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Struggling to keep up with small business bookkeeping while growing your brand? Erika, founder of AdLipps, shares how hiring professional support transformed her finances from a source of stress into a strategic tool for scaling a branded merchandise agency. Learn her top lessons for founders on delegating tasks, managing cash flow, and making smarter financial decisions.
When Erika started AdLipps, a design-focused branded merchandise agency, her focus was on growing her business and delivering high-quality products for clients. Managing the finances of a small business, however, quickly became overwhelming. “Doing the reconciliation was such a dread that I usually ended up putting it off for months. It was such a mess,” she recalls. At the time, Erika handled every bookkeeping task herself using QuickBooks, but she didn’t have a clear picture of cash flow or overall financial health. The truth is, it’s challenges many founders face when scaling a business.
Erika’s journey into entrepreneurship began out of necessity. After having her first son, she wanted to return to work but couldn’t find a job that offered flexibility and paid enough to cover childcare. A tip from her husband’s cousin introduced her to the promotional products industry, and she started small, taking her first official order: a $300 pen order. From there, she grew AdLipps one client at a time, immersing herself in products, vendors, and customer service. Today, the agency serves major clients such as Marc Jacobs, Essie, and YSL Beauté, guiding every step of the merchandise process while allowing clients to focus on their brand and customer relationships.
In those early stages, Erika prioritized learning the business and supporting clients, but she admits she didn’t fully appreciate the value of investing in bookkeeping or administrative support for founders. “I wasn’t really paying attention to how valuable it could be to invest in help for the tasks that were taking me too long,” she says. While she tracked individual sales, she didn’t have a full understanding of how her numbers connected to strategic decisions, which is a common challenge for small business founders trying to grow.
The turning point came when larger clients and more complex orders began stretching AdLipps’ finances. Managing big purchase orders, particularly with limited vendor credit, highlighted inefficiencies and stress in her bookkeeping system. Erika realized she needed professional support to manage both her books and her broader business strategy.
Hiring Vanessa from Magda transformed the way Erika ran her business. She not only regained clarity on her small business finances but also learned how to use them strategically to make decisions that would help her scale her business sustainably. “Working with Vanessa freed up my time and helped me see exactly where I could invest in support while still growing,” she says. Delegating financial tasks allowed Erika to focus on client relationships, creative strategy, and the overall growth of AdLipps. Since partnering with us, Erika has grown AdLipps revenue by over 150%. The numbers keep climbing and so does the vision.
Erika’s experience offers lessons for founders at every stage. In the beginning, she emphasizes doing as much as possible yourself to fully understand every aspect of your business. As your business grows, however, hiring expertise, particularly in areas that consume time but don’t directly generate revenue, becomes critical. Recognizing which tasks to delegate allows founders to focus on the high-impact areas that truly require their attention.
Beyond finances, Erika encourages founders to value their time and energy. “Don’t be afraid to say no to certain clients and certain types of projects, like the ones that drive you crazy and just aren’t worthy of your time,” she advises. Knowing what’s worth your effort, and investing in help for the rest, can transform not only the business but also a founder’s capacity to lead, innovate, and scale efficiently.
For Erika, combining a strong creative vision, careful client service, and strategic financial support has allowed AdLipps to flourish. From her first $300 pen order to managing international clients, the story is one of growth, learning, and leveraging the right support at the right time. “Thank you to Vanessa for working with me. Her energy and compassion has been a real big help in my business and growth,” Erika says.
By shifting from doing everything herself to using her numbers to guide decisions, Erika turned bookkeeping from a source of stress into a strategic tool. Her story demonstrates that when founders understand their small business finances, delegate wisely, and invest in the right support, they can focus on what matters most: building their brand, creating exceptional products, and fostering valuable client relationships.
Ready to read your numbers with someone who knows what they mean? Contact Magda.
