FINSYNC + CO.STARTERS + AI Tools: A New Roadmap to Go from Business Dreams to Financial Success

Turning an idea into a thriving business is no small feat for many entrepreneurs. It’s a journey that involves countless steps, from refining a business model to managing finances efficiently and knowing when to make strategic upgrades to your already established company. Recognizing these challenges, FINSYNC has recently streamlined its approach to supporting entrepreneurs more effectively at every stage of their journey.

 

Entrepreneurs with a Business Idea 

Starting a business often begins with a dream or a vision, but turning that vision into a sustainable venture requires clear direction and the proper support. That’s where FINSYNC steps in—providing a guided pathway for businesses to grow and succeed.

Entrepreneurs can bring their ideas to life with FINSYNC’s AI-powered tools and the CO.STARTERS program, where community leaders provide expert guidance and resources to help you get started and succeed.


1. Start with your business plan: Use our AI Assistant, The CO.STARTERS Canvas, to transform your idea into a clear, actionable business plan customized to your vision and goals. By answering a series of questions, entrepreneurs can create a clear and concise plan that outlines their vision, goals, and strategies.

Start Your Business Plan with AI-Powered Tools

2. Once your CO.STARTERS Canvas business plan is complete: Connect with a local accelerator and get matched with an expert who will help you refine your strategy and grow your business.

Get Matched with an Expert

 

Entrepreneurs Looking to Grow

If you already have an established business, you will want to leverage software solutions and local financial services to simplify your operation with FINSYC’s all-in-one business platform. Software that syncs with your bank will ultimately help you build a thriving business in less time.

• Streamline Cash Flow Management, Accounting, and Payroll: Manage cash flow, automate accounting, and process payroll effortlessly—all from one platform integrated with your local bank or credit union.

• Gain Insights and Optimize Your Business: Access detailed reports and insights to help you make informed financial decisions and improve your business operations. 

Get Started Today

 

Why FINSYNC: More Time For The Moments That Matter

With seamless connections to local financial institutions and AI-powered insights, FINSYNC not only helps you achieve business success but also gives you back valuable time. Time that entrepreneurs can reinvest in their businesses or spend on the personal moments that matter most.

Tailored to Your Stage: Whether you’re just starting or looking to optimize your growing business, FINSYNC’s platform adapts to your needs with personalized tools and expert support.

Affordable Pricing, Amazing Difference: Transform traditional business banking into an all-in-one platform with the software and local services essential for success.

Community and Support: Join a community of entrepreneurs and local professionals committed to helping you succeed at every stage of your journey.

 

How To Reduce Small Business Costs with AI

As a business owner, you will be familiar with the many costs of running your operation. These include office space rent or mortgage, staff salaries, day-to-day operations, or marketing expenses.

 

While you may be unable to eliminate these expenses, AI can help you reduce costs across these areas through automation and optimization. 

 

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, leverages technology to efficiently address challenges that traditionally require human insight and decision-making. If you have used tools like ChatGPT or Microsoft CoPilot, you have likely seen firsthand how AI can positively influence your business.

 

Streamlining Marketing and Sales Through AI

 

Keeping up with the latest trends, crafting compelling ad copy, and selecting the right visuals for a single social post can be time-consuming. AI can simplify your workflow, giving you more time to focus on the creative stuff you love. 

 

AI could be used for things like helping content marketers create outlines, humanize AI text, overcome writer’s block, or write advertising copy that will best resonate with a target audience. With the right prompts, you can have these tools create ad copies as well.

 

For visual content, tools like DALL-E 3 and Upscale Pro can generate and enhance the quality of images for your marketing assets. While basic versions of these tools are free, even the paid versions are often more cost-effective than hiring an agency.

 

It’s important to remember that while AI can create, it can’t yet analyze results or iterate on them like a human team can. However, we’re getting closer to that reality.

 

AI also boosts productivity in sales operations. Various AI tools can transcribe meeting notes, schedule appointments, use sales bots to handle inbound queries, and even create personalized outreach scripts.

 

Optimizing Office Space

 

AI-powered design tools can assess your space and offer suggested layouts that will improve comfort and efficiency. This can save you both money and the hassle of working with an expensive interior design firm.

