I have spent the last three days working on my books for my business preparing our tax reports for 2009. I’ve used a bookkeeper and accountant for the last 10 years at least, but once we moved I’ve been attempting to accomplish the job myself. I’m fully capable – right?? Now don’t laugh, but since the bookkeeper was only coming in for an hour or two once a month, I should be able to do that myself! HA! She had done a wonderful job setting it all up and I was just following her example! HAHA!!
Minor problem…I’d forget to do the books. Sure I’d send out invoices, but balance the checkbook, input data, etc. details, details. I now realize my organization depended on KNOWING the bookkeeper was coming back. It was a deadline unto it’s own! So I’d have this growing pile of stuff to file, input, organize and calculate that I’d just ignore…
Then December hit – uh oh…so I scrambled to catch up. I managed to get through the piles and reconcile enough information to make the necessary year end financial decisions. This last week it’s been all the detail stuff for taxes (think shoebox full of receipts).
But enough is enough. I’ve done some networking and I’m interviewing a new bookkeeper next week! I’m even going to upgrade Quickbooks from 07 to 2010 to celebrate!
The moral of the story? I’ve lost three days of productivity, trying to do what I’m not talented in. What a waste of my time. There are people out there with the proper training that will do a much better job, faster and more efficiently and I need to use them. It’s been a little more difficult moving to a new area to find the people, but we’re finding most people have great recommendations if you just ask.
I look forward to getting back to my designing and letting the bookkeeper perform her magic!
