A Day In The Life of a Solopreneur Bookkeeper
Stop comparing yourself to larger firms. They are in a different place than you are right now!
You don't have to build a 12-person team to be successful. You don't have to scale to seven figures to feel like you're doing it right. You don't have to match someone else's timeline.
When I interviewed Ashley LaMar-Morris of Purrrfect Bookkeeping, she indicated, “I'm in my third year as a solopreneur with 20 clients, mostly service-based LLCs, and a few nonprofits. That's my sweet spot. I'm not looking to grow. My algorithm says 'scale,' but my actual mindset is slow and steady wins the race. "
And I'm building a business that fits my life — not trying to fit my life around my business.
Let me walk you through what my actual day looks like.
The Mindset Shift: From Employee to Owner
The hardest part of going solo isn't QuickBooks. It's your head.
I didn't feel ready when I started. A friend messaged me on LinkedIn asking if I knew a bookkeeper for her mom's business. She said she trusted me, so let's try it. But honestly? I didn't feel ready.
Here's what I wish someone had told me on day one: double all your time and money costs.
Everything took twice as long as I thought. As a solopreneur, I underestimated the admin tasks: discovery calls, proposal emails, onboarding, getting opening statements, getting QBO access.
So here's my advice: start before you feel ready. Confidence comes from doing, not waiting.
Working from Home: The Real Obstacles
The laundry is calling. The kids need attention. And you've got 400 transactions to categorize.
Here's what I do:
Phone on Do Not Disturb. Only certain numbers get through All other notifications are silent. I don't touch my phone when working.
Time blocking. I use Google Calendar's Task feature to plan specific work for each day.
Pomodoro timers. I can't overstate the benefit.
Noise-canceling headphones. Over-ear cups work better than in-ear buds for me.
Dedicated workspace. I have a closed-door office. Before this, I worked at the dining room table and struggled to focus. When I walk into that office, it's work. When I leave, it's play.
My biggest distraction? Emails. When one comes in that I have to respond to, it leads to 10- to 15-minute distractions. Solution: I close my email tab completely when I need to focus.
A Real Day (Not an Ideal One)
This changes throughout the month, but here's the general flow:
First thing: Check emails. Start what needs a response. Create calendar task items that require action. Filter to show only starred emails — that's my to-do list
Next: Log into QBO and check my own books. Bank balances, A/R. Five minutes, max. It's a habit.
End of month: Go through each client and add all transactions. If I don't know something, I mark it uncategorized.
1st of the month: Reach out to clients for statements. Use the QBO Accountant Portal's free Work Module. Include any uncategorized items from the prior month. Your clients will think you're on top of things.
I work "popcorn style" — whoever sends statements first is who I work on - no predetermined days for specific clients.
Treat your home office like a real office. Dress the part — separate work and play spaces. Educate your household about respecting your work time.
You can build a business that fits your lifestyle.
Listen to Ashley's full podcast of a day in her life as a bookkeeper.
