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The Dear(ly) Diary

bookkeeping tips, demystified (plus, a good dose of friendly advice on profitable entrepreneurship!).

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Finances

How to Set Up Your Business Finances for Success

Hi, friend! Today, we’re diving into exactly how to set up your business finances for success. I always say that cleaning up messy bookkeeping is like untangling necklaces. If you throw them all into a jewelry dish, you’re going to waste 30 minutes before your next date night yanking out that one that you want […]

Finances

3 Methods to Help You Track Expenses and Profit for Better Business Decisions

You know the feeling…you’ve got a big expense to pay and you fear you’ll have to dip into your business savings account for it. Or things may be tight on the homefront, and you need to take out a larger owner’s draw than usual.  Or maybe you want to rip your hair out because you […]

Finances

How to Fix the 5 Most Common Cash Flow Problems in Your Online Business

*This blog contains affiliate links. While we do earn a small commission if you use our link, the price doesn’t change for you. Also, we only recommend products and services we love!* Picture this… You’re living paycheck to paycheck and constantly wondering where your next client is going to come from. You’re not making a […]

Finances

Independent Contractor vs. Employee: Which One is Right for Your Online Business?

So you’re ready to hire help, are ya? Well congratulations, my friend!! You’ve just taken a big step towards growing your business. But with new outsourced help comes new things to know about taxes. And while most people know what a contractor is and what an employee is, do YOU know what the IRS thinks […]

Finances

Xero Vs. QuickBooks: Which One is Better for Online Business?

We live in the digital age — there are just so many tools out there now to help you run a business. Graphic design basics? Canva’s got you covered. Project management? Asana and ClickUp, baby! And you betcha there’s a million more programs where that came from.  And TBH? I’m not mad about it. Because […]

Budgeting, Finances

Is it Time to Raise Your Rates?

Raising your rates…let’s talk about it.  I know that many business owners (myself included sometimes) don’t really want to talk about money. Especially when it comes to asking clients for MORE money. Yeeesh. Money in our culture is kind of a taboo topic. You’re not supposed to share what you make with your coworkers at […]

Finances

Feeling Discouraged About Business Finances? Here’s What to Do

Let’s have a little heart-to-heart for a minute. How are you feeling about the financial side of your business? Maybe things are going great — you’re exceeding your profit goals, staying on track with your expenses, and feeling excited about your bank statement numbers.  But what if that’s not where you are right now? What […]

Finances

Are You Paying Yourself Enough? Knowing When to Raise Your Salary

We’re hearing a lot about fair wages nowadays, but this issue isn’t just about Amazon and other big corporations. It affects small business owners too — and maybe not in the way you think. In fact, many of us small business owners do a great job paying our employees and contractors fairly because we want […]

Finances

Bookkeeper vs. Accountant: What’s the Difference?

How is a bookkeeper different from an accountant? Which one should you hire to help with your business? Or do you need both? I’ve touched on the differences between bookkeepers and CPAs before, but now it’s time for a deep dive into what each professional can do for your business. A bookkeeper and an accountant […]