Next up in our Small Business Inspirational Series is Misa Bacon, founder and owner at Perfectly Kept Books, providing stress-free bookkeeping for small businesses and creatives. Misa shares how she hit her stride when she leaned into doing business in her own, unique way.
"Bookkeeping is a necessity for any business, but it's rarely seen as inspiring. The best advice I ever received was to embrace doing business my way, to forge my own path instead of trying to mimic what everyone else in the industry was doing.
This advice hit home. I knew I didn't want to build something that blended into the background. I wanted to challenge the notion that bookkeeping and financial clarity had to be a chore.
Putting this into practice required a bit of soul-searching and a willingness to think differently:
Step 1: Understanding "My Way" For me, it came down to precision, transparency, and a genuine desire to see my clients' businesses thrive. These became my guiding principles, shaping every decision I made.
Step 2: Redefining an Industry Bookkeeping has a reputation for being complex and intimidating. My mission became about making my services approachable, understandable, and infused with the belief that financial clarity is a powerful tool for any business owner.
Step 3: The Sunshine Factor: This is where I truly set myself apart. It's the little things that make a big difference: a friendly, jargon-free experience that puts new clients at ease, visually engaging reports that make numbers digestible, and taking the time to celebrate a client's successes alongside them. It's about injecting a bit of warmth and optimism into a field that often feels cold and sterile.
Has doing bookkeeping my way magically erased all the challenges of running a business? Definitely not! But it has led to some significant wins:
Stronger Client Connections: Clients can tell when you're not just going through the motions, but sincerely believe in the value you provide. This kind of authenticity fosters a level of trust that makes my work incredibly fulfilling.
Increased Referrals: Happy clients naturally tell others. When you stand out by offering a service that's reliable, understandable, and even infused with a bit of personality, word-of-mouth marketing becomes your most powerful tool.
Work That Doesn't Feel Like Work: Bookkeeping can be demanding. But when you're doing it in alignment with your own values and personality, even the tough days feel easier because you're building something that feels authentically yours.
The most rewarding outcome of this "do it my way" approach has been the impact it's had on others. Clients have told me that I've changed their entire outlook on managing their finances, making it seem less daunting and more empowering. Some have even expressed feeling emboldened to inject more of their own spirit into their ventures.
It's proof that staying true to your path isn't just good for your business; it has the potential to inspire those around you. When you make even a traditionally "dry" service like bookkeeping feel friendly and human, you create a ripple effect of positivity.
The world needs my unique approach to numbers. I learn from the best, absolutely, but I’m not afraid to challenge the status quo. Doing bookkeeping my way takes courage, but the rewards – for my business, my clients, and my own sense of fulfillment – are more than worth it."
-Misa Bacon
Thank you for sharing the ways you let your sunshine factor glow and how you've been able to be a force of positivity for others.
🔗 Connect with Misa on LinkedIn
💸 Visit Perfectly Kept Books website
📑 Download your free bookkeeping checklist and guide
💰 Small Biz Finance Tracker: Easy Bookkeeping Spreadsheet
Please share your thoughts, comments, questions, encouragements or congratulations with Misa and the community below!