EP429: Tim Sernett - Technology Vs Tradition: How To Embrace Both

07/30/24 • 34 min

“If they don’t have the right mindset and the right willingness to adopt the technology, it's just not going to work.” -Tim Sernett

Everyone is different. There will be those who love trying new things and those who are more hesitant to leave their bubble of security. One isn’t better than the other, but when it comes to business, you must consider who is best for you and your business.

If you are someone who loves new technology, systems and processes, it’s probably not the best idea to seek clients who like to be set in their ways and keep things the same. The same is true in the other direction, if you have a tried and tested method, clients that want the latest up-to-date tech as part of your service, aren’t going to be a good fit.

It’s okay, encouraged even, to embrace every kind of new experience you can have, we don’t know what we don’t know, and time spent searching for that one thing or niche that truly sparks joy is not time wasted.

Tim Sernett of Financial Optics is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his career helping clients not only improve their profits but build peace of mind and future security in their businesses. In this episode, Tim and Michael discuss all things technology and much more!

If you are struggling to serve too many people, to the detriment of your true passions, want to embrace new technologies, or just want to give a little more thought to the future, then this is the episode to get you thinking about what your success could look like.

During this interview, you'll learn...

The value of embracing opportunities to gain experience
How to find your business niche
The importance of seeking out the gaps in your business

To find out more about Tim, click here.

Connect with him on LinkedIn.

Time Stamps 01:53 - Tim discusses his career journey 04:27 - Embracing opportunities to gain experience 09:11 - Future forward thinking 12:29 - Seeking out the gaps in your business 17:44 - Finding your niche 23:30 - Bringing your team with you 27:12 - The value of your knowledge and systems

“If they don’t have the right mindset and the right willingness to adopt the technology, it's just not going to work.” -Tim Sernett

During this interview, you'll learn...

The value of embracing opportunities to gain experience
How to find your business niche
The importance of seeking out the gaps in your business

To find out more about Tim, click here.

Connect with him on LinkedIn.

Previous Episode

EP428: Tyler Otto - How Saying No Will Help You Grow

“Nowadays I fire people. I fired one client last month. They didn’t even make it two months in. But the way they talked to my staff and scope creep and demanding a lot of things that we never agreed to, I let them go within a month and a half. Where before I would suffer those clients for a year.” -Tyler Otto

It is natural when starting a business to want to take any clients, no matter how much they demand of us, or how badly they might treat us. We want to be grateful for something because it is better than nothing.

But we don’t have to get stuck in this mindset once our work starts to speak for itself. We can increase our price, and remove negatively impacting clients and employees, without feeling guilty or disloyal.

The goal for our business is growth and hanging on to things that just aren’t working, isn’t going to help us grow.

Tyler Otto, President and Owner of Specialty Bookkeeping and Tax, is this episode’s featured guest. He has spent his career building systems for business success. In this episode, Tyler and Michael explore learning from past mistakes, getting your people and systems right, and why building strong workplace culture matters.

If you aren’t sure how to say no to difficult clients, want to hire a strong team, or just develop your company’s culture, then this is the episode to get you thinking about what the future could look like when you embrace your growth.

During this interview, you'll learn...

The value of getting it wrong so you know how to get it right
How to roll with the punches
The importance of building a strong work culture

To find out more about Tyler, click here.

Connect with Tyler on LinkedIn.

You can listen to the UNAccountable Podcast at this link.

Time Stamps

01:36 - Tyler discusses his career journey 03:05 - Positioning yourself for success 05:16 - Getting it wrong, to get it right 08:36 - Managing problem clients 11:32 - Pricing for your value 16:36 - Rolling with the punches 18:55 - Future thinking 21:43 - Building a strong work culture 27:12 - Setting the rules & sticking to them

Next Episode

EP430: Hector Garcia - Innovate & Create: Reframing Your Story - Part 1

“Innovation means always doing it differently, always doing it better. Innovation is not always technology; innovation is providing a different point of view to the status quo.” -Hector Garcia There will always be people more successful than we are. This is only a problem if we decide it's not worth taking any action to better our lives because we’ll never be better than those we idolize. Success doesn’t have to mean being the best. Having a healthy, steadily growing business, with loyal clients and dedicated employees is a feat that should be celebrated. Very few people become well-known overnight, it takes time and the confidence to keep putting yourself out there, even if your numbers are low to start with. The more consistent we are, the faster those numbers begin to rise. Especially when you stop trying to sell people something and start showing them you want to authentically help them. Hector Garcia, CPA and YouTuber, is this episode’s featured guest. In this first of a two-part series, Michael and Hector explore how to successfully market ourselves, the power of an innovation mindset, and why connecting authentically matters. If you are tired of letting other people’s success paralyze you into inaction and want to learn to market yourself better, then this is the episode to get you thinking innovatively about the future of your business. During this interview, you'll learn...

The value of putting yourself out there
How to embrace an innovation mindset
The importance of competing against yourself, not others

To find out more about Hector, click here. Connect with Hector on LinkedIn, YouTube or X. Time Stamps 02:48 - Hector discusses his career journey 08:33 - Transitioning to hands-off business 14:55 - Putting yourself out there 21:49 - Success isn’t a zero-sum game

This episode is brought to you by our great friends at BILL!

BILL automates your clients’ AP, AR, spend, and expense, and lets them track and manage their cash flow, in real-time.

You can also use the BILL Accountant Console to access insights to level up your advisory services plus so much more!

To learn how BILL can help you and your clients, and to sign up for the referral program, visit thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/bill.