Inside the Nest | Q1
What’s New in IDnest
Q1 closes its doors next week, and what a quarter it's been. 2026 has arrived with momentum, and we've been right there with it. Here's a look at the latest features designed to save you time, give you more control, and make your workflow smoother than ever with IDnest.
Smarter Time Billing — Time entries sent to Project Management for invoicing now automatically include the date in the item name, so you always know exactly when work was logged.
Prepaid Sales Tax Tracking — A new column in Project Management lets you quickly flag whether the prepaid sales tax amount has been included on a filing. No more guesswork.
Employee Profitability, Enhanced — Track bonuses paid to employees directly within the Employee Profitability tool for a more complete picture of your numbers.
Time Tracking Without Using IDnest Project Management — Not using IDnest Project Management? No worries. You can now create project names directly in Time Management, making it easy to organize and log time entries without skipping a beat.
Export to Excel — Pull data from your favorite IDnest tools and systems straight into Excel for deeper analysis and custom reporting.
Multi-Employee Time Review — Admins and Owners can now select multiple employees at once to review and approve time collectively, cutting approval time dramatically.
Bulk Tagging — Apply tags to multiple items at once in both Project Management and Task Management.
Phone Numbers on Invoice Calc Reports — Add a phone number directly to your invoice calc reports for a more professional, client-ready output.
Task Source Visibility — Items in "My Tasks" now display which group the task came from, so you always have context at a glance.
Expand & Collapse Project Rows — Use the arrow next to any project name to expand or collapse all parent/child rows instantly. Navigate large projects with ease.
Flexible PO Item Names — Choose on a per-PO basis whether to display the Item Name or use the Vendor Description instead. Your POs, your way.
Finding the Right Fit in Today's Hiring Market
Is it harder to hire right now? Yes—and here's what to do about it.
Over 70% of employers are struggling to fill roles. The culprits? A shortage of qualified applicants, widening skills gaps, higher salary expectations, and fierce competition. The result: roles sit open for 30+ days or longer.
We field plenty of questions from designers about hiring strategy. Sure, we discuss the financials—affordability, profitability, marketable skills. But here's what often gets overlooked: a little something my dad used to refer to as “intangibles.” Industry research shows 92% of talent professionals rank soft skills above hard skills, yet most interviews focus on resumes. With AI juzzing up resumes to the point that a candidate does little or nothing to prepare – relying primarily on resumes can be a hiring pitfall.
Look beyond the resume. Structure interviews to assess cultural fit, curiosity, integrity, adaptability, empathy, and self-awareness. Ask for specific past examples. Present real-time scenarios—a design challenge, procurement problem, or client situation. Include group brainstorming and role-playing with a "difficult client" to see how candidates think under pressure and interact with your team. Watch for red flags. Shifting blame, lack of self-awareness, defensive responses, or overuse of "we" instead of "I" are warning signs. Don't rationalize them away.
Here's the hard truth: nearly half of new hires fail within 18 months. Invest in your people. When struggles emerge, invest in training and mentoring. Retaining good employees (usually) beats hiring new ones.
As Henry Ford said: "Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success."
Here’s to building great teams – even if it’s harder and taking longer than ever before!
Warmly,
Worth the Click
1. Contrarian Thinking
We stumbled upon this company offering resources to small business when listening to its founder on one of our favorite podcasts Office Hours with Arthur Brooks. Codie Sanchez, founder of Contrarian Thinking, while having a wealth of big corporate experience, has a heart for small business and brings this to life in her speaking engagements, newsletters, articles and programs. This is an ideal place for all small business owners (or aspiring owners) to get inspiration and new ideas.
2. The Daily Stoic
Stoicism is not a word heard daily in the year 2026 as its roots date back to ancient thinkers like Marcus Aurelius. However, the ideas presented in The Daily Stoic, by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman, provide everyday applications for modern living. The tenants of Stoicism include wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance which can be achieved by careful practice of discerning what is and what is not in your control. These short, daily meditations are rich with practical takeaways to self-improvement and happiness.
3. TLDR: AI Trends
Looking to keep up with AI trends? Here is a daily newsletter that includes 5-7 articles a day (with disclaimers of read times so you can choose accordingly) on the latest AI tools and topics. It is a great way to stay educated without overinvesting time or resources – and it's free!
4. Not Prompts, Blueprints
AI models now handle complex tasks without micromanagement but require pre-planned workflows. Sketching workflows with decision branches and using images for AI setup streamlines processes. This approach allows agents to work independently and produce ready-to-use outputs.
5. Tiny Beautiful Things
This is a rare gem of a book. A collection of advice columns written by Cheryl Strayed, originally published anonymously as “Dear Sugar” include a sprinkling of wisdom across a wide variety of topics that impact us all – love, loss, and everyday life challenges. Beautifully written in a straightforward, witty and poetic style – each column is relatable even if the topic is personally foreign. Strayed is the critically acclaimed author of Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail.
Say Hello to Jennifer Hernandez
As a Procurement Associate, Jennifer is the engine behind seamless operations, keeping projects on time, on budget, and running without a hitch. She brings a level of precision and analytical thinking that clients can sense in every order and vendor interaction. Jennifer's work is the foundation that frees our clients to focus on what they do best. Read on to learn more about her.
What makes you proud to work at The Dove Agency?
I have worked at The Dove Agency since near its inception and am very proud of the founders, Beth Bender and Kenda Lister, and the company they have built. I’ve been able to witness firsthand the evolution and growth of the agency over the years. I am proud to be part of a small company that makes a big impact in the design world, always striving to streamline processes and support designers in their work.
What motivates you when things get busy or challenging?
Motivation for me comes from completing tasks and seeing the end product. When things are busy or challenging, I feel the need to organize my tasks and check them off a to-do list.
Click below to learn more about Jennifer in our Q&A.
New TopBranch Episode is Live!
In this latest episode of TopBranch, Ruth Ann Janson and Beth Bender dive into the operational side of running a small business — and why getting it right can change everything. They explore how streamlined systems and efficient processes are the backbone of sustainable growth, and how the lack of them can quietly hold a business back. From workflow strategies to the real cost of operational chaos, Ruth Ann and Beth break down what it takes to build a business that runs as good as it looks.
Watch now on our YouTube channel at the button below.