Portrait Mode Podcast – Show Notes

Episode: Jake Carr & Andy Herrick (Founder, Untied)Topic: Stress-Free Accounting, Business Growth & the Power of Portrait Photography

Jake Carr sits down with Andy Herrick, founder of Untied — a high-touch, relationship-driven bookkeeping and accounting firm based in Texas. They discuss building a business through referrals, hiring for culture, developing confidence as a skill, and the psychological power of professional portrait photography for entrepreneurs.

1. How Untied Was Born — Follow the MarketAndy didn't start in accounting — her background was social work. Untied grew because the market kept asking for bookkeeping help. She leaned in, went all-in, and never looked back. Sometimes the business finds you.

2. Hiring for Culture & Values, Not Just CredentialsUntied uses a rigorous multi-round interview process and partners with Spark Talent Acquisition. Andy values lived professional experience on par with formal education. Hire for core values — skills can be taught.

3. Networking Is the Whole GameUntied has never run paid ads. 100% of growth has come through referrals and community — primarily through the RTE Syndicate (founded by Andy Frisella & Ed Mylett). The network delivers clients, referral partners, and honest peer feedback that's hard to find anywhere else.

4. Confidence Is Adjustable — Treat It Like a SkillAndy did 50–100 connection calls her first year just to shake off the nerves. Her key insight: confidence is not fixed. It's learnable. Do the reps, put yourself in uncomfortable situations, and competence will build confidence — which then transfers across every domain.

5. The Portrait as a Psychological AnchorJake's core message: a current professional portrait isn't vanity — it's a tool. On your hardest days, the mirror shows you struggling. The portrait shows you who you've become. Andy has large prints in her home for exactly this reason. Update it regularly — the version of you from 10 years ago is a different person.

1. Follow demand — your next business may already be knocking
2. Hire for values — culture fit matters more than a diploma
3. Build your network before you need it — referrals beat paid ads
4. Confidence grows with reps — act before you feel ready
5. Invest in a current portrait — it rewires how you see yourself

- Untied (Accounting & Bookkeeping): untied.work | Instagram: @untied.work

• Portrait Mode Podcast: hosted by Jake Carr