One Year of Outgrow Accounting & Finance. One Year of Betting on Myself.

On November 7, 2025, I officially started Outgrow Accounting & Finance. As we celebrate our first anniversary, I find myself reflecting on everything this past year has brought.

Today, we celebrate one year.

If you had told me a year ago what this little company would become in just 12 months, I’m not sure I would have believed you.

The Decision to Walk Away and Build Something New

After spending years in corporate finance and executive leadership, helping build and lead companies generating $30–$40 million in revenue, I found myself at a crossroads.

During my final year in the corporate world, I was traveling approximately 75% of the time.

That meant missing soccer games, moments with my kids, time with my husband, and, somewhere along the way, pieces of my own life.

I’d worked incredibly hard for the career I had built and was proud of everything I’d accomplished. However, I began questioning what that success was costing me.

The sacrifices I was making no longer aligned with who I wanted to be, not just professionally, but as a wife, mother, and person.

Eventually, I made a decision.

Walking away from the security of corporate leadership meant giving up a guaranteed paycheck to build something of my own.

Not because I thought entrepreneurship would be easier. I knew it wouldn’t be.

There was no safety net if revenue didn’t cover the mortgage, no guarantee of financial stability, and certainly no promise that anyone would hire us.

Like most entrepreneurs, I had that little voice asking, what if this fails?

But another question mattered more.

What if it works?

One Year Later: The Milestones We’ve Reached

And one year later, here we are.

In our first year, Outgrow has:

• Grown into a team of four incredible employees. Go meet Ambrea, Andreina, Kristi, and Heidy on our Meet The Team page.
• Built a recurring client base of 38 businesses and supported more than 45 businesses through ongoing services and projects.
• Reached six figures in annual revenue within our first nine months.
• Expanded our services beyond bookkeeping into CFO leadership, financial modeling, forecasting, cash flow strategy, and operational support.
• Built relationships with business owners across a wide variety of industries.
• Created a growing library of complimentary financial education, including two blogs each week, a weekly podcast, and our Beyond the Headlines financial commentary.

I’m proud of those milestones. Every single one.

But the numbers aren’t what I’m most proud of.

I’m most proud of the people and businesses behind them.

Why Giving Back Became Part of Outgrow’s Mission

Early in this journey, a business owner came to me in tears.

Their business was in serious financial distress. Without a drastic change, they were facing the possibility of closing their doors.

They needed help but couldn’t afford it.

So, I offered to work with them for 90 days, pro bono.

No invoice, no expectation of anything in return. Just an opportunity to help someone who had poured their heart into building something and was watching it slip away.

Today, that business is still standing.

The experience changed Outgrow and became part of who we are.

We made a commitment that every 90 days, we would take on a financially distressed business and provide 90 days of pro bono support to help them find their footing.

Business ownership is hard enough without feeling like you’re facing the financial side of it alone.

Sometimes, helping a business survive means helping an entire family, its employees, and the community around it.

That’s why giving back isn’t just something we talk about. It’s something we’ve intentionally built into our business model.

Building a Company That Invests in People

Another commitment I made from day one was that we would not outsource our work overseas.

We’re already an outsourced accounting and finance company. Sending that work somewhere else simply to increase our margins never aligned with what I wanted to build.

I recognize there are different business models and valid reasons companies make those decisions. For me, however, creating employment opportunities here at home mattered.

Our economy needs businesses willing to invest in people.

From the beginning, my vision was to create a company that develops talent, supports local employment, and contributes to the communities we serve.

One year later, we’ve stayed true to that commitment.

To My Team: You Are the Heart of Outgrow

There is no Outgrow without you.

I can have all the ideas, experience, and ambition in the world, but there simply aren’t enough hours in the day for one person to build and sustain what we’re creating.

Every day, you show up, ask questions, and demonstrate an eagerness to learn. More importantly, you care about our clients and believe in the vision we’re building together.

One of the things I’m especially proud of is that we’ve had zero employee turnover in our first year.

Even more meaningful is that members of our team have referred people they know when positions become available.

To me, that’s one of the greatest compliments an employer can receive.

It tells me we’re creating a workplace where people feel supported, valued, and confident enough to invite others into.

As Outgrow continues to grow, that’s something I never want to lose.

To Our Clients: Thank You for Trusting Us

Thank you doesn’t feel like enough.

