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

Paige, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear your thoughts about making remote work effective.

Myself & my team all work remotely. Over time I have made changes to my business that have allowed me to work 100% remote. My team of 3 are in two different countries and location freedom has always been one of my number one priorities when running my business. I am lucky enough to have a business where 100% of the tasks can be done online once those expectations are set and I always make sure potential clients know what those expectations are. If a potential clients needs do not align with how I run my business then I help them to find someone who can meet those expectations. The only pitfalls in my opinion would be time zones and being able to find reliable internet for Zoom meetings when you are traveling. That doesn’t happen very often though! Some of the non-obvious benefits are not having to feel “ON” all the time. If I need to step away and take care of my kids, I can do that. If I need to work late or very early, my team and I can do that as well. Being in control of your day and time has the most incredible benefits to your well-being.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Paige Gott. I was born and raised in South Texas (we’re talking very south, on the Mexican border). I now live in a coastal town in the Maine woods with my husband, our two boys, dog, cockatiel, and way too many chickens.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve dabbled in entrepreneurship. Lemonade stands and art projects turned into service-based tasks and babysitting, which turned into crafts I was selling on Etsy, jewelry making, and professional organizing. I ended up taking over the financial piece of the bed and breakfast my inlaws and husband operated. I bought “Bookkeeping for Dummies” and taught myself QuickBooks. I actually LOVED the organization of it, the processes, and all of the detailed information I could give them at any given time! They finally knew what their profits looked like!

I knew this type of work was my genius, so I went back to school to get my master’s degree in accounting and followed the typical path of working at an accounting firm. I loved working with so many different clients; I loved the organization, the education we could provide to them, and the strategy around the numbers. I especially loved being around so many successful, kind, and amazing women starting all kinds of businesses! Ultimately, I had my second son, and the 9-5 life just didn’t work anymore. The corporate world was not a fit for me, I don’t think it ever was. After becoming a mom for the second time, this was ever more apparent. I was able to spend a year home with my first son, and now, with my second, I was barely given 15 minutes a day to pump in a private space. I wanted more time with my boys and the freedom to pick up and leave the country to travel when my husband’s seasonal job ended each year.

I started my business in May of 2014 and never looked back. It has grown into a full-service bookkeeping and financial strategy firm. I provide ongoing technical, tangible, and strategic support to entrepreneurs who crave clarity around their numbers, confidence in their financial decision-making, and a safe space to talk about all things money so they can ultimately reach their financial goals.

I am a numbers nerd, but I am also creative. I am not the typical “accountant,” and I used to be so self-conscious of that. I go deep with my clients (sometimes our calls are more therapy than numbers), I curse, I’m weird, I won’t tell you not to spend, and I do not do taxes!

I am most proud of the way I’ve mindfully and slowly built a business that fits into the life my husband and I have created. The size and structure of my business has changed and grown along with me and my family. I absolutely love supporting other female entrepreneurs in their journeys to making money they never thought possible and building their most beautiful lives, whatever that looks like to them.

Have you ever had to pivot?

About 5 years into my business, I had built up a client roster of around 40 entrepreneurs, and I was doing it all on my own. I was working most weekends & nights, incredibly stressed out at tax time, and my health was suffering. I had reached burnout. I feel like back then, there wasn’t a lot of talk about building a business and being aware of burnout, at least not in my world. I knew something had to change, I didn’t create this business to work non-stop and be chronically stressed. I had to make big changes. I was undercharging for my services, so the first thing I did was let my clients know that the pricing structure was changing; I moved from hourly to retained-based pricing. I zeroed in a bit more on my ideal client and let go of the ones that didn’t fit that profile. I went fully remote. I hired a coach who helped me realize that I had been offering CFO-type services to many of my clients without even knowing it, and I gave those clients the option to add strategy to their packages. After about a year of making small changes and onboarding new, right-fit clients, my client load was around 20, and my income had doubled. I finally had time for myself and my family. It was the best pivot I could have made, and I was able to see the value in the higher-level services I was providing to my clients.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Relationship building has been the most effective (non-strategy)strategy for growing my clientele. I say non-strategy because it hasn’t been purposeful. I love community and I love getting to know other entrepreneurs. I have joined masterminds, gone to events, and had deep, meaningful conversations with other women in business, and these conversations have led to referrals and, ultimately, new amazing clients. My relationships with my current clients, their CPA, and other people on their financial team have led to so many wonderful referrals. I would not be where I am today without community and the relationships I’ve built and nurtured.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tidewater-consulting.com
• Instagram: @paige.gott
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tidewaterconsulting/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigegott/

Image Credits
MALLIKA MALHOTRA LAUREN BODWELL