In a recent blog, I answered some hard-hitting questions on what worked and what didn’t work in 2021 at SBS Accounting & Advisors. I also weighed in how we plan to apply these learnings in the future, our vision for 2022 and beyond, and our goals for you and your business.
From these reflection and reaction moments, I discovered 5 major takeaways that can help both of our businesses. And know that your happiness, healthiness and success is always our #1 priority.
1. Emulate the culture you want to achieve. I strongly believe that you must have a company culture in place where everyone is on the same page – striving toward the same plan and embodying the same sentiments.
But what exactly is company culture? To me, your business’ culture is your mission, purpose, convictions, values and contributions.
At SBS, the culture we want is to care for one another. In meetings, we ask about each other’s lives and pray for each other (and for you). We let everyone have a chance to weigh in on the decisions that define our business.
When a team feels empowered and recognized, incredible things can happen for its customers and for each other. I’ve witnessed this firsthand. One of the most touching and heartfelt moments came when one of our teammates had breast cancer. Not only did our team pray for her, but we also reached out to her and sent flowers. I was so moved by this gesture of kindness and love.
2. Always have the client top of mind. At SBS, one of our major convictions is to remove any shred of desire for greed or selfishness. More than anything, we aim to put you and your best interests above everything else.
They say actions speak louder than words, and I sincerely hope you think of the SBS team in this light. It’s what we seek to achieve above everything else. I believe that when you lead from a place of good and have a genuine passion to place others first in your business, your business will be rewarded. Your customers and your business will succeed.
3. What you celebrate gets repeated. In our firm, we believe in rewarding and praising our staff when they do a great job. We do this through Cooleaf. You may want to try this or something similar. That being said, you can also pass along a nice gesture such as a gift or bonus, or simply honor them in team meetings or an individual one-on-one sit down. A small act of kindness or appreciation can impact others in a big way and motivate them to perform at a high level for your customers and your business.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the importance of staying on top of your staff and having a strong pulse of their feelings and actions. Get to know their workload, their work/life harmony, and help develop them personally and professionally. Don’t be afraid to ask them what they want and even what you can do better. This is the sign of a great leader.
4. Know your numbers. As a business, it’s an absolute must to know your numbers and look at them weekly. At SBS, finding a solution to this is one of our biggest passions!
We have three service levels of advisory services, where we conduct KPI tracking, deliver advanced reporting with charts and graphs, and provide a monthly video explanation, a 3-year rolling forecast, and monthly advisory meetings – just to name a few of the services. When we apply cash flow management strategies, we know how much you actually have, and then can set forth an actionable plan to meet your needs now and grow your business into the future.
5. Know where you are headed. Where do you want to be this time next year, in 5 years or 10 years? You must have a plan for the life to come, and we will help you with that plan.
One of our tips is to aim to be specific, break your goals into quarterly rocks and meet weekly to track your progress with your team.
Ready to Take Action or Have Some Advice of Your Own? We’d Love to Talk!
As business owners, we often have so much on our plate that we can’t plan for our future and realize our potential for growth. At SBS, we want to do the heavy lifting for you.
I hope that the five takeaways in this blog resonate with you, and we’d love to discuss how we can help you achieve your goals and dreams. At the same time, we would love your advice and insights based on your experiences and takeaways.
To share your journey and revelations, or discuss strategies and plans for your future, contact us today. We’d love to hear from you, learn from you, and help you create a big 2022 and a bright future.