Day 14 – Thankful for My Bookkeeper Patti

This is part of a series called 24 Days of Thankfulness. These posts are in RANDOM order, NOT priority order. Each is something I am thankful for leading up to Thanksgiving.


DAY #14: Patti the Bookkeeper

I often joke that I’d be in jail if it weren’t for my bookkeeper, Patti.

There are so many legal and government requirements to running a business it is dizzying! You start a ministry because God gives you a calling in life… then you discover there are a zillion quarterly and annual things to file, fill out and fees to pay and a minutia of government loop-holes that if you don’t tap-dance just right… WHAM-O, fees with interest or you lose your tax exempt status or trade mark or they come ringing your door bell. Seriously!

Patti was one of the first employees I hired and as soon as cloning is figured out, I’m taking her in to be cloned. Everyone should have an employee like Patti. She is loyal and trustworthy and puts up with me through think and thin – and believe me, there has been “thin” and when we’ve in the “thick” of it, she hangs in there.

She’s also the best friend of one of my board members (Sara) so that keeps me in line too.

I know I drive her nuts, but she grins and bears it.

Her awesomeness extends beyond paying the bills – when you are a small business, everyone becomes an expert on things you never planned on being an expert at. The week after we started the IRS showed up at my door and Patti got to figure out how to get a credit in one ‘box’ that exactly equaled a debt in another ‘box’ to balance each other out so the government would be happy again. Not an easy task as it turned out! LOL She’s learned how to fix trademark issues, bank mysterious fee issues, inter-state tax issues (since I move to Colorado) and a host of other things she probably never bargained on, and never once complained or stopped smiling. As a non-profit we do an independent audit every year and Patti works patiently as the firm digs through every little piece of paper and I’m always so proud when we pass with flying colors. When you donate to Kidology you can know that we have a great steward taking care of the funds entrusted to us. She also is the one who sends all you Kidology Garage Sale folks your checks, so you should be thankful to her too!

Today is not the only day I am thankful for Patti. I don’t know what I’d do without her!

Oh, and Patti, if you are reading this, I’ll get those receipts to you soon, I promise!

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