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.
