Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kimberly Duong. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kimberly, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

The name “ALOE” comes from the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Owner’s Equity. This equation states that what you own is equal to what you owe plus your investments. These accounts (assets, liabilities, and owner’s equity) make up a crucial financial statement known as the Balance Sheet.

I also chose “ALOE” to evoke a sense of calm and reassurance, especially since finances can often feel overwhelming. Aloe, a soothing plant, symbolizes comfort, and I wanted to similarly convey a sense of financial well-being and support.

Kimberly, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Most children already have a vision of what they want to be when they grow up. I wanted to be a teacher, but as I got older, the reality of teachers’ salaries diminished that vision. By the time I graduated high school, I still lacked a clear career path. However, I knew I was good with numbers, so I opted for the “safest” route – majoring in business.

During my college years, I decided to concentrate in accounting, and from there, my enjoyment of the field grew. I graduated with an accounting degree and started working as a full-time accountant. After several years in the corporate world, I realized I wanted more. I craved time freedom and financial independence. I wanted to take vacation days without requesting approval first. Instead of waking up at 5 AM to squeeze in a workout, I wanted the autonomy to structure my own days. Knowing that salary raises were limited in the corporate world, I also wanted more control over how much money I could generate.

So, I decided to start my own bookkeeping business. I developed a passion for helping service providers and creative freelancers understand where their money is coming from and where it’s going. This enables them to make informed business decisions, grow their profits, enter tax season with ease, and ultimately, have more time to do more of what they love.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that I had to unlearn was the idea that everything had to be perfect. I used to believe that if something wasn’t flawless, it wasn’t worth sharing or pursuing. This mindset often led to procrastination and self-doubt, as I would spend forever trying to get every little detail just right.

I’m not going to lie. I’m still a perfectionist, but I have learned that my value isn’t based on being perfect. Perfectionism was holding me back from making progress and taking risks. I had to unlearn the notion that perfection was the goal and instead, focus on growth and being okay with imperfections. Now, I embrace the idea that “done is better than perfect.” I will always strive for high-quality work, but I no longer let the pursuit of perfection keep me from taking action or sharing my work. As a result, I’m more productive and experience less stress.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Starting my own business was definitely a rollercoaster. While the friends I made along the way were doing well, things were growing super slowly for me, and I realized that I was spinning my wheels trying to juggle it all with my full-time job. I knew I needed to go all-in if I really wanted to make it happen.

Leaving the security of a stable income and the comfort of a familiar routine was a daunting decision. Fear of failure, uncertainty about the future, and the weight of financial responsibility all weighed heavily on my mind. But I knew deep down that I wouldn’t get to where I wanted to go without taking the leap.

The transition wasn’t easy. There were months of lean income, periods of self-doubt, and constant pressure to make things work. But I kept pushing forward. I learned to embrace the discomfort of uncertainty, to trust my instincts, and to celebrate small victories along the way. Since leaving my corporate job, my business has experienced more growth than in its first two years combined.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aloebookkeepingllc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aloebookkeeping
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aloebookkeepingllc