If you’ve ever felt embarrassed about the state of your books, you’re definitely not alone. Nearly every business owner I meet says the same thing: “I’m sorry – it’s probably worse than anything you’ve seen.”
Spoiler alert: it almost never is.
I’ve been there myself. When I started my own limited company over 30 years ago, I thought, “How hard can it be?” I was a trained engineer, good with maths, and reasonably organised. Surely I could handle the books, the tax, and the VAT returns on my own.
I was wrong.
In the end, I paid an accountant a fair chunk of change to sort everything out – and I was genuinely grateful for their help. Looking back, I realise it would have been so much simpler (and cheaper) if I’d just known a few basics and been disciplined in applying them.
The good news is: it’s all fixable!
What feels like chaos to you is often just a matter of gathering your statements, reviewing transactions, and sorting everything into place. And if you need help, you don’t have to feel embarrassed. Most people are in the same boat.
One simple tip to make things easier:
Set aside just 30 minutes once a week to look over your transactions and file any receipts. I call it a “bookkeeping date” – a regular time you protect in your calendar. You’d be amazed how much clarity (and relief) you’ll feel just by keeping up little and often.
Here’s to less stress – and to realising your books probably aren’t nearly as bad as you think.