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.
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.
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.
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!
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?
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!
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?
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.
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.
Every new business owner and even some seasoned veterans make mistakes in regard to managing their business’ finances. Because the decision-maker may be taking care of customers and managing other areas of the business, we thought we would put together some tell-tale signs of when you need to speak to a bookkeeper to free up your time by outsourcing.
1) Your books are always behind.
You started your business because you felt a passion to contribute to an industry, not be a bookkeeper. This will often leave these necessary action items at the bottom of the list, after the rest of the tedious “chores” required to own a business. The result? When you meet with potential customers, do you know where you are regarding your goals, income, or expenditures. If not, this can lead to misappropriating money and effort. When regular, consistent reporting and balancing is done, you and your team can confidently approach your days, weeks, and months with purpose.
2) You’re spending too much time ON your business and not IN your business.
If you are a sole proprietor or otherwise a one-man (or woman) shop, you must be focusing on providing the service or product your customers requested, and oftentimes, that isn’t sitting at your desk, nose down in your finances. Even if you have a team of employees, your time and skill set is undeniably better spent elsewhere. Once that critical mass is met, a discussion with what a bookkeeper can take off your plate is a good idea.
3) Taxes are overwhelming.
Whether you try to stay up-to-date, keeping every last receipt…or are a little looser in your processes (tsk tsk!), filing your taxes as a business can be complicated. Having a bookkeeper experienced in how to properly post different items like stimulus money, PPP, and EIDL loans, is beneficial. You might be missing deductions, paying too little or even too much.
4) You’re spending too much on an accountant.
Did you know that accountants and bookkeepers are entirely different things? That could make a whole other post within itself (and maybe it will next month), but accountants have a much more fine-tuned, more detailed skill set. Bookkeepers record transactions and simply keep things in order. Accountants are licensed to take those records and give you advice in regard to them. So for those day-to-day needs, a bookkeeper is needed to keep your financials up to date, so you can have those conversations with your CPA.
We hope that the definitions and benchmarks listed above can help clarify your needs and get you asking the write questions about your business. When it is time, give us a call and we are happy to discuss our services!
There is a lot of detail that can go into creating an accurate job costing report. Having this information is crucial in making accurate business decisions. Learn more from our latest blog post.
Are these common QuickBooks mistakes adversely affecting your books?
In my opinion, one of the most overlooked areas to outsource is your company's bookkeeping. Take a look at this list and if you find yourself doing even one of these, give us a call.
Get to know our Georgetown Manager....Lori Szyperski