Ann & Jenny own Off The Rails Quilting in Iowa and ship to all 50 states. They love all things quilting! They offer fabric, machines, accessories, block of the month, weekly lunch bunch videos, and retreats.
It’s not uncommon for clients to come to Curtis Accounting Solutions and be behind in bookkeeping and completely unorganized. The first thing we do is clean up their books.
What’s it like working with Curtis Accounting Solutions?
Ann and Jenny used to get discouraged in January and February because taxes were coming up, which caused them a lot of stress. Since working with CAS, those months are easy! They do not fear taxes like other businesses because they know it’s taken care of. “I have free time to do what I want!” says Jenny.
They also struggled with other accounting firms because they felt they talked above them and didn’t explain the numbers. CAS takes the time to ensure its clients understand the numbers and reach their goals so they can profitably grow their businesses.
Jenny and Ann love CAS's client portal. Anytime they have a question, they can ask it for a quick response. They can also see tasks that need to be completed and reports. It makes interaction seamless.
What’s been your challenge in the last quarter?
Like most industries, sales have been down. But with CAS’s help, they have been okay with sales being down. They understand our projections and how to be profitable.
They have had some shipping issues and never know when our fabric is really going to show up. They have clients that have gone out of business, so they must cancel orders. This makes budgeting a significant challenge.
However, Ann & Jenny are lucky in the craft industry because if the Christmas supplies come after Christmas, they always work ahead for the following year. So it’s still very much needed, even if it’s late.
What’s your next big project?
Their store recently lost two employees. It ended up being a good thing, but they have had to figure out how to compensate for that lost time. Because they understand the budgets and projections, they have been considering leasing some expensive equipment. A few years ago, that would have never been possible.
Understanding and knowing the numbers has had a substantial positive impact on the business.
The next big thing for Ann & Jenny is to figure out how to take time for themselves. Like most business owners, that’s a struggle. But they also know that they are better business owners when they take time for themselves.
Working with Curtis Accounting Solutions has changed the way Ann & Jenny manage their finances and ensures that they are growing their business profitably.