Are You Actually Ready for a Bookkeeper for Your Creative Business? Let’s Find Out.

Starting and running your own business comes from a place of passion for what you do. But managing the financial side of the business can sometimes feel like heading out on a road trip without printing your Mapquest directions. (LOL)

You’re an expert in your craft, but you didn’t get into business to tinker around in QuickBooks.

As your business grows, so does the complexity of managing its finances. That’s where a bookkeeper comes in! But are you actually ready to outsource this role?! Let’s find out!

Signs You’re Ready for a Bookkeeper

1. Volume of Transactions: Your business is booming! Sales are happening, expenses are piling up, and you’re juggling multiple financial transactions daily. If the thought of categorizing each transaction makes you want to get outta dodge, it might be time to call in a professional.

2. Complexity of Your Finances: You have diverse revenue streams, probably from different service offerings, digital products, or a mix of both. You may have a team to manage, freelancers to pay, and a variety of recurring (and one-off!) expenses to keep track of. All of this has gone beyond a simple spreadsheet’s capabilities, and you find yourself spending more time on finances than on your actual creative work. 

3. Emotional Readiness: Money is an emotionally charged topic. If the thought of looking at your finances fills you with dread, or if you’re avoiding financial tasks, it’s a sign you might need support. A bookkeeper does more than manage numbers; they can hold space for your financial fears and help you navigate them with confidence.

4. Financial Growth and Strategy: You’re in a place where you’re thinking about the future. You want to make informed decisions about investments, scaling, or maybe saving for a rainy day. A bookkeeper can provide the financial insights necessary to plan strategically and ensure your business’s sustainable growth. You’re in it for the long haul!

I had a friend pop into my DMs and send a voice message like this:

“Okay today is the first day that I am kid-free, I don’t have any client meetings, I’m on top of all my client work and I’m working on my bookkeeping and I just really don’t want to be doing this sh*t.”

This single message told me all I needed to know! She’s emotionally ready, she has a high enough volume of transactions that it takes her too much time and she’s ready for more support from our team (or an all-access pass in our monthly bookkeeping membership)!

But what does it look like when you’re… not ready to hire a bookkeeper? Let’s go through those tell-tale signs, too!

Signs You’re Not Quite Ready

1. Low Transaction Volume: If your business is still in start-up mode, with a manageable amount of transactions and expenses, you might not need a bookkeeper just yet. This is a great time to familiarize yourself with basic bookkeeping principles and build a solid foundation. (Don’t spend a thousand hours on education and books, though. Just grasp the basics so you can know enough to be dangerous!)

2. Simplicity in Finances: Your offers are straightforward, and your P&L is clear and tidy. In this stage, a bells-and-whistles bookkeeping service might be more than you need (although a strategy call once or twice a year can’t hurt)!

3. Financial Involvement: You’re not only comfortable managing your finances but also enjoy the process. (If you’re like me and get your kicks from a bank feed Click Party, I’m not going to stop you!) If this involvement doesn’t take time away from your creative work, you might not need a bookkeeper right now.

When Emotions and Finances Get Tangled

Acknowledging your emotional readiness for outsourcing bookkeeping is just as crucial as recognizing the practical need. Handing over your financial data requires trust, and yes, it’s going to feel extremely vulnerable. It’s crucial to develop that trust not just in the confidentiality and expertise of your bookkeeper, but also in their ability to understand the unique challenges and nuances of your creative business. (We ain’t no CPA Gary… we get you.)

Two Ways to Work Together

If you’re nodding along, thinking, “Yes, I’m ready,” then it’s time to take the next step. Schedule a call, and let’s chat about how we can cross this off your to-do list, giving you the freedom to focus on what you do best—creating.

Not quite ready to commit to full-scale bookkeeping? No worries. Join our monthly bookkeeping membership, The Business Book(keeping) Club. It’s a space designed for creative entrepreneurs like you, offering the support and insights you need to manage your finances with confidence, without the full commitment of hiring a bookkeeper. Get access to our team of pro bookkeepers to help answer all your questions and give your bookkeeping a stamp of approval!