Creatives' Struggles in Business - 786

Over the weekend, I got y'alls attention with a post about bookkeeping software. And I FIRED QuickBooks Online. Based on your response, I think it is time to have a discussion about the struggles of a creative addressing things in business that are outside our areas of talent and priority. I will share the things I must make myself do and how I handle it. Just because I am not inclined toward a thing does not mean I should ignore it.

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Weekly Shopping Report: 8/26/2023

Dollar Tree: One drink cooler is still out of order, but the others are mostly full. There isn't much Venom left, so I hope they get more, although they do have the brewed tea now. Other stock looks good too, and the store was busy enough that a second line was opened.

Although we skipped Home Depot, I checked online for the price of a 2x4x8, and it remains at $3.68.

Aldi was last. We found most of what we wanted except cherries and dark chocolate; they had other varieties which I skipped. They did have heavy cream back in stock. Staple prices were: milk: $2.78; eggs: $1.06; heavy cream: $4.69; OJ: $3.19; butter: $3.19; bacon: $3.99; sugar: $3.09, and flour: $2.19. I may need to add potatoes; Sonia said this is the first time they were over $6, and they had been under $5 or even under $4.

Untainted regular gasoline remains at $3.899 / gallon. A side effect of having a rental car while ours was in the shop is that I got to discover that the usual corrupted stuff (with ethanol) is $3.399 / gallon.

Frugality Tip from Janet

Save 8-1/2 x 11" sheets of paper (printer mis-prints, etc.) and when you have a large stack of paper, take it to a copy shop and have them turn it into small notepads for you.

Operation Independence

• Today's show is all about WHY a creative would invest hours of time in tracking finances and doing other annoying clerical things. It is all about optimizing tax deductions to keep more money in my pocket as well as increasing efficiency in my enterprises so that we are increasingly stable.

Main topic of the Show: Creatives' Struggles in Business

I struck a chord over the weekend with a post about Quickbooks Online and bookkeeping: I fired QBO. I got more engagement on that post than most over the past few months. People reached out with advice and suggestions. People also reached out saying the want to follow my progress because they have the same problem.

And what is the problem? I am a creative. I think big picture first, then details. If I was going to be screened, I would probably be diagnosed with ADHD and my chosen lifestyle aplifies those characteristics. In fact, they REALLY wanted to diagnose me in the third grade and Mom would not let them. Thank you MAMA SAUCE.

Creative Challenges in Business

• I know that tracking details gives critical feedback, but I hates it
• Bookkeeping and tax codes are freaking complex - unnecessarily so - and this impacts tracking systems leading to frustrations
• The bookkeeping and finance industry has no motivation to make this easy for us
• High Pressure of doing it wrong: Fines, audits, and jail time OH MY!
• The challenge of FINISH

Characteristics of creatives:

1. We thrive when making something - and suffer when tracking things, unless it supports making something
2. Prone to starting multiple things at one time
3. Either shift focus often or can only concentrate on one thing (The coming presentation problem)
4. Prefer operation outside the box, dont really care about rules or procedure

That being said, I know the power of having things tied up, prepared well in advance, finished and tracked from a feedback standpoint. The beauty of being in business is that the money stops when you are not meeting the needs of your customers and that is a pretty instant feedback.

Addressing Creative Challenges in Business

• I know that tracking details gives critical feedback, but I hates it (Mindset)
• Bookkeeping and tax codes are freaking complex - unnecessarily so - and this impacts tracking systems leading to frustrations (What I have tried, shortcuts, outsourcing)
• The bookkeeping and finance industry has no motivation to make this easy for us (Work in advance to simplify your corporate structure)
• High Pressure of doing it wrong: Fines, audits, and jail time OH MY! (You found your why - don't let it paralyze you)
• The challenge of FINISH (#My3Things)

Summary:

1. Outsource or Hire to your Weakness
2. Change your perspective: Investing time in tracking is an important tool toward future success and being able to create more
3. #my3things

So my creative listeners - what do you do to handle your creative challenges in business?

Make it a great week!

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