Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Solt.
Hi Laura, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My story starts back in my banking days. I started as a bank teller when I was 16 years old, and I learned very quickly that in the banking world, you work with all walks of life. I dealt with customers who had businesses and had it together, and those who struggled.
In college, I stayed in banking and was at the same bank long enough to witness customers who never got a handle on their finances and ultimately had to end up closing their businesses. At one point, the bank was filled with potted plants everywhere because those were the assets repossessed by the florist who went out of business. I have many other examples like this, but the story was always the same: Really good people who never quite got a handle on the financial side of their business ultimately had to make the heart-wrenching decision to close their doors. This made an impact on me.
Fast-forward to when I got married…My husband started a tile business early on in our marriage. At that point, I had a front row seat to what it really looked like to run a small business and keep up with all of the demands, and not just the financial demands. My eyes were opened to business owners’ true needs.
It was ultimately our CPA who planted the seed that I was good at this. He kept trying to hire me year after year to come work for him. Instead of going to work for him, I decided to find a way to build my own business instead. I was ready to combine my banking experience from my high school and college days with my experience supporting a business owner at home.
I always felt called to be part of something bigger than myself. It took me some time to figure out what that feeling meant and what to do with it.
I now get to help make an impact on the clients we serve, helping them tie the goals, visions, and dreams locked in their head to something that’s actually tangibly happening. We provide the vehicle that helps clients to see and understand if they’re moving in the right direction or not. We get to dream on paper together. As the business continues to grow, we are excited to help amplify clients’ businesses so they can create a legacy and make an impact on their families and communities.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I think any entrepreneur would be lying if they said that everything went perfectly smoothly all the time. I started my business 6 months before Covid happened, and all of a sudden I found myself with clients and 3 little kids at home every moment, every day. It took a lot of grit to get through that season and to continue on.
I’ve also had a lot of learning moments, times where things didn’t go exactly as I’d hoped with clients. I had to stop and realize that we are only a true failure if we allow one bad experience or one bad moment to stop us and we never try again. I’ve tried to fail forward everywhere that I can. I use everything as a learning experience and try to address the issue and be honest with myself when something goes wrong. I pause and figure out what needs to change to prevent issues in the future. Those changes have looked like:
– better boundaries with clients
– being able to really vet who we work with
– implementing client portals for clear communication, etc.
All of those things came about because of a learning opportunity or a struggle that I faced. And those struggles have all led to positive changes in my business.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Solt Bookkeeping & Advisory ?
We are a boutique bookkeeping and advisory firm who specialize in working with clients in the construction and trades industry. We’re here to help our clients create a legacy so they can make an impact on their families and communities. We do this by aiming to understand our client’s goals and tie them to their performance so they know when they’re on or off track. We use dashboards for quick, digestible, actionable insight. By doing this, we empower construction and trades clients to make decisions that are based on data and clarity rather than gut feelings or guesses. We value being authentic, kind and cheerful. We drop the accountant speak and focus on having everyday conversations with our clients.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My best advice for those who are just starting out is to believe in yourself. Imposter syndrome likes to creep in, but that typically indicates that something is new and unfamiliar, not that you are incapable.
It is never too early to start documenting your systems and processes. Even if you have no intentions of hiring, the natural business cycle typically leads you to at least bring on some form of help. Having your systems and processes documented makes it easier to bring on help when it’s time to pull the trigger.
Find your people and build community. Entrepreneurship can be very lonely. Many people don’t choose this path, so find a trusted community that you can go to on your good days and hard days. They will keep you going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.laurasolt.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoltBookkeepingAdvisory
