One Step Better Podcast

Do you have a pulse on your team? Are your meetings purposeful and efficient? Today, Matt and Mike discuss the importance of regular check-ins and one-on-ones with your team members. Listen in for some tips on how to start your 2024 meeting cadences well!

"If I made all that money, why don't I have anything in my bank account?"

We hear this question often. The truth is, keeping track of where your money is and where it's going can be complicated for most business owners. Without an accountant-mindset and a system for keeping track of your dollars, money is elusive.

Join Matt & Mike this week to discuss some key money management habits for business owners as they dive into some Profit First philosophies that can help set your business up for success.

It's the new year, it's a new start! As you're setting goals for your business, it's only right to take some time to look inward as well.

Season 3 begins with our Habits of a Good Business Leader series where Matt and Mike discuss actionable steps you can take to become an even better leader.

This week, join the conversation on personal development, the ways Matt and Mike better themselves, and how to create a culture where your employees want to be the same.

SUBSCRIBE and LIKE-- This helps us reach more business leaders like you.

This week, Mike and Matt discuss the pitfall of making short-sighted decisions. Yes, hiring the overdramatic waiter will be a short-term solution to your staffing problem. Unfortunately, it could also mean frustrated managers, exasperated staff, and your fair share of bad Google Reviews. Tune in to hear about how you can approach decisions like this and more on this week’s episode of the One Step Better Podcast!

Goal-setting — it’s the necessary, often dreaded, foundation-laying that always happens this time of year. But many of us make those goals only to lose focus a few weeks later. 

As a business owner, this can’t happen. You’re responsible for not only your own success, but the success of your business and all the people that depend on it. So how can you set goals in a way that keeps you on track to meet them? Tune in to hear small business owner Matt Patrick share his strategy for goal setting in 2024. 

Patrick Accounting is turning 20, so this week we get to hear from the owner and founder himself, Matt Patrick. Matt started the firm out of our house and never dreamed of what it might become. Tune in to hear his story and help us celebrate two decades of dedication, passion for purpose, and a whole lot of fun!

Budgets are the map and the guardrails for a successful business. Knowing how to establish a realistic one, however, is no easy task. Tune in today to hear Matt & Mike discuss the best ways to get your budget on track so you can be set up for success in the new year!

#smallbusiness #businessbudget #budget #entrepreneurship #businessleadership

We'll be back next week with our regular programming. Until then, enjoy turkey day!

What’s YOUR favorite AI tool?? 


Keeping up with all the emerging tech is a full-time job, and if you’re working at a small business, it’s likely you’re already doing more than one full-time job :) Join Matt and Mike to hear about some of their favorite tech implementations for small businesses from this past year, as well as how they go about reviewing and implementing them with the team.

SUBSCRIBE and LIKE ^^^

#smallbusiness #technology #ai #companyculture

Do you think we'll live to see the day when no paper is used in the business setting? Join Matt and Mike to ponder this question and talk through some best practices for managing the "paperwork" you use in your office.

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE and LIKE!

#businessleadership #smallbusiness #paper #processes

Tech is always changing, but change is hard. As a business leader, it’s crucial to stay up to date and efficient with your softwares & processes, but how can you get your employees to buy in when a change is made? Join Matt and Mike to hear about the mistakes they’ve made with managing technology transitions, as well as the key steps they take today to make sure the team is on board. 

Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode!

When an issue arises in your business, what tends to be the cause? Who - or what - do you address first? It can sometimes be tricky to figure out the source of an issue, but Matt & Mike believe it comes down to one of these three things: people, process, or tools/tech. Join the conversation today to hear them discuss where to start when problems arise. 

Which is most important to have in an employee - technical expertise or interpersonal abilities?

The debate between "soft" skills and "hard" skills has long presented a struggle to employers and leadership teams as they develop their hiring and training practices. With limited time to train and develop, is one truly more important than the other?

Listen in to hear Matt and Mike discuss the mistakes they've made with employee development, as well as share some ideas about how you can find a balance in your training practices.

Everyone says it: "You people are your greatest asset." But is it true...? Tune in to join the debate, and hear Matt & Mike discuss the problems with and value of this statement.

Hiring is tougher than ever which means retaining your top talent is more essential than ever. How do you do that? A lot of it boils down to appreciation. Join Matt & Mike to discuss the key practices they implement to ensure the team feels seen, valued, and appreciated for the contribution they bring. 

