As a culture we work hard. Like over the top extremely hard. Based on a recent study Americans work 137 more hours per year than the Japanese, 260 more than the British, and 499 more than the French. That equates to more than 20 full days per year! Mediterranean work cultures like Italy, Greece, and Spain are probably a category of their own. This episode isn't about all of sudden working less, but it is about giving yourself a break each week to give your body and mind the time it needs to reset. If I rest better, I work better.  The most common answer to the question “How are you?” is “Busy”. 90% of us check the phone first upon waking up. 37% of us take fewer than 7 days of vacation a year. 14% of us take more than 2 weeks a year. 20% of us stay in touch with the office while on vacation. As we continue to work nonstop we actually put more stress on our minds and bodies and it impacts our ability to be creative and focused. Instead, based on a recent article, we should try to practice a weekly Sabbath. This has nothing to do with religion, but it is all about giving yourself a break from work every week for preferably 24 hours.  You may need a Sabbath practice if you…  live a parallel life with your children feel uncomfortable being left alone with your thoughts laugh sarcastically at the term “passion project” have original ideas remain just that feel guilty when you do nothing wake up at night worrying about money haven’t had a date with your spouse in months have forgotten how wonder feels like have accepted anxiety as a constant sometimes feel like a slave while making a decent living desperately long for delight  When and how you celebrate is entirely up to you. Make sure spend it doing things that truly bring you joy.   ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

As a culture we work hard. Like over the top extremely hard. Based on a recent study Americans work 137 more hours per year than the Japanese, 260 more than the British, and 499 more than the French. That equates to more than 20 full days per year! Mediterranean work cultures like Italy, Greece, and Spain are probably a category of their own. This episode isn't about all of sudden working less, but it is about giving yourself a break each week to give your body and mind the time it needs to reset. If I rest better, I work better. The most common answer to the question “How are you?” is “Busy”. 90% of us check the phone first upon waking up. 37% of us take fewer than 7 days of vacation a year. 14% of us take more than 2 weeks a year. 20% of us stay in touch with the office while on vacation. As we continue to work nonstop we actually put more stress on our minds and bodies and it impacts our ability to be creative and focused. Instead, based on a recent article, we should try to practice a weekly Sabbath. This has nothing to do with religion, but it is all about giving yourself a break from work every week for preferably 24 hours.  You may need a Sabbath practice if you… <ul> <li>live a parallel life with your children</li> <li>feel uncomfortable being left alone with your thoughts</li> <li>laugh sarcastically at the term “passion project”</li> <li>have original ideas remain just that</li> <li>feel guilty when you do nothing</li> <li>wake up at night worrying about money</li> <li>haven’t had a date with your spouse in months</li> <li>have forgotten how wonder feels like</li> <li>have accepted anxiety as a constant</li> <li>sometimes feel like a slave while making a decent living</li> <li>desperately long for delight</li> </ul> When and how you celebrate is entirely up to you. Make sure spend it doing things that truly bring you joy.  --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 4/4/22

What keeps us healthy and happy as we go through life? If you were going to invest now in your future best self, where would you put your time and your energy? Unfortunately, many people think getting rich and/or famous is the answer. However, one of the key findings of an 84-year (and counting) study of human development at Harvard University called the Grant Study says differently. It is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.   Dr. Robert Waldinger is a Harvard psychiatrist who has been running the Grant Study or Harvard Study of Adult Development for almost 20 years (he’s the fourth person in charge in its history). It may be the longest study of adult life that's ever been done. For 84 years, they have tracked the lives of 724 men, year after year, asking about their work, their home lives, their health, and of course asking all along the way without knowing how their life stories were going to turn out. About a dozen of the 268 men originally in the Harvard study are still alive. Most served in World War II, all were white. Some achieved great success; others failed to live up to their potential. Now, they’ve moved on to a second generation study. While there were many aspects of the men's lives that were striking, Waldinger says there are three key findings about relationships that predicted how happy and healthy the men were as they grew older. Dr. Robert Waldinger said the following in his 2015 TED talk: 1. Loneliness kills. "People who are more isolated than they want to be from others find that they are less happy, their health declines earlier in midlife, their brain functioning declines sooner and they live shorter lives than people who are not lonely. And the sad fact is that at any given time, more than one in five Americans will report that they're lonely.” 2. Quality of relationships matters more than quantity. "It turns out that living in the midst of conflict is really bad for our health. High-conflict marriages, for example, without much affection, turn out to be very bad for our health, perhaps worse than getting divorced. And living in the midst of good, warm relationships is protective." 3. Good relationships protect the brain. "People who are in relationships where they really feel they can count on the other person in times of need, those people's memories stay sharper longer. And the people in relationships where they feel they really can't count on the other one, those are the people who experience earlier memory decline."  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

What keeps us healthy and happy as we go through life? If you were going to invest now in your future best self, where would you put your time and your energy? Unfortunately, many people think getting rich and/or famous is the answer. However, one of the key findings of an 84-year (and counting) study of human development at Harvard University called the Grant Study says differently. It is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.  Dr. Robert Waldinger is a Harvard psychiatrist who has been running the Grant Study or Harvard Study of Adult Development for almost 20 years (he’s the fourth person in charge in its history). It may be the longest study of adult life that's ever been done. For 84 years, they have tracked the lives of 724 men, year after year, asking about their work, their home lives, their health, and of course asking all along the way without knowing how their life stories were going to turn out. About a dozen of the 268 men originally in the Harvard study are still alive. Most served in World War II, all were white. Some achieved great success; others failed to live up to their potential. Now, they’ve moved on to a second generation study. While there were many aspects of the men's lives that were striking, Waldinger says there are three key findings about relationships that predicted how happy and healthy the men were as they grew older. Dr. Robert Waldinger said the following in his 2015 TED talk: 1. Loneliness kills. "People who are more isolated than they want to be from others find that they are less happy, their health declines earlier in midlife, their brain functioning declines sooner and they live shorter lives than people who are not lonely. And the sad fact is that at any given time, more than one in five Americans will report that they're lonely.” 2. Quality of relationships matters more than quantity. "It turns out that living in the midst of conflict is really bad for our health. High-conflict marriages, for example, without much affection, turn out to be very bad for our health, perhaps worse than getting divorced. And living in the midst of good, warm relationships is protective." 3. Good relationships protect the brain. "People who are in relationships where they really feel they can count on the other person in times of need, those people's memories stay sharper longer. And the people in relationships where they feel they really can't count on the other one, those are the people who experience earlier memory decline." --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 4/1/22

Last week we discussed the anticipated surge in new businesses opening up this year. Starting a business can evoke emotions like excitement and hope, but can also lead to feelings of overwhelm regarding the process. Today we discuss how to register a business, the reasons to register, the benefits of registration, and the steps you need to take to help eliminate any sense of dread while going through this process.  First, choose a business structure. Your business structure is the foundation of your business, including how your taxes are filed, how personal assets are handled, and how day-to-day operations are controlled. It also impacts business registration, including how and who you register with. There are many types of business structures, so it’s important to choose the one that best suits your organization's needs. After choosing the structure, it’s time to settle on a location for your business. Even if your company operates mostly online, you still need to register a location for operations like receiving government documents, filing taxes, and more. Next, you’ll want to register your business name to prevent other businesses from using it now or in the future. Next, register with the IRS. Registering your business with the Internal Revenue Service will give you a federal EIN, or Employer Identification Number. This is essentially a Social Security number for businesses (sometimes referred to as a federal tax ID). EINs are necessary for things like filing taxes, opening business bank accounts, and hiring employees. You may need to register with state and local agencies such as: Department of Revenue, Secretary of State, Better Business Bureau, Franchise Tax Board. Each entity has its own requirements that must be followed, so it’s worth working with an attorney to get things done correctly and in a timely manner. Finally, specific licenses and permits are required to run different businesses, and they vary by industry and state. It’s a good idea to have any necessary licenses or permits before you start your business to avoid future problems. If you want to know what licenses and permits are needed for your business, you can contact your local branch of the Small Business Administration.  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

Last week we discussed the anticipated surge in new businesses opening up this year. Starting a business can evoke emotions like excitement and hope, but can also lead to feelings of overwhelm regarding the process. Today we discuss how to register a business, the reasons to register, the benefits of registration, and the steps you need to take to help eliminate any sense of dread while going through this process. First, choose a business structure. Your business structure is the foundation of your business, including how your taxes are filed, how personal assets are handled, and how day-to-day operations are controlled. It also impacts business registration, including how and who you register with. There are many types of business structures, so it’s important to choose the one that best suits your organization's needs. After choosing the structure, it’s time to settle on a location for your business. Even if your company operates mostly online, you still need to register a location for operations like receiving government documents, filing taxes, and more. Next, you’ll want to register your business name to prevent other businesses from using it now or in the future. Next, register with the IRS. Registering your business with the Internal Revenue Service will give you a federal EIN, or Employer Identification Number. This is essentially a Social Security number for businesses (sometimes referred to as a federal tax ID). EINs are necessary for things like filing taxes, opening business bank accounts, and hiring employees. You may need to register with state and local agencies such as: Department of Revenue, Secretary of State, Better Business Bureau, Franchise Tax Board. Each entity has its own requirements that must be followed, so it’s worth working with an attorney to get things done correctly and in a timely manner. Finally, specific licenses and permits are required to run different businesses, and they vary by industry and state. It’s a good idea to have any necessary licenses or permits before you start your business to avoid future problems. If you want to know what licenses and permits are needed for your business, you can contact your local branch of the Small Business Administration. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/30/22

