 To Adventures in Small Business, a collaborative effort by the U.S. Small Business Administration Hawaii District Office, the Hawaii Small Business Development Center, the MC Center for Business and Leadership, and the Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Pacific to showcase the stories of local entrepreneurs and small businesses. I'm Colleen McLooney from the Patsy T. MC Center for Business and Leadership, and today we have Courtney Rowe from Professional Business Concept. Good morning, and thank you so much for joining us. Yes, thank you so much for having me. We're so excited to be able to showcase your small business, and we'll jump right in and have you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background before you started your business. So I'm born and raised in Hawaii, grew up in Mililani, a very proud product of Hawaii's public school system. I went on to study at UH Manoa where I got a double major in accounting and management. And then after that I was able to get my CPA license after working at Princeton Young in the Honolulu office, and then also working for my family business, Diamond Head Market and Grill. And then subsequent to all of that is when I started my own bookkeeping small business consulting company. Fantastic. Oh my gosh, that's so much. So before we get going more into professional business concepts, can you explain to me and to our audience what the difference is between a CPA and an accountant just for clarification? So in order to get the CPA designation, it's not just like an accountant can be born from studying accounting in school and maybe getting your bachelor's or even an associate's and doing the accounting work. A CPA is that special designation where you need to meet three different criteria, which is educational requirements, so it's a little bit more than the credits that you would need for a bachelor's. You also need to have work experience either at a public accounting firm or working directly under a licensed CPA. And then you also need to pass these four daunting exams. So once you get all of those three criteria met, then you become a licensed CPA. So although it's not required to have your CPA to do accounting work, it does come into play with things like taxes and when you have to sign off, knowing the tax codes and things like that. So definitely like a higher level account. Right. Okay, thank you so much for that explanation. I know that it seems pretty simplistic, but I think it's a good way for some small business startups to really understand maybe what their needs are and we'll get into that further. So let's see, let's start again with what motivated you to start your small business. So after my experience of working at the public accounting firm and then working for the family business, I kind of hit a wall, so to speak. And then I went to my mom and I was kind of talking to her about, you know, I was considering making a change into maybe the nonprofit industry, but she was actually the one who suggested and encouraged me to start my own business. She has her own bookkeeping business and she had a lot of work that she said that she could have me take on, you know, just to help me get off the ground. Oh, great. Yeah, but the funny thing with that was shortly after I started my company, I put the word out, oh, I'm doing this now and a lot of my contacts came back, you know, very quickly and I was able to build my own client portfolio and a lot of which are actually not a lot, but a few of which now are nonprofits. So it kind of came full circle. Terrific. Terrific. That's great. Congratulations with that. That's fantastic. Okay, so let's see, so can you maybe share with us some of the hardships of being an entrepreneur? Sure. So I think it's kind of a love-hate relationship because for me personally, this was the first time in my, maybe in my life that I've had so much freedom, you know, you have the freedom to make your own schedule. I could finally think about, you know, what kind of work I wanted to take on and then even outside of work, you know, what organizations do I want to join? Personally speaking, you know, how do I want to fill my schedule? So it was liberating, but at the same time I think being in the client service line of work, ultimately what I'm selling is my time and energy. So being a one-woman show and trying to manage that has definitely been a struggle. A challenge. Yeah. Oh, okay. Oh, amazing. But it seems like you've been able to meet that challenge and overcome it and run in your successful business. Yes. Oh, fantastic. Great. And then, so what are, maybe what are some of the professional challenges that you've faced since you've, I'm sorry, how long have you been in business with professional business concept? So for over two years now. Oh, okay. And so what are maybe some of the professional challenges you've faced? So I think the biggest challenge for me was because I'm in the business of helping businesses, I'm very capable of doing a lot of things on my own for my own business. So like a lot of the administrative tasks. But I think as my company has grown, it's been a struggle to keep up with all of that. And it was kind of just realizing that although I could do all of those things, that didn't necessarily mean that I needed to do all of those things on my own. So finding that help was something that was definitely a welcome change. I hired assistants. And then I also partnered with another CPA that I actually audited with previously. So she has her own bookkeeping business and then will kind of tag team with each other and help to fill, you know, any needs that the other one might have. Oh, great. So it's basically growing pains then because you, your business is growing and you're gaining consistently new clients. And so trying to realize, yes, I'm helping customers or clients, small businesses with their accounting needs, but then I also need to help my own small business as well. Yes. Yes. It's kind of like, yeah, that focus on my own work, not just everybody else's. Right. Right. So a lot of the small businesses that come that join the show and then we talk, one of the, one of the biggest adjustments that they face starting their small business is that it's a 24-7 commitment, right, rather than the nine to five or whatever. I'm sure it was more than that when you were CPA, but has that been a challenge as well? Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think the great part is that I don't have to answer to anybody. I don't have to really take care of much people. The flip side of that coin is it all falls on me. Right. So like you said, you can't just leave it at work because you are work, you know, like, especially when you work from home, then naturally your work is in your home. Yes. Yeah, but it's good and bad. It's one of those things that, although, you know, it is, it can be difficult, the benefits are definitely something that I'm glad, I'm glad that I made that change. Okay, and you mentioned that you had partnered up with another CPA, so I wanted to ask about competition. Do you feel like there's a lot of competition in the accounting bookkeeping field? Are you, it sounds like your company's growing, so you aren't having a hard time finding clients. So what's your take on competition then in your business? Yeah, so I haven't really felt the effects of competition much. Lucky for me, I think it's true when they say everybody needs an accountant. I think behind every successful business owner, there's a very capable accountant. And then just with how many small businesses there are in Hawaii, there's always someone looking for help. Fantastic. Yeah, and then specifically for me, I think I feel a niche where I don't actually offer, I only offer bookkeeping services, but I don't offer payroll services and I don't offer tax services. Okay. So what I'll do is I will partner with a tax accountant come tax time, prepare everything beforehand and then go ahead and hand that over to them. But what that means for my clients is a lower rate because a lot of times when you do go with an all-inclusive accounting firm with those larger accounting firms, they do charge a higher rate just to do everything. So I'm able to come in and then be a little bit more of an affordable option to just take care of this portion and then you can pay the higher rate for this tax portion. Right. Right. And so for your clients, do you have referrals for them then or tax accountants or for other needs that they may have that you don't provide? And then do you, I mean that they're like, you're not partnered with them but you do refer them? Yeah, yeah. It's mostly like the tax accountants that I've worked with in the past. Yeah, I'm happy to refer new clients to those same tax accountants. Oh, that's fantastic. That's great, especially for start-up small businesses that don't really have a lot of contacts in that field maybe and so they are trusting you to do their bookkeeping. Yeah. So a referral from you would be fantastic. Mm-hmm. Oh, that's great. Yeah. So let's see. I know you talked about your accounting bookkeeping services. What other services do you provide? So in addition to the accounting side, I actually have experience in graphic design. So that was something in school. I actually competed at a national level. I was very much into graphic design but that graphic design and creative side was something that I left behind when I ventured off into the world of public accounting. Mm-hmm. So that was something that I now incorporate into my business. So I offer graphic design, you know, if you have to do like a business card or any kind of print materials that naturally will come up in any business. I offer that. Okay. And then in addition to that, I also educate businesses and associations on social media marketing. So how to use social media, not just for personal use, but how to actually use it as a valuable tool for your business marketing. Oh, that's excellent. That's a great service to provide. Mm-hmm. Fantastic. So that's very two or three very diverse fields to be offering help in to be the accounting side, the bookkeeping side. And then the design side, two totally different sides of the brain. Yeah. That's fantastic. I think, you know, when I was in the audit world or the accounting world, you know, it was a lot of like, oh, I'm different than, you know, everyone else because I'm not as technical or, you know, that I'm not as focused on all of those types of accounting stuff. I do have this other side to me. Right. When I started my business, I wanted to incorporate, I guess, all of those different aspects of things that I love to do. Right. So when you say graphic design, you're talking about like the business card you said, maybe flyers or marketing for their business. Yeah. Branding. Branding. Okay, branding. Thank you. Mm-hmm. So does it also include website design? Yeah. It does include website, but I do have a lot of referrals actually because I do sit on the board of AIGA, which is the Professional Association for Creatives. So I have a whole contact list of people. Right. Yeah. Right. And then for social media, do you actually, are you actively managing some of your clients' social media then? Mm-hmm. Oh. Yeah. That's an amazing service. Yeah. Fantastic. Alrighty. So we are going to take a break now and we will come back with Courtney Rowe and professional business concepts