One of the most frustrating things about running a bookkeeping practice is that being good at what you do does not automatically mean clients will find you, understand your value, or choose you. I have met so many bookkeepers over the years who are genuinely excellent at the work. They are experienced, accurate, committed to their clients and often doing far more than the client even realises. They are the person quietly making sure payroll goes out, the BAS is right, the acc

Not long ago, I was running a workshop when a bookkeeper put her hand up and asked me a question I suspect a lot of people in our industry are quietly asking. “What do you think is going to happen to bookkeepers because of AI?” It was a fair question. There is a lot of fear around at the moment, not just in bookkeeping but everywhere. AI is moving quickly, technology is changing quickly, the world itself feels a little less predictable than it once did, and every second headl

There’s a funny thing that happens when you start a bookkeeping practice. In the beginning, you just want clients. One client feels exciting, then another comes along, someone refers you to someone else, and before you know it your name is circulating and your diary is filling up. Suddenly, you have a real business on your hands. And for a while, being busy feels wonderful. It feels like proof you made the right decision, proof that people want what you do, proof that the bus

The world has changed. Has your pricing? There comes a point where working harder is no longer the answer. Most bookkeepers do not start a practice because they want to become overworked and underpaid. They start because they want flexibility, meaningful work and the freedom to build a life on their own terms. Perhaps it is more time with family. Perhaps it is the opportunity to leave a corporate job. Perhaps it is simply the desire to build something of their own. Yet somewh

Most bookkeeping practices do not become overwhelming overnight. It happens gradually. You take on another client because the work is there. You say yes to an extra request because it feels easier than having a difficult conversation. You bring in help, add another system and keep moving, believing that the next stage of growth will create the breathing room you have been working towards. That was certainly how my own practice developed. When I started in 2009, I believed suc

One of the biggest misconceptions in our profession is that a busy bookkeeping practice must be a healthy one. After all, if clients keep saying yes, the calendar is full, and there is always work to do, surely that means the business is successful? Not necessarily. Over the years, I've worked with thousands of bookkeepers around the world, and I've noticed something interesting. Some of the busiest practices I've ever seen have also been some of the least profitable. The own

A conversation I have with bookkeepers all the time starts with a sentence that sounds something like: “I thought they were going to say yes.” The story that follows is usually remarkably similar. A business owner reaches out because they need help. Their bookkeeping is behind, their accountant is asking questions they cannot answer, or they simply know they have reached the point where trying to manage everything themselves is no longer working. The bookkeeper has a great co

If you've spent any time around me, you've probably heard me talk about what I call the three dominoes of success: Mindset. Productivity. Mechanics. In that order. Over the years, I've worked with thousands of bookkeepers from all over the world. Some are just starting out. Some are growing rapidly. Some are stuck in what I call the "booked but broken" stage, where the business looks successful from the outside but feels exhausting on the inside. One thing has fascinated me f