The pandemic upended where, when and how we work. Over the last two years, employers have experimented with new, flexible ways of working, and many have made the move to permanent remote workplaces. When carried out correctly, remote work can bring many benefits to a company and its employees like reduced turnover, better work-life balance and increased performance. But even with the right skills and experiences, not every candidate is cut out to work from home. In an increasingly remote world of work, it's essential hiring managers know which interview questions to ask and how to identify whether or not an applicant is a right fit for a remote role.  Here are 8 of the best interview questions to spot great remote workers: 1. Have you ever worked remotely? If so, what were some of the challenges you faced? It's important to understand a person's motivation for seeking remote work, as some candidates don't understand the reality of working from home. If the answer is, "Never," follow up with, "Why do you want to work remotely?" They should know what the challenges of remote work are and have strategies in place for tackling them. 2. Where do you prefer to work? Not having a "home office" should not disqualify someone from the job, but understanding how and where an applicant works best can help you understand them as a potential employee. If they already work from home, ask about their home office setup. Do they have everything a remote worker needs to be productive? Is it someplace that is relatively free of distractions?  3. How do you plan on communicating with a remote team? Remote employees should be comfortable using a wide range of platforms. Ask how the candidate will communicate with the team and how comfortable they are using different communication platforms. 4. How do you stay focused on your tasks? By starting with the broad question, you'll be able to hone in on more remote-specific follow-ups. For example, if the candidate says, "I use noise-canceling headphones to block out noisy coworkers," you can ask, "Will you face that same distraction when you work remotely?" 5. What do you like and what do you dislike about working in an office? If a candidate says that they love the company's team-building opportunities, or their favorite activity is the 10 a.m. coffee cart, see why they're interested in remote work. It could mean they never thought about the lack of face-to-face socialization and may discover that remote work isn't right for them. 6. What's the most challenging project you ever designed and executed? Working remotely requires employees to be highly self-motivated. Without a manager nearby, it's easy for people to get distracted or lose their drive. The answer will speak to the candidate's motivation and ability to get the job done when there's nothing else motivating them--except themselves. 7. Tell me about a risk you took and failed. What did you learn? Asking for an example will give some insight into how the candidate operates. Do they only have one way of doing things? Do they learn and grow from their mistakes? Are they willing to admit they made a mistake? These answers will help you determine whether or not they are truly flexible and can mesh well with the existing team. 8. How do you switch off from work? Ask how applicants plan to manage their days, take appropriate breaks and stop working when it's quitting time. Understanding how they switch out of work mode will help you better understand how they will do it when they're on the job.  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

The pandemic upended where, when and how we work. Over the last two years, employers have experimented with new, flexible ways of working, and many have made the move to permanent remote workplaces. When carried out correctly, remote work can bring many benefits to a company and its employees like reduced turnover, better work-life balance and increased performance. But even with the right skills and experiences, not every candidate is cut out to work from home. In an increasingly remote world of work, it's essential hiring managers know which interview questions to ask and how to identify whether or not an applicant is a right fit for a remote role. Here are 8 of the best interview questions to spot great remote workers: 1. Have you ever worked remotely? If so, what were some of the challenges you faced? It's important to understand a person's motivation for seeking remote work, as some candidates don't understand the reality of working from home. If the answer is, "Never," follow up with, "Why do you want to work remotely?" They should know what the challenges of remote work are and have strategies in place for tackling them. 2. Where do you prefer to work? Not having a "home office" should not disqualify someone from the job, but understanding how and where an applicant works best can help you understand them as a potential employee. If they already work from home, ask about their home office setup. Do they have everything a remote worker needs to be productive? Is it someplace that is relatively free of distractions?  3. How do you plan on communicating with a remote team? Remote employees should be comfortable using a wide range of platforms. Ask how the candidate will communicate with the team and how comfortable they are using different communication platforms. 4. How do you stay focused on your tasks? By starting with the broad question, you'll be able to hone in on more remote-specific follow-ups. For example, if the candidate says, "I use noise-canceling headphones to block out noisy coworkers," you can ask, "Will you face that same distraction when you work remotely?" 5. What do you like and what do you dislike about working in an office? If a candidate says that they love the company's team-building opportunities, or their favorite activity is the 10 a.m. coffee cart, see why they're interested in remote work. It could mean they never thought about the lack of face-to-face socialization and may discover that remote work isn't right for them. 6. What's the most challenging project you ever designed and executed? Working remotely requires employees to be highly self-motivated. Without a manager nearby, it's easy for people to get distracted or lose their drive. The answer will speak to the candidate's motivation and ability to get the job done when there's nothing else motivating them--except themselves. 7. Tell me about a risk you took and failed. What did you learn? Asking for an example will give some insight into how the candidate operates. Do they only have one way of doing things? Do they learn and grow from their mistakes? Are they willing to admit they made a mistake? These answers will help you determine whether or not they are truly flexible and can mesh well with the existing team. 8. How do you switch off from work? Ask how applicants plan to manage their days, take appropriate breaks and stop working when it's quitting time. Understanding how they switch out of work mode will help you better understand how they will do it when they're on the job. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/28/22

It has been a fantastic week! We start off the episode with friendly reminders about laying that foundation for success and dedicating the time to working on the company finances. The work you put in today will pay off down the road. Take the time today to lay out your schedule for next week. Identify the items that are truly important and make them a priority for next week. You'll head into the weekend already set up to be successful come Monday morning. After that we have cover a fun list of 43 things to try to fall asleep faster.   Here are some of the highlights: Try square breathing: - Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. - Hold your breath for 4 seconds. - Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds. - Pause and hold for 4 seconds. Repeat as needed.  Blow bubbles. Dr. Rachel E. Salas, MD of the Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins: “When the brain sees the bubble go off and disappear or pop … You visually see something kind of released out of you." Read a bit. A 2009 study showed that people who read before bed had by 68 percent less stress and fell asleep faster. Set the temperature between 65F and 68F. Stretch. Dutch researchers did a 2012 study in the Journal of Physiotherapy that found that people who didn’t stretch before bed were more likely to be awakened by cramps. Practice mindfulness. A Harvard study showed people who studied mindfulness slept better than people who studied how to sleep better in general. Try not to check email. A 2018 Virginia Tech study found that just thinking about checking email increased stress and made it harder to sleep. Go to the gym. A 2018 study in the journal Sleep found that activity levels were directly correlated to sleep quality. Take a shower to reduce your body's core temperature. Get off your phone (and other electronics). A 2012 study in Applied Ergonomics found that backlit displays reduce melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep. Practice gratitude. A 2015 study in the journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice found that it leads to better sleep and less daytime fatigue. Tell yourself it might be better to stay awake anyway. This one is per Colin Espie, a professor of sleep medicine at the University of Oxford: "If you can be comfortable with the idea of remaining awake, then the performance anxiety and frustration that are associated with trying to sleep have nowhere to go and your arousal level drops.”  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

It has been a fantastic week! We start off the episode with friendly reminders about laying that foundation for success and dedicating the time to working on the company finances. The work you put in today will pay off down the road. Take the time today to lay out your schedule for next week. Identify the items that are truly important and make them a priority for next week. You'll head into the weekend already set up to be successful come Monday morning. After that we have cover a fun list of 43 things to try to fall asleep faster.  Here are some of the highlights: Try square breathing: - Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. - Hold your breath for 4 seconds. - Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds. - Pause and hold for 4 seconds. Repeat as needed.  Blow bubbles. Dr. Rachel E. Salas, MD of the Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins: “When the brain sees the bubble go off and disappear or pop … You visually see something kind of released out of you." Read a bit. A 2009 study showed that people who read before bed had by 68 percent less stress and fell asleep faster. Set the temperature between 65F and 68F. Stretch. Dutch researchers did a 2012 study in the Journal of Physiotherapy that found that people who didn’t stretch before bed were more likely to be awakened by cramps. Practice mindfulness. A Harvard study showed people who studied mindfulness slept better than people who studied how to sleep better in general. Try not to check email. A 2018 Virginia Tech study found that just thinking about checking email increased stress and made it harder to sleep. Go to the gym. A 2018 study in the journal Sleep found that activity levels were directly correlated to sleep quality. Take a shower to reduce your body's core temperature. Get off your phone (and other electronics). A 2012 study in Applied Ergonomics found that backlit displays reduce melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep. Practice gratitude. A 2015 study in the journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice found that it leads to better sleep and less daytime fatigue. Tell yourself it might be better to stay awake anyway. This one is per Colin Espie, a professor of sleep medicine at the University of Oxford: "If you can be comfortable with the idea of remaining awake, then the performance anxiety and frustration that are associated with trying to sleep have nowhere to go and your arousal level drops.” --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/25/22

