It was always something that I wanted to do and it almost happened by accident: starting my own business.
After graduating with a degree in Finance from Penn State University it was my time to enter the working world. I needed to decide where I wanted to work. I originally saw my godmother work as a bookkeeper and thought that this was something I could see myself doing. I didn’t want to work as a stock broker or work for a bank so I found myself working in the bookkeeping departments of small businesses. I eventually became an Advanced Certified Pro Advisor in QuickBooks and was enjoying my work in the small business environment. And then around 2007 I was laid off.
While thinking about what my next job would be after being laid off, I realized that I had acquired the skills that enabled me to start my own business. My father and grandfather were entrepreneurs so it seemed natural to me to have your own business rather than work for someone else. I started networking by joining BNI (Business Network International), marketed myself and had the confidence in my existing knowledge in bookkeeping to start my own business, Clarity Finances.
And now here I am 10 years later!
When I was working for those other small businesses, my favorite thing was to actually meet the clients and see what they did in their own businesses to support their families and achieve their dreams. I see my clients as more than just clients and love getting to know them and seeing them accomplish their goals.
I want to have a giving component to my business and being my own boss lets me do that. I can choose where I give and make sure that these organizations match my principles. One such organization is Rotary International. Rotary International does good work all over the world and they are accountable. They’ve been around for over 110 years and do work in areas such as fighting disease, providing clean drinking water and much more. Another organization that I trust and choose to give to is The Unstoppable Foundation. Their focus is on educating children and making sure every child has access to the gift of education. Please follow the links to the respective organizations’ websites to learn more and even give to them if you feel inclined.
As far as the future goes, I would like to keep becoming a more efficient business with a focus on giving. I want to connect to other people, not just other business owners, who want to make the world a better place through philanthropy. I am also excited to implement what I am learning by being Profit First Professional. To me, Profit First is the way to get more efficient as a business and get me to where I want to be as a business that can give back in a big way. I want more collaboration and more connection. There is a lot of good that needs to be done in the world, and I’d like to do my part.