Behind The Books With Mondays Bookkeeping

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Patrice never intended to become a bookkeeper. But her eagerness to learn led her to manage the finances at the cafe she was working at - she has never looked back.

Patrice Flynn was waitressing at a friend’s cafe in Byron Bay when her eagerness to learn and natural tendency to organise led her to manage the finances of her friend’s two businesses. Each Monday, an admin day was held and of course, it was called ‘admin Monday’. At the time Patrice didn’t realise what she was doing was called bookkeeping, the pair were just doing the tasks that needed doing. Today, Mondays Bookkeeping helps businesses from all over Australia manage their finances and find new ways to grow their businesses. 

We sat down with Patrice to learn more about her story and how Monday’s Bookkeeping uses Square. 

“The mental rollercoaster of starting a business, the self doubt and everyone probably thinking I’m mad working with these businesses in Byron Bay, all from my laptop after moving back to Victoria. I never imagined it was going to get to where it is today, it was day by day for a very long time. I think this is why I have pinch-me moments when I reflect on this time, it’s easy to forget and take it all for granted. ”

SQ: Can you tell us a bit about your background and where you started your career?
P: I feel like my career only started when Mondays became something I could live off. Beforehand, I worked as a paralegal in law firms while studying law and eventually being admitted as a Solicitor in 2022. I’ve also always worked in hospitality while studying for two degrees which unintentionally led me to where I am today. 

SQ: What is Monday’s Bookkeeping in one sentence?
P: An outsourced service that helps manage the day to day financial side of a business. 

SQ: What do you think has made your business successful?
P: My partner often says to me ‘you made bookkeeping cool’. When you think of a bookkeeper you usually think of an older lady, I feel like Mondays is the opposite of that which has attracted a younger clientele. 
I’ve made a point to unscramble the terminology and explain the business more simply. In law it’s called ‘legalese’. Young business owners don’t want to work with accountants or professionals where everything is so formal and technical, which is where I come in. I’m passionate and love chatting with the business owners about how it’s all going, rather than just punching out numbers. 

SQ: You work with a lot of business owners, is there a recurring topic that comes up often?
P: No one tells you how to be a business owner. You usually get into business because you have a passion for something, you don’t usually start a business to be a business owner. You’re constantly wearing five hats, your to-do list is ever-growing, there is never enough time in the day to get everything done and you’re continually thinking for yourself but also thinking ahead for your staff & clients. It’s exhausting but oh-so rewarding.

SQ: What are your goals next year for Monday’s Bookkeeping?
P: Next year I turn thirty and it’s probably time to think about starting a family. Although it terrifies me about what that would look like, when my partner and I both own a business and both have staff that need paying, I think a goal would be to have Mondays roll on with me more in the background. It’s something we have started to implement however it would be an adjustment. 

SQ: What feature of Square do you use the most (aside from taking payments)?
P: Because of Square, we’re able to offer our clients a subscription payment method. A set and forget approach. It’s one less thing for our clients to worry about paying us and it cancels out us having to chase them. It’s such an easy approach and it’s surprising more POS systems don’t have this feature!

SQ: What feature of Square do you love the most?
P: Reports! I love the feature of “Sales Trends” where you can compare your income month to month & as well as previous years. It’s so helpful to visually see these graphs. I also love how Square is modern, clean and ever-changing.

SQ: What has been your proudest moment so far?
P: A few things: 

• When dream clients ask if we have availability to work with them.

• Being able to afford staff and hitting financial goals from a business I created from thr ground up.

• Going overseas for three weeks this year and my team covered me.

• Letting small things go. 

This article is only for educational purposes and does not constitute legal, financial or tax advice. Make sure you consult a professional regarding your unique business needs.

This article was written with the help of Emily Toone, Square Content Manager.
Photography by Samantha Kencis Photography.