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The Boutique Bookkeeper Show | Know Your Numbers & Prepare For Taxes

The Boutique Bookkeeper Show | Know Your Numbers & Prepare For Taxes

Written by: Megan Schmitke | Bookkeeper & Bookkeeping Coach for Boutique Retailers
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 Are you making sales in your boutique but still wondering where all your money is going?

Do you panic at tax time because your books are a mess—or worse, nonexistent?

Are you tired of feeling like you should understand your numbers, but no one ever taught you how?

If you’ve ever felt confused, overwhelmed, or straight-up anxious about the money side of your boutique business, you are not alone. Running a retail business—especially online through platforms like Shopify—is no small feat. You’re juggling inventory, marketing, customer service, and social media… and somehow, you’re also supposed to be your own bookkeeper?

Let’s be real: finances can feel intimidating. Maybe you’ve tried spreadsheets, downloaded bookkeeping software, or even hired someone—only to still feel totally in the dark. You just want to understand your business’s money and feel confident making decisions. You want freedom, not fear.

I get it—because I’ve been there.

Hi, I’m Megan Schmitke, host of The Boutique Bookkeeper Show. I have my Bachelor’s in Accounting and spent over seven years working in corporate accounting. But when I became a mom, I knew I wanted more flexibility—and I still had a passion for helping others with their finances. That’s when I started Finding Freedom Financial Services. What I discovered? So many boutique owners were struggling with their numbers—not because they didn’t care, but because no one had ever taught them how to manage their books.

And while plenty of bookkeepers will do your bookkeeping for you, almost none will take the time to teach you how to do it yourself.

That’s where this podcast comes in.

The Boutique Bookkeeper Show is your go-to resource for breaking down the money side of your boutique in a way that actually makes sense. In each episode, you’ll get real-world, easy-to-digest education on topics like:

⭐ Understanding your Shopify reports

⭐ What numbers really matter in your business

⭐ How to stay organized month after month

⭐ How to prepare for tax season without the stress

⭐ And how to create systems that actually give you freedom—not more to do


Whether you want to DIY your bookkeeping with confidence or just want to finally understand what your numbers are telling you, you’re in the right place.

Let’s take the confusion out of your finances so you can step into the CEO role your boutique needs.

👉 Ready to connect and take the next step?

Follow me on Instagram @findingfreedomfinancial for tips, behind-the-scenes looks, and updates on new episodes.

Want to dive deeper or work together?
Visit www.findingfreedomfinancial.com to learn more about how I help boutique owners just like you find financial clarity and peace of mind.

Hit subscribe and let’s turn your confusion into confidence—one episode at a time.Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • 015. How to Make 2026 The Year You Become Confident in Your Boutique's Numbers

    015. How to Make 2026 The Year You Become Confident in Your Boutique's Numbers
    Jan 6 2026

    January is a true ‘fresh slate’ in a financial sense. It doesn’t matter if you completely ignored your numbers in 2025, now is the perfect time to commit to a change in 2026 and start to face the numbers head on. In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how you can make 2026 the year you finally feel confident in the money-side of your boutique - not by doing more, but by putting simple systems and rhythms in place now while things are a little calmer, and you have this fresh slate to work with.

    Ready to take your learning a step further?

    Register for my Free Masterclass, Make Your Money Make Sense! Where you’ll learn how to understand where your money is going, avoid costly bookkeeping mistakes, and set up an easy to follow bookkeeping system.

    Sign up now: www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/masterclass

    Other Ways to Work With Me:

    • If you’re ready to just hand the numbers off to someone so you can stay in your own zone of genius, apply for one of our open client spots so we can take it off your hands. Don’t worry, we’ll send you your financial reports each month so you can feel confident in your numbers without doing the work yourself. Apply now by booking a coffee chat consultation at www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/contact
    • Need some guidance on how to do you own bookkeeping in Quickbook Online? Then check out Bookkeeping Made Simple for Boutiques, our signature course that walks you through the exact setup & process you need to implement for accurate and EASY bookkeeping all year long - no more tax time scramble! Enroll at www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/course
    • Are you a Shopify seller who’s not quite ready to invest in a bookkeeping software like Quickbooks? Don’t worry - I got you! I’ve created a custom Shopify Seller Income & Expense Tracker that you can use to easily enter each transaction coming in and out of your business, along with your sales data coming directly from Shopify to put together a standard P&L (Income Statement) that you can hand over to your tax preparer. Download your copy at www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/spreadsheet

    Prefer to learn while you read? Check out the blog post for this episode:

    [blog post coming soon]

    Related Episodes & Resources Mentioned:

    Quickbooks Online referral link: gives you a free 30 day trial, followed by 30% off your first 6 months.

