Fresh Eyes Financial Coaching Pty Ltd

I’m the featured member of the week! Yippee! If you are interested in chatting with me more for how I can help you prior to end of financial year book a discovery call on my website or from my profile!

If you’d like to know more about our fun, energetic Wednesday crew - well you can book a discovery chat for that also!

Or of course you can phone me!

Happy Friday legends!

📣 INTRODUCING…JAN BODE: our Business Financial Coach of the Chapter.

Jan is the Owner and Operater of Fresh Eyes Financial Coaching Pty Ltd and also the Treasurer & Secretary for this term.

A born and bred Queenslander, Jan is a lover of dogs, red wine and gardening.

On a professional front, Jan helps business owners improve their profitability and get the business they want - not just persevere with the business they have ended up with!

With EOFY fast approaching, contact Jan to get a fresh set of eyes over your business finances!! 💰

Rather than me tell you what I did on the weekend... Can you guess?... Does this hiliarious lady look familiar?

Isn’t it funny… the stories we hold onto?

One of my clients started our first meeting with telling me how she was ‘no good with numbers’.

She told me she doesn’t think that way.

She told me she loves what she does but it isn’t all about the money.

She picked that story up somewhere along the line that she couldn’t be all these things.

In business we don’t need to ‘be hard’ to turn a healthy profit.

We don’t need to be solely profit-driven to be successful.

The problem is, if you tell yourself you are ‘no good with numbers’ it can have you stuck in a cycle of decision fatigue.

It can lead to exhaustion & burnout.

You may well be focused on the wrong things; not seeing the wood for the trees.

And it may have you believing that business had to be a struggle.

And you have to work hard to stop that little voice popping up – especially if you’ve told yourself that same thing all your life.

After our first few sessions she’s not looked back. The heart led business owner is still there – but so is the business acumen and numbers thinking. Financial decision making has become so much easier.

The help required is now much more structured and as time has gone on the confidence has transferred into making stronger decisions and ultimately business growth.

Knowing her numbers has been a game changer in her business.

It’s now both data and gut feel.

Because knowing your numbers, and making decisions, doesn’t have to be hard.

And it doesn't have to be hard for you.

If it’s possible for all the other people I’ve helped then it's possible for you too.

Business Growth can be fun; Success can be easy.

Business can be both fun and profitable.

And you deserve it to be.

Book a Discovery Call today and let’s empower you to move on from whatever story you are telling yourself!

What business growth skill are you working on mastering?

Thing you have too many of in the pantry? I'll share mine in the comments...

When you see a post on Facebook about someone's success with their business, it's all too easy to think it’s their industry, they were lucky, that you’ll never have that kind of success.

But what you don't see is the behind-the-scenes team that got them there.

Because if they’ve transformed their business from running at a loss to a raging success they have also learned how to successfully budget for their business, how to identify smart financial decisions and no doubt how to manage their cashflow.

Every successful business person had some kind of help. It’s SO RARE that someone has turned a business around totally by themselves – and it’s unlikely they didn’t struggle on the journey to a profitable, cashflow-positive business.

I know I've got an army of mentors, business besties and a support crew that have cheered me on to reach my goals.

Even self-made multi-millionaires such as Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht of Canva didn't do it solo!

If you want to learn how to improve your Business Profitability then I'd love to help you through!

Reach out for a Discovery Call today – links are in my Bio!

Remember that time I decided to hike Kokoda?

Yeah, it was a whole other level of discipline required...

Let's just say walking up and down hills all weekend in the leadup wasn't exactly my idea of a thrill ride.

It felt like I was stuck in a never-ending cycle of monotonous steps.

But then, something magical happened. (Okay, maybe not magical, but pretty close!)

I discovered a few ways to turn this whole hiking thing on its head and make it *whisper behind hand* fun!

