Your Christmas Bucket List…
I don’t want to alarm you, but Christmas is less than two months away. I am going to pause for a minute while that sinks in and freak out just a little. Right, now that you have settled down again, let’s have a look at it. Christmas can be a great opportunity to achieve one of your bucket list goals. But it is also a great opportunity to help others with their bucket list goals.
Maybe it’s time to have a white christmas in the Swiss Alps?
Now listen. I don’t want to alarm you, but Christmas is less than two months away. I am going to pause for a minute while that sinks in and freak out just a little. Right, now that you have settled down again, let’s have a look at it. Christmas can be a great opportunity to achieve one of your bucket list goals. But it is also a great opportunity to help others with their bucket list goals.
Your Loved Ones Bucket List
It is not always about you!! Do you know what is on the bucket list of your significant other? If not it is time to do a little digging. There is still enough time to do some research and come up with a great bucket list item for Christmas for your partner. Everyone loves a gift that has had a lot of thought put into it.
Donate to a Great Cause
Christmas is tough for some. Why not use the festive season as a way to give to a worthy cause? Giving is something that is very high on my Bucket List. We have a charitable foundation at work that last year helped pay off lay-bys for families in need. If this is something of interest then check out the following links to some very worthwhile causes
https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/donate/give/toy-and-book-appeal
https://www.foodbank.org.au/you-can-make-a-difference-this-christmas/?state=vic
https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/christmas/get-involved-this-christmas/
White Christmas
A white Christmas is on the bucket list of many Australians. Whilst we have probably left it a bit late for this year, but let’s start planning for Christmas 2023. I was lucky to have a white Christmas in Scotland in my early 20’s and it was awesome. Below is a list of some of the best places for a white Christmas
Rovaniemi, Finland - The official town of Santa Claus
Zermatt, Switzerland - One of the best place for families
Courmayeur, Italy - Picture postcard view of the Alps
Quebec, Canada - Old world Charm and Cobblestone streets
New York City, USA - C’mon you have seen the movies
Let’s Get Creative
Christmas is a great time of year. Let’s use that festive spirit to get creative on our bucket lists. Some of these items might be out of reach for 2022, but let’s start to focus on 2023 or even 2024. That white Christmas in Canada is within reach if we plan for it and work together to achieve it. How about Christmas at the North Pole? Whatever it is that you want to do, what is stopping you? Let’s start making the plans.
We at The Bucket List Accountant would love to know what is on your bucket list for Christmas. “Treat Yo self” or those closest to you this Christmas. We love getting inspired by what you are doing.
David Patterson - Director The Bucket list Accountant
Why waiting to retire to tick off your bucket list is not the best option….
We all know the traditional way of life. Work hard until you reach retirement age and save up for your retirement nest egg. Once you have retired then you can start doing all those things you had been putting off but wanting to do. Things such as a caravan trip around Australia, or a cruise down the Danube. I say this is rubbish. Ticking things off your bucket list should be done as you go along in life and there are two main reasons why.
The timing of your Bucket List
We all know the traditional way of life. Work hard until you reach retirement age and save up for your retirement nest egg. Once you have retired then you can start doing all those things you had been putting off but wanting to do. Things such as a caravan trip around Australia, or a cruise down the Danube. I say this is rubbish. Ticking things off your bucket list should be done as you go along in life and there are two main reasons why.
Creation of Memories
Ticking something off your bucket list will create a memory that will last with you for your lifetime. Something that is ticked off at a young age is a memory that will last with you for decades. In my early 20’s I left my job and family and travelled to Europe, as many did. Part of that trip was attending the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain (which is where I met my wife, but that is a story for another time). On my bucket list at the time was to participate in the Running of the Bulls but to also jump from the Fountain of Santa Cecilia. Below is a photo of me jumping.
Me, Jumping from the Fountain of Santa Cecilia in Pamplona, Spain.
The reason I show this is that it was nearly 30 years ago and I still talk about it. That one moment has been recreated hundreds of times since in conversations with people. One action taken early has created nearly 30 years of memories. (The photo doesn’t show it but there are six people there to catch me before I slam into the pavement. If I had waited for retirement for this chances are I wouldn’t have done it and no lasting memory.
