Years ago, I was doing a search on a small biz topic that now escapes me. But I vividly recall one of the links I clicked. It was the blog over at LessAccounting.
I find many corporate websites dull, dry, and uninspiring. How’s that for needless redundancy?
But not LessAccounting. These guys are doing a great job at story branding their product in a fun and engaging manner. A quick tour of their site’s content reveals they are not trying to be the hero. Instead, they are creating heroes out of their prospects and customers, and it shows on every page of their website.
An Introduction to the Co-Founder of Less Accounting
After reading about a dozen or so posts, I happened upon another piece of content called DIY Backyard Office.
Okay, that did it–so over the top. Any software developer in the accounting domain that can build a backyard office in 4 weeks is amazingly awesome.
After tweeting about this guide, I got tweeted back by Allan Branch himself, the creator and co-founder of LessAccounting. Alas, my five minutes of fame in this world.
Through Twitter, Allan asked that I write a post at LessAccounting and I obliged by writing about a few cashflow hacks for small business owners. Allan reciprocated by answering a few questions I had about his product, which looks great by the way.
Question 1 – Allan, what compelled you to enter the 800 pound guerilla’s accounting software space generally owned by QuickBooks? Dude, are you crazy?
Allan: Our true competition isn’t another accounting software, it’s business owners having no financial records and panicking at tax time. Quickbooks doesn’t steal our customers. Customers stop using accounting software when they feel overwhelmed and confused. That’s our competition, not another software package.
Question 1.5 – Okay, so who is your target customer?
Allan: Our target customer is a company that’s only been around a couple years, usually under $2 million in annual revenue. We don’t have inventory features so it’s usually a service-based business. Most of our customers are business owners who want to see weekly/monthly financial reports but get back to work quickly.
Question 2 – How long have you been selling LessAccounting and how is it going?
Allan: We’ve been providing accounting software for 8 years [since 2007], and it’s going quite well. We’re profitable and very happy.
Question 3 – What’s the dream?
Allan: The dream? It’s to have happy customers, have a profitable company, take time off to be with our families, not have work stresses and have employees that enjoy their job. I think we’ve accomplished those desires.
Question 4 – What can we expect from your cool and fun team?
Allan: We’re going to keep working to refine the software by making bookkeeping easier for our customers. I’m writing some nontraditional content for our blog just to keep things fun. I’m learning about rum making, beer and wine making right now so I can write about it on our blog–yes my job is very hard (smiling).
Question 5 – I admire and appreciate the simplicity of your website—the soft blue color scheme, the friendly language, and tons of great content. Very well done. Can you promise that the culture that drives your image will never change? It truly appears you have something special going on at LessAccounting.
Allan: Thanks for the kind words, we don’t have plans to change our company. We like being quirky but authentic.
A Killer Feature in LessAccounting – Tags
I have already recommended LessAccounting to a few other small business owners, and will continue to do so. You can learn more about the product through this quick video highlighting the features. Don’t worry, it’s quick.
My favorite feature? Tags. Absolutely brilliant.
I have one client that’s gone to 18 trade shows around the U.S. this past year. Sure, we can track all costs to attend those shows in QuickBooks by setting up a Customer, then a Job. Say what? Yeah, simple job costing in QuickBooks is a pain in tracking situations like this.
As small business owners, we don’t think in terms of GL accounts. We think in terms of activities, projects, and processes. And LessAccounting’s tags feature crushes it on this front.
Allan Is Everywhere on the Web
As a premium member of Mixergy, any entrepreneur that has been interviewed by Andrew Warner is either a start-up or post, start-up rock star. Allan, you are now rock star status in my book. Allan’s Mixergy interview with Andrew Warner is here (you will have limited access if you are not a premium member).
Here are a few more interviews with Allan that you might find insightful:
- Allan talks about the truth of work/life balance over at Rocketship.fm.
- Allan Branch on Leaving LESSCONF to Focus on His Product at Product People.
- Allan Branch of Less Accounting: Less everything, more focus at Kinhr (every start-up on the planet should read this as core message is FOCUS).
- LessAccounting Claims They Turned Down Acquisition Offer From “Low Moral Fiber” Go Daddy at TechCrunch. Excuse me, but the TechCrunch writer said Allan may have the world’s greatest facial hair. I think we need a face-off between Allan and Mr. Money Mustache.
- Allan Branch Wants to See Less Accounting, More Pooping Squirrels. No, this is not a WSJ headline.
- Grasshooper.com’s feature of Allan Branch.
- Allan Branch tells CBS Money Watch what he couldn’t do his job without.
Bottom line, we need a few more Allan Branches in the entrepreneurial world. If so, life would be a lot more fun.
Allan, you rock.