Profit Is A Choice

259: The Power of Feasibility Robyn Thomas is joining us today on the podcast. Robyn has an architecture degree from Auburn, and she has merged that education with her love of design to provide a one-stop architecture offer specializing in design completion and optimization. She calls it the master of done. I love that so much. Today we're going to delve into feasibility, what it is, why it's needed, and when is the right time for the conversation around it. Enjoy the podcast. Topics Mentioned: Metrics Processes Project Management Teamwork Key Thoughts: We sometimes get so enamored with the result that we don't look at the result and then backpedal our way through it to get to the beginning Robyn Thomas I'm all about feasibility... It's really saying, what are the resources available and how can we best use them? Michele Williams There are indicators and metrics that we can pull into our discovery call, or consultation process that we want to introduce early, way before we get into what color are the walls. Robyn Thomas I think that in feasibility, sometimes people again have the idea that they're fighting against you to get something done, even though it's not you, it's what you're bringing up, the budget, the timeline. You're the representation of those things. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Robyn: Website: www.robynstudios.com Facebook: rs.homeguidestudio Instagram: @rs.homeguidestudio Email: robyn@robynstudios.com Pinterest: robynstudiosga/ References and Resources: CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions

258: 4 Strategies to Stop Being Underpaid I am so excited to be talking to you today. I'm actually so excited that I didn't wait and get all dolled up to be on the video part of the podcast. I decided in the middle of my work session just to stop and go ahead and share this message. So, I hope you are excited as I am, because we are going to talk about four strategies that will stop you from being underpaid. Do you know what it means to be underpaid? It means a high tolerance for low pay. I think that it is a problem, especially for creatives and certainly in the interior design industry. Now, some of you may be listening to this podcast and you may be thinking, hey, no problem here, I get paid all the time. But my question would be, do you take the money out of the company with ease, without feeling stressed? Some of you may be listening to the podcast and thinking, oh yeah, I have a high tolerance for low pay. Instead, I'm a people pleaser and I want to do great things for other people. Stay tuned because we're going to talk about the four strategies that will help you not be underpaid, but to be paid fairly and to be able to have a profitable company - at the same time Topics Mentioned: Value Worth Pricing strategy Career path Key Thoughts: People are paying you for what you know, or they're paying you for what you have the ability to learn and to know. Michele Williams People are willing to pay you for what you know. Michele Williams Time is a currency that we spend in our calendar, and people will pay us for the time that we have available to devote to their project. Michele Williams We're all looking at what we can hand off to somebody else's task list. Stress relief is a big deal. Michele Williams Understanding pricing and understanding your attitude around it is really going to allow you to move forward with confidence and not cockiness. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: Work with Me CFO2Go Metrique Solutions

257: Design the Life You Want Nicole Comis is a life and mindset coach, and she's passionate about helping driven professionals achieve their career goals without sacrificing their personal lives. She's certified by the International Coaching Federation and she's also a neurolinguistics programming master coach. Nicole's goal is for those that she works with to recognize that success comes from living a happy, healthy, and balanced life, whatever that might look like for them. If you're feeling tired or overwhelmed or not sure what to do next, this is the podcast for you. Topics Mentioned: Health Success Balance Mindset Key Thoughts: The reason why we burn ourselves out and the reason why we work our butts off is because it's our programming. Whether it's a fear or a limiting belief or that's what dad did, that's what mom did. We are programmed to think that that's what we need to do, whether it's, I need to prove myself, I need to prove I'm worthy or not, that's just what is done, or you've got to work your butt off to make money. Nicole Comis That makes me think of what grace has been bestowed upon me and upon my life and upon those I love or those I'm watching. Seeing the grace that we get every day, that is what makes me joyful. Michele Williams The more that you can identify your fears and your limiting beliefs and understand where those come from, the more aligned you feel, and I do tell my clients, too, to really practice making decisions based on your vision and your values. Nicole Comis When other people's ideas and influence get like that, we have to turn it off, and then we've got to be intentional about the influences of the people that we let speak into us. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Nicole: Website: https://www.nicolecomis.com Facebook: NicoleComisCoaching Instagram: @nicolecomis Email: nicole@nicolecomis.com LinkedIn: nicolecomis Tic Tock: @nicolecomis References and Resources: CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud Life Fulfillment Exercise Sew Much More Podcast Podcast with Jennifer Looney: Creating a Board of Directors that Support You

