Launching a Freelance Bookkeeping Business: Seeking Insights from Industry Professionals

Embarking on the journey of freelance Bookkeeping can be both thrilling and daunting. My wife, after dedicating nearly two decades of her career to the Accounting and Bookkeeping fields, has made the bold decision to transition from traditional employment to self-employment. With extensive experience as a staff accountant and supervisor—managing payroll for over 800 employees at a telecommunications company, serving as an office manager/bookkeeper in real estate development, and overseeing finances in various sectors including construction and auto repair—her expertise is formidable.

Currently, she is honing her skills further by completing all available QuickBooks certifications, and her website is nearing completion. Additionally, she has finalized her engagement letters and updated her resume, making her poised for a successful launch into the freelance world.

While she will focus on providing bookkeeping and Accounting services—noting that she does not offer tax-related services and is not a CPA or EA—her aim is to cater specifically to small to mid-sized businesses, as well as new ventures. She intends to offer cost-effective solutions, simplifying complex financial processes such as cleaning up disorganized books, generating profit and loss statements, maintaining balance sheets, and providing cost-cutting recommendations. Automation will also be a core component of her service offerings, ensuring she delivers value efficiently.

One of the first strategies we plan to pursue is establishing partnerships with local CPA firms. This leads me to a crucial question: What approach should she take in reaching out to these firms? Should she initiate contact via email, phone call, or walk into their offices? Additionally, I welcome any tips on how to create a positive first impression during these initial interactions.

We are also considering billing on an hourly basis and would appreciate any advice on effective client acquisition strategies or general recommendations on improving our approach to landing clients.

Thank you for your insights and support as we embark on this exciting new chapter!