Any business that survives beyond the startup phase knows this instinctively. Going over the top with customer service, is what makes you stand out. Do you have a network of trusted professionals you can refer clients to when they need something outside of your expertise? Did you remember to acknowledge their birthday or their child’s high school graduation?

You will get video lessons, worksheets, checklists, templates, quizzes, scenarios, case studies, and much more. If you want to be profitable, it’s important to learn how to go beyond just basic bookkeeping and help your clients’ future financial prosperity. Finding a niche will also help you expand and earn more since you can learn the specific ins and outs of your clients’ business challenges. For example, Intuit, a company that sells popular accounting software TurboTax and QuickBooks, offers two training programs on Coursera for free. The first, Bookkeeping Basics, is designed to teach you the ropes as a beginner.

Step 1 – Update Your LinkedIn Profile

If you’d like to build a solid foundation that leads to a thriving bookkeeping business, I highly recommend Bookkeeper Launch and their free discovery series. Don’t forget to sign up for popular freelance marketplace sites. Often, you can find a variety of bookkeeping jobs posted across the different platforms. These can range from temporary gigs to long-term projects. In reality, they are two very completely different careers. For starters, accountants often require a degree or even certification. Bookkeepers, on the other hand, don’t require formal education.

Jetpack Workflow is a simple piece of bookkeeping software that probably has one of the lowest learning curves. These elements are crucial in 2022 if you want to know how to start a bookkeeping business. Collect business cards from every new business owner you meet. The next day, hop on to LinkedIn, sort through them, and connect with all business owners you met and send a personalized message.

Tackle the Legal Aspects of Starting a Bookkeeping Business

Even if you have no prior experience, you can still start a successful bookkeeping business. With the right training, you could run your own successful bookkeeping business and net an average hourly billing rate of as high as $60. One of the beautiful things about owning your own bookkeeping business is that you do not need any specific certification, degree or how to start a bookkeeping business formal training to get started. Bookkeepers are hired by every single kind of business, non-profit and government agency. Many larger organizations hire full-time bookkeepers on staff. Many accountants, CPAs and tax preparers also work with bookkeepers to help support their clients. The free course is taught by Ben Robinson, CPA, founder of bookkeepers.com.

• I did this for 4 years and really enjoyed the kids, but realized early on that teaching was not my passion.
• It’s also really fun to be in control of your own business and get to make all the decisions as to how you spend your money and how to keep growing the business.
• Bookmark these resources to keep learning about what’s new in the bookkeeping industry, best client practices, and how to grow your business.
• Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances.
• On top of that, a desire to help others run their business well is a sound driver for starting a bookkeeping business.
• You can browse through its massive library of articles and guides, or register for a one-hour webinar with a QuickBooks expert.
• Track your results from each carefully, so you know what’s working and what isn’t.

Although I was expecting for a little bit of exact information regarding bookkeeping, it is fairly understandable why Ben did not brought up all the necessary things. Instead, what the post gave is a certain degree of inspiration. A few months ago I was laid off from my work-from-home job. I quickly discovered that finding another telecommuting job was nearly impossible.

Step 4 – Create a 1 Year Plan

It’s really up to how much you can dedicate to learning all the skills you need to begin your business. There are plenty of ways to find a job as a bookkeeper, especially online. Just let them know that you are starting out and are looking for a gig. And this is where you need to start working on your marketing skills. Once your online business is set up, you are ready to land your first client.

It is a comprehensive document that explains not only your services but also your market and the competitive advantage you’ll have in your business. You’ll create projections and make plans for your growth.