Web URL: www.greenleafaccounting.com
Years in Business: 6
Type of Business: virtual bookkeeping
Works: 100% virtually
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/debhowardgreenleaf
Twitter ID: @dhgreenleaf

Ruth: Welcome to The Naked VA blog Deb. It’s great to have you here and be able to share more about you with the readers. Tell us about Greenleaf Accounting Services.

Deb: My primary service is providing virtual bookkeeping and accounting services to other small businesses. I have clients in the Boston area, Cleveland, Fort Lauderdale and even Anchorage, Alaska, but the majority of my clients are in the greater Washington, DC, area…putting them about six hours away from me in northwestern Pennsylvania. To keep things interesting, I also maintain a small tax preparation arm of my business with approximately 100 local clients. Lastly, I do a fair amount of QuickBooks setup, troubleshooting and tutoring for both virtual and local clients.

Ruth: So anything bookkeeping related is a perfect fit for you and your business. I'll add that you are an Enrolled Agent (EA), an IRS-licensed tax professional, and can defend clients in an IRS audit, help them deal with payroll tax problems, or get caught up with non-filed returns. Would you share what led you to consider a virtual profession and how you got started?

Deb: I got started with virtual work purely by accident. After offering some advice and tips on the IVAA (International Virtual Assistant Association) boards, I was approached by some other IVAA members for help with their clients’ QuickBooks files. From there, I picked up several referrals for virtual bookkeeping work and have never looked back! I prefer the virtual work because of the flexibility in the hours, being able to work from home when a child is sick or I just want to stay in my yoga pants all day, and the opportunity to meet interesting folks from outside my small town.

Ruth: That’s awesome how the referrals snowballed and launched your virtual presence. Along the way have you had a mentor to encourage and open doors for you?

Deb: I have not had a mentor, though I have found other virtual bookkeepers to be extremely open to sharing tips and tricks. Everyone that I have met through IVAA, VAnetworking, and various other groups seem to share a wonderful “we’re- in-this-together” attitude of sharing and mutual support.

Ruth: This industry is one of the most supportive and encouraging. If you could share some insight for someone considering a virtual career such as yours what would that be?

Deb: The best advice I could give is to be generous with your time and knowledge. If you spend some time “paying it forward” now, you’ll develop the relationships and connections that will benefit you for years to come. I’ve seen so many small non-profit agencies and churches that are desperate for some volunteers, so what better way to test out your skills, systems and processes than with a well-deserving group who needs your kind of expertise?

Ruth: Volunteering is a perfect way to give back and get your feet wet. That’s a great suggestion to find a local non-profit as they always seem to have unmet needs. What advice would you give someone seeking a virtual professional such as yourself?

Deb: I think it all boils down to a matter of trust. If you don’t have a specific referral, then start with the directories of the different professional organizations such as IVAA. Once you’ve compiled a list of potential candidates, start making calls from those reference lists! If the virtual professional is as good as she/he says, then they’ll have left a trail of happy clients behind.

Ruth: Look for those happy trails to lead you to the shining star VAs. These tips are sure to be helpful. Any last thoughts you’d like to share with our readers?

Deb: Have fun! Working as a virtual professional can be a lot of work and very tiring, so try to find people and projects that make you happy and leave you feeling fulfilled. If a client is a downer, it’s okay to let them go. If a project is going to be too much or too stressful for you, don’t accept it. Do what you love and love what you do and everything else will fall into place.

Ruth: It’s been a pleasure hosting you, Deb. Thanks so much!

If bookkeeping makes you cringe then contact Deb at her website. The peace of mind she brings to clients is a click away.
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About The Naked VA Blog
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The Naked VA is authored by Ruth Martin of Maplewood Virtual Assistance. The blog and site are focused toward virtual professionals of varying niche specialties with topics and resources for working online.