Building Tomorrow's Practice

A few “different” RAN ONE firms

Dear RAN ONE Colleagues,

 

It would seem logical that when facing a declining economy one would not be thinking about quantum growth for a practice. I’m happy to report that at least some RAN ONE firms disagree. Recognizing that the most challenging times can provide significant growth opportunities, these  individuals have enrolled in our new Masters Program so they can move forward while most others are retreating. Considering that a significant aspect of the Masters Program has to do with letting go of self-limiting beliefs and points of view, this decision is quite logical. As proven by the results achieved by the first Masters group, breakthrough results can become the norm.

 

The attached video (<4 minutes) provides essential information about our much acclaimed Master’s Program.  Please take a few minutes to watch the video and then decide from there if you want to explore this further. As of the writing of this e-mail, there are only four seats left in the program, so time is of the essence.

 

Click the link below to watch video (this may take a moment to load)

http://www.ranone.com/files/mastersfinal.swf

(if you are unable to click on the link simply copy and paste it into your interenet browswer)

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Take care,

 

Rick

Annual Conference in Nashville

Thank you all so much for making our conference a truly awesome and memorable event! Your comments and feedback have been overwhelmingly positive. The entire RAN ONE team has been energized and invigorated by this conference experience, and by your acknowledgment of them. It allowed them to see how their hard work is impacting our members.

Every one of our speakers and sponsors, without exception, commented to me on the spirit and heart of RAN ONE members. They could feel a different energy in the air. In fact, one speaker who speaks at most of the major accounting firm association conferences asked me if I realized how special RAN ONE firms are. Rather than the typical comparisons of billing rates and KPIs, he saw a coming together to share ideas and inspiration, and to have fun. He opined that by building a more enjoyable practice, profits will naturally follow.

Please share your conference experience with the ENTIRE RAN ONE community. We'd love to hear from you!

With appreciation,

Rick

Tuesday Morning Coffee with Rick Solomon November 4th

Dear Colleagues,

While preparing my “Shifting Clients Mindsets” presentation for next week’s annual conference in Nashville, it became clear to me that if want to help our clients see a different and more promising set of possibilities for their business during these challenging times, we must first do so ourselves. Only when our perspective changes on what is possible in our own practice, and in our relationship with clients, can we effect meaningful change in our clients’ world.

I invite you, right now, to take just a minute or two to share a story about what you are doing, or have observed others doing, that makes a difference in your clients’ businesses. As the stories begin to circulate within the RAN ONE community, the power and collective wisdom of this community will undoubtedly be revealed. Everyone gains, including you, when you contribute to it. 

Click on the "COMMENTS" option below to share a brief story.

See you in Nashville next week!

Important audio message from Rick on the Economic Crisis

Good morning everyone,

Rather than write to you about what you can be doing to help your clients now, and how we can  help, I’d rather speak to you.

Please click on the link below for a 3 minute message that is essential to your role as an advisor.
http://www.ranone.com/files/Tuesday_Morning.mp3 (if you are unable to click on the link below, simply copy and paste the link into your browser)

After you’ve listened to my message, here are three links that are referenced:

1) For the Economic Crisis Survey and Report
2) To read Michael Darren’s e-mail
3) For the Annual Conference

We encourage your feedback and comments.  Please click here to leave your feedback and comments.

Thank you,

Rick

Straight talk from RAN ONE America's CEO

Your clients are anxious about the economy, as we all are. How, specifically, will you help them?

Wouldn't it be great to be a hero to your clients during these challenging economic times, providing them with much needed guidance and solutions? If you agree, please answer two short questions:

1. Would it be useful to have access to a resource center filled with information, tools and solutions that will help your SMEs better navigate these turbulent times?
2. What specifically would you like to see in this resource center?

With input from everyone, we can build an awesome Economic Recovery Resource Center that all members of the RAN ONE Network can draw upon to help their clients.

Please click below to let us know how you feel - we need to hear from you!

Helping clients through challenging economic times

Clients need your advice more than ever to help them navigate through these turbulent  economic times. When things are good, SMEs can get away with paying less attention to business performance. But with the challenges they’re now facing, working “on” their businesses is not just wise, it’s essential.

How do you advise your clients? What role should you be playing? What are the tools, resources, information and ideas you can bring that will make a difference? Is there possibly a way to help them leverage these challenges to move their businesses forward, while others are falling back?

