What’s in Store for 2022?

The last few years have been unlike any other in our lifetimes. As we close out 2021 and enter 2022, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what we’ve learned, what’s happening now, and what we want to accomplish in the next 12 months. Here are some things to consider.

Celebrate Your Successes

Give yourself time and permission to review what you have completed in 2021. You’ve likely learned and accomplished more than you think. Compare your status on January 1, 2021 with today, and celebrate the changes you’ve made and projects you’ve finished.

Monetize These Trends

Several trends will continue from 2021 into 2022 and beyond. How can you monetize them in your business?

Remote Work

The move to remote work is likely to continue, especially in certain industries, such as financial services and technology, where the work is delivered digitally. Hiring virtual workers gives employers access to a larger talent pool as well.

Online Business

Expanding your online presence, including ecommerce, is paramount. Most businesses spent more time improving the online interface between company and customers as more customers clamored for increased online purchasing, delivery, and curbside pickup. Some brick-and-mortar businesses adapted their business model to develop new digital services, enhancing their current product line.

Climate Change

Climate changes affected many businesses this year in various ways. Some were victims of disasters and extreme weather. Others became more visibly supportive of climate initiatives, working these initiatives into their mission and offerings.

Artificial Intelligence

Accelerated automation using artificial intelligence is continuing to move through the technology adoption curve. Can your business benefit from AI-driven tech solutions?

Diversity

Diversity initiatives will continue to be important in 2022 and beyond.

A Younger Workforce

Workforce demographics are finally changing. More young people are working in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic numbers, while workers over 50 are retiring at a faster-than-normal rate. Millennials are starting businesses in large numbers, and one statistic shows that 80 percent of those businesses are profitable.

Staffing Challenges

Staffing struggles are real in many industries. Business owners who can no longer find employees have had to resort to outsourcing, contract work, part-time work, virtual work, and many other limited capacity options to keep their businesses afloat.

Social Responsibility

Millennials and Gen Z-ers are prioritizing social responsibility, making business owners reflect more on how they can do their part in their businesses.

A Search for Purpose

Life-goal realignment is something that has swept the world as people experience a wake-up call because of the pandemic. The search for purpose and meaning is one of many side effects of this trend. Ask yourself how this trend is affecting your customers and employees.

Set 2022 Goals

You might hate creating New Year’s resolutions. But it’s the right time of year to decide how you can incorporate the trends above with the personal and business successes you’d like to achieve by the end of 2022.

Make your list, then schedule milestones on your calendar so you can track your progress.

And above all, have a happy New Year in 2022!

Could you use a partner in 2022 to help you organize your business financials and gain insight into your business? We’re here to help! Reach out and let’s talk.

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Outsourced Accounting vs. Fractional Accounting: What’s the Difference?

By Alisa McCabe • April 15, 2025

As a service-based business owner, managing finances effectively is key to growth and profitability. When looking for financial support, you may come across terms like "outsourced accounting" and "fractional accounting." While they may sound similar, they serve different purposes and offer unique benefits. Understanding the differences can help you decide which approach best suits your business needs. What is Outsourced Accounting? Outsourced accounting refers to hiring an external firm to handle bookkeeping and financial reporting tasks on an ongoing basis. This solution is ideal for businesses that need consistent, reliable financial management but don’t require a full-time, in-house accounting team. Key Benefits of Outsourced Accounting: Cost-Effective: More affordable than hiring an internal accounting department. Scalability: Services can be tailored to your business size and needs. Access to Expertise: Work with professionals who specialize in bookkeeping, payroll, and tax preparation. Technology-Driven: Many firms use cloud-based software like QuickBooks Online for efficiency and real-time reporting. What is Fractional Accounting? A fractional accounting firm provides higher-level financial strategy and decision-making support, often acting as a part-time CFO or controller. This approach is best for businesses that need more than basic bookkeeping but don’t yet require a full-time financial executive. Key Benefits of Fractional Accounting: Strategic Financial Oversight: Helps with budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning. Higher-Level Expertise: A fractional CFO or controller can provide insights beyond day-to-day transactions. Customizable Support: Businesses can engage a fractional firm for a few hours a week or month based on their needs. Growth-Focused: Ideal for scaling companies needing financial strategy without the full-time cost of an in-house CFO. Which One is Right for Your Business? The choice between outsourced and fractional accounting depends on your business size, complexity, and financial goals. Choose Outsourced Accounting if: You need reliable bookkeeping, payroll management, and financial reporting but don’t require deep financial strategy. Choose Fractional Accounting if: Your business is growing, and you need financial leadership, cash flow management, and strategic planning without the cost of a full-time CFO. The Best of Both Worlds Some firms, like First Steps Financial, offer both outsourced accounting and fractional CFO services. This allows businesses to start with outsourced accounting and scale up to fractional services as they grow, ensuring they always have the right financial support. Both outsourced accounting and fractional accounting firms can play a crucial role in your business’s success. The key is understanding where your business stands today and what level of financial expertise will help you achieve your long-term goals. If you’re unsure which option is best for you, First Steps Financial can help! Contact us today to discuss your needs and find the right financial solution for your business.

