We are so excited to feature Heide the week of her launch of Accountinuity!
Inspired by her love of small business and drive to serve, Heide has spent the last 19 years building an unrivaled method to take her clients from financial chaos to business clarity and beyond.
Partnering with their clients to provide accounting leadership and layering in financial expertise, the Accountinuity (formerly known as All In One Accounting) team delivers expert financial oversight that helps drive growth and protect assets.
More importantly, peace of mind lets every business owner focus on building, growing, and living in their genius. To fully support the unique needs of their nonprofit clients, the new brand, Veracity Pros, was launched in 2023, exclusively dedicated to serving nonprofit organizations nationwide.
As founder and CEO of Accountinuity and Veracity Pros, Heide has mastered the art of financial connections. Her passionate pursuit of long-term relationships drives the customized, hands-on implementation planning she is known for, and clients rely on.
Every mission partner gets the highest level of service from a trusted adviser who knows precisely what it takes to give any company or nonprofit the financial lift they need.
Resource:
Accountinuity Website
Veracity Pros Website
LinkedIn
Transcript
John Simon Sr. 00:06
John, welcome to Simon Says, inspire a podcast about life, leadership and building legacies. I'm John Simon, SR
Dina Simon 00:14
and I'm Dina Simon.
John Simon Sr. 00:16
Our guest today is Heidi Olson. Heidi is the founder and CEO of account annuity, headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, helping small businesses and nonprofits Achieve Financial clarity. Heidi, welcome to our podcast.
Heide Olson 00:30
Thank you so much, John. I appreciate you having me on the show. Good to see you. DITA, yay.
John Simon Sr. 00:35
Why don't you take a few minutes, Heidi, and tell us a little bit about yourself and what you like to do, maybe in your spare time?
Heide Olson 00:42
Yeah, well, as you mentioned, my name is Heidi Olson, and I'm the founder and CEO of a continuity and veracity pros. I live here in Egan, Minnesota. I am the mother to four children and two grandchildren, and in my spare time, I'm pretty much a mom, and I. My youngest is a hockey player who goes to St Thomas Academy, so that keeps me pretty busy. In the winter, I have a freshman at the University of St Thomas. I have a junior at St Ben's, and our oldest daughter works for us and another business that we have so very much entrepreneurial in my life and married to Terrell for 26 years and have a great life. Very blessed. Well,
John Simon Sr. 01:25
congratulations. It sounds that way. I know one thing, all the trips I've made to Minnesota, how important hockey is, and I'm betting there's a lot of four and five o'clock in the mornings going to get ice time.
Heide Olson 01:37
Absolutely, hockey is life in Minnesota, and we live and breathe that each and every day.
Dina Simon 01:43
Yes, and I think you're a big wild fan too, based on pictures I see,
Heide Olson 01:47
yeah, we spend a lot of time at the wild the opener was just last last week, and we missed that very much.
Dina Simon 01:54
Awesome. Well, I
John Simon Sr. 01:55
enjoyed Heidi reading your bio a little bit because you followed your childhood dream, and in 2004 you formed your company in your basement. Now, most companies, I was telling Dina, you know, they're founded in a garage, but as we know, in Minnesota, it's a little too cold in the winter time to have your business work out of your garage. But I mean, that's inspiring. Is all get out to me that you in 2004 and I mean, almost 20 years ago now, does this seem that long? You
Heide Olson 02:23
know, it sure doesn't. And I tell you what, 20 years ago, I really saw a need in the market. My parents are both entrepreneurs, and I just love entrepreneurs. I think they're really amazing people. They're bold, they're risk takers, they're innovating. And growing up, my parents are I have 17 aunts and uncles, and they're almost all entrepreneurs. And I grew up in Granite Falls, Minnesota, so very small farming community in southwestern Minnesota. And so, you know, my aunt was on the country club, my uncle owned the corner store, and my other uncle owned the towing company and the thrift store, and they were farmers and doctors and attorneys. And so I really just grew up around all these amazing entrepreneurs, and I saw, like, the passion and the love, and then I saw what really bummed them out, and kind of like, you know, drowned out their passion. And so 20 years ago, what I saw in the market was that all these entrepreneurs and nonprofits were struggling to get their internal accounting done. And I thought, You know what? I can fix that. I can make their lives better. And so I threw out my shingle, and I was pregnant with my first baby, and so my husband thought I was crazy, but I just was really driven and very passionate to make a difference in the lives of entrepreneurs and nonprofits. So
Dina Simon 03:36
that was my guess. You know, I love it, and oh my, you can do anything different than being an entrepreneur with that kind of legacy, with all of your aunts and uncles and, oh my gosh, I love that. That's so fantastic. I didn't know that about your background. Yeah, I
Heide Olson 03:50
think it just kind of your blood, you know, entrepreneur spirit, and that, just that desire to make an impact and a difference in other people's lives.
John Simon Sr. 03:59
I commented in a few of the other podcasts that we've done, and because we have had quite a few entrepreneurs on. And as I said before, all through my career, I signed the back of the check working for major corporations. And when you're the entrepreneur, you're signing the front of the check. And it takes an awful lot of not only knowledge, but as you mentioned, you know, this is something that's born in you to be, to be an entrepreneur and to sign the front of a check. There's a whole lot different. Absolutely, it is, yeah,
Dina Simon 04:31
yeah, hey. So most people know you from all in one accounting, will you share the new brand and what's going on there? Because this is a hot new announcement, absolutely.
