Erin Brockovich announced as ATHENA Leadership Award Luncheon keynote speaker

March 8, 2023- (Conroe, TX) – Nationally-renowned consumer advocate, environmental activist, cultural icon and American hero Erin Brockovich will deliver the keynote address at the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce ATHENA Leadership Award Luncheon. The luncheon is scheduled for Friday, July 21, 2023, at the Margaritaville Lake Resort on Lake Conroe. The ATHENA Leadership Award Luncheon is presented by Better Bookkeepers and Brockovich’s keynote is sponsored by Worthington Manor.

“Better Bookkeepers is honored to support the ATHENA Leadership Award Luncheon,” said Melanie K. Bush, owner, Better Bookkeepers. “Our female leaders empower and drive us to reach higher and achieve more every day. Similar to our fabulous speaker this year, ATHENA leaders don’t settle. They consistently strive for righteousness in every situation.”

For the sixth year, the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce will partner with ATHENA International, an organization that develops, supports, and honors girls and women from the classroom to the boardroom, building a global pipeline of women leaders. To recognize the wonderful women in Montgomery County, the Chamber collects nominations for the ATHENA Leadership Award and sends them to ATHENA International, where a committee selects three finalists and an award recipient based on the following criteria:

•  Demonstrates a high level of professional excellence

• Contributes time and energy to improve the quality of life for others

• Actively assists women and girls in achieving their full potential

The luncheon on July 21 will recognize nominees, honor finalists, and celebrate the recipient who is announced at the event. This is the only women-focused event in Montgomery County that celebrates women leaders from all industries, ages, and backgrounds. Over 500 guests are anticipated to attend the luncheon.

 “Erin Brockovich has been a touchstone for multiple generations – not only as an environmental activist, but as a woman, a mother, and a fighter for humanity,” said Scott Harper, President of the Chamber. “Her story and her message are the perfect fit for ATHENA, which honors excellence and leadership in our community and recognizes women who contribute their time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community.”

Brockovich’s will be speaking on the importance of women empowerment and leadership.

It’s been over 20 years since Julia Roberts starred in the Oscar-winning tour de force, Erin Brockovich. The film turned an unknown legal researcher into a 20th century icon by showcasing how her dogged persistence was the impelling force behind the largest medical settlement lawsuit in history.

Brockovich learned how to come out on top from her tight-knit mid-western family in Lawrence, KS. Erin was the youngest child of an industrial engineer father and journalist mother. Her parents always believed that she could do anything she set her mind to if she learned to focus her amazing energy.

After a few years roaming around at various colleges, Erin decided that she wanted to be a California girl. She first landed a job as a management trainee for K-Mart, but when that didn’t make her swagger, she decided to study electrical engineering. Erin, her husband, and her two children settled in Reno, Nevada. After divorcing, the single mother became a secretary at a brokerage firm where she met and married her second husband. But that marriage was short lived, and the now mother of three was solo again.

After being seriously injured in a traffic accident in Reno, Erin moved back to California’s San Fernando Valley and hired Masry & Vititoe to represent her. They won a small settlement, but she still needed work, so she got a job at the law firm as a file clerk. It was while organizing papers on a pro bono real estate case that Erin first found medical records that would explode into the largest direct action lawsuit in U.S. history.

Exaustive investigation uncovered that Pacific Gas & Electric had been poisoning the small town of Hinkley’s Water for over 30 years. It was because of Erin’s unwavering tenacity that PG&E had now been exposed for leaking toxic Chromium 6 into the groundwater. This poison affected the health of the population of Hinkley. In 1996, the utility giant was forced to pay out the largest toxic tort injury settlement in U.S. history: $333 million in damages to more than 600 Hinkley residents.

The story and eventual film made “Erin Brockovich” a household name. Over time, Erin realized that she could use her notoriety to spread positive messages of personal empowerment and to encourage others to stand up and make a difference.