256: One Size Does Not Fit All One size does not fit all. Okay, I just said it. I know that's going to be hard for some of you. But in our haste to get things done, to keep moving, to provide a service, often we're looking for that shortcut to success. We're looking to ride the elevator to the top instead of taking the stairs. Today, we will explore how to choose the right offer for our company and ultimately, for our customers. Topics Mentioned: Templates Metrics Problem Solving Business Solutions Key Thoughts: I've used templates. I have templates. I think they're awesome, but they're only as good as they know how to be used and how to be tweaked. Michele Williams Simply purchasing a template without a complete understanding of the problem that it's solving is just going to create more busy work for your team, leave you lacking in the outcome desired, and it's honestly going to cause frustration. Michele Williams Our goal here is to help you truly understand the challenge that you have and the problem that you're solving. Michele Williams What we are dedicated to is empowering you to know how to read the signs, know how to determine what's needed, and knowing how to adjust your systems, whether they're purchased systems or created systems so that they can grow with your company. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: Work with Me CFO2Go Metrique Solutions

255: Ignite Your Passion in Your Business With me on the podcast today is Jacqueline Green of Behind the Design company. Jacqueline is a coach, and she helps people move from a hobby into the business that they want that can be profitable. We're going to have a very robust conversation today on how to identify areas that we're passionate about and how to give ourselves the freedom to move from one direction to another, not to stay stuck. I hope you enjoy the podcast. Topics Mentioned: Passion Pivot, Growth Mindset Key Thoughts: As you build wisdom, as you build your knowledge base, what was important to me in my 20s versus what's important to me in my 50s is completely different. That's what's so unique and fun, is really seeing what could this really be. And getting out of whatever mindset that we were kind of stuck in from our past. Jacqueline Green Giving ourselves the freedom to even go through that discovery process, I think is really what you're inviting us to here, is to not feel that we have to be stuck, no matter how far we're in business, no matter where we are. Michele Williams It's giving yourself permission to put yourself first on occasion to really look at what you really want in life and how you are going to get there. Jaqueline Green I see one thousand opportunities within this industry to build a business, doing the parts that we always have, parts we don't love, but focusing on what you love. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Jaqueline: Website: www.behindthedesignco.com Facebook: behindthedesignco Instagram: @behindthedesignco/ Email: jgreen@behindthedesignco.com LinkedIn: behind-the-design/ LinkedIn: jacquelinereed/ References and Resources: CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions Financial Courses with Michele Williams including “Understanding Your Financials”, “Master Your Profit”, and “Pricing Without Emotion” Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud

254: CFO2GO for Your Business On the podcast today, we're going to consider the work of a CFO or a chief financial officer. Given that most of our businesses are too small to hire this as a full-time position, we've begun to see the rise of fractional offerings in this space. Today, we're going to talk about what a CFO does, and if you need one. Topics Mentioned: Financial Planning Budgets CFO Metrics Key Thoughts: What does it mean to hire fractional? It means to share time. So that's really all that we're saying is you're sharing time with another company to have someone come in and perform those services. Michele Williams But as we know, all CFO services are not the same, just like all design services are not the same. Michele Williams Why would we name it CFO2GO? Because our goal is to help you understand how to do this work and then let you go do it, not to hold you tied into some long-term engagement. Michele Williams There's nothing worse than either not knowing how to pay yourself, having the money in the account, not knowing if you can take it out, not knowing what it's meant to do, and not having a plan. We can help you solve every bit of that. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: Work with Me CFO2Go Metrique Solutions Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

