Profit Is A Choice

294: Find the Habits Driving Your Business Discover how uncovering your thinking habits can unlock your greatest potential. In this episode, we sit down with Liz Taylor—former Motorola mechanical engineer turned serial entrepreneur, certified health and Enneagram coach, and Habit Finder specialist. With over 24 years of business experience and coaching since 2015, Liz shares how identifying the thought patterns that drive or derail success can transform high-achieving business owners. Learn how Habit Finder reveals your strengths, exposes hidden roadblocks, and helps you align your God-given talents with your passion for lasting growth. Topics Mentioned: Habits Strengths Growth mindset Listening Key Thoughts: Exploring Habit Formation The Habit Finder Test combines strengths assessment with habit analysis to increase self-awareness. It it important to focus on present progress rather than future goals allowing yourself to enjoy the journey. Understanding Shaping Habits Habits are repetitive actions that can be shaped by identity-based approaches rather than just external triggers. Thinking habits, which are often unconscious, can either serve as protective mechanisms or become sabotaging patterns. The goal is to replace negative thinking habits with positive ones. Truth and Growth in Business Explore the path from your habits and how they form thinking patterns. Personal growth is necessary for business growth. Habit Finder Assessment The Habit Finder Assessment is a 10-15 minute tool that uses 36 mathematically valued statements to identify thinking patterns and habits. The assessment measures six different habits, three external (connections with others, physical creation, and structure) and three internal (mental creation, personal fulfillment, and self-worth) with results showing how individuals naturally think and behave under pressure. Entrepreneurial Habits and People Management Habit Finder can provide insights intro entrepreneurial tendencies, such as resistance to discipline and obsessive thinking, which can be a strength and a potential pitfall. Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Liz: Email: liz@legacycoachinggroup.com Instagram: @Coach Liz Taylor Website: Coach Liz Taylor References and Resources: Work with Me The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Metrique Solutions Podcast Episode 35: Play to Your Strengths

293: Unblock Your Cash Flow: Strategies to Free Up Money Fast Have you ever hit a point where your design business cash flow just isn’t flowing? The truth is that money doesn’t always stay steady—it moves in and out, up and down. In today’s episode, we’re digging into how interior designers can get the money moving again with quick cash flow wins, plus a long-term cash management strategy for financial stability and growth. Topics Mentioned: Profitability Financials Pricing Strategy Key Thoughts: We just make much better decisions when we've had good rest, good sleep practice, good eating and health, and then those things start to go away because of the worry and the stress that comes from not having enough money. As we all know, one of the number one reasons is that small businesses fail is lack of cash and lack of cash flow management. Michele Williams Start asking is there anything that we need to do on our side as the business to satisfy a need that would allow that money to be paid. Michele Williams If you're not billing directly dollar to dollar, penny to penny, it can be very easy to get underwater on that so that you're absorbing more cost because you don't want to pass them along to the client, and after a while you're eating into your profitability. Michele Williams Cash flow is usually enhanced by ensuring that we've got the right pricing, that we're monitoring the cost of the product and the cost of running the business, and then that leads us to profitability. 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 The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Metrique Solutions Pricing Without Emotion® Coaching Program

292: Hospitality is Profitable for Everyone Welcome to today’s episode! With me is Rick Campos — a recovering interior designer, podcast host, and design business coach. Rick is certified in Coaching the Unreasonable Hospitality methodology, and we’re diving into what it really means to go beyond service and show up with true hospitality. Stick around for practical insights and action items you can start using right away in your interior design business. Topics Mentioned: Hospitality Community Intentionality Listening Key Thoughts: Recognizing where the client touch points are and recognizing the likes and the wants and the desires of that individual client actually slows us down enough to make it an intentional meeting so that we can make sure we're touching all of the things that matter to them. Michele Williams I have tested the theory, and it does work because it means you're listening, and all of a sudden that evokes an emotion, a feeling, and that's what makes a true impact. It's what makes an ordinary moment extraordinary. Rick Campos The nice thing is you can build it into the business and it's not an accidental. These things are very thought out and planned for even within individual budgets. Michele Williams Those are the moments that we focus on, that we drill into. Not the big moments that everyone else is paying attention to because everyone else is already doing it. It's those little moments that's going to set you apart. Rick Campos Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Rick: Email: rick@designbizsurvivalguide.com Instagram: @Designbizsurvivalguide Website: Design Biz Survival Guide References and Resources: Work with Me The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Metrique Solutions Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara Secret Service: Hidden Systems That Deliver Unforgettable Customer Service by John R. DiJulius III Banana Ball: The Unbelievably True Story of the Savannah Bananas by Jesse Cole 7 Days Out on Netflix, SE 1; episode 7

