Fun with Flowcharts

Posted on 16 May 2012 by

Draw in Blocks!I love spreadsheets.

I admit that when it comes to spreadsheets – I have about two hundred of them via Google. They were my greatest internet based love..

Until I found the wonder that is the online flowchart.

Then it was like my entire world exploded. I know – I’m geeking out.. but hang with me for a second.

For someone like me who has their business based almost entirely in a virtual capacity, the flowchart has given me the ability to “build” a real structure into my business model and it can do the same for you.

Virtual flowcharts have a place in your business starting right now and here is why and how you should use them..

Why

So what’s a flowchart? A flowchart is essentially a diagram of your business so to make this easy, think about your current business plan and structure. If you are anything like the millions of entrepreneurs out there you’ve probably sketched out a 5 year plan and the organizational structure of your business. You know what your plans are, what the goals are, and the processes and people it takes to make it happen.

But this is all either in files on your computer or in random notepads isn’t it?

With flowcharts the entire process above becomes simplified.

Use flowcharts to draw out your business and visually brainstorm what it takes to make your company happen. You can use these to draw out boxes or circles (or anything you like) to take you step-by-step through the entire building process so instead of having just that text you have a clearly defined and charted out path that leads you straight to success.

How

  • Goal Structures – Use flowcharts to chart out milestones and goals as well as all the tasks or jobs associated with them.
  • Business Structures – Use flowcharts to run you step by step through the processes that need to be in place to build your business. This will help alleviate the confusion about where you need to be next in creating your dream career.
  • Brainstorming – Who doesn’t brainstorm about their business? With flowcharts you can draw out those ideas and separate them, then chart all of the ideas that come from THOSE ideas.. the inspiration is endless!

Where

There are various products on the market today. If you are using InfusionSoft you may find that the most recent function called “Campaign Builder” is exactly what you need. If you are on the net and looking for products, Gliffy is an excellent resource that is tailor made to create flowcharts that inspire you to work harder and more efficiently. DrawAnywhere is also a great program that you can use to make your flowchart and the great news – no downloading!

Trust me. Take the time out to look at how flowcharts can help you build a better business today.

Tax Season Prep – How did you do this year?

Posted on 18 April 2012 by

Taxes? Forms? Receipts? Wha?

Before I begin this blog post and as I do with any blog post that might discuss finances of any sort – it is always highly suggest, recommended at, pointed to, and nodded at the belief and suggestion that you should always consult an expert when dealing with your finances at any time. Especially at tax season!

So this year in the US (Where I am) – today is the last day to file your taxes. If you are an owner of your own business like I am, no doubt you know how hard it can be to get motivated to deal with it all. Each year I have more and more friends, even family, that come to me in frustration, pulling out their hair and screaming from the top of their lungs that they haven’t…

  • Had time to prepare..
  • Had the chance to gather all their information…
  • Don’t know how to file for their income bracket..
  • Don’t know how to file deductions..
  • ..Insert reason X, Y, and Z here…

Because of this, I wanted to talk about the best ways to be prepared for your tax season. So regardless of if you are beginning, ending, or in a mad rush to meet with your tax expert on the last day of tax season (and you know who you are) – you finally have some great methods for ensuring that you are doing what you can to prepare. Here are some of the things I do:

Make a pre-tax season checklist

Each year, at the end of the current tax season and the beginning of the next one I make a pre-tax season checklist and either post it to my computer or post it on a corkboard by my computer. This checklist is helpful because as I go along the year, I am able to list the items and forms I will need at the end of the year, and I can check them off as they are collected. When tax season comes, guess what? That checklist is there to help guide me and show me what I do and do not need for that year.
No running around like a chicken with my head cut off. No fuss.

Collect and Sort

After I make the checklist I start to collect and sort through any receipts from that year that I am going to need at tax season. I grab each and every receipt that I know will be needed and I pile it up in front of me, categorizing it and then storing it in it’s own folder. After these are categorized I then scan them all and make copies, storing them on my hard drive and in a closet.
By the time tax season comes – I’ve got it all done and dusted.