253: Removing Fear from Video in Your Business Joining me today is Jasmin Bryant with Fear No Video. Jasmin has had a very varied background. She has worked in television, as an actress, and in the news. She is going to share with us today how we can show up on video without fear. One of the things that Jasmin and I are going to focus on is how to remove some of the self-talk that we have before we ever do it, how to get ourselves ready to go on video, and how to make sure that the message is something that we want to share. So, I invite you to listen in. Topics Mentioned: Fear Messaging Confidence Critique Key Thoughts: One of my mentors said something that blew my mind, which was, perfectionism is a first cousin to procrastination. Trying to get everything perfect just leads us to putting it off and putting it off until we don't do it. Jasmin Bryant I don't think it's possible for us to criticize other people at a really high level without turning that focus and criticism on ourselves in an extremely negative, hurtful, hold us back kind of way. I just don't see that being positive. Michele Williams For anyone who's watching, anyone who's listening, you take those breaths, and you'll feel calmer. Your message will be clearer, and you'll be surprised at how much better your video is. Jasmin Bryant I memorize the points in order so that I know this is kind of the route that I'd like to take as I'm sharing and then you just speak from the heart. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Jasmin: Website: Rock That Video Facebook: Fear No Video Instagram: @fearnovideo Email: jasminlbryant@gmail.com YouTube: Fear No Video LinkedIn: Jasmin Bryant References and Resources: “Five Keys to Beat Camera Shyness” free e-book CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions Financial Courses with Michele Williams including “Understanding Your Financials”, “Master Your Profit”, and “Pricing Without Emotion”

252: The Intersection of your Financial and Strategic Plans On the podcast today, we're going to be talking about the intersection of your financial plan and your strategic plan. It's not enough to have one or the other. We really need them in combination to make our business as healthy as possible. So, listen in as we talk about that overlap between the two. Topics Mentioned: Cost to everything Ability to evaluate and prioritize Budgets and financial systems support Strategy first Key Thoughts: I would always start with strategy first, especially in a planning phase, and then look to what it's going to cost and then back up. Michele A company could have goals that are even bigger than what the current strategic plan is. Michele This intersection of the finances and the strategy is once you have the financials set to your strategy, it gives you something to measure. It allows you to set KPIs, or key performance indicators, the things that you want to measure. Michele. Metrique Solutions allows us to pull in that financial data from our financial accounting software, and then it allows us to do things like manage the data, analyze the data, model the data where we don't have other tools to do that. Michele Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: Work with Me CFO2Go Metrique Solutions

251: Year End Wrap Up Joining me on the podcast today is Ceil DiGuglielmo. You probably recognize Ceil as she has been with me multiple times since 2018. She is the owner of the Curtains and Soft Furnishings Library and the host of the Sew Much More podcast. Every year, Ceil and I get together to talk about what has happened over the last year. We share our business and life experiences, our highs, our lows, what we're most proud of, and what we're looking forward to the next year. We hope that this authentic conversation that you can listen in on between the two of us will spark an interest in you to have that special someone that you can share some of your business highs, lows, and what's happening with as well. Enjoy the podcast. Topics Mentioned: Work life balance Definition of success For Now Key Thoughts: When life has struggles in it, you do need a little decompression from that, too. As high performers, I think we just keep going. We just keep going. Ceil DiGuglielmo It's been a year of recognizing the exhaustion from those things and learning how to set those things down. Michele Williams I love that the mindset has changed, and I love that people are dropping statements like, yeah, cash flow is a big problem for me and that's because I just did this or just did that. Ceil DiGuglielmo When we are in business and the impostor syndrome kind of rears up, we need to stop and say to ourselves, wait a minute, I was never tasked with knowing everything. I was tasked with having a company that would do research and development to find the answer. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Ceil: Website: The Sew Much More Podcast Website: The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library Facebook: The Sew Much More Podcast Facebook: The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library Instagram: @ceildi Instagram: @csf_resource_library Email: ceilwdi@gmail.com References and Resources: “The Gap and the Gain” by Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan “How to Grow Your Small Business” by Donald Miller “Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara “Getting Things Done” by David Allan “Buy Back Your Time” by Dan Martell “Strong Like Water” by Aundi Kobler “Try Softer” by Aundi Kobler CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions Financial Courses with Michele Williams including “Understanding Your Financials”, “Master Your Profit”, and “Pricing Without Emotion”