and continue our conversation. Aloha. I'm Stan Osterman, Stan the Energy Man, every Friday here on Think Tech Hawaii. If you're really interested in finding out what's going on in energy, especially here in Hawaii, but also all the way around the world, and especially if it has to do with hydrogen, look into Stan the Energy Man every Friday, 12 o'clock, Think Tech Hawaii, either. Aloha. Aloha, everyone. I'm Christine Linders and this is Think Tech Hawaii. My show is Movement Matters and this is a show brought to you to talk about how to get rid of things like your low back pain, scoliosis, TMJ dysfunction, ankle sprains, pretty much anything that you can do with your body or hurt your body. I am here to bring to you the cutting-edge strategies that you can do right now easily on your own to help get out of pain and get back to doing what you love. Life is better when you listen to your physical therapist. Tune in Tuesdays at 11 a.m. every other week for Movement Matters. Aloha. Welcome back to Adventures in Small Business with Courtney Rowe from Professional Business Concepts. Thanks again for being on our show. So let's see. What we wanted to talk about now was did you receive any kind of assistance from any of our SBA partners via loans or counseling or any type of assistance that way? So I was lucky enough that the nature of my business has very little to no startup costs, so I didn't actually need any type of loan. Fantastic. Yeah, so and I'm also lucky enough that my mom was my mentor so because she has her own bookkeeping business she was able to not just give me technical accounting advice but also just overall business advice. Oh, okay. And then I think even I'm fortunate in that I work with so many small businesses that share their insights with me, that I'm able to see why did they do this, why did, you know, how did that pan out and for better or for worse I'm able to apply a lot of those insights for my own business. So it's almost like an indirect mentorship. Right. So you have that reciprocal relationship where you're learning from them. Yes. The pluses and the minuses, the good and the bad. Yes. Oh, but that's terrific though that you're open to that and seeing that. That's wonderful. Yeah. Well, I do want to say though that Courtney does have an affiliation with the Patsy T. McCenter for business and leadership and congratulate her as a member of the fourth cohort of our leadership alliance. She does have a little affiliation with the SBA partners. That's great. Right. So let's see. Maybe you could share with us some of the lessons you've learned or insights, the surprises that you've come along in the last couple of years as a small business owner. Yeah. So I think looking back, the lesson that I've learned overall is just like everything truly happens for a reason as cliche as that sounds. You know, from the time when I was in school and I think you could definitely call me an overachiever. I always had sports or extracurriculars going on, but that taught me a work ethic. And that work ethic was something that helped me to thrive at the public accounting firm. And then at the public accounting firm is where I learned, you know, a great accounting foundation, not just that, but to also learn the best practices amongst a variety of industries. And then not only that, but how to work in a team and not just work in a team, but how to lead a team. So that was something that I definitely took away from the public accounting. And then even working at the family business, that was something where, you know, I finally got to see the behind the scenes of how, you know, small businesses actually run and kind of those unique challenges, struggles, but also the unique motivations that small businesses have. So to get that insight, you know, coupled with everything else, that was like the greatest foundation that I could have for my business in order to help my clients be successful. Right. And I think beyond that, there was about a year after I started my business, we actually got the news that my boyfriend's brother was diagnosed with cancer. So because I had my own business going, I was able to make that decision to take time off and to be in the hospital with him and with the family, you know, in that month before he passed. And so now looking back on, you know, how priceless that time was. And then also realizing that, you know, had I been working for someone else, I don't think I would have been able to do that. So it just really like solidified for me that everything, you know, I was where exactly where I needed to be. Oh, that's excuse me. That's wonderful that you were able to be there for him and that you had the flexibility as a small business owner to do that. Yeah. Definitely. So as a, you don't actually have like a brick and mortar office that you open. Yeah. You work a lot of times remotely, probably. Yes. So the flexibility in that is extremely helpful. Yeah. So just communicating with the clients a lot of times is all you need to do, you know, just to let them know what's going on. And I have such great clients that, you know, they were able to understand, you know, what was going on. Oh, how nice for you and your family then. Mm-hmm. Oh, that's great. And then are there any, uh, any surprises that have kind of just really like shocked you or have been like, oh my gosh, really that's happening? Or that I was supposed to know that or anything like that. Yeah. I mean, I think the biggest surprise has just been, yeah, like where this business has taken me, you know? I mean, I was just trying to make a living from doing this bookkeeping stuff. But, you know, being open to new experiences, you know, I ended up focusing on the social