How I Succeeded is a regular series on Lifehacker where we ask business leaders for the secrets and tactics behind their success. Today: Amy Riddell, Director at digital bookkeeping agency BlueRock Books.
Current gig: Director, BlueRock Books Australia and New Zealand
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Current mobile device: iPhone 7 Plus
Current computer: Dell
One word that best describes how you work: Strategic
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?
For work, I can’t live without ReceiptBank, Xero and Microsoft Office (Excel/Word). And personally, I use Google to research anything and everything and YouTube for online tutorials and watching documentaries.
What social network do you find the most useful?
I find LinkedIn the most useful for business and recruitment and Facebook for keeping up to date with overseas family.
What were the most important lessons you learned while growing your business?
BlueRock Books is the fourth bookkeeping business I’ve had the opportunity to grow from the ground up, so I’ve learned a lot over that journey.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is the value of being able to clearly articulate our service offering, as well as always taking the time to discuss with our clients exactly what is included in any scope of work. I’ve found that this helps set realistic expectations for both parties right from the get-go.
It’s also important to have a good strategy in place which includes hiring the right people, having a good team structure and setting up robust systems and processes and quality control measures to ensure you can deliver on those expectations.
What has been the most surprising part of your business journey?
Surprisingly, it’s been realising the importance of being happy about where you work and what you are doing and not settling for any less. Having a good company culture is something I am passionate about and which I embody within my business by hiring like-minded people and taking on like-minded clients.
What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?
Being mindful and seeing things from someone else’s perspective.
What’s your sleep routine like?
I need at least eight hours’ sleep to function! If I’m struggling to fall asleep, I usually wind down by taking a bath or watching some reality TV. I also write down my to-do list for the next day before I leave the office and keep a notepad by my bed in case an idea comes to me at night. That way I can go to sleep confident I have a handle on everything I need to do the next day.
What advice would you offer to other businesses on how to succeed?
Make sure you have a solid strategy in place to achieve your objectives, and then continually review and evolve it.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.