291: 3 Ways to go from Hobbyist to Interior Design Professional Welcome to the show! Today we’re diving into how to go from hobbyist to professional—whether you’re in interior design or building any creative business. We’ll cover three powerful areas that can transform your journey: mindset, boundaries, and intentionality. So, grab a pen and paper, and let’s reflect—where are you still showing up like a hobbyist, and where are you ready to level up and own your role as a professional? Topics Mentioned: Mindset Boundaries Intentionality Sustainability Key Thoughts: When we have the mindset of a professional, we're certainly going to create a boundary to make sure that we're making a profit or we're not going to engage in the work. Michele Williams Being intentional about what we do, having these mindsets that we talked about of a very professional mindset, creating good boundaries, all of those things start to move us into that proactive stance instead of a reactive stance. Michele Williams Having a very intentional, clear focus of what you're doing really creates grounding, it creates trust, it creates an environment where people can get behind it and kind of push that boulder uphill with you because they all know that they're pushing in the same direction. Michele Williams Sustainability shows up because we have sustainable processes, we have sustainable team dynamics, and we have sustainable profitability. 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 The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Metrique Solutions E-Myth Revisited by Michael E Gerber

290: Self-Care is Profitable for You and Your Business Today’s guest is Katie McDonald, a powerful self-care strategist who helps high achievers get things done without coming undone. After overcoming her own burnout, Katie now guides others from constant doing to intentional being. If you're feeling overwhelmed or running on empty, this episode is for you. Topics Mentioned: Burnout Self-care Strategy Accountability Key Thoughts: We're so used to quieting ourselves and our needs so that we can focus on others, that we don’t give ourselves permission to turn around to even ask ourselves what do you want. Michele Williams Much like when an interior designer goes into a space, empties it all out, we need to empty it all out. Our bloated schedules empty it all out. Clean out a closet? Empty it all out. And then curate intentionally one thing after another, choose what you let back in. Katie McDonald I will say the one thing that I had to learn early on is when I asked the question, I couldn't say, okay, achiever Michele, you've asked the question, now get up and go do something. You have to sit there and listen. Michele Williams Celebrate any progress, celebrate any learning as growth opportunity and then you'll show up for more growth opportunities. Katie McDonald Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Katie: Email: katie@katiemcdonaldspeaking.com Instagram: @_bnourished Website: bnourished.com LinkedIn: bnourished References and Resources: Work with Me The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Metrique Solutions How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy course beginning August 2025 sign up now!

289: The Entrepreneurial Journey Welcome to today’s episode, where we dive into the entrepreneurial journey—from the spark of an idea to building a business with real impact. We’ll explore the key stages of growth, the evolving challenges at each step, and what it takes to succeed along the way. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling up, this episode is packed with insights to help you move forward. Tune in, take notes, and discover where you are on your entrepreneurial path. Topics Mentioned: Strategy Visionary mindset Investment Management Key Thoughts: There is no shame in where we're starting from. The only shame that comes is if we stay there too long out of fear or not doing something so that we never progress. Michele Williams I think people underestimate how much time that truly takes to own that role of CEO visionary. Yes, you might not be knocking off tasks for one of your projects, or for one of your design projects, but it takes true time and intention to get into that visionary mindset and really predict what's to come. Courtney Bramlett When we are thinking about moving forward and strategy, I would say the more that you can build it in from the beginning at least the idea of strategic thinking, which means this business is more than what is happening today. Michele Williams The best strategizers can strategically think through their daily task and how to align it to that vision state, and that takes time and practice and by allowing yourself that time to even do it. Courtney Bramlett Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: Work with Me The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Metrique Solutions How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy course beginning August 2025 sign up now! FREE Step-by-Step Guide to Mapping Your Business Growth E-Myth Revisited by Michael E Gerber Fix This Next by Mike Michalowicz

