Practically Perfect PA
MARCH 10, 2014
'I was watching The Devil Wears Prada the other day and although it is fictional I must say the scenes between Miranda Priestly and her assistants did have a grain of truth to them. This piece of dialogue seemed particularly realistic: Miranda: Tell Simone I’m not going to approve that girl that she sent me for the Brazilian layout. I asked for clean, athletic, smiling.
Office Dynamics
MARCH 18, 2014
'Originally Posted by Abby Welch on March 3, 2014 at 5:30 AM at Accountemps Blog (republished with permission.). Find Abby on: Twitter. My morning routine at work starts with a cup (or two) of Joe and perusing my email inbox. And it seems I’m in good company. According to an Accountemps survey, 58 percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) said reading email is the first thing they do at the office.
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Eco-Office Gals
MARCH 13, 2014
'The physical and psychological effects of an unhygienic workplace can be debilitating for staff and visitors. The negative impact is gradual, but it is inevitable. If you want clients to respect your business, and your staff to confidently approach their duties with high morale, you need to ensure your workplace is clean and hygienic. The psychological effects of an unhygienic and cluttered workspace can be debilitating for those required to inhabit the environment for the better part of their
Small Business Labs
MARCH 4, 2014
'The Forbes article Hack Work To Combine Peak Performance and Personal Purpose has a fascinating chart that compares 20th century jobs with 21st century work. Developed by future of work expert Ayelit Baron , the chart (shown below) nicely summarizes many of the shifts and trends we follow. According to the article the key shift is towards self-management. Key quote: If you look closely, one common element emerges: rather than trying to orchestrate work and process flow to
Speaker: Chester Santos
Forgetfulness is costing you time, money, and a ton of missed opportunities. In the age of automation, it’s easy to underestimate the power of a well-trained human mind. But memory isn’t just a parlor trick, it's a strategic edge. Human memory is one of the most underrated business skills. Whether you’re managing people, leading sessions, or having high-stakes conversations, remembering names, details, and concepts can be transformative in building trust, absorbing knowledge, and driving perform
The Small Business Blog
MARCH 12, 2014
'Not all of us have the luxury of being able to spend their whole working week on their business. A large number of entrepreneurs only have the time to run their micro biz after they have done a full day of work already or at the weekend. This weeks tips column contains our Top 5… Read the full article here: Top 5 Tips for Running a Business on the Side on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.
Productivity Bits
MARCH 21, 2014
'Photo courtesy of mtwomenslifestyle.com Mornings aren’t that easy for most people. Morning means having to wake up early, do a routine, and deal with traffic on the way to work or someplace else. These things can surely make people cranky and hate mornings, which affect their demeanor in doing important tasks for the day. Your morning doesn’t have to be a bad start.
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Ian's Messy Desk
MARCH 12, 2014
'The post Life lessons from a dog appeared first on Ian's Messy Desk. There’s lots we can learn from a dog about living a good life. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy-ride. Get the most out of the experience of fresh air and wind in your face. When family members come home, always run to greet them. Be obedient; when it’s in your best interest.
Office Dynamics
MARCH 31, 2014
'Hello Monday Motivators! I am so excited to write this Monday Motivator because today is my dad’s 89 th birthday and because my dad is the epitome of passion that creates energy and longevity. I did not plan for today’s topic to fall on his birthday. I hadn’t even noticed the connection until just now—when getting ready to write you. Let me tell you about my dad because I have learned so much from observing his life and so can you.
Small Business Labs
MARCH 24, 2014
'A startup company, PetChatz , is about to release a video conferencing system that allows remote dog owners to video chat with their dogs. It also allows the dog owner to remotely release treats and scents. But the best part is the dog can call their owner by barking at the system. This triggers an alert that goes to an app on the owner's smartphone, tablet or PC. I'm seriously looking forward to the day when someone says to me "sorry, I've got to take this call.
The Small Business Blog
MARCH 24, 2014
'With apologies to all of you who have no interest in football: did Wayne Rooney justify his £300,000 per week pay check with one kick of the ball? If you didn’t see it you can by clicking here. Why is this relevant in a blog about personal effectiveness for small business owners? Because it gets… Read the full article here: How much is anyone worth?
Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA
In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. If you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner—and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top (a concept first popularized by Marshall Goldsmith in his book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There ). What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level.
Office Organization Success
MARCH 19, 2014
'I really thought we’d seen the back of the snow and cold weather … but alas, this week we got hit with another snow storm! Still, that is one of the advantages of working from home … I don’t need to go out in it to get my work done. Lots of client work again this week. A few of the projects I’ve been working on: Planning and organizing a telesummit.
Practically Perfect PA
MARCH 13, 2014
'So the topic of diversification has been discussed quite widely within the assistant industry for a number of years now. I think the conversation started around the time of the credit crunch. There were lots of scary statistics which showed many companies were reducing their administrative and support staff. At the time many assistants were being made redundant along with their managers and departments.
Eat Your Career
MARCH 10, 2014
'Whether you’ve voluntarily taken some time off work or involuntarily found yourself unemployed, it’s important to keep your skills sharp while out of the workforce. Whatever the reason you’re not working, every day that passes by where you’re not using your professional skills is a chance for you to fall behind the competition–and that could make it very hard to get back into the workforce when the time comes.
Office Dynamics
MARCH 10, 2014
'Hello Monday Motivators ! Quick question: Who drains you? Who are the people at home and at work who seem to zap your energy, kill your dreams, make you feel “less than,” or cause you to have self-doubt? Whoever those people are, you need to limit the time you spend with them or completely eliminate them from your life. Now, think of the people who energize you; stimulate your thinking; make you laugh; challenge you to be a better person.
Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP
The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.
Small Business Labs
MARCH 18, 2014
'The Paradox of Place is one of the more interesting trends we follow. The paradox is even though the Internet and connective technologies has made working remotely easier than ever, people and companies are increasingly clustering together in fewer, more valuable locations. What's happening San Francisco is an obvious example. There's almost a land grab frenzy of companies and people moving into the city.
The Small Business Blog
MARCH 25, 2014
'Big Data is increasingly having an impact on all of our lives. As the amount of data that is being generated continues to expand exponentially, the types of things that we can do with all that information also changes and evolves. There are so many sources of data nowadays that entire industries and brand new… Read the full article here: Infographic: Big Data on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.
Office Organization Success
MARCH 10, 2014
'This week has been jam-packed. Lots of client work taking place; indoor soccer and karate classes to run to; my gym classes to get to; and just lots of other fun stuff happening (including a fundraiser taking place tonight at The Wine Merchant here in Findlay … I’m one of the servers!). Even though it’s been a busy week, it’s all good.
Practically Perfect PA
MARCH 4, 2014
'Ensuring our boss is able to get from A to B without any fuss or stress is a key task for assistants. The fuss and stress shouldn’t be felt or seen by the boss but we can certainly feel it! As we all know keeping our managers on track is at times a logistical nightmare. I’ve often seen (and have done this myself) PAs standing outside board rooms waiting for their manager’s meeting to finish so that they can escort them to the next meeting room so that the boss doesn’t g
Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar
Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.
Ian's Messy Desk
MARCH 28, 2014
'The post Outline of time management principles appeared first on Ian's Messy Desk. I’ve yet to find a pithy quip that summarizes time management. Until that time, here’s my outline of time management principles. Identify time over which you have control. Set systems for routine tasks. Use technology. Make best use of the 80/20 rule. Identify and use your energy cycle.
Office Dynamics
MARCH 7, 2014
'by MARY ELLEN SLAYTER on MARCH 6, 2014 8:33AM. in ADMIN PRO FORUM. Question: ”I think it would be interesting to attend one of the larger conferences for admins and office managers, but I’m sure it would involve some travel, missed time from work and the company footing the bill. Can anyone tell me if it’s been worth it to them to dive in and make appearances at events like these?
Small Business Labs
MARCH 5, 2014
'Regular readers know we're big fans of Pew Research. Their Web at 25 in the U.S. report includes a wide range of statistics and facts on U.S Internet usage since its inception. One of the biggest reactions this study has gotten is surprise that not everyone is on the Web or has a smartphone. Because of this, we thought we'd highlight these results.
