal recommendation is Tansy Aster Creative03:25 Be clear about what products or services you're offering and what you're going to charge.03:47 Create a one-page business plan to help clarify the information in your head.04:06 It's important to have a good CPA.05:02 Decide if you want to start as a sole proprietor or LLC.06:40 Get the appropriate business licenses.07:30 You must keep separate accounts for your business income and expenses - never mix with your personal accounts!08:34 Keeping solid bookkeeping records will make your life easier. Check out Quickbooks Online, Freshbooks (affiliate link) and Wave Apps.10:05 Make it easy for clients to pay you, even if you lose 3% to credit card fees (which are tax deductible).10:29 You don't have to be profitable right away to deduct your business expenses.10:56 Plan on putting aside at least 35% of your income to cover your taxes.It sounds like a lot. I know. It can be intimidating, but if you start getting into the mindset of a proper business owner now, you will be much better prepared to move forward. It does get easier as you go. So if you want to start a business, get these things in order, stop thinking about it, and get going.Connect with me through your favorite platform: https://pods.link/aardvarkgirl 

After 30+ years of shopping for a swimsuit, I finally found something that works. I buy the same thing every year in a different color. It’s a tankini from Lands End that features shorts and a high neck tank. It’s more like a swim outfit, but it’s comfortable and it covers what needs to be covered.If you’ve ever gone bathing suit shopping, you know that some suits are more flattering than others. You have to know what compliments your body type. Finding “the one” can involve a lot of trial and error, but when you find it, it makes going on vacation and hanging at the pool a lot less stressful.The same can be said about shopping for your small business accounting software. Sure the right program won’t make hanging out at the pool any better, but it can decrease stress in other areas of your life.So how do you pick one out? That’s what we are going to talk about in today’s episode.If you’ve done any research on this topic, you know that there are a ton of choices when it comes to accounting software. It can feel overwhelming to make the right choice. The goal of this post is not to help you make a definitive decision on accounting software, but to start thinking about what you need from your software. You can start to eliminate the options that don’t serve your needs.Check out the show notes at www.catherinefairweather.com/021.

It's very important to have a network of other self-employed people. You shouldn't be afraid to talk to them about money, fears, successes, and more. It's a great way to learn and avoid potential mistakes. That's what we are talking about in this episode. Sophia's BNI network has created a marketing mastermind which is proving to be quite inspiring. She has business veterans and newbies in her life and she is inspired by all of them, regularly. Find Sophia at @ridiculouslyhappyppl / sophialemon.com Find Benjamin at @benjamin_edward / benjaminedward.ca Find KYSP at @kindofsortofpro Click here to try Wave Apps. Click here to try Tàve.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, let's start where everyone does... the beginning.The top 20 questions I first get from people when they first start out20. Should I name my business my own name, or should I create a separate company name for it?The short answer is, will this company be intertwined (and reliant on) your own identity, or can it live outside of you. Also, will you ever sell your company. I can't answer this for you, but this will help you come to a more solid conclusion.4:32 -- 19. Incorporate vs. Sole Prop etc...Depends on the business structure, but basically stay as a sole prop until you earn more money than you need to live. That way, when you are making more money, you can incorporate, but you can start as a sole prop TODAY. The caveat is that if it's a highly-liable company, you may consider incorporating earlier to cover yourself from a legal perspective.We'll dive into this in 2 later episodes, one focussed around Canadian companies and taxes, and the second around American.6:16 -- 18. Do I need a website with a portfolio.Not necessarily. Most of your first clients will come from word of mouth, so they will hire you for you. Don't let lack of portfolio stop you from looking for new clients. The reality is, people make decisions from feeling, not necessarily from an intellectual place so instilling confidence in your clients, that you are right for the job is much more important than your portfolio when first starting out.7:38 -- 17. Do I charge my client tax right away?This will depend on the region you live in, so be sure to check with your local tax laws. In general, if it's optional in your region, I would suggest registering a tax number right away and charging clients. It adds to your professionalism, will allow you more "write offs" (which we'll cover in another episode), and you can claim that to get back anyways.9:12 -- 16. Do I need a contract and what should it say?Legally, the answer is yes. However, you can get some contracts online that will cover you until you until you start diving into deeper waters.I would say, it's worth investing in a lawyer to draw you up a contract after you've made your first 20K or so. That's not a rule, but let's just say if you're making 90K per year, you should probably be seeking some legal counsel to make sure your business is protected.10:35 -- 15. What does a proposal look like, and what should it include?Use a PDF or Google Doc to stat. Include the following-- Intro to project-- Breakdown of phases-- Cost breakdown-- Social Proof (optional)-- Payment schedule12:47 -- 14. Do I need project management softwares?There are sooo many! If you're just starting out, I would suggest a simple setup of Google docs and folders to get you started with a folder for client to upload image assets, and website copy.Keep a Google sheet of timeline and payment schedule in there for bonus points.13:44 -- 13. What do I charge?There are soooo many answers to this question, but here are some initial steps.1. Find out what your competitors are charging to get a ballpark2. Decide on an hourly rate, and price projects using the estimated hours x 30% buffer. You don't need to show clients that calculation, but you can use it for your own references as a starting place. 