Let Me Introduce You to…Maureen Ennis

Posted on 04. Jan, 2007 by Linda in Client Profiles, VirtualConnections Newsletter

Well it’s another new year and time to start the year off fresh. Here are some quick organizing tips to help you meet your “I’m going to get organized goal” for 2007.

• Make sure that your most frequently used items are the most easily accessible.
• Prioritize tasks for each day and make sure you get the most important things done. If you can, try to set time aside just for these priority tasks.
• If you feel overwhelmed, divide the complex tasks into manageable sub-tasks.
• Use wall space whenever possible, using shelves, bookcases, and bulletin boards. The goal is to remove the clutter from the desk and floor.
• Keep all the notes you write to yourself in a centralized location, whether in a notebook, a file folder or on your computer.
• Straighten your desk at the end of the day and especially at the end of the week so that you can start each morning with a clear desk.
• Keep vertical files whenever possible this helps you avoid the habit of piling papers.
• Keep your files purged – use storage boxes to store dated files.
• Your filing system should be simple, easy and manageable. Color coding your files makes it faster to find certain information.
• Backup your computer files!!!! Set up a regular back up routine, if you don’t you will eventually regret it. USB flash drives make it easy to back up files in an instant.
• Make sure your virus protection software is up to date – many software programs will download updates to your computer automatically. Make sure your virus software is set to do this.
• Use the disk optimization/defrag software that is already installed on your computer regularly. It saves disk space, speeds up software and reduces computer errors.
• Email management – create an electronic filing cabinet for each client. Once emails have been read and replied to, move the email to the appropriate cabinet. Most email programs allow you to set up filters where these messages are filed automatically when they come in.
• Email attachments – save them in the appropriate client file. This way if you need the file in the future, you won’t have to go searching through hundreds of emails to find the files.
• Every 6 months, go through your folders and delete emails you no longer need. This will save on disk space and also streamline your future searches.

Remember, the time spent searching through your office for a piece of paper or telephone number is unproductive time. Allowing just a few minutes each day to go through your daily paperwork will save time. As your business grows, so does your paperwork! Don’t let this paperwork start to pile up – this causes you to lose control and may result in missed opportunities.

Bookkeeping Organization Tips:

Just a couple of tips to help you get off on the right foot in 2007 – now is the time to organize your records; don’t wait until November/December.

• Make sure all business-related expenses are organized and filed by expense type. Some suggestions for files are: advertising, automobile expenses, bank statements, credit card statements, dues and subscriptions, education and professional development fees, miscellaneous, office supplies/equipment, postage and shipping, printing, taxes and licenses, telephone, and utilities.
• Keep your business income receipts, check stubs, and deposit slips together and best if filed by month. Print two copies of your invoices – file one in a separate invoice file and the second copy in the client file.
• If you have employees or charge sales tax, keep copies of all quarterly reports that were filed. Also, keep all bank statements from your business account for the past year. These records provide a good double check to your income and expense receipts.
• Write notations for any unusual expenses or receipts at the time the expense is made. This will assist your bookkeeper/accountant in classifying the expense.

I would like to introduce you to Maureen Ennis of ColemanEnnis Consulting, LLC. Maureen has worked for large corporations with ready-made teams of people to work with for most of her career.

When she started her own business, one of her most critical strategies was to develop a robust network of professional help. She had worked in a virtual environment for several years, and enjoyed helping others take advantage of virtual working arrangements, so a virtual assistant was her logical next step.

As she was surfing through the IVAA website, she came across the name of Linda Siniscal. Maureen comments, “What struck me the most at first was that Linda’s site had a clear focus on helping people understand the value of a VA and how potential customers could use a VA to be more productive and successful with their own work and life.”

Maureen interviewed a number of VAs over the phone, but Linda stood out as having the most adopted practices, technology and experience. It was clear that Linda would be showing Maureen how to do things as opposed to Maureen having to provide step-by-step details of what she wanted.

Maureen states that “Linda supports me with administrative activities including: managing my QuickBooks and accounts payable, preparing for customer meetings and events, and ordering supplies. Those are the basic components of our agreement. Going above and beyond those basic components, I get so much value out of our relationship on a planning level. Linda has been a terrific sounding board for my business plans. We have started to have conversations about various strategies so that Linda would have context for the work she was doing.”

Maureen feels that in the end, she gets much more value out of the conversations she has with Linda. Linda usually has three or four ideas that Maureen might not have considered, and she follows up on them for Maureen. Maureen says that Linda is a born “navigator” and easily connects her with other people who might be valuable for her to network with for ideas.

Maureen frequently recommends the VA concept to others, and then sets the bar high as she lets others know how much value an excellent VA can provide.

About ColemanEnnis, LLC:

ColemanEnnis Consulting, LLC provides services that include strategic planning, change management and collaboration consulting to help organizations harness the power of the rapidly changing marketplace, remain competitive and drive sustainable results.

Significant opportunities to change how we work through emerging technology and new market models such as outsourcing abound today. Unfortunately, so do the challenges of driving change successfully. New strategies and initiatives bring increased complexity and disruption to the way employees have been operating for years, sometimes their whole careers. Often, organizations and people do not have the capacity to adopt and integrate all of the change. This results in frustration, under-leveraged tools and infrastructure, and poor productivity.

If you are faced with the challenge of driving significant change, ColemanEnnis Consulting, LLC can provide direction and support based on 20 years of experience in human resources, information technology and process excellence.

For more information about ColemanEnnis Consulting, LLC, email Maureen at maureen@colemanennis.biz or call her at 732-779-7322.