The Small Business Blog
MARCH 18, 2014
'Every small business needs a blog. Why? Here are 6 reasons. 1 – It levels the playing field Online marketing, and marketing in general, isn’t always fair on the little boys. With their huge budgets and extensive brand awareness, it’s significantly easier for big companies to make a splash with their campaigns and tougher if… Read the full article here: 6 Reasons Your Small Online Business Needs a Blog on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.
Speaker: Frank Taliano
Documents are the backbone of enterprise operations, but they are also a common source of inefficiency. From buried insights to manual handoffs, document-based workflows can quietly stall decision-making and drain resources. For large, complex organizations, legacy systems and siloed processes create friction that AI is uniquely positioned to resolve.
Virtual Moxie
MARCH 25, 2014
'When I formalized the Virtual Assistance industry by founding AssistU , I created what’s now commonly accepted in the industry as the more “standard” pricing model. That model has two levels: pay-as-you-go (PAYG), and retainer. It’s the PAYG I want to address today. When I created it, PAYG (characterized by billing clients at month-end for exactly the amount of time they used, and being willing to let them use/buy more, or less time, as their need dictated) was for clients who maybe had just st
Practically Perfect PA
MARCH 11, 2014
'What an absolute godsend The Talbott Hotel is! I arrived into Chicago following a very very long over night journey from Memphis and all I wanted to do was get to my hotel so that I could catch up on some much needed sleep. Luckily I was staying at The Talbott, a hotel that didn’t mind checking me in at 8am. In fact the lovely receptionist even apologised for keeping me waiting 10 minutes so that they could check the room was ready for me.
Office Organization Success
MARCH 25, 2014
'This week I’ve ventured into the world of video again and recorded this week’s article for you. I knew there was a reason why I don’t do many videos … I don’t like it! I’d happily do teleclasses and teach to live groups all day long, but put me in front a video … and I just don’t enjoy it! Still, I guess if I practice a bit more often I may just get comfortable with it.
Office Dynamics
MARCH 24, 2014
'Happy Monday! I hope you are starting your work week with BIG energy. I know that is a rather optimistic approach to a Monday morning, but an important way for us to approach Monday. Why spend 1/7 of your life dreading a day of the week? Executive and administrative professionals expend a tremendous amount of energy. I know because I worked in the field for 20 years.
Speaker: Jennifer Hill
Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.
Small Business Labs
MARCH 11, 2014
'Several good, recent studies and articles on Millennials and how they view kids, families and work. These include: Pew Research - Millennials in Adulthood : Pew consistently does excellent research and this report is another example. It covers a wide range of topics related to how Millennials are behaving now that they are adults. Key quote: Now ranging in age from 18 to 33, they are relatively unattached to organized politics and religion, linked by social media, burdened
The Small Business Blog
MARCH 21, 2014
'The reaction to the latest UK Budget has been fairly muted from small business owners, with many feeling (as usual) that the changes will not go far enough to help drive the economy forward. There was however one announcement that seems to have escaped the notice of many, despite it potentially having a huge impact… Read the full article here: Budget 2014: HMRC gains more powers on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.
Virtual Moxie
MARCH 31, 2014
'In thinking about what I shared last week about ditching the PAYG pricing model , there''s another angle on that that I wanted to share. If you haven''t read that yet, take a minute and do that now, then come back and read this. The three biggest reasons more seasoned Virtual Assistants give me for why they walk away from offering Pay-as-you-go are: They can''t normalize their income (they never know how much revenue will be generated in a given month).
Practically Perfect PA
MARCH 26, 2014
'For any assistant booking a flight for the boss can be a daunting task. Where do you start and how do you make sure they are happy with your choice? Here are my top tips on booking a flight for your boss… . 15 questions to ask your manager about their flight. What is the purpose of the trip? Do they always carry luggage on to the flight or prefer to check it in?
Speaker: Chandra McCormack, CPA, MBA, NACD.DC
Technical degrees might open doors—but it’s the soft skills that keep them open. In the face of disruption, evolving workplace dynamics, and rising expectations of leadership, soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence, and presence have become core business essentials—not nice-to-haves. Inspired by stories from her father coupled with her own career journey, seasoned executive Chandra McCormack breaks down how to lead with impact, connect with purpose, and cultivate a workplace cult
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