 

These tools consider your industry, company culture, and aesthetic preferences, offering color schemes and accessories that match your vibe, all at a fraction of the cost. Plus, you can see a 3D preview of your office before making any changes.

 

Tools like RoomGPT and ArchitectGPT allow you to input details about your space and vision, rendering a visual of your dream office. In the end, you have a workspace that is both functional and fabulous.

 

AI can also help you cut down on energy costs by analyzing your lighting and climate control systems, suggesting adjustments that reduce consumption without compromising comfort, a win for both your budget and the environment.

 

Software Tools

 

Every industry has software tools that help make things run smoother. With new AI software tools, your team can get things done faster, send business proposals, and track their KPIs with ease. Instead of spending hours learning a new feature, you can simply ask the software to handle it. 

 

Plus, with AI handling some heavy lifting, your employees can spend more time on strategic work instead of getting bogged down in the nitty-gritty details.

 

Improving Customer Service

 

With AI-powered tools, businesses can automate routine tasks and streamline workflows, saving time and cutting costs. According to a Zendesk report, many companies believe AI can help create those warm, human-like interactions that build customer loyalty.

 

For instance, free AI chatbots can handle basic inquiries around the clock, meaning customers get help whenever needed. AI voice bots can interpret customer requests and deliver responses in a natural, human-like manner. This technology improves the customer experience.

 

AI systems also reduce the need for a large customer service team, allowing agents to focus on more meaningful tasks. This even enhances customer service applications by helping agents personalize their approach based on customer feedback and satisfaction tools.

 

Predictive Maintenance and Inventory Management

 

For small business owners, equipment breakdowns can be a costly nightmare. AI models, built on thousands of past scenarios, can analyze data from your machines to predict when they might fail. This fully extends the life of your equipment and saves you money on unexpected repairs.

 

AI tools are also ideal for Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory management. They can analyze sales patterns, seasonality, and customer behavior to determine the optimal stock levels, helping you avoid overstocking or stockouts.

 

Cost-Effective Compliance and Security

 

Regulatory compliance can be a significant expense for small businesses, but AI can ease the burden. By automating data collection and reporting, AI simplifies the compliance process, reducing the need for manual monitoring and labor costs. You’ll spend less time on paperwork and more time growing your business.

 

Tools like Sprinto and Compliance.ai offer fully automated security compliance solutions. Additionally, AI enhances security by monitoring your network and devices for unusual activity.

 

Some studies suggest that AI in project management could reduce business costs by as much as 50%.

 

Wrapping Up

 

Utilizing AI as a small business owner helps you get ahead of the future and compete in today’s market. AI offers innovative ways to cut costs and improve profits, making now the perfect time to harness its power.

 

About FINSYNC

 

FINSYNC is a leading financial technology company dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs through an all-in-one platform that manages banking, payments, cash flow, payroll, accounting, and more. Through its CO.STARTERS Program, FINSYNC is committed to building stronger communities by empowering entrepreneurs with the tools, resources, and networks they need to succeed. For more information, visit FINSYNC.com.

Spotlight on Small Business Owners: LM Frame & Gallery’s Christophe Choquart

Christophe Choquart followed his passion for art and opened LM Frame & Gallery in July of 2020 in Marietta, GA. We had the opportunity to interview him and learn more about his journey and how FINSYNC has helped him along the way.

 

Tell me about your company and what inspired you to start

 

I have been a collector of art for a while, and I’ve always had the idea of opening a gallery where I could display Australian art. I ended up having the opportunity to purchase my gallery in July of 2020, right in the middle of COVID. When I saw that the business that was previously located here was going to close, I decided to follow my passion and open LM Frame & Gallery. I was looking to diversify and create an ecosystem with an art shop that could be a one-stop shop for art and framing.

 

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as a small business owner?

 

There have been many challenges! Due to COVID, we’ve experienced supply chain issues. It has been challenging to keep up with inventory and inflation. As a small business owner, there are always things that need to be fixed. You’re accountable for every single mistake while keeping everyone happy and managing your team. Sometimes, there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done.

 

What’s the best thing about being a small business owner?

 

Following my passion and making clients happy. To me, the greatest thing is working around art and helping people enhance their art with custom frames.

