Fixed Fees Replaced an Unpredictable Bookkeeper
Moving from an hourly bookkeeper to a fixed monthly plan gave this agency owner predictable costs and faster closes — replacing invoices that swung 40% month to month.
An Invoice That Never Looked the Same Twice
Sarah Kim ran a 12-person creative agency and had used the same freelance bookkeeper for three years, billed hourly. The relationship worked well enough month to month, but invoices swung by as much as 40% with no clear explanation, and the monthly close routinely stretched into the third week of the following month.
Sarah couldn't confidently budget for bookkeeping costs, and the delayed close meant she was often making decisions on financial data that was already six weeks old.
Where the Business Stood
swing in monthly bookkeeping invoices
typical delay before books were closed
bookkeeper managing everything alone
Marlow Creative came to Ledger after a referral from another agency owner who'd made a similar switch. The priority was replacing unpredictable hourly billing with a fixed plan and closing the books fast enough to actually inform monthly decisions.
What We Did
Scoped a Fixed Monthly Plan
We reviewed transaction volume and complexity to build a predictable, fixed monthly fee.
Transitioned Historical Records
We migrated and verified the prior bookkeeper's records before taking over ongoing work.
Implemented a Structured Close Calendar
We put a clear close schedule in place with defined deadlines each month.
Delivered Reports on a Fixed Timeline
Sarah now receives financial statements by the same date every month, without exception.
How We Supported the Business
What Changed
faster monthly close
variance in monthly bookkeeping cost
of reports delivered on schedule
Marlow Creative's books now close five days faster than before, on a fixed fee that hasn't varied since onboarding. Sarah reviews financial statements while they're still relevant to current decisions, instead of weeks after the fact.
What Other Business Owners Can Learn
Hourly bookkeeping fees create unpredictability that has nothing to do with the actual complexity of the work.
A structured close calendar, not just a competent bookkeeper, is what actually determines how fast books close.
Fixed-fee pricing works because the scope is defined upfront — vague engagements are what drive hourly costs up.
“I finally know exactly what I'm paying every month, and I get my numbers in time to actually use them.”
Sarah Kim, Founder, Marlow Creative Agency