Jennifer Hernan had always wanted to launch her own practice, but having a baby in 2009 was just the catalyst she needed. Even though she loved her job at the time, she wanted to secure a future where she could work from home and be both mommy and career woman.
While she had already earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, she needed training that drilled deeper than corporate accounting and taught practical, day-to-day accounting for the small business; she needed a complete work down on how to manage a client’s accounts from scratch.
Jennifer enrolled in Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper program, the premier training course in small-business accounting that helps students manage client accounts while also teaching how to promote one’s services. She also enrolled in the Professional Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to QuickBooks, a program designed to help students master Intuit’s popular accounting software, QuickBooks, so that they can work more efficiently while generating accurate client data.
Upon completing these programs, Jennifer earned professional designations, demonstrating her new-found expertise to current and prospective clients.
Up until a few weeks ago, Jennifer had worked as a fulltime accountant with a handful of clients on the side. One of Jennifer’s clients recently offered her a contract position that will enable her to finally do what she’s always dreamed of doing: building a bigger business from home while spending more time with her daughter. In addition to the freedom of self-employment, Jennifer can now also enjoy the satisfaction of helping her clients achieve greater financial success.
Jennifer credits her accomplishment to “Determination, as well as the support from UAC staff.” She would routinely contact UAC’s master coaches for advice and encouragement, a valuable perk offered to all Universal students.
Alecia Gale was a stay-at-home mom and homeschooler, so when she became single unexpectedly, her priority was to find a job where she could work from home. Having worked as a bookkeeper before, she knew that starting her own financial practice was a likely possibility.
12 years later, and after completing Professional Bookkeeper and Tax Preparer training programs, Alecia has a thriving financial practice with 9 regular accounting clients and even more who have her do their taxes every year. She makes a full-time salary and only works 23-25 hours per week.
She explains, “My favorite thing [about having my own practice] is my ability to run my own schedule. I adjust my clients so that I’m home when my kids get home; I volunteer in their classrooms, go to their school programs, drive them to lessons and …go pick them up if they’re sick at school. I vacation when I want to, and I take every Friday off.”
Having established a successful practice, Alecia and her family are able to enjoy all the perks of self-employment, including her ability to take them on lush vacations to Disneyland, Jamaica, and Hawaii. She lives a comfortable life supporting herself and her family as a single mom.
Universal’s Training Programs Have Something for Everyone
If you’re interested in advancing your career like Jennifer and Alecia with additional training, either to secure a better job, earn a promotion or launch your own practice, visit Universal Accounting Center to sample our online training for FREE. Or see what our graduates have said about their experiences!