 

What prompted you to start using FINSYNC?

 

I had the opportunity to work with FINSYNC software at my previous job. I wanted to have a tool that would be a one-stop shop where I could pay my suppliers, do my payroll, monitor my P&L, check my bank information, and get bookkeeping help. FINSYNC has allowed me to have a clear understanding of my business and where I was heading.

 

What financial institutions do you have connected to FINSYNC?

 

I have Chase Bank, which is my main operating bank.

 

How does having FINSYNC connected to the accounts mentioned above make your business life easier?

 

I can very quickly categorize my spending. I have quick access to view my P&L, monitor cash flow, and make decisions based on cash flow scenarios. Having my accounts connected has helped me manage my cash flow and bookkeeping.

 

What are the biggest benefits your business has experienced using FINSYNC?

 

FINSYNC has allowed me to free up time to focus on running my business. I can go in at any time and see what is coming in and out. It’s such a productive tool that allows me to stay on top of my cash flow without spending too much time worrying about financials.

 

What advice do you have for those who are thinking about owning their own business?

 

It’s important to have enough money saved up to go through the beginning stages of starting a business. Make sure you have the cash to support your initial investment until your business is profitable.

 

Anything else you would like to share with other potential and actual small business owners?

 

If you are looking for an accounting plus cash flow management tool, you should try FINSYNC. The customer service is great, and they offer so many resources for your small business, such as financing. In my opinion, when looking for a tool, you need something user-friendly that’s really going to let you know what’s working and what’s not. Numbers tell a big story, and it’s better to have one tool like FINSYNC that helps you understand and move your business forward.

 

How FINSYNC Can Help

 

FINSYNC allows you to run your business on One Platform. You can send and receive payments, process payroll, automate accounting, and manage cash flow. To learn more about how we can help your business start, scale, and succeed, contact us today.

 

Top Reasons Why You Should Consider FINSYNC for Managing Your Business Finances

As a small business owner, you know the importance of cash flow management. You’re familiar with all the different factors that affect cash flow, such as demand, seasonality, and expenses. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or confused with all of the numbers, it may be time to consider a tool to help with your accounting and cash flow management.

 

In this blog post, we’ll discuss FINSYNC’S all-in-one solution and how it’s helped various small businesses across the U.S. centralize control of cash flow while getting all their finances in sync.

 

Scale as You Grow

 

FINSYNC offers plans for all business stages. If you’re just starting your business, you can start by learning how FINSYNC is revolutionizing payments. It only takes 24 hours or less to get up and running. With this plan, you’ll be able to set up business payments via ACH, credit card, and be able to issue checks remotely, and receive them through your own lockbox.

 

As your business continues to grow and other needs arise, you’re able to add more features such as payroll, accounting, or cash flow management. These features are available individually or as a Complete Solution for only $95 a month plus processing fees.

 

Save Time & Money

 

Managing your back-office without software means spending hours on tedious tasks such as time tracking, bank reconciliations, and scheduling. Automating these tasks with FINSYNC allows you to save time, work more efficiently, and focus on growing your business. In addition, understanding your current and future cash flow allows you to make better decisions that benefit your business.

 

Here are a few of our customer’s favorite features:

 

• Ability to manage your invoices and customer receipts in the same interface as your bill pay and vendor payments.

• Access to a full calendar view of all payments coming in and out of your accounts

• View all your bank accounts in one place. No more having to import data from multiple sources.

 

 

Ongoing Customer Support

 

Our customer support team is ready to help you from the moment you sign up for a free trial. Once you’ve signed up, a dedicated team member will contact you to provide assistance and walk you through the setup process. Rest assured that your questions are always answered by real humans. Say goodbye to long wait times or unanswered messages. Our team is available via chat, email, or phone.

 

Other Features Available

 

In addition to our payments, payroll, accounting, and cash flow management offerings, we’ve partnered with several service providers.

 

• Get matched with certified professional accountants and bookkeepers. Services start for as low as $20 an hour.

• Find capital for your business. Applying for financing has never been easier. Our application takes less than 5 minutes to complete. Apply once and get the best financing options to grow your business.

