Custom brand and website design for bookkeeper, Beyond Bookkeeping

The Story

Tammy McCartney, owner of Beyond Bookkeeping, knew she wanted to be a business owner since she was a teenager. She was raised on a farm by entrepreneurially-minded parents. She saw first-hand how hard they worked, how responsible they were with finances, and the calculated risks they’d take to build their dream.

For years, Tammy ran side-hustle businesses alongside her full-time job in healthcare. She dabbled in home decor sales, lawn mowing and yard care, as well as snow shoveling.

In 2004, she graduated with a BS degree in accounting and began taking on clients of her own. She worked through accounting tasks, bookkeeping, payroll, individual tax returns, purchasing and inventory, POS system and found many learning opportunities.

Her business continued to grow until she realized she didn’t want to work in healthcare AND run a business at the same time. “One had to go!” Tammy had been in healthcare for 32+ years and was burnt out. 

“In 2015, I went to a women’s conference, and someone asked me, ‘So what is your date…when you are going to truly focus on your business and quit your job?’ “

That was the spark she needed to finally make a change. She put it all in the hands-of a much higher power and went full time. Since then she has spent her time supporting small service based businesses through customized bookkeeping and consulting.

The challenge

Tammy’s ideal clients are short on time, frustrated, and overwhelmed by their numbers. They are looking for someone who can take an honest, transparent approach to their unique business.

She is looking to expand her business and grow a team which meant it was time to elevate her online presence to reach more clients. 

A frustrating experience with a designer in the past created some hesitancy to invest again. Her original site lacked a professional feel and was left unfinished. 

We wanted to create a brand and website that felt trustworthy, professional, and welcoming. An atmosphere that would ensure small businesses felt comfortable outsourcing such an important task. We wanted them to know they would be treated as an individual, not a number with cookie cutter strategies.

The transformation

The brand identity for Beyond Bookkeeping includes a rounded sans-serif logo in a royal blue shade. The coloring and shape each create a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere. The logo and icon designs are clean and timeless emphasizing a trustworthy, professional feel.

A wide color palette comprised of muted plum, honey, gray/green, and various shades of blue provide a friendly welcome. Where many bookkeeping brands choose a monochromatic or complementary color palette, the range we included, along with unique brand patterns, helped convey Tammy’s personalized approach.

“I feel more confident and professional. The new brand helps me to tie in other social media platforms with the same messaging.”

We brought each of these elements together on an efficient Showit website.

The honey color draws the eye to important features on the site including the service packages, free tips, and steps in the process. The plum shade was reserved for clear CTA’s.

The site not only captures Tammy’s personality and promotes her offers, it serves as a resource for business owners. We included links to common bookkeeping tools and a free opt-in for visitors.

“About two hundred people liked, loved and/or commented when I shared it on Facebook and LinkedIn. It was a good feeling.”

Tammy can now proudly send clients to her site, serving Wisconsin businesses and beyond!

View more details from Tammy’s design here!