The Ambitious Bookkeeper Podcast
The Ambitious Bookkeeper podcast is for bookkeepers & accountants who are growing or aspiring to start their own business. Our mission is to elevate the bookkeeping profession by providing support and resources for new and experienced firm owners. We share actionable tips on running a successful bookkeeping business, tools and resources, plus guest expert interviews that will help you elevate your business. Where you can find us: Website: https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com BBA: https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com/bba Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenashoupcpa LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/serenashoup Instagram: https://instagram.com/ambitiousbookkeeper
Episodes
This episode is a behind-the-scenes conversation with Max Emory.
We get into the nitty gritty of what it actually takes to serve REI clients, how he built his team, the new community he's launching for bookkeepers who want to level up their marketing and sales game, and how he manages it all with two boys under two at home.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- Why real estate investing is one of the most complex niche...
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In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Joe Woodard—founder of Scaling New Heights—and we’re diving into what’s really happening in the accounting industry right now.
We talk about:
- Why the ‘AI hype vs denial’ debate is missing the point
- What tasks you should actually be handing off to AI
- Why moving off hourly pricing isn’t enough anymore
- And how to position yourself so clients see you as indispensable
- how to make s...
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In this episode, I'm sharing our March live Q&A where I answered rapid-fire questions about running a bookkeeping firm. If you've ever wondered how to manage a shared team inbox without micromanaging, what to do with merchant clearing account balances at year end, or how to navigate a CPA non-compete, this one's for you.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- How to manage a ...
Stop letting your calendar run your life! In this episode, Serena dives into the brand-new Dubsado 3.0 (Beta) to show you how to protect your time and professionalize your client onboarding. Whether you’re a bookkeeper, accountant, or small business owner, learning how to automate the "back-and-forth" of scheduling is the fastest way to reclaim your sanity.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- The Power of the...
I've been getting this question for years, and since I'm now on YouTube and Xero keeps rolling out new features, it was time to give this topic a serious refresh. In this episode, I'm breaking down all the reasons why I am a hundred percent Xero firm and why I genuinely love this software. This is not sponsored (but yes, please use my affiliate link!). I'm just a bookkeeper who has seen what a me...
This is a podcast update & what to expect here on the podcast for the month of April!
Check out this week’s YouTube Video >>
- The New Xero Partner Hub
Thanks for listening. If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram stories and tag me @ambitiousbookkeeper
For more information about the Ambitious Bookkeeper Podcast or interes...
This one is a little different. One day in February I decided to vlog my day.. a sort of behind the scenes of my day. I wasn’t sure what I was going to use this footage for. And then… I was inspired a couple weeks ago (by the time this comes out) to write another BTS Newsletter. The two are **completely unrelated in topics—** combining the voice over of my Newsletter (unfiltered thoughts combined with a little educa...
AI is changing the bookkeeping game, but it's not replacing us anytime soon.
In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on Xero's built-in AI feature, JAX (Just Ask Xero), and walking you through exactly how we're testing it inside our own firm before rolling it out to clients. From auto bank reconciliation to creating invoices via conversation, there are some genuinely cool time-saving feature...
I have a big announcement to share and I've been so excited to finally let the cat out of the bag! Erin Pohan, one of our OG community members and founder of UpKeeping®, is joining me as co-coach for this upcoming cohort of the Bookkeeping Business Accelerator.
I wanted to bring Erin on because she's lived this journey. She started from scratch just like you, built her firm to 50 clients and a team of three...
From AI tools and scope creep to finding your first clients and onboarding systems, whether you're just dreaming about starting a bookkeeping business or you're a few years in, there's something in here for you.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- How I use AI in my firm
- Pricing, scope creep, and tough money conversations
- Finding your first five clients
- Onboarding process
Resources mentioned in this episo...
Welcome back to our monthly live Q&A! We took a little break, but we're back and ready to tackle all your burning questions about building your bookkeeping business. Whether you're just getting started or scaling your firm, this episode is packed with real talk and practical advice.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- Partnership pitfalls and planning
- Tech stack essentials
- Hiring and leading your first employ...
In this episode, Serena interviews Hunter Rademaker and they talk about Hunter’s expertise on sales in accounting, emphasizing client qualification, communication, advisory roles, and strategic hiring for growth.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- Hunter’s unique sales role
- The sales process & qualifying new clients
- Advice for new bookkeepers
- Client retention & advisory
- Pricing & hiring a sales person
Resour...
The 'One Big Beautiful Bill' introduces significant tax changes for 1099s, depreciation, and employer credits, emphasizing meticulous bookkeeping for compliance and savings. Listen in to the conversation with Adrian & Serena as they unpack the need-to-know highlights for bookkeepers and how you can stand out in the industry by making a few small changes to your processes.
In this episode you’ll hear:
Before we close things down for the holidays, I decided to bring back one of my favorite interviews from the vault. In 2021 during one of our Bookkeeping Biz Workshop rounds, I brought Katie on to chat about a program she had just created—which is still going strong today—in fact, has been revamped and redesiged since she created it, and I want to make sure you all know about it. But more so than that, I wanted to b...
I had the best conversation with Kelly Sinclair about something that's been on my mind (and probably yours too): how to actually use AI without losing the human connection that makes your business YOU. We dive deep into why social media might not be the lead generator you think it is, how to build visibility strategies that don't rely on the algorithm, and how AI can actually help you show up MORE human, n...
In this episode, I'm chatting with my friend Kelsey Silver about something so many of you have been asking about - how the heck are we supposed to use AI without compromising our clients' security? Kelsey has a super unique background and she breaks down exactly what we need to look for when evaluating AI tools for our firms. Plus, she shares about her AI app Foresight HQ that helps you identify your hotte...
This episode is best watched on YouTube >
In this episode, I'm walking you through one of my absolute favorite tools for keeping your business audit-proof: Hubdoc. I'll show you exactly how we use it at Of Course Financial to help our clients manage their supporting business documents digitally, save hundreds of hours every year, and stay compliant with IRS requirements. Plus, I've got some exciting...
Hey guys! This month's live Q&A was packed with real talk about the nitty-gritty of running a bookkeeping business. We covered everything from pricing cleanups (spoiler: diagnostics are your best friend) to getting cyber insurance (yes, it's non-negotiable), and I even got vulnerable about my experience juggling babies and business. If you've ever wondered how to market to trades, what reports cli...
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No one talks enough about the amount of time that goes into an online course business. So I’m talking about it today.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- My profit margins for both my firm & my online course business
- the time I spend during launches & fulfillment
- how much time I spent in...
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