Business changes

[Laura_Siegel]

Hi All.  This seems like the perfect place to ask or look for some inspiration to make some business changes.  I have been a Proadvisor for over 15 years.  I started training and consulting but realized very quickly that in order to be the best teacher I could be, I had to learn how best to "take care" of the books.  I then got trained as a full charge bookkeeper.  Circumstances in my life since then have change, and I have had to concentrate on the bookkeeping for my bread and butter.  I find myself at a crossroads: I have to pay the bills and work to survive but I am feeling little inspiration to continue on the straight bookkeeping front. 

I put this out to this community and ask for ideas on where I can go from here.  Any suggestions of other opportunities or business paths that I might pursue that will utilize all my years of QuickBooks and bookkeeping experience and challenge me in ways that I may not be thinking about but will still expand my business in perhaps a more creative manner?

Thank you for your feedback, and suggestions! 

[Jess W]

Hi @Laura_Siegel

Welcome to the U.K QB Community! & thank you for sharing so much information.

Coming to a crossroad in your career can be a little frustrating (I have been there). However, from my own perspective, it forced me to try something new and it made me step out of my comfort zone. Because of this, I learnt new skills and I discovered my true passion. Although I was nervous about the change in my life, it was a blessing in disguise. I just had to ride the waves and have a little faith in the process. If we always stay in our comfort zone, it can get a little boring! 

Do you have any side hobbies that you could integrate into your existing job? 

@ParkwayInc, @EmilyMockett & @lynda might be able to give you some advice and options!

Hope you have a great day @Laura_Siegel!

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[ParkwayInc]

Hi @Laura_Siegel,

I wanted to start off by sharing with you something rather private, when I was first starting up and building my company, I literally received a three-day notice of eviction on the exact same day that things started to turn around for me. So I promise you, I understand what you are saying.

From your post, it sounds like you are very passionate about what you do so to that end I tell you to keep pushing forward.  While I cannot say this is the best advice, I will share that, during that time I buried myself in my company. If I was not working on someones books, I was working on some form of marketing.  

For me, I am happiest when I am learning something new, so I used the challenge to teach myself about website creation and Search Engine Optimization. I also spent a lot of time watching YouTube videos trying to learn more efficient ways to get the same tasks accomplished. 

Trying to make it easier for our company to be found, I completed certification courses for most of the cloud based accounting platforms including Xero, FreshBooks. These certifications helped me get our company listed on each of the companies websites which meant that more search results appeared when people would look our company up.

If you have not already done so, be sure to claim your listing on Google My Business, it is free and will help you pop up on local online searches.  If you are interested in more information about enhancing your online presence, check out this webinar we did with Seth David about Search engine optimization for Accountants

Another thing that really helped me get through the tough times, was getting involved in the old Intuit community and providing suggestions to people with questions. As they say the person teaching the course is often the person who learns the most from the class!

As for integrating a hobby into your practice, it is the best way to really select a niche to focus on.  By focusing on a hobby as an industry, your passion will always stand out to potential clients, and passion and excitement is what closes deals! 

I am always happy to share the things that have worked for us along with the things that have not, and I wish to extend an open invitation to connect anytime to discuss in deeper detail your specific circumstance so we could brainstorm a path toward success together.

[EmilyMockett]

Hi Laura,

Have you ever considered looking more into applications. We are finding an increasing amount of our clients are needing help and assistance when choosing the right app for their business to incorporate into the bookkeeping process (mainly to speed things up)? There are always new apps being released and it is good to have knowledge in this area to recommend the best ones to suit your clients.

Writing blogs is also another good way to get away from the day to day tasks of crunching numbers. It gives you the opportunity to share your skills and this is always valuable in the market.

Kind Regards,

Emily

[Laura_Siegel]

Hi Emily,

Sorry I didn't respond sooner.  I like the idea of looking into the apps.  How would I go about doing this and learning more?  

Thanks,

Laura

[EmilyMockett]

Hi Laura,

One of the best places to find out about popular/new apps is the QuickBooks App Store which you can find here: QuickBooks App Store

Here at PJCO we also write an app of the month article for our local Chamber of Commerce and our social media channels so be sure to follow us.

Emily

[Jess W]

Hi, @Laura_Siegel

I hope you're having a great week, nearly the weekend now! :)

How have you been since you last posted in the Community? Have you made any action plans going forward? I would love to know!

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[Laura_Siegel]

Hi Jessica,

Thanks for checking in.  I have not made any real go forward plans.  I did get a new client that has challenged me and I have been focused on trying to get that work done.  I have been looking to get some suggestions on how best to deal with this new client that is the trustee of her mother's trust, as well as a beneficiary.  Her books are a mess and I am cleaning them up but in need of help so unfortunately that has taken my time up.  It has taken me away from wanting to go in new directions BUT I still want to.  

If you have any ideas, I would greatly appreciate it.

Happy Sunday and hope you are having a good weekend.

Best,

Laura

[Jess W]

Hi, @Laura_Siegel

Great to hear from you!

It sounds like you have been busy. This is sometimes a good thing, although I definitely know the frustration you can feel when you just want to organise your life a little more and have a clear vision going forward. Sometimes, we just do work because we have no choice and don't prioritise what we really want to do. Whenever I have moments of uncertainty and feel as if I am not on the right path... I always ask myself 'why'. 'Why' am I doing what I am doing? I embrace my current situation and go with the flow. It's annoying though, I know.

It's amazing that you want to branch off in a new direction - it's exciting! Laura, it might be worth chatting to @EmilyMockett - she is a QuickBooks accountant. Alongside her job she also studies. This might be worth considering! 

I had a great weekend, I hope you did too! 

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[Jess W]

Hi, @Makesworth Accountants - I hope you're well and having a great week so far! 

Is there anything you could share with Laura about your own career journey? 

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