3. Value pricing: it's very difficult to value price from day 1, so we'll get into that at a later date.16:24 -- 12. How do I get referrals and testimonials for my future clients?Ask them!This might seem very awkward at first, but here's a quick script to help you along. Also, make sure to ask the verbally first towards the end of their agreement.When you start the conversation, ask...How was everything for you?How was it paced out?How was my communication?then follow up with,Hey _______,That's amazing! I would love other people to have the same experience as you, do you mind putting ________ in writing, I'd love to feature you on my site.Take the feedback, both good and bad and either turn it into a testimonial, or implement the improvements in your process.It's important to take the negative feedback as well as the positive to make changes and grow as a company.17:53 -- 11. What happens when a project goes south?Sometimes this happens. Sometimes it's your fault, and sometimes it's the clients fault. Without placing blame, it's in your best interest to go back to the contracts and proposals to gain clarification.I always give the client the benefit of the doubt, so if there was something in my contract that could be mis-interpreted, I take the hit, make the corrections, move forward and re-word + revisit my policies moving forward.The key is be present, be empathetic, be proactive, and err on the side of clarity.19:52 -- 10. How do I invoice and collect payment?There are so many optins now!For accounting purposes, I would suggest using software like Freshbooks, WaveApps, FreeAgent, Xero, Harvest or Quickbooks as you can take payment (for a fee) directly through the application. Alternatively, you can bill through either Stripe or PayPal. Truthfully, clients have their own preferences, so I actually take all of the following.-- Interac e-transfer-- Overseas wire transfer-- Venmo-- Stripe-- PayPal-- Cheque (oldschool)-- Quickbooks online paymentI would suggest having at least one way they can pay via bank (e-transfer, or cheque), and one way they can pay via credit card (PayPal or Stripe). Yes, there are fees associated with credit card payments, but those are the cost of doing business.22:58 -- 9. How do I find well paying clients?Go check out the previous episode "How to find clients"23:37 -- 8. What's the difference between a Proposal, a Contract and and Invoice? Do you need all 3?Yes, you do need all 3, however you can combine the proposal and contract together if you like.Proposal: Project outline, scope, timeline and payment schedule outlineContract: Legally binding agreement of terms signed by both parties. Contains agreement of proposal.Invoice: Payment request, methods of payment accepted, and when payment is dueOnce the contract is approved, you can use companies like HelloSign, Adobe, and Docusign to get their signatures digitally.25:44 -- 7. What is a Niche? Do I need to specialize my services?A niche is something that you're good at, or a certain customer you wish to serve that differentiates you from your peers. Serving a niche is serving a narrower group of people. Some people get freaked out when you suggest to narrow their focus, but I'm telling you, you will attract more of the right people, be able to charge more, and have less stress is you get REALLY good at just one, or a few key things.Episode on niching coming soon...27:39 -- 6. Do I need to run ads to promote myself?No! i go over so many FREE ways to get clients in the previous episode, go listen... now.28:02 -- 5. What should I have in place to look like a professional?Even though I highly encourage you to be yourself in every capacity, there are a few things you should brush up when you are looking to present yourself to clients.Here's a few:-- Make sure there's nothing incriminating on your FB and IG feeds-- Update your skillsets on LinkedIn, and have people vouch for you-- Be aware of publicly visible photographs on your profiles.29:22 -- 4. Do I have to work for Free?In my unpopular opinion, yes.If you love the project, and are invested absolutely. Don't take free jabs because you think you should, do it because you want to.30:27 -- 3. How do I respond to family and friends when they want my services for a "deal"?Generally, I don't do work for friends and family. I refer them out. However, I did in the beginning because they were projects that were close to me, and they were projects that I believed in. Also, I only do projects for FREE on my own terms, or I charge full price. I never charge discounted rates. Period.32:44 -- 2. How do clients typically pay? How many increments do you divide it into?This is typically how my payment plans work out. Feel free to swipe!> $1000 -- Everything is paid at the end of a project$2000 - $7000 -- Split into 2 payments. 50% initially, 50% on deployment$10,000 + -- 3 to 4 payments, generally spanning monthly payments. I allow some flexibility with clients, which they appreciate. I rarely split into more than 4 payments.35:10 -- 1. When does a project end? Do you offer packages? Do you need to offer support?The project for me ends when it it deployed to the final URL. This should be made clear in the contract terms.I do offer 14 - 30 days of support following deployment, and this is included in the project. You also need to make this clear, that no new features will be added during this time, but it is used to improve existing functionality, iron out bugs and general troubleshooting of existing features, as well as training.You don't need to offer any packages beyond that, but many developers offer maintenance packages that allow continuous updates to the site, usually for a monthly fee.That's it!Reach out if you have any Q's (at symbol)margreffell everywhere. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Receipts everywhere. Bank statements flying in to your post office box. Bills mounting. And you have no idea where your business stands until after tax time when the accountant gives you the all clear. There is a better way. This is Clickstarter, I’m Dante St James. This is episode 43, and Day 9 of my daily series, April Foolproof Your Business. Today… It’s time to move your invoicing to the cloud. The time of writing your invoices out with a carbon copy book is over. It was actually over 20 years ago. But we won’t squabble over that small detail. If your invoicing and payments for invoices are out of control, it’s probably because you’re still trying to do it all manually on paper, or in an Excel spreadsheet. As you’d suspect, accounting and bookkeeping has come a long way in the last 20 years. You’ll probably be familiar with programs like Quicken or MYOB. They’ve been around a long time and have tended to dominate the accounts landscape of most established businesses. But they really do feel clunky and over-the-top for the average small business to use. This is where the current crop of Cloud Accounts systems come in. The top of the pile in terms of popularity is Quickbooks. With over 12 million users worldwide and huge fan base of both businesses and bookkeepers it’s miles ahead of the others. And with a solid 4.5 out of 5 on most review