 

Are you ready to see how FINSYNC can transform your business? We’re happy to offer all customers a 7-day free trial of any of our plans. No credit card is required to sign up.

 

How FINSYNC Can Help

 

FINSYNC allows you to run your business on One Platform. You can send and receive payments, process payroll, automate accounting, and manage cash flow. To learn more about how we can help your business start, scale, and succeed, contact us today.

Top 5 Financial Tips for All Small Business Owners

Whether you are a small business owner or a large conglomerate, properly managing your finances is a must for any healthy business. Having full control of your finances prepares your business to stay afloat during bad times and propel it forward during the good times.

You should familiarize yourself with the following proven financial tips for small business owners that can help you to be more successful in your business.

Set a Budget

Budgeting allows you to stay goal-focused. It lets you know how much you can spend, your exact spending, and on what items. Setting a realistic budget allows you to cut down on unnecessary expenses and estimate what your profit will be at the end of each period.

Before setting your budget, it’s important to familiarize yourself with certain financials from your business such as:

Keep Personal and Business Finances Separate

As a rule of thumb, never mix your personal finances with business funds. Mingling the two can mean you may not be able to differentiate the business assets from personal ones and find it harder to reconcile the financial records.

You’ll also lose the liability protection afforded by an LLC if you commingle business and personal transactions.

Always have a separate bank account for your business. If you don’t know where to get started with selecting a bank, we’ve created a round-up of all the factors you should consider when picking the best bank for your business needs.

Analyze Your Cash Flow

Always keep track of how much money is going in and out of your business at all times. This allows you to plan in advance. By planning in advance, you’ll be able to create a better budget for things such as new raw materials, employee wages, or to build a cash reserve for a rainy day.

Most business owners claim that their business struggles with cash flow. In most cases, the root of cash flow management issues begins with not properly forecasting or projecting the cash going in and out of your business. If you find yourself struggling to manage your cash flow month after month, it may be time to consider accounting software so you are able to:

    • Connect all bank accounts and credit card accounts in one place
    • Have all payments in and out on the same platform
    • View a calendar view of every payment coming in or going out

Don’t Be Afraid to Seek Professional Help

Often, small business owners struggle to keep up with accounting and bookkeeper requirements. They either end up spending more than needed or neglecting it due to time constraints. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, it may be time to consider hiring a qualified professional to do the heavy-lifting for you.

Remember to revisit these financial tips to take your business to the next level.

 

Using FINSYNC’s state-of-the-art accounting software will help you stay on top of your finances.

Importance of Diversity in the Workplace

Diversity in the workplace contributes immensely to not only the success of the organization but also the overall national economy. As the world continues to become more ethnically diverse, there is growing pressure on companies worldwide to reflect that diversity through their hiring practices.

Assembling the right mix of employees on your team can be quite rewarding and challenging at the same time. In this blog post, we have rounded up some crucial tips for managing diversity in your workplace and building a positive environment.

Increased Exposure to Different Perspectives

Diverse cultural backgrounds mean willingness and openness to different learning styles, opinions, and different means of problem-solving. New perspectives help your organization to appeal to a broader customer base, solve different types of problems and open up possibilities in other ways.

Choose Inclusion

As you inch closer towards becoming a more diverse organization, do a deep dive into your existing workforce practices. An effective diversity management process requires amending system-wide existing policies and creating new ones for recruitment, performance evaluations, and promotions.

Prioritize Sensitivity Training

Instead of resorting to damage control in times of crisis, consider investing in sensitivity training to prevent a problematic situation from arising. There may be some resistance from older employees. However, sensitivity training for managers and employees can add more value to your organization. For example, awareness among managers and employees helps create a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment.

Invest in More Than Just Hiring Practices

While weaving inclusion into the fundamentals of your recruitment process can be very impactful, don’t simply stop here. Confirming that all your personnel policies represent the company’s commitment to diversity will give employees a sense of connectedness to the company.

Building a diverse organization involves an undying commitment. The companies who succeed will find themselves ahead of the curve and reap the benefits in the long run.

Offering Health Insurance as a Small Business

Small businesses have become more prevalent than ever. With more and more people starting their own business, a common question that arises is whether your company should provide health insurance.

 

Is Your Small Business Required to Provide Health Insurance?