Ever dream of starting your own business? You are not alone! According to a new study done by QuickBooks they project as many as 17 million new small businesses could be set up in 2022. The prediction comes from a recent survey of 8,000 U.S. employees, commissioned by QuickBooks in November 2021. The survey reveals that almost three out of five (57%) want to start a business and of these, one in five (20%) will make the leap in 2022 — equivalent to around 17 million people.  An overwhelming 83% of people who want to start a business say COVID accelerated their plans. This is either because they spotted a new opportunity online during the pandemic or because it made them rethink their priorities. Other reasons people gave for wanting to become business owners include: “To be my own boss.” “To have more control over my future.” “To earn more money than I could by working for someone else.”  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

Ever dream of starting your own business? You are not alone! According to a new study done by QuickBooks they project as many as 17 million new small businesses could be set up in 2022. The prediction comes from a recent survey of 8,000 U.S. employees, commissioned by QuickBooks in November 2021. The survey reveals that almost three out of five (57%) want to start a business and of these, one in five (20%) will make the leap in 2022 — equivalent to around 17 million people. An overwhelming 83% of people who want to start a business say COVID accelerated their plans. This is either because they spotted a new opportunity online during the pandemic or because it made them rethink their priorities. Other reasons people gave for wanting to become business owners include: “To be my own boss.” “To have more control over my future.” “To earn more money than I could by working for someone else.” --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/23/22

As a self-employed freelancer or small business owner, knowing how to send an invoice correctly is crucial. Timely payments keep cash flowing, and money in hand now is worth more than it will be in the future. To make sure your clients pay you properly, it helps to understand common payment terms and how to use them. Payment terms outline how, when, and by what method your customers or clients provide payment to your business.  Payment terms are typically associated with invoice payments. They are an agreement that sets your expectations for payment, including when the client needs to pay you and the penalties for missing a payment. Having transparent payment terms can help ensure you get paid and makes it easier for your customers to understand your billing process. Components of invoicing payment terms typically include:  An invoice date The total invoice amount due The payment date and period of time that your client has to pay the total amount owed Stipulations for an advance or deposit Payment plan details A list of accepted payment methods  Payment terms are important because knowing how much money is going to hit your account, and when, is essential to accurate cash flow projections. Accurate cash flow projections help you plan for taxes, keep your business running smoothly, and manage its growth. A clear, professional invoice can help you ensure that clients pay in a timely fashion. Clearly communicating terms of payment helps ensure you and your customers are on the same page before work begins. Payment terms are essential when negotiating a contract. Payment terms should maximize how quickly your clients pay you and minimize inconvenience for your customer. A good set of payment terms should benefit both parties. As you start to invoice customers, remember that your payment terms should match your business goals. Selecting appropriate payment terms is an important step toward building and maintaining a healthy business. Always include your payment terms on your invoices, but discuss them with your clients first.  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

As a self-employed freelancer or small business owner, knowing how to send an invoice correctly is crucial. Timely payments keep cash flowing, and money in hand now is worth more than it will be in the future. To make sure your clients pay you properly, it helps to understand common payment terms and how to use them. Payment terms outline how, when, and by what method your customers or clients provide payment to your business. Payment terms are typically associated with invoice payments. They are an agreement that sets your expectations for payment, including when the client needs to pay you and the penalties for missing a payment. Having transparent payment terms can help ensure you get paid and makes it easier for your customers to understand your billing process. Components of invoicing payment terms typically include: <ul> <li>An invoice date</li> <li>The total invoice amount due</li> <li>The payment date and period of time that your client has to pay the total amount owed</li> <li>Stipulations for an advance or deposit</li> <li>Payment plan details</li> <li>A list of accepted payment methods</li> </ul> Payment terms are important because knowing how much money is going to hit your account, and when, is essential to accurate cash flow projections. Accurate cash flow projections help you plan for taxes, keep your business running smoothly, and manage its growth. A clear, professional invoice can help you ensure that clients pay in a timely fashion. Clearly communicating terms of payment helps ensure you and your customers are on the same page before work begins. Payment terms are essential when negotiating a contract. Payment terms should maximize how quickly your clients pay you and minimize inconvenience for your customer. A good set of payment terms should benefit both parties. As you start to invoice customers, remember that your payment terms should match your business goals. Selecting appropriate payment terms is an important step toward building and maintaining a healthy business. Always include your payment terms on your invoices, but discuss them with your clients first. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/21/22

Success has a funny way of making you comfortable. Sometimes, too comfortable. If the thing you're doing appears to be working, your natural inclination is to do more of if. The problem is, when you're comfortable, you have no motivation to look around and think about what might need to change. Who wants to be less comfortable? Especially if you've worked hard to get to that point. The thing is, what if the reason you were successful was temporary? What if there are small defects in your system waiting to become bigger down the road? Your comfort zone can be your own worst enemy. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.   Peloton has had a rough few months. After having record sales throughout the pandemic they are not in a position of having more inventory than anyone wants. Supply is way higher than demand. Barry McCarthy took over as CEO and held an all-hands meeting. McCarthy wasted no time trying to motivate the employees. In an email, he detailed 10 values that employees will find "reflected in my day-to-day interactions." Here's the entire list: 1) Be stubborn on vision, flexible on details 2) Fast is as slow as we go 3) Intuition drives testing. Data drives decision making 4) Your comfort zone is your own worst enemy 5) Talent density is foundational 6) Stress context not control, freedom and responsibility 7) Understand in order to be understood 8) Get real 9) Think from first principles 10) Put first things first It's not a bad list. Those are all good "values," though they're more like leadership principles. Nothing on that list is particularly new, but that doesn't mean they aren't useful. For that matter, they're all relatively good guiding principles.  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

Success has a funny way of making you comfortable. Sometimes, too comfortable. If the thing you're doing appears to be working, your natural inclination is to do more of if. The problem is, when you're comfortable, you have no motivation to look around and think about what might need to change. Who wants to be less comfortable? Especially if you've worked hard to get to that point. The thing is, what if the reason you were successful was temporary? What if there are small defects in your system waiting to become bigger down the road? Your comfort zone can be your own worst enemy. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.  Peloton has had a rough few months. After having record sales throughout the pandemic they are not in a position of having more inventory than anyone wants. Supply is way higher than demand. Barry McCarthy took over as CEO and held an all-hands meeting. McCarthy wasted no time trying to motivate the employees. In an email, he detailed 10 values that employees will find "reflected in my day-to-day interactions." Here's the entire list: 1) Be stubborn on vision, flexible on details 2) Fast is as slow as we go 3) Intuition drives testing. Data drives decision making 4) Your comfort zone is your own worst enemy 5) Talent density is foundational 6) Stress context not control, freedom and responsibility 7) Understand in order to be understood 8) Get real 9) Think from first principles 10) Put first things first It's not a bad list. Those are all good "values," though they're more like leadership principles. Nothing on that list is particularly new, but that doesn't mean they aren't useful. For that matter, they're all relatively good guiding principles. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/18/22

In a business setting, being rejected hurts. Sometimes it hurts so bad you just want to quit. But ask yourself, Would a successful entrepreneur quit after a simple rejection? Today we cover the interesting (and sometimes hysterical) story of someone who did not quit, but instead put himself through rejection therapy. The basic idea was that for 30 days, you seek rejection. In doing so, you gradually desensitize yourself from the pain, building courage and resolve along the way. Overcoming your fears can lead to getting more of what you want out of life, and learning some valuable lessons along the way.  The story is about Jia Jang and how he felt after being rejected by a potential investor. After starting the rejection therapy game he made over a hundred crazy requests, video recording all of them and posting to YouTube. Over and over, he heard the answer that had become so familiar to him: Can I slide down the fire pole at this fire station? No. Can I have a "burger refill"? ("It's just like a drink refill, but with a burger.") No. Can I speak over the intercom here at Costco? No. Can I attend your Super Bowl party (even though I don't know you)? No. Can I have a free room at this hotel? No. But as time went on, and Jiang's "rejection quest" continued, something interesting happened. Although many rejected him right away, to Jiang's surprise, others actually gave him exactly what he wanted. And with every yes, Jiang gained courage. For example: A stranger said yes to letting him play soccer in his backyard. A pilot said yes to letting him make an announcement on a flight. Survivor host Jeff Probst said yes to singing Jiang's son a lullaby on nationally syndicated television. A pilot said yes to brining Jiang up and letting him fly his private plane. A teacher said yes to allowing Jiang to give a lecture to his college students. Jiang learned some important truths along his rejection journey. For one, he discovered that if he didn't run, he could sometimes turn a "no" into a "yes," using a single, one-word question: Why? Often, when Jiang asked why (sometimes repeatedly, respectfully, and in different ways), the rejector would rethink the request. Or, they would offer some type of compromise. Or, they would offer something else in return. For example, after a stranger rejected Jiang's request to plant a flower in their backyard, Jiang asked why. "Well, I have this dog that would dig up anything I put in the backyard," said the man. "I don't want to waste your flower. If you want to do this, go across the street and talk to Connie. She loves flowers." Connie was more than happy to honor Jiang's request. The rule of rejection is simply. It's made up of three parts: A. You won't get anything if you don't ask for it, so don't reject yourself. B. If the answer is "no," ask, "why?" This may lead to you getting what you wanted, or getting something else that's close. C. Remember that rejection doesn't define you. It's the way you react to rejection that defines you. So, if you want to overcome your fear of rejection and get more of what you want, don't run. Remember the rule of rejection. When you do, you'll start turning "No" into "Yes." More importantly, you'll change the way you view rejection, forever.  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

