Connect
To Top

Meet Erin Lehr of Kpi Bookkeeping & Consulting

Avatar photo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Lehr.

Erin, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
16 years ago, I began working in management roles in the restaurant industry. I worked for both corporate restaurants and independent owner/operators. My last seven-year stint was with an independently chef-owned restaurant. It was the best education I received in running a small business with a lot of moving parts. I was taking care of the behind the scenes business operations.

My job included management, Human Resources, payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory and marketing. Through that time, I learned how to manage multiple people and tasks on a daily basis, so I understand when my clients tell me they just don’t have time for bookkeeping. That’s why I am here, to get them caught up, to provide valuable information about the financial health of the business on a regular basis, and to get them from where they are today, to where they want to be whether that is maintaining status quo, growing, or selling the business.

The biggest lesson I learned from the restaurant industry is the value of mise en place, a French term meaning everything has a place. It speaks volumes to me on many levels in business, from using the right tools in your business to the right staff in the right place, to knowing how to best organize your business finances. When everything is in its place, and when you strategically align everything in your business you are setting yourself up for success.

It takes a leader to align the business functions while serving clients. I’ve seen how leadership impacts the bottom line whether that is in measuring waste, hiring practices, or day to day operations. This gives me a unique perspective on the details of my clients’ businesses, maybe even things they’ve never thought about like marketing costs or the long-term impact of all those client lunches. Costs can add up so the more an owner can understand, the better they can plan and make decisions.

With my family spread across the country and parents getting older I wanted to create a laptop job for myself. With the advancement of cloud software and all the excellent tools available for remote workers, I realized this wish of mine can become a reality. I have always loved being the right-hand person for business owners, and I knew the importance of knowing your numbers in a small business.

By creating a remote bookkeeping and consulting business, this became a perfect fit for me as well as business owners. I can help them stay on top of their finances and give them the information they need without having to take up space in their office or being on their payroll.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Looking back over my career, I see missed opportunities to outsource. For example, if we could have had someone to exclusively handle human resources for the restaurant, I would’ve had more time to focus on other functions. Over the years, I learned how to manage multiple people and tasks on a daily basis, so I understand when my clients tell me they just don’t have time for bookkeeping.

That’s why I am here, to get them caught up, to provide valuable information about the financial health of the business on a regular basis, and to get them from where they are today, to where they want to be whether that is maintaining status quo, growing, or selling the business. If we each focus on our strengths, we can support each other as we’re building our businesses.

Please tell us about KPI Bookkeeping & Consulting.
KPI Bookkeeping provides financial tracking services and consulting to clients in a variety of industries.

Many of our clients are established businesses (eight+ years) or have been working in their industry for more than eight-ten years and have gone out on their own, and are seeking to know more about their income and expenses, how those numbers impact future planning, where they can save money, where they have opportunities for making more money, how they can create efficiencies in their process that result in an increase to the bottom line. They’re at a point now where they need/want to understand more about the numbers and how that impacts the future of the business, including legacy planning.

Working together, we build their financial story, and for some, that means they are able to obtain business loans to expand services or reach new audiences or even help them achieve their personal financial goals. I am most proud when I can sit with a client and tell them they’ve met the goals they set for themselves and are ready for the next step, whatever that is for them.

Is there anyone, in particular, you would like to recognize? Mentors, etc.?
Growing up I watched my dad work very hard from his start in the hospitality business to owning his own consulting business. Truth be told, he wasn’t too fond of my choice to pursue a career in the industry! Over the last 30 years, he has been an entrepreneur, and I am inspired by his hard work and willingness to just go for it. I am also inspired by my mom who is never afraid to try something different and who is loyal to completing any project she starts as well as her employers.

While I live far from my parents now, I have my dad’s wooden office chair. The chair squeaks the same way it did 30 years ago when he was hard at work. The smudge of coral pink paint reminds me that not every choice is going to be perfect; (like the time my mom painted the downstairs basement, my dad’s office, coral pink) it’s important that we learn. While the chair sits in a corner, often covered with papers, it still reminds me of their hard work and inspires me daily.

In my career, I’ve been inspired by the chef I worked with at a number of his restaurants. What I love about that time is that I was given authority to manage all of the business that didn’t involve menu development and cooking. I walked away with a vast knowledge of business operations and an understanding of the grit it takes to just figure it out with no corporate support. He allowed me to make mistakes, fix them, and learn from them.

Without that experience, I am not sure where I would’ve ended up, and I am happy to be here serving clients, educating them about financials, and moving all of our businesses forward.

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Jessica with Juniper Photo Co.

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in