Close your $1,500 monthly gap in about 13 weeks by turning the bookkeeping you already do for friends into a small practice, then adding a part-time remote role once you’re certified.
1 · Where you stand
At this pace savings of $6,200 last about 4.1 months. The plan aims to close the gap before then, starting with money you can keep this week.
Found in the interview and checked against current prices. No new income needed.
2 · Who you are
A capable organiser who has kept a 30-person office running for eight years and quietly does the books for friends’ businesses. Trusted with money and detail, calm when deadlines pile up, and at her best when a messy situation becomes a tidy one. Her current job has stopped growing; what she misses is independence and a clear link between effort and pay.
Two children (7 and 11), partner working part-time · 8 free hours a week (Tue + Thu evenings, Sat mornings)
Q-numbers point to the interview answers each line comes from.
3 · How you work best
From your answers about energy, decisions, planning and what you enjoy. Used to rank options that already fit your skills, money and time.
Personality types are a lens, not a verdict. We use them only to rank options that already fit your skills, money and time.
4 · What this plan protects
You told us what matters more than the money. These are hard limits: no task in the plan breaks them.
5 · Options compared
Each was researched, then challenged by a second reviewer looking for wrong numbers and missed rules.
6 · Should you use a recruiter?
Yes, for the part-time remote role. Not for the freelance clients.
Small accounting firms and multi-location businesses in Columbus fill part-time bookkeeping roles through staffing agencies more often than through their own ads, and agencies place certified bookkeepers quickly. Freelance clients come faster from local groups and accountants.
A legitimate recruiter never charges you. The employer pays them.
| Accounting & finance staffing agenciesF19 They place part-time and contract bookkeepers with firms that never post publicly. Register once the ProAdvisor certificate is done. |
| In-house recruiters at the 3 largest local accounting firmsF20 Apply directly and connect on LinkedIn: tax-season overflow roles go to people already in their pipeline. |
7 · Closing the gap
A projection from the research findings. The weekly review compares it with what actually came in and re-plans when it drifts.
8 · The next 90 days
Built around Tue + Thu evenings, Sat mornings. Every task appears in the app on its day, with a ready-made message or prompt where one helps.
First paid client, $212/mo of savings locked in
3 monthly clients · certificate started
5 clients + part-time role · gap closed
9 · Your market, checked this week
Pulled live from job boards, Google Maps and company databases for Columbus, Ohio.
| Role | Employer | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Part-time Bookkeeper (remote) | Regional dental group | $24–28/hr |
| Accounts Payable Specialist, 20 hrs | Property management firm | $23/hr |
| Bookkeeper, evenings | Family-owned restaurant group | $25/hr |
| Who | Ask for | Why they need you |
|---|---|---|
| Independent cafés and bakeries | Owner | Monthly books, payroll for 5–15 staff |
| Small accounting firms | Managing partner | Outsource overflow bookkeeping in tax season |
| Trades businesses (HVAC, landscaping) | Office manager or owner | Invoicing and job costing are usually behind |
10 · Money you may be leaving on the table
| What | Worth | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-tax childcare: dependent-care FSA or the Child and Dependent Care Credit | ~$1,000–2,000/yr | Likely | With $1,100 a month in childcare she qualifies for one or both. They can’t cover the same costs, so a tax preparer should pick the best mix.F12 |
| Home-office deduction (once freelancing) | $300–600/yr | Check | Simplified method: $5 per square foot, up to 300 sq ft, against freelance profit.F14 |
| Business share of phone and internet | $150–300/yr | Check | Only the part used for client work; keep a simple log.F18 |
11 · Rules that apply to you
15.3% on net freelance profit, on top of income tax. Put aside 25% of every payment.
Required once you expect to owe $1,000 or more for the year. Next due dates are in the plan.
A sole proprietor can start under her own name; a trade name needs a simple state filing.
A one-page engagement letter for every client: scope, monthly fee, what’s not included.
General information, not tax or legal advice. Anything marked for checking is confirmed with a professional before the plan counts on it.
12 · Training and tools
| Course | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor certification Listed in the ProAdvisor directory; clients can find her. | Free | ~12 hours |
| Xero Advisor certification Opens clients who use Xero. | Free | ~6 hours |
| Certified Bookkeeper credential (later) Supports higher rates; only once the practice is running. | Paid | 3–6 months |
| QuickBooks Online Accountant | Free for bookkeepers; manage every client in one place. |
| Google Business Profile | Free listing so local owners find her on Maps. |
| Calendly (free plan) | Clients book a 20-minute intro call themselves. |
| A shared folder per client | Receipts and statements in one place every month. |
13 · Picked for you
From a library of 200 checked books, channels, podcasts and services, chosen for the gaps between where you are and where your plan is going. Each one says why it’s here. They live in the Growth page of your portal, and you tick them off as you go.
How To Price Your Services To Make More Money & Give More Value Start with: Watch this one before you finish your price sheet.
Amazing Conversation Starters for Introverts Start with: Before your first accountant email on Friday.
Start with: Chapters 1–3, then set up the tax account in week 2.
Start with: Part Two, on the “Extrovert Ideal” at work.
Start with: Any episode on “finding your first clients”.
Start with: Request a mentor on the SCORE site this week; ask for someone with a bookkeeping or accounting background.
Start with: Read the “estimated taxes” page before your second client.
14 · Ready to use
Up to 60 transactions a month, monthly reconciliation, P&L.
Up to 150 transactions, payroll for 5 staff, quarterly review call.
One-off: up to 3 months of books brought up to date.
15 · What could go wrong
| Risk | Early sign | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Clients come slower than planned | Fewer than 2 by week 4 | Shift two evenings to the accountant outreach list; lower the Starter price for 60 days. |
| Evenings get eaten by her day job | Two missed weeks in a row | Move client work to Saturday morning; drop the remote-role applications to month 3. |
| Taxes surprise her in April | No tax savings account by week 2 | Automatic 25% transfer on every payment. |
Every report can be downloaded as one file, with ready-made prompts for ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini: plan my week, write my outreach, practise an interview. A short email each week keeps you on track with what’s next and one thing worth watching.
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