Hannah found that with her previous business she was traveling a lot and wasn’t able to spend much time with her husband. She was researching jobs that she could do from home at that time and came across the Bookkeeper Business Launch course on the Penny Hoarder website and decided to give it a try. [6:10] Hannah serves around 12 clients at this point. There was a lot of fear originally, taking on a client beyond Hannah’s husband who was her first, but she realized that she really did have all t...
Dec 01, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 86
David went to school to be a math teacher but ended up in engineering and getting a math degree. Due to the recession, he got laid off and found himself wondering what to do without a job. He started working at a church and did some of their admin work, which was David’s first real exposure to bookkeeping. One bookkeeping gig turned into another. [4:45] David realized that bookkeeping was a skill that he could start a business with and since he always wanted to start his own business he thought ...
Nov 29, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 85
After Daniel’s last deployment he was looking to start his own business. He had some experience and education in accounting so that field made the most sense. When he discovered the Bookkeeping Business Launch program, he decided to take the leap. [3:50] Painters were the niche that Daniel served, mainly due to running a painting business of his own in college and because he knew where to find them and no one was serving the market directly. [5:10] Daniel planted a lot of seeds early on, includi...
Nov 24, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 84
Amanda was a bank teller in the past, which is where she discovered her love of working with money. She started her bookkeeping business in 2017 after going through the Bookkeeper Business Launch program and has since built up a base of 15 clients. [3:30] Amanda gravitates towards artists and creatives; 90% of the people she works with fall into those categories. [5:15] Amanda didn’t want to quit her job, but circumstances forced her hand to consider other options. She started looking for ways t...
Nov 22, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 83
In many ways Jeremy started his bookkeeping business on a whim. He encountered Bookkeeper Business Launch online and always had an entrepreneurial streak so it seemed like a good fit. The freedom to call his own shots and choose his own destiny is what Jeremy was looking for, combined with his appreciation for numbers and it just made sense. [5:30] Jeremy currently has 8 clients, 6 of which he is working with on a monthly basis. On top of his bookkeeping business, Jeremy is also a Financial Mana...
Nov 17, 2022•55 min•Season 2Ep. 82
Kim started in late August of 2017 after purchasing Bookkeeper Business Launch. Four days later she registered her business name and closed her first client, who later on became her husband. [3:00] Kim had been in the banking industry for 16 years and knew that there was definitely a need for bookkeepers in business. When Kim’s husband decided to start his trucking business, Kim made the choice to start her own bookkeeping business at the same time. [4:15] Kim currently has 8 active clients. The...
Nov 15, 2022•57 min•Season 2Ep. 81
Kirsten took an accounting class in high school many years ago and she really enjoyed it. She eventually dropped out of college where she was studying accounting and became a mother. She was a stay-at-home mom for 18 years and tried a number of business ideas but none of them really resonated. She eventually got an email from Ben about becoming a bookkeeper, ended up on one of his webinars and ultimately took the course. [7:40] Kirsten currently has four clients but has had up to nine at one tim...
Nov 10, 2022•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 80
Jaime has been running his bookkeeping business for the past two years and has acquired 13 clients in that time. He’s hoping to get more clients and continue growing, but it’s a scary thing to think about. [3:10] When Jaime first started, he was going to partner with a friend of his that had a degree in Bookkeeping. He discovered that a lot of random tasks end up on your plate as a bookkeeper and felt that he just didn’t want to work for someone else anymore. His friend wasn’t ready to make the ...
Nov 08, 2022•55 min•Season 2Ep. 79
When Justin was 19 years old, he was introduced to the idea of owning a business but he felt like he wasn’t ready to go it on his own. He decided on a career in banking which worked out well enough for the first few years until his wife told him they were going to have another child. This led him to looking at how to make money on the side and eventually Ben’s course. [6:00] In early 2017, Justin was still working his full-time job while serving 11 clients, which was starting to burn him out. Wh...
Nov 03, 2022•59 min•Season 2Ep. 78
Tracy had been in the accounting world for 20 years and decided to leave the corporate world to spend more time with her kids. She ended up driving a school bus for a little while and decided that she needed to find a way to combine her love of numbers and spending time with her family. Tracy ran into Ben’s videos online, and that led her to buy his course and begin her bookkeeping journey. [4:30] Tracy officially opened her doors in June of 2017 and got started by subcontracting for her fiance’...
