Recently I got a comment on my YouTube channel asking if we “farm out” bookkeeping to other bookkeepers.  Let’s unpack that question and see if we can answer it!

Using the term “farming out” sounds like this person wanted to make sure I was the individual doing the books, and that if I had someone else doing it, there was no further contact between me and that person. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Many bookkeepers are “kitchen table” bookkeepers.  They learn QuickBooks, maybe take a course, and hang out a shingle.  They can take a few clients, charge little, and honestly don’t treat their business as a business – it’s part time work to help with the bills, nothing more. Then, when they don’t want to do the work any more, they stop answering the phone. They just don’t take it seriously.

Another option seems to be CPA firms.  While CPAs are more likely to be with a firm, their focus is generally not small business, it’s audit and attestation, and more complex tax returns.  Their charges start at $300 per hour and go up from there.  Due to the difficulty in becoming a CPA (it requires a masters degree in accounting, the most brutal professional exam there is, and a year’s internship), there is a shortage of CPAs, so they can pick and choose their clients if they are any good at all.

We’re different.  I started as a “kitchen table” bookkeeper, and quickly realized that in order to provide my clients with the services they really needed, I needed a degree in accounting.  So I returned to college, obtained a degree, and am currently working on an MBA.  I hire great people who are good at what they do, and they do most of the day to day work.  We have an office phone, rather than relying on individuals’ cell phones for communication.  That means you can call us, and someone will answer the phone and help you get the information you need, even if your lead bookkeeper is out of the office.

So, no, I don’t “farm out” bookkeeping.  I hire highly qualified individuals to staff my company, meet with them regularly to ensure the work is being done, train them in our workflow so our clients can’t tell who’s doing the work, and treat our business like, you know, a business.  So our clients get treated the way they deserve.

We can help!  You can book time with us here or you can give us a call at 801-692-0032 to find out more!

 

Donna Harris

Donna Harris

Owner

Donna Harris, BSci Accounting, MBA, founded Bookkeeping Made Simple with the understanding that small businesses is the heart of the American economy. After offering to do books for a friend who said he didn't have enough work to keep someone in the office 20 hours a week, she recognized the need for an efficient, online system. She has 20 years of bookkeeping and accounting experience and is excited to help small business owners achieve their goals. She enjoys spending time with her family and traveling whenever possible. She also loves reading, hiking, camping, cooking, yoga, and fitness.  A huge believer in lifelong education, she is currently working on her master's in Accounting.