Makes Work More Enjoyable
Ticking things off your bucket list as you go along, also makes the day to day grind of work more enjoyable. We all know that a goal that is set too far into the future, aka retirement, is too far away to allow you to stay focused on it. When you know that there is an overseas trip in six months if you can achieve certain goals in your business then you become more focused and work becomes more enjoyable. Once this is done then a new bucket list item becomes front and centre and you can start to focus on this.
These bucket list items give greater meaning to any decisions that you make in your business. “Is this business decision going to improve my business and allow me to tick something off my bucket list?” If the answer is yes then lets do it. If your reward is not for another 30 years then there is less reason to make the decision and potentially you will lose some of the focus.
So let’s not wait until retirement before we start ticking things off your bucket list. Get your list written down now and start ticking them off as soon as you can. You will thank yourself in 30 years time for doing it.
David Patterson - Director The Bucket list Accountant
Your Bucket List and Mental Health
At The Bucket List Accountant, we are all about helping you tick all the things off your bucket list.
Part of this is ensuring that your business operates at its optimal level. If it is not then we help you implement practices that will allow you to step up to this level. One very important aspect of this is the good mental health of business owners. That is why R U OK day is so valuable to the small business community. It brings to the forefront the importance of mental health and the importance for business owners to look after their mental health.
At The Bucket List Accountant, we are all about helping you tick all the things off your bucket list.
Part of this is ensuring that your business operates at its optimal level. If it is not then we help you implement practices that will allow you to step up to this level. One very important aspect of this is the good mental health of business owners. That is why R U OK day is so valuable to the small business community. It brings to the forefront the importance of mental health and the importance for business owners to look after their mental health.
Stressful times
Since March 2022, in Victoria especially, it has been a tough time to be in business. Constant lockdowns and staffing issues have put an enormous strain on business owners and their families. As an accountant for small businesses, I was seeing first hand the toll that was being taken on people. I was taking phone call after phone call from clients, worrying about their business, that many had spent years building up.
We are out of Covid now (well sort of), but the pressures are still there for small business owners. Staff shortages are now a big issue, together with the rising cost of living.
Support each other
Now is the time to support each other. In my opinion, we have become extremely disconnected during the last two and a half years. It is now time to break out. Be observant of those around you. If you see someone who seems to be struggling, take the time to ask – Are you OK? And more importantly, take the time to listen. And I mean really listen. It can be an awkward conversation, but you need to own the awkwardness and help out. Sometimes all it might take is for someone to feel that they are really being listened to. R U OK talks about using the following 4 steps that could change a life:
1. Ask R U OK?
2. Listen
3. Encourage Action
4. Check In
Seeking help is not a weakness
At times in the past, I have struggled with my own mental health. Battling my own negative thoughts, facing massive anxiety and losing sleep wondering if it will ever be ok. At the start of Covid when things were really tough a friend reached out purely coincidently. They had become a mind mentor at Quality Mind and asked if I would like to do the program. It was a six month program that completely changed my outlook on life. Sure there were awkward moments, and bloody vulnerable moments, but boy it was healing. Thanks to Leigh I now have tools that I can use to help me when I am starting to feel overwhelmed.
One life
We are constantly reminded about how short life can be. At The Bucket List Accountant, we are determined to help people tick as many things off their bucket lists as possible. Good mental health is extremely important to help achieve this. A strong mind and a strong body will help you overcome anything that life throws at you.
If you are struggling please reach out to someone. If you want to talk to a complete stranger, my number is 0409 422 595. I am not sure how I can help, but I promise that I will listen. Let’s tackle this together.
David Patterson - Director The Bucket List Accountant
Is a Family Holiday in your Business Plan?
Here are some of the things I have been hearing business owners say (me included). I can’t believe where the year has gone! I feel burnt out after the last two and a half years!
To me this screams out that you need a holiday, and that you need to take your family with you. I know that is what I need to be doing. If we as business owners don’t start planning for this holiday then guess what you will be saying in 12 months time? Bingo! (I hope you realised Bingo meant I was referring to the two statements above, not that I was playing bingo as well as writing this!!)
Here are some of the things I have been hearing business owners say (me included).
I can’t believe where the year has gone!
I feel burnt out after the last two and a half years!