250: Financials are the Foundation to Work Life Balance Joining me on the podcast today is Val Duvick. She is the owner of Val Marlene Creative. She is a Profit First coach and a business coach for those in creative industries. We're going to have so many awesome things to talk about today including Profit First, what it is like to be a creative, how to balance the energy between our left logical side and right creative side, as well as how to get to a happy, medium place where our financials are easy to look at and simple to maintain. I invite you to listen in. Topics Mentioned: Work life balance Definition of success For Now Key Thoughts: I tell people I'm allergic to numbers because it feels so intense that my brain just does not want to understand them, but I realized I had to if I wanted to have the type of business and work-life balance that I wanted. Val Duvick The power of the numbers is what gives us the freedom to build the fence and to build the boundaries around our lives and our business. Michele Williams We need to know the minimum, and we also need to know where you're headed. Once we have that in mind, we can fill in the rest, and it makes it more attainable. Val Duvick I think part of success is recognizing those blessings so that we're not so always caught up on how much more we have to do and build and grow, but being thankful for how much more we already have. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Val: Website: www.valmarlene.com Email: val@valmarlene.com Instagram: @val_marlene_creative References and Resources: The Gain and the Gap by Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan CFO2Go Work with Me Metrique Solutions Financial Courses with Michele Williams including “Understanding Your Financials”, “Master Your Profit”, and “Pricing Without Emotion”

249: 5 Financial Mistakes Made at Year End On the podcast today, we're going to be talking about the five mistakes that business owners make at the end of the year. I want you to listen in and see if you are finding yourself falling into any of these traps so that you still have time to do something different. Topics Mentioned: Cash flow Budgets Debt Key Thoughts: I would say nine times out of ten, we're more likely to overspend a budget than to underspend a budget if we're not watching it and being accountable to that budget. Michele If you find yourself in a cash flow negative situation, remember, that you always have to get cash flow neutral before you can go cash flow positive. Michele Lifestyle creep is where every time you make a little more money, your lifestyle raises, and then you need more money, and then your lifestyle raises versus keeping your lifestyle where it is and letting the money be made and then letting it be saved. Michele Businesses that get themselves in trouble don't manage that money properly, which means that they don't have a strong cash reserve. Michele Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: Work with Me CFO2Go Metrique Solutions Episode 179: Setting and Revising Your Financial Goals Episode 189: Reviewing Your Profit First Strategy Episode 209: Metrique Solutions is Your Financial Partner in Business Episode 234: How to Manage My Money in My Firm Episode 243: Managing to a Budget in Your Design Firm Episode 247: Using Debt Strategically in Your Business

248: All Roads Can Lead to Profit Today, I am excited to offer you a replay of an episode that I did back in 2018 with Mike Michaelowicz. You may know Mike, he is the author of a large number of books from Profit First to Clockwork to Surge, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur , and The Pumpkin Plan. Mike and I had a really awesome conversation about how all roads can lead to profit if you set the correct coordinates. I really thought that as we're wrapping up this year, things have been shifting, they're a little bit different, we've been through a pandemic, and we've watched buying patterns change over the years and I think this is a great time to be reminded of the fact that we have agency and choice in our business and that those choices that we're making either lead us closer towards profit or further away from profit. With that being said, I want to introduce to you Mike Michaelowicz. Topics Mentioned: Profit Real revenue Sustainability and Responsibility Ideal Clients and Target Markets Thoughts from Mike: Profit means that I continue to deliver what I intend to for my community. Clients want to know that your business is sustainable and sustainability is profitability. It is important to have a realignment of pride in profits. In The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur we learn that lack is our biggest advantage. Lack brings about innovative thinking and challenges us. In Pumpkin Plan we learn how to grow organically and healthily and to identify our best clients. Once we have clarity on a purpose, the journey becomes very rewarding. Surge teaches how to know your industry and to see what the next big thing is. Clockwork teaches that our business can be sustainable and not reliant just on us. Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Mike: Website: https://mikemichalowicz.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeMichalowicz Facebook: https://MikeMichalowiczFanPage/ References and Resources: The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur by Mike Michaelowicz The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michaelowicz Profit First by Mike Michaelowicz Surge by Mike Michaelowicz Clockwork by Mike Michaelowicz E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber CFO2Go Work with Me Metrique Solutions Financial Courses with Michele Williams including “Understanding Your Financials”, “Master Your Profit”, and “Pricing Without Emotion”