Train, Trust, and Let Go: How Great Leaders Build Confident Teams

By Alisa McCabe • April 4, 2025

Don’t overinspect or oversupervise. Allow your leaders to make mistakes in training, so they can profit from the errors and not make them in combat. -Col. Glover Johns We had just hit the jackpot. A Chinese submarine crossed our path in an area where no one expected it to be. This should have been a massive win for U.S. intelligence, our ship, and us as SONAR technicians. But there was one problem: no one made the call. The submarine was only discovered in post-analysis days later. What should have been a career-defining success became a failure for our SONAR team due to hesitation and lack of confidence. One of my teammates saw the submarine—its frequencies matched, it behaved like a submarine, and all the indicators were there. But he didn’t speak up. He was afraid of being wrong. When this failure came to light, our team had a meeting to figure out what went wrong. The teammate who had seen it was devastated. He felt like he had failed the entire crew. Our immediate supervisor didn’t help—he picked apart every mistake, repeatedly asking, “How could you miss this? I’ve shown you this a million times!” After a few minutes of this, his boss stepped in. He asked how we were being trained. The answer was obvious to all of us. Our supervisor was a doer, not a teacher. He couldn’t stand to see mistakes, so instead of letting us learn, he micromanaged and took over. The result? We lacked the confidence and knowledge to make decisions because we had never been trusted to. At this point, you might think, “What a terrible leader!” And you’d be right—at least in this instance. But what you might not realize is that even good leaders fall into this trap. And you’re not immune to it either. If you have kids, I guarantee you’ve stepped in and done something for them because they were taking too long. If you run a business, you’ve likely taken over a task because you didn’t trust an employee to do it right. It feels like the right move in the moment, but it’s not. It is the easy way out. The answer is simple: real leadership requires patience. It’s easier to take over than to teach. So how do we break this cycle? It takes discipline. Step one: provide the right training. No one becomes an expert overnight, but they need a foundation strong enough to work from. Encourage questions and never make people feel stupid for asking. If they’re afraid to ask, they’ll be afraid to act. Step two: let go. You have to trust the people you train. Set expectations clearly and then step back. Resist the urge to jump in. Step three: debrief. Go over the work. Point out successes and failures. Then, instead of just pointing out what went wrong, show them how to do better. Follow these steps, and I guarantee you’ll build a team that has the knowledge and confidence to make the call. Written by: Marc Chianese, CPA Candidate

The Importance of Clean Books: How We Help Small Business Owners Stay on Track

By Alisa McCabe • March 21, 2025

As a small business owner, keeping your financials in order is crucial—especially when it’s time to file taxes. Many small business owners come to us for cleanup services because they realize their books don’t reflect their actual business activity. Without accurate financials, you’re flying blind when it comes to planning, decision-making, and tax compliance. Here’s how we help small businesses clean up their books and get back on track: Step 1: Assess the Situation Our first step is to review your books and identify: What looks incorrect: We spot errors like negative balances, uncategorized transactions, or inconsistencies. What needs to be cleaned up: Issues like unreconciled accounts or miscategorized expenses. How to improve going forward: Suggestions to ensure your books remain accurate and useful. Common Issues We See in Small Business Books Here are some of the most frequent problems we uncover: Uncategorized transactions: These don’t show up in your financial reports, leaving you with an incomplete picture of your business. Bank and credit card accounts not reconciled: Without reconciliation, you can’t trust the accuracy of your financials. Large balances in the undeposited funds account: Often caused by customer payments not applied to invoices, leading to double-recorded income. Negative balances on the balance sheet: This usually indicates recording errors, like misapplied payments or incomplete loan setup. Inconsistent expense categorization: For example, telephone bills recorded under different accounts, making it harder to compare year-over-year trends. Step 2: Clean and Reconcile Once we’ve assessed your books, we tackle the cleanup process step by step: Categorize all transactions in holding: Ensuring they appear in your financials. Reconcile every bank, credit card, and loan account: Without reconciliation, there’s no confidence that your numbers are accurate. Apply customer payments to invoices: This prevents double-counting income and ensures your sales figures are correct. Review accounts with large balances: For example- A large sales tax liability may indicate payments are being recorded as expenses instead of reducing the liability. A negative loan balance could mean the original loan wasn’t recorded properly. Check for consistent categorization: We run reports to ensure, for example, that all telephone bills are categorized under the same expense account. Step 3: Build Confidence in Your Financials After cleaning up the books, you’ll gain: Accurate financials: Confidence that your reports reflect reality. Insights into past trends: So you can make informed decisions about the future. Ready for filing taxes: Avoid overpaying taxes by ensuring income is recorded only once. For instance, if customer payments are recorded as new income instead of being applied to existing invoices, you’ll overstate your revenue—and could end up paying taxes on double what you actually earned! Step 4: Prevent Future Problems We don’t stop at cleanup. We provide training and tips to help you: Keep your books accurate moving forward. Spot and fix issues early before they become major problems. Why Accurate Books Matter Accurate financials allow you to plan for the future of your business. Whether it’s forecasting cash flow, preparing for growth, or filing taxes, clean books give you the clarity and confidence to make smart decisions. Ready to clean up your books and take control of your financials? We’re here to help! Reach out to get started. Written By: Diane Roberts