 

Under The Affordable Care Act (ACA), small businesses with less than 50 employees are not required to provide health insurance to their employees. This means that your company will not face a tax penalty for not providing insurance.

 

However, if you decide to offer your employees health insurance, you may qualify for a “Small Business Health Care Tax Credit.” There are a few requirements in order to receive this credit, such as:

 

• The company should have less than 25 full-time employees

• The average salary of workers should be lower than $50,600 per year

• The company should pay at least 50% of the cost of an employee’s health insurance premium

 

We recommend reviewing the IRS website for the most up-to-date information regarding the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, as it may change from time to time.

 

Why You Should Consider Offering Health Insurance

 

Improved Hiring and Retention

A major benefit of being employed is the health insurance that comes with it. Without health insurance, the out-of-pocket expenses for an individual can get very hefty in no time. In fact, many employees would choose health benefits over retirement benefits if only one were offered. Without a doubt, offering health insurance improves employee retention rates.

 

There are several different health plan options to choose from depending on desired coverage and cost. A great starting point to research health insurance providers. You can also access a huge network by visiting healthcare.gov.

 

Lower Payroll Taxes

The financial advantage of providing health insurance through your small business is the tax benefits. Typically, pre-tax dollars pay for health insurance. This means your taxable income decreases. A lower taxable income results in lower business payroll taxes and lower income taxes for employees.

 

Healthier Employees

A healthier workforce results in increased productivity. In fact, striving for a healthy workforce proves to your employees that you care about their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. When your employees know that they are covered, they have less mental fatigue and can live their lives without worries.

 

Many health insurance companies offer additional well-being programs to employees at no additional charge. These programs are designed to promote health and fitness. The programs reward your employees by offering discounts or even cash rewards for participating in health challenges and similar programs.

 

Deciding on health insurance options is a big decision for any company. The most important step is to research which coverage is best for your company and employees.

 

How FINSYNC Can Help

 

FINSYNC allows you to run your business on One Platform. You can send and receive payments, process payroll, automate accounting, and manage cash flow. To learn more about how we can help your business start, scale, and succeed, contact us today.

 

The Most Common Bookkeeping Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Small businesses are extremely important. They provide employment to boost the local economy, which creates tremendous value. In order for businesses to reach optimal growth, they must monitor their financial transactions carefully, which is why having a bookkeeper can set a business up for success.

 

Bookkeeping activity can help businesses by overseeing their daily financial transactions while they are recorded in the general ledger. Consistent bookkeeping helps in financial tracking and in the preparation of accounting statements.

 

However, most small businesses struggle with bookkeeping due to time and resource constraints. Without proper or professional guidance, many small businesses commit bookkeeping mistakes that turn out to be costly. Next, we’ll identify some of these common mistakes and learn tips to avoid them.

 

Failure to Keep Receipts

 

Many bookkeepers fail to classify and file relevant receipts associated with transactions. This happens mainly in the case of small-value transactions, for example, food receipts. A proper record of them is necessary for proof of expenses. Especially in the case of an audit, having receipts is crucial.

 

To avoid this, it is advisable to keep a special folder for filing these receipts. Also, make sure to train your bookkeeping staff about the importance of recording every transaction for long-term use.

 

Wrong Category Entries

 

Bookkeeping involves the categorization of every transaction in a suitable account within your financial statements. These accounts are typically numbered. This categorization will be a great help for your accountant in analysis while preparing financial documents.

 

If your organization doesn’t have a proper chart of accounts, it can confuse the bookkeeper. For example, common mistakes include using the wrong expense account. The primary solution to this mistake is to have a solid chart of accounts based on your organization’s business activity prepared for you and train on it.

 

When you come across a transaction that you don’t know how to categorize, put it in a special account for review. “Ask My Accountant,” or sometimes this account is referred to as a suspense account. Inquiring from the proper channels will prevent guesswork.

 

Lack of Data Backup

 

Today, we live in a digital world. It is always good to digitize your bookkeeping activities using accounting software.

 

It’s recommended to make sure to have a backup option in the form of paper printouts or a second cloud storage device where copies can be stored. A lack of such backup might cause you trouble in the case of any technical failure or data loss. For example, the practice of taking daily transaction printouts from your software will be helpful in case your online backup collapses.

