How to Create Six Figure Systems and Take Time Away From Your Bookkeeping Practice
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Why would you want systems in your bookkeeping or accounting practice? Well, systems allowed my practice to run smoothly whether or not I was there to run it. Sounds like a fantasy? It’s not.
Can you think of the last time you took a trip and didn’t even think about work?
You may be wondering if that is even possible, but I’m here to tell you that it ABSOLUTELY is!
I went on vacation during the last week of tax season in 2020. Quick reminder, in 2020 I owned a six figure bookkeeping/tax firm AND Workflow Queen.
That’s right. I ran two thriving businesses, and I was sitting on top of Mount Whitney in California. Tax season is always wild in this industry, and 2020 gave us EXTRA challenges to overcome. But thanks to efficient systems, my mind wasn’t consumed by deadlines and clients.
And then, in 2021, I took a three week vacation where I didn’t even open my computer or check on my team once. During this time, I took a road trip with my dad, focused on self care, and was a featured speaker at BKX (a bookkeeper-exclusive conference!).
I want you to get there too. To the top of the mountain, the golf course, your kid’s soccer game. Whatever freedom looks like for you.
It’s no secret that I am a huge advocate of workflows and systems, but if you are still questioning if they are really the key to success, keep reading.
Success with Systems: Setting Expectations
In the early days of my practice, I didn’t want to hire a team. I thought I could keep all my systems in my head. I said yes to everything. I told myself the lie that these were the methods of successful people.
That mindset was holding me back.
Finally, I decided to sit down and analyze the situation. Here’s what I learned:
I started my practice to be my own boss and make my own hours
I wanted to create opportunities for myself and for others
I dreamt of making six figures, scaling, and reaching my big, scary goals
It is SO important to have a clear vision of what you want out of your practice. This makes the journey to realizing those dreams much smoother.
Maybe your goal is to take summers off so you can spend that entire time with your kids, and you only check on the business once per week. Great! Your next step is to create a plan that will lead you to your desired outcome.
Success with Systems: Create an Action Plan
Once I realized that my vision was not attainable if I continued on the path I was on, I made BIG changes.
First up, systems.
In order to grow a sustainable practice, you need systems that you can easily repeat and outsource. Stop trying to do everything from memory. If you are the only one who knows your systems, you will forever be the bottleneck to your own success.
Warning: Creating, documenting, and perfecting your systems is time consuming at first. As with any new skill, you will need to give yourself permission to take your time until creating systems becomes second nature.
I want to emphasize the importance of investing the time and energy into setting up your systems. If you run your practice like it makes six figures NOW, running your practice when it actually does make six figures will be a breeze.
Success with Systems: Execute the Plan
Once you have your systems developed, you can put them into practice! This is a great opportunity to tweak them as needed to ensure they are serving you properly.
When you are analyzing your systems, ask yourself: “Could I pass this off to a child and get the same results as if I were to complete the task?”.
It might sound silly, but “childproofing” your systems really does wonders for cutting down the back and forth that sometimes occurs if you do not provide enough information. Sometimes, it’s tough to know whether or not you have enough detail in your workflows and systems because you are too close to them.
Here are a few things you can do to avoid this problem:
Record yourself via Loom as you perform a task, then compare the video to the systems you’ve developed for that task
Ask a friend to review the system for you, preferably someone who is not familiar with the bookkeeping industry
Join my program Workflows in a Weekend for Bookkeepers & Accountants to learn how to create systems that help you quickly streamline your practice
Now that you have optimized systems, you can confidently outsource them to team members or contractors!
When you have the opportunity to outsource your work to others, it opens the door to so many opportunities for you as a practice owner. Like I said before, I wanted to wear the badge that I did EVERYTHING without help and I thought I was the only one who could properly care for my clients. But the truth is that this limits your ability to scale and, most importantly, your ability to take any time off.
All Systems Go!
Six figure systems are the essential ingredient to scaling your practice and giving yourself the chance to take time off. It can be tough to reach those goals, but I can tell you from experience that you CAN achieve them. The time it takes to set yourself up for success is fractional compared to the time you will save yourself in the long run.
So I want to know, what do you envision for your practice and what is your plan to get there?
Remember, you deserve to climb that mountain. You deserve to take that three week vacation. You deserve whatever it is that gives you the energy to run your practice.
I KNOW that systems can help you get there. I also know that I can help you!
If you aren't sure where to start or you don’t have a ton of time, join me in Workflows in a Weekend for Bookkeepers & Accountants! This self-paced course is the perfect way to learn how to develop workflows + systems for your practice.