To me this screams out that you need a holiday, and that you need to take your family with you. I know that is what I need to be doing. If we as business owners don’t start planning for this holiday then guess what you will be saying in 12 months time? Bingo! (I hope you realised Bingo meant I was referring to the two statements above, not that I was playing bingo as well as writing this!!)
The Pinnacle Observation Shelter and Boardwalk on Mount Wellington, Hobart Tasmania, Australia.
The one great thing about the end of the financial year is that it gives us all a fresh starting point. For a lot of small business owners that starting point involves a business plan of what it is they are wanting to achieve over the next 12 months. The one thing that should be on the top of that list is to take a holiday with the family. Some of us have been taking regular breaks, some of us haven’t had a real break in nearly two years.
I was given a book for my birthday – Australia’s Ultimate Bucket List -The top 100 places you should see in your lifetime. It is a great book to look through to decide your next holiday destination. We have looked through the book and have chosen on Cradle Mountain in Tasmania as well as other areas of Tasmania. We love the wilderness so this is a perfect for us. Here is the link for the book mentioned above.
This goes right to the top of my Business Plan. Part of owning your own business is to be able to do the things you want to do. The best way to make these things happen, as I have mentioned before, is to add personal goals to your business plan. I have done this and I am now building the rest of the plan around this major goal of a family holiday.
One of the major reasons I went into business for myself was to spend more time with my wife and kids. My youngest son is finishing Year 12 this year. We are fast approaching the point where the kids (3 for us) will not be living with us for much longer. Fifteen years ago when I started my business I thought I had plenty of time to do things with my family. I have, but time is running out. Pretty soon they will have their own families and will be doing there own things. Every one will tell you the same thing – blink and they go from nappies to driving their car out the drive way to live their own lives.
That is why the family holiday is at the top of my business plan. It is the most important reason this year for my business to be successful.
Put a family holiday at the top of your business plan this year. You wont regret it!!
David Patterson - Director The Bucket list Accountant
When is the time to rebrand?
The most simple way of looking at this, is sales. Are you not as profitable as you once were? Or your sales may be the same but not growing they way you would like? This could be because of your branding is not attracting the right customers to your business. Just like a light to a moth… this is what your branding should do. If moths are your thing, of course.
And what are the benefits to you, the business owner?
You may be familiar with a business that launches a rebrand and think to yourself:
“Why? What was the point of that? Aren’t they worried that they will lose customers? I thought they had a great brand? “
Or you might think:
”Oh yes… that is much better, cleaner, fresher.”
The reality is - that is doesn’t really matter what you think? unless you are their ideal customer that would purchase or engage in their service. Ideal customers change over time, as your business grows so does the customer you target. As a business owner you would know all too well, the reality that your business cannot stay the same as when you started. Your core beliefs and purpose might be the same but business changes on a daily basis and your branding need to reflect these changes.
Why is it important?
The most simple way of looking at this, is sales. Are you not as profitable as you once were? Has your business just not scaled the way you would have liked? This could be because of your branding is not attracting the right customers to your business.
Just like a light to a moth… this is what your branding should do.
Here are my top 10 tips on when you will know it’s the right time to rebrand or update your branding.
1. Your business has changed
You have completely changed your offering. You may have started out as a business coach for small to medium business owners but you are wanting to niche yourself into the Fitness Industry for example. You would need a logo that would attract these fitness type business owners.
Cleanway wanted to move on from using the well known recycling symbol that could not be trademarked for their business. The font type didn’t look strong enough for a company that is Australia wide and handles large corporate jobs. We created a new symbol that represents direction from left to right.
2. You are finding it hard to convert a lead to a loyal customer
Customers may be coming to your website from searching in google but then getting to your website and turning away based off how it looks. Does it look dated that it’s turning people away? does it look trustworthy? does it look real?
Mel Fisher Photography had 10 years of experience photographing babies and families. She had multiple logo’s for each of these offerings. Her website was outdated and not easy to book through. She also had MJF photography instead of her name. After some consulting, and proof of her name being searched more than MJF - she changed her branding over. Her website is now converting 60% more leads than before.
3. Your target audience has totally changed
Your target audience has totally changed. For example - you may have been targeting 50 year old men to play golf but in 2022 Females are playing golf a lot more and want to feel included. If you want your business to succeed you will need to update.
