QuickBooks Live helps Wildly Native Flower Farm flourish

Despite coming from a long line of planters, Liza Goetz never expected to be in the role she has now: founder and flower farmer florist of Wildly Native Flower Farm. 

Sure, flowers were always part of the picture—Goetz remembers requesting her own small sections of the family farm to grow them when she was a child. But when she got older, Goetz pursued a career in education, ultimately putting down roots as a high school agriculture teacher.

But now, Goetz’s career—and the family farm’s landscape—looks different. Planted in dirt that’s grown generations’ worth of tomatoes, corn, and even Christmas trees, Goetz now harvests a truly colorful crop. Stems of zinnias, dahlias, peonies, and more are hand-picked for bountiful bouquets, dazzling centerpieces, and even dried floral wreaths. Blossoms are pressed into vases and bath products, while seasonal items and blooms are shipped cross-country in gift-worthy subscription boxes. 

In short, Goetz’s work goes far and beyond the sort of traditional farming her family was doing when they bought the land back in 1953, though “family” itself remains the key ingredient to the farm’s success. 

“Family is everything,” says Goetz. “My son runs the tractors; if I break it, he can fix it. My daughter can take what I would throw away and make it pretty. We all work together to constantly make things work.” 

It’s a labor of love, and one that requires an ongoing pursuit of new skills and resources. Among those resources is QuickBooks Live, Goetz’s go-to for bookkeeping help—something she says is coming in handy more and more as her business develops.

Goetz’s business blooms and grows

Wildly Native Flower Farm started with a moment of panic. “I was standing in my classroom during lunchtime with my daughter Lizzy next to me when a former student called,” Goetz recalls. The student asked if Goetz, who had experience growing flowers for wholesale, would be willing to design the flowers for her wedding. 

“I was like ummmmmm…and in that pause, Lizzy immediately and without any hesitation said emphatically YES!” Lizzy’s confidence gave Goetz the push she needed to give her former student’s request serious consideration, and from there, a business was born.

Initially, Goetz says Wildly Native was mostly service-based. It wasn’t until 2019 that the farm had a harvest large enough to start doing local wholesale deliveries and holiday orders. From there, they began working on multiple product offerings, including bath soaks, drink mixers, and more.

“We, traditionally, have been more service-based, not specifically inventory-based,” Goetz says. “As we've transitioned to having more inventory, I needed to learn and understand how to enter [that] inventory, track the sale of goods sold, and answer those questions so I could really drill down those reports with these new changes in the business.”

Goetz’s success has come with typical growing pains. She soon realized that when it came to her bookkeeping, she needed some expert help. “That was that ‘aha moment’ for me, when I knew I needed someone I had quick access to who could answer my questions in a timely fashion.”

So Goetz, who was already using QuickBooks to manage her business’s finances, turned to QuickBooks Live. 

QuickBooks Live bookkeepers offer real-life help

“The first time I talked to an expert from QuickBooks, I was so excited that I was actually able to speak to a real human,” says Goetz. “[The advice] was so specific, and it was so helpful.”

Now, Goetz has an entire team of bookkeepers on her side, there to answer questions and make suggestions. She’s able to more accurately track her inventory and make informed business decisions.

“Having a trusted person that I can turn to to answer those questions when I don't feel confident, when I'm nervous, or when I'm not sure what I should be doing is a game-changer. It makes a huge difference,” she says.

QuickBooks Live offers business owners peace of mind through Live Expert Full-Service Bookkeeping. Experienced bookkeepers can bring past books up to date, then manage all future bookkeeping, start to finish. As a result, business owners feel more confident in their books and can focus their time and expertise where it’s needed most.

“QuickBooks Live experts save me time, so that I can get back to doing the things that I love,” says Goetz, “like spending time with my family and growing the business.”

QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping: Subscription to QuickBooks Online required. QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping services sold separately.

QuickBooks Live Monthly Bookkeeping services: After signup, a Live Bookkeeper provides cleanup services that start from the date of your last business tax return or business incorporation date (if more recent) through the end of the calendar month before first sign-up to Live Bookkeeping. The services provided during the first month are as follows, as applicable: update bookkeeping based on information you provide; connect bank and credit cards; categorize and update transactions up until the last tax-filing date; reconcile bank and credit card accounts with past statements, as provided by you; reconcile remaining balance sheet accounts; and run a summary report of work completed, balance sheet, and profit loss statement of YTD for cleanup period(s).

A Live Bookkeeper cannot begin cleaning up your past books until they timely receive the required supporting documentation, which your bookkeeper will request from you after your first meeting. Once your bookkeeper receives all the necessary documentation, they’ll typically complete your cleanup within 30 days. In some cases, your cleanup may take longer depending on timeliness of documentation and the complexity of your books.

During each subsequent month, ongoing Live Bookkeeping services include: an overview of the main features of QBO; setup of customers and vendors; assistance with reports and reporting tools; setup of chart of accounts; assistance with bank connections, expense type classification, categorization, and reconciliation based on information you provide; importing of historical data; and ongoing assistance with bookkeeping practices). Some basic bookkeeping services may not be included and will be determined by your Live Bookkeeper. The Live Bookkeeper will provide help based on the information you provide. For more information about services provided by Live Bookkeeping, refer to the QuickBooks Terms of Service.

*Based on a commissioned survey of QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping customers, as of July 2023.