​We regularly have business owners come to us asking things like, “How can I tell if my bookkeeper is doing a good job?” and “Is my bookkeeper missing anything?” and “Does my bookkeeper have enough experience to do what we need done?”

​The reality is that you can’t count on your bookkeeper being able to tell you when they’re in over their head, not because they’re dishonest, but because most times they can’t tell themselves. Simply put – you don’t know what you don’t know! 

In my youth I used to be an avid reader, tearing through books whenever I had the chance. Back then, there weren’t as many distractions – no endless content competing for attention. These days, I’ve switched to audiobooks. Like many of you, I spend a lot of time in the car, and listening to a good book makes the drive so much better. Plus, it helps me stay calm instead of stewing over traffic. The downside? Any time I try to sit down with a physical book, I somehow end up taking an unplanned nap. Getting older, I guess.

Lately, I’ve been listening to David McCullough’s 1776, which dives into the struggles George Washington and his army faced at the start of the Revolutionary War.

We tend to think of Washington as a larger-than-life hero, but in 1776, he was leading an army constantly on the brink of collapse. His soldiers were a mix of farmers, teachers, shoemakers, and young boys – brave but inexperienced. They faced poor pay, extreme hardship, and the crushing weight of war.

It wasn’t just the British he had to battle – Washington struggled with Congress and trusting his own generals. At times they doubted him too. Through letters to friends, we see that he wrestled with doubt, discouragement, and the fear of failure. But despite it all, he kept pushing forward, inspiring those around him to do the same.

The more I listened, the more I realized how much Washington’s leadership struggles mirror the challenges of running a business. No, the fate of a nation isn’t at stake, but when you’re a business owner, your livelihood is on the line. And failure? It can be devastating.
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Here are five key lessons from Washington’s experience that every business owner can learn from.

Do you really need to document accounting policies and procedures, or are there times when formalized accounting procedures just aren’t necessary? The answer is probably what you’re expecting, but don’t really want to hear.

Formal accounting policies are always necessary! (And we’re not just saying that because we’re accountants.)
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Many small business owners think they don’t need to write down their accounting processes and procedures because with limited staff they may only have one person doing everything bookkeeping-related and that person doesn’t need to tell themselves what they do regularly. However, even small companies open themselves up to significant risk if they don’t document their accounting policies because doing so is a fundamental element of doing business regardless of the size of the organization. 

​I recently heard about a growing trend that’s wreaking havoc in the hiring market – AI augmented job applications. According to numerous sources, job seekers armed with newly emerging AI tools are now applying to jobs at unprecedented rates. They are using AI to submit mass applications, generate multiple versions of their resume, and even write customized cover letters for them. In fact, according to recent data, approximately half of all job seekers are leveraging AI tools during their job search, which has resulted in more than double the number of applicants for any given position.
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And yet, grappling to cope with a huge influx of job applicants to find the right match is not a new topic for hiring managers. Let’s take a look at how we got here and discuss how hiring a recruiter can help you weather the storm!