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Bookkeeping Systems for Photographers - Get Setup For Financial Success
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
Choosing Your Bookkeeping System
The QuickBooks Self-Employed Warning
Setting Up for Success
The Finance Friday Routine
Action Steps for This Week:
Resources from This Episode:Free Download:
Tools Mentioned:
Additional Resources:
Key Quotes from This Episode:"All those concepts we've talked about so far – the mindset work, the strategic investments, knowing your true take-home pay – none of that works without good data. And good data comes from consistent, accurate bookkeeping.""Good bookkeeping is like having accurate maps of that financial river. It shows you where the currents are strong, where there might be obstacles, and how to navigate toward the life you actually want to create.""It's better to spend 30 minutes each week keeping your books mostly in order than to spend 10 hours in a panic at tax time trying to reconstruct a year's worth of transactions."Why This Matters:
In episode four of The Financially Focused Photographer, we're tackling something that might not sound exciting but will absolutely transform your business – setting up bookkeeping systems that actually work for creative professionals like you.
Building on our previous discussions about money mindset (Episode 1), strategic investments (Episode 2), and knowing your true take-home pay (Episode 3), today we're diving into the foundation that makes all of those concepts work: good financial data.
Because here's the thing – you can't make informed business decisions without accurate numbers. And accurate numbers come from consistent, proper bookkeeping.
Episode Highlights:The Non-Negotiable Foundation- Why completely separating business and personal finances is essential (not optional!)
- Understanding "piercing the corporate veil" and why it matters for LLCs
- How proper separation enables the Profit First system from Episode 3
- Real example: The wedding photographer who saved 5 hours monthly with proper separation
Choosing Your Bookkeeping System
- Spreadsheets: Only for absolute beginners with minimal transactions
- Wave Accounting: Free option that's a step up from spreadsheets
- QuickBooks Online: The gold standard (with a WARNING about Self-Employed)
- FreshBooks: Great for service-based businesses
- Photography CRMs: Why HoneyBook, Dubsado, etc. aren't true accounting solutions
- Professional Help: When it makes sense to outsource
The QuickBooks Self-Employed Warning
Despite its name, QuickBooks Self-Employed is NOT for small businesses! It's for gig economy workers and lacks:
- Balance sheet reporting
- Proper bank reconciliation
- Inventory tracking capabilities
- Upgrade path to QuickBooks Online
- Strategic reporting features
Setting Up for Success
- Why default chart of accounts don't work for photographers
- The importance of photography-specific income and expense categories
- How we structure accounts for our monthly clients
- Creating meaningful financial reports that actually help you make decisions
The Finance Friday Routine
- Tiffany's personal weekly system that transformed her business
- The 30-minute weekly habit that prevents 10-hour tax-time panic
- Essential weekly tasks vs. monthly deep dives
- Why consistency beats perfection every time
Action Steps for This Week:
- Audit Your Current System
- Identify what's working and what's causing frustration
- Note where the gaps are in your current process
- Choose Your Bookkeeping Solution
- Select based on your business complexity and comfort level
- Upgrade if you've outgrown your current system
- Download & Implement Our Chart of Accounts
- Get the free photographer-specific template
- Customize for your unique service offerings
- Block Your Finance Time
- Schedule a recurring 30-minute weekly appointment
- Treat it as non-negotiable client time
- Create Receipt Management
- Set up a system (digital or physical) that works for you
- Organize for easy retrieval during tax time
Resources from This Episode:Free Download:
Photographer-Specific Chart of Accounts Template
- Chart Of Account Template: The exact template we use for monthly clients
- Saves hours of setup time
- Photography-specific categories for meaningful reports
Tools Mentioned:
- Relay Financial: Free business banking with up to 20 accounts
- Wave Accounting: Free bookkeeping software
- QuickBooks Online: Comprehensive accounting solution (Get our discount if you join watch video here)
- FreshBooks: User-friendly option for creatives
Additional Resources:
- QuickBooks Online for Photographers Course: Available inside the Financially Focused Collective
- Financially Focused Photographers Facebook Group: Join our free community
Key Quotes from This Episode:"All those concepts we've talked about so far – the mindset work, the strategic investments, knowing your true take-home pay – none of that works without good data. And good data comes from consistent, accurate bookkeeping.""Good bookkeeping is like having accurate maps of that financial river. It shows you where the currents are strong, where there might be obstacles, and how to navigate toward the life you actually want to create.""It's better to spend 30 minutes each week keeping your books mostly in order than to spend 10 hours in a panic at tax time trying to reconstruct a year's worth of transactions."Why This Matters:
Good financial systems aren't just about satisfying the IRS or preparing for tax season. They're about giving you the information you need to make confident business decisions.
