Meet Kassandra Degus one of our 2023 Top 25 Up-N-Coming ProAdvisors
Kassandra Degus
Kassandra at Boomtown Business Solutions LLC specializes in bookkeeping for solopreneurs, especially salon and studio owners.
She’s a numbers nerd and aside from being a QBO ProAdvisor, she’s a certified yoga teacher!
Kassandra is firm in her allyship with the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities they want to make sure that they know Boomtown is a safe space for them. We sat down with Kassandra to get her thoughts on being a Top 25 Up-N-Coming ProAdvisor, her journey, her path to success, and how she’s a support system for her clients.
Give us a snapshot of your business.
Boomtown Business Solutions LLC
Boomtown specializes in bookkeeping for solopreneurs, especially salon and studio owners. My goal is to empower my clients by offering gentle, comprehensive support for them and their businesses. My clients often come to me completely overwhelmed - through our work together, they become financially confident, with more time to spend on the things they love, rather than on their bookkeeping. I'm firm in my allyship to the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities and want to assure my friends in these communities that Boomtown is a safe place for them to land.
Share your personal journey in the accounting industry
I came into this industry with a plethora of personal and professional experiences - from service work in the restaurant industry to business ownership, from thousands of dollars in personal debt to owning our home and being completely debt free. The biggest challenge for me as I moved into this industry was finding trusted resources and educational opportunities - as a person who skipped college and went right to work, it was shocking how difficult it was to dive back into structured course material. I've learned that finding a cohort of friends in the industry and leaning on each other is just as important as the actual knowledge - no one can know everything, and having a circle of colleagues to go to for guidance is invaluable.
Why did you become a QuickBooks ProAdvisor?
I wanted to specialize in a software and QuickBooks is one of the oldest, most trusted brands around. Becoming certified as a ProAdvisor was a no-brainer for me, as it adds a levels of expertise and trust for my clients and lets them know that I take my work seriously.
Do you have a niche that you focus on or do you have a particular service that is key to your practice?
I work with a lot of salon and studio owners - hair salons, photographers and yoga studios specifically. I also work with folks in the pet care industry, like dog trainers and pet sitters!
What are your main goals for yourself or your business for 2024?
I'd like to double my clients in 2024. Doing that would allow me to give back to my community in a more meaningful way because I'd have the extra income to share!
Discuss any notable trends or changes you've observed in the accounting industry.
AI has obviously been the biggest game-changer in the industry in recent memory.
Share your thoughts on how these trends may impact accounting professionals.
While I don't believe that AI is even close to capable of replacing a good bookkeeper, I do see the value of it as a tool for efficiency. AI has saved me tons of time on the admin side of my business, like drafting SOPs and social media content.
Share some best practices that have contributed to the success of your firm.
Process documentation! I would be drowning in tasks if I didn't have a set of Standard Operating Procedures for myself. Every one of my clients is unique and they all require different things - I use Asana and Keeper to manage each of their projects and make sure that nothing gets left undone.
Discuss any innovative approaches or strategies that have proven effective.
It's hardly innovative since lots of folks do it, but sending my clients video updates or answers to their questions has been very well-received.
Identify common challenges that accounting firms face, and how does your firm address them?
Communication is always a challenge when you're working virtually with busy business owners. Boomtown deals with this by laying a clear foundation at the start of every engagement - I let my clients know how I typically communicate my needs and requests to them, as well as my expectations for them. I also utilize Keeper as a client portal, which allows both me and my clients to easily ask questions and get responses.
What are your insights into overcoming obstacles and adapting to industry changes?
Be flexible! Having a loose plan is always a great idea, but you need to be prepared to adapt your plan to changes in your situation
Are there any particularly rewarding client experiences or success stories?
One of my clients is a hair stylist - she started 2023 renting a chair as an independent contractor, and traveling around the area doing wedding hair for bridal parties. By the early summer, she purchased the salon she was working in and is going to finish the year with over 6 figures in sales!
How does your firm add value to clients beyond traditional accounting services?
I make myself available to my clients as a part of their support system. My clients know that they can schedule a call with me any time to discuss the challenges they're facing, even if those challenges aren't strictly bookkeeping-related. I've spent decades as a working professional and those years of experience translate easily into support for my fellow small business owners!
Get in Touch with Kassandra!