This is when being a member of the RAN ONE Global Network can pay huge dividends. Two initiatives that we’ve undertaken, enhanced by your participation, will help us all bring the best and most relevant solutions, ideas and resources to our clients during these tough times. Your clients will appreciate your guidance and leadership during this crisis for a long time to come.

Here’s the plan:

What we’re doing

A survey: We’re just a few days away from presenting our economic crisis survey for you to complete, and for you to send to your clients. The information gathered will help pinpoint exactly how, where, and the extent to which SMEs are being affected by the economy. Most importantly, it will provide insight as to solutions that would be most relevant to them. All those participating in the survey will receive a report with the results.

Economic Recovery Resource Center:  This will be a contributory online resource center filled with ideas, solutions, resources, etc., with content provided by both RAN ONE and our member firms.  Once we receive a critical mass of content from our members, we'll have the center up and running. For it to have real substance -

Here is what you need to do

Please post to this blog as much of the following as you can. (Please stick to the topic of helping clients during challenging economic times).

1. Ideas that you or clients have implemented that help during these times.

2. Articles, checklists, books, etc., that provide useful ideas, resources or solutions for SMEs (Can be e-mailed).

3. Websites, blogs, or other online resources you use that make a difference

4. RAN ONE tools you’re using or seminars you’re conducting

5. What are you doing or what do you know about, that I have not asked about?

6. What else can RAN ONE do to help you better help your clients address economic issues?

YOU ARE THE NETWORK! Thank you for contributing.

Rick Solomon

 

A response to the CRITICAL MASS message...

They say nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come. The energy and momentum building within RAN ONE is starting to become contagious. It validates that our "network" direction and more "holistic" focus on your practice is exactly what members want. Admittedly no surprise, since that's what you asked for at the Community Round Table meetings.

So in last Tuesday's Morning Coffee I discussed how creating a "critical mass" of energy within your firm builds a client focused culture with huge benefits for your clients and your firm. You have to read what Deanna Davies, a principle in DWCA, responded with. It sent chills down my spine.

Deanna responded to two questions:

1) Are you bringing partners and/or team members to the conference?

     We have decided to close our office for the week of the conference and everyone in our office will attend the annual conference and most will attend the sales and marketing training.  We believe in building a team that will learn together and have fun together.  This year’s conference promises to appeal to everyone in the firm and offers interesting topics and choices that we are really excited about joining. 

2) What do you feel the benefits are?

By involving everyone in the training, we will all be on the same page.  Our team becomes empowered to do their part in building the business as they share the vision and receive the skills to move forward.  Thus reducing the dependency on the partners. 

 

 Please share your thoughts on whether or not this makes sense for you and your firm, and why? What issues or concerns would stop you from bringing people?

Have you achieved CRITICAL MASS?

A common denominator shared by firms that have successfully established a client-focused service culture is that there is a critical mass of leaders and team members who are at the heart of that movement. The clients of such firms obviously benefit from such focus, and the practice owners enjoy a more rewarding practice and dynamic firm culture.

While a number of RAN ONE firms have achieved this critical mass, more often we see a sole "champion" of the cause who is trying to push the firm in this direction. If you are one of these "champions", why not make it easier on yourself and better serve your clients by building a "critical mass" group in your practice?

"Easier said than done" you say? How do I do that?

Have you experienced some success in this area? If so, please share what you did to align partners, managers and team members with this goal and build your critical mass.

Does your firm need an "alignment"?

I'm sitting here in beautiful Vancouver on the last day of the "Building Tomorrow's Practice" workshop. It has been a truly awesome experience. Every RAN ONE firm here has between four and six partners/team members with them. Not unexpectedly, this workshop has served as a firm retreat. Every firm here has achieved an incredible degree of alignment around a collective vision for their future. I truly commend the leaders of these firms for investing the time, money and energy in the future of their firm by bringing some of their key players here!

How aligned is your firm around a common vision? Does everyone on the team know what that vision is? Are people working together to make it happpen?

We'd love to hear from you!

Do you have expertise to share?

There are many centers of excellence within RAN ONE that we would like to identify. As I shared during my Round Table tour, RAN ONE is a power grid that we can both add to and take from. What does your firm excel at, what special services do you provide that you would like to make available to other RAN ONE firms? We're open to all suggestions, whether they are focused on helping firms themselves, or clients of firms. For example: Expertise related to leadership training and people development, building a dynamic firm culture, succession planning, specialized tax or advisory services, just to mention a few. Let us know what you have and we'll figure out the best way to spread the word!