Erin Brockovich has conquered all forms of media. Her first TV project was ABC’s 2001 Special, Challenge America with Erin Brockovich, where she helped motivate and organize the rebuilding of a dilapidated park in downtown Manhattan. For three seasons, Erin hosted the Lifetime series, Final Justice with Erin Brockovich. The show celebrated everyday women who triumphed when faced with overwhelming adversity. 

Erin then dominated the world of publishing with her New York Times Business Bestseller, Take It From Me: Life’s A Struggle, But You Can Win. Her latest release, Superman's Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We the People Can Do About It, drew wide media attention before its publication. 

Because of her fighting spirit, Erin has become the champion of countless women and men. She is this generation’s “Dear Abby,” and receives thousands of “Dear Erin” letters and emails each year from people who are begging for help and support in their own personal struggles. Erin proudly answers every one of them. 

As President of Brockovich Research & Consulting, she is currently involved in numerous environmental projects worldwide. She has requests for her help in ground water contamination complaints in every state of the US, Australia, and other international hot spots. She is currently working on cases in California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Illinois, and Missouri.

Former ATHENA Leadership Award recipients have included:

• 2022: Natalie Saikowski Goertz, Guaranty Bank & Trust

• 2021: Carol Gooch, Montgomery County Association of Business Women

• 2020: Dr. Dana Hoyt, Sam Houston State University

• 2019: Dr. Marlen Tejeda, Alliance of New Americans

• 2018: Danielle Scheiner, Conroe Economic Development Council

 The link to nominate a woman for the ATHENA Leadership Award will open in April. Sponsorship opportunities for the ATHENA Leadership Award Luncheon are available by contacting Courtney Budra, Director of Special Events, at 936.538.7111 or courtneyb@conroe.org. To purchase tickets to the event, visit bit.ly/3L6bFvy.

Cindy Polio Promoted To Manager at Better Bookkeepers Inc.

The new year brings good news for our colleague Cindy Polio who has been promoted to Manager, effective January 1, 2023. Her hard work and dedication to our clients’ experience has more than justified her increased responsibility and authority.

“Cindy is a strong team member and jumps in to help wherever she can. She brings laughter and fun to a workplace that’s known to be full of deadlines and projects. I’m so excited to be able to work alongside of Cindy and look forward to watching the continued growth of our team under her leadership,” said Managing Partner, Randie Morton, about Polio’s promotion.

Cindy Polio joined Better Better Bookkeepers in 2018 and is a proud graduate of Sam Houston State University. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. Cindy is an LMC alumni class of 2022 and a member of Interfaith Young Professionals.

Prior to joining Better Bookkeepers, Cindy worked for various small businesses and has over 10 years of bookkeeping experience.

Business Owner Bookkeeping Mistakes to Stop Right Now

As 2023 draws gradually and unavoidably closer, there are a handful of things that business owners may be doing that will not bode well for the year ahead.  Whether you are looking to budget for the new year, prepare for taxes, or have an accurate depiction of how your business is doing at any given time throughout the year, these are a handful of practices that need to be stopped as soon as possible.

1)     Not keeping receipts. Whether it’s ignoring the expenses under a certain threshold (say $75) or not keeping receipts organized or labeling them correctly can make for a mess come tax season.  Those messy piles can be a pain to sort through and if you have enough expenses under your chosen threshold, they will add up. If its an accordion folder, a shoe box or a filing cabinet, keep track of everything going out…and coming in.

2)     Not splitting personal and business expenses. While it may seem easier day-to-day, having separate cards and accounts for your business expenses and your personal life can save a ton of time down the road.  Then you don’t have to dig back into your rolodex of memories about whether or not a coffee or meal was for work or a mid-week treat.

3)     Not preparing for tax season before April. This can be a tough one, but having your ducks in a row before tax season rolls around can be incredibly beneficial. As the year goes, you can see where your business stands, where improvements can be made, and not spend all of the first quarter digging through papers and files.