Heide Olson 04:40
So about two months ago, we launched our national nonprofit practice called veracity pros, because we actually did realize that that message and the need to service nonprofits and that community was so different, and we wanted to make sure we were reaching that voice and the need for nonprofits and. We realized that the for profit, the entrepreneurs and the small business owners, they also have a different need and a different voice. And so we are launching a continuity, and we are so excited to reach those entrepreneurs, those bold business owners and those small businesses that really want to grow their businesses profitably, and they want to protect their assets. And so that is our new for profit brand that we are super excited about. And in addition, we are actually adding talent acquisition to our offering, because we are really good at hiring controllers and accountants, and we want to help small businesses hire the right people and so, my goodness, and we're doing it in a little different way. Not only are we going to hire fantastic controllers and accountants, but we're going to help you do your accounting while we're hiring for you. And so we feel that that extra time and space that will allow companies while we're doing their accounting will help them make better hires, because they're not going to feel so pressured to make that hire, because we're going to make sure their accounting is getting done well while they're in that interim space. So we're super excited about a continuity. So we can't wait for that to launch and check it out@accountannuity.com
Dina Simon 06:08
Yay. Oh my gosh, I'm so excited to learn about all of these new ventures for you, because the nonprofit one that's pretty new, right? The national focus on helping nonprofits. I know we've certainly talked over the years when we've had needs that Simon says give, and then I know there's other nonprofits out in the world that you are supporting, that I'm working with as well, but I love this focus. And I was just working with a client this morning who is going through that small business that needs to have a new focus on who's managing everything under that financial umbrella. And is it an in house person? Is it an agency? So love that you're adding talent acquisition to that as well. Yay. Heidi,
Heide Olson 06:51
yeah, we're so excited. And you know, every company's different and two different stages, and we can just actually just help them think about it and having different options and figuring out what's the best for each client. It's not necessarily us, and we just want everyone to get to the right solution for them, right? This is another option for them, and to get to the right solution so that they can move forward and grow their companies, which is everybody, what everybody wants to do, grow their teams. Have the impact, continue to innovate and continue to have, you know, a great life as an entrepreneur and not be dragged down by things like accounting and finance.
John Simon Sr. 07:25
So Heidi, how many employees do you have now?
Heide Olson 07:29
We're right, about 100 John just been really exciting. You know, when I started the business out of my my basement and I was doing everything, you know, this is not ever where I thought we would be, but I have an incredible team, like they are so passionate they want to do so good in the world and have impact, and they really, truly care, and they're experts, and so we're all rowing in the same direction, and they are incredible. And I feel so incredibly blessed to have this team, and we're an EOS team too. I'm not sure if you've ever heard of traction or Entrepreneurial Operating System, but that's been a great tool for us to use over the last 10 or 11 years.
Dina Simon 08:03
That's so great. And are you yourself? I know you are an EOS company that you use all that foundation. Are you also teaching EOS to others?
Heide Olson 08:12
We are not, but I talk about it enough, like probably 10 a week, and we have a lot of Eos clients, and I really do talk about a lot, because I believe in the system, and I believe it will work for for small businesses and for nonprofits,
Dina Simon 08:29
right? Yes, yeah, awesome.
John Simon Sr. 08:31
So, Heidi, how difficult is it to find level five employees that can do the type of work that you're looking for your clients?
Heide Olson 08:39
You know what? John, that's a great question. And I would say, up until about five years ago, I was probably a broken record saying, Man, I can't find the right people. I can't find the right people. And then an EOS tool that we weren't using, that we that we started using, which is hiring to core values. We're not doing that religiously. And then we started to hire into our core values, which are commitments, foresight, relationships, tenacity and teamwork. And when we made that change, to hire into core values, everything else changed. Because when you hire people that believe in your core values and your mission and vision, everything else works. We're having problems with with client delivery. We were having problems with a lot of areas in the business, but it all had to do with the fact that we didn't have the right team. When we made that change, everything else started to make sense, and I had to make some really hard decisions as a business owner, like letting our highest revenue producer goal because he wasn't a core value fit and but as a CEO, that's hard and it's scary, but it was the right thing to do, and this team is so strong because we're making decisions that are right for the business.
John Simon Sr. 09:49
Have any of your employees, and I'll call them former employees, left your organization and went to work for the companies that you had under your umbrella? Yeah.
Heide Olson 09:59
And you know what, John, that was a really hard lesson for me to learn, because I remember, when I first started the business, I wasn't expecting that, so the first time it happened, I was shocked, and it was very hard. I think I was heartbroken, right? Certainly didn't have any contractual language in place to protect the company. Now I look at it as, let's make it a win for everybody. Let's make it a win for the for the client, because if it's what they want, great. If the team member wants it, wonderful. Let's make it a win for them as well. I think the third leg to that stool is, let's make it a win for all in one accounting or for continuity at this point and veracity pros and I have an obligation to my team. So now I look at is, let's make it a win for all three parties, and let's work together to negotiate that. And most people are open for that at this point. We certainly have contractual language in place. It happens about once a year at this point, John, and so I've gotten, you know, 20 rounds of OP, you know, runs at this and it does work out pretty well, because I go into it with a win win win mentality, yeah, make it worked for everybody, and
Dina Simon 11:01
it's such a testimony to you, actually, because you're providing this amazing support to your clients that they then fall in love with and you know, and that does happen. So it also goes back to you have amazing people on your team, but that's also this new model that you have where you're going to help your clients with finding that amazing talent, right? So that that's a spin on that I
Heide Olson 11:25
love that absolutely, and also equipping the team with like, hey, this might happen, and this is how you deal with it, and know that it's really a testament to who you are as a person and the service you're providing. So feel good about it, but this is the steps to take, yeah, so don't, you know, don't be scared or don't feel bad about it like, let's just have a conversation and work through it. Yes, one
John Simon Sr. 11:46
of my granddaughters, she just went to work for one of the big four accounting firms, and they told her going in that you'll work for us for four or five years, and then you'll probably end up working for one of our customers as time goes on, and they already prepare for that. So
Heide Olson 12:02
interesting. Wow, yeah, they're setting that expectation from the beginning,
Dina Simon 12:08
right, right, right. So before we move on, tell us how we can help you. So as you're building the national kind of scope, how are you finding clients? How can we help continue to get the word out, both on the nonprofit side and the for profit side.