The work hasn't been getting done, so now what? Do you fire them? Or do you just need to develop them a bit more? This is a common dilemma for business owners and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. Join Matt & Mike to discuss the attributes an employee needs to show they're worth developing, as well as the mindset a business owner must have from the get-go. Subscribe & Listen to the Podcast: https://www.whirks.com/podcasts/ Do you know how much it will cost to hire someone? Learn about the all-in cost here: https://www.whirks.com/blog/the-true-all-in-cost-of-hiring-a-new-employee/ #hiring #humanresources #companyculture #businessleadership

You're launching a new product and need some more manpower. You lost a third of your workers and it's busy season. Intentional hiring is important all the time, but what needs to be in place for you to hire well ALL the time? Tune in to hear Matt & Mike discuss some key things to set yourself up for success with hiring, even when your need for a new hire comes out of nowhere.

When you give out bonuses, does it feel like an obligation or a motivation? Everyone loves a good bonus, but as an employer, it’s important to think through what they actually mean to your employees. Join Matt & Mike to discuss how to be purposeful with your bonusing, as well as some non-cash ways to motivate your team to put their best foot forward. 

#motivation #bonus #businessowner

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - hiring is HARD. But doing it right is crucial to the success of a business, especially a small business! Listen in to hear Matt and Mike discuss the hiring mistakes they’ve made and how they’ve worked to refine their process to bring in the right people. 

#hiring #smallbusiness  #businessleadership 

Hiring is harder than ever, ESPECIALLY as a small business. Finding candidates who are flexible and fearlessly self-motivated is even more difficult. Tune in today to hear from Matt & Mike how they communicate the firm’s value in the hiring process, as well as think through the balance of people vs. processes. 

#hiring #smallbusiness  #businessleadership 

Debt is a tool that can be helpful if you know how to use it. The question is, do you know how to wield it? 🗡

Many business owners and entrepreneurs need to go into debt at some point in their business journey. Today, Matt and Mike share their philosophies about debt and outline the debt decisions they would AVOID every time. 

#smallbusiness #debt #businessfinances #businessstrategy

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it’s not the best business plan.

Listen in to hear Mike and Matt discuss the balancing act of learning from another business’ strategy while setting yourself apart from the competition. 

#imitation #businessstrategy #smallbusiness 

We’re back and talking about the most common mistakes we see business owners make! This week, Mike and Matt discuss the pitfall of making short-sighted decisions. Yes, hiring the overdramatic waiter will be a short-term solution to your staffing problem. Unfortunately, it could also mean frustrated managers, exasperated staff, and your fair share of bad Google Reviews. Tune in to hear about how you can approach decisions like this and more on this week’s episode of the One Step Better Podcast!

#smallbusiness #baddecisions #OneStepBetter 

Is your business ready for year-end? What have you been putting off?

The end of the year is an exciting, whirlwind of a time. But it also means a lot of rigid deadlines are fast approaching. Are you ready?

Check out today's podcast to hear Matt and Mike discuss the year-end tasks they've been procrastinating, as well as give some advice about whether or not to make that final big company purchase.

Subscribe & Listen to the Podcast: https://www.whirks.com/podcasts/

From our team to you and yours- Happy Thanksgiving!

What cause are you supporting this giving season?

It's true - this is the time of year many of us focus on giving and Thanksgiving.

But is this practice regularly incorporated into your workplace culture and events? Turns out, people care about having opportunities to give back within their workplace.

Listen in to this week's podcast to hear from Walker Morrow, the product owner of iSolved's Giving and Volunteering platform. He has a great story and shares key insights about how to retain key employees, as well as offers a simple solution for keeping track of all the details.

Are you certain your business is compliant?

Business growth can happen fast and when it does, administering notices and federal policies can be the last thing on your mind. How do you keep track of it all??

Tune in to today's episode to hear Greg and Mike share all your need-to-know's about the key federal requirements you are responsible for at each employee size milestone: 1, 15, 20, 50, 100, and 250.

Can someone have significant career growth at a small business?

Advancement opportunities are a huge motivator in the workplace, especially for the younger generations. So if you are a small business, how can you provide those growth opportunities to actually retain the top-tier people you hire?

Listen in to this week's episode to hear how Matt & Mike have navigated the challenges of providing advancement opportunities in a small business setting, as well as the conversations they believe it's key to have with new hires as they join the team.

#careergrowth #humanresources #smallbusiness

Have you started preparing for open enrollment?

Benefits are an important part of an organization. But they can be confusing for both employers and employees. Am I offering benefits my employees care about?

What medical plan is actually best for my family and me?

