These days, managing time and resources effectively is crucial for small business owners. Operating with a smaller staff than larger businesses (sometimes a staff of one), the small business owner is the lynchpin in the company. Responsible for keeping the business afloat, many small business owners juggle multiple roles within the company, from managerial to custodial duties where required, working long hours in the hope of making the business a success. Accounting for small business presents it’s own challenges, with many owners either unaware of or unable to access the various deductions or incentives that might be available. It can be hard to think of what forms need to be filed by what date in order to remain compliant when your manufacturer is three weeks late shipping an order, there are customers are lined up out the door, or managing the social media profile for the company.

One alternative to spending precious time on accounting is to hire an accounting firm or management company to assist with the financial side of the business. While it may seem costly or unnecessary to change the way business has always been done, outsourcing accounting for small business does provide benefits for small-scale businesses. Some of these benefits include:

Specialized training: Accounting firms are filled with trained and certified financial managers, many with their own fields of expertise such as non-profit organizations and regulations, family operated businesses, web-based development and accounting for small business. They have a professional duty to continuous learning and development, meaning that clients benefit from up-to-date skillsets and knowledge of financial regulations.

Accountability: Most reputable accounting firms belong to larger associations with their own rules and codes of conduct that members must adhere to. These additional rules give another layer of protection for business owners seeking accounting for small business – this ensures quality service.

Web-based technology: With the advent of cloud-based computing, accounting for small business professionals can offer real time feedback on financial matters and discover where there may be room for growth or improvement—often from across the country.

More time: Hiring a CPA or CMA accountant means that the accounting for small businesses is taken care of and owners can focus their attention where it’s needed—growing their business and remaining competitive.
In order to determine if outsourcing your accounting for small business needs will be beneficial, there are a few things to look for: How much of your time is spent looking over financial statements and invoices, is the company looking at expanding or moving into different areas, what kind of new challenges are coming up on the horizon, and is there room for improvement in efficiency?

The cliché of the tired business owner surrounded by piles of invoices and receipts late at night doesn’t need to be the reality. Outsourcing accounting for small business is a viable option that can increase a small business’s efficiency and promote a better work/life balance for small business owners and operators. Even having a trained professional come in and set up a financial system that works for the company and check in once a month can be a great investment. With the economy starting to heat up again, it is more important that ever that small business owners don’t find themselves burning out.