Nov 01, 2022•57 min•Season 2Ep. 77
Amy worked at a bank for 14 years and eventually it became not worth the hours she had to put in anymore, so she decided to retire. This led her to thinking about what else she could do for work, ideally from home. Since she was good with numbers already, bookkeeping seemed like a solid choice. She signed up for Bookkeeper Business Launch and went from there. [6:00] Nonprofits were the niche that Amy chose to work with because working around or in them has been a part of her history and experien...
Oct 27, 2022•59 min•Season 2Ep. 76
Tracy’s 35th birthday really changed things for her. She was working as a substitute teacher and wasn’t really enjoying it when her husband suggested that taxes may be a way to go. She stumbled upon some videos put together by Ben Robinson, and she decided to jump in with both feet. [4:20] Tracy learned most of her bookkeeping skills by going through Ben’s course, in addition to some minor experience in high school and college accounting. [5:40] If you don’t have clients you don’t have a busines...
Oct 25, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 75
Ben had graduated with his degree in 2017 and worked part-time for a local music guy, which was great until music turned out to be not very lucrative. After getting hooked by a Facebook ad, Ben decided to check out a great course that helped him launch his bookkeeping business. [3:00] 99% of what Ben focuses on is real estate. Oklahoma has a growing real estate market so it made a lot of sense to niche down. [5:20] Ben spent around 6 hours per day networking and connecting with various professio...
Oct 20, 2022•57 min•Season 2Ep. 74
Why should you ask candidates about their salary expectations? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan discuss how business owners can set salary expectations based on a candidate's skill level, experience, and location. Hannah and Melissa start the conversation by announcing that this will be their last episode on the podcast. Ben Robinson will go back to hosting the show next season. Hannah explains how inflation is changing salary expectations and making it harder to attract high-quality c...
Oct 18, 2022•20 min•Season 2Ep. 73
You think you've found someone who would be a good fit for your bookkeeping business. How do you make them a job offer they can't refuse? In this episode, co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan go through the key steps to creating enticing job offers that get you the right candidates every time. Hannah and Melissa start the conversation by describing how making an offer is arguably one of the most important elements of hiring. Melissa shares her go-to strategy for making a job offer that can...
Oct 13, 2022•16 min•Season 2Ep. 72
Want to learn how to conduct successful interviews and improve your skills in assessing candidates? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan go through the main elements of an effective interview and how you can significantly increase your chances of hiring the right person. Hannah starts the conversation by highlighting how interviewing can be daunting, especially if you're a new business owner. For Hannah, the first step to having a successful interview is being clear on the type of person y...
Oct 11, 2022•21 min•Season 2Ep. 71
Want to know how to create job postings that attract stronger candidates? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan discuss creative, inviting ways to write effective job postings that filter out unqualified applicants and attract the ideal candidate. Hannah introduces the topic by highlighting the struggles new business owners face when it comes to job postings. Melissa highly recommends the Bookkeepers.com community for posting bookkeeping jobs due to its high talent quality.. While the job d...
Oct 06, 2022•19 min•Season 2Ep. 70
When should you use fixed rates versus hourly rates for your bookkeeping tasks? In today’s episode, co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan explore the pros and cons of flat-rate pricing versus hourly billing - and which payment type works best for a bookkeeping business. Melissa starts the conversation by highlighting the difference between paying an hourly rate versus a flat rate and what the law says about it. For Melissa, all new hires should be paid a flat rate until they get accustomed ...
Oct 04, 2022•20 min•Season 2Ep. 69
Should you hire an employee or a subcontractor for your bookkeeping business? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan break down the difference between hiring an employee and a subcontractor, their pros and cons, and when it makes sense to go with either. Melissa starts the conversation by describing the difference between hiring employees and hiring subcontractors. Melissa explains why it's important that subcontractors and employees be held to the same performance standard. For Melissa, per...
Sep 29, 2022•18 min•Season 2Ep. 68
Want to know how to write a compelling job description? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan discuss the process of writing compelling job descriptions. They break down the key components of a well-written job description and explain why it should accurately reflect the duties and expectations of the position. Hannah starts the conversation by highlighting the negative impacts of a poorly written job description - new hires feel conned when the job description doesn't match the role. Hanna...
