If you would’ve told me a few months ago how much bookkeeping would click for me, I probably would’ve laughed. Not because I didn’t think I could do it….. but because i had no idea how much there is to learn and how much I would actually enjoy it.
In a pretty short time frame (about 4 or 5 months), I completed:
– Bookkeeper Launch
– Intuit Bookkeeping Certificate
– ProAdvisor Certification
– Intro to Quickbooks Online
– Accounting Fundamentals
– countless hours on YouTube
And somewhere in between all that, I was doing my own bookkeeping, starting to build my own business, and then unexpectedly landing an opportunity at a bookkeeping firm where I’m now learning even more everyday. It’s been fast. It’s been instense. And honestly? It’s been really cool.
So I wanted to share what I’ve learned so far…. especially the things I wish someone had told me at the beginning:
1. You Don't Need to Know Everything to Start
This was the biggest mental hurdle and where the imposter syndrome originated.
Before I started, I thought I needed to understand everything about accounting and bookkeeping before I could confidently call myself a bookkeeper. Debits and credits had to feel automatic. Financial statements had to make total sense. I have to know every Quickbooks feature.
That’s not how it works though. You learn bookkeeping by doing bookkeeping. The courses gave me structure and familiarity with a concept. But the real understanding came when I started working through real transactions, real cleanup projects, real clients, and real questions.
If you’re waiting until you “know enough”, you’ll wait forever. Start. The understanding builds.
2. Quickbooks Makes More Sense When You Understand the "Why"
One thing I didn’t fully appreciate at first: Quickbooks is just a tool.
When I took Intro to QBO and Intuit certificates, things felt very procedural…. click here, categorize this, run this report. But when I took Accounting Fundamentals, something shifted. Understanding why a transaction hits a certain account made everything in Quickbooks easier. The software stopped feeling random and started feeling logical.
That was a huge “aha” moment. If you’re leaning QBO right now and it feels confusing, it might not be a software problem. It might be that the accounting foundation needs one more layer of clarity.
3. Certifications Help - But Real Experience Changes Everything
Well, let me actually back up here for a second. A requirement for being hired at my job was to be Bookkeeper Launch Certified and ProAdvisor Certified. So, the certifications were an absolute must for my job. However before that, the certifications gave me the initial boost of confidence and excitement at learning something new. Each course I took seemed like building blocks from the previous course…. same concepts taught in a slightly different way, with a few new concepts thrown in. I will say that Bookkeeper Launch was really informative and taught me the most. Since that was the first course I took, it gave me the foundational elements that were enhanced with each additional course.
But joining a fast growing bookkeeping firm? That’s where I realized how much more there is to learn. When you see how experienced bookkeepers think through a cleanup, structure workflows, catch small mistakes quickly, ask questions (and have answers to my questions)…. it’s eye-opening.
I’m learning things now that weren’t in any course…. the small judgement calls, the efficiency tricks, the “this is how it’s actually done” moments. You can learn things with one client that won’t apply in the same way with another client.
And every time I learn one of those elements, or a little trick that I didn’t know before, I want to share it here in hopes that someone enjoys learning them too.
4. Bookkeeping is Less Scary Than It Looks
From the outside, bookkeeping can look intimidating. Financial statements. Reconciliations. Adjusting entries. Where does this get categorized? But once you break it down into smaller elements ~ transactions, categories, reports ~ it becomes manageable.
It’s not magic. It’s patterns. And patterns are learnable.
Why I'm Starting This Blog
I started bookkeeping not that long ago. And I’ve learned a ton since then. I’m still learning more everyday about best practices, efficiency, general bookkeeping and QBO tips, some random neat little trick that made me smile, the “oohhhh that’s why” realizations, learning through (and fixing) mistakes, etc.
So this blog is where I share the things that are clicking for me now.
If you’re a beginner bookkeeper, I hope this helps you feel less alone. I hope you learn some cool stuff that you can put to use.
If you’re a small business owner doing your own books, I hope this makes the categorization and numbers feel less intimidating.
Either way, I’m really glad you’re here!