sites, it’s performing well in terms of the opinion of the people who use it most. The biggest pros about it are that it has pretty much everything you’ll ever need in a bookkeeping or accounts system and plenty of pro accountants and bookkeepers know and use it. The cons are that it’s often described as being a little hard to navigate with a design that isn’t very intuitive to move around for those who are used to using the web instead of using software that has been converted to work on the web. Next on the popularity pile is Accounting by Wave, also known as Wave Apps. It’s simple, free and used mostly by sole traders and home business users. Probably because it’s free. I personally have an issue with using a free app to handle my money because it just feels like your money handling is the one thing you should probably not be skimping on when it comes to cost and quality. That said, it’s got close to 9 million worldwide users and does a stellar job of handling your invoices, receipts, and gives handy notifications when things are read, paid or completed. But it is limited. If you want to process payments or do payroll on it, you’ll need to pay. Then there is Xero. Spelt with an X. I get a bit funny about Xero because I am instantly suspicious about any system that higher level users rave about, but whom lower level users complain about not being able to get decent support with. The way that Xero grows is by Accountants and Bookkeepers selling it to their clients. So it’s a little like network marketing. Or affiliate marketing. No that there’s anything wrong with that. I’d be nastier about it, but honestly, it’s not bad at all. It’s easier to use than Quickbooks. It’s more fully-featured than Wave and has integrations with almost everything. It’s a seriously good accounting package, handles payroll, handles payment processing, and has around 1.2 million customers. But it seems to rate overall way less than Quickbooks. Average ratings run from 75 to 80 out of 100 on most review sites, where Quickbooks rates over 90% on just about all of them. And while Quickbooks users don’t usually have anything bad to say about Xero, Xero users seem to be quick to badmouth Quickbooks. I’ve looked at both, I’m all… meh… it does invoices. And they both do solid jobs. Price wise they are similar, so I’m not sure why the hate on either of them. They’re both great products. I’m just not a fan of having my accountant or bookkeeper selling me software. My favourite of the lot of them is Freshbooks. To me, it’s easy, has plenty of power and does the job. That said, I’m about to outgrow it as I move...

Last week, I unveiled the Tech Stack Framework and today we’re going to run the Tech of Business through the framework. I mentioned near the end of last week’s episode that the framework can and likely should be gone through multiple times. I value your time and thank you for taking the time to listen and share each and every podcast episode. As I looked at the tools I use, it became clear that the most advantageous part of my tech stack for us to dig into is my client on-boarding process. This is the exact set of tools and processes that we go through in the early stages of working together. Now, let’s get started! I attract clients to my business through my Thinkific Experts listing (https://experts.thinkific.com/courses/jaime-slutzky), this podcast, my websites, being a guest on podcasts and web shows, organic social media and referrals and recommendations. Once you think you might want to work with me, we’ll have a conversation so that we can vet one another and discuss the potential relationship. From there, I put together a proposal and send it off. And once it’s signed, we move into payment and project setup…. Whoa, that’s a lot of steps to go through before getting to our on-boarding! In fact, because there are so many steps, I am going to sidetrack slightly from the on-boarding tech to drop the tech used in this pre-client phase. Here the goal is to be hired after an initial outreach… that initial outreach may be via social media, email or an intake form on my website. Once I determine that the initial request is within my expertise and availability, I will send you an Acuity Scheduling calendar scheduling link. I have several scheduling links that I may send. The only difference between them is the title that goes on the appointment to make it perfectly clear to both of us what we are going to be discussing. I have integrated Acuity Scheduling with my Google Calendar so that I have accurate availability listed. Acuity also sends confirmation and reminder emails to both you and me. Inside those emails is a zoom link for the conversation. After our conversation, I will create a custom proposal, using one of several templates that I store in Word 365. I use the Adobe Acrobat conversion tool to turn the Word document into a PDF which I then send over for approval and signature using Adobe Documents with Track and Sign. I’ve used several different signing tools in the past and chose Adobe Acrobat DC a couple of years ago because it offers additional functionality that is relevant in my business. Many business owners I know who do one on one services will use more of an all-in-one system like 17 Hats or Dubsado. Okay, back to our flow… once you sign the document, Adobe notifies me and I create your invoice in Wave Apps. I use Wave to also send the invoice to you, rather than going back into my primary email system to send it along. On the Wave dashboard I’m able to see the status of your invoice. Oh, and I anticipate changing my accounting and invoicing system before the end of the year. I’m looking at QuickBooks and looking into reducing the amount of steps involved before we even engage in the client on-boarding. Right now – there is minimal automation in this process even though I go through it multiple times each week. To recap, the tools I use are: Gravity Forms on my websites Facebook messenger Outlook 365 (for email) Acuity Scheduling Google Calendar Zoom Word 365 Adobe Acrobat DC Wave Apps Let’s pull out the Tech Stack Framework. The entire pre-client phase sits within the larger tech stack blueprint, but the Tech Stack Framework can certainly be used in isolation on this small section of my business. So you and I are the stakeholders and as I mentioned earlier, the goal is to enter into a client relationship. Moving into the pyramid, the base layer tools are Acuity Scheduling, Zoom and Adobe Acrobat DC. And moving up a layer, the support layer tools will make those base tools work better. All the other tools fall into the support layer. There is nothing at the growth layer because it is a one-to-one relationship. Yay… we’re finally at client on-boarding! The stakeholders here are the same as they were in the early stage, you and me. The goal is to set us up for a