Author’s Note: As we continue the search for the 2021 Top 100 ProAdvisors and ProAdvisor of the Year, we want to take this opportunity to highlight our 2020 award winners. Learn more about Insightful Accountant’s Top 100 ProAdvisors Award Program here.
Jonathan Bello, Founder of One 8 Solutions
Jonathan Bello from Boston, MA and Founder of One 8 Solutions, is the 2020 Top 100 ProAdvisor we’ll be spotlighting this week. “I was always a reluctant accountant,” Bello shared with us. “It all started when I went to U Mass Amherst. In the beginning I was Pre-Med and when I realized that objective was not going to happen, I had to decide what was next. So, it was between Economics and Business School. Once I decided on the Business School, Accounting appealed to me the most out of the 4 majors. I had no desire to go into auditing, as it reminded me too much of statistics, and I started working within the University system helping student-run businesses learn how to read their reports from the University.”
Bello’s first job out college was doing Financial Accounting for a division of a fortune 500 corporation. While he enjoyed the work, he did not enjoy the day-to-day 9 to 5 aspect of it. “I was able to change my career path to software sales, which was either accounting or manufacturing management.” He continued, “I started my first practice helping small businesses install, setup, implement, and train on either Macintosh or DOS accounting solutions. I grew the business with the help of referrals from retailers and doing lunch & learns with them.”
In 2001, Bello started One 8 Solutions primarily as an Outsource IT service company serving small businesses. “I wasn’t interested in offering Accounting and Bookkeeping services at that time, so I used setup and training portions with QuickBooks users to get ongoing IT Services. In 2012 I changed the focus to A&B services with the A&B taking off in 2015.”
We’ve all had to adjust to working through the COVID-19 pandemic. Social Distancing, increased anxiety, health concerns and more have disrupted every business in the country. “When COVID-19 first came upon us I feared that everything would implode,” Bello shared with us. “Luckily my practice is distributed over multiple verticals and my stronger clients got stronger and the ones who had bad business practices withered.”
He continued, “I was already on a risk reduction journey by making sure One 8 Solutions is a process driven firm and COVID-19 reinforced the importance of documenting processes that were not the norm or unique to the client.”
Accounting technology is constantly expanding, and if you don’t stay on top of these changes, you will be left behind. Which is one of the reasons Bello moved to QuickBooks Online. “While I love QuickBooks Desktop - it is old tech. I enjoy learning new tech. I see new tech as an important step in growing my practice. This year I’m building out a tech stack niche. The great thing about doing it, it cuts across a lot of industries so if one industry takes a hit, another may be growing,” Bello said.
Bello leaves us with this last piece of advice:
“Life will throw you curveballs and they can be heightened with mental health issues. Make sure you are in sound body and mind first, by exercising, eating well, getting ample rest. These things will help you face the curveballs and minimize mental health episodes. Set realistic, achievable goals that reinforce wellbeing. Count your lucky stars… and have fun!”
Thanks for all you do for your clients and sharing your knowledge with the Insightful Accountant community! We are proud to have you as a 2020 Top 100 ProAdvisor, Jonathan!