Hi Mamas,
Welcome to the very first issue of Cash Flow Mama. I am Jessie, and I am so glad you are here.
Cash Flow Mama is part blog, part newsletter, and part community. It is designed for moms who are building businesses, managing households, and figuring out how to make money work for them. Here you will find stories of entrepreneurship, the balancing act of motherhood, and the bookkeeping and money management skills that help keep it all running smoothly.
Why I Started cash flow mama
For the past ten years, I worked in my family’s outdoor furniture company. Things were comfortable, and I had become really good at what I did. During the Covid boom, business was thriving. Everyone was staying home and upgrading their patios, and sales were higher than ever. A few years later, things started to level off again, and it was a good reminder that even strong businesses need to stay proactive and adapt as markets change. It was a wake-up call in the best way.
All my life, my father has told me to live and achieve my goals as if the company was not there. He said that if something ever happened to him or to the business, I should never be dependent on it. That advice really started processing in my head, and I realized I needed to diversify my own income. It is such great advice and something I want to instill in my children as well. I do not ever want them to feel comfortable just because Mommy and Daddy will figure it out. I want them to chase their own goals and build their own security.
That is when a lightbulb went off. I became obsessed with the idea of starting my own bookkeeping business. This year, I finally took the leap. For the first time in a long time, I feel alive in my work again. Entrepreneurship has been both scary and exciting, but most of all it has been fulfilling.
The algorithm, algorithmed, and I came across one of my favorite entrepreneurs, Codie Sanchez. She always says that boring businesses make money because they work. Bookkeeping might sound like one of those “boring” businesses, but cough cough… it pays the bills, it builds security, and it creates real opportunity. Money can go just as fast as it comes, but in the trendy world we live in, where businesses go viral one day and disappear the next, a solid, boring business keeps you steady when everything else feels uncertain.
The Bigger Picture
As much as I love bookkeeping, I have always had so many other ideas I wanted to explore. They all connected back to money and business, but they never quite fit under my Oak and Ledger brand.
During my journey as an entrepreneur, I found myself drawn to mom-focused networking events and communities. Being surrounded by other women like me, or even those a few steps ahead, gave me a sense of home. It reminded me that I was not alone in trying to build something meaningful while juggling motherhood and business.
Somewhere along the way, I discovered how much I enjoyed creating websites. It started with building my own for Oak and Ledger, then Cash Flow Mama, and before long I was making websites for fun with friends. DIY platforms make it easier than ever to get started, but there are still nuances, time, and commitment involved, and I loved every bit of it.
And then there is my lifelong love for spreadsheets. I have used a Google Sheet expense tracker for my personal finances for as long as I can remember. I always dreamed of having a place to share and sell tools like that—simple, practical, and actually useful.
That is when it hit me. All of those ideas I had been carrying for years finally had a place. Cash Flow Mama was the space for them, and that is how this blog was born. None of it is live yet, but that is kind of the point, right? It does not have to be perfect, you just have to get started.
What to Expect Here
Every week-ish, you will get:
• Real stories from my journey as a mom, entrepreneur, and bookkeeper
• Encouragement for the messy middle of building businesses and raising kids
• Bookkeeping and money tips to help you keep more of what you make and grow your side hustles into steady income
Think of this as part journal, part resource, and part pep talk.
Your Free Resource
To kick things off, I want to share my free bookkeeping checklist with you. This is the tried and true checklist I use as both a business owner and as a bookkeeper for clients. It covers about 80 percent of what most small businesses need to track. We all pay for things like insurance, domain hosting, and office supplies. That other 20 percent varies by industry, state, and business model, which is why it is so important to become an expert in your own area.
👉 Download your free bookkeeping checklist here
Until Next Time
Here is my encouragement for this first week. Do not wait until something shakes your foundation to start diversifying your income. Explore that side hustle idea. Learn a new skill. Step into the opportunity that has been tugging at you.
And speaking of opportunities, my three-year-old recently told me, “Mama, you are not Jessie, you are a bookkeeper.” It made me smile and reminded me that our kids are always watching. They see us build, create, and grow, even when it feels like we are just figuring it out as we go.
Thank you for being here at the very start of Cash Flow Mama. I cannot wait to grow this together.
With gratitude,
Jessie