288: Invest in Yourself for Business Growth Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Kacey Graham, owner and principal designer of Boehm Graham Interior Design. From working alongside her mother on over 17 interior design show houses to leading her own successful design firm, Kacey shares her inspiring journey of business growth. We’ll dive into the key investments she made in herself and her team to build a thriving interior design brand. Topics Mentioned: Self investment Growth Hiring Excellance Key Thoughts: I needed someone that really had a different energy and a different experience base, business mindset, and financial backing. Enter Michele Williams, Scarlet Thread Consulting. I remember crying and going, I can't afford to hire her, and it was kind of like I slapped my own face and said I can't afford not to hire her. And that was the best decision I ever made. Kacey Graham Everything's building blocks. So, we can't skip over those heavy, difficult pieces. Whether it's in organization or marketing or financials, we've got to put the basic building blocks together. Michele Williams It's going to be an evolution. Much like our homes are our workshop, our businesses are always evolving and always improving. That should always be the goal. Kacey Graham You've got to have your thumb on the pulse of what's happening in the economy because hiring somebody to do something today that we hired three, or four years ago the price would be completely different. Historical data informs the future. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Kacey: Email: kacey@boehmgrahamdesign.com Facebook: Boehm Graham Interior Design Instagram: kacey.graham Website: www.boehmgrahamdesign.com References and Resources: Work with Me The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Metrique Solutions How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy course beginning August 2025 sign up now! FREE Step-by-Step Guide to Mapping Your Business Growth

287: The Hidden Costs of Winging It in Your Design Business In this episode, we unpack the hidden costs of winging it in your design business. Michele shares why flying by the seat of your pants can lead to burnout, missed opportunities, and financial messes. She dives into the power of intentional planning, strategic hiring, and clear marketing—all rooted in a strong, future-focused vision. If you're ready to stop guessing and start growing, this one's for you. Topics Mentioned: Missed Opportunities Peace Process Being Intentional Key Thoughts: When I was winging it, I realized there was a huge cost to me, to my peace, to my time, and certainly to my money. Michele Williams We're working on the wrong initiatives, the wrong plans, and things that might support us in the short term, but not in the long term. Michele Williams I would like to work with an intentionality on where I'm going, what I'm doing, who I'm doing with, and how I'm going to show up in the world, because that brings me peace. Michele Williams The goal here is to really be able to have an intentionality in what we are doing so that as we do it, we know that we are checking off those tasks and those goals that are moving us closer to the business that we want to become. 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 The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Metrique Solutions How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy course beginning August 2025 sign up now! FREE Step-by-Step Guide to Mapping Your Business Growth

286: Profitability of Working with a Family Member On today’s episode, we’re joined by Beth Meyer and Abby McLane of Beth Meyer Design, a mother-daughter team specializing in luxury residential interiors. Featured in Southern Home and LUXE, they’ve built a trusted brand through elegant design and smart business growth. We’ll explore how they started working together, their approach to profitability, and the benefits of running a family-based interior design business. If you're looking for real strategies to grow your design firm, this one’s for you. Topics Mentioned: Strategy Organization Technology Key Thoughts: That was the whole reason I started the coaching practice as having come from burnout myself. When I get those calls, my heart feels for that, because I've been there, and I know what that feels like. The exhaustion and the mental load and the emotional turmoil, it's real and it's heavy. Michele Williams I went back to the strategic plan where we are in structuring the company and roles and SOPs. You're giving them the tools they need to do their job well. You're not just giving them expectations that they really can’t meet. Beth Meyer There is something about your daughter or your mom in the business having your back in a different way that gives you the courage to continually push forward. So not only does iron sharpen iron to keep each other accountable and focused and better and growing and all the things, but there is something about the courage that one person lends to another person to move forward. Michele Williams Our goals are the same and we have done a deep dive into our missions, our values, and all the things. When we are both pushing each other, it's built-in accountability to reach those goals. Abby McLane Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Beth and Abby: Email: abby@bethmeyerdesign.com Facebook: @bethmeyerdesign Instagram: @bethmeyerdesign Website: https://bethmeyerdesign.com/ You Tube: Beth Meyer Design References and Resources: Work with Me The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Metrique Solutions How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy course beginning August 2025 sign up now! Click here to read the transcript for this episode.