When you know exactly how much money is coming in, where it's going, and what's truly profitable in your business, you can focus more energy on what you love – creating beautiful images for your clients.
Think of bookkeeping as the foundation that supports everything else in your business. Without it, you're essentially operating in the dark. With it, you gain clarity, confidence, and control over your financial future.
Connect with Tiffany:📸 Join Our Free Facebook Community
📊 Full-Service Accounting: We handle everything from QuickBooks setup to tax filing specifically for photographers
Credits:- Music Composed (Intro & Outro): Joey Bastian
- Audio Production: Joey Bastian
Mentioned in this episode:
1099 Workshop
If you paid anyone for a service in your photography business, W-9s and 1099s apply — even if you paid through Venmo, PayPal, HoneyBook, cash, or check.
The W-9 / 1099 Workshop walks photographers through exactly who needs a W-9, when a 1099 is required, and how to file correctly and on time. You’ll get clear explanations, templates, and step-by-step guidance so you can stay compliant without guessing.
This workshop is built specifically for photographers who want their contractor reporting handled cleanly and confidently.
[Enroll In The W9 1099 Worskhop]
Bastian Accounting Tax Ready Bootcamp!
Tax-Ready Bootcamp is a live, five-day working bootcamp for photographers who want their finances organized and ready for tax filing — without overwhelm or guesswork. You’ll work through my photographer-specific templates in real time, with clear guidance and live Q&A, so you’re never stuck wondering what counts or what to do next.
By the end of the week, you’ll have a clean Profit & Loss statement, your vehicle and home office handled correctly, and the confidence of knowing your books are accurate, supportable, and truly tax-ready. This is structured, practical support designed to create calm, clarity, and a solid financial foundation going into tax season.
Tax Ready Bootcamp
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By Tiffany Bastian | Bastian AccountingWhat You'll Learn in This Episode:
Choosing Your Bookkeeping System
The QuickBooks Self-Employed Warning
Setting Up for Success
The Finance Friday Routine
Action Steps for This Week:
Resources from This Episode:Free Download:
Tools Mentioned:
Additional Resources:
Key Quotes from This Episode:"All those concepts we've talked about so far – the mindset work, the strategic investments, knowing your true take-home pay – none of that works without good data. And good data comes from consistent, accurate bookkeeping.""Good bookkeeping is like having accurate maps of that financial river. It shows you where the currents are strong, where there might be obstacles, and how to navigate toward the life you actually want to create.""It's better to spend 30 minutes each week keeping your books mostly in order than to spend 10 hours in a panic at tax time trying to reconstruct a year's worth of transactions."Why This Matters:
In episode four of The Financially Focused Photographer, we're tackling something that might not sound exciting but will absolutely transform your business – setting up bookkeeping systems that actually work for creative professionals like you.
Building on our previous discussions about money mindset (Episode 1), strategic investments (Episode 2), and knowing your true take-home pay (Episode 3), today we're diving into the foundation that makes all of those concepts work: good financial data.
Because here's the thing – you can't make informed business decisions without accurate numbers. And accurate numbers come from consistent, proper bookkeeping.
Episode Highlights:The Non-Negotiable Foundation- Why completely separating business and personal finances is essential (not optional!)