 

Reconciliation with Bank Statements

 

Human data entry errors are inevitable during bookkeeping. Errors such as entry reversal (credit/debit), wrong transaction value, typos, etc. are very common. The only way to rectify this is by cross-checking entries with your bank accounts. For example, an income of $300.00 wrongly entered as $30000 can adversely affect your entire understanding of your business’s health. Make it a habit to reconcile your bank accounts as soon as new bank statements become available.

 

Bookkeeping activity is crucial for navigating your business successfully. Give it the priority it deserves, and don’t forget to provide adequate training for your personnel.

 

How FINSYNC Can Help

 

FINSYNC allows you to run your business on One Platform. You can send and receive payments, process payroll, automate accounting, and manage cash flow. To learn more about how we can help your business start, scale, and succeed, contact us today.

Spotlight on Small Business Owners: Chunogly Productions, Bridget Chun

We had the opportunity to interview Bridget Chun of Chunogly Productions. Bridget wears several hats, including managing her own business, being a podcaster for Romance at a Glance, and mother of two children, to name a few. Read about her journey as a small business owner and how FINSYNC has helped her simplify cash flow management.

 

Tell Me About Your Company and What Inspired You to Start

 

I have been working as a freelancer in the entertainment and digital space for over 6 years. In the past, I mostly worked 1099 jobs due to being in the creative industry. I still wanted to have the flexibility and not take on the traditional W2 job. I started my company, Chunogly Productions, in 2016. My company consists of writing and consulting in the digital podcasting space.

 

What Are Some of the Challenges You’ve Faced as a Small Business Owner?

 

One of the largest challenges I’ve faced is learning how to manage cash flow properly. Part of the reason I chose FINSYNC for my small business is how easy it is to track profitability, invoices, and projects and maintain all the financial aspects. As a result, I have been able to continue focusing on writing, consulting, and working closely with my clients.

 

Navigating through the pandemic has also been challenging. A lot of my clients paused their projects from March until October. This was a huge problem not only for me but for every small business owner.

 

What’s the Best Thing About Being a Small Business Owner?

 

Flexibility! I am a mother of two children. I have a three and a half-year-old and a one and a half-year-old. Having my own business has allowed me to spend significantly more time with my children than I would have if I were working full-time. I was fortunate enough to have been able to take off six months after having my baby. I was able to keep paying myself because I had a reserve of money. My clients have been extremely understanding during those times.

 

What Prompted You to Start Using FINSYNC?

 

My company was starting to earn more revenue from different places. I found myself needing to move from using spreadsheets to an actual system, and I was looking around at all the different options. All of the traditional accounting software systems did not seem intuitive enough for me since I am a very visual person. While I was searching and comparing different plans, I came across FINSYNC. After testing out the 7-day free trial, I found it very easy to use and decided that this was the best route for my business.

 

How Does Having FINSYNC Connected to the Accounts Mentioned Above Make Your Business Life Easier?

 

Having my Chase accounts connected to FINSYNC makes my life significantly easier! It is especially convenient for my accountants when they do my deductibles or while figuring out how much we spend and what we spend it on. For example, categorizing everything and knowing exactly how much equipment or website fees we spend on a project is great.

 

What Are the Biggest Benefits Your Business Has Experienced Using FINSYNC?

 

Being able to get a very quick and clear picture of how much cash I have coming in or how much cash I have already promised to go out. The reporting feature allows me to pull up all kinds of different information as well. Another great feature is having the ability to send out reminders for my clients if they haven’t paid on time by implementing invoice financing.

 

What Advice Do You Have for Those Who Are Thinking About Owning Their Own Business?

 

Don’t be afraid to pivot or market yourself in a different way if your original plan is not working out as expected. Oftentimes, we have a whole plan of how we would like things to work out, but it’s okay to change your mind or figure out different ways to obtain your goals. Something else I’d recommend is to spend money on advertising your business.

 

How FINSYNC Can Help

 

There are three primary ways FINSYNC helps business owners. (1) CO.STARTERS courses through FINSYNC can help turn your business idea or side hustle into a thriving business. (2) You can apply for a business bank account on our website. (3) FINSYNCs software allows you to run your business on One Platform – invoice customers, pay bills, process payroll, automate accounting, and manage cash flow. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business start, scale, and succeed.

