It's the 3 year anniversary of Sota Bookkeeping, and I was reflecting on what the company has become. It came to me that I've been self-employed longer than I was with any of my previous employers.
After college, I had a hard time staying with one employer because after the initial rush of coming in and fixing their issues, I would get into a routine and no longer be challenged. I'd leave for another opportunity and the cycle would repeat. This wasn't fair to my employers, but I didn't know how else to get the variety I craved.
While at lunch one day, someone suggested I look into fractional work, and I knew it was the perfect fit for me. I applied for a position with a firm in the area, and during my 18 months with them, I supported their largest portfolio of clients.
In March of 2021, I made the biggest decision of my career and made the leap into self-employment. I’ve had an entrepreneurial mindset ever since I was little, so it was inevitable. An unexpected push came, and I decided there would never come a time when it would make more sense. Sota Bookkeeping was born.
In these 3 years, I've had the pleasure of talking to countless small business owners, and it has been one of my favorite aspects of this journey. Not only are we "in it together" as fellow small business owners, but it's so fun to meet entrepreneurs and hear their passion.
I've helped businesses start and watched others close. I've had the joy of watching clients get married or have their first child, but unfortunately I've also experienced the unexpected passing of another. It's a reminder that, while I have a business relationship with my clients, I am working with real people and developing a personal relationship can be just as rewarding.
So what’s in store for the future? We are:
Focusing on growing our relationships with existing clients,
Exploring solutions to expand our capacity so that we can help even more entrepreneurs,
Discussing collaborations with several referral partners, and
Finding ways to reduce the fear factor for anyone wanting to start their own business.
I realize owning a business isn’t for everyone, but for those of you who dream about it, go for it! There will never be a perfect time. If you can’t afford to quit your full-time job, start a side hustle. If you think your product or service isn’t quite ready, just start selling. The feedback you receive will help you discover improvements you never would've thought of. Whatever you do, make progress every day.
We have been told that we are supposed to find an employer, work hard, do what we’re told, and stay there for our entire career because starting your own business is risky. I think the opposite - it’s risky to not take that leap because you’ll never know what could have been. Even if things don't work out, you'll gain an incredible amount of knowledge that will only make your career path more successful.
Sincerely,
Eric