Heide Olson 12:22
Well, thank you so much for asking. You know, we're really looking to help companies grow profitably and protect their assets. And on the nonprofit side, you know, we just want to educate, train and provide nonprofits with the information that they need to get to a clean audit, yes, make sure that boards have the information that they need. So we educate and we train, and we just want, you know, we want to impact people. We really care. We really want to make a difference. And so however we can do that, from entrepreneurs to small businesses to nonprofits, is where we want to provide that value. And so if you ever hear of somebody who is experiencing change, who wants to grow, who wants to make sure their assets are protected, or who maybe is experiencing turnover, that's just really good place to introduce us and to just to have a conversation. How might we help? Want to make sure we're just connecting people with the right resources.
Dina Simon 13:11
Awesome. So that's a little bit about your business life, and you did share a little bit about your family, like your immediate family, I would love to hear if you would share, you went on a fantastic trip recently, an important one. Would you share with us what that experience was?
Heide Olson 13:27
Oh, I'd love to. So I had the opportunity to go to Peru with my father and a bunch of other amazing individuals. And we first went to Machu Picchu, which was our little fun excursion, just to experience that, which was like, I can't even put that to words how incredible that was. But then we had the experience of servicing a church there, where we were adding on to an activity center where they take care of about 400 to 500 children every weekend, and we were adding on to the third floor. So it was very hard work in the jungle, and we got done that third floor, tying rod and working on ready to pour concrete. So we worked for about eight days. It was incredible. It was such a wonderful experience. And being somewhere else, serving others like it fills you up so much. And I was there with my father, which, again, was just such a great experience. He has a nonprofit called Global Commission builders. He's done this kind of work all over the world, and it's such a blessing for me to be there with him and so many other entrepreneurs and people that just want to serve and help others. So I feel incredibly blessed that I could do that. I have an amazing tea here that just kept everything moving along, and I had complete faith in them. So I'm so thankful for that, and I can't wait to do more of that work.
John Simon Sr. 14:49
Had you ever done anything like that before
Heide Olson 14:52
I have? I've had the opportunity to go on a number of trips with my father in the past, so I feel incredibly lucky to do that.
John Simon Sr. 14:59
Yes. How fantastic. And you continue to do it, yeah, I do,
Heide Olson 15:03
and so does he, which I think that he feels very fortunate as well. That's
Dina Simon 15:08
so awesome, yeah, yeah. So I just saw the pictures and the posts and wanted to hear about it, because it is so amazing. I love that you were able to do that. And I didn't know that that was one of his, you know, business entities, but that's fantastic. Yeah, very nice. Very nice. So we talked a little bit about your family, and then with our podcast being about life, leadership and building legacies. So legacies for us is not something you just leave behind. Legacies is everything that you're doing along the way. So talk to us a little bit about what legacies means to you?
Heide Olson 15:41
Well, legacy for me is it's a lot of things in terms of accountability and veracity pros. My true desire is, how can we impact people and make their lives better? So on the entrepreneur side, like to me, taking this burden of Accounting and Finance so people can really focus on what they're passionate about, like nobody starts their business to do accounting unless you're an accountant, right? Nobody starts their business to do that. And it really bumps them out, and it makes it odd, and that's what I saw when I was doing tax and audit work before I started all in accounting and continuity and brassy pros, and it made me sad for them, and it it was sucking their joy. And I thought that should not be the way it is, right. And so if I take if I can take care of that for them, they can do more of what they love, and they can build their teams, and they can have more joy in their lives. And that will ripple effect into the world and see what, how I viewed it, and they'll continue to innovate and solve problems and make the world a better place. So that was really where my heart was at, to serve others. Love that. And then on the nonprofit side, the same thing, I really felt like our ability to help people with their accounting would facilitate their ability to raise more money, which would would extend their missions. Yeah. Then we got our first big nonprofit, which is Los Cabos Children's Foundation, and they were saving lives, and that, like, really impacted me in a big way, that we were saving lives with these children from Los Cabos, and that really motivated me to do even more nonprofit work. And so now, with veracity pros, we have that ability to nationally work with nonprofits that are saving lives, that are making a difference on so many levels, and we truly are able to do that. And this team that we have here on brassy pros, they're experts that truly get how to make an impact with these nonprofits, how to educate boards, how to get to audit ready financials, and we guarantee a clean audit. If you work with us for 12 months, you will have a clean audit. And that's an extraordinary guarantee, and it will help your nonprofit move forward, and that mission will do so much more. And that, to me, for from a legacy standpoint, is
Dina Simon 17:50
huge. It's huge, and that, at the end of the day, is all that I've ever wanted to do. Yeah, that's amazing. And you said your daughter is engaged in one of your other businesses. What's that business? Yeah,
Heide Olson 18:01
so my husband and I, about 20 years ago two started a real estate business where we own residential property, commercial property, and now we do property management. So our oldest daughter came to work for us about two months ago, and that really is a family business. So I've gotten the exposure to a truly a family business, and that's been really fun, and I'm super excited for her to kind of lead that business into the next decade, as my husband is looking to retire, which is for him. So again, family business, real estate, and that legacy will be like, how do we turn that into a family business moving forward as Terrell and I will no longer be involved at some point,
Dina Simon 18:36
yeah, oh my gosh. I love that. And then the other three kids who are still college and last in high school. Do they have the entrepreneurial bug? Do you see them getting involved in in something that you already have, or something that they'll create?
Heide Olson 18:51
Yeah, potentially two of them. One definitely did not. She's like, I don't want your life me. And she's like, gonna be in the medical field. So that's much different brain passing line. But the younger two for sure. My daughter, who's at St Thomas, she's in the business program and very much wired like this. And my son, he once, he is not a goalie anymore, who knows. But right now, his mind is all hockey all the time,
Dina Simon 19:16
yes, yes, yes. I love that. That's so great, awesome. And so we've had Amy grove on the podcast. So we I did connect the dots. Back to John to share a little bit that you and I originally met through Jen allstad. We came to one of your happy hour like open houses when you had that office in Egan over by the Lifetime Fitness there, which I know is like maybe three offices ago. So we met there, and then we certainly have stayed connected with other friends and throughout the community. But you and Jen and Amy, didn't you grow up in you're from, well, she's from Wilmer. Are you from around that area? Is that how you originally met Amy? Yes.
