Interview With Joy Oliver From J Oliver Bookkeeping Services
Hi Joy, thank you for the interview.
I just wanted to ask you a few questions today about what you do?
As book keeping has also been one of my challenges in the past, it is definitely not one of my strong points.
So this will be very educational to me I am sure. 🙂
1. Q.What is the biggest mistake that you see clients make when it comes to book keeping for their business.
The biggest mistake I see is just general disorganization. Keeping everything organized and filed in an easily accessible format is the first step to making sure your accounting is in order no matter if it’s physical paperwork or electronic files.
2. Q.What difference do you notice between people who are very successful in their business compared to people who struggle to keep things afloat?
Successful business owners make goals, have plans to reach them and create systems after learning from their mistakes. Unsuccessful entrepreneurs do the opposite: they have no goals, no plan and allow themselves to be defeated by mistakes and setbacks.
3. Q What made you decide to choose a career in bookkeeping?
Monopoly was my favorite game as a child and I actually enjoy creating my personal and business budgets. I worked in retail during college and a manager transferred me to the accounting department. She taught me how the numbers tell a story about what a business has done and where it is going if nothing changes. This basically started me on the path to getting more education in accounting so that I can develop a career in something I love.
4. What advice would you give to clients to help make their time spent with you extremely productive?
It is extremely important to communicate effectively and to be willing to create a system so that I can assist all of my clients and provide services in a timely manner.
5. If there is one thing that keeps your clients coming back to you what would it be?
Actually listening so that I can provide the right service helps extremely well. I don’t want to “sell” services that aren’t needed or are not in their budget. Business owners want to save time and money so the service is customized to the business owner’s budget. It’s part of the reason I created my bookkeeping video course so that entrepreneurs can do their own bookkeeping until they reach a point in their business where they can outsource it.
6. When compared to other businesses what do you have to offer that makes you stand out from your competition?
I do not want to just “do the books”, I want to help the business owner reach their goals and create a system that works for them. Basically, when it comes to operating their businesses, the accounting is done at the same time because it’s integrated into their system. With the new system in place, they just need to open their accounting software, press a button and they will have what they need to file taxes or to see where the company is in relation to their goals.
7. Who is your ideal client to work with or do you have one?
Since my company provides services solely online, my ideal client communicates clearly what his or her goals are and is comfortable with using email, texting, web-conference, cloud accounting software and storage systems. Also, being respectful of the time of others is essential. I don’t mind helping people, but I want to take up other client’s time because I am waiting on a response or doing last minute work for another.
8. What is your company mission statement or do you have one?
While I do not have a mission statement, I place high importance on improving what I do to help clients reach their goals.
9.If there is one thing your clients will remember your business for what might that be?
The importance I place on creating a system for their particular business is the main thing they’ll remember. Many entrepreneurs are often intimidated, unnecessarily, by their accounting so they avoid it. I show them how to keep it simple and make it a part of their daily operations so that they can focus on what they love about their businesses.
10. Is there anything you would like to tell us that your clients should or would need to know when looking for someone to look after their bookkeeping?
If you hire any vendor because of price, you’ll get what you pay for. I have personally found that out the hard way. Know what you need for your particular business, stick to your budget, ask questions and make sure that both of you are on the same page about what services you need and the goals you have for your business. Communication is key, so if you aren’t getting the answers you need, find someone that can help you so your business doesn’t suffer.
Also, make sure that you at least understand the basics of bookkeeping. No matter if you do your own accounting or you have an employee or contractor taking care of it, you need to understand your financial statements and where you are when it comes to getting paid and paying bills. There are many resources out there that can help. I have developed the Basic Bookkeeping for Entrepreneurs Course to be a low cost way of showing small business owners how to set up their bookkeeping in a simple, cost-effective way. More information can be found on my website: joliverbkpg.com/resources or via email at info@joliverbkpg.com.