Joining me on the podcast today is Danielle Hendon. She is the owner of Four Corners CFO. Danielle loves to take big business ideas and break them down to support small businesses to reach that next goal, to grow and scale, or to just wrap their arms around their business. We're going to have a really great conversation today focusing on debt, such as good debt versus bad debt. Topics Mentioned: Debt Intentionality Understanding your financials Key Thoughts: Honestly, the difference between good and bad debt is the intention behind it. If you're going into debt, because you didn't do something, and it's a last resort, it's generally not the best type of debt to have. Danielle 11:37 It's the fixing of the process because that's part of that intentionality, I teach an aim with intent methodology. It starts off by having a solid foundation and then creating intention, intentional budgets, intentional KPIs, and intentional spending patterns. Michele 15:28 Every business, we've all got to start somewhere, and I tell people all the time that debt is such a loaded word, and it carries such a burden to us mentally, and money in general. Cash makes or breaks a business. Danielle 20:06 It's really being aware of what's happening. Otherwise, everything is reactionary as opposed to being proactive with our money. Michele 34:53 Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Danielle: Email: danielle@4cornerscfo.com Website: https://4cornerscfo.com LinkedIn: @Danielle Hendon Instagram: @4cornerscfo Facebook: @4CornersCFO References and Resources: CFO2Go Work with Me Metrique Solutions Episode 194 Understanding Your Financials with Melanie Lockert Financial Courses with Michele Williams including “Understanding Your Financials”, “Master Your Profit”, and “Pricing Without Emotion”

246: Creating Good Financial Systems Joining me today is Kelcee Sparks with Elite Ops, and we are going to be talking about financials. This is always one of my favorite topics to talk about, and so I'm excited to see and to hear the questions that she has for me. Topics Mentioned: Key Thoughts: The first is I think every business owner should understand their major anchor points, especially from a P&L. What does that mean? It means I think they need to understand revenue, and how money comes into their business. Michele Knowing our financials gives us the ability to know when we are going to do a task, how much more it's going to cost us or save us, and then it also gives us the ability to know if I say yes over here, then I need to say no over here. Michele One I would say really is about creating some type some type of Profit First strategy, which means, first and foremost, watching the money, looking at the money, knowing when the money comes in, knowing how much we need to pay out every month kind of tells me how much I need to be bringing in every month to satisfy that particular need of the company. Michele It's about having a good accounting system, having a time tracking system, and then having a system like Metrique that pulls it all together to be able to look at it. Michele Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: Work with Me CFO to Go Metrique Solutions Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

245: Investing in Yourself to Build Your Business Joining me on the podcast today is Amanda Scotto, principal designer and owner of AMA Designs and Interiors in New Jersey. Amanda is a client of mine, and she is going to be sharing her journey starting with where she began, some of her early successes and pivots that she's had in her business, and challenges that she's encountered. She is very transparent, and freely shares with us, giving us an opportunity to learn about resilience, planning, and raising our hand when we need help. It was an awesome conversation and I invite you to listen in. Topics Mentioned: Cash flow Investment Growth Pivots in business Key Thoughts: I was always inspired by design and architecture and construction from a very young age. My father and grandfather owned a construction business. I basically grew up on the sites, my mom would drive me to visit, and I would have lunch in the trailer with my dad and grandpa. It was at that point where my grandpa sat me on his lap, and he taught me how to read the blueprints and then he showed me how the sketches became the framework, and the framework became the building. Amanda 2:09 Everybody has to start somewhere. I want to invite you as we take a moment to look back at where you started, let's look back with grace. Let's look back with appreciation. Let's look back without embarrassment. I mean, we all start somewhere. If anybody listening to this podcast hears anything, I want them to not be afraid of their own origin story or embarrassed of their own or even when it takes twists and turns, knocks you down and skins your knees. It's your story and it is part of what has you in the wonderful position that you are in today. Michele 8:24 That is when I started working with you and we've corrected the problem. I made it through. I'm doing so much better than before and now I have the confidence in my numbers. I am a totally different person than I was a year ago. I'm pulling reports. I'm analyzing my numbers. I'm sitting down with my accountant. we're having these educated conversations on making decisions based on numbers, margins, percentages, like all these things that I did not have the competence, or the knowingness and I can actually happily say that I'm getting my new office space soon. Amanda 43:28 I think that's what a lot of people miss is the net profit. They look at net profit and think that's profit, I can take it home or look in the bank account and think is there I've paid everything I can take it home instead of saying but what does that bucket of money need to do in the future and have I set it up to do that? And that's a big question to ask. What is the job responsibility of your net profit? Michele 44:41 Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Amanda: Email: byamadesigns@gmail.com Website: www.byamadesigns.com Instagram: @amadesignsinteriors Facebook: @byamadesigns References and Resources: Work with Me Metrique Solutions