Listen in to Mike and Robbie talk through all things benefits and Open Enrollment so you can be prepared to dive into this season head-first, confident in the decisions you're making.

Subscribe & Listen to the Podcast:https://www.whirks.com/podcasts/

Check out our BRAND NEW HCM + Benefits Service here! →https://www.whirks.com/announcement/#openenrollment #benefits #humanresources

What's your best tip for training a new employee?

New hire onboarding can be tricky to get right. If you spend too short teaching them the ropes, they won't be able to competently do their job. But if you spend too long in training, they may get bored and fall into "buyer's remorse" with their job.

Tune into today's episode to hear from Shelby and Mike about the importance of developing a training path for your new hires. It takes time, but once it's done, you have a repeatable and efficient way to train each new employee that joins the team.

Subscribe & Listen to the Podcast: https://www.whirks.com/podcasts/

Check out our BRAND NEW HCM + Benefits Service here! → https://www.whirks.com/announcement/#training #newemployees #humanresources

What's the best way to get your applicants to show up to the interview?

Now more than ever, recruiting is a complicated and tricky game. No one knows this better than
recruiting expert, Rachel Gartner of Careworks.

Listen to today's episode for some incredibly practical ways to expedite your hiring process
while maintaining your high standards for applicants.

#humanresources #recruiting #highturnover

For many small business owners, offering benefits can be a burden because of the administrative and financial strain it puts on them. Balancing communication between multiple vendors and brokers is time-consuming, and things are likely to fall through the cracks.

The Whirks HCM + Benefit Services are here to relieve small business owners of that burden.

A one-stop-shop for all things employee data, our team will manage and administer all your HR and benefits needs through one comprehensive technology. Say goodbye to the middle-man – our team of experts will handle everything from electronic onboarding to providing competitive insurance packages and everything in between. Let us help you simplify your process while prioritizing your people.

What service or product do your customers wish you had the most?

Happy customers lead to happy business owners. Customer satisfaction is key, but do their occasional requests necessitate a whole new product or service line from your business? 

Launching a new offering is a LOT of work. You need to know the depth of your client's needs as well as your own capabilities so you can balance those two and time out the perfect release timeline. Easy, right?

Listen in to hear Matt and Mike discuss their experience with launching new services and share some key tips for rollout. 

And stay tuned: Whirks has an exciting new service offering coming your way in just about a week. Can't wait to share it with you!  

BUSINESS OWNERS – If you could do it all again, what would you tell your day 1 self?

💼 Starting and running a business is no easy feat. There are endless processes, legalities, and management details to keep track of. It takes a lot of purpose, and probably some extra people, to really keep things rolling.

🎧 Listen to today's episode of the #OneStepBetter podcast where @Matt Patrick shares his journey from stumbling into his customer number one to eventually running a thriving and growing firm for over 20 years.

#smallbusiness #businessowner

Subscribe & Listen to the Podcast: https://www.whirks.com/podcasts/ 

Featured Article: https://www.whirks.com/blog/recruiting-best-practices/ → How are you preparing for the fluctuating economy and growing inflation? 

🏛Times like these can be stressful, especially for business owners. But there are some tried and true habits you can develop to help your business wait out the choppy waters. 

🎧Listen to today's podcast to hear from @Matthew Patrick about the key steps he takes to ensure his business can continue to thrive, even through uncertain times. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #inflation #economy #risingcosts #fluctuating #habits

🤔Do your biases keep you from hiring great people? 

💼Interviewing can be an arduous process. But it can quickly become more effective and streamlined when you are clear on the qualities you SHOULD be hiring for.   In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Greg and Mike talk all things recruiting– how to get people to show up, how to objectify your hiring, and how to make sure you're hiring employees that last.

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #hiring #recruitment #bias #values #scorecard

Who has helped you get your business or career off the ground?

Building a business can be a daunting process. You don't know what you don't know, and while some mistakes are inevitable, avoiding the largest pitfalls could mean the difference between a successful and unsuccessful business.

That's where peers and mentors come in.

In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Matt shares the story of starting his business and how finding a solid group of peers early on helped to challenge and grow his firm to where it is today. After all, accountability is key when you're taking risks and trying new things. So who's pushing you to the next step?

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #peergroup #mentor #businessmentor #community

📈 Growth is exciting, but it looks different for each business. Knowing your WHY for growth will not only help you stay profitable through your growing pains, but also helps you determine the goals you need to focus on as you stretch. 

