Don't Go it Alone! Hire a Bookkeeper Post-Haste!

Is bookkeeping just data entry?  That's an easy notion to have.  "When I'm doing the books, " a new small business owner may say, "all I do is log the transactions."  Many bookkeepers, particularly those who also offer digital services, make a point of arguing for the necessity of having a dedicated bookkeeper.  I think most small businesses already recognize the value of having a professional bookkeeper handle the books.  They know that hiring a professional is more cost effective in the long term and frees up the owner from spending their time on paperwork.  I think the reason so many small businesses forgo a professional bookkeeper is the belief that they can go it alone--that they can bring costs down by doing the work themselves.

And some of them are probably right.  But, even the most able small business owners, of which I am sure you are an example, will be dedicating too much of their time and talent, honestly, better spent elsewhere.  The idea that bookkeeping is just data entry boils down to a rationalization.  I've decided to cut costs a little managing the books therefore the value of a bookkeeper is less than typically assumed.  It's an easy fallacy to have.  But I would urge you:  

DON'T DO IT!

Go with your gut.  Don't go it alone.  

You already know that hiring a professional bookkeeper means less time spent on paperwork and more time directly managing the larger affairs of your business.   Bookkeepers bring another trained set of eyes to your business.  They're not just looking to input data.  They're looking to help your business trim the fat and streamline processes.  Bring someone on board who wants your business to succeed.  Someone closer to an adviser or partner than an employee.  Hire a professional bookkeeper.