Spotlight on Small Business Owners: SOLV Maintenance’s Asaneth French

Asaneth French started her company, SOLV Maintenance and Repair, on March 14th, 2020. We had the opportunity to interview her and learn more about her journey. She shared with us how she’s managed to run her business amidst a pandemic and some general advice for other people thinking about starting a small business.

 

Tell Me About Your Company and What Inspired You to Start

 

We are a maintenance and repair company, and we cater to three demographics: residential, multifamily communities, and commercial. We do anything from installing light fixtures to minor remodeling and plumbing. Typically, we are placed in the handyman category, but I feel that we’re a little more than that.

 

My husband and I are co-owners, and we both have over 16 years of experience in the apartment industry. Previously, I was an apartment manager, and he was the lead maintenance supervisor. We knew a lot about budgeting why it’s important to repair something rather than replace it, and how to deal with vendors.

 

Our goal was for our business to be different. We wanted to offer repair before replacement and emphasize that we do everything we can to repair and keep the cost and budget down. I want to make sure people, especially in our community, are taken care of.

 

What Are Some of the Challenges You’ve Faced as a Small Business Owner?

 

Our company launched on March 14th, 2020. It was literally the week when everything shut down due to the Coronavirus. Besides the initial launch of a business in the midst of a pandemic struggle, it’s been very challenging to compete with larger commercial companies that have a multi-fleet fleet. My husband and I have only one work truck.

 

Establishing rapport without compromising our quality has been very challenging because they just see us as a handy service, but we provide the same services that commercial companies do.

 

What’s the Best Thing About Being a Small Business Owner?

 

One thing is that we’re able to accommodate the schedule of our customers because they range from residential to commercial. We can cater to that, personalizing our relationship with them, really getting to know them. I think the personalization of a small business has been awesome for me. That’s why I like what I do. I like to make sure we’re servicing our customers the way they need to be serviced.

 

What Prompted You to Start Using FINSYNC?

 

When I initially set up my account with Randolph-Books Federal Credit Union, they sent me a link, and they asked me if I wanted more information on services such as payroll and bookkeeping and all, and I said yes. Once I received the information, I visited FINSYNC’s website and saw which services were offered. The convenience of having my bank and everything in one was just awesome.

 

How Does Having FINSYNC Connected to the Accounts Mentioned Above Make Your Business Life Easier?

 

I am very thankful for the discount we received due to the partnership with Randolf-Brooks FCU. It’s awesome for my small business. I’ve never had an issue when I have to sync my account or with the transition between my bank. So far, it has been flawless. It’s very convenient to be able to log in and have all of my information there in one place.

 

What Are the Biggest Benefits Your Business Has Experienced Using FINSYNC?

 

Thanks to FINSYNC, I can offer my customers the option to pay with a credit card. This has been awesome. FINSYNC is also very user-friendly and saves me time. I know what I am doing, and it’s easy to find what I am looking for. If I ever run into any issues, I go to the chat option or send an email, and someone immediately answers. I’ve never had to wait more than 24 hours to get a response.

 

What Advice Do You Have for Those Who Are Thinking About Owning Their own Business?

 

The first year is always going to be hard. You have to put in elbow grease in order to achieve your goals. In my industry, I am literally climbing ladders and painting windows. So, if you have that willingness to labor for your own business, you’ll eventually reap what you’re selling. Just hang in there!

 

How FINSYNC Can Help

 

FINSYNC allows you to run your business on One Platform. You can send and receive payments, process payroll, automate accounting, and manage cash flow. To learn more about how we can help your business start, scale, and succeed, contact us today.

Apply For Business
Checking Account

Before you get started

1

We are not able to service these businesses at the moment:

  • Crypto Currency and Money Services
  • Privately Owned ATMs
  • Marijuana-Related
  • Gambling
  • Money Services Business
  • Business headquartered outside of the U.S.
2

At this time we are offering online business checking accounts through bank partners in these states:

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Idaho
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oregon
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Washington

Is your business in one of these states?