Feedback Appreciated From All The Small Business Owners!!

Kimberly

I am currently starting my own Bookkeeping business out of my home for small business owners. I was thinking of targeting individuals in the construction/home improvement fields.

What services would you find most beneficial and/or would it be something that business owners in these fields be interested in?

Any and all feedback is appreciated!

Grumpy

I've been thinking, since I currently don't have a assistant on hand, that it would be nice to have someone I can call whem I am on the road, and say "research this" or "find me that". I know that's not book keeping but it's something that would take a burden off me.

Something else I'd need would be someone that could type my contracts etc... but that takes a trained individual to know what to type so that'd be out of the question.

Managing my recieveables would be nice. Sending out invoices and reminding the customers to send payment and tallying late fees if not paid on time... At this point I need the customer's money asap so I usually show up smiling with my hand out as soon as the job is done.

Mike Finley

Book keeping has been around since biblical times, and it really hasn't changed much other than the technology involved in doing it.

You would be smart to offer the services that business need as they grow from start up to full blown companies, so that you can service any business in whatever stage it is in.

1) Consultation - business formation - business entity - sole prop, corp, llc ect...
2) A fee to get company on books - usually involves taking a shoe box full of reciepts and entering into quick books
3) Monthly bookkeeping using quickbooks
4) IRS filings, sales tax filings, estimated tax filings, ect...
5) Pay roll service

That would be plenty, if you really get crazy you could look into accounts recievable and maybe even accounts payable. The most successful accountants I know are the ones who tailer their services to each of their clients. Some clients have no problem filling their own sales tax reports while others would rather pay someone whatever it takes.

Teetorbilt

Kimberly, The one thing that I value the most is someone who stays on top of all of the tax breaks.
IMHO a good bookkeeper is a keystone to a small business. Most accountants only deal with the figures that they are fed, bookkeepers are the ones that feed them these numbers.

MinConst

Kimberly,
Being a startup myself and running a different business for 27+ years prior what I would like to have is a good consultant to help me set up the books in a way that would make my life easier day to day. I have called 3 CPAs asking for this and all they want are the figures at tax time. Heck if I can get all the figures at tax time in an organized mannor I can use TurboTax myself.
I want help setting up not filing paperwork. Maybe that would be a good niche to look at. Not your complete business but a part of it. every new business owner wants to run their business not the books. Help make it easy for them.
Good luck. To bad were so far apart :-)

__________________
Paul
Minichillo's Construction
Website
I will never leave you hanging!

PipeGuy

[QUOTE=Kimberly]What services would you find most beneficial and/or would it be something that business owners in these fields be interested in?
[QUOTE]
I would like someone to come in weekly and input this week's A/P data and mail last week's printed checks - pay bills and mail bills as it were. No check writing just input and mailing. I would not use a service (other than my accountant) that required my "books" to leave my office.

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Fortunately I keep my feathers numbered for...for just such an emergency. -Foghorn Leghorn

Teetorbilt

My bookeeper came to the office, set up QuickBooks and taught me how to use it. I do the data entry at the end of the day. She also set it up so that she can access the program from her office as required.
4 yrs. with her and all problems that we have had were caused by me.