From Zero Finance Background to Bookkeeping Business
Back when my daughter was a baby, I found myself in a season where I needed something flexible. I knew I wanted to stay home with her, but we had over $100,000 in student loan debt, and I wanted to contribute financially.
I started looking for a side hustle that didn’t require a lot of upfront investment and could be done during nap times or evenings. That’s when a friend shared her experience as a bookkeeper—and it clicked. It was flexible, could be started relatively quickly, and paid well.
Watch the video here, or keep reading!
From English Major to Bookkeeper
I was an English major in college. So, if you're thinking, "But I don't have a finance background," you're in good company. My degree had nothing to do with bookkeeping. I loved reading and writing, and actually worked as a copy editor at Target headquarters for five years after college.
Then life shifted. We moved back to Oregon, I had my first baby, and I realized I didn’t want to work full-time anymore. We were also staring down a mountain of debt, so I knew I needed to find a way to bring in income from home.
Learning Bookkeeping One Step at a Time
I started with an online class at our local community college. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it helped me get a handle on QuickBooks. I had a lot of imposter syndrome—wondering if I could actually do this. So I offered to do the books for a couple of friends who had small businesses. I worked for free for about six months, just to gain confidence.
One of my friends was a jewelry designer on Etsy. Doing her books gave me hands-on experience that felt more valuable than any textbook. And because it was a real business, it helped me understand what actual bookkeeping looked like.
I made a video about working for free and whether it's worth it—you can watch it here.
Starting My Business
Once I felt more comfortable, I set up an LLC, created a simple website, and got started. That’s also when I started sharing about my new business on Facebook. That simple post brought in my first paying clients.
At the time, Facebook was still a place where I was connected to a lot of people from high school and college. One of my husband’s law school friends saw my post and reached out—and she became a client. A few more followed through word of mouth. Even an accountant from my church handed off extra work during tax season.
Growing Slowly and Intentionally
In those early years, I grew my client list slowly. I think I had about seven clients two years in. My goal was to contribute $1,000 a month toward our debt. And I hit that with just a few clients.
It felt like a great balance. I was using my brain, helping people, and making real progress on our financial goals—all while still being present with my daughter.
The Skills That Helped
You don’t need to be a math whiz to be a bookkeeper, but some skills definitely help:
Organization: You’re essentially organizing finances.
Communication: You need to be able to follow up and explain things clearly to clients.
Reliability and Integrity: You’re handling money, and trust is key.
A willingness to learn: The tools change, and you need to stay up to date.
Check out my video on necessary skills for a bookkeeper here!
Adjusting with Life
When we had our second child, I scaled back again. I passed on most of my clients and just kept one or two. For me, going from one to two kids was a smoother transition than becoming a mom for the first time. I eventually picked up more work again as life allowed.
One of the things I love most about bookkeeping is how flexible it is. You can grow or scale back depending on your season of life. Even now, I still work part-time, about 20 hours a week. Most of that is on YouTube and creating courses, but I still have a few bookkeeping clients because I genuinely enjoy the work.
Thinking About Starting Your Own Bookkeeping Business?
If you’re curious about starting your own business, I have lots of resources to help:
Try a free class: Beginner Bookkeeping Masterclass
Bookkeeper Business Coach course (to help you get your business set up in just 30 days)
It’s absolutely okay to start small. You don’t need to have it all figured out from day one. If I could do it with no finance background and a baby on my hip, you can too.
This business gave me the flexibility I needed and the ability to help my family financially. If that’s what you’re looking for, know that it is possible.
What is your reason for wanting to start an at home business?
