For Los Angeles-based artist Debbie Bean, stained glass has always had a special draw. She first experimented in working with the medium as a teen, before starting out on an evolving career path, working as a painter, photographer, and behind-the-scenes in the art world. Feeling burned out and looking for a creative hobby, she attended a stained glass class in 2014.
“The minute I scored my first piece of glass, I realized, ‘This is what I want to be doing all the time, everyday.’” says Debbie. “And be careful what you wish for, because now it’s what I’m doing all the time, every single day! I’m super grateful.” Her business, Debbie Bean Studio, has taken off over the last seven years, including a mix of online retail, wholesale, commercial and residential custom orders.
As her business has grown, so have the responsibilities required to keep things running smoothly. “When people think about artists, they imagine them in their studio creating all the time,” says Debbie. “They have no idea that at 7am we’ll be on our computers doing mundane behind-the-scenes administrative work!”
The Problem
With a growing business and an influx of creative opportunities, Debbie was eager to streamline her income and expense tracking. She grew up spending time in her dad’s accounting office, giving her insight into the importance of maintaining clear business financials. “Because of that experience, I do all my own bookkeeping and accounting, which can be a blessing and a curse. But it also means that I have a clear sense of what my finances are.”
As her business expanded, Debbie found herself spending hours manually tracking income and expense records every month. “I would put it off and then spend days wrestling with my computer at the end of the month,” says Debbie. She also sells her work on multiple platforms, including a personal website and her Etsy shop, creating additional layers to keep track of.
The Solution
Tracking her income and expenses was becoming increasingly demanding, so Debbie decided to try using QuickBooks for managing her shop finances. Etsy shop owners in the United States can export their Etsy sales and expenses directly into QuickBooks. They can also help you keep track of your business income by importing up to 18 months of your Etsy shop data so you’re prepared for tax time.
The Results
“The integration has been a complete game changer for me,” says Debbie. “I open up my Quickbooks and see everything’s been imported in real time—I don’t have to sit there and mentally prepare myself to go through and sort everything at the end of the month.”
In addition to saving time, Debbie also feels peace of mind knowing she has a clear view of her finances over time. “This came up with recent changes in my supply chain: With the Quickbooks integration, I can see my real cost of goods, and make sure I’m not losing money when setting my prices.”
Streamlining the bookkeeping process means more time for making and running her creative business. While there are still plenty of other details to keep track of, Debbie’s confident knowing that her income and expenses are being accounted for.
QuickBooks products can help you keep track of your business income by importing up to 18 months of your Etsy shop data and estimate your Quarterly Estimated Taxes for you. Get started today.
Please note that tax laws change frequently, and this information is not tax advice or legal advice. You're responsible for any use of this information. Please consult an attorney or tax expert if you have any questions.
Explore more resources in our Ultimate Guide to Taxes for Etsy Shop Owners.
Words by Katy Svehaug
Katy Svehaug is a Senior Content Strategist at Etsy.
