Should You Hire for Your Solo Firm?
Your accounting firm can stay ultra-small…and you can hire.
Both can be true.
You don’t have to do it all yourself. And you don’t have to feel like you’ve lost a battle if bringing someone into your work would help you.
You’re in charge. You get to make the rules. You don’t have to compare yourself to anyone else.
All that to say, I get many questions about my non-US based bookkeeper that works with me. Here are the answers…
Where did I find her?
On Upwork, about 3+ years ago. I posted a job description for what I wanted to hire for, estimating about 5 hours a week to start, paying hourly. I got many qualified applicants. I required a degree in accounting and prioritized applicants with a CPA license (she has both). Honestly, I don’t remember all the details of combing through applicants, but we did a video interview, hit it off, and the rest was history.
Does she work directly with clients?
She didn’t at first as I was getting comfortable with her abilities and, quite frankly, my ability to let go of work from my tight clutches. In general, it was a slow intentional roll out of what she worked on and what I kept until I was ready to let go. As time went on and we got a good working rhythm, I introduced her to the clients she was working on. I always introduced her as part of my firm and let my clients know how long we’d been working together. Everyone welcomed her warmly. Now she emails clients directly with day-to-day transactional questions she has.
How many hours does she work?
0-10 hours on any given week. We both have kids and other priorities outside of work, so it’s important to me that we’re both part-time on principle, if nothing else.
What about security?
She has access to QBO and all that QBO allows access to. No one (including me) has banking log ins my clients. We don’t do tax returns, there’s no need for her to have access to any PII (personal identifiable information).
Should I hire for my solo firm?
Only you will know the answer to that. Do you want to manage someone? Do you have the systems and processes in place to properly onboard someone who’s going to do work for you? Do you have an understanding of where your high-leverage processes are?
Don’t hire a moment before you do this…
Document your workflows for each client
Track your own time, for at least a month, to determine where in your workflows you’re spending the most amount of your time
Identify the processes you’d be willing to delegate to a capable individual (you’ll get the most potential leverage for choosing processes that repeat across clients)
Document your SOPs for those processes (don’t over complicate it: Google doc, Loom, etc)
Then, and only then, start thinking about posting a job description based on all of the information above.
And if after all the steps above (probably a 2-3 month process), you decide NOT to hire, going through this process will teach you more than you imagined about your workflows. Trust me, it will not have been a wasted exercise.
Hope this helps,
Erica
What’s Happening in Aligned
MeetUp: Transitioning to Anchor
TODAY! Wed, Feb 25th - 11am MST > RSVP Here
Why are people transitioning to Anchor? Super affordable, makes increases prices easy and compliant, efficient engagement letter setup. Erica will talk through examples and the “how to transition” at this session. **not sponsored**
Accountability Check-In
Tue, Mar 10th - 2pm MST > RSVP Here
We’ll talk through the past quarter and plans for your next quarter
Office Hours w/ Erica
Wed, Mar 25th - 11am MST > RSVP Here
Ask me anything or we can brainstorm as a group!
Question of the Week > What’s the minimum monthly price you offer for bookkeeping / CAS services?
Current Discussions On > clients who won’t listen, converting from @gmail to your new domain email, sales tax, AI notetakers, disability insurance recs, and more!
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