244: Get Uncomfortable by Choice in Your Design Firm Joining me on the podcast today are Joann Kandrac and Kelly Kole of Kandrac & Kole Interior Designs based here in the Atlanta area. Kelly and Joann have been together for about 18 years, and they do something every year that has just really been inspiring to me. They go on a mission trip to Guatemala to help others in need. On the podcast today, Kelly and Joann are going to share about the process of how they came together as business owners, how they implemented and embraced this mission trip, and how they look forward to it every year. There is truly profit in giving to others and you're going to experience that on the podcast today. Topics Mentioned: Philanthropy Perspective Gap and gain Key Thoughts: But for ourselves to stay safe sane, and to have a good attitude all the time, that is kind of where we come from that we have our heads on straight. I have to say giving back and going to Guatemala and all those things have helped us to maintain that, so we don't get too wrapped up in ourselves and stupid stuff. Kelly 14:58 Yes, I think perspective is a really big deal. Because you need to be reminded, you get kind of on that wheel and if you don't remind yourself, you can get carried away. So, I feel like we do have a really good perspective, we don't work ourselves to the grind. Joann 17:17 So, I think for us working in luxury environments, because it is such a big difference in some cases. Honestly, the longer we stay in our luxury ways and luxury businesses, the more we become accustomed to that, and it's important, I'm not saying any of it's wrong, it's just a very different view. The beauty that I think you have, in your perspective, is you've seen both. Michele 33:30 Get uncomfortable, put yourself in that place, and go help somebody. Let them be a blessing to you because it'll change the way you deal with other people, the way you approach your business, the way you calm your anxieties, and how you are always chasing that gap that ideal that you'll never get and cause you to relax. It'll help you. Kelly 34:29 You know, to look back at that house, it's almost like when we're there, you're kind of on autopilot. You're not sitting here thinking about, oh, I'm hungry, you're just doing it. You're with the group and everybody's doing it and it just kind of happens. It's really amazing. It really is, and I urge people to try to do it. Joann 38:30 I say that because sometimes for people who have never done this, this feels so big and so overwhelming, and like there needs to be so much that happens to be ready. That it really is about creating it the same way as if it is a personal vacation. It gets put on the calendar, you plan up to it, you work around it, and you keep going. Michele 44:48 Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Joann and Kelly: Email: joann@kandrac-kole.com Website: https://www.kandrac-kole.com Instagram: @kandarckole Facebook: @kandracandkole LinkedIn: Kandrac and Kole Pinterest: @KandracKole Twitter: @KandracKole References and Resources: Work with Me Gap and the Gain Dwell with Dignity Catalyst Resources International Sunshine on a Ranney Day Partly Sunny No Longer Bound Dwell With Dignity Kandrac and Kole podcast

242: Dressing With Confidence in Your Business Joining me on the podcast today is Angela Foster. She is a style coach who is going to help us focus on how to be confident in what we're wearing no matter where we're going, and no matter what our sizes. We can all dress to accentuate our best features. Listen in and learn how. Topics Mentioned: Confidence in dressing for any occasion Tools to shop with confidence Accentuating and minimizing with confidence Key Thoughts: We're starting our day with our own internal mind chatter that is not setting us up for confidence and success and joy and all those things that we need to be who we need to be in our day-to-day job.” Michele 8:58 There are also the colors that look best on your skin tone, so we nail those down. This may not be the sexiest part of it, but the thing that makes it so powerful is that when 80% of your closet is in a certain color palette, it makes mixing and matching so much easier. Angela 14:37 Think about it this way, as designers, we would never go in and start specking furniture for a room that we didn't know the sizes of, we would never do that. We would go in, we would know the sizes of the walls, we would know where the doors are, we would know what we wanted to accentuate and what we wanted to minimize, and we would know where we wanted the focal point of that room to be. We would take those measurements, we would create a floor plan, and then start buying furniture pieces of the size and proportion that fit into that plan. That's how we do it. Why do we not do that in our own clothing, I don't even know my current sizes. Michele 40:14 Make a list. Be specific. Know your numbers, know how the brand fits you and I can help with that. Have a list and stick to your list. Angela 44:20 Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Angela: Email: hello@angelastylecoach.com Website: https://angelastylecoach.com Instagram: @angelastylecoach Facebook: @AngelaFosterStyleCoach LinkedIn: @angelapetitestylecoach Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/5047055232cfd4923bc1db5efe6095/ References and Resources: Work with Me Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck Angela’s free workbook