Sep 27, 2022•17 min•Season 2Ep. 67
Do you respond to work emails over the weekend? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan discuss why it's never a good idea to respond to work-related emails over the weekend, on public holidays, or after hours. Hannah and Melissa start the conversation by revealing that they don't reply to work-related emails during the weekend. For Melissa, there is no such thing as a work emergency - and replying to emails on the weekends gives people the impression that it's okay to contact you whenever th...
Sep 22, 2022•9 min•Season 2Ep. 66
Are you looking for a dose of motivation, mentoring, and accountability? A mastermind group might be what you need. In this episode, co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan go through the benefits of being part of a mastermind group, how to join one, what to expect, and how to get the most out of the group. Hannah and Melissa talk about the benefits of being in a mastermind group and reveal they first met at the Bookkeeper Launch Mastermind Group. Melissa explains why she feels the best maste...
Sep 20, 2022•20 min•Season 2Ep. 65
Want to know how to ask for testimonials and actually get a response? In this episode, co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan discuss the dos and don'ts of asking for testimonials. They also demonstrate how bookkeepers can use testimonials from satisfied clients to build social proof and scale their businesses. Hannah starts the conversation by revealing she enjoys the process of asking for and receiving testimonials. Although there are numerous ways to get testimonials, Hannah believes the ...
Sep 15, 2022•22 min•Season 2Ep. 64
Want to come up with new ideas for your business? Maybe you should consider going on a brain dump retreat. Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan talk to Ben Day from Lionshare Bookkeeping - they discuss how business owners can use brain dump retreats to clear overwhelm and come up with fresh ideas for their businesses. Ben Day is the owner of Lionshare Bookkeeping where he and his team offer full-service bookkeeping exclusively to real estate investors. Ben is a huge proponent of having a n...
Sep 13, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 63
Why is delegating so important, and how can business owners master the art of effective delegation? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan expand on Melissa’s BKX talk - Delegate, Develop, and Grow. They also share insights on why delegation is the only way to scale a business and create more time for the business owner. Melissa shares her first experience delegating tasks and letting go of responsibilities - it was chaotic. Delegating is a skill that doesn’t come naturally for most people -...
Sep 08, 2022•24 min•Season 2Ep. 62
Do you struggle to follow through with your goals? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan discuss goal setting and the benefits of setting realistic, achievable goals. They also share practical strategies you can use to maximize your ability to follow through on your goals. Hannah and Melissa discuss the benefits of setting big goals and having smaller goals that keep you motivated along the way. Hannah shares her struggles with following through on the goals she set for herself. Melissa sha...
Sep 06, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 61
How accurate are personality assessments, and should you use them for hiring? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan break down the pros and cons of personality tests- and whether business owners should use them when making business decisions. Hannah and Melissa go through the major highlights from Sally’s BKX speech - Personality Assessments. Melissa unapologetically maintains that she doesn’t like personality assessments - because there are no comprehensive studies to prove their effective...
Sep 01, 2022•20 min•Season 2Ep. 60
How close are we to a recession? Can your business survive and maybe even thrive in a market downturn? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan break down Ben's BKX opening speech: Fascinating Futures - and how bookkeepers can build recession-proof businesses in these uncertain times. Hannah and Melissa talk about Ben's doomsday BKX speech about the prospect of an impending recession. Hannah describes why it was important for Ben to talk about the recession and the uncertainty in today's busin...
Aug 30, 2022•22 min•Season 2Ep. 59
BKX 2022 was a massive success. Want to know what you missed? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan talk about the most memorable moments of BKX 2022. Hannah and Melissa reveal that one of their major highlights at BKX was when they interviewed Ben on stage. Hannah reveals that their interview with Ben was not rehearsed as he wanted to answer questions off the top of his head. Hannah admits that she was a little nervous about being on stage. Melissa describes how the audience resonated with...
Aug 25, 2022•14 min•Season 2Ep. 58
What is a business process, and does your business really need one? Co-hosts Hannah Robinson and Melissa Honan go through systems and processes that can enhance the overall performance of your business - and how you can build one that’s tailored to your business model. Melissa goes through the benefits of developing business processes - and why creating systems and processes is the first step to scaling a business. Melissa talks about the first processes she implemented in her business when she ...
Aug 23, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 57