285: The Top 5 Profit Drains in Your Interior Design Business Welcome to the podcast! Today, we’re diving into the five biggest profit drains that can silently sabotage your interior design business. If you’ve ever wondered where your money is going or why your profit margins aren’t where they should be, this episode is for you. Grab a pen and paper—because you’ll want to take notes on how to boost profitability and take control of your money management starting today. Topics Mentioned: Pricing Financials Ideal Client Managing Cash Flow Effectively Key Thoughts: You cannot sell more of something at a really bad price and continue to make money, a bad price is a bad price. Michele Williams An ideal client is somebody who has the same value statements that we are coming in with as the company and there's a value continuance between us and that client. Michele Williams The more we're fighting people, processes, or not knowing what the numbers are, the more it's going to cost us the profits and the money, but also the profitability of peace in our lives. Michele Williams Know how money comes in, know how revenues are recognized, know how profit is recognized, and know when you need those funds. 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 The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Metrique Solutions Metrique Solutions - Free Month Promo Code How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy course beginning August 2025 sign up now! Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

284: The Hidden Costs of Employment s Joining me is Jessica Harling, founder of Behind the Design. Jessica is a seasoned expert in employee and process development, specializing in recruitment, training, and change management for design organizations. Her work helps businesses streamline costs, increase productivity, and develop high-performing teams.​ In this episode, we'll discuss practical business strategies for interior designers for effective hiring, onboarding, and retention to ensure your team thrives.​ Enjoy the conversation! Topics Mentioned: Employment Strategy Accountability Employee Training Key Thoughts: Fears are normal. How we analyze them and deal with them is determinate based on the strategy that we have for our business. Michele Williams You still need, as the manager, the owner, to be able to either prepare or have an oversight over that plan and not just delegate or dump it to another person and not know what they are covering. Jessca Harling We're not executing with success. We're executing within the moments of the day, and what feels good today, but today's feel good might not line up with tomorrow's plan and goal. Michele Williams Look at the strategy of the process, the finances and things like that before you make a reactive decision to jump and add someone on. Jessica Harling Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Jessica: Email: jessica@gobehindthedesign.com Facebook: @BehindtheDesign Instagram: @GoBehindtheDesign Website: GoBehindTheDesign.com LinkedIn: @BehindTheDesign References and Resources: Work with Me The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go

283: Implementing Profit First with Success Welcome to the podcast! Today, we’re talking about Profit First—a powerful money management system that is proven to boost interior design business profit. If you're making money but never seem to keep it, or constantly juggling funds, you're not alone. We’ll show you how Profit First helps you separate money with purpose, avoid the “robbing Peter to pay Paul” cycle, and make smarter financial decisions. Whether you're just launching or scaling your design business, this episode is packed with strategies to help you pay yourself first and grow a more profitable interior design business. Topics Mentioned: Profit First Money Management Sustainability Financial Strategy Key Thoughts: What Profit First is really trying to do is put you in the mindset that we want the business to live within the means of what the business can afford to live in, so that we're not spending money that the business truly doesn't have. Michele Williams It is being able to separate out your money into bank accounts where it can then be looked at in smaller chunks with a purpose in mind, so that we're not overspending on the wrong things. Michele Williams The more that we can plan for profit and be very clear on where the money is coming in and going out, the more that we have the power to actually use those numbers to move us forward. Michele Williams The very first thing is to truly understand how money flows in and out of your business, and that means the amount, the timing, and the revenue recognition. 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 The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today Master Your Profit course Profit First by Mike Michalowicz Profit is a Choice episode 248: All Roads Can Lead to Profit Profit is a Choice episode 189: Reviewing Your Profit First Strategy Profit is a Choice episode 092: How to Start Profit First with No Profit in Your Design Business A Well-Designed Business-The Power Talk Friday Experts by LuAnn Nigara