Heide Olson 19:59
So I'm from. The falls, and so is Jen Alstead, and she and I have been friends since we were like five, and she was the first one of my friends to start a business out of college, and she had the University of Minnesota together when we were in high school. So, yeah, so that's how we all, you know, growing up, and I love small town people, right? Growing up, salt of the earth farming people like those are the people that I tend to really resonate with, and they just like, do good and work hard and like all these entrepreneurial people. So yes, those, that's how I ended up knowing all of those amazing, entrepreneurial, hardworking people, yes,
Dina Simon 20:36
yes, yes, we all. It's just fun. How the connections are there. The connections are there. But you have an amazing brand of reputation in town as one of the best places to work. And so everything that you've talked about with these amazing people and growing from from you in the basement to over 100 employees, and just continuing to grow in relatively you know, 20 years is is also a short period of time for that kind of growth and expansion, and just love the success that you've had that's so amazing. Was there anything else knowing that you were coming on our podcast? Was there anything else that you wanted the listeners to hear about? Heidi,
Heide Olson 21:13
well, I just have to say that this has been such a privilege, and you have done so many amazing things. You should be very proud of everything you've done. It's been fun to watch you.
Dina Simon 21:21
So congratulations on what you've done. Thanks, and you've always been there to support us, and so we appreciate that as well. Of course, yeah, yeah.
John Simon Sr. 21:30
I was gonna say, you know, what a great Minnesota name Heidi Olson, you know, I, I don't know if he had a chance that maybe you can later on, I did a podcast from the State Fair, whenever I was up there, and just went around to talk to people. And you talk about you came from the small town. We met people from small towns, and just chatted with them, from truck drivers to mechanics and things like that there. But the name Heidi Olson, I mean, it's, to me, it's a Norwegian type name. And all of the people in Minnesota that's probably a common name up there. We don't run into it in Texas very often, but it's truly a Minnesota name.
Heide Olson 22:11
That's right. It sure is. Though, most people think I would be blonde with Heidi Olson, that Norwegian, right? I should have blonde hair.
Dina Simon 22:19
Nope. You're an awesome redhead at the moment, yes, yes, right? Yes, yes. So John came up for the fair. We had a ton of fun. And it's just been fun because there's so much connectivity. We've had Darren Lynch on, you know, other people that we've had that, you know. And so when he comes back up next time, we'll have to do like, a happy hour and have the opportunity for him to meet everybody in person, that
Heide Olson 22:41
would be fantastic. And there's so much good about the State Fair. Like, it's such an amazing experience. Like, oh my goodness, yeah,
John Simon Sr. 22:48
the two questions that were the biggest questions asked of me whenever I just went up and started talking to him, I because I told him I was from Texas, and they said, which fair is better? You know, that's we all, we all want to have the best state fair. Now the Texas State Fair is the oldest fair in the country that the Minnesota State Fair, by far, is superior for two reasons. Well, three reasons that I gave the people. Number one, it's too hot in Texas to have the state fair when they have it. Number two, all the food is fried food. And the third, it's just too hot, yeah, but they really loved hearing what I thought of it, because that's probably my third time at the fair, and I enjoy coming up every few years just to walk around and meet people and have some of the great food and beer, you know, Rich and I we generally make a day of it and go back nine or 10 in the morning and don't get home till, you know, that Evening. So it's definitely a fun day for me.
Dina Simon 23:42
Yes, yes. Heidi, you mentioned you had grandkids.
Heide Olson 23:46
I do. I have two, Jonah and Logan, six and 11. And so blessed to have them. And it's, I'm kind of surprised that my grandma already, but it's been just awesome and amazing, and it's fun to watch them play soccer and baseball and go to their programs and go to Grandparents Day they go to New Life Academy. And we feel very blessed that they're there. It's a dream. Yeah, I
Dina Simon 24:12
love that. Oh my gosh, such a fun time. And what fun ages too. Yeah, and
Heide Olson 24:17
they're just great kids. We're just so they're so fun to be grand, so fun.
Dina Simon 24:22
Yes, I've told John this before, but somebody said to me once, if I knew being a grandparent would be so much fun, I would have done that first.
John Simon Sr. 24:31
I enjoy being a grandparent to the five that we have, and it's interesting as they kind of grow up now, and we have them from freshmen in college to already out of college, and just to see how their life takes. You know, all the changes they're going through, and I enjoy hearing from all sides of them. Yeah,
Heide Olson 24:50
it's incredible. It's so fun. So Heidi,
Dina Simon 24:53
we're gonna have to be at a celebration for your 20th I know I already mentioned that. I think on LinkedIn when I saw you were so. Celebrating 19 so just count us in on however we can support you and celebrate 20 years. That's a huge milestone. And I think Darren has his 20th next year too, doesn't he? I
Heide Olson 25:09
believe he does. We're gonna, we're planning on a fall celebration here at the office. We're gonna have a big open house. We hope that you can all make it. It'll be really fun to celebrate all of our partners and friends that have supported us all these years, so
Dina Simon 25:21
yay. Well, we're super excited. Thank you for wanting to be on the podcast. Thank you for all that you do for the business community, the nonprofits, just the amazing work, and it sounds like your family itself. You should do like an entrepreneurial podcast with all of your relatives, with all these amazing businesses that they have. I love it.
Heide Olson 25:41
Oh, that would be really fun. They are. They're quite spectacular. And honestly, another legacy thing I would mention is like my dad is my hero, and the things that done, if I can be just a 10th of who he is in his lifetime and how he's given back and his servant's heart, I will be doing
Dina Simon 25:58
well, Wow, I love that. You know we're gonna we'll do show notes, Heidi and so, with your bio and everything. But if there are, like, your dad's nonprofit that you talked about that's out doing this, the building and stuff, if there's things that you want us to share out to the public, we'd be happy to do that.
Heide Olson 26:13
That'd be great.
John Simon Sr. 26:14
Thank you. See, that gives you something more to do in your spare time. That's right, not only being a mother but a grandmother and an entrepreneur, but hey, podcast too. So there you go. Yeah, yeah. I'm sure you fill your hours up every day.