In a business setting, being rejected hurts. Sometimes it hurts so bad you just want to quit. But ask yourself, Would a successful entrepreneur quit after a simple rejection? Today we cover the interesting (and sometimes hysterical) story of someone who did not quit, but instead put himself through rejection therapy. The basic idea was that for 30 days, you seek rejection. In doing so, you gradually desensitize yourself from the pain, building courage and resolve along the way. Overcoming your fears can lead to getting more of what you want out of life, and learning some valuable lessons along the way. The story is about Jia Jang and how he felt after being rejected by a potential investor. After starting the rejection therapy game he made over a hundred crazy requests, video recording all of them and posting to YouTube. Over and over, he heard the answer that had become so familiar to him: Can I slide down the fire pole at this fire station? No. Can I have a "burger refill"? ("It's just like a drink refill, but with a burger.") No. Can I speak over the intercom here at Costco? No. Can I attend your Super Bowl party (even though I don't know you)? No. Can I have a free room at this hotel? No. But as time went on, and Jiang's "rejection quest" continued, something interesting happened. Although many rejected him right away, to Jiang's surprise, others actually gave him exactly what he wanted. And with every yes, Jiang gained courage. For example: A stranger said yes to letting him play soccer in his backyard. A pilot said yes to letting him make an announcement on a flight. Survivor host Jeff Probst said yes to singing Jiang's son a lullaby on nationally syndicated television. A pilot said yes to brining Jiang up and letting him fly his private plane. A teacher said yes to allowing Jiang to give a lecture to his college students. Jiang learned some important truths along his rejection journey. For one, he discovered that if he didn't run, he could sometimes turn a "no" into a "yes," using a single, one-word question: Why? Often, when Jiang asked why (sometimes repeatedly, respectfully, and in different ways), the rejector would rethink the request. Or, they would offer some type of compromise. Or, they would offer something else in return. For example, after a stranger rejected Jiang's request to plant a flower in their backyard, Jiang asked why. "Well, I have this dog that would dig up anything I put in the backyard," said the man. "I don't want to waste your flower. If you want to do this, go across the street and talk to Connie. She loves flowers." Connie was more than happy to honor Jiang's request. The rule of rejection is simply. It's made up of three parts: A. You won't get anything if you don't ask for it, so don't reject yourself. B. If the answer is "no," ask, "why?" This may lead to you getting what you wanted, or getting something else that's close. C. Remember that rejection doesn't define you. It's the way you react to rejection that defines you. So, if you want to overcome your fear of rejection and get more of what you want, don't run. Remember the rule of rejection. When you do, you'll start turning "No" into "Yes." More importantly, you'll change the way you view rejection, forever. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/16/22

There is a lot going on right now that can cause you to be frustrated and overwhelmed. The economy and rising prices is one of them. However, since we always try to see the brighter side of things today we are going showcase some of the ways things are way better today than they were 50 years ago even if most economists don't agree. This episode won't offer any solutions for rising gas prices or what is happening in Ukraine, but maybe it can give you a little bit of a different perspective on how much we have to be grateful for.   According to recent coverage on the news for “the first time in history average Americans have less education and are less prosperous than their parents.” Pew Research, meanwhile, reminds us that: “For most workers, real wages have barely budged in 50 years.” It seems to intuitively make sense that a major reason we feel so stressed and under pressure is that the economy is struggling. According to Grant Ryan, the writer of Comparonomics, there are both technical and philosophical reasons that is not technically true.  Rather than pick through the boring technical reasons these analyses are wrong, Grant created a simple tool to help you figure out for yourself how you’re getting on. It’s designed to help you ask yourself what parts of the economy are important to you, and then think about whether they’ve gotten better or worse. Here are some of the segments and areas he describes: Housing: Many homes built in the 1970s would be illegal to build now, as they were of such low quality by modern standards (insulation, fire, noise, lighting, etc). Homes now are typically 70% bigger, and full of modern appliances and gadgets that make life easier—like dishwashers, TVs, speakers, etc. Entertainment/recreation: You used to have to save up for an album; the only movie option meant going to a theatre. Now, for a few dollars a week you can have pretty much unlimited entertainment. Health/medicine: We now live about 10 years longer due to a large range of improvements. For example, dangerous open heart surgery, in many cases, has been replaced with an outpatient procedure to put in a stent. Education/information: In the 70s, buying a set of encyclopedias was a real investment. Many folks relied on the library. Now we have something 10,000 times better, for pretty much free. It’s easy to learn so much via online videos and information. Travel: Forty or 50 years ago, you were much more likely to die in a transport accident. Flying was an occasional luxury; now it’s a normal thing for many people. Cars are much more reliable, efficient, and comfortable. Communications: No more dollar-a-minute calls to relatives. It’s so cheap it’s essentially free to talk to anyone in the world.  Food/beverage: So many food options that we take for granted now were not widely available then, let alone delivered to your door. The best cook you knew was probably your mum, as eating out was a lot less common.  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

There is a lot going on right now that can cause you to be frustrated and overwhelmed. The economy and rising prices is one of them. However, since we always try to see the brighter side of things today we are going showcase some of the ways things are way better today than they were 50 years ago even if most economists don't agree. This episode won't offer any solutions for rising gas prices or what is happening in Ukraine, but maybe it can give you a little bit of a different perspective on how much we have to be grateful for.  According to recent coverage on the news for “the first time in history average Americans have less education and are less prosperous than their parents.” Pew Research, meanwhile, reminds us that: “For most workers, real wages have barely budged in 50 years.” It seems to intuitively make sense that a major reason we feel so stressed and under pressure is that the economy is struggling. According to Grant Ryan, the writer of Comparonomics, there are both technical and philosophical reasons that is not technically true.  Rather than pick through the boring technical reasons these analyses are wrong, Grant created a simple tool to help you figure out for yourself how you’re getting on. It’s designed to help you ask yourself what parts of the economy are important to you, and then think about whether they’ve gotten better or worse. Here are some of the segments and areas he describes: Housing: Many homes built in the 1970s would be illegal to build now, as they were of such low quality by modern standards (insulation, fire, noise, lighting, etc). Homes now are typically 70% bigger, and full of modern appliances and gadgets that make life easier—like dishwashers, TVs, speakers, etc. Entertainment/recreation: You used to have to save up for an album; the only movie option meant going to a theatre. Now, for a few dollars a week you can have pretty much unlimited entertainment. Health/medicine: We now live about 10 years longer due to a large range of improvements. For example, dangerous open heart surgery, in many cases, has been replaced with an outpatient procedure to put in a stent. Education/information: In the 70s, buying a set of encyclopedias was a real investment. Many folks relied on the library. Now we have something 10,000 times better, for pretty much free. It’s easy to learn so much via online videos and information. Travel: Forty or 50 years ago, you were much more likely to die in a transport accident. Flying was an occasional luxury; now it’s a normal thing for many people. Cars are much more reliable, efficient, and comfortable. Communications: No more dollar-a-minute calls to relatives. It’s so cheap it’s essentially free to talk to anyone in the world.  Food/beverage: So many food options that we take for granted now were not widely available then, let alone delivered to your door. The best cook you knew was probably your mum, as eating out was a lot less common. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/14/22

Dan Murch of Blue Collar Back Office will be talking about topics that matter to business owners, and literally anyone looking for a little motivation, insights on goal setting, and running a business. It is an opportunity to connect with our clients, meet new people and tell stories. Daily podcasts by Dan. Special podcasts with Gina Gondevas and other rotating guests.

Ever finish lunch and wish you could go take a nap instead of going back to work? You are not alone! Thanks to our circadian rhythms most people are at their sleepiest not just from two to four in the morning but also from two to four in the afternoon. The most effective solutions like taking a nap or getting in some exercise are not always viable options. Today we cover some alternatives to help break through and regain some of that energy and focus.   As this is a problem that's hardwired into us, people have long ago come up with solutions like taking a short nap in the afternoon. Science shows even just 20-30 minutes of shuteye will have a dramatic effect on your mood and productivity. But despite a mountain of research into the benefits of napping, the rhythm of modern work often makes this sensible solution unworkable. The next best option for a lot of folks is to pound down some coffee (or, alternatively, if you're a bit of a health nut, to try to sneak in some energy-boosting exercise during your lunch break). The healthy option suffers from the same practical challenges as the nap idea, however, and caffeine in the afternoon can mess with your nighttime sleep. Are there no other alternatives? Take two deep breaths. Deep breathing is good for you all the time (and can also help you get to sleep at night), but according to the Cleveland Clinic, consciously engaging your diaphragm and slowing your breathing can also resettle and revive you when you're feeling listless after lunch. Read a chapter of fiction. Again, reading fiction has been shown to have benefits whenever you do it, but there are specific reasons you might want to enjoy a chapter of that new page turner before getting back to your desk after lunch. "Disconnecting, focusing on something else, and then re-engaging can pry you out of that state of being stuck or demoralized in dealing with what you're dealing with," Stanford psychiatrist Dave Spiegel tells Self. Take an organization break. Your space has an outsize impact on your mood. You can use that to your advantage. "Tidying or organizing the physical space around you might feel like a little thing, but it's a way to physically and proactively attend to yourself and care for your space," University of Minnesota psychiatrist Kaz Nelson explains. "Pausing and attending to your immediate space is really saying, 'My time and workspace are worth my attention.'"  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

