Chaos To Clarity: Why 'Messy Books' Are Okay & How To Lead Your Small Business Finances With Jacquee Adams The Savvy Leader podcast

Join Kristin Gallatin as she sits down with Jacquee Adams, owner of Vantage Virtual Services and a dedicated LEAD Network professional. Jacquee specializes in providing administrative, bookkeeping, and advisory services to small-to-midsize businesses.

This episode is a valuable twofer, fitting perfectly into both the Money Series by demystifying small business finances and the Stories Behind the Business Series by exploring Jacquee's unique journey and operational strategy. Jacquee shares why her approach is to meet business owners "mid-chaos," her belief that numbers are naturally simple, and how she maximizes her productivity as a virtual entrepreneur—even thriving at night!

Learn about:

[01:03] - The "Aha" Moment: Jacquee's journey from a childhood love of numbers to starting Vantage Virtual Services after helping a family business untangle their books.
[04:04] - Why Numbers Make Sense: The personal story behind her passion for accounting and the fulfillment of bringing chaos to clarity for business owners.
[06:57] - Her Guiding Principle: No Shame in Messy Books: Jacquee explains her welcoming approach to clients who come to her at their breaking point, assuring them that "nothing is an emergency."
[10:33] - Why She Chose Main Street Over Wall Street: The reason Jacquee chose to focus on small businesses instead of the traditional CPA or public accounting route—it's about the fulfillment of helping the "smaller guys" succeed.
[13:08] - From P&L to Prosperity: The three key financial reports every business must analyze (Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Statement of Cash Flows) to move from short-term demands to long-term vision, including the importance of job costing for project-based businesses.
[18:23] - The Virtual Leader's Secret: Systems & Flow: How Jacquee maintains focus and productivity as a solo entrepreneur by relying on systems (like ClickUp and Keeper) and specific weekly rhythms.
[24:11] - Working with Your Natural Rhythm: Jacquee's honest discussion about her productivity as a "night person" and letting go of the 9-to-5 box.
[33:52] - The Biggest Compliance Challenge: Key pain points small businesses face today, focusing on the complexity and compliance of adding payroll (including the new paid family leave changes in Minnesota).
[39:08] - The Future of Financial Advisory: Jacquee's plans to expand offerings with Xero and use AI to pivot from manual data entry to deeper advisory and analytical work.
[43:29] - Advice for New Business Owners: The number one thing to avoid: overcomplicating your Chart of Accounts—keep it simple!
[48:48] - Must-Have Tech Tools: A deeper dive into the two crucial software platforms she uses to run her business: ClickUp for task management and Keeper for the client portal.

🔗 Resource Links

Vantage Virtual Services - Bookkeeping & Advisory | www.VantageVS.com