“We aim to truly be seen and act like partners in their business and we’re right there along with them.” -Alex Frolek We will never be successful if we look at our client’s success as separate from our own. Of course, there is nothing wrong with just doing the books. But over years of bookkeeping, our accumulated knowledge and experience are invaluable when applied to the success of others. When getting started as a bookkeeper, or in any business, the temptation is to go at it alone and focus only on what will make your business stable. You might take on a huge number of clients priced by the hour, only to find a year later, you might lose more than half your business by switching to a value-based pricing structure. Getting connected with like-minded people can help you avoid the pitfalls of business while engaging you with a community of people who love helping others. This drive to help is often the reason we became bookkeepers in the first place. Alex Frolek, co-founder of Stelex Solutions, is this episode's featured guest. She has spent her career helping businesses succeed, by focusing on how she can help clients achieve their goals and visions, not as a vendor who just does the books, but as a partner that can use her vast experience to ensure her clients’ success. If you are just starting out, unsure of where to begin, this is the episode to get you thinking about what your life might look like in a year, if you started laying the groundwork today.  During this interview, you'll learn...     •    The value of learning from every experience     •    How to become more than "just" a bookkeeper     •    The importance of building the right solutions for your clients  To find out more about Alex, click here. Connect with Alex on LinkedIn. Time Stamps      01:36 - Alex discusses her career journey  04:03 - Deciding to start your own business  05:55 - Working & living with your partner  10:36 - The power of learning from every experience  13:18 - Becoming more than ‘just’ a bookkeeper 19:32 - Finding the right clients for you 23:05 - The parts we love & the parts we don’t  29:20 - Alex shares her top tips for your business  31:19 - The best ways to get connected with Alex