Heide Olson 26:30
Well, I'm inspired by your podcast, so I'll take lots of notes as I listen to all of them.
Dina Simon 26:35
Sounds good? Well. Heidi Olson, thank you so much for joining us.
Heide Olson 26:39
Thank you for having me. I feel very honored, appreciate it, and
John Simon Sr. 26:42
I look forward to meeting you, yeah,
Heide Olson 26:45
and I'll see you at the fair. We'll have a corn dog, John
John Simon Sr. 26:47
and a beer. Yes, rage,
Dina Simon 26:49
there you go. I would like to thank Heidi Olson for joining us on the podcast. Many of you know her as the CEO and founder of all in one accounting, which is now account annuity. Super excited about the new name and the focus on the brand, and then also she has started veracity pros, which is focused on helping the nonprofit sector, on a national basis, do all of this brilliant accounting work that needs to be done for the nonprofit space. So super excited to have her on Heidi, you're amazing. We appreciate the 19 years of business that you've had here in the community and spreading out nationwide. And look forward to watching you continue to grow and put people to work within the businesses that you are supporting. And just thank you for everything that you do for the community. And as always, I'd like to thank my father in law, John Simon, for joining me on the podcast, and until we talk again, you.
John, welcome to Simon Says, inspire a podcast about life, leadership and building legacies. I'm John Simon, SR
Dina Simon 00:14
and I'm Dina Simon.
John Simon Sr. 00:16
Our guest today is Heidi Olson. Heidi is the founder and CEO of account annuity, headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, helping small businesses and nonprofits Achieve Financial clarity. Heidi, welcome to our podcast.
Heide Olson 00:30
Thank you so much, John. I appreciate you having me on the show. Good to see you. DITA, yay.
John Simon Sr. 00:35
Why don't you take a few minutes, Heidi, and tell us a little bit about yourself and what you like to do, maybe in your spare time?
Heide Olson 00:42
Yeah, well, as you mentioned, my name is Heidi Olson, and I'm the founder and CEO of a continuity and veracity pros. I live here in Egan, Minnesota. I am the mother to four children and two grandchildren, and in my spare time, I'm pretty much a mom, and I. My youngest is a hockey player who goes to St Thomas Academy, so that keeps me pretty busy. In the winter, I have a freshman at the University of St Thomas. I have a junior at St Ben's, and our oldest daughter works for us and another business that we have so very much entrepreneurial in my life and married to Terrell for 26 years and have a great life. Very blessed. Well,
John Simon Sr. 01:25
congratulations. It sounds that way. I know one thing, all the trips I've made to Minnesota, how important hockey is, and I'm betting there's a lot of four and five o'clock in the mornings going to get ice time.
Heide Olson 01:37
Absolutely, hockey is life in Minnesota, and we live and breathe that each and every day.
Dina Simon 01:43
Yes, and I think you're a big wild fan too, based on pictures I see,
Heide Olson 01:47
yeah, we spend a lot of time at the wild the opener was just last last week, and we missed that very much.
Dina Simon 01:54
Awesome. Well, I
John Simon Sr. 01:55
enjoyed Heidi reading your bio a little bit because you followed your childhood dream, and in 2004 you formed your company in your basement. Now, most companies, I was telling Dina, you know, they're founded in a garage, but as we know, in Minnesota, it's a little too cold in the winter time to have your business work out of your garage. But I mean, that's inspiring. Is all get out to me that you in 2004 and I mean, almost 20 years ago now, does this seem that long? You
Heide Olson 02:23
know, it sure doesn't. And I tell you what, 20 years ago, I really saw a need in the market. My parents are both entrepreneurs, and I just love entrepreneurs. I think they're really amazing people. They're bold, they're risk takers, they're innovating. And growing up, my parents are I have 17 aunts and uncles, and they're almost all entrepreneurs. And I grew up in Granite Falls, Minnesota, so very small farming community in southwestern Minnesota. And so, you know, my aunt was on the country club, my uncle owned the corner store, and my other uncle owned the towing company and the thrift store, and they were farmers and doctors and attorneys. And so I really just grew up around all these amazing entrepreneurs, and I saw, like, the passion and the love, and then I saw what really bummed them out, and kind of like, you know, drowned out their passion. And so 20 years ago, what I saw in the market was that all these entrepreneurs and nonprofits were struggling to get their internal accounting done. And I thought, You know what? I can fix that. I can make their lives better. And so I threw out my shingle, and I was pregnant with my first baby, and so my husband thought I was crazy, but I just was really driven and very passionate to make a difference in the lives of entrepreneurs and nonprofits. So
Dina Simon 03:36
that was my guess. You know, I love it, and oh my, you can do anything different than being an entrepreneur with that kind of legacy, with all of your aunts and uncles and, oh my gosh, I love that. That's so fantastic. I didn't know that about your background. Yeah, I
Heide Olson 03:50
think it just kind of your blood, you know, entrepreneur spirit, and that, just that desire to make an impact and a difference in other people's lives.
John Simon Sr. 03:59
I commented in a few of the other podcasts that we've done, and because we have had quite a few entrepreneurs on. And as I said before, all through my career, I signed the back of the check working for major corporations. And when you're the entrepreneur, you're signing the front of the check. And it takes an awful lot of not only knowledge, but as you mentioned, you know, this is something that's born in you to be, to be an entrepreneur and to sign the front of a check. There's a whole lot different. Absolutely, it is, yeah,
Dina Simon 04:31
yeah, hey. So most people know you from all in one accounting, will you share the new brand and what's going on there? Because this is a hot new announcement, absolutely.