🎧 Check out today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast where Matt & Mike discuss how to set your growth goals, the best times to prioritize growth, and some common growth pitfalls to avoid. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #businessgrowth #profit #expanding #budget #accounting

Have you reviewed your insurance policies lately? Insurance can often get pushed to the bottom of the priority list. Reality is, many business owners don't fully understand the scope of what is (and is NOT) covered by their policy until it's too late.

In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Mike talks with insurance expert Randy Allred to hear about common mistakes business owners make with insurance, as well as some questions you should ask your broker to make sure you get the best coverage for your specific business. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #insurance #policy #workerscomp #payasyougo #mistake

Pet insurance. Technology stipends. Flexible work hours. Gone are the days of your standard, simple benefits packages. In today's competitive hiring market, employees are looking at more than just their salary compensation to decide where to bring their skillset.

In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Mike and Matt discuss the basics of benefits, how to assess what your employees really value, and some creative, low-cost options to set your business apart from hiring competitors. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #benefits #employeebenefits #retirement #medical #hr

As summer comes to a close, many schedules are filling up with new routines and commitments. Unfortunately, work doesn't just go away when your schedule fills up. 

In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Mike and Matt discuss the importance of setting boundaries when it comes to your work life balance. Tune in to hear what boundary-setting responsibilities fall on the shoulders of employees and which ones should fall to the leadership team. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #worklifebalance #boundaries #schedule #fall #employee

Do you make and share videos of yourself? To some, that sounds easy. To many, it sounds terrifying. But the saying is true– we are our own worst critics– and video is an incredible and simple way to let people get to know you and your business. 

In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Nick Bonitatibus (founder of The Digital Champions) shares how he's had success using video in his business, as well as why he thinks it is a unique tool to build trust with your audience. Tune in to hear some first steps you should consider as you get started using video in your business strategy. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #video #recruiting #videomarketing #testimonials #digital

Amortization, equity accounts, P&L statements, debits & credits, depreciation… accounting lingo can often feel like a foreign language. As a business leader, however, it is essential to know how to read your financials in order to make informed decisions for your business. 

In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Matt & Mike discuss the importance of having an accountant that can not just crunch the numbers, but also teach you about their significance. Tune in to hear some tips on how to start learning the lingo, as well as how to use the numbers to make smart decisions for your business. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #accounting #accountant #p&l #profit #loss #financials

It's summertime and many employees are taking some days off to go sit by the pool, visit family, or travel abroad. PTO and time off policies contribute to an employee's wellbeing, but can also be a headache for their employers to navigate. Does the same plan work for every employee? Are "exceptions" to the policy the best way to reward extra time? In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Mike and Kacie talk about their perfect PTO solutions, as well as the benefits of simplifying your policy so it can be fully automated – with NO exceptions. Tune in to hear some tips on how to structure, simplify, and implement your time off policy so your employees can be rested and ready to come back swinging.

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #PTO #timeoff #automation #HR #summer #vacation #policy

In our digital age, there seems to be a software solution for everything. But just like any new gadget, implementing a software solution often comes with a steep learning curve that requires ongoing learning and training. Do you have the time or support team in place to make sure your software purchase isn't just a time and money waster? In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Matt & Mike discuss how to approach investing in a new software solution, the mistakes they've made with implementation in the past, and what questions you should be asking yourself before you make the change. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #software #technology #SaaS #switching #customersupport

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a franchisee? In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Jeff & Renee Hall share their experience of partnering with Nothing Bundt Cake two open two bakeries in Ohio. They share with Matt the benefits and struggles of working with a franchise, as well as how they make the bakeries their own through local marketing efforts and setting an intentional work culture that aligns with their own values. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #franchise #franchising #inventorymanagement #bakeries

We're halfway through the year and soaking up the summer sun. But is your business on track to hit the objectives you laid out for yourself in January? The middle of the year is a perfect time to pause and take stock of how you're progressing with your goals. In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Mike and Matt discuss some key questions to ask yourself at your mid-year check-in, as well as how to make adjustments when you're not in line with where you want to be. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #midyear #evaluation #goals #adjustment #summer

How do you make decisions about the day-to-day operations in your company? How do you determine whether or not your latest interviewee will be a good hire that gel well with the rest of your team? There are many theories and ideas about these questions, but we believe it comes down to one essential thing: your values. In today's episode of the #OneStepBetter Podcast, Mike and Matt discuss some key ways to get your employees invested in your values, as well as how to use your values as a framework for making consistent decisions about your business. 

#business #smallbusiness #leadership #success #grow #growth #education #podcast #businesspodcast #advice #values #hr #hiring #retention #decisions