Hi, I’m Joshua and this is my journey…

Where It Started

I’ve been doing this a long time. Bookkeeping, accounting, financial systems. Long enough to work with just about every type of service-based business you can think of:

Construction companies
Therapists and clinics
Marketing agencies
Startups and professional service firms

That range taught me how money really moves in service businesses. How owners think. Where problems hide. And how small bookkeeping mistakes turn into big operational headaches.

The Shift

In 2025, I took on an attorney whose books were a mess, even though he already had a bookkeeper.

Trust ledgers didn’t match the IOLTA account
Client funds were being co-mingled
Compliance issues were quietly stacking up

This wasn’t just messy bookkeeping. This was risk.

As I cleaned things up and walked him through what was actually happening behind the numbers, something became clear. Service-based businesses already have complexity, but law firms carry an added layer of responsibility and consequence.

When bookkeeping is wrong for an attorney, it’s not just inconvenient. It can threaten the firm itself.

That experience sharpened my focus.

Why Service-Based Businesses. Why Attorneys.

I work with service-based businesses because I understand their financial rhythms. Revenue tied to time. Cash flow that fluctuates. Decisions that rely on clear, timely numbers.

Within that space, I specialize in working with attorneys. Law firms operate under stricter standards, tighter compliance rules, and far less margin for error than most service businesses.

Trust accounting
IOLTA compliance
Matter-level accuracy
Zero tolerance for “close enough” bookkeeping

I started my career in a law firm, so the environment wasn’t foreign. The expectations made sense. And the importance of getting it right was obvious.

The Focus Today

That background shaped The Bearded Bookkeeper into what it is now. A bookkeeping firm built to support service-based businesses, with deep specialization in law firms that need:

Clean, accurate books
Reliable monthly financial reporting
Proper trust accounting and compliance support

When your books are right, your business runs smoother. When trust accounting is involved, that accuracy becomes non-negotiable. My role is to make sure both are handled correctly, consistently, and with clarity.