“ I had a lot more of mindset issues than the actual execution because I felt like I could provide good services. I had a certain level of confidence. But it doesn't matter really how much confidence, if you do also lack that critical mindset piece to really help you move forward.”
-Nacondra Moran

In part 1 of thie great 2-part series, Nacondra Moran, founder of Exceptional Tax Services, shares the mindset shifts, fears, and learning curves she faced after leaving her job at the IRS. From struggling with perfectionism to embracing entrepreneurship, she opens up about the messy middle of building a firm that works on her terms.

In this interview, you’ll learn:

• What mindset shifts helped Nacondra transition from employee to entrepreneur
• Pricing mistakes, hiring lessons & boundaries
• What it means to design a boutique, high-touch bookkeeping firm

To learn more about Nacondra, click here.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Listen to her podcast, The House of CEO, here.

You can also subscribe to her substack at this link.

Time Stamp

00:01:00 – Introduction to Nacondra & her IRS background
00:05:00 – The mindset challenges of leaving a “safe” job
00:08:00 – Overcoming perfectionism & finally launching
00:11:00 – Freelancing, finding clients & learning on the fly
00:17:00 – Building systems, refining offers & setting boundaries
00:20:00 – Dealing with legacy clients & the “messy middle”
00:22:00 – The value of a waitlist & staying boutique
00:27:00 – Mistakes in pricing, hiring & client management
00:30:00 – Preview of part 2: burnout, alignment & content strategy

This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Sage!

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“As a business owner, you have to pick up everything. So right now, it's not my goal to hire at that capacity, but definitely to hire more of an assistant for myself to make sure that I am getting the support that I need as I'm building this business, rather than bringing someone in to run this business.”
-Christina Springstead

Christina Springstead, founder of Springstead Solutions, shares her journey about hiring, finding her niche and much more!

In this interview, you’ll also learn…

• How cleanups & rescue jobs became her niche & passion
• How to price cleanups & rescue jobs
• The power of paid diagnostic reviews for pricing & client fit

To learn more about Christina, click here.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Time Stamp

02:55 – Hiring & losing a key operations manager
05:32 – Shifting focus to build the business around personal goals
10:33 – Defining & niching into cleanup & oversight services
14:23 – Nonprofits, trades & in-house training as a niche
20:04 – How Christina prices cleanup vs. rescue jobs
23:04 – Why charge for diagnostic reviews & what’s to include
28:10 – Where best leads come from
30:31 – Converting cleanup clients into monthly engagements
36:51 – How systems like Pure Bookkeeping improve cleanup work
38:29 – What A2A gave her: safe space & smarter growth
45:01 – Where to connect with Christina

This episode is brought to you by our great friends at Sage!

Drowning in paperwork?

AutoEntry lets you snap, scan, and sync receipts, invoices, and statements—so you can ditch manual entry, reduce errors, and get back to what really matters: growing your practice and delighting your clients.

Learn more about AutoEntry or get started for free at Sage.com.

“Think about what you want. Be intentional on why you're growing your business. Are you growing it for a money goal? Are you growing it so you have more time and flexibility? And then create those boundaries around giving yourself what your why is. Build a business that feels like your own fairy tale.”
-Cindy Schroeder

Cindy Schroeder, owner of Bright Bookkeeping and founder of Bookkeeping Buds, shares how she went from job-hopping in unfulfilling roles to building a remote bookkeeping business for painting contractors, creating a supportive community for women bookkeepers, and designing a life she loves.

In this interview, you’ll learn…

• Simple networking tactics to grow your bookkeeping business
• The benefits of niching into one industry
• Why designing your business around joy can lead to lasting success

To learn more about Cindy, click here.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Time Stamp

00:29 - Cindy’s background and why she left corporate accounting
03:58 - Overcoming introversion through small networking goals
08:30 - Designing a remote business
13:15 - How niching into painting contractors changed everything
16:49 - Partnering with a coach to streamline client growth
19:07 - Building a team and creating repeatable systems
19:20 - Founding Bookkeeping Buds to support women bookkeepers
22:49 - Advice for new bookkeepers: Start with your “Why”

This episode is brought to you by our amazing friends at Hub Analytics!

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