Ever finish lunch and wish you could go take a nap instead of going back to work? You are not alone! Thanks to our circadian rhythms most people are at their sleepiest not just from two to four in the morning but also from two to four in the afternoon. The most effective solutions like taking a nap or getting in some exercise are not always viable options. Today we cover some alternatives to help break through and regain some of that energy and focus.  As this is a problem that's hardwired into us, people have long ago come up with solutions like taking a short nap in the afternoon. Science shows even just 20-30 minutes of shuteye will have a dramatic effect on your mood and productivity. But despite a mountain of research into the benefits of napping, the rhythm of modern work often makes this sensible solution unworkable. The next best option for a lot of folks is to pound down some coffee (or, alternatively, if you're a bit of a health nut, to try to sneak in some energy-boosting exercise during your lunch break). The healthy option suffers from the same practical challenges as the nap idea, however, and caffeine in the afternoon can mess with your nighttime sleep. Are there no other alternatives? Take two deep breaths. Deep breathing is good for you all the time (and can also help you get to sleep at night), but according to the Cleveland Clinic, consciously engaging your diaphragm and slowing your breathing can also resettle and revive you when you're feeling listless after lunch. Read a chapter of fiction. Again, reading fiction has been shown to have benefits whenever you do it, but there are specific reasons you might want to enjoy a chapter of that new page turner before getting back to your desk after lunch. "Disconnecting, focusing on something else, and then re-engaging can pry you out of that state of being stuck or demoralized in dealing with what you're dealing with," Stanford psychiatrist Dave Spiegel tells Self. Take an organization break. Your space has an outsize impact on your mood. You can use that to your advantage. "Tidying or organizing the physical space around you might feel like a little thing, but it's a way to physically and proactively attend to yourself and care for your space," University of Minnesota psychiatrist Kaz Nelson explains. "Pausing and attending to your immediate space is really saying, 'My time and workspace are worth my attention.'" --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/11/22

Sometimes we cover topics that can save your a couple minutes here and there, maybe even seconds. They are important because they all add up and create a nice space in your week to tackle the important items that sometimes get pushed to the back burner. Today we are going to discuss something that immediately adds significant time back into your week. How much time do you spend writing/printing checks, stuffing them in envelopes and then mailing them out? If you use QuickBooks Online and the answer is higher than zero then you need to listen to this episode.    Small businesses rely on QuickBooks to record bills, keep their books up to date, and manage the accounting for their business, so enabling fast and easy bill payments is the natural next step for any accounting software package. QuickBooks offers Bill Pay powered by Melio, a free, integrated payment solution that allows QuickBooks users to easily pay business bills in the office or on the go. Time is a valuable commodity. Reducing the hours allocated to tedious bookkeeping tasks such as logging payments and sending invoices is pivotal if owners want to focus on the success of their business. Bill Pay powered by Melio can automatically capture bills and invoices to digitize the paper trail and save time. It delivers easy tracking of money sent, so business performance can be monitored from the office or via smartphone when on the go.  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

Sometimes we cover topics that can save your a couple minutes here and there, maybe even seconds. They are important because they all add up and create a nice space in your week to tackle the important items that sometimes get pushed to the back burner. Today we are going to discuss something that immediately adds significant time back into your week. How much time do you spend writing/printing checks, stuffing them in envelopes and then mailing them out? If you use QuickBooks Online and the answer is higher than zero then you need to listen to this episode.   Small businesses rely on QuickBooks to record bills, keep their books up to date, and manage the accounting for their business, so enabling fast and easy bill payments is the natural next step for any accounting software package. QuickBooks offers Bill Pay powered by Melio, a free, integrated payment solution that allows QuickBooks users to easily pay business bills in the office or on the go. Time is a valuable commodity. Reducing the hours allocated to tedious bookkeeping tasks such as logging payments and sending invoices is pivotal if owners want to focus on the success of their business. Bill Pay powered by Melio can automatically capture bills and invoices to digitize the paper trail and save time. It delivers easy tracking of money sent, so business performance can be monitored from the office or via smartphone when on the go. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/9/22

If your schedule was a glass of water would it be half-full, filled to the brim, or is it completely overflowing all over the counter? That's unfortunately where most people are these days, and a filled to the brim schedule can be just as messy. Hidden in the metaphor is a new way to look at the half-full versus half-empty question. We also discuss the implementation of simple solutions when it comes to data management and work flow. Bells and whistles are great sometimes, but nothing beats beats simple and effective.  Some people look at an eight-ounce cup with four ounces of water as being half full. We call them optimists. They see four ounces of water as more than nothing and that's a good thing. On the other hand, some people see it as half empty. We usually call them pessimists. We call them that because we assume that a full cup is an ideal situation, and anyone who sees the cup as less than that must have a negative mindset. What if, instead, we think of a different way to measure? What if we think differently about a half-empty cup. Here's why it matters: A lot of us are walking around trying to fit 10 ounces of life into our eight-ounce cups--metaphorically speaking--and we're mostly just making a mess. We end up spilling on those around us because we can't possibly fit everything in our cup. At some point, it isn't complicated, it's just physics. Practically speaking, if your cup is completely full, you have zero margin and that's a bad thing. Margin is the difference between your capability and your responsibility. Or, said another way, it's the difference between the time and abilities, and the way you choose to spend them. If you have no margin, it means you have nothing left for anything else. That's what is so meaningful about the "cup-half-empty" rule. Having room in your cup means you have margin. Margin is breathing room. It gives you space to think and focus. It gives you the ability to be intentional about what you are doing. It even gives you a chance to do more--to do something new. The goal, then, is pretty simple. If you want to eliminate stress and be more productive at the things that are really important, you need to create margin in your life. You need to have some room so that you can yes when something comes along that would add value to your life. That means you need to get rid of some of what's already in your cup. That sounds easy, but the reality is, everything that's already in the cup got there for a reason. It's not as simple as saying no to the thing, you're also saying no to the reason it was there in the first place. Even if it's not easy, however, it's still important.  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

If your schedule was a glass of water would it be half-full, filled to the brim, or is it completely overflowing all over the counter? That's unfortunately where most people are these days, and a filled to the brim schedule can be just as messy. Hidden in the metaphor is a new way to look at the half-full versus half-empty question. We also discuss the implementation of simple solutions when it comes to data management and work flow. Bells and whistles are great sometimes, but nothing beats beats simple and effective. Some people look at an eight-ounce cup with four ounces of water as being half full. We call them optimists. They see four ounces of water as more than nothing and that's a good thing. On the other hand, some people see it as half empty. We usually call them pessimists. We call them that because we assume that a full cup is an ideal situation, and anyone who sees the cup as less than that must have a negative mindset. What if, instead, we think of a different way to measure? What if we think differently about a half-empty cup. Here's why it matters: A lot of us are walking around trying to fit 10 ounces of life into our eight-ounce cups--metaphorically speaking--and we're mostly just making a mess. We end up spilling on those around us because we can't possibly fit everything in our cup. At some point, it isn't complicated, it's just physics. Practically speaking, if your cup is completely full, you have zero margin and that's a bad thing. Margin is the difference between your capability and your responsibility. Or, said another way, it's the difference between the time and abilities, and the way you choose to spend them. If you have no margin, it means you have nothing left for anything else. That's what is so meaningful about the "cup-half-empty" rule. Having room in your cup means you have margin. Margin is breathing room. It gives you space to think and focus. It gives you the ability to be intentional about what you are doing. It even gives you a chance to do more--to do something new. The goal, then, is pretty simple. If you want to eliminate stress and be more productive<a href="https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/googles-3-word-plan-to-help-employees-avoid-burnout-is-so-simple-you-should-steal-it.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>at the things that are really important, you need to create margin in your life. You need to have some room so that you can yes when something comes along that would add value to your life. That means you need to get rid of some of what's already in your cup. That sounds easy, but the reality is, everything that's already in the cup got there for a reason. It's not as simple as saying no to the thing, you're also saying no to the reason it was there in the first place. Even if it's not easy, however, it's still important. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/7/22

Whether you realize it or not, people buy your product or service based on feelings. It is the most important factor actually. There are plenty of companies out there that offer the same product or process we offer here, but our people is what makes the difference. The team here, specifically Gina and Lisa, make our clients FEEL valued and taken care of. Instead of focusing on how you can up-sell a client, focus on up-servicing them instead. The return on investment for how you make someone feel about your company is almost impossible to calculate. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

Whether you realize it or not, people buy your product or service based on feelings. It is the most important factor actually. There are plenty of companies out there that offer the same product or process we offer here, but our people is what makes the difference. The team here, specifically Gina and Lisa, make our clients FEEL valued and taken care of. Instead of focusing on how you can up-sell a client, focus on up-servicing them instead. The return on investment for how you make someone feel about your company is almost impossible to calculate. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/4/22

