[4 Step Checklist] How I ACTUALLY Onboard Bookkeeping Clients

[@brolybsavage]

I greatly appreciate you Zach with your videos I was able to help my mom get a client for $700 a month. She gave me my first clients when I first started as a bookkeeper so it feels great to give back in return. Appreciate you bro!

[@BookkeepingExpert]

That is awesome!

[@vergelsoonmanipol103]

I am a CPA by profession in the Philippines but was not extensively exposed to accounting industry since I jumped in most of my 7years experience in the academe. Your contents is very inspiring and I hope you can help me out explore bookkeeping/quickBooks. God bless!

[@tiitus.crawford4025]

I've been watching your videos for a while and I recently got my LLC and EIN and now I'm on track to starting my own bookkeeping business.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Congratulations!!

[@alexisflores5730]

Appreciate your videos!!🙏

[@philipjoseph1144]

This is all such wonderful info. I am a retired senior with a Master’s degree in Accounting. Worked for 20 years in Banking Finance and then for another 20 years in IT. I would like to start a Bookkeeping business to use a major part of the income for charitable work. How do I get Certified as a QuickbooksPro Advisor. Any pointers in this regard is most welcome. Thank you for your informative videos. Really appreciate them. God Bless!!

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Keep up the good work and never give up! 💥

[@kathypatterson9906]

Love your videos and am following your advice. Many thanks!

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Glad it was helpful 😁

[@apima85]

I love your videos Zach packed with great information and straight to the point, I appreciate you 🙏🏼

[@BookkeepingExpert]

You're welcome!

[@user-pw7bo3lq1h]

Thank you, Zach. As always you help calm my stress and remind me it can be easier. Been stalling out because of fear but going to work on my mindset and keep things simple

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Keep things simple!!

[@alexisflores5730]

Do you use pandadoc to send the invoice or QB online?

[@reneebellotte8536]

Do you do the steps of Diagnostic Review and Clean-Up projects first?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Sometimes I do that

[@MJavedVA]

Experience is the biggest hurdle in my way and I don’t lie about it while being interviewed. Hope, someone will give less importance to experience someday.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

You will get your 1st client soon, and then it won't matter. Never give up!

[@MJavedVA]

@@BookkeepingExpert Hoping the same

[@_Deidre_Esteron_]

Thank you for this! I have been hesitating out of fear that I don’t know it all. I have gotten my Advanced QBO ProAdvisor and have been trying to learn all that I can about bookkeeping. Everyone says that you learn on the job, so I guess I just need to get out there and go 😅. Do you recommend learning payroll, I see that a lot of companies ask for bookkeepers to do payroll.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

I do not do payroll

[@sheilam140]

Hi Zach. I've learned the basics and more, I've gotten the QBO Pro-Advisor certification, and set up my social media accounts(and started posting regularly). I'm considering applying for a part-time bookkeeping position now per your video. I've been working as a registered nurse for the past 26 years, so what would my resume look like? Any suggestions on how to put together a resume for this new career? Thanks in advance.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

That’s a good question! Unfortunately, a bit too involved to answer here, sorry!

[@richardjoseph9982]

Hey Zach, how do you have customers pay you? Is there a better route vs the other?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

I answered your question in my recent video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3KspaVsfKpmpbc

[@dhuratadobbins3001]

Where does one learn the bookkeeping part with hands on examples?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

hbg-bookkeeping.mykajabi.com

[@bellam6545]

Great information! Thank you! Question, do you enter transactions one by one from statements or do you populate from bank applications electronically?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

I use the bank feed to automatically import transactions

[@svitlanarusanova7033]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@BookkeepingExpert is your client sending you csv format file or they give you view access to their bank account or they send you PDF statements and you upload it to QBO. What subscription of QBO are you using?

[@josephbornman8462]

Hey Zach, I really appreciate your work What’s a simple approach to work history when you’re just starting out? I don’t lie, but it feels awkward being totally honest and say I don’t have years of experience Thank you

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Always be honest, but you don't need to unnecessarily disclose any information :)

[@tony.973]

Hi zach, your videos are good insights. I did form my business and got an ein. I decided to start a bookkeeping business since i have an accounting degree. However, i am finding it difficult to find clients. Any recommendations you can send my way?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpWsqJWYqrSNfa8

[@KN-eh2fh]

How do you work on your clients books. they grant you access to their books and you just log in and work on their books as they bookkeeper? Sorry for the dump questions😁

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Yup! I use QuickBooks Online, so I have access to everything.

[@titoo1852]

I have a client that has not had bookkeeping done before on their 5 year old business. How do I go about this? Thanks Zach

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Ask them if they want you to do the past 5 years or just 2023 & 2024

[@sewingseeds.]

Need your advice!! My first client is my mother-in-law and I have a problem. She has asked me if I could book her travel cost as a business travel expense so she can come and visit me and her grandkids. We live out of state. I'm not her employee, I'm a remote bookkeeper contractor. There is no business related reason why she can claim that tax deduction, it's simply not true. I know most of us beginner bookkeepers will most likely reach out to family first and friends for new clients. Is there any advice you can give people when dealing with family member clients trying to make us do unethical bookkeeping? Thank you for all you do!