successful working relationship. Note please, that there is nothing about the actual work, just the setup process so that we are poised to work efficiently together. To work efficiently together, I’ve determined that we need to have a means for asynchronous communication, a way to organize documents, images, videos, brand assets and other collateral, a secure method for sharing passwords or generating unique passwords, task management and milestone tracking. And depending on the duration and complexity of the project, we often also have real time communication needs. I primarily use Basecamp for project management and if no other preference is supplied by you, then that’s what we will use. I am willing and able to use Trello or Asana. If we elect to use one of those tools, we will also use Slack. Basecamp is one of our Base tools. It supplies the structure for asynchronous communication, content and asset collection, task management and milestone tracking. I suggest you setup LastPass for password management and sharing. Depending on the project we’re undertaking I will need you to provide some passwords to me and I may be creating passwords for you. Using LastPass allows the sharing of them to be done securely. I’ve got an upcoming episode on LastPass – I haven’t recorded it yet, so if you have any specific questions email me jaime@techofbusiness.com or post them in the Tech of Business Community on Facebook. In Basecamp, the campfire is an ongoing stream of consciousness communication tool. There are not breakpoints. It is ideally suited for banter or conversation that will result in creation of new tasks, action items or milestones. I liken this to text messages, WhatsApp, or direct messages within social media platforms. Basecamp messages are a great way to contain a topic to an isolated stream. They are used to discuss multiple tasks simultaneously or to discuss a single topic that will become a To Do List or task. Our Basecamp messages are akin to email threads but are kept inside the project and not in the inbox! I do not work with clients via email – it’s just not the best place for us to hang out. The main feature of Basecamp is the To Do Lists with their associated tasks. This is where work is tracked and marked as complete. Tasks can be assigned to individuals, given start and end dates. Each task and to do list can be commented on and contain a discussion. All tasks with dates on them will also appear on the timeline, so that we have a visual representation of the project. And, Basecamp also has a repository for file uploads. It has sub-folders and revision history. It’s a great feature… but sometimes, all the built in tools in Basecamp create redundant processes as we overlap our businesses for our new relationship. And this is an ideal time to move into the next layer of the Tech Stack Framework. As you recall, the next layer is the Support layer. These are the tools that we are going to use to make our goal (to work efficiently together) even more achievable. These will include your primary cloud storage tool, Google Drive (which is my primary cloud storage tool), Acuity Scheduling, and Zoom, depending on the complexity of the project. Let’s go back to the redundant processes I mentioned a few moments ago. If we were to upload all documents natively to Basecamp, then we would be introducing manual steps of downloading docs and images and such before uploading them. Which is why it’s so awesome that we can post full cloud storage locations inside Basecamp or paste urls from a tool into the relevant place in Basecamp. This is how we augment the functionality while reducing redundant processes. Most communication between us will be asynchronous. We don’t need to have back and forth real time communication to complete tasks or projects. But sometimes, it makes sense to meet on zoom to make decisions, strategize or otherwise make real time progress. And for this, I open up my schedule via Acuity. I provide you with a unique link exactly for our project, so that it restricts the number of appointments we have and so on. The idea isn’t that I want to limit your access to me, it’s that from my years of working with clients, I find that it’s far better to have text-based communication for the “paper-trail”. Makes it easier to turn action items into tasks and track their progress. I think we’re done with the support layer. So, let’s move onto the growth layer. Here again, my goal is to continue to make things as easy as possible. And I will use Zapier to keep all our tech tools talking to one another if they don’t talk to each other natively. That means adding things like our Acuity Appointments to the Basecamp schedule or otherwise keeping our disparate tools connected without manual processes. I’d rather set things up right at the outset and know that you and I are both confident that we have the right tools in place for supporting our efforts. The final step of the on-boarding process is to document how, when and why to use each of the tools. We’ve gone into that in quite a bit of detail here in this episode. In a client on-board process, I’d likely use Zoom to walk you through the process and we would record the session and upload it to Basecamp. Or, if we didn’t feel that a real time walk through was needed, I’d record a walk through for you. So there we have it. We’ve gone through the Tech Stack Framework for my client on-boarding process. And I hope you can now see how the framework can be applied one segment at a time so that when we complete the work, you’ve got a beautiful and functional tech stack blueprint. This segment of my blueprint makes it super easy for me to know every step of the on-boarding process… and now, I have to invite you to go through this process with me! Let’s create your tech stack blueprint and bring clarity to the tech in your business. A lot of podcasts that I’ve been listening to lately have been talking about the financial health of our businesses. And that’s to be expected at this time of year, when spending in our personal lives increases and we start to set our sights on the new year. This is also the time to talk about the tech health of our businesses – which is part of the reason I have been focusing on the Tech Stack Framework this week and last. I’m opening up a small number of Virtual CTO client spots in December and if you’re interested in going through the Framework, now is a great time to book a consultation call with me. Best way to book a call is to click on the Virtual CTO button on https://techofbusiness.com/work-with-me/ Thank you so much for hanging out with me on the Tech of Business podcast today. Let’s connect in the Tech of Business Community on Facebook which you can get to at https://techofbusiness.com/community/. I cannot wait to hear what resonated most with you from today’s episode!  