- Understanding "piercing the corporate veil" and why it matters for LLCs
- How proper separation enables the Profit First system from Episode 3
- Real example: The wedding photographer who saved 5 hours monthly with proper separation
Choosing Your Bookkeeping System
- Spreadsheets: Only for absolute beginners with minimal transactions
- Wave Accounting: Free option that's a step up from spreadsheets
- QuickBooks Online: The gold standard (with a WARNING about Self-Employed)
- FreshBooks: Great for service-based businesses
- Photography CRMs: Why HoneyBook, Dubsado, etc. aren't true accounting solutions
- Professional Help: When it makes sense to outsource
The QuickBooks Self-Employed Warning
Despite its name, QuickBooks Self-Employed is NOT for small businesses! It's for gig economy workers and lacks:
- Balance sheet reporting
- Proper bank reconciliation
- Inventory tracking capabilities
- Upgrade path to QuickBooks Online
- Strategic reporting features
Setting Up for Success
- Why default chart of accounts don't work for photographers
- The importance of photography-specific income and expense categories
- How we structure accounts for our monthly clients
- Creating meaningful financial reports that actually help you make decisions
The Finance Friday Routine
- Tiffany's personal weekly system that transformed her business
- The 30-minute weekly habit that prevents 10-hour tax-time panic
- Essential weekly tasks vs. monthly deep dives
- Why consistency beats perfection every time
Action Steps for This Week:
- Audit Your Current System
- Identify what's working and what's causing frustration
- Note where the gaps are in your current process
- Choose Your Bookkeeping Solution
- Select based on your business complexity and comfort level
- Upgrade if you've outgrown your current system
- Download & Implement Our Chart of Accounts
- Get the free photographer-specific template
- Customize for your unique service offerings
- Block Your Finance Time
- Schedule a recurring 30-minute weekly appointment
- Treat it as non-negotiable client time
- Create Receipt Management
- Set up a system (digital or physical) that works for you
- Organize for easy retrieval during tax time
Resources from This Episode:Free Download:
Photographer-Specific Chart of Accounts Template
- Chart Of Account Template: The exact template we use for monthly clients
- Saves hours of setup time
- Photography-specific categories for meaningful reports
Tools Mentioned:
- Relay Financial: Free business banking with up to 20 accounts
- Wave Accounting: Free bookkeeping software
- QuickBooks Online: Comprehensive accounting solution (Get our discount if you join watch video here)
- FreshBooks: User-friendly option for creatives
Additional Resources:
- QuickBooks Online for Photographers Course: Available inside the Financially Focused Collective
- Financially Focused Photographers Facebook Group: Join our free community
Key Quotes from This Episode:"All those concepts we've talked about so far – the mindset work, the strategic investments, knowing your true take-home pay – none of that works without good data. And good data comes from consistent, accurate bookkeeping.""Good bookkeeping is like having accurate maps of that financial river. It shows you where the currents are strong, where there might be obstacles, and how to navigate toward the life you actually want to create.""It's better to spend 30 minutes each week keeping your books mostly in order than to spend 10 hours in a panic at tax time trying to reconstruct a year's worth of transactions."Why This Matters:
Good financial systems aren't just about satisfying the IRS or preparing for tax season. They're about giving you the information you need to make confident business decisions.
When you know exactly how much money is coming in, where it's going, and what's truly profitable in your business, you can focus more energy on what you love – creating beautiful images for your clients.
Think of bookkeeping as the foundation that supports everything else in your business. Without it, you're essentially operating in the dark. With it, you gain clarity, confidence, and control over your financial future.
Connect with Tiffany:📸 Join Our Free Facebook Community
📊 Full-Service Accounting: We handle everything from QuickBooks setup to tax filing specifically for photographers
Credits:- Music Composed (Intro & Outro): Joey Bastian
- Audio Production: Joey Bastian
Mentioned in this episode:
1099 Workshop
If you paid anyone for a service in your photography business, W-9s and 1099s apply — even if you paid through Venmo, PayPal, HoneyBook, cash, or check.
The W-9 / 1099 Workshop walks photographers through exactly who needs a W-9, when a 1099 is required, and how to file correctly and on time. You’ll get clear explanations, templates, and step-by-step guidance so you can stay compliant without guessing.
This workshop is built specifically for photographers who want their contractor reporting handled cleanly and confidently.
[Enroll In The W9 1099 Worskhop]
Bastian Accounting Tax Ready Bootcamp!
Tax-Ready Bootcamp is a live, five-day working bootcamp for photographers who want their finances organized and ready for tax filing — without overwhelm or guesswork. You’ll work through my photographer-specific templates in real time, with clear guidance and live Q&A, so you’re never stuck wondering what counts or what to do next.
By the end of the week, you’ll have a clean Profit & Loss statement, your vehicle and home office handled correctly, and the confidence of knowing your books are accurate, supportable, and truly tax-ready. This is structured, practical support designed to create calm, clarity, and a solid financial foundation going into tax season.
Tax Ready Bootcamp