Keep up with EVERYTHING

I see too many of my friends scrambling to get through tax season and look in 823234234 billion places for information on what they are able to deduct or what credits they may be eligible for. To reduce this, I admit I am diligent. Because I am in the states I check out the internal revenue service website and consult a tax professional. I make sure I keep up on the news and whenever I hear of a potential credit or a change to the laws I note it on that checklist and then investigate.

The point of this post is to tell you that a successful and RELAXED tax season all comes down to preparation. It doesn’t have to be hard, it doesn’t have to end in tears, it doesn’t have to have you run screaming down the road if you’ll only remember that preparation is key.

E-Learning & You

Posted on 11 April 2012 by

Learning! It's great for you!Alright so we have to admit it, the digital age has transformed how we learn.

No longer bound by the tradition (although beloved!) of going to the library and researching or checking out that old dusty book, we have moved decidedly forward. We, students of modern technology have embraced how we learn. Our thirst for knowledge cannot be contained and e-learning, once something that was more curious than familiar is now a staple in our everyday lives. So let’s examine it!

What is E-Learning?

E-learning is the constant virtual flow of knowledge by both teaching and being taught information.

If you are a college student much like me, who is attending an online University, then you are accessing those virtual libraries, corresponding with classmates via discussion forums and virtual classrooms, and researching using online databases. If you are a technical support manager then you are no doubt training your support technicians by way of online content, a help desk, or even a series of PDF’s and videos. If you are a coach who has had their coaching programs in the more “terrestrial arena” and are not using platforms like JigsawBox to take it live, congratulations! You, too, are participating in the e-learning process.

So how does e-learning benefit over traditional learning?

It’s mobile. It’s convenient. It’s global.

We don’t have to bind ourselves to books that are not in store or worksheets that we have to fill out. We no longer have to go to an actual library to research information on a subject or paper. Laid out before us we no longer find seven thousand papers, two hundred pencils, and twenty pens. We do not have to file anything physically away and if we are the ones that are distributing content – it’s no longer about two hundred legal pads filled with notes.

Now it’s in the form of releasing information digitally. With Web based training and Computer based training, we are bringing our knowledge to the masses by allowing anyone with access to a computer or telephone the ability to direct connect to what they need to know. At JigsawBox, we look to that future and embrace it.

JigsawBox is that unique spot on the internet that is not just easy to use, but that also caters to e-learning. We encourage coaches and more to join us by signing up for a trial and just taking a look at how you can add your content and information by way of the module, create that package, and then send out that link for your clients to sign up immediately and start learning from you TODAY.

You can use your JigsawBox to promote your method of e-teaching your students via learning logs, questions and answers, forum discussions, trade documents and files, and so much more.

E-learning is not just the present, but it is the future. We here at JigsawBox appreciate how to stay ahead of the curve.

Monday Mindset: Mind, Body and Business

Posted on 09 April 2012 by

Taking Care Of It AllThere is a basic principle of NLP that says ‘the mind and the body are all one system’. So as well as taking care of your mindset, how about taking care of your body?

It’s probably all too familiar to you that it’s hard to do your best work or make good decisions if you haven’t had enough sleep, had too much alcohol or you’re suffering with some physical ailment. Most people will do the ‘sensible’ thing and go to bed early the night before an important meeting or event.

How often though, do you take care of yourself simply to face an ordinary day in the office? And do you know what physical factors make the greatest difference to your overall well-being? For example, lots of people drink several cups of coffee in a day. For some, that’s fine. For others, who are not aware of their sensitivity to caffeine, those regular cups of coffee could be causing a level of physical stress that would be a barrier to working effectively.

Some people work in cramped conditions, huddled over a laptop in a corner of the dining room or spare bedroom. If that’s you and you don’t remember to stretch regularly, your mind will become as cramped as your body.

So today, take stock of how well you’re treating your body and become aware of how you can enhance your mindset by boosting your physical well-being.

______________

Guest blog post – written by:
Dianne LowtherMaster Trainer of NLPDianne Lowther is a Master Trainer of NLP and Principal of Brilliant Minds. She specialises in applications of NLP for leadership and business results.