An entrepreneur’s right hand is the bookkeeper.
It’s a symbiotic relationship. The bookkeeper is able to rein in the visions of the business owner by slapping them with a dose of financial reality. You can’t (or at least, you shouldn’t) make any major decisions without consulting your bookkeeper or at least reviewing your books.
I want to help you find the best bookkeeper for your business because I understand how integral bookkeepers are to successful businesses. Here are four gems to consider:
Hire Someone With Strong Attention to Detail 💡
Let me be real: a good bookkeeper is kinda annoying. You want someone who’s going to be pressing you for details because those are the types who’d never let things fall through the cracks. A great bookkeeper has follow-through. Trust me when I say, you’ll be able to gauge this from the types of questions they ask you and how they email you before you hire them.
Ask for a Referral From a Trusted Source ✅
The ideal way to find a good bookkeeper is to ask for a referral from someone you trust in your industry. If you already have an accountant or firm that you trust, you should see if they offer bookkeeping services or if they have a relationship with a bookkeeper they can refer you to.
You can also find qualified bookkeepers through a professional bookkeeper association like ICBUSA or through the Quickbooks ProAdvisor program. Bookkeepers must take various assessments and hold certain qualifications to be a part of these two communities.
Hire Someone Who Understands Your Business 🤝
This is probably the most important factor. The right bookkeeper should know your business inside and out – including how you operate, who you bill, and what your main expenses are. Can they repeat your business ethos with no problem? Not fully understanding your business is often the cause of costly errors. Of course, the person won’t be well-versed about your business at the beginning of your working relationship. Having weekly or monthly meetings with your bookkeeper can help keep them in the loop regarding your business operations.
Choose a Local Provider 🤓
Working with a bookkeeper whom you can meet in person (Once this pandemic ends) is infinitely better than working with someone who is remotely located.
If it’s a viable option, go ahead and choose a local bookkeeping provider who is located within your business area. You can check online for a list of local bookkeepers, and ensure to check Yelp for reviews.
And if a local bookkeeper is not available to you, just make sure the person you choose has the other 3 gems I talked about above. And throw in one bonus gem: they need systems and technology in place to be able to serve your business virtually without stress or extra work-arounds. The last thing you want to be doing is mailing bank statements and receipts to your bookkeeper. Ain’t nobody got time for that mess.
Have any questions about sourcing for a great bookkeeper? Hit reply, I’d be glad to help.
