How Becoming a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor Changed My Business

When I began my business I thought I was going to run a business that was completely different than what it became. In 2001, I had just left a large corporation where I was implementing applications such as SAP and JD Edwards in the US and in some outside countries. The only time I had even heard of QuickBooks was at a remote location during an Audit that was supposed to be using SAP and instead were using QuickBooks to track everything internally and then transferring entries to SAP. Well, obviously for the Auditors out there reading this, that was an Audit Point for the Report…but, all in all, that was my complete experience with QuickBooks before starting my business – I fell into this by accident. As most things go, we set out thinking we are going to do one thing, but end up going down an entirely different path.

When I decided to open a business, I was planning to have a bookkeeping service. Even though my background was Audit, I had decided at the time that I did not want the liability of that type of Practice being a Sole Proprietor. I started researching how to market my business and came across the Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor logo on another’s accountant’s advertisement. I researched how to be able to use that logo on an advertisement and I found the QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program. In order to be able to utilize the logo on advertisements, you have to join the program and become certified in QuickBooks. I quickly joined and became certified in QuickBooks, and my journey began…
My first call from a Prospect was asking me to come and train them on QuickBooks. That is when my business took a different turn. I thought I would be selling Bookkeeping services outright – but instead, more Business owners were interested in doing the Bookkeeping themselves, and instead wanting to be trained on the software. So, I went with what my clients wanted, and started making visits to their businesses and teaching them how to use the software. What they didn’t realize was they thought that just were going to learn about QuickBooks, but instead, I really was using QuickBooks as a tool teach them business processes, internal controls and proper cash flow management. Coming from a large application background, I couldn’t believe what you were able to accomplish using QuickBooks and how easy it was to create the reporting you need.
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