4)     Not having back-ups of your back-ups. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that business, technology, and life in general are unpredictable. Don’t be caught with empty hands when your board, your boss or the IRS comes knocking. Keep records digitally and printed, and in more than one place.  It’s better to be safe than sorry.

5)     Doing it yourself. If fall else fails, you always have a friend in us.  We can be the extra hands, extra training and extra eyes to ensure that your business or non-profit’s books are in order in a cost- and time-effective fashion. 

Which of the aforementioned bad habits are plaguing your business?  Which can you work on this week, this month or before the end of the year? Can we help?

Don't Slack on End-Of-Year Bookkeeping

Can you believe we are already well into the second half of this year? Time flies when you are running your own business, taking care of customers and enjoying a home life outside of work. Time flies…and tasks can pile up. Different areas of your business can suffer or be put on the backburner, and we get it.  This is where Better Bookkeepers can help.

Before December rolls around and you need your finances in order for tax season and beyond, drop us a line. When your books are managed, and obstacles and hiccups are proactively found before the CPA or IRS come knocking, you can rest easier, free yourself up for other responsibilities and delegate what is usually a stressful task. When you partner with a company like Better Bookeepers for monthly or even quarterly maintenance, many areas of your business can become more efficient and you have less to worry about come January.

Everyone wants to end the year on a high note, but that can also lead to distractions that can make the upcoming year more difficult.  Give us a call, let’s get a plan together to see you into 2023 with a smile!

Don't Fall Behind this Summer!

With school out for summer and vacations on the horizon, as a small business owner, you may be experiencing a good bit of stress.  With a long weekend, a week or even longer out of the office and unplugged, do you have all the minutia of your business covered?

If you are planning something before school is back in session or even into the Fall, it may be a great time to drop Better Bookkeepers a line.  Having a team you can trust with your financial workings can truly give you peace of mind and allow you to relax on your vacation like you deserve.

Managing the day-to-day bookkeeping in your business can be time consuming and a headache as it is, especially when your passion is the service or product you provide.  However, if you’re gone for an extended period, you can really come back to a mess.

Whether it’s just a few hours a week, special projects or consistent maintenance year-round, Better Bookkeepers can help keep your ducks in a row and your toes in the sand, stress-free. (Just make sure you wear plenty of SPF!) We can even train other teammates at your organization to handle these tasks while you’re gone if that is more your speed.

Long story short, you don’t have to worry about missing deadlines or coming back to more work than you left. We can sit down before your trip, get you onboarded quickly and the only books you’ll need to crack open will be the romance novel you’ve been trying to finish or the true crime yarn you haven’t gotten to.  We’ll take it from there!

Better Bookkeepers, Inc. Promotes Randie Morton To Managing Partner

As of May 1, 2022, Randie Morton, former president of Better Bookkeepers, Inc. was promoted to managing partner. Morton’s decade-long tenure with Better Bookkeepers demonstrating her leadership and dedication paved a clear pathway towards growth for The Woodlands, Texas-based bookkeeping company.

Melanie Bush, Owner and founder of Better Bookkeepers said, “Randie Morton has been a staple in the Better Bookkeepers family for 10 years this month. She has been involved in the growth of this company from the ground up. Since taking over the President roll in January 2019, Randie has seen the company through the normal challenges of a business in addition to a global pandemic. Our staff and clients’ continued growth has never ceased to be of utmost importance to our company and to Randie. Randie’s strength of character and thoughtful leadership has been proven time and again over these last 3 years. We are honored to have her as Managing Partner of Better Bookkeepers to continue to lead us well into the next chapter.”

Barry Blanton, owner of Blanton Advisors in The Woodlands and partner at Better Bookkeepers was also delighted with the decision to add Morton to their managing team. “Randie has really grown in her role with Better Bookkeepers. She leads our team of talented bookkeepers who strive for excellence daily. Our growing business and satisfied clients are the result of her hard work, dedication, and leadership,” said Blanton.