Very few things, if anything, are more stressful as a business owner than not having the money in the bank to cover payroll, pay bills, etc. More than 60% of small business owners say they’ve experienced cash flow challenges, according to recent research by QuickBooks. Today's episode is all about the habits and procedures you can put in place to help alleviate some of those cash flow challenges. At the top we talk about the importance of submitting deposit and progress invoices, and then discuss a new feature that QuickBooks has announced to help small businesses feeling the cash flow crunch.   In a perfect world, you would get paid upfront for every invoice and avoid stressful cash flow shortages. In the real world, you can request Get Paid Upfront—a new invoice financing tool available through QuickBooks®. Get Paid Upfront is an invoice financing tool that allows you to request earlier access to invoiced funds by receiving an advance on your unpaid invoices. Eligible QuickBooks Payments customers can request Get Paid Upfront for qualifying invoices. If approved, Get Paid Upfront provides you with early access to invoiced funds. When your client pays their invoice with QuickBooks Payments, the money is applied to the outstanding balance of the financed invoice—no forms, no extra work, and no hassle. The invoice advance is interest-free for the first 30 days. If the invoice is paid within 30 days through QuickBooks Payments using ACH or credit card payment, you won’t be charged any payment processing fees. If the invoice advance isn’t repaid within 30 days, the outstanding balance will begin to accrue interest on day 31. You can repay the total financed invoice in 12 monthly installments at a fixed interest rate as outlined in your borrower agreement. You can prepay your loan in full or in part without being charged any prepayment penalties. No late fees are charged for Get Paid Upfront. Once you’ve accepted an approved Get Paid Upfront offer, you’ll receive a deposit of 97% of the invoice amount into the business bank account provided in your application. The money should appear in your account within a few business days. You can access a total credit limit up to $30k in funds on one or more qualifying invoices. The maximum invoice amount for each qualifying invoice is $10k. Get Paid Upfront is a fast solution for your immediate cash flow problems. Just pay a 3% loan fee per invoice financed, plus any interest that accrues after the first 30 days. As always, Get Paid Upfront is completely confidential to your customers, so you can keep running your business knowing QuickBooks is helping behind the scenes.  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

Very few things, if anything, are more stressful as a business owner than not having the money in the bank to cover payroll, pay bills, etc. More than 60% of small business owners say they’ve experienced cash flow challenges, according to recent research by QuickBooks. Today's episode is all about the habits and procedures you can put in place to help alleviate some of those cash flow challenges. At the top we talk about the importance of submitting deposit and progress invoices, and then discuss a new feature that QuickBooks has announced to help small businesses feeling the cash flow crunch.  In a perfect world, you would get paid upfront for every invoice and avoid stressful cash flow shortages. In the real world, you can request Get Paid Upfront—a new invoice financing tool available through QuickBooks®. Get Paid Upfront is an invoice financing tool that allows you to request earlier access to invoiced funds by receiving an advance on your unpaid invoices. Eligible QuickBooks Payments customers can request Get Paid Upfront for qualifying invoices. If approved, Get Paid Upfront provides you with early access to invoiced funds. When your client pays their invoice with QuickBooks Payments, the money is applied to the outstanding balance of the financed invoice—no forms, no extra work, and no hassle. The invoice advance is interest-free for the first 30 days. If the invoice is paid within 30 days through QuickBooks Payments using ACH or credit card payment, you won’t be charged any payment processing fees. If the invoice advance isn’t repaid within 30 days, the outstanding balance will begin to accrue interest on day 31. You can repay the total financed invoice in 12 monthly installments at a fixed interest rate as outlined in your borrower agreement. You can prepay your loan in full or in part without being charged any prepayment penalties. No late fees are charged for Get Paid Upfront. Once you’ve accepted an approved Get Paid Upfront offer, you’ll receive a deposit of 97% of the invoice amount into the business bank account provided in your application. The money should appear in your account within a few business days. You can access a total credit limit up to $30k in funds on one or more qualifying invoices. The maximum invoice amount for each qualifying invoice is $10k. Get Paid Upfront is a fast solution for your immediate cash flow problems. Just pay a 3% loan fee per invoice financed, plus any interest that accrues after the first 30 days. As always, Get Paid Upfront is completely confidential to your customers, so you can keep running your business knowing QuickBooks is helping behind the scenes. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 3/2/22

Happy Monday! Today's episode is all about avoiding or at least identifying and addressing burnout. If you work too long, too hard, or if you genuinely don't like the work you do, you'll eventually be at risk of burning out. You can think of burnout as a kind of rock bottom for your disposition toward your job, and possibly your entire career. We also discuss how matching your skillset to your core values and your "why" can lead to a much happier set of circumstances.   People who are burned out find it extremely difficult to even show up to work-- let alone do their best at the job. Once you reach this point, you might start disappointing your team or suffer catastrophic losses in your business-- or you might be so fed up that you abandon your company entirely. These are some of the most common warning signs of burnout: Physical and mental exhaustion. One of the hallmark symptoms of burnout is physical and mental exhaustion. Even after a whole night of sleep, you feel tired in the morning. Your muscles may be sore or feel fatigued. You may find it harder to concentrate in meetings or pay attention to people when they're speaking to you, just because you don't have the energy.  Workplace dread. Most of us have some kind of love-hate relationship with our jobs. If you find yourself completely dreading the workplace and resenting the fact that you have to go into the office every morning, you might be on the path to burnout. You shouldn't dread your workplace, or your employees, or the work you do. Hair loss. If you're so stressed that you're starting to lose your hair, there's no reason to continue in your current line of work with your current set of responsibilities. Irritability. People at the highest risk of burnout tend to be extremely irritable. Their moods can change at the drop of a hat and they might blow up at somebody or even the smallest infraction. Performance decline. With all the other effects, it shouldn't be a surprise to learn that burnout is also associated with a decline in your performance. You're not as productive or as competitive as you used to be. Chronic anxiety. Do you feel excessive anxiety, even when you've left the workplace for the day? If so, you should be even more concerned about the potential for burnout. So what should you do if you notice any of these warning signs? Here are some suggestions: Don't be afraid to set stricter boundaries. If you don't want to be expected to respond to emails Saturday morning, say so. If your workload is excessive and it's causing you too much stress, delegate some of your tasks. Take time away from your job. Doing so can help you relax and destress and come back to your position feeling refreshed. Depending on the severity of your burnout symptoms, that might mean taking a long weekend or taking a full vacation. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you take care of yourself. Don't take time off from work only to overwhelm yourself with personal responsibilities. Relax, spend time with family, and do things that you genuinely enjoy doing. You'll be better off for it.  ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

Happy Monday! Today's episode is all about avoiding or at least identifying and addressing burnout. If you work too long, too hard, or if you genuinely don't like the work you do, you'll eventually be at risk of burning out. You can think of burnout as a kind of rock bottom for your disposition toward your job, and possibly your entire career. We also discuss how matching your skillset to your core values and your "why" can lead to a much happier set of circumstances.  People who are burned out find it extremely difficult to even show up to work-- let alone do their best at the job. Once you reach this point, you might start disappointing your team or suffer catastrophic losses in your business-- or you might be so fed up that you abandon your company entirely. These are some of the most common warning signs of burnout: Physical and mental exhaustion. One of the hallmark symptoms of burnout is physical and mental exhaustion. Even after a whole night of sleep, you feel tired in the morning. Your muscles may be sore or feel fatigued. You may find it harder to concentrate in meetings or pay attention to people when they're speaking to you, just because you don't have the energy.  Workplace dread. Most of us have some kind of love-hate relationship with our jobs. If you find yourself completely dreading the workplace and resenting the fact that you have to go into the office every morning, you might be on the path to burnout. You shouldn't dread your workplace, or your employees, or the work you do. Hair loss. If you're so stressed that you're starting to lose your hair, there's no reason to continue in your current line of work with your current set of responsibilities. Irritability. People at the highest risk of burnout tend to be extremely irritable. Their moods can change at the drop of a hat and they might blow up at somebody or even the smallest infraction. Performance decline. With all the other effects, it shouldn't be a surprise to learn that burnout is also associated with a decline in your performance. You're not as productive or as competitive as you used to be. Chronic anxiety. Do you feel excessive anxiety, even when you've left the workplace for the day? If so, you should be even more concerned about the potential for burnout. So what should you do if you notice any of these warning signs? Here are some suggestions: Don't be afraid to set stricter boundaries. If you don't want to be expected to respond to emails Saturday morning, say so. If your workload is excessive and it's causing you too much stress, delegate some of your tasks. Take time away from your job. Doing so can help you relax and destress and come back to your position feeling refreshed. Depending on the severity of your burnout symptoms, that might mean taking a long weekend or taking a full vacation. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you take care of yourself. Don't take time off from work only to overwhelm yourself with personal responsibilities. Relax, spend time with family, and do things that you genuinely enjoy doing. You'll be better off for it. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 2/28/22

