Common questions
The things people actually ask.
Straight answers, including the ones that talk you out of hiring us.
Getting Started
What if my books are a complete mess?
Then you’re in exactly the right place! That’s how most of our clients start. The cleanup is the first step, not a barrier to entry. No judgment, no lecture. We’ve genuinely seen it all.
How long does onboarding take?
The cleanup typically takes 4–6 weeks, but that’s directly tied to how quickly you get us what we need. Bank statements, login access, historical documents, etc. If those take weeks to reach us, the timeline extends. We move as fast as you do.
Do I have to use QuickBooks?
Yes. QuickBooks Online is the industry standard, it integrates with everything, and it makes your books portable and professional. If you’re on another platform (a spreadsheet, Wave, your CRM) we’ll help migrate you as part of onboarding. It’s a one-time step that saves you endless friction later.
What do you need from me each month?
Not much. Your statements and answers to any questions we post in the portal. The faster you respond, the faster your books close. Clients who get us what we need promptly are done by the 10th, every month.
How do I communicate with you between calls?
Through your private client portal. It’s the hub for everything. Upload documents, ask questions, get answers, and access all your financial reports in one place. No lost email threads.
Scope & Expertise
Do you do taxes?
Not currently. We keep your books clean and accurate, which makes tax season dramatically easier and cheaper for whoever files your return. Tax services may join our offerings in the near future, but for now we focus on doing one thing exceptionally well.
Can you work with my industry?
We specialize in service businesses: wellness and health practices, med spas, therapy and massage groups, lactation and midwifery agencies, construction, and professional services. We generally don’t take on ecommerce or inventory-heavy businesses.
Do I need a CPA?
Probably not for what you think you need one for.
Most business owners treat their CPA like a financial authority figure; someone who handles everything money-related and whose mere presence signals that you’re running a serious business. We get it. But CPAs are generalists by training unless they specialize. And in our experience working through years of client cleanups, we’ve seen some genuinely surprising errors made by CPAs who were operating well outside their lane.
The uncomfortable truth: having a CPA doesn’t mean your books are accurate. It often just means you’re paying more for the same problem.
Here’s a cleaner way to think about it. Use the right expert for the right job.
- A bookkeeper keeps your books accurate, current, and interpretable. That’s us.
- An Enrolled Agent (EA) is a tax specialist licensed directly by the IRS. For most small business owners, an EA is a sharper tax resource than a generalist CPA, and typically costs less too.
- A financial advisor handles investments and personal wealth strategy.
- A good CPA makes sense when you need audited financial statements, complex entity structuring, or highly specialized tax situations.
Most growing service businesses don’t need that yet. They need clean books and someone who can explain what they mean. That’s a very different thing.
…okay, I’ll get off my soapbox. :)
Cost & Value
I found someone cheaper. What’s the difference?
There’s always someone cheaper! That’s true in every industry. The real question isn’t the price, it’s the result. What do you actually want from your books, and will a cheaper option get you there? Most bookkeepers record transactions and then ghost you. We close your books and then educate. We explain what your numbers mean and what actions they recommend, every month. If that difference doesn’t matter to you, we’re honestly not the right fit, and that’s okay.
Why not just hire someone in-house?
For most growing businesses, a qualified in-house bookkeeper (salary, benefits, overhead) costs 8-10x what our service does, and you still just get someone recording transactions, without the strategy layer. With us, you get the books handled and a monthly strategy session with an expert, for a fraction of the cost.
Still have a question?
Ask it on a free discovery call. Tell us where your business is, and we’ll point you toward the right fit, even if that’s not us.
Book a Free Discovery Call