241: Creating Space for Your Business to Grow Joining me today is Rasheeda Gray of Gray Space Interiors. Rasheeda started her business 7 years ago as part time and then evolved into full time business ownership. In this episode we will discuss the journey to growing a business and leading a team. Rasheeda shares her lessons learned and you don’t want to miss them. Topics Mentioned: Life Vision Goals with connection Process New beginnings Key Thoughts: Everything happens for a reason and so I think my marketing degree, my business sense, and I have an MBA as well, those sorts of experiences and education have sort of prepared me for where I am today. Rasheeda 8:06 We're all on this journey, this life journey, and where we start doesn't have to be where we end. As a matter of fact, I hope that it's not unless it is perfect when we start. But we have the ability to move through it and to try different things. Michele 9:42 It was as simple as profit and loss, and realizing our P&L statement isn’t the only part of the story, you also need to look at the balance sheet. That's when I realized, oh, this is where we aren't doing so well. Rasheeda 36:09 It was powerful information and now you can use that information to get what you want on the other side. You can affect change. That's why my tagline is what you own, you can change. Michele 39:50 Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Rasheeda: Email: rasheeda@grayspaceinteriors.com Instagram: @grayspaceinteriors Facebook: @grayspaceinteriordesign Website: https://grayspaceinteriors.com/ References and Resources: Work with Me Metrique Solutions Atomic Habits by James Clear E-Myth by Michael E Gerber Clock Work by Mike Michalowicz Good to Great by Jim Collins House Beautiful Whole Home 2023

Joining me on the podcast today is Kelcee Sparks with Elite Ops. She has been with us on previous podcasts where we are answering the questions that you all have sent in and today, we're focusing on processes. We are going to answer questions on how to get started, how to organize and structure your process, where to put your processes, who will help write the processes, and even discuss the importance and the mindset behind a process. Today’s podcast has lots of good information and we thank you for joining. Topics Mentioned: Process Creation Mindset KPIs Key Thoughts: One of the things that I love is to have whoever is already in a job, let them document what they do, or their part of the process and then somebody else read it and see if they can do it. Michele 8:10 That's why creating those standard processes is so important because when there is an error, you can go back through your process and understand it and fix it for next time. Kelcee 13:54 The other thing that I would say is to find the processes that matter the most to the success of your company because those are the ones that we really want to try to document as quickly as possible. Michele 24:32 One of the things that I brought into my business from my industrial engineering background was a continuous process improvement mentality. Kelcee 31:16 Until we realize that processes are important to the success of our business, we will not give them time. Michele 36:14 Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Kelcee: Facebook: Elite Ops Support Instagram: @EliteOpsSupport References and Resources: Work with Me E-Myth Revisited The Miracle Morning

239: Creating a Vision for Your Life and Business With me on the podcast today is Kathy Geffen of Kathy Geffen Designs and Fine Tune Coaching. Kathy has had an amazing 25-year career in corporate America doing all types of organizational management, started a drapery workroom in 2015, and has recently launched Fine Tune Coaching. We’re going to have a great conversation about what it's like to overlap with different areas of business, what makes it so important to be connected to your goals, and to be able to organize them in a way that they can be achieved. There is really great information in this podcast, and I hope you enjoy it. . Topics Mentioned: Life Vision Goals with connection Process New beginnings Key Thoughts: But it was the first time in my life, I could say that I have a goal that I want, and I understand how I have control to get to that goal. Kathy 10:12 In other words, the goal is not just the end result, it's the process of growing and taking baby steps to get there so that if I'm thrown off a little here a little there, say I fall a little short of the goal, I'm not like beating myself up that I didn't meet the goal. Michele 13:17 I want to help the business owner understand how to make their day and their business achieve their goals. Kathy 31:21 When you help that business owner, even create a Kanban Board, and understand the concept behind it, yes, it took some of your time, even if it was 10 minutes, and you didn't even recognize the impact, sometimes those are the biggest impacts when we don't even recognize it. Michele 36:19 Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Kathy: Email: kathygeffendesign@gmail.com Instagram: @finetunecoaching Instagram: @kathygeffendesign Website: www.kathygeffendesign.com Website: www.finetunecoaching.com References and Resources: Work with Me Beyond Booked Solid by Michael Port Metrique Solutions