The costs associated with recruiting and training a new employee can be significant, especially for roles that require more experience. This even more true now because of the difficulty many employers are experiencing when trying to fill open positions. That's why retaining your employees is so important right now. Today we discuss some warning signs that an employee is about to leave—and what you can do about it. Big thank you to Gina for sharing today's topic!  The warning signs: Decline in work quality and/or quantity. Your employee's track record has always been to show up early, stay late, and crank out stellar work. While there may have been small dips in their performance here and there, this is different. Now you're seeing that while their work isn't exactly subpar, it's not up to their usual standards. You're concerned because you've noticed their work effort has declined recently. Lack of interest in high-profile work. Many top performers like to be part of high-profile projects and teams. If an employee shows a lack of interest, after wanting to get involved in projects in the past, it could be a sign that they don't see themselves working for you long-term. Dip in engagement. At staff meetings, they may have less input than before, or perhaps their contributions have been more superficial lately. They may also seem less interested in going out to lunch with colleagues or attending company functions than in the past. More friction. An employee who typically gets along with colleagues is suddenly becoming difficult to work with. The employee may be complaining a lot more than usual, perhaps about minor things that have always been a part of their job. Action Plan: Be proactive. While a certain amount of turnover is inevitable, there are steps you can take to help improve retention before these warning signs appear. Administering employee surveys and conducting exit interviews with departing employees can help you assess employee satisfaction and engagement over your entire workforce. This will allow you to course-correct if needed. A growing number of employers are also conducting "stay interviews," During such interviews, you ask current employees questions that address both why they're loyal to the company (an indication of what you should keep doing) and why they may consider leaving (an indication of what changes may need to be made). Don't make assumptions. If you notice any changes to an employee's work performance or attitude, don't assume you know the cause. While the above warning signs could reflect that the employee plans to leave, it could also mean there's something else going on. Meet with the employee. Schedule a meeting with the employee in private. Start the meeting by expressing your appreciation for their contributions and be straightforward. Let them know that you've noticed changes in their performance and/or attitude and give examples. Ask if there's anything you can do to help and then give them an opportunity to speak. Listen to the employee. If the employee reveals that they are in fact considering a job elsewhere or are otherwise planning to quit, ask them if there's anything you could do to keep them onboard. Consider your options. Assess your options for addressing what the employee needs in order to stay with your company. Think about the whole picture, including the employee's value and potential cost to your company. Follow up. Schedule a follow-up meeting with the employee and talk about options to help improve engagement.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

The costs associated with recruiting and training a new employee can be significant, especially for roles that require more experience. This even more true now because of the difficulty many employers are experiencing when trying to fill open positions. That's why retaining your employees is so important right now. Today we discuss some warning signs that an employee is about to leave—and what you can do about it. Big thank you to Gina for sharing today's topic!  The warning signs: Decline in work quality and/or quantity. Your employee's track record has always been to show up early, stay late, and crank out stellar work. While there may have been small dips in their performance here and there, this is different. Now you're seeing that while their work isn't exactly subpar, it's not up to their usual standards. You're concerned because you've noticed their work effort has declined recently. Lack of interest in high-profile work. Many top performers like to be part of high-profile projects and teams. If an employee shows a lack of interest, after wanting to get involved in projects in the past, it could be a sign that they don't see themselves working for you long-term. Dip in engagement. At staff meetings, they may have less input than before, or perhaps their contributions have been more superficial lately. They may also seem less interested in going out to lunch with colleagues or attending company functions than in the past. More friction. An employee who typically gets along with colleagues is suddenly becoming difficult to work with. The employee may be complaining a lot more than usual, perhaps about minor things that have always been a part of their job. Action Plan: Be proactive. While a certain amount of turnover is inevitable, there are steps you can take to help improve retention before these warning signs appear. Administering employee surveys and conducting exit interviews with departing employees can help you assess employee satisfaction and engagement over your entire workforce. This will allow you to course-correct if needed. A growing number of employers are also conducting "stay interviews," During such interviews, you ask current employees questions that address both why they're loyal to the company (an indication of what you should keep doing) and why they may consider leaving (an indication of what changes may need to be made). Don't make assumptions. If you notice any changes to an employee's work performance or attitude, don't assume you know the cause. While the above warning signs could reflect that the employee plans to leave, it could also mean there's something else going on. Meet with the employee. Schedule a meeting with the employee in private. Start the meeting by expressing your appreciation for their contributions and be straightforward. Let them know that you've noticed changes in their performance and/or attitude and give examples. Ask if there's anything you can do to help and then give them an opportunity to speak. Listen to the employee. If the employee reveals that they are in fact considering a job elsewhere or are otherwise planning to quit, ask them if there's anything you could do to keep them onboard. Consider your options. Assess your options for addressing what the employee needs in order to stay with your company. Think about the whole picture, including the employee's value and potential cost to your company. Follow up. Schedule a follow-up meeting with the employee and talk about options to help improve engagement.--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 2/25/22

At the top of today's episode, Dan shares an app that can help anyone struggling with integrating journaling into their routine like he was. The practice of writing out your thoughts, gratitude, goals, etc. each day is something done by some of the most successful people in the world. It does not come easily for some people though. Next we take a quiz on critical thinking, which is about asking the right questions, challenging assumptions, seeing more angles and being aware of thinking biases. Some really clever questions in this one!   1. A mother reads a scientific study that 17-year-old boys in the U.S. have fewer automobile accidents per 1,000 trips than 16-year-old boys. This prompts her to wait a year before letting her just 16-year-old son drive, to make him safer. Is her reasoning correct? We don't know if the driving improvement is due to 17-year-olds being more mature or due to them having on extra year of driving experience under their belts. If the latter, waiting a year won't help. Probably both effects operate, so waiting may be wise. Lesson: Always consider multiple hypotheses when explaining a fact. 2. You play a game of tennis against a slightly better opponent and decide to put some money on the match. You are both equally fit in terms of stamina and physical endurance. Are your chances of winning the match the same whether you play just one set or the best out of three? The longer you play, the more the final result will conform to the law of averages. Since this favors the better tennis player, your chances decline if you play three sets. If you were to play Roger Federer, say, your best chance to beat him is to play just one point and hope he misses. Lesson: Lay your bets according to the underlying statistics; consider base rates. The race may not always go to strongest or fastest, but that is nonetheless the way to bet. 3. Several studies about the benefit of bicycle helmets have shown that fewer severe head injuries occur - for most kind of falls or spills - if you are wearing a helmet. Does it follow therefore that making helmet use mandatory will further reduce head injuries in cycling? Over the decades, helmet use has increased in the U.S. but head injuries did not decline as much as expect. Possible explanations include: improved bikes make riders go faster; wearing a helmet creates a false sense of security and more risk-taking on the road riders wear their helmets incorrectly; the type of people riding bikes may have shifted; traffic and road conditions may have changed. Experts especially blame the false sense of security that helmets give to bikers and car drivers. Lesson: Look for unintended consequences that may undermine your initial goal. 4. During the early part of World War II, many English bombers were being shot down by the Germans. To reduce their high casualty rate, the Royal Air Force decided to reinforce its bombers with armor. But where? Their statistical analysis of the bullet holes in planes that returned revealed a very uneven pattern of locations where planes had been hit. Should the RAF reinforce its bombers where bullet holes were most numerous, evenly throughout the plane, or elsewhere? The initial thinking was to reinforce the areas with the most bullet holes. But when statistician Abraham Wald examined the surviving bombers for damage patterns, he came to a different conclusion. He reasoned that the surviving planes had not been damaged fatally by the random bullets and thus suggested reinforcing in places showing the fewest bullet holes. These were the most vulnerable, he argued, since few bombers apparently survived those bullet shots. The RAF followed his counter-intuitive advice and improved the survival rate of its bombers and crews. Lesson 7: Ask what data you aren't seeing and why; there could be a selection bias, in this case known as a survivorship bias.   ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

