Why Your Business’s Financials Might Not Be As Bad As You Think

Your numbers might not be as bad as you think. Many solopreneurs tend to avoid their numbers out of a feeling that if they really look at them, they’ll find financial troubles. While excusing yourself from looking at your numbers might put the problem on hold in the short term, that low-level stress and uncertainty doesn’t go away. In fact, it piles up into a sense of dread. I’m here to tell you that dread is needless. Here’s why:

No More Perpetual Vague-ness

Currently, I’m reading a book by Karen McCall called Financial Recovery. One of my favorite quotes so far is how she talks about the way people treat their finances, when she says “most people live in a state of perpetual vagueness.” Getting familiar with your numbers can actually be a comfort, because it can lift you out of this state of perpetual guesswork! Many people find that when they actually take the time to really assess where they’re at financially, it’s better than their previous emotional perception. So that’s why I say your numbers are better than you think – it’s likely true!

Take the Plunge: Look at Your Numbers

There are a number of ways to take this plunge. First, you can look through everything yourself. Especially if your books are not that complicated, or you have a rough system going already, taking a look on your own is a good idea. You can also get a good picture of whether you’re able to hire or consult with a bookkeeper. A good bookkeeper will be able to deliver a lot of important financial insights. This will certainly help you get out of that vague place. Even if your financials are indicating some unfortunate things, a good bookkeeper can soften this blow by helping you come up with strategies to surmount any difficulties.

If you were waiting for that extra push to really look at your business’s financial situation, here it is. And if you’d like to seek some assistance, with bookkeeping or profit strategy, feel free to book a curiosity call with me to see if that’s right for you!

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Angela

Image by bruce mars 

Why Hiring a Bookkeeper is Worth It

Hiring a bookkeeper can seem like an expense up front, but the payoff is worth it. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention on my blog how hiring a bookkeeper can not only save you money in the long run, but actually allow you to increase your revenue. I encourage business owners to think of consulting with a bookkeeper as an investment in your business.

The Investment

When you hire or consult with a bookkeeper, their job is to clean up and create financial systems. They can help you set up your record keeping so that you’re tracking what’s needed for taxes. They can also help you do 1099’s correctly, particularly because they’re responsible for knowing and following 1099 regulations. Similarly, they can help point out and correct errors, discrepancies, and duplications in your records.

Right now, I’m cleaning up a lot of messy QuickBooks files. QuickBooks markets this idea that everyone can do their books on their own. This is true, with a small caveat. While it’s totally possible to do your books on your own, there is a vast amount of technical knowledge involved in bookkeeping that you may not have the time nor interest to learn. You records are going to benefit you far more if someone knowledgeable is looking after them.

The Gains

So, what do you gain when your records are well-kept? Errors are corrected, which can potentially save you money right out the gate. You incur no late fees on taxes because everything is organized and filed on time. You can use your reliable records to glean insights into when and how money is made in your business. You have less stress about finances because you know everything is being tracked correctly. And finally, you have more time to do the things in your business that you actually enjoy. Should you be spending your time doing bookkeeping when you’re actually really fabulous at making art, building cabinets, providing live entertainment, etc?

A bookkeeper is an important part of your money team. I hope this article inspires you to look into hiring or consulting with a bookkeeper to improve your record keeping. You can check out more of my thoughts on the subject at “Why DIY Businesses Still Need a Bookkeeper” and “How to Get the Most Value From Your Bookkeeper.”

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Angela

Why You Need to Schedule A Year End Bookkeeping Review

As the year wraps up, I encourage all solopreneurs to engage in a little financial self-care, by reviewing your 2019 books! There are several reasons to review your books at this time of year, and they would benefit from the eye of an expert. If you don’t already have a bookkeeper and feel like you could benefit from some oversight, schedule a review with someone. The financial insight will go a long way for your business. Here are my top two reasons for reviewing your books now.

Tax Prep

First of all, straightening out your 2019 books to prep for tax season simply makes sense. Hiring an expert to help you do this can ensure that your books are accurate. That extra bit of readiness will feel so good come tax season, I promise! It will save you some stress and last minute rushing come tax time. Think of it as a holiday gift to yourself!

Where Did You Make Your Money?

My second reason for scheduling a bookkeeping review with a professional is so that someone with a trained eye can go over your books and help you discern where, when, and from what you made the most money. This kind of insight is invaluable to any small business, especially if your goal is growth. Your financial records hold this info. Work with someone willing to help you find it! For more about finding and working with a bookkeeper, check out “How to Get the Most Value From Your Bookkeeper”. The insights you gain from a good bookkeeping review could help shape your plan for your business in 2020. All the more reason to review them now!

Going over your books with a professional will save you a lot of stress and provide you with knowledge needed to run a successful business. Please consider scheduling a year-end review – you’ll thank yourself later! If you’d like to work with me, check out my Bookkeeping Services and schedule a free Financial Self Care Consultation.

Here’s to tying up your financial loose ends!

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Angela

Why You Need a Bookkeeper From the Beginning

I recently had the chance to hear from some other women about the hardest financial lessons they’ve learned through running their businesses. One of the women I spoke to listed not hiring a bookkeeper from the start as her number one mistake.  

The Mistake

When she started her business, this woman decided not to hire a bookkeeper right away. She had a vague plan to address it eventually – she knew she could either do it herself, or hire someone when her income was higher. However, when it came time for taxes, she had a big mess on her hands. She had to hire a professional to clean it up on a short timeline in order to pay taxes, and that emergency help was costly. She also missed out on having a complete understanding of her business that year, because she couldn’t look at her numbers clearly. Because of this, she missed all sorts of important analytics, like what sold best, when it sold, etc.

The Solution

After this fiasco, the best thing to do is to hire a professional to come in regularly. Even if it’s once a month or once every two weeks, knowing someone else is coming in can keep you accountable to your books. A good bookkeeper also finds and shares any financial insights they catch. This is an invaluable but often understated aspect of bookkeeping services. Understanding where your profit comes from, where your operating expenses go, and any other money-related patterns in your business can help you make better business decisions in the long run. If you’re interested in more on this topic, I recommend my articles How to Get the Most Value From Your Bookkeeper and “Know What Your Numbers Are Telling You.”

Why You Need a Bookkeeper From the StartFinally, once you hire a professional, instead of just taking your best guess yourself, you may find you’re more relaxed about the state of your business. The value of feeling at peace with money is not to be understated.

I hope you found this helpful! I’m doing a series on financial lessons learned from business in honor of Financial Planning month, so stay tuned. And if you enjoy these thoughts, I wrote a lot more about planning and financial lessons in this month’s newsletter. Read it here and subscribe if you wish – you can unsubscribe any time.

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Angela

Image Source: Steve Johnson

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