When you choose Outgrow, you’re trusting us with something deeply personal: your business, your livelihood, your employees, and your future.

That responsibility is something we never take lightly.

Supporting our company means you’re doing more than paying for bookkeeping or financial advisory services.

You’re helping support families, kids’ soccer programs, and the everyday things that matter to the people on our team. Your partnership allows us to create jobs, invest in professional development, and build opportunities for people in our community.

Every client matters to us.

I’ll never forget the feeling of receiving our first referrals from existing clients.

That was the moment I thought, maybe this really is working.

Having someone trust us with their own business is one thing.

Knowing they trust us enough to recommend us to another business owner? That means everything.

To My Family, Friends, and Community: Thank You for Showing Up

To everyone who gave feedback through three iterations of our website, helped at trade shows, introduced us to someone, shared our content, or simply asked how things were going, you’ve played a part in this journey.

My parents have always been among my biggest cheerleaders, and I’m incredibly grateful for their continued encouragement.

My husband has stood beside me as I pursued something that didn’t come with guarantees. His support has meant more than I can put into words.

The Washington County business community has also played an important role in our first year. Thank you for welcoming me, trusting me, inviting me into conversations, and giving me opportunities to serve.

Here’s something that might surprise some of you.

I’m not naturally an extrovert.

Networking, public speaking, community events, board opportunities, and putting myself out there have required me to stretch well outside my comfort zone.

While I’ve genuinely enjoyed those experiences, there’s usually a pretty significant battery recharge required afterward.

This year has taught me that growth doesn’t always happen where we’re comfortable.

Sometimes, it happens when we show up anyway.

What My First Year of Entrepreneurship Has Taught Me

Growth isn’t linear.

There are busy seasons and slow seasons.

Some days, you feel unstoppable. On others, you question every decision you’ve made.

The freedom you imagined is there, but it doesn’t always look the way you expected.

Entrepreneurship requires you to trade certain responsibilities for entirely different ones.

You also learn very quickly that building a business requires more than being good at what you do.

Success demands resilience, adaptability, humility, discipline, and a willingness to keep showing up when things don’t go according to plan.

I’ve been stretched in ways I didn’t anticipate.

Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about leadership, people, business, and maybe most importantly, myself.

If I could go back and tell the version of myself who started this company one year ago just one thing, it would be:

Just wait until you see yourself in a year.

• You’re going to build something you’re proud of.
• The challenges will make you stronger.
• Some of your greatest accomplishments will surprise you.

And you’re going to prove a few people wrong along the way.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Outgrow Accounting & Finance

More growth, absolutely.

I hope that in three to five years we’re a much larger company. However, I never want us to become so large that I don’t know our employees or have some connection to the clients who trust us.

My vision is for Outgrow to be known for honesty, reliability, accuracy, and genuine partnership.

Business owners should know they’re working with a team that understands how decisions ripple through an organization.

Our experience isn’t limited to reconciling bank accounts or preparing financial statements. We’ve been in the executive seat, helped build and lead multimillion-dollar companies, and experienced firsthand how operational, financial, and strategic decisions affect every aspect of a business.

Most importantly, financial clarity shouldn’t be reserved for businesses that can afford a full-time CFO.

That’s why we continue to provide complimentary educational resources to everyone, whether you’re a client or not.

Our growing library includes:

• Two educational blogs each week covering practical accounting, finance, and business strategy topics.
• A weekly podcast featuring transparent, no-BS conversations about business and finance.
• Beyond the Headlines, our weekly financial commentary explaining what economic news actually means for business owners.

Financial statements shouldn’t exist solely to satisfy a tax filing requirement or check a compliance box.

Instead, they should be tools you use to build, protect, and grow your business.

That’s the foundation Outgrow was built on, and it’s what we’ll continue building toward.

Celebrating One Year and Looking Forward to Many More

One year. Four employees. More than 45 businesses served. Countless relationships. A few hard lessons. And a whole lot of gratitude.

To everyone who has been part of our first year, thank you.

For those who haven’t worked with us yet, I hope you’ll explore what we’re building. Whether you become a client, use our resources, or simply join the conversation, there’s a place for you in the Outgrow community.

We’re just getting started.

Happy First Anniversary, Outgrow Accounting & Finance.

More Than Numbers. We Grow With You.

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