“BHQ’s purpose is to assist in a business owner’s success by giving her/him more time to do what they are passionate about.”

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Linda Grone is the owner of BookkeepingHQ.com (BookkeepingHeadQuarters).  Linda is one of the unique individuals who enjoys the bookkeeping part of small business.  She saw business owners struggle with this aspect day after day, and started BookkeepingHQ in 2007.  She had completed a successful career in banking that spanned thirty years as Assistant Vice President of UMB Bank in Columbia, Missouri.  She has owned several small businesses herself (commercial cleaning, personal training, and a horse-boarding farm), and understands the frustrations small business owners face.

BookkeepingHQ is designed to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses by focusing on their passion and outsourcing the things they dread.  Linda takes into account the actual amount of work needed to keep a company’s books on track, and will work with customers with only a minimum of two hours per month.  She uses QuickBooks, and has affiliates with payroll and tax issues.  All work can be done in house, in her own office, or over the internet.

We decided to feature Linda on MO.com because she is not only an entrepreneur herself, but represents the many resources available to entrepreneurs who are smart enough to know when they need help!

MO:
Why is BookkeepingHQ necessary for the small business owners you work with?

Linda:
There are several reasons why my clients have hired me to do their bookkeeping.  One was because the office manager was overwhelmed with her responsibilities and her bookkeeping needs were piling up.  Another client hired me because he ignored his bookkeeping needs every year until right before tax time. All of my clients own small businesses and love what they do, but have no affinity for the bookkeeping part of business ownership.  I can relieve them of that responsibility with a minimum amount of time invested and they can grow their businesses, doing what they love.

MO:
Can you talk about the businesses that you owned yourself, and how your experiences with those businesses led you to open BookkeepingHQ

Linda:
When I was a co-owner of a commercial cleaning business, my responsibilities were to take care of the finances: accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll.  This required only a few hours per week.  The same is true for my personal training and horse-boarding businesses.  I was fortunate enough to enjoy the financial side of the businesses.  When networking with other business owners, I realized how frustrated many were with the bookkeeping aspect of their business, and how easy it was to procrastinate in keeping up to date. This is where the concept of BookkeepingHQ began.

MO:
What are the types of bookkeeping activities that you help the small business owners with?

Linda:
I have previously been the office manager for a dental office, and for a large fitness facility.  I’m experienced in every aspect of business management, so I can provide a wide range of services.  The basics as far as accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank statement reconciliation, and payroll are the central services of BHQ.  I am familiar with several computer bookkeeping programs.  Human resources, computer training, and customer service training are also services I can provide.  I am also a licensed notary.

 

MO:
What inspired you to leave banking in order to start something on your own?  Can you speak on what the biggest challenge was in this process?

Linda:
Banking, as I experienced it, was fascinating to me.  I learned every aspect of the business of banking, and enjoyed my last position which allowed me to assist people in pursuing their dreams of owning a new car, a new home, and even going to college.  The climate of banking began to change as did the business model and I knew that I had hit a “glass ceiling.”  I was already doing books for a construction company in my home office.  I knew it was time to change focus and work for myself.  It wasn’t an easy decision, and the transition took several years before I had enough clients to be my own full-time boss.

Being in finance, the biggest challenge was to know when I could be 100% on my own. I chose to build BHQ on a part-time basis so that it could be a debt-free entity.  I also found it extremely important to have a support system of people who believed in me.  Confidence in my abilities to be successful would be diminished by fear and it was my support system that helped me to believe in myself.

MO:
You have a variety of leadership experiences spanning activities from teaching pilates to facilitating a grief support group, to working with senior living facilities.  How do you believe these experiences have helped to shape the way you do business?

Linda:
My core value is this:  People are more important than things.  BHQ is a purpose-driven business that follows that core value.  I have learned that I am most fulfilled when I can help people: in the fitness venue for a better quality of life; in working in an environment where some seniors have no families and a smile and a hug can make a huge difference in their day; helping people through the grieving process after the death of a loved one, showing them that there is joy and life again after they have mourned.

BHQ’s purpose is to assist in a business owner’s success by giving her/him more time to do what they are passionate about, alleviating the frustration that comes with some of the financial aspects of doing business.

MO:
What do you think all business owners should know about the bookkeeping side of their business before they start their company?

Linda:
Most small business owners do not realize at first that this is an important part of their business.  It is more than buying an accounting program and trying to learn it.  They need to be realistic about their abilities in the bookkeeping arena as well as how they feel about doing it themselves.  One of my customers had a sister doing the books.  The problem was she lived three hours away and really didn’t like what she was doing for her family, so things just didn’t get done.  That was good news for me!  Finding someone who can help them with their bookkeeping and who enjoys it is difficult to find.  Also finding someone who is willing to do it within a small time commitment and with rates designed to help small businesses can be an important step in their success.