“Think about what you want. Be intentional on why you're growing your business. Are you growing it for a money goal? Are you growing it so you have more time and flexibility? And then create those boundaries around giving yourself what your why is. Build a business that feels like your own fairy tale.”
-Cindy Schroeder

Cindy Schroeder, owner of Bright Bookkeeping and founder of Bookkeeping Buds, shares how she went from job-hopping in unfulfilling roles to building a remote bookkeeping business for painting contractors, creating a supportive community for women bookkeepers, and designing a life she loves.

In this interview, you’ll learn…

• Simple networking tactics to grow your bookkeeping business
• The benefits of niching into one industry
• Why designing your business around joy can lead to lasting success

To learn more about Cindy, click here.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Time Stamp

00:29 - Cindy’s background and why she left corporate accounting
03:58 - Overcoming introversion through small networking goals
08:30 - Designing a remote business
13:15 - How niching into painting contractors changed everything
16:49 - Partnering with a coach to streamline client growth
19:07 - Building a team and creating repeatable systems
19:20 - Founding Bookkeeping Buds to support women bookkeepers
22:49 - Advice for new bookkeepers: Start with your “Why”

This episode is brought to you by our amazing friends at Hub Analytics!

Imagine having all your financial data in one place, with real-time analytics and customized reports at your fingertips.

Hub Analytics is a financial platform that streamlines bookkeeping operations, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering high-quality results for your clients. With Hub's easy-to-use tools, you’ll save time, reduce errors, and gain deeper insights into your clients' financials!

Ready to take your bookkeeping to the next level?

Book a demo to learn more and start your FREE trial TODAY!

“Speaking requires feedback. We have to listen to ourselves. We have to listen to each other and give feedback in order to get better. Speaking is social.”
-Ruth Milligan

Ruth Milligan, founder of Articulation and curator of TEDxColumbus, dives into how better communication leads to better business — especially for bookkeepers and business owners who want to be more clear, confident, and effective.

In this episode, you’ll learn…

• The hidden cost of unclear communication
• How to fix filler words, jargon & “shaded habits”
• How to explain complex topics without dumbing them down

To learn more about Ruth, click here.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Time Stamp

02:14 – Helping people own their voice & ideas
02:53 – From speechwriter to TEDx coach to business owner
05:47 – What’s a “threshold concept” in speaking?
07:30 – Speaking is social: your audience decides the meaning
09:30 – Why technical experts lose audiences
14:35 – Bookkeepers: Your audience isn’t in your field
15:15 – The pain (and power) of watching yourself speak
17:43 – The power of feedback & self-awareness
20:30 – Emails that confuse vs. emails that get results
23:00 – Declarative vs. procedural knowledge
25:00 – Training clients: Why reschedules are your problem
34:18 – Using AI for voice notes & speech prep
37:28 – The risks of AI hallucinations with real content
41:23 – A direct takeaway for introverts: Watch your “shaded habits”
43:07 – What you don’t know can hurt your influence
45:48 – Breath: the simple fix for filler word
55:29 – Valuing yourself & your time

This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Hub Analytics!

Imagine having all your financial data in one place, with real-time analytics and customized reports at your fingertips.

Hub Analytics is a financial platform that streamlines bookkeeping operations, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering high-quality results for your clients. With Hub's easy-to-use tools, you’ll save time, reduce errors, and gain deeper insights into your clients' financials!

Ready to take your bookkeeping to the next level?

Book a demo to learn more and start your FREE trial TODAY!

“Practice is what gives the consistent and reliable delivery of whatever you're mastering. So for me, I remind myself that I'm not faking, I'm becoming, I'm working on it until I become it.”
-Michelle Quiñonez

Michelle Quiñonez, CEO and partner at Financial Stories Inc, shares how childhood play led to a lifelong love for administration and business building. She opens up about her journey from stay-at-home mom to entrepreneur, and how her passion for structure and growth fueled the launch of a full-service accounting firm alongside her CPA co-founder.

In this episode, you’ll learn…

• Why keeping your word to yourself matters
• The impact of joining a CEO peer group
• Simple time-blocking that actually works

To learn more about Michelle, click here.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Time Stamp

00:53 - Michelle’s early influences: childhood office play & college mentorship
02:11 - MBA shift & why she chose the accounting field
04:04 - Founding her first solo business as a stay-at-home mom
05:01 - Pain points with external tax firms & why she co-founded Financial Stories
06:50 - Merging systems, hiring, remote tech stack & onboarding
08:19 - Surprises: how hard it is to find good people & differences in accounting roles
09:51 - Personal transformation, CEO roundtable, imposter syndrome reframed
12:00 - Time management
14:18 - Why business growth is about daily consistency & reps
16:35 - How Lisa Campbell & A2A influenced Michelle’s mindset & systems
19:45 - Setting clear intentions to stay present with her family
22:39 - Keeping your word—to yourself & how that shifted everything
25:47 - Visualizing success, parenting parallels & trusting your own word
31:33 - Her experience with Profit First & how it supports delegation
34:48 - Where to connect with Michelle

This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Hub Analytics!

Imagine having all your financial data in one place, with real-time analytics and customized reports at your fingertips.

Hub Analytics is a financial platform that streamlines bookkeeping operations, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering high-quality results for your clients. With Hub's easy-to-use tools, you’ll save time, reduce errors, and gain deeper insights into your clients' financials!

Ready to take your bookkeeping to the next level?

Book a demo to learn more and start your FREE trial TODAY!