School’s out! Or is it?

Memorial Day has become more than a time to honor our nation’s fallen military heroes. It also marks the unofficial start of summer and for most kids, the end of the school year. Since we were children, we were taught to relax more during the summertime, to take it easier. While it’s good advice for your social life and absolutely essential for your health, I’m here to say that maybe it’s not so good for your business. Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean we should stop learning. In fact, the growth of our business depends upon our constantly learning and staying ahead of the competition.

Hungry for more.

Whether I’m at work or at home, I’m constantly learning. Keeping my CPA certificate active requires me to earn at least 80 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits every two years. Some other professionals have similar requirements, like doctors, lawyers and x-ray technicians. Staying updated on industry trends, new laws and general advancements is crucial for maintaining high standards.

But even if you aren’t required to expand your knowledge, you and your staff should be doing it anyway! I’ve taken many classes, seminars and workshops, even when I didn’t get CPE credit. And when I learn something new, I determine if it’s helpful to my business or perhaps one of my clients’ businesses.

For example, I recently attended a 2-day seminar on how to more effectively work technology into accounting (this one qualified for CPE credits). I spent 2 full days in a room with 12 other CPA’s – and it was exciting! (Can you tell that I am a real geek?!)  If you’re wondering, “what’s so exciting about that?” I’ll tell you! I’m now able to take what I learned and implement it in my business and in my clients’ businesses, making all of us more efficient.  The result? Happier clients, longer client retention for me, and more stability for my business.

Do you see where I’m going with this? The more you know, the better you can serve your clients, and the more likely they’ll be to stick with you for the long run and recommend you to others.

Don’t put it off.

So what can you learn about right away? For starters, make sure you’re in touch with the news. I like a good old-fashioned newspaper (which I still get delivered every day), but maybe your style is a CNN or FOXNEWS app on your phone. Whatever your preferences, the news is a quick and easy way to stay on top of business and industry trends. While something you learn might not be useful today, it could come in handy in the future.

While it’s easy to say that you’ll start learning even more tomorrow, I challenge you to start investing in yourself and your staff today. Here are a few easy ways to get started:

• Check industry publications and social media sites like LinkedIn and Facebook for upcoming courses and conferences

• Ask trusted colleagues what they’re working on

• Ask your staff what they’d like to learn – you may be surprised!

• Ask your clients if there are more services they’d like to receive from you. If it makes sense for your business, learn to do it for them!

• If your business is experiencing specific challenges, there are probably courses out there that could help you gain the knowledge to overcome them

• And of course, stay on top of the news!

Remember, even though it’s almost summer, it’s always a good time to keep learning so you can stay ahead of the competition.  Look at the dates below and if you want to join me at the conferences where I’ll be in the next two months, reach out today.

Have you learned anything recently that has helped you with your clients? We want to know! Write back or share your story on our Facebook page. After all, knowledge is power and it’s even MORE powerful when you share it!