We recently connected with Sonja Jones and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sonja , thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
The mission of GIP Financials is to empower CEOs to prioritize their numbers and position their businesses for profit through bookkeeping and fundamental business finance education.
GIP Financials was created after witnessing talented entrepreneurs lack the financial acumen to grow profitable businesses, such as the expectation of completing W-9 forms to report business income.
After GIP Financials began in 2019, pandemic funding became available to small businesses. Many businesses were ineligible for PPP funding because they didn’t have an active business checking account. We assisted entrepreneurs with applying for PPP funding and receiving loan forginess. Our clients saved thousands of dollars by applying for funding with their respective banks versus using third-party companies to submit applications with a comission percentage.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Sonja Jones is an experienced financial resource who works with individuals and organizations to realize their goals.
Sonja believes that servant leadership is the foundation for an effective business. Her previous ventures include Bell Investments (2009-2015), a Memphis-based real estate investment company providing temporary and permanent housing in the Frayser area to nonprofit clients and Music Is…Piano Academy (2006-2014), a piano studio that developed hundreds of beginner musicians in the greater Memphis area.
Sonja has worked in education for 20 years, teaching elementary music for 12 years and joining the founding Vision Preparatory Charter School leadership team in 2014 as Director of Finance and Operations. Under Sonja’s leadership, Vision Prep consistently earns high marks on the district’s operations and finance scorecards. She was also featured in Ops 360’s Stronger Operations Spotlight in 2017 and was nominated for Tennessee Department Of Education’s Supervisor of the Year in 2021.
Sonja is a lifelong learner. Her education credentials include:
● Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from The University of Memphis
● Master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology from The University of Memphis
● Certificate of Education Finance from Georgetown University
● Certified County Finance Officer from University of TN County Technical Assistance Service
● Certified Quickbooks Pro Advisor
We help entrepreneurs organize their “box of receipts” and generate the reports necessary for funding opportunities and tax filing.
Our services include bookkeeping, loan/grant application assistance, Quickbooks setup, CFO services (creating systems for daily cash operations). We also have online courses for entrepreneurs that include budgeting, best practices for using credit cards, using accounting software, CEO mindset, and preparing your business tax return.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
My advice for managing a team and maintaining high morale is:
1. Be transparent- never ask of your team what you’re not willing to do and ask them for help when you need it. Share your journey with them, both highs and lows.
2. The importance of buy-in. I always want my team to feel like partners. I expect their feedback and have created an environment where they can share their thoughts freely.
3. Invest in your team- Pay them well. Provide them with the tools necessary for them, and your business, to succeed.
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’m unlearning is I can’t be accessible to everyone. If I don’t set boundaries and delegate, my business won’t be profitable.
I currently work a full-time job in addition to running a business. Since my business has grown, it’s been exhausting to schedule time to meet with clients, my team, and my family outside of work hours.
I’ve given more authority to my GIP team and am also hiring additional teammates with specific skill sets to help me free up time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gipfinancials.com
- Instagram: @gip_financials
- Facebook: @GIP.Financials
- Linkedin: Sonja Jones
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@gipfinancials6192
Image Credits
Trunetta Atwater, photographer Tierani Lachelle, content creator