We assist small businesses to define and refine their processes, plan and build their web presence using current and emerging technologies.
We provide ongoing support and advice to assist businesses to
maintain and grow a crucial path to market and focus on growing your business
This last week or so, my team and I were working on generating some marketing materials so I could attend a busines expo here in Ravenshoe. It meant that some of the team have been working extra hours for me.
I ASKED them to do the work and I expected that my invoice for this last week would be higher. No issues there.
It got fed back to me that one of the team was concerned about the hours they were racking up and what they would have to invoice me for the work. It was a lot of hours.
Now, I've been in that position with my own clients. They keep asking for things, I do the work and submit an invoice. However, sometimes my tummy does flip flops as I worry if they'll be upset with the amount! I'm sure we've all been there an will be there again.
The question is, can you alleviate that?
The answer to the question I just posed is ... yes and it's it sort of a simple answer with the execution being perhaps a little more difficult.
The answer is COMMUNICATE. I know right? Simple. Just talk to your client. "Hey, just letting you know that this work we've already done is some many hours and we've got xyz things left to do. Did you want me to keep working on those this week, is there something that you'd like me to give more priority to, etc etc etc."
That does a couple of things. Firstly it lets your client decide if the budget can stretch for this time period and the priority of the things left to do. Secondly, it says that you're responsible and you care about their business too.
It really is a win / win.
Now, you might that the client is a bit ... surprised ... by how much time has been spent and that's ok - that's why we communicate. Managing perceptions is the other side of the coin here. It's difficult to understand how much work goes into something, if you're not familiar with doing it yourself.
By going back and giving your client that information, you're also educating them on the value of your work.
Of course, this approach goes to other things too. Asking questions, communicating, providing feedback are invaluable tools to understanding your clients communication style and their business. It also might help them structure requests to you in a way that is clearer and provides the details you need.
Overall, I've found that it makes for a great, long term, working relationship. And ... creates a team!
I'm sure you've all had some experience with this, why not drop over to my LOCALS community and leave it there ... start, or join in, the conversation.
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Life is busy and there's just so many things to remember. What tools do you use to help you keep on top of ALL the things?
It's easy to react or respond quickly to messages and the like. It's better to do that mindfully. That's why I try to Practice The Pause.
Many business owners start the new year with great intentions, only to fall back into the same tech chaos by February. Instead of making resolutions you will abandon, consider building tech traditions that become recurring practices throughout the year.
In this episode, Charly covers:
✅ Annual reviews that actually save money, including subscription audits, password checks, backup testing, and domain renewal verification
📌 Quarterly and monthly maintenance tasks like website health checks, broken link testing, backup verification, and data cleanup routines
🛡️ Weekly habits for email management and software updates that prevent overwhelming backlogs
✅ How to build systems that stick by using calendar blocks, attaching new habits to existing routines, and documenting your processes
Book a Free 30minute Breakthrough Session: https://askcharlyleetham.com/book-me
(1 per person only)
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Locals: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com
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Odyssey: ...
Are you worried that artificial intelligence is about to take over the world and replace your job? Before you panic about the robot uprising, you might want to see what happens when you ask AI to play chess against itself.
In this episode, Charly covers:
✅ Why purpose-built chess computers like Deep Blue and AlphaZero mastered chess decades ago, yet large language models struggle with basic rules
📌 How ChatGPT moved a pawn backwards, which breaks the fundamental rules of chess and demonstrates AI's pattern-matching limitations
🛡️ The hilarious moment Google Bard hallucinated a chess piece into existence and confidently claimed checkmate with a knight that never existed
✅ Why AI is brilliant for drafts, summaries, content generation and repetitive tasks, but should never be trusted to make decisions or reason through problems
📌 How Charly uses AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to save hours every week on social media posts, whilst still quality assuring every output
🛡️ The practical approach to AI ...
With the Australian under-16 social media ban now in effect, many users are concerned about losing access to their accounts and all the content stored within them. Whether you are worried about new regulations or simply want to protect your business data, knowing how to export your Facebook information is essential for every business owner.
In this episode, Charly covers:
✅ How to access Facebook's export settings through Account Center
📌 Step-by-step process for downloading your personal profile data
🛡️ Backing up your Facebook business page separately
📌 Choosing the right format (HTML vs JSON) and media quality settings
✅ Managing large download files and storage requirements
🔗 Why regular backups every few months protect your business
LINKS:
Book Your Free 30 Minute Breakthrough Session: https://askcharlyleetham.com/book-me
(Only 1 per person!)
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Locals: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com
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Odyssey: ...
