Launching a Freelance Bookkeeping Journey: Seeking Advice from Seasoned Professionals

After years of dedicated work in the Accounting industry, my wife is embarking on an exciting new adventure: starting her own freelance Bookkeeping business. With nearly two decades of experience under her belt, she has honed her skills across a variety of roles, from overseeing payroll for over 800 employees at a cable company to serving as an office manager and bookkeeper for real estate developers, construction firms, and auto repair shops. This diverse background has equipped her with a robust understanding of financial management.

Currently, she is putting the finishing touches on her business setup. She is well-versed in QuickBooks and diligently completing her certifications to enhance her expertise. With her website nearing completion and a polished engagement letter in hand, she’s ready to start marketing her services. However, she won’t be offering tax-related services, as she is not a CPA or EA. Instead, her focus will be on supporting smaller to mid-sized businesses and startups, providing them with cost-effective Bookkeeping solutions. Her skills include cleaning up disorganized financial records, creating profit and loss statements, balancing sheets, and identifying cost-cutting opportunities—all with a keen emphasis on automation.

As she prepares to engage with local CPA firms as her initial clients, we are exploring the best approach to make that first contact. Should she reach out via email, make phone calls, or perhaps visit in person? Additionally, we would love to hear any advice on making a positive first impression and establishing a good rapport with potential partner firms.

We are planning to structure her services on an hourly billing model but are open to any insights on attracting clients and suggestions for her business’s early days.

We appreciate any guidance you can offer as we navigate this new chapter. Thank you for your insights!