While their work continues as normal, Morton is humbled by her continued support of her colleagues and community.

Bookkeeping Vs Accounting

In the small business finance world, the terms accounting and bookkeeping are often used interchangeably.  It’s important to know, however, that while many functionalities in their responsibilities can overlap, they aren’t quite the same. We hope this blog post will help you delineate the two and determine which one would be the best fit for you and your business.

A bookkeeper will record and track all of the transactions coming in and out of your business. Bookkeeping is more of an administrative role. This includes daily transactions but also can handle invoicing and payroll.

A bookkeeper doesn’t require any certain degree, just experience in the financial field. There are accreditations that a bookkeeper can obtain to signify their training or tenure in the industry but they aren’t necessary to practice.

There are a handful of benefits of using a bookkeeper.  First and foremost is cost.  All of the organization can be done that any business would need so long as they had someone who could analyze that data to dictate strategy moving forward.  If nothing else, hiring a bookkeeper can ensure that your numbers are correct if and when you need them.

An accountant can record and track the transactions but can also use that data to make suggestions in regards to your financial strategy. Accountants can verify data, report on what they see and explain their detailed analysis to help business owners make decisions in the future. An accountant must have a degree in accounting, and then can add to their knowledge with other certifications. Due to this, an accountant can cost more.

A bookkeeper can collect, post and show you your numbers – which is incredibly valuable.  However, an accountant can analyze them and suggest strategies given the data.  It all depends on the size, structure and amount of business your company does.

If a bookkeeper sounds like what your company needs, drop us a line and let’s talk! Better Bookkeepers is always interested to see how we can help!

When Is It Time To Get A Bookkeeper?

As a small business owner, you have a lot of irons in the fire. You are in meetings, conversing with clients and customers, maybe developing new products and services, working on your marketing and trying to budget everything – while attempting a personal life. It feels like your business is getting to its critical mass for you, in that you don’t have any more time in the day. What can you delegate that will free up your time that could benefit your business? May we suggest a bookkeeping service?

You may be at the point of asking yourself, what benchmarks denote that its time to look into getting a bookkeeper?  

You are overwhelmed.
Plain and simple, if you have too much to do already and not enough bandwidth, this is something that can affordably be delegated and done correctly for the benefit of your business and sanity.

You need to hire staff or additional staff.

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to your books, payroll and tracking it all. When that many other people’s livelihoods are at stake, it is important to make sure your bookkeeping is done right.

You are earning business revenues.
All revenue can absolutely benefit from a second pair of eyes. When you are spread too thin, some things can fall through the cracks.  Outsourcing your bookkeeping can help give you back your time and catch things before they start to fall through any cracks.

You are requiring more elaborate financial reports, especially for data-based decisions.
When you have several employees and good money coming in, its time to up your game.  When a growth stage is imminent after you have hit a combination of these other benchmarks, there is no time like the present to have a person or team dedicated to getting you the sophisticated financial reporting you need to take your business to the next level.  While bookkeepers do not offer advice, they can provide the data and metrics you need to collaborate with your board members and teammates to make profitable decisions.

Which of these bullet points hit home for you? Any of the four? Drop us a line and see where we can help!

Eight Things To Ask Your Bookeeper

As the year comes to an end, you may be looking for a bookkeeping team or individual to do some clean-up and get you ready for next year. We have assembled eight questions to ask someone taking on your books to see if they are a good fit for you company, industry and needs. If you can enter an agreement with these questions confidently answered to your liking, you can feel good about closing out your year.

1)     What is the scope of services you offer?

A bookkeeper, an accountant and an external CFO manage and can offer different things.  Make sure you are using the right type of person or team so you are getting the results you need.

2)     How familiar are you with my industry?

