Her Story
About Teresa
I've been in the bookkeeping field for about 2 years, and I just recently started working with my first client. I help business owners get control of their books so they can see what they're making, what they're spending, and identify different areas where they may need to cut expenses so that they can grow their business. I'm a QuickBooks Online Pro Advisor, Certified Pro Advisor in QuickBooks and Payroll, and I'm also an enrolled agent with the IRS. I have a bachelor's degree in business that I earned in 1989, and I have 10 years of income tax auditing experience, so I can answer a lot of questions relating to taxes. My most notable professional achievement is probably becoming an EA and mastering the tax side of things. I like helping people, showing them how their business is running and what they can do to improve or what step to take next. At my heart, I'm more of an educator, just not in a classroom.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Teresa
01What do you attribute your success to?
I guess I attribute my success to wanting to get everything right, wanting to help people get it right, and explain it to them where they understand it. I guess at my heart, I'm more of an educator, just not in a classroom.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to pursue what you love doing. I like helping people, so that's why bookkeeping is a good fit for me. I can help people, show them how their business is running, and what they can do to improve, or what step to take next.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women entering my industry to never stop learning. Keep acquiring new skills all the time, even if you think that doesn't apply to your line of work. Especially when it's offered for free, just take it. There may be something that you find out you can use in your line of work.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field right now is that everybody uses something different, so it's an obstacle course. You master one program, for example, like somebody uses PayPal and you figure out how PayPal works, and then your next client uses a different payment system. It's learning all the different types of programs that everyone uses, and being able to look at them and master them enough to incorporate it into the workflow.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are ethical expectations. Anything that's disclosed to me is confidential, and I don't judge. I mean, when people bring their information to a bookkeeper, it's usually in a huge mess, and they don't want to be made to feel embarrassed.
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