Last week, I unveiled the Tech Stack Framework and today we're going to run the Tech of Business through the framework. I mentioned near the end of last week's episode that the framework can and likely should be gone through multiple times. I value your time and thank you for taking the time to listen and share each and every podcast episode. As I looked at the tools I use, it became clear that the most advantageous part of my tech stack for us to dig into is my client on-boarding process. This is the exact set of tools and processes that we go through in the early stages of working together. Now, let's get started! I attract clients to my business through my Thinkific Experts listing (https://experts.thinkific.com/courses/jaime-slutzky), this podcast, my websites, being a guest on podcasts and web shows, organic social media and referrals and recommendations. Once you think you might want to work with me, we'll have a conversation so that we can vet one another and discuss the potential relationship. From there, I put together a proposal and send it off. And once it's signed, we move into payment and project setup…. Whoa, that's a lot of steps to go through before getting to our on-boarding! In fact, because there are so many steps, I am going to sidetrack slightly from the on-boarding tech to drop the tech used in this pre-client phase. Here the goal is to be hired after an initial outreach… that initial outreach may be via social media, email or an intake form on my website. Once I determine that the initial request is within my expertise and availability, I will send you an Acuity Scheduling calendar scheduling link. I have several scheduling links that I may send. The only difference between them is the title that goes on the appointment to make it perfectly clear to both of us what we are going to be discussing. I have integrated Acuity Scheduling with my Google Calendar so that I have accurate availability listed. Acuity also sends confirmation and reminder emails to both you and me. Inside those emails is a zoom link for the conversation. After our conversation, I will create a custom proposal, using one of several templates that I store in Word 365. I use the Adobe Acrobat conversion tool to turn the Word document into a PDF which I then send over for approval and signature using Adobe Documents with Track and Sign. I've used several different signing tools in the past and chose Adobe Acrobat DC a couple of years ago because it offers additional functionality that is relevant in my business. Many business owners I know who do one on one services will use more of an all-in-one system like 17 Hats or Dubsado. Okay, back to our flow… once you sign the document, Adobe notifies me and I create your invoice in Wave Apps. I use Wave to also send the invoice to you, rather than going back into my primary email system to send it along. On the Wave dashboard I'm able to see the status of your invoice. Oh, and I anticipate changing my accounting and invoicing system before the end of the year. I'm looking at QuickBooks and looking into reducing the amount of steps involved before we even engage in the client on-boarding. Right now – there is minimal automation in this process even though I go through it multiple times each week. To recap, the tools I use are: Gravity Forms on my websites Facebook messenger Outlook 365 (for email) Acuity Scheduling Google Calendar Zoom Word 365 Adobe Acrobat DC Wave Apps Let's pull out the Tech Stack Framework. The entire pre-client phase sits within the larger tech stack blueprint, but the Tech Stack Framework can certainly be used in isolation on this small section of my business. So you and I are the stakeholders and as I mentioned earlier, the goal is to enter into a client relationship. Moving into the pyramid, the base layer tools are Acuity Scheduling, Zoom and Adobe Acrobat DC. And moving up a layer, the support layer tools will make those base tools work better. All the other tools fall into the support layer. There is nothing at the growth layer because it is a one-to-one relationship. Yay… we're finally at client on-boarding! The stakeholders here are the same as they were in the early stage, you and me. The goal is to set us up for a successful working relationship. Note please, that there is nothing about the actual work, just the setup process so that we are poised to work efficiently together. To work efficiently together, I've determined that we need to have a means for asynchronous communication, a way to organize documents, images, videos, brand assets and other collateral, a secure method for sharing passwords or generating unique passwords, task management and milestone tracking. And depending on the duration and complexity of the project, we often also have real time communication needs. I primarily use Basecamp for project management and if no other preference is supplied by you, then that's what we will use. I am willing and able to use Trello or Asana. If we elect to use one of those tools, we will also use Slack. Basecamp is one of our Base tools. It supplies the structure for asynchronous communication, content and asset collection, task management and milestone tracking. I suggest you setup LastPass for password management and sharing. Depending on the project we're undertaking I will need you to provide some passwords to me and I may be creating passwords for you. Using LastPass allows the sharing of them to be done securely. I've got an upcoming episode on LastPass – I haven't recorded it yet, so if you have any specific questions email me jaime@techofbusiness.com or post them in the Tech of Business Community on Facebook. In Basecamp, the campfire is an ongoing stream of consciousness communication tool. There are not breakpoints. It is ideally suited for banter or conversation that will result in creation of new tasks, action items or milestones. I liken this to text messages, WhatsApp, or direct messages within social media platforms. Basecamp messages are a great way to contain a topic to an isolated stream. They are used to discuss multiple tasks simultaneously or to discuss a single topic that will become a To Do List or task. Our Basecamp messages are akin to email threads but are kept inside the project and not in the inbox! I do not work with clients via email – it's just not the best place for us to hang out. The main feature of Basecamp is the To Do Lists with their associated tasks. This is where work is tracked and marked as complete. Tasks can be assigned to individuals, given start and end dates. Each task and to do list can be commented on and contain a discussion. All tasks with dates on them will also appear on the timeline, so that we have a visual representation of the project. And, Basecamp also has a repository for file uploads. It has sub-folders and revision history. It's a great feature… but sometimes, all the built in tools in Basecamp create redundant processes as we overlap our businesses for our new relationship. And this is an ideal time to move into the next layer of the Tech Stack Framework. As you recall, the next layer is the Support layer. These are the tools that we are going to use to make our goal (to work efficiently together) even more achievable. These will include your primary cloud