Sometimes it can be helpful to utilize a bookkeeper who has experience in your field of work. Maybe you are a nonprofit and need different records kept than a for profit company. If you’re a company that ships out of the country, or receives product from overseas, you may want to ask you bookkeeper if they have experience with such things to prevent problems down the road.

3)     What is your communication style?

This is a great question to ask with whoever you work with, internally or externally. Are emails, phone calls or meetings preferred?  How often would you like updates? These are all ways that you will feel more comfortable with who you choose long term.

4)     What do you offer in terms of security?

Chances are this data and these numbers are your livelihood as a business owner. They have to be correct and secured for a multitude of reasons; from questions from your board all the way up to the IRS come tax time. It is absolutely essential that you partner with someone who takes security seriously.

5)     What all do I need to provide to your firm?

Spreadsheets, ledgers, logins and even previous, older records can provide the insight your bookkeeper requires to have a well-rounded picture of your business’ needs. Depending on your agreement, this list can vary.

6)     What software(s) do you use and what are you familiar with?

There’s nothing worse than a learning curve when you need to get something cranked out quickly and correctly. Any bookkeeper worth their salt will be familiar and fluent in most anything you use internally, but it’s still a good thing to ask.

7)     What DON’T you do?     

This goes back up to our first bullet point.  Establish a clear line as to what you need and what a bookkeeper provides.  If you need more than what they can offer, they likely work hand-in-hand with a variety of accountants, CPAs and more that they can refer you to.

8)     What is your payment structure?

Last but not least, discuss how and when payment is needed and budget accordingly. Is the bookkeeper you’ve chosen in your budget?  Are you getting what you pay for on the timeline you agreed to?

We hope these general questions get the wheels moving and help you determine what financial and organization help you need for your company or organization. We are happy to answer these eight and more if you would like to see if Better Bookkeepers is a good fit!

Can Outsourcing Your Bookkeeping Help Your Bottom Line?

As a businessowner, it is your responsibility to keep an eye on what is coming into and what is going out of your business to keep it running efficiently.  At times this can be a complicated endeavor, or simply may not be your strong suit.  Let us outline a few reasons why finding a third party to handle your books may be a good idea.

Internal Cost: If you have someone internally handing the books, this person likely has a salary or hourly wage, office space, computer and supply expenses, benefits and the like. Oftentimes, this can be minimized by using a third party who acquires all of their own overhead. If someone isn’t hired internally and someone else in an administrative or ownership role is taking on these tasks, that is time taken away from potential revenue-generating activity where that person’s skill set is better used. Either way, passing bookkeeping to another entity can save time and money.

Familiarity With The Processes: Bookkeeping is different than accounting in that it doesn’t offer advice or strategy to move forward.  However, bookkeepers are familiar with what numbers and metrics need to be attained and accumulated to go to your accountant at year-end to help those entities direct you moving forward. This can save time, frustration and doubling back when someone “in the know” is handling it from the get-go. Just like you would outsource a plumbing issue, the painting of your office, or IT needs, bookkeeping can save a lot of hassle in the long run.

Clearer Reports: When your numbers are well-organized and easy-to-read, it can make it easier to see areas of your business where you can cut costs or streamline processes. This in turn can save your company money and effort. Being able to see the forest for the trees can be extremely valuable over time.

Reduce Your CPA Costs:  If your books are cleaner when you approach your CPA at the end of the year, monthly, quarterly or at tax time, your company may very well be able to save hours of due diligence you would be normally charged for. Your general bookkeeping needs can be done at a more affordable rate, and the strategy part of your company’s finances can be done by those with more specific qualifications.

The finances of your business are key to its success.  We at Better Bookkeepers hope that this blog and others on our site can give you some context to inform business owners as they grow into 2022.

8 Questions To Ask Your Bookkeeper

As the year comes to an end, you may be looking for a bookkeeping team or individual to do some clean-up and get you ready for next year. We have assembled eight questions to ask someone taking on your books to see if they are a good fit for you company, industry and needs. If you can enter an agreement with these questions confidently answered to your liking, you can feel good about closing out your year.

