The August Audit: Refine Your Finances

Happy Monday Rockstars, Back-to-school lists are out, the NFL preseason chatter is starting, and the Perseid meteor shower peaks this week. Translation: there is motion everywhere.

Let’s use that energy to tune your business before fall hits full stride. In today’s issue we will run a mid-year bookkeeping cleanse so your numbers tell the truth, turn community events into lead magnets that actually convert, and shake off any lingering summer slump with simple momentum boosters.

We will also keep leaning on The Compound Effect, because tiny wins stacked daily can carry you straight through October.

Coffee poured, calendar open, a little curiosity dialed in. Good. Let’s get practical, profitable, and just a touch playful while we are at it.

— Steve

ACCOUNTANT ANGLE

 Mid-Year Bookkeeping Cleanse

A clean ledger is like a clear windshield.

Start with a 60-minute audit sprint. Reconcile every account through July 31, then run an uncategorized transactions report and batch-tag the stragglers.

Search for duplicates by sorting vendor name and dollar amount together, then delete or merge as needed.

Next, review your chart of accounts. If “Advertising” and “Marketing” are splitting the same spend, consolidate so reporting is meaningful.

Create rules for repeat charges, for example your CRM posts to Marketing Software, fuel to Auto, photo edits to Listing Expenses.

Attach receipts to any transaction over 75 dollars so future you does not go on a scavenger hunt.

Finally, produce three statements, P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow, and highlight anything surprising.

Book a 20-minute monthly “cleanse” on your calendar. Small corrections now beat big corrections in December, and they make your decisions sharper all fall.

BUSINESS BOOSTER

Generating Leads Through Community Events

Community events can be noisy, so go in with a simple plan.

Pick one event that fits your brand, think farmers market, back-to-school fair, pet rescue day.

Offer one clear value exchange. Example, “Spin the wheel for a local gift card” after scanning a QR code that lands on your home-value guide.

Keep the booth friendly and useful. A small water station, a shaded chair for stroller parents, and a bowl of dog treats will earn real conversations.

Partner with a lender or stager to share costs and double your invite list.

Capture context in your CRM the same day, note “Met at Midtown Market, loves pickleball, downsizing next spring.” Within 48 hours send a short thank-you text with a single helpful link, no pitch.

The goal is to be memorable and helpful first, then consistent. When move timing turns serious, you are already the easy choice.

COACHES CORNER

Build Your Two-Page Playbook

When days get noisy, you do not need more motivation. You need fewer decisions.

Create a simple two-page playbook you can glance at between appointments.

Page one is Offense. List your Daily Big Three, two prospect conversations, one follow-up video, five minutes of pipeline review, plus three short scripts you actually use. Add two if-then rules, “If a hot lead replies, call within ten minutes, if a deal stalls, schedule a reset call within 24 hours.”

Page two is Defense. Write your boundaries and recovery tactics, no meetings before 9 a.m., email twice daily, three breath reset after tough calls, five minute walk at 2 p.m.

Tape the pages near your monitor and keep a copy in your car. The goal is to remove friction so you act without overthinking. When the day wobbles, look up, follow the play, and let the system carry you.

BOOK OF THE MONTH

“The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy

Hardy’s point is simple. Tiny actions, repeated, tilt results.

To make that real, choose one habit in each lane.

Money lane, a Friday five-minute money check, move a fixed percent into reserves, scan ads for cost per lead.

Pipeline lane, two real conversations daily and one short value post that answers a buyer or seller question.

Operations lane, create or improve one micro-system per week, for example a pre-listing checklist that saves ten minutes per file.

Set a 12-week target, maybe three new listings by November 1, then stop obsessing over the outcome. Track only the inputs and the streak. Miss a day, reset the streak, no drama. Review weekly and make small corrections rather than new goals.

Consistency is the lever. The math does the heavy lifting if you keep pulling.

☝️ Go ahead and click the image to order the book from Amazon ☝️ 

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Instant Reaction: Mortgage Rates, August 7, 2025 — National Association of Realtors

Why You Should Read: Fresh rate context helps you time buyer outreach and lock strategies.

The 60 Million Dollar Question: Commissions After the Settlement — HousingWire

Why You Should Read: Understand how compensation narratives are shifting so you can frame your value clearly.

Will Fannie and Freddie Go Public? — Real Estate News

Why You Should Read: Possible changes to the GSEs could ripple into lending and buyer qualification.

TO-DO LIST

Your Next Move — Turn Insights into Action

✅ Reconcile through July 31 and clear uncategorized transactions today.

✅ Pick one community event and design a single value exchange with QR capture.

✅ Build your Two-Page Playbook and tape it near your monitor.

✅ Do a five-minute money check Friday and move reserves automatically.

✅ Share one article above with your take in a short client email.