282: Design Mentorship for Beginners Welcome to today's episode. I’m thrilled to have Rebecca Ward with me. Rebecca is an award-winning interior designer based out of Sacramento, California, and she’s truly dedicated to nurturing emerging talent in the design industry. Not only does she host the Design Curious podcast, but she also runs a mentorship program called My Design Mentor. Rebecca focuses on answering those essential early questions for anyone looking to build their business in interior design. In this episode, we’ll discuss the many paths people take into the industry and the common questions new designers face as they start their careers. Tune in for valuable insights on how to kickstart your journey and make smarter business decisions in interior design. I hope you enjoy our conversation! Topics Mentioned: Mentorship Community Sharing information Support Key Thoughts: Those hard lessons sometimes are the best lessons that are getting our attention. They're sometimes painful along the way. Michele Williams I see mentorship as this is something that I'm still actively doing. I'm still learning in my business. I'm still learning the best way to do things, and as I do it, I adjust, and I share that information. Rebecca Ward I think when you really love people, it's easier to be willing to want to help and to give than to say, well, I fell, so it's normal you fall. Michele Williams There are a lot of hard things and I want to make sure people are aware of going in with their eyes wide open before they get into the career, but I also talk about the great parts of it, but I want them to have a realistic view. Rebecca Ward Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Rebecca: Email: rebecca@rwarddesign.com Instagram: @rwarddesign Facebook: @rebeccawarddesign Website: https://rwarddesign.com/ LinkedIn: rwarddesign Pinterest: rwarddesign X/Twitter: rwarddesign You Tube: @rwarddesign References and Resources: Work with Me The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2GO Design Curious Podcast E-Myth Revisited by Michael E Gerber

281: Creating an SEO Strategy with Pinterest On the podcast today is Julia Bocchese, an SEO and Pinterest consultant for small businesses in the creative industry. We’re discussing business strategy for interior designers, covering essential strategies for your website, Pinterest direction, and SEO. Julia shares some simple, actionable reminders that will help position your business to be found online. If you're an interior designer looking to improve your digital presence, this episode is packed with expert tips to enhance your strategy and grow your business. Tune in to learn how to effectively optimize your online strategy! Topics Mentioned: SEO strategy Social Media Management Google Business Profile Website Content Key Thoughts: Knowing who you are, what you do, who you serve, how you serve them, and being very clear with that on the website is important. Michele Williams Whatever blog posts, portfolio photos, or things like that that you have, that's going to dictate your strategy on Pinterest. Julia Bocchese What we're really trying to do is create this big communication and feedback loop, that runs through all of our Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and all the different socials that we're using trying to keep everything connected in this little ecosystem so that people are staying within your ecosystem. Michele Williams In terms of the type of content, I do recommend thinking about what your ideal client would be searching for, and what would be beneficial to them. Julia Bocchese Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Julia: Email: julia@juliareneeconsulting.com Instagram: @uliareneeconsulting Website: https://juliareneeconsulting.com/ LinkedIn: julia-bocchese References and Resources: Work with Me The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today Financial Courses at Scarlet Thread Consulting CFO2GO Julia’s SEO Freebie

280: What Does it Mean to Know Your Numbers I am so excited to have you join us on the podcast today! I’m going to be joined by Courtney Bramlett, who is the director of marketing and operations here at Scarlet Thread Consulting. She also owns her own company, The Good Sower, and today, we’re diving into an incredibly important topic: financial planning for interior designers. Maybe you've heard the buzzword over and over—know your numbers, know your financials—and it sounds great, but it has almost become an irritant, and you’re still not sure what it means. Today, we’re going to break down what it really means to understand the financials that are affecting your business strategy for interior designers and how these numbers impact your growth. We’ll talk about how you can create a solid financial plan for interior designers that will help you grow your company in the way you envision. So, stick around—I’m thrilled to have you here! Topics Mentioned: Financial understanding Profitability Cash Management Strategic Planning Key Thoughts: I think it is important for owners of companies to understand how money is made, how money flows through their company, and how they can determine the money that is left over after everything has been paid for. Michele Williams If you don't truly know what each type of profits is, you don't really know how much money you actually get to take home at the end of the day. Courtney Bramlett The reason that I focus on gross profit so much is because that is the number one indicator that tells me if I'm selling it at the right price and paying the right amount in cost of goods, but it's also the number that is telling me do I have enough to run the company and do what I need it to do as the owner? Michele Williams Profitability is tied to just raising your prices, and of course, that's a piece of it, but there's still a lot more that goes into being profitable. Courtney Bramlett Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: Work with Me The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today Understand Your Business Financials in Less than 8 Weeks / New Group Coaching Financial Courses at Scarlet Thread Consulting Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

