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Before we close things down for the holidays, I decided to bring back one of my favorite interviews from the vault. In 2021 during one of our Bookkeeping Biz Workshop rounds, I brought Katie on to chat about a program she had just created—which is still going strong today—in fact, has been revamped and redesiged since she created it, and I want to make sure you all know about it. But more so than that, I wanted to bring this conversation back to you in case you’re planning for the new year. This will give you some things to consider, especially if you’re balancing motherhood with building your business, or dreaming of starting your business in 2026.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Katie’s background: CPA → corporate → motherhood → bookkeeping business (and how she was “paid to quit” at the perfect time)
• The emotional reality of leaving corporate—even when it’s the right move
• Why the early seasons of motherhood are intense, and how that shapes business decisions
• How Katie’s bookkeeping business grew: referrals, small beginnings, pricing lessons, and early client expansion
• The mindset shift: bookkeeping as a stable, scalable foundation (especially once you hire a team)
• Hiring earlier than feels comfortable: babysitters, cleaners, and bookkeepers as “buying back time”
• Why working at home with kids around can be harder than being fully out of the house
• Office space + opportunity cost: how one monthly client can fund the setup that changes everything
• Training a team the right way: slow client-by-client handoff, upfront time investment, long-term payoff
• Client continuity + freedom: not being the only person clients rely on
• Katie’s Become a Bookkeeper (BABS) course overview: Learn → Shadow → Apply (practicum)

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Become A Bookkeeper

Connect with Katie: : instagram.com/orderlyaccountingbykatie

Listen to Katie’s Podcast: Profits & Prosecco

Sign up for Become A Bookkeeper

Thanks for listening. If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram stories and tag me @ambitiousbookkeeper

For more information about the Ambitious Bookkeeper Podcast or interest in our programs or mentoring visit our resources below:

• Visit our website: https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com
• Follow the Blog: https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com/blog
• Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambitiousbookkeeper
• Connect on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ambitiousbookkeeper
• Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenashoupcpa

Thank you for your support of our show. If you haven’t left a review yet it’s super simple. Please go to ambitiousbookkeeper.com/podcast and leave your review.

Podcast Publishing Tools we use:

• Editing → Sabr Media LLC: https://www.iangilliam.com/sabr-media-llc
• Descript: https://get.descript.com/u7lubkx09073 (affiliate link)
• Buzzsprout:

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I had the best conversation with Kelly Sinclair about something that's been on my mind (and probably yours too): how to actually use AI without losing the human connection that makes your business YOU. We dive deep into why social media might not be the lead generator you think it is, how to build visibility strategies that don't rely on the algorithm, and how AI can actually help you show up MORE human, not less.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Why taking a break from social media might be the best business decision you make
• How to flip your AI mindset from "polish my work" to "support me first"
• The three ways to monetize AI in your business

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• 90 Day Visibility Sprint Starter Kit https://kellysinclair.thrivecart.com/the-90-day-visibility-sprint-podcast/?coupon=SERENAPOD
• Valerie
• Brand Calibrator
• Notebook LM
• ChatGPT
• MindPal
• ManyChat
• Zapier
• QuickBooks Online

Meet Kelly

Kelly Sinclair is a visibility strategist, AI-powered marketing expert, and host of Entrepreneur School. An accidental tech nerd and professional mom taxi, she helps entrepreneurs ditch random acts of marketing, build visibility habits that actually work, and grow through intentional visibility—not by selling their soul to social media.

Connect with Kelly

Podcast: https://entrepreneurschool.ca/podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksco_kelly/

Thanks for listening. If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram stories and tag me @ambitiousbookkeeper

For more information about the Ambitious Bookkeeper Podcast or interest in our programs or mentoring visit our resources below:

• Visit our website: https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com
• Follow the Blog: https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com/blog
• Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambitiousbookkeeper
• Connect on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ambitiousbookkeeper
• Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenashoupcpa

Thank you for your support of our show. If you haven’t left a review yet it’s super simple. Please go to ambitiousbookkeeper.com/podcast and leave your review.

Podcast Publishing Tools we use:

• Editing → Sabr Media LLC: https://www.iangilliam.com/sabr-media-llc
• Descript: https://get.descript.com/u7lubkx09073 (affiliate link)
• Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1753696 (affiliate link)

Get access to the Dubsado Decoded Private Podcast Series here>>

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In this episode, I'm chatting with my friend Kelsey Silver about something so many of you have been asking about - how the heck are we supposed to use AI without compromising our clients' security? Kelsey has a super unique background and she breaks down exactly what we need to look for when evaluating AI tools for our firms. Plus, she shares about her AI app Foresight HQ that helps you identify your hottest leads in your Instagram DMs - no more chasing people who just wanted the freebie!

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How to evaluate AI tools for security
• The difference between machine learning and generative AI
• How Kelsey balances building an app, doing VIP days, working a corporate job, AND being a mom to a 4.5-year-old

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Metrics 7-Figure Business Owners Can't Live Without: https://kelseysilver.com/metrics
• 5 DM Signals $FREE: https://foresighthq.app/5signals
• Notion
• ThriveCart, High Level, and SamCart
• ManyChat

Meet Kelsey

Kelsey Silver is a data and AI strategist and the founder of ForesightHQ, an AI-powered DM lead tracker designed for business owners who want to follow up in their DMs without feeling like a sales robot. With a background in psychology, 10+ years in corporate analytics, and a deep love for systems that actually fit your life, Kelsey helps entrepreneurs find the hidden gold in their data so they can sell smarter and with more integrity. When she’s not decoding buyer signals or mapping launch strategies, you can find her at a Ren Faire with her daughter or decompression from reading spreadsheets all day with a bag of Oreos and an oat milk chai latte.

Connect with Kelsey

Instagram: @kelseyesilver

Website: https://kelseysilver.com/

App: https://foresighthq.app

Thanks for listening. If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram stories and tag me @ambitiousbookkeeper

For more information about the Ambitious Bookkeeper Podcast or interest in our programs or mentoring visit our resources below:

• Visit our website: https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com
• Follow the Blog: https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com/blog
• Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambitiousbookkeeper
• Connect on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ambitiousbookkeeper
• Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenashoupcpa

Thank you for your support of our show. If you haven’t left a review yet it’s super simple. Please go to ambitiousbookkeeper.com/podcast and leave your review.

Podcast Publishing Tools we use:

• Editing → Sabr Media LLC: https://www.iangilliam.com/sabr-media-llc
• Descript: https://get.descript.com/u7lubkx09073 (affiliate link)
• Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1753696 (affiliate link)