Getting To Know The Women Behind ABTB (Part One)

Getting To Know The Women Behind ABTB

We thought it might be interesting to write about the women behind Accounting By The Books. Lori, the owner, and her daughter, Tiffany, run Accounting By The Books. Their bio’s are here, but we thought we would give you a more in depth look into who they are.

Today we are going to feature Lori, the owner of Accounting By The Books. Here is a little background about Lori: she owned an accounting firm in Connecticut for 16 years. She sold her firm in 2013 and moved to Charlotte, NC where she started a new firm, Accounting By The Books. I asked Lori a few questions about her personal and professional life that I thought would be beneficial for you to know. Here is what she had to say.

1.) Name three things about yourself that someone wouldn’t know by looking at you.

I have 4 children and 1 grandson, I get nervous to speak in public, and I desire to live near the ocean someday.

2.) What is your favorite part about your job?

I love what I do, but if I had to choose my absolute favorite part I would have to say it would be helping business owners succeed in running their businesses.

 3.) What was the hardest thing you had to experience in order to get to where you are today?

The hardest thing I have had to do was the hiring process for my accounting firm in CT. It was essential to find the right fit for not only my firm, but more importantly, in order to meet client needs. It was very difficult, but a vital part in running any successful business.

 4.) What is your least favorite thing about your job?

My least favorite part about my job is that there are not enough hours in a day.  If there were more hours in a day, then I could help more business owners.

 5.) What is the biggest lesson you learned about yourself and/or your business in all your years of doing Bookkeeping?

The biggest lesson I learned is that sometimes you have to say no. I can’t do it all, even though I often wish I could. Like I previously stated, there aren’t enough hours in the day to meet everyone’s needs like I would like to. You have to know your limits (what you and your business can handle) and say no to things that will push you past your limit.

6.) What was the hardest part about starting a new business in a new place?

The hardest part about starting a new business in a new place was not knowing anyone, and therefore no one knew if I was good at what I did.  I had to start from scratch, having to prove myself all over again.

7.) What is one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out on a new business venture?

One piece of advice that I would give to a new business owner is to set up a strong financial foundation. You need a good bookkeeping system, with someone who knows what they are doing managing the books, so that the rest of your business can prosper. It is just like the foundation to a house. With a firm foundation built, you will have a house that lasts. In the business world, properly managed finances make a strong foundation, which will keep a business “standing” firm.

8.) Anything else you want to add about yourself?

I love what I do so much that it never feels like work.  I believe that a solid financial foundation is the key to any business succeeding.  I believe in this so much that I often try to help new business owners get this set up. (I often offer free advice, don’t upcharge for Quickbooks, and I charge very little to get it set up and running.)

I hope you enjoyed hearing from Lori. Her answers indicate just how much she loves what she does. She is so passionate and loves helping others succeed.