storage tool, Google Drive (which is my primary cloud storage tool), Acuity Scheduling, and Zoom, depending on the complexity of the project. Let's go back to the redundant processes I mentioned a few moments ago. If we were to upload all documents natively to Basecamp, then we would be introducing manual steps of downloading docs and images and such before uploading them. Which is why it's so awesome that we can post full cloud storage locations inside Basecamp or paste urls from a tool into the relevant place in Basecamp. This is how we augment the functionality while reducing redundant processes. Most communication between us will be asynchronous. We don't need to have back and forth real time communication to complete tasks or projects. But sometimes, it makes sense to meet on zoom to make decisions, strategize or otherwise make real time progress. And for this, I open up my schedule via Acuity. I provide you with a unique link exactly for our project, so that it restricts the number of appointments we have and so on. The idea isn't that I want to limit your access to me, it's that from my years of working with clients, I find that it's far better to have text-based communication for the “paper-trail”. Makes it easier to turn action items into tasks and track their progress. I think we're done with the support layer. So, let's move onto the growth layer. Here again, my goal is to continue to make things as easy as possible. And I will use Zapier to keep all our tech tools talking to one another if they don't talk to each other natively. That means adding things like our Acuity Appointments to the Basecamp schedule or otherwise keeping our disparate tools connected without manual processes. I'd rather set things up right at the outset and know that you and I are both confident that we have the right tools in place for supporting our efforts. The final step of the on-boarding process is to document how, when and why to use each of the tools. We've gone into that in quite a bit of detail here in this episode. In a client on-board process, I'd likely use Zoom to walk you through the process and we would record the session and upload it to Basecamp. Or, if we didn't feel that a real time walk through was needed, I'd record a walk through for you. So there we have it. We've gone through the Tech Stack Framework for my client on-boarding process. And I hope you can now see how the framework can be applied one segment at a time so that when we complete the work, you've got a beautiful and functional tech stack blueprint. This segment of my blueprint makes it super easy for me to know every step of the on-boarding process… and now, I have to invite you to go through this process with me! Let's create your tech stack blueprint and bring clarity to the tech in your business. A lot of podcasts that I've been listening to lately have been talking about the financial health of our businesses. And that's to be expected at this time of year, when spending in our personal lives increases and we start to set our sights on the new year. This is also the time to talk about the tech health of our businesses – which is part of the reason I have been focusing on the Tech Stack Framework this week and last. I'm opening up a small number of Virtual CTO client spots in December and if you're interested in going through the Framework, now is a great time to book a consultation call with me. Best way to book a call is to click on the Virtual CTO button on https://techofbusiness.com/work-with-me/ Thank you so much for hanging out with me on the Tech of Business podcast today. Let's connect in the Tech of Business Community on Facebook which you can get to at https://techofbusiness.com/community/. I cannot wait to hear what resonated most with you from today's episode!  

Phil plugs Wave for Small Businesses (www.waveapps.com) and dreads tax season and accounting for his business. Phil and Kenny talk about how amazing small business are and the potentials for explosive growth. Free plug for Satya.ca, Quest Vitamins and Pink Solution. Kenny jokes about cutting Linda Webb lose, but Philly won't talk about it. They talk about return on investment and proper spending in the right buckets to make businesses grow. Sara Carvalho and her magic photography skills gets the Commercial Drive coffee really great photos.

Episode #7 - Business Tools: I discuss the tools I use to run my business, whether Music Company, My Design business or doing advertising and marketing for Comedy Tours. Tools I use: 1. Asana - www.asana.com - Free project management tool 2. Wave Apps - www.waveaps.com - Free accounting app 3. Trello - www.trello.com - Free Roadmapping tool 4. HubSpot CRM - www.hubspot.com/products/crm 5. Buffer - www.buffer.com - Social Media Management  

Plant Friends... this could be the most epic interview on Bloom and Grow Radio yet. Clocking in at about 1 hour and 45 minutes, this one is a doozy and chock full of so much fun planty information. I sat down with Danae Horst three separate times to talk about how she created and grew her incredible Plant Shop, Folia Collective. Danae is an incredible plant lady/ boss lady who I’ve become friends with over social media, and now IRL, and has an incredible story behind the success of her Brick and Morter Shop in LA, Folia Collective. She shares her story and tips for budding planty entrepreneurs interested in creating their own businesses around plants. I know that diving into more of a business focused show is a bit of a departure from our usual plant care tips, but I know many listeners are actually in the plant business space in their day to day lives, or if you aren’t- we all plant shop and I thought this episode will give us a great appreciation for the hustle and passion that goes behind the makings of a planty empire. Plant Friends, this is a juicy episode for you to enjoy all throughout the week (as it might take a couple of listens to finish it) but I am just so thankful to Danae and her beautiful energy, helpful advice and her patience with me asking very specific and neurotic questions about business- you don’t want to miss it!   In this episode we learn about: - Danae’s personal plant collection and journey to plant parenthood - Her time at The Jungalow - The behind the scenes view of the beginning of Folia Collective - How she started the Folia Collective Pop Up shops - The transition from Pop Up Shop to Brick and Morter Store - How to use Instagram and IRL to build community - How to find plants to sell - How Danae managed the growth of the first year of Folia Collective Brick and Morter - Danae’s top lessons she learned from a year in business - How to be thrify to create buzz about your business - How to use social media to grow your business and community - How important community is for a business - Tips on how to source planters and merchandise - Budgeting tools and tips - The downsides to owning a plant shop Links Danae mentioned in our conversation: Waveapps.com Liveplan.com Follow Danae and Folia Collective: IG:  @foliacollective  @danaerolynhorst Website: www.foliacollective.com and www.jungalow.com/plant-o-pedia Follow Bloom and Grow Radio: Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club IG: @bloomandgrowradio Facebook: www.facebook.com/bloomandgrowradio www.bloomandgrowradio.com