Here's what I put into place:
• Set a routine & got the apps setup and the books downloaded! I broke it down into mini-challenges daily (yes Strava and it’s little trophies!) which meant I got that dopamine hit more often and it encouraged me to do it again and again every day before work!
• Invited others that love their hiking to join me & I updated them on my progress! Turns out, suffering through an all day hike is easier when you’re not doing it alone & you have accountability to others.
• Train Hard; hike easy - remember the bigger picture - my long-term aim was to walk Kokoka way easier than I walked the Inca Trail… and that makes it easier to continue to do the thing even when it’s hard RIGHT NOW… PS I walked it WAY easier than Inca… and no altitude sickness like I got there!

And it’s the same when you’re thinking about improving your business profitability.

It get boring and/or hard when you are busy, you have staff you need to constantly cover for/find/support and you are just so damn tired.

But what about if you broke it down into mini-challenges, got an accountability buddy and kept the long term goal in mind?

Improving your business profitability isn’t a “one and done” job. It’s an ongoing journey.

And if you want to make a step-change then you have to carry on, even when it’s hard and boring.

You have to find ways to love it and make it easier for yourself.

Feeling stuck? Reach out for a Discovery Call and we’ll talk about how working together ticks all the boxes!

I've had a lot of new followers recently so I thought I should introduce myself!

Hi, I'm Jan! I'm a lover of dogs, red wine & pottering in my garden! I'm a country girl born and bred in Queensland but have also travelled the world and worked across multiple industries whilst I’ve done that (beef cattle property to chemical manufacturing to business improvement).

I'm also a Business Financial Coach. That basically means I help business owners so they can improve their profitability and get the business they want – not just persevere with the business they have ended up with!

WHY? Because I used to be in a corporate environment and the people were wonderful and the experience was amazing but I love helping people where my skills are making a direct & tangible difference to their lives. For me it’s not about the dividends of shareholders – it’s about being able to afford to take the time to see your kids in their sport or take yourself on a holiday – or just not live to work.

The best way to get started and learn more about me? Check out my website & look back at my socials. You’ll learn more about what I do and why I do it.

Want to take the next step? DM me and we can have a chat.

This weekend I attended my first BNI National Conference in Cairns!

What a fabulous few days of meeting new people, building relationships, talking business, learning about all sorts of topics from AI to LinkedIn and gaining all sorts of gold nuggets along the way!

Thank you to all the presenters, the sponsors, the MC’s and those volunteers that were also in the background making it happen!

Thanks also to my fellow BNI Velocity teammates who were part of these awards! We three were both loud and proud to represent the BNI Velocity team in Cairns!

It was simply one of the friendliest environments I’ve ever witnessed for business networking – and I can already say next year in Brisbane is looking good!

How do I tell you I’m at a conference networking without telling you I’m networking?

True story!

Renee's testimonial is the sort of testimonial we dream of as small business owners. She's a joy to work with and she's built an incredible business right here in Townsville - with reach across the country and more!

As a sidenote I first met Renee as a participant on her Grant Writing course as I was starting my own business - check it out if you are interested in learning about it - I found I learned so much and it was of value to me from Day 1 - and still is now 3 years down the track!

Here's a little taster of the testimonial!

This makes me so proud of doing what I do.

The weather is just SUPERB up here right now!

What is your favourite thing to do in these type of conditions?

So my learned team... any ideas what this vine with the chilli-like 'fruit' is... 🧐😳 And if it's what I think it is... what's your best remedy to remove my garden of it?

Typical mistakes I see as people start their business journey.

Think of this post as your “don’t freak out guide” to business management.

The thing is, it’s kind of a rite of passage for you to totally metaphorically faceplant at a few things on your journey to running a profitable business.

So, if this has happened to you, I have only one thing to offer:

Congratulations!

You’ve made it. You are a true business owner now.

We’re a club of cool kids with some funny stories (at our own expense).

And if you haven’t yet unlocked this level of entrepreneurship don’t worry, yours is coming!

Just look at what could be in store…

Real-life mistakes I see:
• Errors in financial data which displays a business profit when really you are making a loss. And that actually makes more sense to you!
• Setting prices to ‘match the others’ without ensuring that the pricing works for YOU & what you offer!
• Not meeting your personal expectations of profitability – but not knowing if that’s a realistic expectation to begin with!
• Not considering Cashflow implications of each decision & then getting a nasty shock!
• Never looking at your financials – for me to discover opportunities within my first few minutes!