Heide Olson 04:40
So about two months ago, we launched our national nonprofit practice called veracity pros, because we actually did realize that that message and the need to service nonprofits and that community was so different, and we wanted to make sure we were reaching that voice and the need for nonprofits and. We realized that the for profit, the entrepreneurs and the small business owners, they also have a different need and a different voice. And so we are launching a continuity, and we are so excited to reach those entrepreneurs, those bold business owners and those small businesses that really want to grow their businesses profitably, and they want to protect their assets. And so that is our new for profit brand that we are super excited about. And in addition, we are actually adding talent acquisition to our offering, because we are really good at hiring controllers and accountants, and we want to help small businesses hire the right people and so, my goodness, and we're doing it in a little different way. Not only are we going to hire fantastic controllers and accountants, but we're going to help you do your accounting while we're hiring for you. And so we feel that that extra time and space that will allow companies while we're doing their accounting will help them make better hires, because they're not going to feel so pressured to make that hire, because we're going to make sure their accounting is getting done well while they're in that interim space. So we're super excited about a continuity. So we can't wait for that to launch and check it out@accountannuity.com
Dina Simon 06:08
Yay. Oh my gosh, I'm so excited to learn about all of these new ventures for you, because the nonprofit one that's pretty new, right? The national focus on helping nonprofits. I know we've certainly talked over the years when we've had needs that Simon says give, and then I know there's other nonprofits out in the world that you are supporting, that I'm working with as well, but I love this focus. And I was just working with a client this morning who is going through that small business that needs to have a new focus on who's managing everything under that financial umbrella. And is it an in house person? Is it an agency? So love that you're adding talent acquisition to that as well. Yay. Heidi,
Heide Olson 06:51
yeah, we're so excited. And you know, every company's different and two different stages, and we can just actually just help them think about it and having different options and figuring out what's the best for each client. It's not necessarily us, and we just want everyone to get to the right solution for them, right? This is another option for them, and to get to the right solution so that they can move forward and grow their companies, which is everybody, what everybody wants to do, grow their teams. Have the impact, continue to innovate and continue to have, you know, a great life as an entrepreneur and not be dragged down by things like accounting and finance.
John Simon Sr. 07:25
So Heidi, how many employees do you have now?
Heide Olson 07:29
We're right, about 100 John just been really exciting. You know, when I started the business out of my my basement and I was doing everything, you know, this is not ever where I thought we would be, but I have an incredible team, like they are so passionate they want to do so good in the world and have impact, and they really, truly care, and they're experts, and so we're all rowing in the same direction, and they are incredible. And I feel so incredibly blessed to have this team, and we're an EOS team too. I'm not sure if you've ever heard of traction or Entrepreneurial Operating System, but that's been a great tool for us to use over the last 10 or 11 years.
Dina Simon 08:03
That's so great. And are you yourself? I know you are an EOS company that you use all that foundation. Are you also teaching EOS to others?
Heide Olson 08:12
We are not, but I talk about it enough, like probably 10 a week, and we have a lot of Eos clients, and I really do talk about a lot, because I believe in the system, and I believe it will work for for small businesses and for nonprofits,
Dina Simon 08:29
right? Yes, yeah, awesome.
John Simon Sr. 08:31
So, Heidi, how difficult is it to find level five employees that can do the type of work that you're looking for your clients?
Heide Olson 08:39
You know what? John, that's a great question. And I would say, up until about five years ago, I was probably a broken record saying, Man, I can't find the right people. I can't find the right people. And then an EOS tool that we weren't using, that we that we started using, which is hiring to core values. We're not doing that religiously. And then we started to hire into our core values, which are commitments, foresight, relationships, tenacity and teamwork. And when we made that change, to hire into core values, everything else changed. Because when you hire people that believe in your core values and your mission and vision, everything else works. We're having problems with with client delivery. We were having problems with a lot of areas in the business, but it all had to do with the fact that we didn't have the right team. When we made that change, everything else started to make sense, and I had to make some really hard decisions as a business owner, like letting our highest revenue producer goal because he wasn't a core value fit and but as a CEO, that's hard and it's scary, but it was the right thing to do, and this team is so strong because we're making decisions that are right for the business.
John Simon Sr. 09:49
Have any of your employees, and I'll call them former employees, left your organization and went to work for the companies that you had under your umbrella? Yeah.
Heide Olson 09:59
And you know what, John, that was a really hard lesson for me to learn, because I remember, when I first started the business, I wasn't expecting that, so the first time it happened, I was shocked, and it was very hard. I think I was heartbroken, right? Certainly didn't have any contractual language in place to protect the company. Now I look at it as, let's make it a win for everybody. Let's make it a win for the for the client, because if it's what they want, great. If the team member wants it, wonderful. Let's make it a win for them as well. I think the third leg to that stool is, let's make it a win for all in one accounting or for continuity at this point and veracity pros and I have an obligation to my team. So now I look at is, let's make it a win for all three parties, and let's work together to negotiate that. And most people are open for that at this point. We certainly have contractual language in place. It happens about once a year at this point, John, and so I've gotten, you know, 20 rounds of OP, you know, runs at this and it does work out pretty well, because I go into it with a win win win mentality, yeah, make it worked for everybody, and
Dina Simon 11:01
it's such a testimony to you, actually, because you're providing this amazing support to your clients that they then fall in love with and you know, and that does happen. So it also goes back to you have amazing people on your team, but that's also this new model that you have where you're going to help your clients with finding that amazing talent, right? So that that's a spin on that I
Heide Olson 11:25
love that absolutely, and also equipping the team with like, hey, this might happen, and this is how you deal with it, and know that it's really a testament to who you are as a person and the service you're providing. So feel good about it, but this is the steps to take, yeah, so don't, you know, don't be scared or don't feel bad about it like, let's just have a conversation and work through it. Yes, one
John Simon Sr. 11:46
of my granddaughters, she just went to work for one of the big four accounting firms, and they told her going in that you'll work for us for four or five years, and then you'll probably end up working for one of our customers as time goes on, and they already prepare for that. So
Heide Olson 12:02
interesting. Wow, yeah, they're setting that expectation from the beginning,
Dina Simon 12:08
right, right, right. So before we move on, tell us how we can help you. So as you're building the national kind of scope, how are you finding clients? How can we help continue to get the word out, both on the nonprofit side and the for profit side.
