Editor’s Note: In the continual pursuit of business as usual in the aftermath of the recent pandemic, there have been myriad lessons learned. To see how some of the industry’s leading professionals handled the situation, we asked our Top 100 ProAdvisors to share some of their insights. Following is another in a series of our conversations with them. Here's Stephen Smith, Controllership Solutions LLC:
What has/have been the most impactful change(s) you’ve made in your firm over the last 18 months?
I've hired another virtual sub-contractor; produced a 90-second commercial and have increased my YouTube presence. I also have been more selective than ever with new clients.
How have these changes impacted your overall business?
The sub-contractor allows me to delegate clean ups and big projects which previously only I could do. YouTube has been an impressive source of leads and inquiry which has allowed me to be more selective than ever with clients.
What were the most challenging aspects of implementing these changes? How did you overcome them?
Hiring qualified people is tough. After dozens of Indeed interviews and working with an HR firm, I found this sub-contractor when they actually hired me to show them how to do things for a client they had.
But they were asking the right questions, so I asked them if I could hire them to do more of the kind of work they were trying to learn. We have been upping our relationship more and more to eventually convert to part-time.
Also, YouTube recording and production is not natural. I am great with outline and message, but the actual recording and editing is not a task I enjoy. I've worked with a few overseas producers, but that still requires more attention than I care to give.
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