[@jakeadams5741]

CA CPA here - That's a really good question - I recommend to bookkeepers that work with me to book it however the client asks you to - If you say "no" you are starting down the path of providing tax advice, which is not a good thing - let your client discuss the tax deductions they want to take with their tax preparer - as long as you book it the way they asked you to, you can't run into trouble - this is the same way all the software companies get around it. "Yes, you went to McDonald's, and based on 1. the way other people have categorized this 2. AI 3. XYZ, this is Meals" - but it's up to the taxpayer and preparer to determine the legitimacy of the tax deduction

[@jakeadams5741]

In direct regard to your question "unethical bookkeeping" you will need to decide where you draw the line: when to not take on a new client or when to disengage. You will want to have a good engagement letter that outlines your responsibilities, what you do and don't do, and when and how you disengage from a client

[@sewingseeds.]

@@jakeadams5741 Got it! I will make sure to inform all my clients upfront that I don’t give tax advice. Keep it simple like you say. Thank you so much. 😊

[@sewingseeds.]

@@jakeadams5741 Excellent advice! God bless you and your family 🙏🏼

[@BookkeepingExpert]

The client is ultimately responsible for everything that happens in their business. They are the ones who sign their tax return. If a client asks me to do something, I will do it (within reason). I might do inform them of the IRS guidelines, but there is so much gray area, I would not go out of my way to disagree with a client. Now, if they are committing egregious fraud and breaking laws, that's obviously a different scenario.

[@piyushbhardwaj3718]

Hello Zach! I am based out of India & would like to start my own accounting firm for catering US clients. I plan on to start with bookkeeping services first & then move to other services. Would it to extremely difficult for me to onboard clients virtually? And also is it even a sustainable business plan to start an accounting firm from outside US and succeed? Really looking forward to your reply Sir!

[@BookkeepingExpert]

I'm not sure! My business is in the US so I don't have any experience with that

[@KeepingMoneyJazzy]

I am going to be starting a client in trucking business. The client is an owner operator that works with a company for loads etc. Where would I start in regards to how to categorize income because they have deductions that comes out prior to receiving income. Just starting out and want to make sure I am doing it correctly.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Ask for the load statements that tell you all of the income/expenses breakdown

[@saboryciudad]

Hello Zack i really like your videos. What website do you recommend for QuickBook Proadvisor ? Thanks

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Quickbooks offers free training

[@sewingseeds.]

So you ask for a whole year paid up front? Does your paid training cover S-corps?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Yes, whole year paid up front.

[@eeyy8990]

I have 2 days off every week. I studied accounting and worked as budget clerk before. Can I work in your business as trainee?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

I'm not currently accepting trainees, sorry!

[@julie-deibert]

Hi. Ive been working with my sister who is a bookkeeper as her assistant. Im catorizing and reconciling her clients and have doing this for about 2 months. My questions is I want to get some clients but only want to catorize and reconciling only. I am also going through the ProAdvisor training. Would it be a good idea to try to get my own clients or just wait.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

I think you should try to get your own. Just clearly communicate your plan with your sister!

[@shangaviarun6103]

Can I get a bookkeeper job from any of the company if I do certification in bookkeeping or I should keep my own business.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

I would keep my own business

[@hariomcharanpr4676]

Hello brother, I want to buy your course but I don’t know whether I can start the bookkeeping business in USA from India. Is it possible to do this business from India or does it require a work visa?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

I’m not sure! I’ve never run a bookkeeping business in India

[@chytealthedeal]

Do you do AR/AP for Clients?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Yes

[@user-xw1kw2um6j]

Zach, do you collect client documents like bank statements and everything else through regular google email? Is there anything a client could send that would need to have secure encryption etc to protect it? I wanted to just have them send statements and onboarding docs to my google suite business email.Thank you!!

[@tanjalaschumacher5580]

I would like to know this as well.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

I receive email to my business email, [e-mail] it's not encrypted.

[@user-xw1kw2um6j]

Thank you for your time and letting me know@@BookkeepingExpert

[@sonamagarwal3363]

Hi Can you tell me secret to onboard my first client. I have 4 years of Bookkeeper experience.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

There is no secret 😁 You gotta do a lot of marketing and sales!

[@sonamagarwal3363]

@@BookkeepingExpert Can you tell me sources of getting client please.

[@alessandromoreira7918]

Do you still have a trucking company? If so, how is your trucking business doing in 2024?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Nope! I sold everything in 2022

[@juanpaulovargas3756]

how do you handle 56 clients?

[@BookkeepingExpert]

I work very hard

[@Maricela.Gricel]

👍🏼❤

[@BookkeepingExpert]

😁

[@rajkumarmanna4726]

Please link me live delicast

[@BookkeepingExpert]

kzbin.infoPlwRGXk_ayY

[@jigglybandito9505]

4 months and going a lot of maybes but still no clients.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Never give up!!

[@RehanAfzal-cp1fm]

It's not possible. You must made some mistake at some point how you do work in 4 months?

[@ameensalous2409]

I’m a cpa and it isn’t as simple as you make it seem 😂 come on man 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@BookkeepingExpert]

Ha!

[@caredfor391]

No me gusta QuickBooks.

[@BookkeepingExpert]

It's not for everyone