Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennet Zelinsky.
Hi Jennet, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In the 2000s I had a clothing store in Calabasas. It was there as a solopreneur I recognized the unrealistic and unspoken expectation that entrepreneurs should be able to do it all. I was able to do a lot, but I was failing at doing it all. I was horrible (and still am) at marketing but I kept trying and throwing money away on my lack of expertise. Other than selling clothing, I found I was really good at keeping my books. Eventually, I closed my clothing store (I still blame my poor marketing). Sadness was inevitable but I also felt very strongly that entrepreneurs don’t have to feel as lonely as I did, and JPZ Bookkeeping, Inc. was born.
JPZ Bookkeeping, Inc. is a boutique firm that provides the financial “buddy” for business owners that either aren’t very good at doing their books and/or would rather focus on doing what they got into business to make or provide. Since 2012 my team and I have enthusiastically provided insight, strategy, peace of mind, support, shoulders to cry on, monkey on our back removal to our customers.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a smoother road than my clothing store but there are some common struggles. Hiring employees is the main one. If a business owner wants to scale, and have a personal life, they eventually have to hire help. Several years ago I hired and fired 14 people within the course of a year! I was settling for mediocre people when my standard is excellence. I took about a year off after firing the 14th one to lick my wounds and change my mindset for when I wanted to be brave enough to hire someone. I kept my standards high, and I did my due diligence to check references. A bad hire not only wastes money, but it monopolizes your time and can tarnish your reputation.
A close second is, you guessed it, marketing! Still a horrible marketer. I’ve tried a handful of companies and methods knowing that it was not worth my time to try to figure it out on my own. I was also ruthless when it came to ending an engagement when I discovered it wasn’t working for me. I’m trying something new now. Fingers crossed this is the one! 🙂
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
JPZ Bookkeeping, Inc. serves as the finance department for businesses that generate 400k to 12 million annually or pre revenue businesses who intend on being within those dollar amounts within the first year of sales. At the highest level we provide outsourced CFO services which include budgeting, forecasting, finance department organization all the way to our entry level offering: bookkeeping. Bookkeeping is where it all begins!
We treat our client’s money with the same reverence we do our own money. If we see a vendor is double charging, or you’ve had a recurring transaction on your credit card that we don’t think you’re using, we will tell you. If your goal is growth, we want to make sure you’re balancing your debt and equity with your assets so you’re leveraging the cash you have to the best of it’s ability. Within the past few months I alerted a client who had their money in a savings account that was making a paltry .1% on interest that there were accounts available making more than 4% interest. It was so rewarding to see her interest income go from 2 dollars to almost $100 in one month.
What are your plans for the future?
We are looking forward to continuing to grow with customers that are right for us and we are right for them. We don’t take just anyone. We want customers that are open to technology, want to grow and value the importance of having an expert look after their finances.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jpzbookkeeping.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpzbookkeeping/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jpzinc/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jpzbookkeeping
