Most content creators likely don’t dream of spending their free time researching the latest tax regulations and accounting standards for small business owners. Even the most financially savvy can fall for common misconceptions, like believing that those earning less than $12,000 are exempt from income tax. Many also avoid taking advantage of available deductions out of fear that the government will scrutinize them, resulting in taking far fewer deductions than they deserve and ultimately paying more in taxes than necessary.
Nate Coughran, founder of Cookie Finance, understood the challenges content creators face in finding quality tax and financial advice, having many family members in the profession. He remembers thinking to himself, “There has to be a better solution for creators!” When he saw there wasn’t, he decided to address this pain point and take things into his own hands.
While he spent his whole career in finance and accounting working for reputable, high growth firms that taught him how to execute service at a high level, he was also very entrepreneurial and knew he wanted to launch something of his own one day. He wanted to start a company that meaningfully helped people solve a problem, dealt with finances, and was fairly novel. Cookie Finance hit on all three of those areas and has evolved into an incredibly fulfilling journey.
Cookie Finance offers full-service tax, bookkeeping, and accounting services specifically tailored for content creators and influencers. They have helped creators across the country save thousands in taxes. There’s no wrong questions when working with the team at Cookie FInance — they make the daunting task of filing taxes clear and approachable for those who aren’t crunching numbers everyday.
Unlike other accounting services that provide a more generalist approach, Cookie Finance works exclusively with content creators and influencers. They understand the industry, revenue streams, challenges, and changes to the industry better than any other accounting service out there. They can speak the creator language, help them keep up on changes, and find unique deductions.
The largest source of acquiring new clients has been referrals and word of mouth. Nate explains, “When we do our job exceedingly well, it naturally leads our clients to refer us to other creators who are also struggling with taxes and finances.” Their biggest challenge has been expanding their client base while maintaining high service levels. This was a significant hurdle in the early days, and they continue to invest considerable time and resources to ensure that they can grow while actually enhancing service quality along the way.
As Nate looks to the future, his team is planning to introduce banking and financial advising services, transforming their platform into a one-stop shop for creator finances. They are also excited to launch innovative analytics and benchmarking tools that creators won’t find anywhere else, all aimed at helping clients increase their income.
As he reflects back, he feels honored to work with the creator community and finds it incredibly rewarding. His advice is to dive deep into the industry and understand how creators work across all platforms. Understand the trends. Understand the varying revenue streams. Understand the industry and personal challenges. The more you know about every aspect, the better you’ll be as you build a business in this space.
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