279: Good Management Leads to Profitability Joining me on the podcast today is Courtney Bramlett, director of marketing and operations for Scarlet Thread Consulting. We are going to talk about values, how they lead to setting expectations, and having accountability in our firms. It's not every day that we have everything set up so perfectly that everybody comes in and does what they do without questions or confusion about their job. We will talk through some of the things that you can do establish practices that will help your employees or contractors all move forward in the same direction and towards the same goal. So, enjoy and listen in. Topics Mentioned: Values Vision Expectations Accountability Key Thoughts: If we hire the right players, and we can draw the vision for them, they hopefully know what they're getting into, and they're coming in excited and with ideas. Michele Williams As you said, when you can get vulnerable as a business owner with this stuff, I think you get more help and you don't feel alone. Courtney Bramlett The more that people get constructive, positive feedback, the more they can keep going. Michele Williams The only person who suffers when you cannot hold someone accountable or get out of your comfort zone to hold someone accountable, the only one who suffers is you. Courtney Bramlett Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: Work with Me Metrique Solutions The Five Dysfunctions of a Team The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni It's Okay to Be the Boss by Bruce Tulgan Who by Geoff Smart and Randy Street Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy Click here to read the transcript for this episode.

278: Creating Productivity in Your Workday Today, I'm joined by Leslie Shreve, a workload and productivity expert, and the founder of Productive Day. She’s also the author and creator of Taskology, a comprehensive system designed to help manage tasks, time, email, and information. In our conversation, we’ll explore the distinction between organization and productivity, uncover where time might be slipping away in your workday, and dive into much more. Topics Mentioned: Organization Productivity Task Management Methodology Key Thoughts: Any process is only as good as the way that we apply it and stay consistent with it. It's the inconsistencies that usually catch us. It's not the lack of the process itself in most cases. Michele Williams I quickly dispensed with the whole notion of getting organized because that's not it. That's not even the first step. That's not even a step. It's a byproduct. Because when you learn how to become more efficient, effective, and productive, automatically you're going to be more organized. Leslie Shreve A system or a methodology is only as good as we follow it and stay, on top of it. Michele Williams The three places where time and productivity are hiding are in your task management process, your information management process, and your email management process. Leslie Shreve Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Leslie: Email: leslie@productiveday.com Facebook: @ProductiveDayLeslieShreve Instagram: @productivedayleslieshreve Website: https://productiveday.com/ LinkedIn: @LeslieShreve You Tube: @LeslieShreve References and Resources: Work with Me Metrique Solutions The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today CFO2Go Taskology: How to Unleash the Power of Your Most Productive Workday by Leslie Shreve What’s Your #1 Productivity Blind Spot on Productive Day Productive Day Smart Steps free gift

277: Demystifying Inventory in Your Business Joining me today is Ciara Stockeland. She is a fractional CFO focusing on inventory-based businesses. She has a podcast called Inventory Genius along with a book by the same name. She also has a new book called Profit Genius that is out soon. Today we're going to demystify inventory. All about inventory, how it works in your financials, why it's so important to find resources and people who understand it and how you can strategize around it. Topics Mentioned: Inventory Resiliency Profitability Financials Key Thoughts: Because every decision, every choice, everything that's sitting on that strategic plan, every product line that we bring in, it is all tied at some point in multiple places all the way down the chain. Michele Williams It's a hard skill, but learning how to edit in your business, how to slow down, that all comes from really understanding what the numbers mean so that you know what you should be focusing on. Ciara Stockeland I think that was a lesson for us too, that you can do it all right, and have things go wrong. There's not a direct cause and effect between right and wrong. But what could we have done differently? Michele Williams Every mess can be cleaned up, every problem can be solved. So even if they feel like it's all out of control, like, we can fix it, it might take some time and some money, but it can be fixed. Ciara Stockeland Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Ciara: Email: hello@ciarastockeland.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inventorygenius/ Instagram: @ciarastockeland Website: www.ciaraastockeland.com LinkedIn: @ciarastockeland References and Resources: Work with Me Metrique Solutions The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today Understanding Your Financials course Inventory Genius podcast Inventory Genius by Ciara Stockeland Profit Genius by Ciara Stockeland Scarlet Thread Origin Story podcast

