Bookkeeping by Alli, LLC

05/27/2026

Ever had that moment where you think something is handled… and then find out it’s not?

I had a client recently who thought their sales tax for the year was all squared away.

It wasn’t.

We found out that customer payments hadn’t been recorded when they were actually received—so the reports looked right at the time, but weren’t.

By the time everything was corrected, they owed about $3,000 more than expected… plus penalties.

That’s the kind of thing that happens when bookkeeping falls behind—not because anyone did anything wrong, but because there wasn’t a system keeping up with the business.

It’s also why I’m always a little cautious when someone says, “I think everything’s fine.”

Sometimes it is.

But sometimes… it just hasn’t caught up yet.

05/19/2026

“I’ll hire you monthly when I can afford it.”

A shop owner said this to me after I helped fix their inventory.

The problem?

They didn’t actually know what they had in stock. Everything had just been getting expensed as they went.

We had to wait months for a physical count (because… running a store is a lot).

When we finally got real numbers, inventory was off by thousands compared to what last year showed.

And there wasn’t a clean way to fix it.

We just had to start fresh and accept that last year’s numbers weren’t really knowable.

That’s the part that sticks with me.

Sometimes it’s not about cleaning things up later—sometimes you lose the ability to ever know what really happened.

That’s what “I’ll deal with it later” can cost.

05/10/2026

Mother’s Day feels a little different once you’re on both sides of it.

I’m incredibly grateful for my mom—the example she set as a working mom, the way she showed up for our family, and the constant support she’s given me no matter what path I’ve taken (including starting this business). She’s simply the best.

Now, being a working mom myself, I understand it in a whole new way.

The juggle.
The responsibility.
The quiet moments where you hope you’re getting it right.

And more than anything—the *why* behind it all.

My kids—the ones who made me a mom—are the reason I do what I do. They’re behind every early morning, every late night, every step of building something of my own.

Today I’m just feeling really thankful.

For the mom who raised me.
And for the little ones who made me who I am now.

Happy Mother’s Day 🤍

05/05/2026

If your bookkeeper keeps asking you for statements… I promise we don’t love that either.

I had a client once where everything had to go through them—bank statements, loan info, check copies, all of it.

They were busy (like every business owner), so things would sit.

Which meant:
Their books were always a little behind
I was always waiting on something
And they kept getting emails from me asking for “one more thing”

Not a great experience for anyone.

Compare that to when I have access to what I need:

I can grab statements as soon as they’re ready
I can figure out most questions on my own
And instead of multiple emails… it’s usually just one

From a client perspective, it feels like things just… get handled.

That’s always the goal.

04/28/2026

“Clean books” gets thrown around a lot — but what does it actually mean?

Clean books are not:
❌ Just transactions entered
❌ A pile of uncategorized expenses
❌ Numbers you hope are right

Clean books are:
✔️ Reconciled bank and credit card accounts
✔️ Accurate balances you can explain
✔️ Clear separation between business and personal
✔️ Financial reports you can rely on

Clean books aren’t about perfection — they’re about reliability. When your numbers tell the truth, you can make decisions without second-guessing yourself.

Send a message to learn more

04/21/2026

I talk to a lot of brand-new business owners—contractors, stylists, retailers, creatives.

They’re talented. Motivated. Brave enough to go out on their own.

Here’s what I wish every one of them knew from day one:

💡 Open a separate business bank account immediately.
💡 Keep personal and business credit cards separate.
💡 Reconcile monthly—even if it’s just a few transactions.
💡 Set up sales tax correctly from the start.
💡 Pay attention to your balance sheet, not just your P&L.
💡 Get help before things get overwhelming.

Starting a business is exciting—but the admin side doesn’t magically organize itself.

A little structure early makes everything so much easier later.

Send a message to learn more

04/15/2026

Sales tax is one of those things most business owners assume is fine…

Until something forces you to really look at it.

And then it’s usually not fine.

I’ve seen situations where:
Things were set up slightly wrong from the beginning
Certain sales weren’t being taxed correctly
Or numbers looked right—but didn’t match reality

Individually, those don’t seem like a big deal.

But over time, they add up.

And the first sign is usually:
“Why do I owe more than I expected?”

That’s not a fun surprise.

Most of the time, it’s not that anything was done wrong—it’s just that no one was really watching how everything was flowing together.

Sales tax should run in the background without you thinking about it.

If it doesn’t feel that way, there’s usually a reason.

Send a message to learn more

04/14/2026

Sales tax is one of those things most business owners assume is fine…

Until something forces you to really look at it.

And then it’s usually not fine.

I’ve seen situations where:
Things were set up slightly wrong from the beginning
Certain sales weren’t being taxed correctly
Or numbers looked right—but didn’t match reality

Individually, those don’t seem like a big deal.

But over time, they add up.

And the first sign is usually:
“Why do I owe more than I expected?”

That’s not a fun surprise.

Most of the time, it’s not that anything was done wrong—it’s just that no one was really watching how everything was flowing together.

Sales tax should run in the background without you thinking about it.

If it doesn’t feel that way, there’s usually a reason.

04/06/2026

I am an Orthodox Christian. We are now entering the holiest time of the year: this is Holy Week, which culminates on April 12 in Pascha — Orthodox Easter.

This week truly is holy. There are services every single day this week, and sometimes multiple services per day, as we walk through Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection.

For Orthodox Christians, this week isn’t just symbolic. It’s immersive. It’s prayerful. It’s intense. It culminates in the radiant celebration of Pascha.

And at the very same time… we are also approaching the tax deadline.

Which means the people I feel the most compassion toward this week are the Orthodox tax preparers.

Balancing the demands of Holy Week with one of the busiest deadlines of the year is no small thing. Church services every evening. Long days at the office every day. Pascha services and celebration ending at 3 or 4 in the morning on Sunday. Trying to be present in both worlds.

So to those walking that line — good strength to you.

May your work be steady.
May your software cooperate.
May your clients be responsive.
And may you still make it to “Christ is Risen” on Pascha night.

03/31/2026

If your bookkeeping is behind right now…

Take a breath.

This is about the time of year when it starts to feel a little louder.

Tax conversations are happening.
Your accountant is asking questions.
And those uncategorized transactions you’ve been ignoring? Suddenly very noticeable.

You are not the only one.

Honestly, this is really common—especially for business owners who are busy actually doing the work day to day.

The good news?

This is fixable.

Catching up your books isn’t some huge mystery—it’s just a process. We go through what hasn’t been done, get things organized, make sure the numbers actually reflect reality, and move forward from there.

No judgment. No panic. Just getting things back on track.

And truthfully? I love this kind of work. There’s something really satisfying about taking messy, confusing numbers and turning them into something clear and usable.

If your books feel a little out of control right now, it’s not a failure—it’s just where we’re starting.

If you want help getting things cleaned up, feel free to reach out or message me.