media side of things. And, you know, the clients with that, they asked me if I could do presentations for them at their annual conference. So that kind of pushed me out of my box. But I've done that a few times now. So just, yeah, it's just surprising, I guess, where it's taken me, you know, personally in my career. Right. Oh, that's great. So where do you see yourself in the future, maybe in like the next five years? Um, so I want to continue helping whole small businesses. Mm-hmm. I am currently working on workshops to help companies with their social media marketing, things like if they're planning on starting up a business, you know, how do you set up your chart of accounts? Just basic things that, you know, I can have packaged to hand over. So that it's not totally all on me to go there and help. It makes my knowledge a little bit more accessible. Right. So you're talking about maybe a work plan or that you're going to email to them? Yeah. Or like a facilitated workshop? How are you seeing that? I want to provide materials that, you know, can be emailed and almost like a how-to, maybe a checklist. But that could also be translated into a formal workshop setting. Oh, OK. So that's still all in the works. Oh, that's exciting. Oh, and very and needed, much needed, too. Yeah. Absolutely. And then simultaneously, I'm taking inspiration from the small business owners that I work with, and I am going to try to launch my own passion project into a full-fledged business. And what's that? So it's actually a what I'm calling a date night company. So similar to how, you know, there's paint night. We're going to offer something to do every month, but something different. And the focus is going to be not just on doing something with your partner or, you know, to meet someone else, but also to focus on deeper connections. And I think, you know, in today's world, it's very transactional. And then it's just about shifting from that transactional relationship to relational relationships. So that's like my personal passion project that I'm going to try to see. Oh, my God. You have your hands in everything. Yes. Wow. And so just just for my own clarification purposes. So for your date night, is that at a certain venue? It's it's actually in person, obviously. Yes. And it's for is it specifically for couples who are already in a relationship or is it like a first date kind of a scenario? Or what is your what's your thought behind that? So the plan is to offer mixers for single people. So just like a very casual environment so that people feel comfortable to get to know each other. So obviously, you wouldn't be in a relationship for those mixers. But then the date nights are for any couples. You could be married just together. You could even be on a first date. But just you come as your couple for those date nights. And then we actually also want to incorporate girls' nights. So just for, you know, girlfriends to get together and hang out and, you know, like I said, incorporating that same deeper connection within a group of women. Right. Right. Oh, my gosh, that sounds really fun. I want to try it. Yeah. That sounds great. OK. And then would you also continue to run your accounting business or your professional business concepts? Yeah, you would. Oh, my gosh, you're going to be busy. Yes. A true entrepreneur. Yeah. Oh, that's terrific. But that's the fun of it, right? Good for you. Good for you. Thank you. So let's see, where can our viewers find professional business concept? How can they get in touch with you? So they can either email me or they can find me on Facebook. Oh, OK. Oh, and there's your logo is up on the screen. Yeah. Terrific. And then. OK. And so go ahead and just share your email. Oh, so my email is Courtney at professionalbusinessconcepts.com. Oh, and then we have one more picture. So let's show that and Courtney can speak to that. Is this somewhere that you meet with your clients? Oh, yeah. So this is actually at the client's site. So one of my clients is Kohana Distillers down in Kunia. They're a rum distillery where they grow their own sugar cane and then they make the rum straight from that sugarcane juice. Yeah. So you can see that. That's a picture of the distillery. Oh, that's nice. So do you usually go to your clients' businesses then when you meet with them? Yeah. So I work out of my home, but otherwise I'll go out and visit my clients and I'll do my work either there or remotely. Right. Right. Oh, that's so nice. Yeah. So is there anything else you want to share about your business or about the services that you offer before we sign off today? No, I think we covered a lot. Yeah. Like I said, you can contact me at my email. Yeah. Feel free to ask any other questions or any more clarification. I'd be happy to answer. All right. Terrific. So we want to thank Courtney Rowe today from Professional Business Concepts for joining us today on Adventures in Small Business. And I'd just like to once again remind everybody about the Shops Mahua'i Initiative and Shops Mahua'i is an initiative that supports Small Business Saturday, which is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. And we are here to support small businesses through educational workshops, promotions online, through our social media and also through events that we'll be holding throughout the fall to support small businesses and shopping local, shopping small. So if you're a small business, please go to ShopsMahua.com and register to become part of the Shops Mahua'i Initiative so that we can promote you and any of the events or any promotions that you're doing on our social media. All right. So thank you so much, Courtney. And I look forward to seeing everybody again next month.