Today we’d like to introduce you to Blake Venable.
Hi Blake, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I started my bookkeeping and marketing business back in the spring of 2019. I had worked in restaurant management for eight years, and I was wanting to make a career change. I was helping a buddy of mine out with his bookkeeping and taxes when he started to recommend me to his friends and some other local business owners.
Fast forward to today, I have four employees, we manage taxes, payroll, social media, and websites for over 30 clients. I am currently enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University obtaining my BA in Accounting, and I will then start working on my CPA license. Should be finished by the summer of 2022. They recently featured me in a commercial that should air on network television this fall.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was a huge adjustment transitioning from working in restaurants to working from home. There was also a lot of uncertainty with job security, but the pieces all seemed to fall right into place. I had held off from leaving my past career for a long time for fear of change, security, and many other factors. However, in the end, I ultimately decided the risk was worth it, and I am sure glad that I took the leap of faith!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are bookkeeping, tax, and marketing firm that represents over 30 companies currently. We specialize in small business bookkeeping, payroll, tax filing, branding, social media, and website management. What sets us apart from other companies like ours is our wide range of services. We have found that business owners love having one point of contact that they can call on for their tax and marketing needs.
We also feel that we go “above and beyond.” We do not charge a lot because we like to win our clients over with our outstanding level of service to ensure that we retain their business for a long time and ultimately help them grow. What we are most proud of is our determination and our quality of work still being top-notch even after growing so quickly and rapidly.
We want your readers to know that we love the work we do, and it is our goal to “allow you more time to do what you love.” So please reach out to us if there is anything that we can do to help your business grow and thrive!
What matters most to you?
What matters most to us is quality time. I spent years working 60+ hours a week in the restaurant industry, never having holidays or weekends off, and felt like I really had no life! Today, I am extremely strict with my team to make sure that they are clocking out at 5 pm on the dot during the week, that they are not working past office hours or on weekends, and that they are making time for themselves.
I believe the most important thing to running a successful business is making sure that you and your employees are ultimately taking care of themselves from an emotional and mental standpoint. I equate this with ensuring that they are not focused on work when they shouldn’t be.
Pricing:
- We generally charge based on the job, but I can share the typical price ranges for our services. Our basic monthly bookkeeping service typically runs $235 a month. We use Quickbooks Online to categorize all business transactions, reconcile all accounts every month, and send out end-of-month financial reports to clients.
- The next tier up in our bookkeeping service is the full-charge bookkeeping service which typically runs $435 a month. This includes everything in the basic plan, but transactions are logged on a daily basis, financial reports are sent weekly, and we assist with bill pay, invoicing, estimating, and offer other basic administrative support with things like paperwork, insurance audits, tax notices, and much more!
- Our payroll service typically runs $200 a month for up to 3 employees then it’s an additional $8 per employee per month. We file your payroll taxes and returns for you, handle any payroll-related tax notices, and communicate payroll costs and scheduling with you on a weekly basis.
- Our website design service typically runs for $500. Our web design developer has over 5 years of experience, graduated from the University of Tennessee with her BA in Business Administration, and has designed over 15 websites in the last two years!
- Our social media management service typically runs $300 a month. We will manage Facebook, Instagram, Yelp, and Google business for clients as well as creating and posting weekly content, videos, and ads on behalf of the client to improve their SEO and ultimately get more leads!
Contact Info:
- Email: blakevenable87@gmail.com
- Website: www.blakesbookkeeping.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blake_venable1/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blakevenable88
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/blakes-bookkeeping-and-business-branding-knoxville?osq=Blake%27s+bookkeeping
- Other: https://g.page/Blakesbookkeeping?share
Image Credits
Images were provided with permission by Southern New Hampshire University, Blake Venable, Connie Adams, Stephanie Davila, Emily Thomas, and Cheryl Raivo.