Heide Olson 12:22
Well, thank you so much for asking. You know, we're really looking to help companies grow profitably and protect their assets. And on the nonprofit side, you know, we just want to educate, train and provide nonprofits with the information that they need to get to a clean audit, yes, make sure that boards have the information that they need. So we educate and we train, and we just want, you know, we want to impact people. We really care. We really want to make a difference. And so however we can do that, from entrepreneurs to small businesses to nonprofits, is where we want to provide that value. And so if you ever hear of somebody who is experiencing change, who wants to grow, who wants to make sure their assets are protected, or who maybe is experiencing turnover, that's just really good place to introduce us and to just to have a conversation. How might we help? Want to make sure we're just connecting people with the right resources.
Dina Simon 13:11
Awesome. So that's a little bit about your business life, and you did share a little bit about your family, like your immediate family, I would love to hear if you would share, you went on a fantastic trip recently, an important one. Would you share with us what that experience was?
Heide Olson 13:27
Oh, I'd love to. So I had the opportunity to go to Peru with my father and a bunch of other amazing individuals. And we first went to Machu Picchu, which was our little fun excursion, just to experience that, which was like, I can't even put that to words how incredible that was. But then we had the experience of servicing a church there, where we were adding on to an activity center where they take care of about 400 to 500 children every weekend, and we were adding on to the third floor. So it was very hard work in the jungle, and we got done that third floor, tying rod and working on ready to pour concrete. So we worked for about eight days. It was incredible. It was such a wonderful experience. And being somewhere else, serving others like it fills you up so much. And I was there with my father, which, again, was just such a great experience. He has a nonprofit called Global Commission builders. He's done this kind of work all over the world, and it's such a blessing for me to be there with him and so many other entrepreneurs and people that just want to serve and help others. So I feel incredibly blessed that I could do that. I have an amazing tea here that just kept everything moving along, and I had complete faith in them. So I'm so thankful for that, and I can't wait to do more of that work.
John Simon Sr. 14:49
Had you ever done anything like that before
Heide Olson 14:52
I have? I've had the opportunity to go on a number of trips with my father in the past, so I feel incredibly lucky to do that.
John Simon Sr. 14:59
Yes. How fantastic. And you continue to do it, yeah, I do,
Heide Olson 15:03
and so does he, which I think that he feels very fortunate as well. That's
Dina Simon 15:08
so awesome, yeah, yeah. So I just saw the pictures and the posts and wanted to hear about it, because it is so amazing. I love that you were able to do that. And I didn't know that that was one of his, you know, business entities, but that's fantastic. Yeah, very nice. Very nice. So we talked a little bit about your family, and then with our podcast being about life, leadership and building legacies. So legacies for us is not something you just leave behind. Legacies is everything that you're doing along the way. So talk to us a little bit about what legacies means to you?
Heide Olson 15:41
Well, legacy for me is it's a lot of things in terms of accountability and veracity pros. My true desire is, how can we impact people and make their lives better? So on the entrepreneur side, like to me, taking this burden of Accounting and Finance so people can really focus on what they're passionate about, like nobody starts their business to do accounting unless you're an accountant, right? Nobody starts their business to do that. And it really bumps them out, and it makes it odd, and that's what I saw when I was doing tax and audit work before I started all in accounting and continuity and brassy pros, and it made me sad for them, and it it was sucking their joy. And I thought that should not be the way it is, right. And so if I take if I can take care of that for them, they can do more of what they love, and they can build their teams, and they can have more joy in their lives. And that will ripple effect into the world and see what, how I viewed it, and they'll continue to innovate and solve problems and make the world a better place. So that was really where my heart was at, to serve others. Love that. And then on the nonprofit side, the same thing, I really felt like our ability to help people with their accounting would facilitate their ability to raise more money, which would would extend their missions. Yeah. Then we got our first big nonprofit, which is Los Cabos Children's Foundation, and they were saving lives, and that, like, really impacted me in a big way, that we were saving lives with these children from Los Cabos, and that really motivated me to do even more nonprofit work. And so now, with veracity pros, we have that ability to nationally work with nonprofits that are saving lives, that are making a difference on so many levels, and we truly are able to do that. And this team that we have here on brassy pros, they're experts that truly get how to make an impact with these nonprofits, how to educate boards, how to get to audit ready financials, and we guarantee a clean audit. If you work with us for 12 months, you will have a clean audit. And that's an extraordinary guarantee, and it will help your nonprofit move forward, and that mission will do so much more. And that, to me, for from a legacy standpoint, is
Dina Simon 17:50
huge. It's huge, and that, at the end of the day, is all that I've ever wanted to do. Yeah, that's amazing. And you said your daughter is engaged in one of your other businesses. What's that business? Yeah,
Heide Olson 18:01
so my husband and I, about 20 years ago two started a real estate business where we own residential property, commercial property, and now we do property management. So our oldest daughter came to work for us about two months ago, and that really is a family business. So I've gotten the exposure to a truly a family business, and that's been really fun, and I'm super excited for her to kind of lead that business into the next decade, as my husband is looking to retire, which is for him. So again, family business, real estate, and that legacy will be like, how do we turn that into a family business moving forward as Terrell and I will no longer be involved at some point,
Dina Simon 18:36
yeah, oh my gosh. I love that. And then the other three kids who are still college and last in high school. Do they have the entrepreneurial bug? Do you see them getting involved in in something that you already have, or something that they'll create?
Heide Olson 18:51
Yeah, potentially two of them. One definitely did not. She's like, I don't want your life me. And she's like, gonna be in the medical field. So that's much different brain passing line. But the younger two for sure. My daughter, who's at St Thomas, she's in the business program and very much wired like this. And my son, he once, he is not a goalie anymore, who knows. But right now, his mind is all hockey all the time,
Dina Simon 19:16
yes, yes, yes. I love that. That's so great, awesome. And so we've had Amy grove on the podcast. So we I did connect the dots. Back to John to share a little bit that you and I originally met through Jen allstad. We came to one of your happy hour like open houses when you had that office in Egan over by the Lifetime Fitness there, which I know is like maybe three offices ago. So we met there, and then we certainly have stayed connected with other friends and throughout the community. But you and Jen and Amy, didn't you grow up in you're from, well, she's from Wilmer. Are you from around that area? Is that how you originally met Amy? Yes.