    Looking for the mini-series on the basic financial statements? Listen or Read here:

      • Income Statement: https://www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/7
      • Balance Sheet: https://www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/50
      • Statement of Cash Flows: https://www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/47
    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • 014. Are YOU Required To Send Out Any 1099s? The What, When, and How of 1099 Tax Documents

    014. Are YOU Required To Send Out Any 1099s? The What, When, and How of 1099 Tax Documents
    Nov 24 2025

    You might already be familiar with the 1099s you RECEIVE as a business, but did you know that you ALSO have a requirement to SEND any 1099 documents to individuals and businesses that meet certain criteria? It’s not just a responsibility of large corporations - ANY small business may also need to send out 1099s at the end of the year.

    Today’s episode is going to walk through the 4 requirements to review to determine if any of your vendors need to be sent a 1099, when these 1099s need to be sent by, and how to actually file them.

    Ready to take your learning a step further?

    Register for my Free Masterclass, Make Your Money Make Sense! Where you’ll learn how to understand where your money is going, avoid costly bookkeeping mistakes, and set up an easy to follow bookkeeping system.

    Sign up now: www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/masterclass

    Other Ways to Work With Me:

    • If you’re ready to just hand the numbers off to someone so you can stay in your own zone of genius, apply for one of our open client spots so we can take it off your hands. Don’t worry, we’ll send you your financial reports each month so you can feel confident in your numbers without doing the work yourself. Apply now by booking a coffee chat consultation at www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/contact
    • Need some guidance on how to do you own bookkeeping in Quickbook Online? Then check out Bookkeeping Made Simple for Boutiques, our signature course that walks you through the exact setup & process you need to implement for accurate and EASY bookkeeping all year long - no more tax time scramble! Enroll at www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/course
    • Are you a Shopify seller who’s not quite ready to invest in a bookkeeping software like Quickbooks? Don’t worry - I got you! I’ve created a custom Shopify Seller Income & Expense Tracker that you can use to easily enter each transaction coming in and out of your business, along with your sales data coming directly from Shopify to put together a standard P&L (Income Statement) that you can hand over to your tax preparer. Download your copy at www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/income-expense-spreadsheet

    Prefer to learn while you read? Check out the blog post for this episode:

    https://www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/who-needs-to-receive-a-1099

    Related Episodes & Resources Mentioned:

    • How to order paper copies of blank 1099 forms: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/at-01-57.pdf
    • Software options you can use to electronically file & send your 1099s: Quickbooks Online or Tax1099
    • Get your bookkeeping all caught up with Bookkeeping Made Simple for Boutiques to easily identify which vendors you need to send 1099s: www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/course
    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • 010. "Where Did My Money Go?" This Forgotten Report Will Tell You

    010. "Where Did My Money Go?" This Forgotten Report Will Tell You
    Oct 20 2025

    Have you ever gotten to the end of a great sales month, but you look at your bank account and wonder where all that money went? Maybe you look at your prior month Income Statement and it shows you had a $10,000 profit, but you only have a couple hundred in your bank account. If you’ve ever found yourself in a similar scenario, then the answer to your question can be found in your Statement of Cash Flows. This is the 3rd and final of the primary financial statements that we are covering in this mini-series, and is the best report to help you understand how the actual money is flowing through your accounts.

    Ready to take your learning a step further?

    Register for my Free Masterclass, Make Your Money Make Sense! Where you’ll learn how to understand where your money is going, avoid costly bookkeeping mistakes, and set up an easy to follow bookkeeping system.

    Sign up now: www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/masterclass

    Other Ways to Work With Me:

    • If you’re ready to just hand the numbers off to someone so you can stay in your own zone of genius, apply for one of our open client spots so we can take it off your hands. Don’t worry, we’ll send you your financial reports each month so you can feel confident in your numbers without doing the work yourself. Apply now by booking a coffee chat consultation at www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/contact
    • Need some guidance on how to do you own bookkeeping in Quickbook Online? Then check out Bookkeeping Made Simple for Boutiques, our signature course that walks you through the exact setup & process you need to implement for accurate and EASY bookkeeping all year long - no more tax time scramble! Enroll at www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/bookkeeping-basics
    • Are you a Shopify seller who’s not quite ready to invest in a bookkeeping software like Quickbooks? Don’t worry - I got you! I’ve created a custom Shopify Seller Income & Expense Tracker that you can use to easily enter each transaction coming in and out of your business, along with your sales data coming directly from Shopify to put together a standard P&L (Income Statement) that you can hand over to your tax preparer. Download your copy at www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/income-expense-spreadsheet

    Prefer to learn while you read? Check out the blog post for this episode:

    https://www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/a-statement-of-cash-flows

    Related Episodes & Resources Mentioned:

    • Wanna see a real life example of the Statement of Cash Flows? Register here to watch the on-demand masterclass: www.findingfreedomfinancial.com/masterclass
    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
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