Welcome to the Boomtown blog. Most posts here are about bookkeeping, QuickBooks, and the parts of running a small business that nobody warned you about. I write for self-employed folks who want their books to make sense without becoming an accountant in the process.
3 Common Bookkeeping Mistakes Small Business Owners Make
The three bookkeeping mistakes I see most often, why they cause real headaches at tax time and beyond, and what to do instead.
How to Read a Balance Sheet for Your Small Business
A balance sheet is one of the two financial reports every small business owner should be able to read. Here's what it actually shows you, with a real example.
5 Financial Habits That Strengthen Your Small Business
The financial habits that actually strengthen a small business aren't flashy or motivational. Here are five concrete ones that consistently make a difference for the businesses I work with.
How to Actually Take Time Off as a Small Business Owner
Most "self-care for business owners" advice skips the part that actually matters: the financial conditions that make rest possible. Here's what real time off requires, and how your books either support it or quietly prevent it.
How to Calculate ROI for Your Small Business
Return on investment is one of those concepts everyone name-drops, but rarely explains in a way that's useful for a small business. Here's how to calculate it, and when the math is actually worth doing.
How Bookkeeping Protects Your Small Business from Fraud
Most small business fraud slips through because no one's looking at the books until something obvious is wrong. Routine bookkeeping review is how you catch it early. Here's what to watch for.
How to Track Unpaid Invoices in QuickBooks Online
If you invoice clients, knowing who owes you what (and how long they've owed it) is one of the simpler things QuickBooks can do for you. Here's how to run the report and what to do with what you find.
How to Reconcile Your Bank Accounts in QuickBooks Online
Reconciling your bank accounts in QuickBooks Online is how you know your books actually match reality. Here's how to do it, and what to do if you're months behind.
How to Clean Up Your Chart of Accounts
If you're doing your own bookkeeping, your Chart of Accounts is the foundation everything else rests on. Here's how to set yours up in QuickBooks Online so running a report stops feeling like a chore.