276: Strategy is Key for Longterm Success I am so excited about our podcast today. With me is Courtney Bramlett. She is the director of marketing and operations here at Scarlet Thread Consulting and she's also the owner of her own company, The Good Sower. Courtney and I are going to have an in-depth conversation about strategy, why we need to have it, roadblocks that we see when people don't have a strategy, and we will share a little bit about the programs that we have coming this year that are available to help you all with strategy. I hope if nothing else, by the end of our podcast today that you will have a deeper understanding of why strategy is important to the overall long-term success of your company. Enjoy the podcast. Topics Mentioned: Strategy Intentionality Goal Setting Prioritization Key Thoughts: The true strategy is much, much deeper and more granular. When it's understood and done well, then your day-to-day becomes easy. Courtney Bramlett A strategic plan is meant to be over multiple years in most cases. It certainly is going to be the most detailed in the year that you're working in. Michele Williams Business owners get in this rut of feeling like they're never hitting these objectives and goals that they have because they're trying to run in a thousand different paths at one time. So, I think strategic planning helps them with burnout, reducing burnout and decision fatigue too. Courtney Bramlett Two words that I see a lot of people run from and I think again, it goes back to education. They run from the word strategy, and they run from the word budget. They run from those because they think they lock them down. What I would say is they actually free you up. Because what a strategy is and what a budget is are decisions that you're making in advance. 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 Metrique Solutions The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today Pricing Without Emotion course Financial Health Check Up 12 Week Year by Brian P Moran The Gap and the Gain by Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan Traction by Gino Wickman Fix This Next by Mike Michalowicz My New 8-week Group Coaching Program Kicks Off in January! Join the waitlist for my newest group coaching program, How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy. Over 8 weeks, you'll learn how to create a business strategy, set key results to track its success, and leverage a decision-making process to ensure every choice drives you toward your ideal future. Register now to know when registration opens

275: Cheers to 2024! Every year Ceil DiGuglielmo and I sit down and chat about the prior year. We talk about the books we've read, some of the things that have happened in our lives, and how those experiences have shaped us to be the business owners that we are and that we are becoming. I am excited to, once again, invite you to listen in as Ceil and I discuss the year 2024. Topics Mentioned: Strategy Intentionality Planning MIndset Key Thoughts: Especially as women, we spend a lot of time waiting because our job is to manage our families and our households and everything else as opposed to being happy in this moment. Ceil DiGuglielmo What I kept seeing is we kind of have an epidemic of we're all doing our jobs, we're working, we're satisfying the client, but we don't have a guide or a path of where we want our business to go. Michele Williams It's almost like we're running this race and we're handed the baton to the next person and I'm looking for that person just like everybody else, who can I hand this baton to that's going to love the industry and who's going to love people? Michele Williams There have been enough generous people who have the knowledge and are willing to share it, that we can pull those people up behind us. I think if there's a legacy to be had, something to look towards, is what can I leave behind that will make life easier for other people so they don't have to have those hard knocks? Ceil DiGuglielmo 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: CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today Pricing Without Emotion course It's Okay to be The Boss by Bruce Tulgan Price Your Work with Confidence by Kitty Stein The Recipe For Empowered Leadership: 25 Ingredients For Creating Value & Empowering Others by Doug Meyer-Cuno She Thinks Big by Andrea Liebross Atomic Habits by James Clear Your Next Five Moves: Master the Art of Business Strategy by Patrick Bet-David My New 8-week Group Coaching Program Kicks Off in January! Join the waitlist for my newest group coaching program, How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy. Over 8 weeks, you'll learn how to create a business strategy, set key results to track its success, and leverage a decision-making process to ensure every choice drives you toward your ideal future. Register now to know when registration opens