About Us
Why Business Accounting Matters
Business Accounting Matters (BAM) was started to fulfill an entrepreneurial dream.
BAM adds value to business owners who use QuickBooks, bank online, have employees that want to be paid regularly, pay bills electronically and want to spend more time working on their business, not in it, especially doing the daily/monthly bookkeeping and payroll processing tasks.
Through the use of technology, transactions are efficiently and accurately accounted for. This reduces the time it takes to do the work which lowers your cost. Take advantage of Fortune 500 corporate training and experience to help you achieve your business goals.
Small Business Owners that work with BAM:
• Have organized financial records.
• Positioned to take advantage of tax deductions.
• More time to focus on running and growing their business.
• Have peace of mind knowing it’s all handled – BAM!
The services offered are customizable.
BAM works with CPAs-who don’t provide bookkeeping, lawyers, physicians, consultants, retail store and restaurant owners, insurance and real estate agents, franchisees and nonprofits.
Specialties: QuickBooks expert, cash flow analysis, cost/pricing/profit analysis, budgeting and forecasting, business planning, part-time, outsourced or virtual CFO or bookkeeper, small business accounting, payroll, financial statements: profit and loss, balance sheet; taxes, bill pay, customer invoicing.
Meet Sonja Brisard
Accountant Sonja Brisard spent 20 years at Navistar, a Fortune 500 company, before opening her own bookkeeping firm. In that corporate environment, she became highly skilled in financial planning and analysis. She also developed an extensive understanding of sales, marketing, manufacturing, and purchasing.
Yet Sonja always knew she wanted to own her own business one day. She earned an MBA to prepare herself for that transition, and, when she felt ready, she went into business for herself as a bookkeeper.
” I enjoy accounting and finance because I believe numbers tell a story,” Sonja says. “ I like to figure out what that story is.”
Her background in corporate finance—with books that were reviewed and closed monthly—was an immediate asset to small business clients who weren’t comfortable wearing an accountant’s hat.
” I really enjoy putting together a set of financial statements when someone is very far behind,” she says. “ It’s rewarding to organize data in a way that can be looked at so behaviors can be changed, with better financial results.”
Sonja brings a wealth of experience, talent, and personal drive to every small business client.
History
In 2012, we launched as a franchise of BookKeeping Express, a national chain. During this time, we helped small business owners catch up, clean up and set up their books, process payroll and ensure vendors were paid. They recognized us in 2013 with an award, the Transition Franchisee of the Year. After growing as much as we could within that structure, we decided to hang our own shingle in 2015 as Business Accounting Matters.
Mission & Values
What we do: provide accurate books, process payroll and other business services our clients need. We care deeply about helping entrepreneurs succeed. Through personal service and meticulous work, we build long lasting relationships and become a trusted financial partner.
Business Accounting Matters works best with business owners who use QuickBooks, bank online, pay bills electronically and want to spend more time working on their business, not in it, especially handling those daily/monthly bookkeeping tasks.
Select Accomplishments
- Converted QuickBooks desktop files to QuickBooks online.
- Created processes to ensure accurate, on-time payroll processing for companies with a few employees to companies with hundreds of employees.
- Prepared tax ready financial statements for clients who were 12 months or more behind in reconciling their bank accounts and categorizing their income and expenses.
- Implemented technological solutions to efficiently bill pays, retrieve and organize receipts, and track sales.
- As Controller, ensured that adequate accounting, financial reporting, and business controls were established for a $400M start-up business with Ford Motor Company.
- Accurately forecasted income for a $3 billion business with multiple manufacturing plants and administrative departments.
- Trusted to advise corporate executives and small business owners on confidential matters
Education & Professional Associations
Sonja holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She is the past Vice President of Finance for the University of Chicago Women’s Business Group, past Treasurer and current Financial Secretary for Jack and Jill of America’s Windy City Chapter, and is Treasurer of the Morgan Park Academy Parents Association. She is a member of the following professional organizations:
