We’re all about the Underdog

The ground ain’t no place for a champion

– Muhammad Ali

We LOVE hearing stories of the unlikely people in life achieving so much with their lives – professionally or personally. The same with businesses – we love seeing independent or family owned chains of restaurants or shops competing with the big players globally – it inspires us to support and contribute to their growth! We love the underdogs who get out there and give it a go!

We’ve put together some motivation for you to get up and get out there – regardless of who’s backing you:

1) Take the fight to them

If you haven’t got what your competitors have in staff or revenue or resources, but are still able to perform to the same or even a higher level – don’t run away from it! Take the Fight to Them!… You can’t wait for new business or opportunities to come to you… It doesn’t matter what competitive edge someone else has or if you think a new prospect will think less of you for not being bigger than you currently are… PLEASE Get out there and take the fight to them!!

2) Embrace the trials

You’ve got to embrace the trials… Embrace the tribulations… We all go through them – but you’ve GOT to talk about them differently! There’s no shame in wanting to quit… When we as entrepreneurs or business owners are still working on a Friday night or getting up at 5am every day, because that’s the only way we’re going to fit everything in it can get disheartening… A week ago, we’d had a big week and I’d been feeling less motivated because we were having difficulty gaining traction… We’d been to a great event by our Global Giving Partner Buy1GIVE1 on the Thursday, and after asking a client we brought along his thoughts on the day, I got a response that spoke right to “Our Why“… Having this effect on clients makes the trials worth it!!

3) Believe against all odds

If you are an underdog… You’ve got to BELIEVE against all odds… Close your eyes to everyone… Learn to block out the distractions and get focused… This is first quarter 2014FY and here’s the big idea: CAST A VISION; have a CENTRAL FOCUS… Make sure you don’t get caught up in doing, without setting a goal and then pacing yourself there… Set a goal and find your pace; and BELIEVE it against all odds.

So, what do you have to do to get from where you are now, to where you want to be?

What skills do you need?
What information do you need?
What changes do you need to make?

If you can believe it; if you can conceive it – you can ACHIEVE it!

Do you see an apple seed, or an apple tree?

“What you are [going] to be, you are now becoming”

After our first few months out and about, we’ve seen some HUGE potential to lead our clients and future clients to the next level! The current “economic climate” has presented its challenges to quite a lot of businesses, but our question is – what can YOU do to change that? How do you CREATE the environment in which you can bring YOUR dream into REALITY?

At Inspire CA, we have recently implemented Verne Harnish’s ‘Quarterly Themes’. In summary, these themes are used to get the whole firm on the same page and focused on our quarterly targets. To kick off the first 90 days, our theme is ‘Seed or Tree’. As we have launched Inspire CA in the early part of 2013, we thought it prudent to adjust the focus from us as a ‘start up’ or ‘seed’ to our vision ‘Not just adding value, we’re multiplying it’ or our ‘tree’. This is where we want to be an integral part of our clients’ businesses, that we’re not only going to have an effect on them, but they will in turn have an effect on their clients, staff and friends. We want to be an accounting firm so inspirational, you won’t recognise us as the ‘accountant’ stigma. We want the best for our clients, our friends and our family and pushing them towards greatness is part of the process.

Three thoughts:

1) You’ve got to have VISION

Everybody has ‘SIGHT’ very few people have ‘VISION’. You are the captain of your own ship, the choice of destination is 100% yours. You don’t need a co-signer on your dreams! Our recommendation is to set these goals high, to set them so ridiculously outstanding that they seem unachievable. We find that most people only push themselves as far as they can currently see… Impossible is Nothing, so we say go for it!

Our challenge: Write down an AWESOME vision for your life, business or career.

2) Create the right ENVIRONMENT

One of our beliefs is that you are the average of the closest five people around you. This can be a positive influence or a negative influence… There’s going to be plenty of people who think you can’t, or you’re unprepared, or you need a certain certificate or need this or that – forget them!! Find people that are going to SUPPORT your dream; find people that INSPIRE you; find people that ENCOURAGE you and follow these people!! If they’re out there getting it, join in and go get it!

Our challenge: Invest in those who think you CAN and forget those who think you can’t…

3) Believe in YOU

The first step, the first move forward is believing that you CAN. You are POWERFUL BEYOND MEASURE and at Inspire CA, we really want our clients, our staff and our friends to take ownership of the FACT that they are powerful beyond measure. Sometimes we can get focused on what has gone wrong in the past or we can focus on our weakness or what holds us back and this discourages us. Failing does not make you a failure!! We challenge you to focus on what has gone RIGHT and focus on what you have been called to do. We know that everyone has a skill set, a gift or a talent that is on a level that ordinary people do not possess. We want to urge you to use this gift to take your life or your business to the next level! If you need any encouragement on this point, please check out Eric Thomas’ video ‘Powerful Beyond Measure’.

Our challenge: Don’t settle for average – believe in yourself regardless of your circumstances. BE PHENOMENAL!

So what do you see in your life or your business or your career? Do you see the seed, or do you see the tree?

Why use a Chartered Accountant?

We are frequently asked what the difference is between an ‘Accountant’ and ‘Chartered Accountant’.

This article aims to give you an insight to the differences between an ‘Accountant’ and a ‘Chartered Accountant’, along with why we have chosen to align ourselves with the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (“ICAA”).

Differences between an accountant and a Chartered Accountant:

In summary:

A Chartered Accountant or “CA” is a member of the ICAA
A CA has completed a university degree, along with the CA Program to earn this membership
The CA Program consists of three years mentored practical experience, together with a rigorous study component
The use of ‘Chartered Accountant’ in Australia is restricted to members of the ICAA
We have chosen to be aligned with the ICAA for the highest level of accountability, excellence and confidence in the industry
See the ICAA’s article on the same question here

Institute of Chartered Accountants

The Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia is the professional body for Chartered Accountants in Australia and those members working abroad.

The ICAA represents more than 72,000 current and future professionals and business leaders and is a big player in upholding the financial integrity of our society.

Members strive to uphold the accounting profession’s commitment to ethics and quality in everything they do, alongside an unwavering dedication to act in the public interest.

To become a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, accounting professionals are required complete the ‘Chartered Accountants Program’. This program includes both a study component (Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting) and a minimum three years of practical experience, mentored by a Chartered Accountant – in addition to their university studies.

The Chartered Accountants Program, currently preferred by the “Big Four” accounting firms, is a rigorous pathway designed to test the accounting graduate. The program provides candidates with industry leading training and knowledge, designed to set them ahead of the pack.

As a firm belonging to the Institute of Chartered Accountants, we are subject to these various membership, training and professional obligations. We have chosen to align ourselves with the ICAA as it is our opinion that it provides us with the highest level of accountability, excellence and confidence in the industry.

“The more people you inspire, the more people will inspire you”

We were recently heard a speaker refer to Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle”. This is a concept where the great leaders of our time command loyalty by communicating in the complete opposite way of anyone else.

In this short YouTube video, Simon uses Apple as an example firstly by communication from the What -> How -> Why, and then reverses it to communicate Apple’s existence from the “Why” outwards.

Although a simple idea, you can see that it has a great ability to enhance communication and interaction with each other and with organisations or brands in our culture.

Can you adopt this technique to enhance communication with your clients, staff and friends?