1)     What is the scope of services you offer?

A bookkeeper, an accountant and an external CFO manage and can offer different things.  Make sure you are using the right type of person or team so you are getting the results you need.

2)     How familiar are you with my industry?

Sometimes it can be helpful to utilize a bookkeeper who has experience in your field of work. Maybe you are a nonprofit and need different records kept than a for profit company. If you’re a company that ships out of the country, or receives product from overseas, you may want to ask you bookkeeper if they have experience with such things to prevent problems down the road.

3)     What is your communication style?

This is a great question to ask with whoever you work with, internally or externally. Are emails, phone calls or meetings preferred?  How often would you like updates? These are all ways that you will feel more comfortable with who you choose long term.

4)     What do you offer in terms of security?

Chances are this data and these numbers are your livelihood as a business owner. They have to be correct and secured for a multitude of reasons; from questions from your board all the way up to the IRS come tax time. It is absolutely essential that you partner with someone who takes security seriously.

5)     What all do I need to provide to your firm?

Spreadsheets, ledgers, logins and even previous, older records can provide the insight your bookkeeper requires to have a well-rounded picture of your business’ needs. Depending on your agreement, this list can vary.

6)     What software(s) do you use and what are you familiar with?

There’s nothing worse than a learning curve when you need to get something cranked out quickly and correctly. Any bookkeeper worth their salt will be familiar and fluent in most anything you use internally, but it’s still a good thing to ask.

7)     What DON’T you do?     

This goes back up to our first bullet point.  Establish a clear line as to what you need and what a bookkeeper provides.  If you need more than what they can offer, they likely work hand-in-hand with a variety of accountants, CPAs and more that they can refer you to.

8)     What is your payment structure?

Last but not least, discuss how and when payment is needed and budget accordingly. Is the bookkeeper you’ve chosen in your budget?  Are you getting what you pay for on the timeline you agreed to?

We hope these general questions get the wheels moving and help you determine what financial and organization help you need for your company or organization. We are happy to answer these eight and more if you would like to see if Better Bookkeepers is a good fit!

Things Your Bookkeeper Can Help With

If you are vacillating between hiring a bookkeeper or not, we have compiled a list of the services we provide to help keep you working IN your business in revenue-generating activity and not ON your business and in the weeds of administrative work.

Day-To-Day Accountability
As transactions come in, it is essential that they are recorded and coded in the correct manner to prevent problems later. When you are taking care of your customers’ needs the way you should, wading knee-deep in your books may not be a priority. That’s where bookkeepers can step in and handle the minutia, or give you the streamlined processes to make this happen more easily.

Regular Maintenance
Whether it’s weekly, monthly, quarterly or year-end maintenance, bookkeepers can come in and flag any inconsistencies they see, and nip any problems in the bud. This can include creating reports such as a profit and loss statement, balance sheets, and keeping an eye on cash flow. This can be incredibly helpful when you have a lean staff and need the Cliffs Notes in regard to your spending, profits and your bottom line in easy-to-digest documentation.

Preparation for An Accountant and for Tax Time
While bookkeepers do not handle the same things an accountant does, your bookkeeper can get everything prepared for an accountant to take over for an audit, as an example, or aggregate reports than can be used to correctly file taxes when it’s time. Bookkeepers do not file taxes for you, offer advice, but help you prepare the information for further use.

Improving Time Effectiveness
Chances are, whatever you got into business to do is NOT bookkeeping. Though it may come naturally to you, it may not be the best use of your time and effort. Business owners are pulled in so many directions as it is and bookkeeping doesn’t have to be one of them. Stay focused on your customers, your products and services while a bookkeeper keeps your numbers in check.

Let us know if you have reached your critical mass and need the help of a bookkeeping organization to take some of these tasks off of your plate. We are delighted to discuss our services further and see if we might be a good fit.