Running a business is complicated in and of itself. There are all kinds of things you have to keep track of including taxes. There are many common mistakes made when it comes to taxes and on this episode of the podcast, Scott is talking with his friend Josh about the common questions that come to him when it comes to business text questions. Being a CPA, Josh has the actual answers you need in order to do things legally and ethically. You can hear all of these common questions and their answers on this episode of the podcast. Are you calculating your product inventory the RIGHT way for tax purposes? Many people think that in order to calculate their taxes correctly when it comes to inventory they simply need to add up how much they have spent on products during the calendar year. Scott's guess today is a certified public accountant and he says that is actually not the right way to do it. You will find up providing wrong figures to the IRS if you do so, and you could be liable for a much larger payment, plus penalties by doing it. On this episode, you were going to learn the right way to calculate inventory for tax purposes. Is an IRS audit something you should be afraid of? When you hear the phrase, “tax audit” it may cause you to break out in a cold sweat. But do you really need to be so concerned? What is the likelihood that you were really going to be audited? And if you are, which kind of audit is it that you should be concerned about? And this great conversation with a certified public accountant you were going to hear about the different kinds of audits, what each of them really is about, and what you should do if you are audited. It's a great episode to dispel a lot of the myths that are floating around in the business community, so make sure you take the time to listen. What meals and entertainment are deductible? Many people who run a business have been told that they can deduct meals and entertainment that have to do with their business with no problem. But is that entirely true? When this episode of the podcast a certified public accountant is going to tell us that you actually only get to deduct 50% of your meals and entertainment, and you can only do that if those are directly related to a business activity of some kind. If you want to hear the full story on this important issue, make sure that you listen. It could save you a lot of money in the end. What business entity is best for your business? There's a good deal of confusion about which business entity you should choose for your business activity. Should you be a sole proprietor? What about an LLC? Or maybe an S corporation or C corporation? If you're confused by all of these possibilities you are not alone. On this episode of the podcast, you will hear the definitions of each of these, what their advantages are, and how you should go about choosing the one that is right for you and your business. This section of the podcast alone is worth the time it will take you to listen. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER [0:09] Scott’s introduction to this episode! [3:19] How to deal with inventory as a business expense - the RIGHT way. [11:29] Turning common personal expenses into business deductions. [13:15] Home office space - how do you deduct it as a business expense? [16:14] When the IRS contacts you for an audit - how does it happen? [19:10] What meals and entertainment are deductible? [21:06] Bookkeeping issues: How should you keep your records? [25:41] A good rule of thumb for withholding federal taxes. [27:20] The various business entities you can do business as. [34:20] Can an S-corp be backdated to the beginning of your LLC creation? [38:40] The issue of sales tax: How should you handle it? RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THIS EPISODE www.TheAmazingSeller.com/ask www.TheAmazingSeller.com/143 - Previous episode with Josh www.CPAonFire.com - Josh’s business website Xero accounting software www.Quickbooks.com www.WaveApps.com www.Freshbooks.com Bench Bookkeeping Service www.MyWifeQuitHerJob.com www.TaxJar.com

You have just landed on another episode of The Amazing seller where Scott is answering your questions about private label sales on Amazon. You can get your questions asked and answered on this special Friday episodes. Today's episode features 3 questions, one about product quality issues, another about a first product that is barely breaking even, and the final question about keeping procedures for Amazon private label sales. There's a ton to learn and lots of fun ahead so be sure you listen to this episode. My first product is not the greatest quality. What should I do to address that? A listener to the podcast called in with a question about product quality. He is making about 20 sales a day, which is great, but is getting a decent amount of product returns due to a quality issue. He wants to know if he should abandon the product all together, make some modifications, or something else. Scott's main concerns center around the returns and his advice aims toward improving the product to get past the return issues. You can hear how Scott advises going about it on this episode. What should you do when your private label product barely breaks even? Many first time private label sellers don't calculate in the various costs associated with selling their product on Amazon. Today's episode features a question by a listener about a product they are currently selling on Amazon but it is barely breaking even. Their questions centers around what they can do to increase their profit margin and salvage this product since it is making around 10 sales per day. What would you do? On this episode you get to hear the various areas that Scott what address if this were his product, so be sure to listen. Keeping good financial records is a must. How is the best way to do it? One of the biggest headaches for most private label sellers is the issue of keeping accurate records. Finances are important, including taxes and various fees and costs associated with running a successful business. On this episode a listener ask Scott for his advice about the various software packages that are available to help private label sellers keep track of their financial obligations. Scott recommends one that he uses regularly and mentions many others that he has heard good reports about. You can get all the information on this episode. Would you like to have your private label questions answered? These Friday sessions where Scott answers the questions of real life Amazon sellers are some ofe his favorites. If you have a question or an obstacle in your private label business that you seem unable to get past, why not ask Scott to help you think through the issue? You can get your questions answered by going to www.TheAmazingSeller.com/ask and leaving a voicemail with your question. Be sure to include your name so Scott can recognize you on the show! OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER [0:05] Scott’s introduction to this Ask Scott episode. [1:05] How you can get in on some of Scott’s live events. [2:40] How to ask your own questions. [2:55] How to connect with Scott on Periscope. [5:15] QUESTION ONE: How can I best address product quality problems? [11:16] QUESTION TWO: Our first product is barely breaking even. How should we view that in terms of moving forward? [22:39] QUESTION THREE: What bookkeeping apps are there that  integrate with Amazon? RESOURCES MENTIONED www.TheAmazingSeller.com/live - future TAS live events www.TheAmazingSeller.com/ask - Ask your own questions www.TheAmazingSeller.com/Scope - get connected on Periscope www.CamelCamelCamel.com www.GoogleTrends.com Wave Apps accounting software www.Freshbooks.com - accounting software www.Xero.com - accounting software