See? I told you - totally cool kids
You’re probably already a member of our club.

But also, a mistake isn’t really a fail, is it?

Every one of these people is actually doing the thing, making mistakes and learning. I reckon you learn more quickly by failing than you do by getting it right first time, every time.

That equals a win in our books.

A mistake here or there (or many) is just part of this wild business adventure, and I’m here for it and here for you.

If you feel like you need some help getting there faster though, reach out to me for a Discovery Call today!

7 steps to Starting a Business the Right Way!

1) Identify the market, the demand and your own niche.
2) Identify how much you want and need your business to pay you.
3) Build a Budget &/or Cashflow – does this fit your needs and expectations? If yes, move on to #4, if it’s ‘not quite’ what more can you do - and if it’s a hard no – go back to #1 & start over.
4) Decide on business name – & ensure it’s available per #5 or repeat this step.
5) Reserve the domains & pages on socials.
6) Decide on business structure; get your Insurance/s.
7) Build a Tribe both to support your skill-gaps and also to support you on the rollercoaster that is business startup.

Anyone that has started their own business knows it’s not all beer and skittles.

This is just touching the surface – but someone out there might just need to hear it!

Today is world cocktail day! What's your favourite cocktail?

What an absolute pleasure it's been to work with Josh, see his vision come to life as a sustainable successful business - and see him thrive within it!

There are plenty of successful businesses out there - reach out & DM me if you are looking to start one yourself and would like advice and support to get there!

Which of your personality traits has got you in the worst trouble?

Happy 2nd Birthday to Jack!
EDIT - Jack has declared it’s birthday WEEK and has brought his ball to bed!😬🤣

Jack was spoiled yesterday with experiences, food and cuddles!

It started with a walk to the park with his sister & then they shared a lovely cut of meat for breakfast followed by hanging out with mummy in the garden – which Jack loves!

After lunch was the biggg experience… having a long-awaited swim in the big peoples pool! It was epic and he didn’t want to get out… but he did - to play fetch!

Finally Jack enjoyed a leisurely laydown in the backyard surveying his kingdom.

He wrapped up the day with laying around demanding pats.

Jacks perfect day! Wish Jack a Happy Birthday & I promise to pass it on!

April round-up and May plans!

April
- So busy - thank you all so much for your support!
- I’ve had several clients thank me for me my diligence this month; a diligence that has found the errors in their financials that they ‘just knew’ weren’t quite right. A diligence that has cost them (in my time) but they have gained much more ultimately. 🌞
- I had a client finishing a Business Budget & Optimisation piece that has her saying “This is probably the best thing she’s ever done” for her business. 😍
- I had a once-off client with the most intriguing business that she’s grown around study commitments – and she’s soooo excited for what she can achieve now we’ve planned out the financial direction – and so am I! 🔥
- The weather has changed here and the flowers are out in my special tree! Thus the lorikeets are drunk on the flowers & happily swinging off the branches and chirping away! It’s a lovely sound to work to!

May
- May is looking to be just as busy starting with an annual catchup with a client who’s had a bumper first year in business! I can’t wait to look ahead at Year #2!
- I’m working with a couple of new clients – with entirely different businesses – on their cashflow. My focus for each is ultimately reducing the rollercoaster they have been experiencing as we navigate their individual circumstances to find a solution that works for each of them.
- Work with a client on mitigating cashflow risks on their major contract. Sometimes this is exactly where analysis takes us; it’s not all numbers! Strategy counts too!
- Jack’s 2nd birthday (already)! His party will have something to do with water! This puppy is water-obsessed!
- A late gardening catchup putting together some veggie beds and getting the soil ready for a bumper year next year!

Chalk Paint Workshops🎨

Our Chalk Paint Workshop covers the basics of the Annie Sloan Method and her signature two colour distressing.

All you need to bring is a small piece of furniture. Learn to use the best paint in the world and create your own:-

🎨 One-colour clear wax look / whitewashing
🎨 Two-colour distressed look dark wax
🎨 Stencil Design

All painting and wax equipment, brushes and stencils are supplied. Purchases on the day get a 10% discount.

