The art of successful bookkeeping with Jami Monte

“It's the fear of, ‘What if I actually am not making money? Does that mean this is not a viable business?!’”

On this episode of Greater than the Sum, we sit down with Jami Monte, a self-employed CPA and founder of Chillbooks.

During this episode, Jami discusses the common misconceptions and mistakes that SMBs can make when they first start out in business. As an entrepreneur, she provides first-hand experience and advice on a smart approach to bookkeeping and financial planning.

Host Mark Assini talks with Jami about the role accountants and bookkeepers play with entrepreneurs, both professionally and personally. Jami shares recommendations for how accountants can rebrand themselves to attract clients, and she also goes on to provide practical advice on those early-day financial plans, including controlling one’s cash flow and overcoming the fear of failure.

Zero profits does not mean your business isn’t viable when you’re first starting out!

This episode focuses on:

• Actionable financial advice for early-stage SMBs
• Why bookkeeping should be seen as a skill rather than admin
• How to categorize your outgoings to keep track of your financial movements
• The best resources Jami uses to keep her business flowing

Greater than the Sum helps small business owners and operators remove the guesswork from their business finances and gain back the time to focus on what really matters.

You can check out Plooto.com for resources, tips, and advice on how to get control over your cash flow.

Links from the episode

Check out the resources mentioned in the interview with Jami:

Follow Jami on Instagram

Chillbooks

Guide to future-proofing small business cash flow

Project Management system Asana

Bookkeeping tool: QuickBooks

VideoTax.com as a place for resources

Chapter Markers

[1:01] Introduction: Jami and her business goals

[3:01] Advice for my past self: Create a healthy emergency fund when starting your own business

[3:36] Biggest bookkeeping misconceptions: It is not a “simple admin task”

[4:33] The common hurdles of a CPA: How to train someone who doesn’t think they need any more training

[6:39] The role of Accountants: Overcoming the jargon

[8:45] Practical ways to control cash flow: Forecasting & planning the future

[11:40] The importance of separating bank accounts: Understanding the separation of business and personal finances

[15:28] The fear of failure: Anxious thoughts holding back your business

[18:35] The benefits of categorization: Identifying your outgoings

[20:52] What the neighbors are doing: How AI and automation are improving your competitors products

[25:52] Quickfire advice: Streamlining payment support processes

[27:47] Managing burnout: Take time for yourself