Bethany started her business in 2014 and found FreshBooks in 2016. When she's on the road, she turns to a simple cloud accounting mobile app.
When I first started my business Bethany Leighty Designs, my accounting was purely managed on spreadsheets.
Despite my best effort to make each spreadsheet pretty and presentable, I couldn’t help but think “this is just not worth my time.”
What’s more, using spreadsheets also meant another thing: I’d need to brace for a really painful tax season. Panicked, I knew I’d have to personally hand all my documents to my accountant, reconcile information from one spreadsheet to the next and dwell on the fact that I’d have to do it all over again.
For 2 years, spreadsheets were my costly solution. That’s until I decided I needed a better way to manage my accounting—and my time.
On the Market for a Solution to Fit My Work and Lifestyle
As a web and graphic designer, I thrive on giving my clients a personalized experience in order to help tell their brand stories. So I spend a lot of time on the go, meeting them face-to-face to build those relationships. As a result, I knew I needed to find an accounting solution that I could use beyond my home office.
What’s more, I’m also a busy mom of two boys and I love the opportunity to travel, so whatever I chose had to be accessible on my mobile device.
At Last, the Search Was Over for the Perfect Cloud Accounting Solution
I found the perfect solution to better time management in FreshBooks. How? Through the FreshBooks mobile app!
In order to meet clients, be there for my sons and take the spontaneous vacation, I needed to be able to send an invoice on the road, and not have to wait until I got back to my desk.
I’m happy to say I found that in FreshBooks—a cloud accounting solution that would move with me.
But that wasn’t all.
Being a graphic designer, I really wanted a solution that was modern, clean and had the brand experience I dreamed of giving to my customers.
Honestly, aside from the mobile app, the FreshBooks aesthetic was yet another winning factor for me—I immediately felt at ease with the simple look and feel of the platform.
Today, I no longer have to worry about boring invoices and can send them from wherever, whenever!
Today, I no longer have to worry about boring invoices and can send them from wherever, whenever!
Less Time at the Desk Means More Time with Clients
Before FreshBooks, I managed all of my accounting on a spreadsheet, which meant I spent a lot of time in my home office, creating invoices, logging payments or capturing expenses.
Today, I can run most of my business from my mobile device, which just makes the administrative work a breeze! With FreshBooks, I have the ability to link my bank account, so it automatically imports my business expenses. Plus, I’m able to snap a photo of my receipt and upload it into FreshBooks from my phone.
It’s so simple and convenient—and a huge time saver!
Taking My Business to the Next Level with FreshBooks
Today, I’m a one-person operation but I envision a future where I can hire some talent as my business grows.
I love the fact that as my business scales, I can rely on FreshBooks to provide a space with the Projects feature—where I can collaborate with my team members.
Today, I can’t imagine building another spreadsheet again. Whenever I recommend FreshBooks to friends and colleagues, I always tell them that it’s the best way to get their precious time back.
I’ve been more efficient with my time than ever and, in turn, have zero worries about the upcoming tax season!
Written by Bethany Leighty, Founder, Bethany Leighty Designs
Posted on November 27, 2017