BCD came to us needing help to merge 2 businesses together under the one “umbrella”. They were helping Seniors and were wanting to keep doing this but also move towards helping anyone that required NDIS help. They wanted their branding to be easier to read, more modern and fun to show how happy their staff were to help.
4. You are over it. It just doesn’t represent you anymore…
It was designed 10 years ago when you started up and had no budget. It might sound trivial but how do you feel when you put on a new outfit? pretty good? confident? that’s what a brand refresh should do too. This will also attract brand new customers that never looked at you before. This is not as scary as it may seem.
Urban Consultants came to us with their dated branding that they had completely outgrown. They wanted a more contemporary branding to represent their current business and to attract working with large corporates.
5. Potential customers are confused
Whether you are at a networking event or at a bar… if someone asks you what you do and you tell them your business name and they look confused? or worse they just walk away… you may need to really focus in on your business name and look at changing it.
Acals - had a really long business name and this is a nightmare for domain names and email addresses. So they changed their business name to ACALS an acronym for Accessible Care & Lifestyle Services.
6. You do not stand out amongst your competitors
You no longer stand out amongst your competitors. When you started - you may be have been the only business in your space? How can you visually communicate how awesome your business is in 1 second? your branding.
Macquarie Grove Homes came to us to update their branding as they felt it wasn’t getting noticed in the right way. It wasn’t conveying the quality of homes they were building. They specialise in custom built homes - so we wanted to put something special into their branding to communicate this, so we used a pattern that was unique to the tiles they had put into a few homes they had built. The handwritten font communicates that human element of the way they look after you.
7. You don’t want a complete rebrand, just a tweak…
You may not need a whole new branding - you may just need a tidy up, some finessing. Think about some large brands such as Coca Cola and how they have updated their branding and marketing assets over the years… It’s just enough to keep it fresh, and not too different that it looks like a new brand.
4th Trimester & Beyond had this beautiful illustration designed for her business a few years ago and didn’t want to part with it, neither did we. But the problem was that the whole logo didn’t work on social media platforms and her website. It was also too much text making it all seem just too much. It looked too hand done and not professional which was hurting her business. We took the main part of the illustration and created a more refined version of this.
8. You have scaled up, you need your brand to represent this too
You have simply outgrown your branding. What a great problem to have. You are larger than when you started and are now wanting to communicate this to potential partners, shareholders, franchisees and customers.
COPE accountants and business advisors came to us with the goal of targeting new clients that were different to what they had been targeting previously. They wanted to represent themselves as a larger firm that could take on larger clients. Part of their branding was adding in the office building in part of the marketing collateral.
9. Your logo is hard to read?
You branding is a little unclear, not easy to read. Perhaps the font’s that were chosen were considered perfect at the time. But now they look too casual, too cluttered and messy to read. If your branding has comic sans in it, we need to talk stat. :)
As you can see the Glendon Brae Homes logo below, the font is very hard to read. The only word that stands out is HOMES which is lucky… as thats what they do. We updated their branding to be less generic (the roof icon) and made it easier to read.
10. You never had one to begin with…
Lastly - Your branding is not just your logo. Yes it is a part of it. But it’s the whole package - the colours, the fonts, the patterns, photography, textures, voice of the brand. So if you are still just doing up an ad and sticking on the logo - Im sorry to break it to you, you don’t actually have a branding.
Belle Lifestyle Homes - Started out with a very feminine branding. Even though Women are the main demographic for influencing the property market, the home they were building were more sophisticated and minimalist. The branding didn’t match this move. We updated the branding to be more minimalist and more structured to represent their buildings.
What are the benefits or a rebrand:
Attracting the right customers = more sales
Faster lead conversion because you look trustworthy and up to date
Greater staff morale
Feel and look more professional in sales meetings/negotiations and pitches
Communicates that you are willing to invest in your business
Clear messaging that is easy to understand = more sales
“Such a massive thank you to the beautiful team at Saffron & Co. I have had the privilege or working with them to redo my logo and my website. I am just in aww of what they have created for me. Their attention to detail and communication greatly appreciated. They exceeded every one of my expectations. So if you are looking at starting from the ground up, or refreshing your image the ladies here are specular. Thank you so much again. I am so beyond grateful.”