At the top of today's episode, Dan shares an app that can help anyone struggling with integrating journaling into their routine like he was. The practice of writing out your thoughts, gratitude, goals, etc. each day is something done by some of the most successful people in the world. It does not come easily for some people though. Next we take a quiz on critical thinking, which is about asking the right questions, challenging assumptions, seeing more angles and being aware of thinking biases. Some really clever questions in this one!  1. A mother reads a scientific study that 17-year-old boys in the U.S. have fewer automobile accidents per 1,000 trips than 16-year-old boys. This prompts her to wait a year before letting her just 16-year-old son drive, to make him safer. Is her reasoning correct? We don't know if the driving improvement is due to 17-year-olds being more mature or due to them having on extra year of driving experience under their belts. If the latter, waiting a year won't help. Probably both effects operate, so waiting may be wise. Lesson: Always consider multiple hypotheses when explaining a fact. 2. You play a game of tennis against a slightly better opponent and decide to put some money on the match. You are both equally fit in terms of stamina and physical endurance. Are your chances of winning the match the same whether you play just one set or the best out of three? The longer you play, the more the final result will conform to the law of averages. Since this favors the better tennis player, your chances decline if you play three sets. If you were to play Roger Federer, say, your best chance to beat him is to play just one point and hope he misses. Lesson: Lay your bets according to the underlying statistics; consider base rates. The race may not always go to strongest or fastest, but that is nonetheless the way to bet. 3. Several studies about the benefit of bicycle helmets have shown that fewer severe head injuries occur - for most kind of falls or spills - if you are wearing a helmet. Does it follow therefore that making helmet use mandatory will further reduce head injuries in cycling? Over the decades, helmet use has increased in the U.S. but head injuries did not decline as much as expect. Possible explanations include: improved bikes make riders go faster; wearing a helmet creates a false sense of security and more risk-taking on the road riders wear their helmets incorrectly; the type of people riding bikes may have shifted; traffic and road conditions may have changed. Experts especially blame the false sense of security that helmets give to bikers and car drivers. Lesson: Look for unintended consequences that may undermine your initial goal. 4. During the early part of World War II, many English bombers were being shot down by the Germans. To reduce their high casualty rate, the Royal Air Force decided to reinforce its bombers with armor. But where? Their statistical analysis of the bullet holes in planes that returned revealed a very uneven pattern of locations where planes had been hit. Should the RAF reinforce its bombers where bullet holes were most numerous, evenly throughout the plane, or elsewhere? The initial thinking was to reinforce the areas with the most bullet holes. But when statistician Abraham Wald examined the surviving bombers for damage patterns, he came to a different conclusion. He reasoned that the surviving planes had not been damaged fatally by the random bullets and thus suggested reinforcing in places showing the fewest bullet holes. These were the most vulnerable, he argued, since few bombers apparently survived those bullet shots. The RAF followed his counter-intuitive advice and improved the survival rate of its bombers and crews. Lesson 7: Ask what data you aren't seeing and why; there could be a selection bias, in this case known as a survivorship bias. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 2/23/22

Everyone doubts their abilities now and again. That's normal. However, if you start to change the way you behave or lead your company as a result of such thoughts then it is a bigger issue that needs to be addressed. What you are describing is imposter syndrome, and it can have severely negative effects on your personal life and business. You need to believe in yourself and your capabilities in order to achieve your goals. It's not your luck, it's your talent.   Dictionary.com defines imposter syndrome as "anxiety or self-doubt that results from persistently undervaluing one's competence and active role in achieving success, while falsely attributing one's accomplishments to luck or other external forces." This issue affects business owners at all stages of growth and can be debilitating. It affects all people, not just business owners. Here are some examples of behaviors that are in indication you may be suffering from imposter syndrome. You Do Too Much As a business owner, your time is valuable and as such, you should be learning how to delegate lower-level tasks to give you more time to focus on higher-level tasks that will bring value to your business. But if you suffer from imposter syndrome, you may struggle with handing off tasks because you don't feel like your time is valuable. You struggle to see the value in your work and don't see a reason to delegate those smaller tasks to someone else on your team. These feelings can slow the growth of your business, and make it more difficult to lead your team. You Don't Celebrate Your Victories Another tell sign that you may be suffering from imposter syndrome is how you celebrate your success and victories. A leader understands the importance of celebrating their success along the way and will encourage others in the team to do the same. If you have doubt about your own abilities as a leader in your position and feel like any success that you experience is simply luck or due to external forces, then celebrating those victories seems ill-placed. You Need Validation A good leader will try to create a foundation for their business that doesn't need their constant input. They will train their team to keep the business up and running without their day-to-day attention. If you struggle with imposter syndrome, you may shy away from this idea because the more that your business needs you, the more validation you receive on a day-to-day basis. This constant need helps validate your place in the company and helps you (albeit momentarily) dismiss the thoughts that you are an imposter in your position.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

Everyone doubts their abilities now and again. That's normal. However, if you start to change the way you behave or lead your company as a result of such thoughts then it is a bigger issue that needs to be addressed. What you are describing is imposter syndrome, and it can have severely negative effects on your personal life and business. You need to believe in yourself and your capabilities in order to achieve your goals. It's not your luck, it's your talent.   <a href="http://Dictionary.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dictionary.com</a> defines imposter syndrome as "anxiety or self-doubt that results from persistently undervaluing one's competence and active role in achieving success, while falsely attributing one's accomplishments to luck or other external forces." This issue affects business owners at all stages of growth and can be debilitating. It affects all people, not just business owners. Here are some examples of behaviors that are in indication you may be suffering from imposter syndrome. You Do Too Much As a business owner, your time is valuable and as such, you should be learning how to delegate lower-level tasks to give you more time to focus on higher-level tasks that will bring value to your business. But if you suffer from imposter syndrome, you may struggle with handing off tasks because you don't feel like your time is valuable. You struggle to see the value in your work and don't see a reason to delegate those smaller tasks to someone else on your team. These feelings can slow the growth of your business, and make it more difficult to lead your team. You Don't Celebrate Your Victories Another tell sign that you may be suffering from imposter syndrome is how you celebrate your success and victories. A leader understands the importance of celebrating their success along the way and will encourage others in the team to do the same. If you have doubt about your own abilities as a leader in your position and feel like any success that you experience is simply luck or due to external forces, then celebrating those victories seems ill-placed. You Need Validation A good leader will try to create a foundation for their business that doesn't need their constant input. They will train their team to keep the business up and running without their day-to-day attention. If you struggle with imposter syndrome, you may shy away from this idea because the more that your business needs you, the more validation you receive on a day-to-day basis. This constant need helps validate your place in the company and helps you (albeit momentarily) dismiss the thoughts that you are an imposter in your position.--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 2/21/22

Ever hear the saying "Nice guys finish last?" Apparently it is not entirely true. At least according to Andrew Whitworth of the Los Angeles Rams who credits their organizational cultural as a big reason why the team won. What Andrew describes is the rule of positive psychology, and it doesn't only work for NFL teams, it can work for yours too! Today we share some rules on how to cultivate it in your company. During the Super Bowl LVI postgame interviews most players gave the usual typical responses like "I knew this was a special team," but Andrew Whitworth had a different take. He had this to say: "I think this is a unique environment," Whitworth said in a postgame interview, speaking about the culture Rams coach Sean Mcvay and his staff have built. "We're relaxed. We have fun. It's energetic. We don't have coaches out there screaming at people. That's not allowed on our field. It's about having energy and positivity and belief that no matter what happens on one snap, the next snap's the next best one you can have. I think guys come in, they believe in it and they appreciate that opportunity to be in an environment where they're encouraged to just be themselves and go out and do what they do." The rule of positive psychology is simple. It basically states: When you build an environment focused on nurture, positive reinforcement, and highlighting strengths and potential, you help people to be the best version of themselves. But how do you follow the rule of positive psychology in your organization? It's easier said than done, but you can start by implementing a few more rules at your workplace. For example: The help first rule: If you're in a difficult situation, and you notice someone else is too, try helping first. The rule of recognition: Your default setting is to focus on what a person does right, and make a point to commend the person for those positive actions, sincerely and specifically. The rule of turning critical into constructive: Transform your critical feedback by adding one word. Ask: "Can I share some constructive feedback with you?" The rule of reappraisal: When you feel overwhelmed, don't focus on what you have ahead of you. Instead, look back on what you already accomplished, and use that to motivate you.   ---   Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message

Ever hear the saying "Nice guys finish last?" Apparently it is not entirely true. At least according to Andrew Whitworth of the Los Angeles Rams who credits their organizational cultural as a big reason why the team won. What Andrew describes is the rule of positive psychology, and it doesn't only work for NFL teams, it can work for yours too! Today we share some rules on how to cultivate it in your company. During the Super Bowl LVI postgame interviews most players gave the usual typical responses like "I knew this was a special team," but Andrew Whitworth had a different take. He had this to say: "I think this is a unique environment," Whitworth said in a postgame interview, speaking about the culture Rams coach Sean Mcvay and his staff have built. "We're relaxed. We have fun. It's energetic. We don't have coaches out there screaming at people. That's not allowed on our field. It's about having energy and positivity and belief that no matter what happens on one snap, the next snap's the next best one you can have. I think guys come in, they believe in it and they appreciate that opportunity to be in an environment where they're encouraged to just be themselves and go out and do what they do." The rule of positive psychology is simple. It basically states: When you build an environment focused on nurture, positive reinforcement, and highlighting strengths and potential, you help people to be the best version of themselves. But how do you follow the rule of positive psychology in your organization? It's easier said than done, but you can start by implementing a few more rules at your workplace. For example: The help first rule: If you're in a difficult situation, and you notice someone else is too, try helping first. The rule of recognition: Your default setting is to focus on what a person does right, and make a point to commend the person for those positive actions, sincerely and specifically. The rule of turning critical into constructive: Transform your critical feedback by adding one word. Ask: "Can I share some constructive feedback with you?" The rule of reappraisal: When you feel overwhelmed, don't focus on what you have ahead of you. Instead, look back on what you already accomplished, and use that to motivate you. --- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/bcbo/message</a>

BCBO Podcast 2/18/22

The Blue Collar Back Office Podcast

The best podcast episodes on global issues affecting everyone. Covering topics such as the #metoo movement, climate change, the impact of technology and some of the biggest global issues facing us right now. For anyone interested in learning more about the world, and some of the issues we're facing, pick an episode below and start listening! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes on Global Issues

The best podcasts about ourselves as well as the world through the lense of Science. Specific topics include things about our brain, emotions to biology, physics and more!