Using tools makes any business easier to run. As your daddy used to say, “The right tool for the right job,” and it applies to your Amazon private label business as well. There’s also a lot of times when tools make your business harder, mainly because there can be so many options and it’s hard to decide or to carve out the time to assess every possibility. On this episode Scott’s going to share his top 8 tools, the ones that he feels he couldn’t live without. Get out your laptop or paper and pencil so that you can jot down the tools Scott’s using and how he’s doing it.   Did you know that Google Drive is a powerful tool for Amazon sellers to use?   If you’ve got a gmail account you are already connected to Google Drive and it’s full of tons of tools that can make your business more productive and effective - and it’s FREE! You can create spreadsheets, documents, slide shows, calendar, etc., and share them freely with many people or only one. And Google Drive gives you tons of great tools to use that are just as good as things you’d pay for but are entirely free. Listen to the variety of ways Scott uses this amazing suite of tools to further his Amazon private label business, all on this episode of The Amazing Seller.   Why Jungle Scout is Scott’s “won’t do without it” tool.   Scott says that he won’t do his business without Jungle Scout, even though he initially started doing the same type of thing Jungle Scout does for free, using a spreadsheet. But Jungle Scout does all of that and so much more, and significantly faster. There’s ways to use JS that simply blow you away once you realize the power of what they can do for your business. If you’d like to get a copy of Jungle Scout, you can go to the JS website or use Scott’s affiliate link in this show notes page to get a discounted version of this incredible software.   Accounting can be a real headache in any business.   It’s not just the numbers that drive you crazy, it’s the time required to get everything input and organized. Scott’s discovered a great, free app that he uses for 3 of his businesses that is saving him tons of time and does an amazing job. The software is called Waveapps and has a free version that is amazingly powerful. You can keep all of your business accounting up to date easily using this free software. If you’re interested in trying out Waveapps, use the link provided in the link section of this episode to go get your own free account!   Why the right tools can skyrocket your Amazon Private Label business:   Because working smarter, not harder, is still the way to go! Tools can be a huge part of working smarter. They enable you to automate processes that you do frequently, find data and information more quickly, share things with team members or others with a click or an automated notification, and tons of other things. As you can see, spending time doing each of those things individually would be a waste when you could be spending that time instead doing things that actually increase the profitability of your business. Scott shares his top 8 tools on this episode of The Amazing Seller, so don’t miss it!   OUTLINE OF THIS INTERVIEW EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER   [0:05] Introduction of the episode by Scott! [2:20] A shout out to everyone in the TAS Facebook Community! [3:05] The next FREE WORKSHOP is coming! Register now! [3:54] Way to go Charles Smith! Another successful TAS community member. [6:00] How I’m using Google Drive. [12:07] Scott’s use of Jungle Scout (and the Chrome extension). [14:30] The Jungle Scout web app - a new tool! [16:35] Amasuite 4! [22:00] How Scott uses www.CamelCamelCamel.com [24:00] Salesbacker - the email follow up tool Scott uses. [27:00] Wavapps - Scott’s free accounting software. [28:35] The Workflowy app - a list making and task tracking software. [29:20] Other optional apps that Scott has used or is testing. [   LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Scott’s free workshop  - http://www.TheAmazingSeller.com/workshop   Interview with Greg Mercer about Jungle Scout - http://www.TheAmazingSeller.com/35   www.TheAmazingSeller.com/FB - the TAS Facebook Community   Google Drive - https://www.google.com/drive/   Jungle Scout affiliate link - www.TheAmazingSeller.com/JS OR go to the Jungle Scout website   The Amasuite Software - http://getamasuite.com/   The episode about Amazon Top Reviewers - www.TheAmazingSeller.com/116   www.CamelCamelCamel.com   Google Trends - https://www.google.com/trends/   Salesbacker - https://www.salesbacker.com/   Waveapps - https://www.waveapps.com/   Workflowy - https://workflowy.com/   OTHERS:   AMZ Tracker - https://www.amztracker.com/   Edgar - http://www.MeetEdgar.com

I talk about the tools that I use and conclude the first season of The Freelance Podcast. Links from the show Harvest https://www.getharvest.com/ Stripe https://stripe.com/ Wave Apps https://www.waveapps.com/ Docracy http://www.docracy.com/ Contract Killer https://gist.github.com/malarkey/4031110 Mailbox http://www.mailboxapp.com/ Google Apps https://www.google.com/work/apps/business/ Google Voice https://www.google.com/voice Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/ 1Password https://agilebits.com/onepassword Last Pass https://lastpass.com/ Slack https://slack.com/ OmniFocus https://www.omnigroup.com/omnifocus Follow & Subscribe Please subscribe via your podcast service of choice. Please send in your questions and comments at http://www.thefreelancepodcast.com You can follow The Freelance Podcast on Twitter at @freelancecast Rate The Freelance Podcast! You can help us reach other freelancers just like you and I by leaving a 5 star rating in iTunes for this podcast. If we have helped, or provided any useful information it would be awesome if you could leave us a rating. Thanks for listening.

PHP-FIG member Paul M. Jones and PHP contributor Anthony Ferrera come on the podcast with Ben, Phil and regular guest Zack Kitzmiller to discuss the new Package Orientated Autoloader Proposal (a.k.a PSR-X), and whether or not PSR’s should ever be amended. Paul explains why the new PSR-X is a handy idea for those who are already PSR-0 users, or even those that aren’t, Zack flips a shit and gets bored of talking about standards wishing everyone could just use Python and their awesome PEP-8, we convince Paul to try swearing for once and we all try badgering Anthony into agreeing with us for some reason. Nobody wins, but the argument brings up a lot of interesting topics and points of view, and that is mostly what we are here for. PHP-FIG.org PSR-0: Autoloading Standard FIG ML - Proposal: Package-Orientated Autoloader Geocoder FIG ML - Amending Existing PSRs OverAPI jQuery Joyride reCaptcha Whoops Beehive Node Package Wave Apps