Little Fish Accounting

A creative agency we work with lost their biggest client — with two weeks’ notice. Not because of bad work. Not because of scope creep. Just a pause in the client’s budget. The issue wasn’t the drop in revenue — it was not having a plan for what to do when that drop happened. Seasonal shifts are normal. The key is planning for them. Here’s how we helped that client build a system that turned unpredictable income into a steadier, calmer rhythm: Step 1: Identify the pattern We looked at the past 18 months and mapped their seasonal revenue highs and lows. Step 2: Set a monthly baseline We calculated the bare-minimum cost to keep their business running — including their pay, not just expenses. Step 3: Build a reserve We created a simple system to save a portion of high-revenue months to cover the slow ones. Step 4: Create payout stability Instead of paying themselves based on whatever was in the account, we helped them set up a consistent monthly payout even when cash flow dipped. Now? They still have seasonal dips — but no more chaos, no more panic, no more paused contractor payments. You can’t control every shift in revenue. But you can control how you prepare for them. If you’re ready for a system that keeps you steady — even when income isn’t — we can help. #CashFlowStrategy #CreativeEntrepreneur #ServiceBasedBusiness #SmallBusinessFinance #ProfitPlanning #LittleFishAccounting

There’s a lot of uncertainty right now. Interest rates. Client budgets. The economy as a whole. And when everything feels unstable, it’s easy to spiral into fear or freeze in indecision. But here’s the truth: You still have power over how you plan, spend, and prepare. We've been having this conversation with clients a lot lately. And our goal is always the same: to give them the tools and structure to take control of what they can do next. Here’s what we focus on: 💡 Know what it actually costs to run your business 💡 Build up reserves (aim for 3 to 6 months if possible) 💡 Focus on your most profitable services, not just your busiest 💡 Keep cash flowing: invoice faster and follow up sooner 💡 Use financing strategically, not reactively You’re not alone, we're all feeling the stress. And it's easy to get swallowed up by everything that’s uncertain right now. That’s why it matters to be reminded of what’s still in your control. Simple steps, repeated with intention, are what keep you grounded when everything else feels like it’s shifting. The uncertainty may not go away — but you can feel more steady through it. And if you want a partner to help guide the way, we’re here.

What if this upcoming tax season was the one you didn’t dread? Instead of scrambling over receipts and deadlines, imagine handing everything over to a team that does the hard work for you. With Tax Prep Essentials, you’ll get: ✅ Accurate business + personal return filing ✅ An end-of-year strategy call so you know what to expect ✅ Guidance from a partner who’s here to answer your questions You can relax knowing we’re taking care of the details—so you don’t have to. ⏰ Enrollment closes early next week! Do yourself a favor and sign up now… your future self will thank you 😉 bit.ly/42JUAzB

We’re excited to continue Scale Up Academy — our series designed to give firm owners practical tools to grow their businesses at a realistic and sustainable pace. In just 2 days, our next session goes live: Branding + Social Media. Here’s what we’ll cover: ✨ Find Your Minimum® with Emily Schwalbach — how to show up consistently on social media without being online all the time. ✨ Branding essentials with Dana James Mwangi — how to define and strengthen your brand so it stands out and fuels growth. 📅 Class starts Monday 9/22 👉🏾 Save your spot here bit.ly/3ImKOMD

How many times have you gotten a panicked call from your client saying “Payroll’s due and there’s not enough in the account 😬 ”? I’ve gotten that call more times than I can count. The issue was never that clients weren’t making enough money, it was that they couldn’t see where funds had already been spoken for. Once we set them up on QuickBooks Bill Pay, everything changed. Bills got scheduled, outflows became predictable, and we finally had the data to help them plan ahead instead of being in reactive mode. In my latest blog post, I share how QuickBooks Bill Pay changed the way we work—and the way our clients see us. bit.ly/4gjmpUQ #PaidPartnership #Accountants #AccountingFirmOwner #CPAFirm

We’re excited to continue offering Scale Up Academy sessions and growing the toolkit for service providers who want to scale with intention. Our next session will focus on branding and social media—two areas that can feel overwhelming, but when approached with clarity, become powerful drivers of sustainable growth. 📅 9/22 at 11 am EST | 📍 Virtual Session | Cost: FREE 👉🏾 bit.ly/3ImKOMD Previous sessions covered Strategy, Finances, Legal and more - the replays are available at scaleupacademy.co/

Tired of chasing vendor payments and putting out cash flow fires? We were too—until we standardized with QuickBooks Bill Pay. What started as a simple tool to pay bills gave us clean data, clear cash flow forecasts, and the ability to move from transactional bookkeeping to true advisory services. In my latest post, I share how QuickBooks Bill Pay helped us fix cash flow blind spots, simplify payments, and create the foundation for better client decisions. 👉 Check out the full blog here http://bit.ly/4gjmpUQ #PaidPartnership

📣 We’re hiring a Part-Time Admin Coordinator! Little Fish is looking for a Part-Time Admin Coordinator to help us stay organized, on-brand, and running smoothly behind the scenes. This role blends executive support, operations, and marketing coordination, and has the potential to grow into full-time.  ⏱️ 15 hrs/week (Mon–Fri, 9am–12pm ET) 💻 Remote 💡 Strong writing, organization, and initiative are a must  🎯 Bonus if you're already a fan of small business life We serve our clients with excellence, and we’re looking for someone who’s excited to bring that same energy behind the scenes.  Is this you or someone you know? Apply here ➡️ https://bit.ly/3UXOJSF

Even with strong revenue, many service providers have no idea how to give themselves a raise. We see this all the time, especially with businesses that grow fast without updating their financial systems. If your revenue is rising but your salary is stuck, here are 3 moves we walk our clients through to shift that pattern: ✅ 1. Know Your Monthly Baseline How much does it cost to simply run your business each month—before paying yourself or making a profit? If you don’t have this number locked in, it’s nearly impossible to set realistic salary goals. ✅ 2. Forecast the Next 90 Days Seeing where your money is going (and when it’s arriving) is what turns reactive decisions into proactive ones. We use rolling 3-month cash flow forecasts to help clients spot gaps before they become emergencies. ✅ 3. Re-evaluate Your Pricing to Unlock Hidden Earnings If you’re working at full capacity but your pay isn’t moving, the issue might not be effort—it might be pricing. We help clients assess where their rates no longer match the value, effort, or results they’re delivering. Sometimes the easiest way to pay yourself more isn’t doing more. It’s charging appropriately for what you’re already doing. Want help implementing these steps? We partner with service-based businesses to build financial systems that support intentional growth—without burnout. Curious what that would look like in your business? Let’s build your financial foundation together. https://lnkd.in/ecAEZqTr

Can AI actually make your work easier without sacrificing accuracy? It’s an ongoing debate in our profession, and honestly, I was skeptical too. But the new Intuit Platform offered something different: AI features that actually help without getting in the way. ✅ Fewer clicks to get to what matters ✅ Custom dashboards by client type ✅ Reliable AI that cuts down on manual entry ✅ Real-time client visibility that builds trust For Little Fish, it’s helped us streamline the work without compromising the quality our clients count on. Here’s what we loved, what surprised us, and what actually saved us time https://bit.ly/44yuWz1 #PaidPartnership