One 8 Solutions has come a long way since launching in 2001. From manual data input to cloud-based accounting, One 8 Solutions is now celebrating its 20th year in business. This award-winning bookkeeping and accounting firm still stands true to its mission today – to provide the latest financial insights and strategies with a team of accounting and bookkeeping experts to support the growth of small to medium sized businesses.
The Reluctant Accountant
One 8 Solutions was started by Founder & CEO, Jonathan Bello, a self-described “reluctant accountant.” After several years in the IT and accounting world, Jonathan learned quickly what he didn’t want to do. Strictly crunching numbers or troubleshooting IT problems for a living is not what Jonathan envisioned doing for the rest of his life. Rather, helping small to mid-sized business owners understand what’s going on with their books and streamlining accounting operations to help businesses thrive is where he chose to aim his career goals.
Where did One 8 Solutions Get its Name?
One 8 Solutions got its name from the Hebrew letters “Chai”, meaning “living.” In Judaism, the number 18, or “1-8” stands for good luck. And Jonathan’s grandfather’s name was “Chaim”, so there seemed to be some good karma associated with inception of “One 8 Solutions”.
One of the earliest pioneers of online accounting software, (not only as an advocate but also a five-time award winner as a QuickBooks Pro Advisor), Jonathan and his team at One 8 Solutions have helped clients achieve greater efficiency by providing unmatched client relationship management capabilities that help their clients’ companies grow faster and better. “Clear communication and a thorough understanding of a client’s business is the cornerstone of One 8 Solutions,” says Jonathan.
Where Do You See the Future of Accounting/Bookkeeping?
As for the future of bookkeeping and accounting, Jonathan believes that AI optical systems will continue to increase to aggregate the data. However, the human touch is still needed to interpret the metrics. A more holistic approach beyond the data is important for businesses to meet and exceed their goals. “Strong communication, connection and financial expertise cannot be replaced by AI”, says Jonathan. “It’s like being a meteorologist—they have increased access to all kinds of weather data and technology, but it’s how the meteorologist interprets the data and customizes it to how it could impact your life that’s important. Likewise in accounting, the human connection and communication is vital in understanding and managing our clients’ books, and ultimately, their success”.
What Are One 8 Solutions’ Goals for the Future?
The future looks bright for Jonathan and his team at One 8 Solutions as they continue to learn new accounting strategies and optimize existing ones. One 8 Solutions aims to continue to provide exceptional accounting/bookkeeping services to several entrepreneurial businesses, such as the trades, mind/body/wellness; veterinary; and health care among many more.
In addition, One 8 Solutions is evolving to become a tech stack specialist firm to provide more comprehensive services to SaaS based businesses. Tech stack enables a combination of tools that provides client side (front end) and server side (back end) integration to streamline accounting/bookkeeping processes. This translates into increased revenues, subscription management and a forecasting system tool for SaaS based companies to scale their bottom line.
One 8 Solutions is fortunate to have not only survived but has thrived over two decades in the ever-changing world of accounting and bookkeeping. In keeping true to their origins, Jonathan and his crew have their sights set on providing ongoing training, education and consulting services to a wide range of small to mid-sized companies in Greater Boston and beyond. This award-winning firm is laser-focused on providing best-in-class accounting and bookkeeping services to help business owners reach new heights.
