How much time do you spend each month on accounting tasks? Consider how much more you could grow your business if you spent that same amount of time on strategy.
As an owner-operator, you’re used to wearing every hat, from sales to HR to bookkeeping. But as your business grows, doing your own accounting is likely holding you back.
You probably feel like you’re spending more time on spreadsheets than on strategy. Worse yet, you might not even have a strong grasp on how your business is performing. These are classic signs you’ve hit a growth ceiling. Take a step back to assess your current approach and consider whether it’s supporting your business goals or holding you back.
Here are five clear indications that it’s time to move to a professional, Outsourced Accounting team.
5 Signs It’s Time to Outsource Your Accounting
#1—When you get busy, financial reporting grinds to a halt.
When you’re the one doing everything yourself, financial reporting is usually the first thing to slip. As an owner-operator, you’re the one who needs to jump in and fill in the gaps when operations get busy or an unexpected situation crops up.
Why it’s a problem: Your monthly P&L and balance sheet are more than compliance exercises. They provide a much-needed window into the health of your business. Without up-to-date financials, you can’t see trends, spot issues early, or confidently plan for the future.
Indicator it’s time to outsource accounting: You can’t consistently close the books within 30 days of month-end.
#2—You don’t have a clear view of profitability and cash flow.
You might feel like you’re constantly busy, but your bank account doesn’t show it. You might even find yourself consistently pumping your own money into the business.
Why it’s a problem: Sure, you know how much you and any other partners or employees are producing. But knowing your top-line revenue is not good enough when you’re making decisions about what to do next. In the absence of clear, timely financial information, you might find yourself paralyzed.
Indicator it’s time to outsource accounting: You’re missing opportunities to invest because you’re unsure whether you can afford it.
#3—You’re making big decisions based on your gut, not data.
This is the flip side of analysis paralysis, and we see it often. A business owner might hire a rainmaker because they “feel like the right fit” or sign a lease for a new facility without truly understanding the costs.
Why it’s a problem: Growth can be a tricky thing to navigate. Your instincts built the business, but as the stakes get higher, operating on instinct alone can lead to unwise investments. And if you think you can borrow your way out of financial distress, think again. The best time to get a loan is before you need it—not when all the indicators are pointing down.
Indicator it’s time to outsource accounting: You’re trying to grow, but without visibility into operating cash flow you can’t make confident investments.
#4—You’re focused on fixing problems after the fact, not planning for the future.
Owner-operators stuck in DIY accounting mode often miss sales and use tax or payroll tax filings—whether because they did not know about the compliance requirements, they missed a reminder, or they simply got busy and forgot. In addition to that growing stack of notices, it’s common for owner-operators to incur high costs at tax time to clean up financials that weren’t done right the first time.
Why it’s a problem: When you engage with accounting after something goes wrong, you lose the chance for strategic and cash flow planning. Instead of getting hit with a large surprise bill at tax time, you need to be planning ahead to pay quarterly estimated taxes.
Indicator it’s time to outsource accounting: Your relationship with your numbers is mostly about damage control.
#5—Everything needs your approval (and it’s slowing the business down)
See if this scenario sounds familiar: Bills pile up on your desk or in your inbox because everything waits for you to review, approve, and process.
Why it’s a problem: As a business owner, you shouldn’t be the gatekeeper for every single minute decision. Think of it this way: Time you spend answering questions about whether it’s OK to order supplies is time you could spend on revenue-generating or strategic functions, or even spending time with your loved ones.
Indicator it’s time to outsource accounting: When you’re the gatekeeper for every transaction, it creates a bottleneck that doesn’t just suck away at your time, it slows down your entire operation.
What Could You Do with Reclaimed Time and Greater Clarity?
Outsourcing isn’t about losing control, it’s about gaining the insight and capacity to take your business to the next level.
Owner-operators who outsource their accounting:
- Reclaim their nights and weekends from the spreadsheet abyss.
- Focus on high-level expansion—launching new locations, diversifying service lines, or scaling via franchises.
- Conquer bucket list projects, such as authoring a book or developing a formal mentorship program for emerging leaders.
- Maximize valuation for a future sale by presenting “due-diligence ready” financial reports that build immediate buyer confidence.
- Eliminate tax season panic by turning the annual scramble for receipts into a non-event with year-round, audit-ready books.
- Gain a financial co-pilot that can move beyond basic bookkeeping to get real-time insights into cash flow, margins, and overhead costs.
- Reduce costly human error by protecting the business from the common (and expensive) mistakes that happen when a tired founder tries to do the books at 11 PM.
- Mitigate key-person risk, ensuring the business’s financial health isn’t trapped in the owner’s head, making the operation more resilient and scalable.
So, what are you putting off? Are you ready to exit the business and shift your focus to other endeavors? Or make investments to take your business to the next level?
If you find yourself putting these things off because you don’t have a good grip on your finances, that’s a serious red flag that your current accounting systems and processes are holding you back.
Take Your Business to the Next Level
You don’t have to do everything yourself. In fact, your business will be stronger when you don’t. Copeland Buhl’s Outsourced Accounting team can become the backbone supporting your success. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to talk about how we can help you build the business and life you want.
