A small business owner’s letter to her bookkeeper: Where would I be without you?

Days procrastinating over receipts. Hours spent staring blankly at my screen. Spreadsheets made no sense. Excel was not my friend. And it always took me so long to get anything done. Every. Single. Month. 

And then you came along. Self-confessed numbers nerd met creative number-challenged business owner. 

We bonded over shared life experience. Running a business with young kids was no easy feat. Heck, we even share a last name. It was meant to be.

I was in awe of your numbers-nerd ways. 

You were my knight in shining armour, here to help me focus on growing my business. I was more than happy to leave the bookkeeping to someone with qualifications, and who knew what they were actually doing!

And know you did. All things bookkeeping, tax and accounting were your jam. 

So much knowledge and so much patience. Not only did you take care of ‘the books’ but you explained everything I needed to know in simple, plain, wow-I-can-actually-understand-numbers English. 

No question was ever too silly; no confession of late night Xero mistakes ever unforgivable.

And as my business grew, you were there every step of the way. Needing to upgrade my accounting software, Stacey was my girl. Reporting. Superannuation. Automated invoicing. Funding applications. Registering for GST. BAS. Hiring staff. Payroll …

COVID-19 threw an unexpected spanner in the works. But as every government grant was announced, you were on it. Checking eligibility and ensuring I was able to access the financial assistance when I needed it most. And that would keep my business going, day after day, and what turned out to be, year after year.

More than eight years after our fateful meeting, our relationship is more important than ever. There’s been highs. There’s been lows. But you’re never more than a phone call/text/email away. I have the reassurance at every business milestone that my numbers are accurate, my financials are up to date and my business has the backing of a bookkeeper who looks out for it as if it were her own.

Numbers still aren’t my strong suit but I have the understanding that every business owner needs, a strong financial foundation, a precise data file to easily dip into at any point in time, and the foresight of a bloody talented and trusted bookkeeper to ensure we consistently improve workflow and efficiency, and ultimately continue to grow my business.

Stacey Price, where would my numbers (and my sanity) be without you?