OUR NEXT WORKSHOP IS SUNDAY 5TH MAY

OUR UPCOMING WORKSHOP DATES:
Sunday 19th May
Sunday 2nd June

Book your spot in our next Chalk Paint Workshop NOW:
https://www.gaysha.com.au/products/introduction-to-chalk-paint-workshop

BUY YOUR LOVED ONE A FUN DAY AND A NEW ADDICTION!
Buy them Workshop Gift Voucher. 😍
https://www.gaysha.com.au/products/gaysha-gift-card-copy

STUCK FOR GIFT IDEAS? Why not grab one of our Gift Vouchers you can buy them in $20, $50 or $100 values.
https://www.gaysha.com.au/collections/gift-vouchers

For more information give us a call on 07 4420 1471 or email [email protected]

Inflated Profit of $54k

When Bec* first came to see me she wasn’t struggling but inching toward where she wanted to be.

She was ready to expand in fact – but had a niggling doubt and a friend of hers referred her to me.

- We talked about goals.
- We talked about the plan for the future year and started putting a few of the bones in place for a Budget.

Until I looked under the bonnet…. And I saw 🚩🚩🚩.

I saw that things were not as they seemed and may in fact be wayyyy out of kilter.

She didn’t sign the expansion paperwork.

Instead she asked me to fix the issues and we communicated as I went through and found the issue went way back.

Wayyyyy back.

Income was inflated, Profit was inflated, GST was inflated.

The difference was substantial.

She changed tax accountants and everything was resubmitted.

And she thanked me.

🔥She thanked me for saving her from expanding on false numbers.
🔥She thanked me for helping her to identify what was truly happening in her business.

It hurt but she learned.

Business is not always moving forwards.

Sometimes it’s forwards, sideways or a little backwards.

However if you learn from the experience you will be that much stronger for it – and you’ll get closer to your numbers, you’ll build a team around you and you’ll trust that nagging ‘gut feeling’ that something really isn’t right.

Reach out if you have that same feeling and need someone to help you navigate what might be happening ‘under the bonnet’.

We usually think that to have a successful business that we have to constantly be growing & reaching for more; continually onward & upward.

But the truth is that success is hardly ever measured in a straight line.

Usually what happens is that you:
🙋Get so focussed on one thing that you drop the other things.
🙋Get so busy doing the ‘fun’ things you never quite get to the strategic work.
🙋Concentrate purely on bringing in the revenue.

Sometimes, moving backwards or sideways can be one of the best ways to make progress towards what we actually want.

Sounds counterintuitive, but stay with me. Because we’re about to make good use of the negative self-talk we both know you indulge in!

We can train our mind to be ok with challenges like this BEFORE they happen.

The goal is to imagine the negative things that could happen, things that might throw us off course or cause us to throw it all away.

This is because when you imagine these scenarios, you can put a plan in place to navigate them. You become a risk mitigation expert!

Here are a few risk mitigation questions you can use:

📌What are the potential consequences of overlooking your cashflow management?
What issues could emerge if unexpected expenses arise? How might a lack of cashflow forecasting impact you paying wages or the power bill?

📌How prepared is your business for a further economic downturn? What steps have you taken to mitigate the risk of further interest rate rises or further inflationary rises?

📌What are the implications of an impact on your supply chain? How would delays in the supply chain impact revenue streams? Have you assessed the financial stability & reliability of key suppliers to mitigate the risk of disruptions/bankruptcies?

In the midst of these types of disaster scenarios are some of the answers you need to improve your agility & reduce fear.

The trick is that you HAVE to answer the questions with a constructive answer that will move you forward.

Because you’ve already faced and decided how to move through these things, you’ll be better equipped for the long haul.

“There is no harm in hoping for the best as long as you are prepared for the worst" Stephen King

How are you doing today?

I'm thinking of my mate currently having a double mastectomy for breast cancer. She's caught it by chance. She's my age. Get checked peeps.

Just for fun: name something that runs but doesn’t have legs.

At the Going Down of the Sun and in the Morning,
We Will Remember Them.

Lest We Forget