I am told constantly that I need to stop being such a blatant Pollyanna – you know the kind – the eternal optimist who always sees the glass as half-full. Some 30 years ago, I had a fraternity brother who said to me, “Are you EVER unhappy?” Back then, I didn’t know the difference, really.… Continue Reading
The 5 Most Hated Companies – Why We Continue Patronizing Them
MSN Money and a number of other news outlets reported on a story this morning regarding the 5 most hated companies, research conducted by 24/7 Wall St. The 5 most hated include: Facebook American Airlines AT&T Nokia Goldman Sachs There were distinct reasons why each one was included on the list, but suffice it to… Continue Reading
A Year of Thanks
Hello blog, it’s me. You haven’t seen me for a few months, but now I’m back and trying to commit to feeding you on a regular basis. In recent years, I have provided a year-end blog of thanks for my good fortune, so here goes. Here’s what I was thankful for in 2011: My immediate… Continue Reading
Most Important Career Tip: Use Your Network!
I had the pleasure of being part of a panel for this morning’s IABC/Dallas Members-only Breakfast seminar that focused on career management. Thanks to Melissa Anderson for coordinating the panel, and to my co-panelists, Sharon Larkin and Nancy Voith, for their participation. Here are the points I made: Most Important Tip: Use Your Network! Niche… Continue Reading
Recipe for White Chili
Several people asked me for this recipe – so here it is. I soak the beans in chicken stock in the crock pot the day before I make the chili, then finish it up about 3 hours prior to serving on Low in the crock pot. I figured this was about 6 points/serving on Weight… Continue Reading
A Little Kindness Does Not Go Unnoticed
With this headline, I’m repeating one of my Facebook posts I put up just yesterday. I have a story of a dog who escaped and was found by one of our good samaritans. This week, Bailey accidentally got out the front screen door, ran about half a mile down a very busy Dallas street, crossed a… Continue Reading
How to Retain Clients: Cross-Sell Firm Services
(This was originally published on CPATechViews.com) Several months ago, I got several comments after I posted a blog entry on how to retain clients. When I talk with accounting firms across the country, client retention definitely remains THE hottest topic out there. I know everyone would agree it’s far easier to keep a client than try… Continue Reading
Putting on the Game Face is a Roll of the Dice
Just the other day, I finally met one of my out-of-town clients/associates who stopped over in Dallas on his way to points east, and while it’s not at all unusual for me to meet my out-of-town clients in person, this was the first time we had met face to face. That’s not the unusual thing… Continue Reading
Should CPA Firms Advertise?
(Note – this blog entry originally ran on CPATechViews.com) There are a few questions I get from CPA firm partners and staff that rarely change, no matter the size of the firm, where it is located or what kinds of services it offers. “How do I recruit clients?” “Is social media worth the effort?” “Should… Continue Reading
Kicking and Screaming into the World of eBooks
I love books. I love paper. I wasn’t so sure I loved eBooks, but now I’m a total convert. The story: I was very fortunate to be given a Kindle for my birthday in June – and I wasn’t really sure I was ready for it. After all, I’m a writer and I love to… Continue Reading
