Anyone who has started a small business knows that support services like accounting, bookkeeping, and human resources are vital to a healthy business. Successfully scaling to the point of hiring experienced personnel in those departments, however, is a different thing entirely. Helping small business owners chart a path to long-term viability by building out the vital support services that they need is why Carolann Strickling founded Organization Ink almost a decade ago.
“Not all businesses have the ability to hire a full-time business manager, but they still need those resources,” says Strickling. “We work with businesses that want to do better, improve their community, and grow, because small businesses are the backbone of our economy.”
Organization Ink got its start in 2014, when Strickling was faced with the need to provide long term care to her ailing father. In an effort to continue earning money, she used her business background as a bookkeeper for a business in Millerton. It quickly became evident to her that the owners, a couple that came out of retirement to get their family business back on track, needed more than just help with their books. She got to work creating company handbooks, streamlining their ordering and purchasing processes, and getting them back in compliance with state and federal agencies.
From there, Strickling struck out on her own with the goal of helping more small businesses navigate similar challenging situations. After hiring her first employee in 2015, Organization Ink has grown to a team of nine who work remotely with clients in the Hudson Valley, Berkshires, the northwest corner of Connecticut, and New York City, as well as across the country. They primarily work with businesses that have anywhere from a company of one to around 100 employees—a size of business that Strickling says struggles to afford full time staff that can support the business’s critical day-to-day operations.
Because businesses of this size often need highly customized solutions for their issues, Organization Ink provides support across a variety of business functions, including accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, human resources, and operational services such as safety and health protocols, compliance, and change management.
Strickling and her team are passionate about helping businesses succeed, which is why they created a flexible fee structure that suits a business’s individual budget and current financial position. In the last 10 years, Organization Ink has worked with over 70 businesses, many of which receive regular, ongoing support until they are ready to hire someone in a full-time position.
“Often, clients come to us recommended by their bank or CPA and they know they need help in a certain area,” Stickling says. “We also help clients discover the biggest challenges that are holding their business back and create a plan to prioritize those areas that need to be improved.”
In growing Organization Ink, Strickling has taken a similarly hands-on approach to supporting her staff, often hiring people who are looking for a career change and helping them acquire skills and advanced certifications in accounting, bookkeeping, and human resources. After six months of employment, each staff member can choose a charity for Organization Ink to permanently donate $20 a month to, even if they leave the company. The approach is one that Strickling says ultimately benefits everyone. “We invest in our employees so that Organization Ink invests our know-how and experience in our clients so that their businesses succeed.”
To learn more about Organization Ink, visit Organizationink.com.
