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.
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.
3 Practical Tips for DIY Bookkeeping
If you're handling your own bookkeeping, these three tips will save you real time and prevent some of the most common DIY headaches.
6 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Bookkeeper
A discovery call with a bookkeeper is a lot more useful when you know what to ask. Here are six questions worth bringing to the conversation, what to listen for in the answers, and how I answer each one.
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.
Spreadsheets vs QuickBooks: Which Does Your Small Business Actually Need?
Should you track your bookkeeping in a spreadsheet or move to bookkeeping software? An honest comparison, including the situations where each one is genuinely the right call.
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.
When Should You Hire a Bookkeeper for Your Small Business?
Wondering if it's time to hire a bookkeeper? Here are three honest signals worth paying attention to, plus when DIY is still the right call.
How to Create and Send Client Invoices in QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online's invoicing is solid if you need it, but it's not automatically the right tool for every business. Here's how to create and send invoices in QBO, plus when it's the right fit.
How to Use Bank Rules in QuickBooks Online (Without Messing Up Your Books)
Bank rules are one of the biggest time-savers in QuickBooks Online, and also one of the most common places I see DIY bookkeeping go sideways. Here's how to set them up in a way that actually helps.
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.
5 QuickBooks Online Features You're Probably Not Using
QuickBooks Online has features most small business owners never turn on because nobody told them they exist. Here are five that are genuinely worth using, plus honest notes on when each one is worth the effort.
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 Set Up QuickBooks Online: A Step-by-Step Guide
You paid for your QuickBooks Online subscription, you logged in, and now you're staring at an empty file. Here's the order I'd set things up in, and what each step actually involves.
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.