What I Really Mean by “One Type of Client” in a Bookkeeping Business

Why I Built My Business Around Simplicity

If you’ve ever heard me say that my bookkeeping business runs on one software, one type of client, and one service, you might have wondered what that actually means in real life.

This question actually came straight from my inbox. Someone asked me what I meant by “one type of client,” so I went back and looked at my own wording again. And honestly, I paused for a second. Because I wrote that at least a year ago, and my business has grown since then. But even with that growth, the core idea is still the same.

I still build my business around simplicity. And I don’t mean that in a vague way. I mean it very practically. That simplicity is what allows me to travel, be present for my kids, and not feel tied to work every single week. And if I’m being honest, I didn’t build it this way by accident. I built it this way because I had to.

When I started my business, I had babies at home. I was even pregnant with my third. I didn’t have unlimited time or energy. And babies are capacity eaters. They force you to get really clear on what you can actually handle.

Looking back, that was one of the biggest blessings. It pushed me to simplify everything from the beginning.

What “One Software” Looks Like Today

When I say one software, it’s not 100% one anymore, but it’s still very close.

Most of my clients are on Xero. I would say around 90 to 95 percent. The only clients I have on QuickBooks are already there, and their setup works fine, so I leave it. But I haven’t really found a situation where I would choose QuickBooks over Xero.

At this point, I don’t feel the need to convince people anymore. I used to explain it more, but now I’m kind of like, can you just trust me? It's just so much faster because I'm 1000% convicted. When someone has used both Xero and QuickBooks, it’s rare for them to say QuickBooks is better. Most will say Xero just makes more sense.

And for me, a big part of bookkeeping is giving clients data that’s meaningful to them. Sometimes that means custom reports. Sometimes it means using formulas. Sometimes it means showing both cash and accrual P&Ls with a clear explanation.

In Xero, I can do that easily. In QuickBooks, it can feel frustrating.

So when I say “one software,” what I really mean is simplifying my systems so I can work faster and better.

Why I Focus on One Service

When I say one service, that is still very true. I focus on bookkeeping. I don’t try to do everything.

Even now, with a right-hand team member working about 30 hours a week, I still protect that simplicity. There were seasons where I turned work away, especially if it required weekly tasks that would lock me into a strict schedule because that kind of cadence affects everything.

I want to be able to leave, travel, and be present for my kids. And if something needs to be done every single week, that takes away that flexibility.

So I built my business around what actually supports my life, not just what brings in work. And I truly believe this—simplifying your business is the key to making it work long-term.

What I Mean by “One Type of Client”

This is really where the idea of one type of client becomes very intentional for me. It wasn’t something I chose randomly. It came directly from what I had already seen working inside a CPA firm.

From that experience, I had already seen what creates complexity. I had worked with different types of businesses, and I knew exactly where things could get messy. I had been part of setups, tax conversations, and different kinds of business structures, so I already understood which situations made bookkeeping harder than it needed to be. One of the biggest areas where that complexity shows up is sales tax.

Sales tax itself isn’t scary to me because I do have experience with it. But it becomes complicated very quickly when you’re dealing with physical products, especially in e-commerce. When businesses are selling in different places, you have to track where they owe sales tax, and that can turn into a lot of extra work if it isn’t handled carefully from the start. It’s not just about filing a return. It’s about understanding where the business has obligations and making sure nothing gets missed.

So when I built my business, I made a very intentional decision to avoid that level of complexity in the beginning. I didn’t want to create a situation where every new client required something completely different. I wanted something simple, repeatable, and easy to manage, especially because I was building my business with very limited capacity at the time.

That’s why I focused on service-based businesses. That one decision alone removed a huge layer of complexity right away. Service-based clients are usually much more straightforward, and it makes the entire process smoother for both the client and me. And even now, while I do occasionally make exceptions, that original foundation is still there because it works.

Why I Prefer One-Owner Businesses

Another part of this approach is focusing on one-owner businesses. This wasn’t something I decided randomly, either. It came from real experience and seeing what makes bookkeeping easier and what makes it more complicated than it needs to be.

When you have one owner, everything is simpler right away. There’s one decision-maker and one point of contact, which already removes a lot of confusion. Communication is easier, questions get answered faster, and you don’t have to go back and forth between multiple people just to confirm one transaction.

And the truth is, most business owners mix personal and business spending at some point. It happens more often than people think. But when there’s only one owner, it’s easy to fix. You categorize it properly, explain what happened if needed, and move on. It doesn’t turn into a bigger issue.

When there are multiple owners, it’s very different. Suddenly, there are more rules to follow and more fairness that has to be considered. If two people own a business equally and one takes money out, the other has to take the same amount. If one person pays for something, it has to be balanced properly. It’s not just about categorizing the transaction anymore. It becomes something that needs more tracking and more explanation.

That also means more conversations, more back-and-forth, and more room for mistakes if you’re not being very careful. It’s not impossible to manage, and I’m not saying it can’t be done. It’s just more complex, especially if you’re trying to keep your business simple and manageable.

That’s why, even now, more than 80% of my clients are still single-owner businesses. That didn’t happen by accident. It’s a choice I’ve made intentionally because it keeps everything clearer, simpler, and easier to manage in the long run.

There Is Plenty of Demand in Simplicity

One of the biggest misconceptions is that narrowing your focus limits your opportunities.

But the opposite is true.

There is so much demand within this simple structure. When I look at my clients, there’s actually a lot of variety, even within this “one type of client.”

I’ve worked with coaches, marketing agencies, web designers, therapists, aestheticians, fitness businesses, and home service providers. Some even have multiple parts of their business. And there is still more demand out there.

You don’t need to go into complex industries to find clients. You don’t need to say yes to everything. There is more than enough opportunity in service-based businesses alone.

That’s why I built my bookkeeping business this way. I didn’t just react to what people wanted. I chose what I knew would work. I chose what I knew I could actually manage without burning out or feeling overwhelmed every week. And honestly, that decision is what made this business sustainable for me. It gave me space to grow, but it also gave me peace of mind because I wasn’t constantly trying to keep up with things that didn’t fit my life.

Keep It Simple and Let It Work

If you’ve been overthinking your niche or wondering who you should work with, I want you to hear this clearly.

You don’t need more options. You need more clarity.

A one type of client bookkeeping business is not about limiting yourself. It’s about creating a structure that actually supports your life.

For me, simplicity is what made everything possible. It allowed me to grow my business, support my family, and still have the freedom I wanted. And there is plenty of demand waiting for you when you choose to keep things simple.

If you want to hear me walk through this in my own words and share more real examples, I invite you to listen to the full podcast episode.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

Season 2 of Profits & Prosecco is HERE! Kick off your newest podcast addiction (or celebrate its return!) and listen to Episode 1 now: https://open.spotify.com/show/4dB0ZE8JaxqrkImm3Ifxrb 

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Want a peek behind the curtain into LIBBY, my program all about what it really takes to have a simple and scalable (and successful) bookkeeping business? Get access to my free, on-demand four-part series, 6 Secrets to a Simple, Scalable Bookkeeping Business: www.katieferro.com/6-secrets

Learn how to take your bookkeeping skills and turn them into a business that allows you to replace (or surpass) your corporate salary, be present for your life, and profoundly impact your clients without selling your life in the process by joining Life by the Books (LIBBY). 

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