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Melissa Whaley is a licensed Tax Pro, Financial Strategist, and California Momma of 3. Melissa works virtually with creative businesswomen, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs who light up over their work and freak out over their numbers.
She helps you create accounting systems that flow easily and turn those tax panic attacks into plans of attack! Her favorite things are sipping a good latte at a coffee shop with friends and exploring outdoors with her family.
Tell us about you, your family, and when you started your business.
I am a Momma of 3 busy kids. Keira is 8, Kilian is 3, and Liam just turned 1. My husband and I met in college and have been married for 9 years.
I started my business very part-time in 2012 after working in a seasonal tax office and wanting to serve clients year-round. I also really wanted to be able to work from home and have flexibility in my schedule like my mom did growing up (she started her own business when I was 2yrs old).
Tell us all about your business.
I started my business without a lot of vision, just a desire to be home more and not stay controlled by the very “corporate” company I had been working for.
As I began to work with more clients I realized that I loved helping other business owners become less scared of their numbers. My mission statement now is “I help creative entrepreneurs build financial systems that help them to make profitable decisions in businesses they love”.
I help creative entrepreneurs build financial systems that help them to make profitable decisions in businesses they love.
It’s all about embracing the numbers and becoming friends with them, instead of hiding and hoping they’ll go away. No successful business is sustainable without intimate knowledge of your numbers.
What does your typical daily schedule look like?
I’m not an early riser so the kids usually wake me up around 7:30 am and I go straight for the coffee. I try to do a few things around the house in the morning (laundry, clean, bills) unless I have an early call.
Then once the kids are settled into school work (we home school our 8-year-old), play, and nap, I will do work in the afternoons. I have the luxury of a husband who also works from home so we try to give each other 2 workdays a week where the other takes the kids out of the house.
We just started meal planning dinners for the week and it’s been so helpful. Depending on the day, I may jump back on the computer or work from my phone after the kids are in bed, but usually only during tax season.
What is the biggest obstacle you face when it comes to being a working mom running her own business?
My biggest obstacle was managing childcare when I had tasks that required my full attention, usually client meetings. I’ve had seasons where I used Grandparents and daycare. Now my husband and mother-in-law help.
I’ve come to embrace that there are seasons where you will have to outsource care of the kids … but that doesn’t mean you’re failing.
I’ve come to embrace that there are seasons where you will have to outsource care of the kids on certain days, but that doesn’t mean you’re failing. This coming year we are going to have a babysitter come to the house and play with the kids a couple of days a week while my husband and I get work done in our home office.
What is your superpower?
Taking complex concepts and breaking them down so everyone can understand them. It’s why I love teaching so much!
Give us your best time management tip!
I won’t profess to be an expert in time management because it’s an area I’m still learning a lot about. My best tip is to figure out what part of the day is your “focus zone”.
For me, it’s the middle of the day from about 11 am-3 pm. So that’s when I try to work out help with the kids so I can focus. Then there’s limited, or no, interruptions on workdays.
What do you listen/watch/read to get yourself motivated in your business?
I love podcasts because I can listen while folding laundry or driving. My top faves right now are Boss Mom and The Purposeful Home Podcast.
If I just need a boost of motivation and energy I have a playlist of upbeat encouraging songs.
On days that I’m feeling down about myself, I open my Trello board and read the testimonials that clients have sent me, to remind myself that I do have value and help people.
Tell us where we can find you and support you in your business journey!
Follow me at Melissa Whaley!
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