Starting off on a less serious note. Hi! How are y’all doing?

I feel like there’s a lot that’s been happening, and I haven’t updated followers on the blog as to how things are going. If you’re interested in receiving those updates more frequently, you can sign up for my email newsletter at www.phoenixgrowthsystems.com

So what’s been going on? Well…

I’ve been spending the last 6ish months applying for a Digital Nomad Visa here in Spain. I received an approval on my application! We get to stay in Spain.

We’re still waiting on approval for my husband and our son. It’s a formality at this point; we’re just waiting on the paperwork. There are administrative tasks that we still have to do. But the pressure is a lot less.

We have capacity for new bookkeeping clients

My business model has a component for mentorship built into it. I affiliate with newer bookkeepers. They get experience, clients to work on, and mentorship. I get expanded capacity so that we can continue to grow. It works out really well, and I have a fantastic team as a result.

All this to say, we have capacity for new bookkeeping clients. It may seem like I’m too busy with the visa application, but the opposite is true. We’re available for bookkeeping cleanup to get messy books in order and/or to help you prepare your books for tax season.

If you’ve been looking for bookkeeping services for your business, you can get in touch through www.phoenixgrowthsystems.com.

My three-day PGS Leadership Retreat

I feel like the creative floodgates have opened now that I’m on the other side of the visa application. My brain is spinning with new ideas and learning about things that capture my imagination.

As I write this, I’m on Day 2 of my PGS Leadership Retreat. Which is really a three-day stretch that I set aside for development. I’m the only person in a leadership role here, but I need to prioritize development too.

Day 1: Personal and professional development

I spent a few hours reading, trying to catch up on my reading challenge. This inspired me to explore implementing play into my routines. I did a KPop dance workout and played Skyrim. The remainder of Day 1 involved a study on alternative economics.

Day 2: Sales & Marketing strategy and planning

Today’s theme is Sales & Marketing strategy and planning.

Day 3: Working on expansion

Tomorrow is a working day, dedicated to tasks that contribute to expansion.

What’s coming to the PGS Digital Community

Another thing I’m channeling my creativity into: I’m expanding the PGS Digital Community. This does mean that it will be monetized.

If you join by January 1st, 2027, you’ll receive the first 6 months free. There are going to be 2–4 additional events a month, some of them available only to members.

One thing we’re working on is a book club. I found so many books when planning my reading challenge that I can keep a book club going with a new book each month for the next 3 years.

Reading challenge: September recap

Speaking of the Reading Challenge: I might as well include the September Recap here.

I read half of two separate books, which means I basically read a full book. I read some of Rich Relationships and started Life in Three Dimensions by Shigehiro Oishi, PhD. Here are my thoughts:

Rich Relationships by Selena Soo

Selena Soo is a bestselling author and a marketing strategist. She was born in New Zealand and raised in Hong Kong.

I did not finish this book. It’s not that I didn’t like it. This book doesn’t lend itself well to a reading challenge. It’s the type of book that needs a journal alongside it. I got a lot out of it, but I need to go back and work through the writing prompts.

Soo encouraged readers to strategically form professional relationships, with the intention of collaboration for mutual benefit. She stressed that the intention she approaches her relationships with is rooted in partnership and is not transactional. She instructed readers to lead with generosity and care, and that fostering trust is an important component. The author encouraged readers to have higher standards when developing relationships and urged them to prioritize value alignment.

Some of what I read was very familiar to me. I think I already form relationships the way that she was describing, to a degree. I focus on building a genuine connection and I am generous with sharing my connections.

I struggled with the idea of utilizing strategy to formulate these relationships. It felt very calculated. But it also felt really familiar and reminded me of the way that I’ve seen my Chinese American in-laws approach professional relationships. This makes sense, because I’m pretty certain that Soo is Chinese.

One quote that I really liked:

“Success is a shared responsibility.”

I really liked the way this book challenged me. There are components that are super uncomfortable and I’m confronting them. But it’s in a good way. I am going to have to make space to work through some of the exercises.

I like how she encouraged readers to use their marketing budget to creatively invest in their relationships. It aligns really well with the ideas I’m forming about networking, building community, and alternative economies.

At the same time, I remember making a mental note that there may be compliance issues with tax deductions in the US with this method, and I counsel checking with your CPA.

Life In Three Dimensions by Shigehiro Oishi PhD

Shigehiro Oishi PhD is a highly awarded Japanese American psychologist, researcher and professor. His work centers around well-being and life fulfillment. His most recent book explores three types of well-being; happiness, meaning and psychological richness.

I’m in the process of reading this one and will post more about it in November. I’m finding it to be thought provoking and interesting.

Want to join me for October/November reading?

I’m working my way through Life in Three Dimensions by Shigehiro Oishi PhD. Following that, I’m going to read The Art of Frugal Hedonism by Annie Raser-Rowland (if I can get it from the library as planned.)

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