If you can relate to any of these tips and feel ready for an update or complete new rebrand. Contact me to chat about your business.
*Mention Bucket List and receive a complimentary audit on your current branding.
Saffron Meade -
Brand Strategist
Saffron & Co. Creative
Bucket List Tax Tips for 2022
The end of the tax year is approaching and we are all look at ways of saving tax. This year I want us to take a slightly different approach to tax savings. This year I don’t want you to think of it as paying tax.
This year I want you to think of it as the Government helping you to pay for items on your Bucket List. Imagine how cool it will be to think that the ATO has helped you pay for your skiing holiday in Japan, or your new boat.
Keep reading for my top 5 tax tips for 2022.
It is that time of year again.
The end of the tax year is approaching and we are all look at ways of saving tax. This year I want us to take a slightly different approach to tax savings. This year I don’t want you to think of it as paying tax.
This year I want you to think of it as the Government helping you to pay for items on your Bucket List. Imagine how cool it will be to think that the ATO has helped you pay for your skiing holiday in Japan, or your new boat.
Keep reading for my top 5 tax tips for 2022.
Imagine skiing in Japan with your tax savings…
1. Superannuation
Superannuation has always been a great way of saving tax. The amount of taxable contributions that can be made to superannuation is $27,500. At the tax rate of 34.5% that is a personal tax saving of $9,487.50. But it can get better. If your superannuation balance is less than $500,000, you are able to bring forward any unused superannuation amounts from the previous three years. This amount could be anywhere between $0.00 and $25,000 for each of the last three years. This strategy relies on strong cashflow but can be a fantastic tax saving strategy. This is the first amount of saved tax that can be put towards your bucket list.
2. Purchase that Equipment you Need
Is there some new equipment that you need for your business? New computers for the office? A new tractor for the farm? A new dishwasher for your restaurant? Thanks to the Governments generous initiatives, any equipment purchased for use in your business is 100% tax deductible. In the past, this equipment could only be depreciated in the first year at 15%. So this means that $10,000 of new computers for the office would save you $3,450 in tax (assuming a 32.5% tax plus Medicare rate). A new tractor for the farm that cost $100,000 to purchase could save you $34,500 in tax or more. If you need new equipment for your business, don’t wait until after June. Get it now to get the immediate deduction in tax. That pool of tax savings for your bucket list is beginning to build up now.
3. Prepayments
This is where paying attention to your cash flow starts to pay off. If you have the money and you want to save tax, there are a bunch of things you can prepay and purchase to bring forward into the current tax year to claim deductions. The following are the types of expenses you can prepay to get an immediate deduction.
· Employees Superannuation
· Rent
· Accounting Fees (and I’m not just saying that so I get paid quicker)
· Interest on deductible loans
· Business Insurance
· Marketing costs such as a brand refresh or new website
Be rewarded for paying your bills ahead of time
4. Review your Debtors
Most businesses have a level of money that is owed to them by their customers. At certain times these customers go “bad” and wont pay the money that they owe you. This means that you could potentially pay tax on money that you wont receive, unless you write this amount off as a bad debt. This is frustrating and infuriating I know as you have done the work but may not get paid for it. So
then the last thing you want to do is pay tax on it. If there are amounts you don’t expect to receive, then write them off. Otherwise, you not only miss out on the money you earned, you lost the tax you paid as well.
5. Review your Stock Levels
For those businesses that carry stock to sell it is a great time of year to review your stock. If you have been holding some stock for a while that is no longer worth what you paid for it, then you are able to record it for tax purposes at the lower value. If you have stock that you paid $10,000 for but could now only be sold for $5,000 then you can reduce your stock value, and your profit by the $5,000. This write down will potentially save the business owner $1,725 (assuming the tax rate of 32.5% plus Medicare)
Write down your old stock and save on your tax
So there you have it. My 5 top tips to save tax and contribute to your bucket list “slush fund”. Knowing that your tax savings will be going to helping you tick things off your bucket list will drive you to maximise your tax savings.
If you would like more on how you could save tax, why not get a copy of my book "Save Tax – Without Doing Anything Dodgy, Unethical or Against the Law".
David Patterson - Director The Bucket list Accountant