Your financials aren’t just for tax season—they’re the story of your business.
And if you’re not leading your bookkeeper with intention, that story might be inaccurate, incomplete, or totally confusing. For small business owners, this can be the difference between spinning your wheels and scaling with confidence.
In this post, I’m walking you through the exact 3-step process I teach inside The Small Business Planner to help you lead your bookkeeper like a CEO—so your reports actually mean something and help you grow a more profitable business.
Why Your Financials Matter More Than You Think
Your financials are not just for your CPA or for April 15th. They’re strategic tools. Done right, they can show you:
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Your most profitable revenue streams
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Whether you’re ready to hire or increase pay
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How much your offers really cost to deliver
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Where you’re leaking money or wasting budget
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Whether your pricing matches your goals
But in order to extract that kind of clarity from your numbers, your bookkeeper needs your leadership. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Customize Your Chart of Accounts
Your chart of accounts is the foundation of your entire financial reporting system. If it’s vague or misaligned with how you actually operate, then nothing else will feel helpful.
Ask yourself:
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Do your income categories match how you sell? (For example: digital courses, client work, product sales, B2B partnerships)
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Do your expense categories reflect your real strategy? (For example: ad spend, content creation, marketing software)
Don’t let your bookkeeper lump everything into categories like “Marketing” or “Operations.” Be specific. The more nuance your categories have, the more actionable your reports become.
Step 2: Review Monthly Reports Like a CEO
Your bookkeeper’s job is to accurately record and categorize your transactions—but you are the one who needs to make sense of it all.
Every month, you should receive:
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A Profit & Loss statement (P&L)
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A Balance Sheet
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A Categorized Transaction Report
Here’s how to lead:
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Ask yourself: Does this reflect reality?
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Are there any obvious gaps, errors, or “miscellaneous” categories?
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Leave comments, record a Loom, or send a bulleted list of questions if anything feels off
The goal is to create a system where your financial reports help you make real decisions—like changing pricing, adjusting expenses, or planning for growth.
Step 3: Have Quarterly Reviews
Don’t just “check the box” each month. Build a rhythm of financial insight.
Every quarter, schedule a 30-minute meeting with your bookkeeper and ask:
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What looks off here?
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Are there any categories we need to change?
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What questions do you have for me?
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Do you need more input to improve accuracy?
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Based on the numbers, what should I be planning for next?
This builds trust, improves accuracy, and gives you a quarterly pulse on how your business is actually performing.
What Happens When You Own Your Numbers
You stop panicking at tax time.
You feel more confident in your pricing.
You know when you can afford a new hire—or when to hold back.
You feel like a real CEO—not someone stuck in financial fog.
This isn’t about becoming a bookkeeper.
It’s about becoming the kind of business owner who leads your numbers—not avoids them.
Want a System That Helps You Do This?
Inside The Small Business Planner, I walk you through this entire financial structure step-by-step. It’s not just about tracking expenses. It’s about:
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Building consistent salary habits
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Making sure your reports reflect your reality
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Creating clarity month after month
You don’t need to do the bookkeeping. But you do need to lead it. And this system helps.
Grab your planner here: https://smallbusinessplanner.com/products/planner