Feeling Lost in Your Numbers? How to Simplify Pet Business Bookkeeping with Anne-Marie from Tiny Paws Bookkeeping

Does bookkeeping make your eyes glaze over?

Most pet sitters, dog walkers, and dog trainers start their businesses because they love animals, not because they can’t wait to stare at spreadsheets. But understanding your numbers isn’t just about taxes or compliance. It’s about clarity, confidence, and making smarter decisions that will help your pet business grow sustainably.

We brought on Anne-Marie Kaden, founder of Tiny Paws Bookkeeping (and one of our past PMU branding clients all the way back in 2022), to chat all about bookkeeping made simple for pet business owners. Anne-Marie helps pet care providers understand their finances in plain English with no jargon, no shame, and no overwhelm.

Whether you’re DIY-ing your books, working with a bookkeeper, or feel totally behind, this episode and blog post will help you feel empowered and ready to head into the new year with a clear financial picture.

Quick Takeaways

Start small. Open a separate business bank account and track weekly.

Review weekly. Check your income, expenses, and savings regularly.

Plan ahead. Audit subscriptions and budget before the new year.

Pay yourself first. Use the Profit First mindset to prioritize profit.

Ask for help. A bookkeeper can make things simpler, not scarier.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE NOW:

WATCH THE INTERVIEW:

Why Pet Business Bookkeeping Matters (Even If You’d Rather Avoid It)

Your numbers tell a story, and it’s one that can reveal everything from how healthy your pet business is to what’s actually draining your profit. Anne-Marie shared that bookkeeping isn’t just about tracking receipts. It’s about:

• Spotting spending patterns that can save you money

• Understanding what services or seasons bring in the most revenue

• Planning ahead for taxes, slow months, or big expenses

• Making smart, data-driven decisions instead of just guessing
  

In short, bookkeeping gives you control. And for pet business owners who are constantly juggling clients, staff, and scheduling, that clarity can take a huge mental load off your plate.

Year-End Financial Tips for Pet Care Business Owners

As we start to wrap up the year, Anne-Marie shared some simple steps you can take right now to close the year strong and prepare for your next year in business.

1. Get ready for 1099 season

If you hire independent contractors (walkers, sitters, trainers, designers, etc.), you’ll need to send out 1099 forms by January 31. Make sure you’ve collected W-9s, tracked payments accurately, and have their contact info organized.

2. Audit your expenses

Review software subscriptions, coaching programs, and other recurring expenses. Are you actually using them? If not, cancel before the new year.

A hot tip from myself (Mikaela): See what subscriptions you know you’ll be paying for all next year and see if you can get on an annual plan or take advantage of any sales for next year to save!

3. Set a realistic budget for next year

Plan your goals and estimate what you’ll spend in each category so you can start January with intention instead of guessing.

What to Track and Look At Each Month in Your Pet Business

If you’ve ever opened a profit and loss (P&L) statement and felt totally lost, you’re not alone. 

Anne-Marie recommends starting simple, which we very much appreciate!

• Track your income and expenses weekly so it’s less overwhelming than letting months pile up (totally been there where I go to do my bookkeeping once a month and forget all sorts of expenses and it ends up costing me a lot more time. If I would have done this weekly, it would have been way more streamlined, quicker, and simpler)
  

• Review your P&L monthly to see where your money is going (those “small” treat and toy expenses add up fast!)
  

• Check your balance sheet quarterly to understand your savings, debt, and what you’re actually keeping in the business
  

The key? You don’t need to be perfect, you just need to start.

When Should You Hire a Bookkeeper (vs. DIYing it) For Your Pet Business?

Anne-Marie was quick to emphasize that bookkeeping isn’t rocket science, but it does take time, consistency, and emotional energy.

If you’re:

• Always behind on tracking income and expenses

• Mixing personal and business funds

• Or simply avoiding your books because it stresses you out
  

Then it might be time to bring in a professional. A good bookkeeper can remove the emotion and help you make confident financial decisions without the overwhelm.

But if you’re newer or still bootstrapping your pet business, Anne-Marie encourages you to start small. Open a separate business bank account, set aside one hour per week, and track your numbers manually or with software like QuickBooks or Wave.

The Profit First Method (and Why It Works So Well for Pet Professionals)

Anne-Marie is a newly certified Profit First Professional, which means she helps clients plan for profit first instead of hoping there’s money left over at the end of the month.

The method, created by Mike Michalowicz, flips the traditional accounting formula: Revenue – Profit = Expenses

It’s a simple mindset shift that helps you prioritize paying yourself, saving for taxes, and budgeting responsibly. Many of Anne-Marie’s pet care clients find this approach helps them finally feel in control of their money instead of reacting to it.

Pet Marketing Unleashed’s Take on Profit First

By the way, if you haven’t heard of the Profit First system yet, it’s awesome (and something we’ve used at PMU for years). It completely changed how we think about saving, spending, and paying ourselves as business owners.

If you want to dive deeper, you can grab the book using our affiliate link: 👉 Get Profit First on Amazon

And if you’re looking for an easy way to manage multiple accounts for Profit First categories (like profit, taxes, owner pay, and expenses), we personally recommend Bank Novo. It’s a free, online business bank that lets you create separate “Reserves” within one account, so you can organize and automate your allocations without all the manual transfers. Sign up with our link and get $40 back when you sign up and put money into your account!

We use it and love how simple it makes following the Profit First system without extra stress or fees.

Want to Level Up Your Savings?

If you already have your Profit First system in place and want your savings to work for you, consider using Wealthfront High Yield Savings Accounts for your profit or tax accounts. Wealthfront offers high-yield savings (currently at or around 3.75% compared to a traditional savings at roughly 01%) and automatic goal-based investing that can help your set-aside funds grow over time while still being easily accessible when you need them.

Plus, get an extra .50% for 3 months when you use our link to sign up and fund your Wealthfront High Yield Savings Cash account!

Beyond Bookkeeping: Financial Coaching and Strategy

Bookkeeping isn’t just data entry. It’s the foundation for smarter business strategy. Anne-Marie’s advisory services combine traditional bookkeeping with monthly or quarterly check-ins to help clients interpret their numbers and plan for growth.

This means you’re not just getting reports. You’re getting guidance on:

• When and how to hire help

• How to price or package services profitably

• What metrics actually matter for your goals
  

It’s like having a part-time CFO who understands the pet care industry, and that makes all the difference.

For the Pet Business Owner Who Feels Behind

If you’re reading this and thinking, “My books are a mess. It’s too late.” take a deep breath.

As Anne-Marie reminded us, no one’s books are perfect. Every business starts somewhere, and it’s never too late to get organized. Even if all you have are old invoices or your calendar, that’s enough to start rebuilding your data.

Clarity leads to confidence, and confidence leads to better decisions that create more freedom, profit, and peace of mind in your pet business.

Bookkeeping doesn’t have to feel intimidating. With the right systems, a clear plan, and the support of experts like Anne-Marie, you can finally take control of your business finances and head into 2026 feeling confident and stress-free.

Visit Tiny Paws Bookkeeping to learn more about Anne-Marie’s done-for-you bookkeeping and advisory services for pet care businesses!