Venturing into Freelance Bookkeeping: Seeking Insights from Experts

My wife is on the brink of an exciting new chapter in her professional journey. After years of dedicated service to various organizations, she has made the bold decision to launch her own Bookkeeping practice. With nearly two decades of experience in Accounting and Bookkeeping, she possesses a wealth of knowledge and skills tailored for diverse industries.

Her impressive background includes serving as a staff accountant and supervising payroll for over 800 employees at a cable company, managing finances for a real estate developer, and overseeing bookkeeping for various businesses, including construction, painting, and auto repair. Clearly, she brings a robust skill set to the table.

As she prepares to embark on this entrepreneurial venture, she is diligently finalizing a range of essential elements. She is well-acquainted with QuickBooks and is currently completing all available certifications to sharpen her expertise. Additionally, her website is nearing completion, and she has crafted an engagement letter and updated her resume to reflect her capabilities.

Importantly, she plans to specialize in serving smaller, mid-sized, and newer businesses, offering them a cost-effective solution tailored to their unique needs. While she will not provide tax services—lacking CPA or EA credentials—her proficiency in disentangling chaotic financial records, generating P&L statements, and balancing sheets is second to none. Automation will also be a core focus, ensuring her clients enjoy streamlined processes.

To kickstart her outreach strategy, she intends to connect with local CPA firms. Here’s where I could use some help: What’s the best way to introduce her services to these firms? Would an initial email, a phone call, or a personal visit be the most effective approach? Any advice on making a strong first impression would be greatly appreciated.

Furthermore, we welcome any insights on other strategies for attracting clients or general advice for a budding freelancer in the bookkeeping realm.

Thank you for your guidance!