Here at Step One, we are passionate about helping people pursue their dream of business ownership, entrepreneurship, and impacting the world around them.

Alex Mic-Podar, Co-founder of Backyard Bookkeeper offers this encouragement:

“Why aren't you out there doing the work? Just go get started! What's your excuse? And the excuse cannot be money. If you're committed, go get the money. You are the one who's putting the value on that dollar. So go out there, ask your friends, ask your family, pay them back and start your business if you're passionate about it. That's where tenacity comes in. Just be brave. Just do it!”

Energy, excitement, and enthusiasm are wonderful ways to get started. Sadly, too many aspiring business owners run into routine barriers that end up killing their dream! We started Step One to help those exact business owners jump over the initial hurdles and keep running forward.

Julie DeLong, the other Co-founder of Backyard Bookkeeper, adds this:

“There's so much information out there, it's just information overload. And to someone who's just getting started in their own business journey, it's really overwhelming. It just breaks my heart when I see people doing things the hard way. Whether we're talking about doing your bookkeeping in Excel, or not doing your bookkeeping, and keeping shoe boxes of receipts, or hiring a lawyer and paying them $5,000 to set up your business, or manually filling out payroll returns, and so on. There's the hard way, and there's the easy way, and I understand that for someone who's new to the field, they don't know what's available. They don't know what the easy way is.”

And there you have it! As a team, we are committed to helping you survive the initial startup barriers, but also helping you grow and thrive in your business. Business can be challenging, but it can also be fun!

Everyone has different reasons for starting a business. For some, it’s financial freedom. For others, it’s flexibility in their schedules. Still others want to pursue “being their own boss.” And there are other reasons. Whatever YOUR reasons are, we are ready to help!

We’re glad you’re here! We’re excited to have you joining our community of business owners committed to helping each other find those simple solutions for the challenges we all face. Welcome!