3 Reasons to Hire a Bookkeeper for Your Creative Business

We’re going to work with the assumption that you’re already interested (or at least intrigued somewhat) in bringing someone into the financial side of your business — you’re just not 100% on the ‘why,’ and, as business owners, the why is almost the most important part (the ‘who’ being the most).

A bookkeeper is not an all-inclusive financial solution, but we’re not ‘just’ bookkeepers. We do more than sort your transactions and upload receipts, and if you’re currently on the fence or curious, here are a few reasons to hire a bookkeeper for your creative business:

Why You Should Hire a Bookkeeper for Your Creative Business

When I said we’re not ‘just’ bookkeepers, I meant that we do more for creative businesses (and business owners) than you think — organizing transactions is typically the least of my clients’ worries when we start working together.

Let’s get into it:

#1. Confidence and Clarity in Your Finances

As an entrepreneur, creative, and business owner, you’re responsible for knowing and keeping up with the money you have going in and out. Still, it’s often left as the last task on your list because serving your clients or finishing up the latest project takes precedence (as it should; your clients ARE your cash flow).

But knowing where you stand in your finances is more than tracking and accounting for your business expenses and tax deductions — it’s having confidence and clarity in your numbers.

With this clarity and confidence, you can focus on marketing your most profitable and in-demand services and make investments — think a new website, booking a social media audit, or finally planning that three-day trip — without stressing the when, where, and why of your money because you’ll already know it (thanks to your bookkeeper).

#2. Save Time (And Money)

Bookkeepers save you time and money with less guessing and more knowing (see #1). They already know what’s considered a tax write-off, where to store receipts (virtually, preferably), and how to track your income and expenses in a bookkeeping software.

Thanks to this, you no longer have to:

• Learn a new platform (looking at you, QuickBooks)
• Spend 1hr+ per week doing it yourself
• Spend 1hr+ per week wondering why DIY-ing took longer than 1hr
• Play the “Is this a write-off?” guessing game
• Weigh the pros and cons of spending your spare 30 minutes marketing or reconciling your accounts

And if you were prepared to commit the time, energy, and money to DIY-ing it yourself, but the mental stress of managing your finances on top of everything else is simply too much — bookkeepers take that off your plate, too.

#3. More Accuracy, Better Cash Flow

82% of small businesses fail due to cash flow problems. Cash flow is, on a basic level, something that indicates the money coming in and being spent in your business — and is arguably the most important factor to a company’s success (creative or not). 

Poor cash flow often results from delayed payments, unexpected expenses, or setting your price too low. One effective way to stay on top of — and prevent — all of it is to stay current on your monthly bookkeeping.

The easiest way to do that? Hire a bookkeeper! Outsourcing to a professional who can work with you to accomplish this will not only help with planning for the future but can also act as an advisor and point out expenses that could become an issue.

What’s Next? How to Find a Bookkeeper That’s Right for You

Welcoming someone into your creative business backend tends to make you feel a little exposed and uncomfortable — often because you’re not sure if you’re doing it right or maybe you haven’t done it at all. When you’re ready to hire a bookkeeper, finding one that’s right for you is important!

Find a bookkeeper with experience in your industry or who aligns with your values. Book a call or head to social media to learn more about them, and start a conversation to see how comfortable you feel (and how they make you feel when discussing finances). You want a bookkeeper you can trust and rely on and who allows you to focus on your craft and clients. 

Feel like one (or all) of these reasons to hire a bookkeeper ticked all the boxes? Get in touch, and let’s chat to see if I’m the right bookkeeper for you!