Heide Olson 19:59
So I'm from. The falls, and so is Jen Alstead, and she and I have been friends since we were like five, and she was the first one of my friends to start a business out of college, and she had the University of Minnesota together when we were in high school. So, yeah, so that's how we all, you know, growing up, and I love small town people, right? Growing up, salt of the earth farming people like those are the people that I tend to really resonate with, and they just like, do good and work hard and like all these entrepreneurial people. So yes, those, that's how I ended up knowing all of those amazing, entrepreneurial, hardworking people, yes,
Dina Simon 20:36
yes, yes, we all. It's just fun. How the connections are there. The connections are there. But you have an amazing brand of reputation in town as one of the best places to work. And so everything that you've talked about with these amazing people and growing from from you in the basement to over 100 employees, and just continuing to grow in relatively you know, 20 years is is also a short period of time for that kind of growth and expansion, and just love the success that you've had that's so amazing. Was there anything else knowing that you were coming on our podcast? Was there anything else that you wanted the listeners to hear about? Heidi,
Heide Olson 21:13
well, I just have to say that this has been such a privilege, and you have done so many amazing things. You should be very proud of everything you've done. It's been fun to watch you.
Dina Simon 21:21
So congratulations on what you've done. Thanks, and you've always been there to support us, and so we appreciate that as well. Of course, yeah, yeah.
John Simon Sr. 21:30
I was gonna say, you know, what a great Minnesota name Heidi Olson, you know, I, I don't know if he had a chance that maybe you can later on, I did a podcast from the State Fair, whenever I was up there, and just went around to talk to people. And you talk about you came from the small town. We met people from small towns, and just chatted with them, from truck drivers to mechanics and things like that there. But the name Heidi Olson, I mean, it's, to me, it's a Norwegian type name. And all of the people in Minnesota that's probably a common name up there. We don't run into it in Texas very often, but it's truly a Minnesota name.
Heide Olson 22:11
That's right. It sure is. Though, most people think I would be blonde with Heidi Olson, that Norwegian, right? I should have blonde hair.
Dina Simon 22:19
Nope. You're an awesome redhead at the moment, yes, yes, right? Yes, yes. So John came up for the fair. We had a ton of fun. And it's just been fun because there's so much connectivity. We've had Darren Lynch on, you know, other people that we've had that, you know. And so when he comes back up next time, we'll have to do like, a happy hour and have the opportunity for him to meet everybody in person, that
Heide Olson 22:41
would be fantastic. And there's so much good about the State Fair. Like, it's such an amazing experience. Like, oh my goodness, yeah,
John Simon Sr. 22:48
the two questions that were the biggest questions asked of me whenever I just went up and started talking to him, I because I told him I was from Texas, and they said, which fair is better? You know, that's we all, we all want to have the best state fair. Now the Texas State Fair is the oldest fair in the country that the Minnesota State Fair, by far, is superior for two reasons. Well, three reasons that I gave the people. Number one, it's too hot in Texas to have the state fair when they have it. Number two, all the food is fried food. And the third, it's just too hot, yeah, but they really loved hearing what I thought of it, because that's probably my third time at the fair, and I enjoy coming up every few years just to walk around and meet people and have some of the great food and beer, you know, Rich and I we generally make a day of it and go back nine or 10 in the morning and don't get home till, you know, that Evening. So it's definitely a fun day for me.
Dina Simon 23:42
Yes, yes. Heidi, you mentioned you had grandkids.
Heide Olson 23:46
I do. I have two, Jonah and Logan, six and 11. And so blessed to have them. And it's, I'm kind of surprised that my grandma already, but it's been just awesome and amazing, and it's fun to watch them play soccer and baseball and go to their programs and go to Grandparents Day they go to New Life Academy. And we feel very blessed that they're there. It's a dream. Yeah, I
Dina Simon 24:12
love that. Oh my gosh, such a fun time. And what fun ages too. Yeah, and
Heide Olson 24:17
they're just great kids. We're just so they're so fun to be grand, so fun.
Dina Simon 24:22
Yes, I've told John this before, but somebody said to me once, if I knew being a grandparent would be so much fun, I would have done that first.
John Simon Sr. 24:31
I enjoy being a grandparent to the five that we have, and it's interesting as they kind of grow up now, and we have them from freshmen in college to already out of college, and just to see how their life takes. You know, all the changes they're going through, and I enjoy hearing from all sides of them. Yeah,
Heide Olson 24:50
it's incredible. It's so fun. So Heidi,
Dina Simon 24:53
we're gonna have to be at a celebration for your 20th I know I already mentioned that. I think on LinkedIn when I saw you were so. Celebrating 19 so just count us in on however we can support you and celebrate 20 years. That's a huge milestone. And I think Darren has his 20th next year too, doesn't he? I
Heide Olson 25:09
believe he does. We're gonna, we're planning on a fall celebration here at the office. We're gonna have a big open house. We hope that you can all make it. It'll be really fun to celebrate all of our partners and friends that have supported us all these years, so
Dina Simon 25:21
yay. Well, we're super excited. Thank you for wanting to be on the podcast. Thank you for all that you do for the business community, the nonprofits, just the amazing work, and it sounds like your family itself. You should do like an entrepreneurial podcast with all of your relatives, with all these amazing businesses that they have. I love it.
Heide Olson 25:41
Oh, that would be really fun. They are. They're quite spectacular. And honestly, another legacy thing I would mention is like my dad is my hero, and the things that done, if I can be just a 10th of who he is in his lifetime and how he's given back and his servant's heart, I will be doing
Dina Simon 25:58
well, Wow, I love that. You know we're gonna we'll do show notes, Heidi and so, with your bio and everything. But if there are, like, your dad's nonprofit that you talked about that's out doing this, the building and stuff, if there's things that you want us to share out to the public, we'd be happy to do that.
Heide Olson 26:13
That'd be great.
John Simon Sr. 26:14
Thank you. See, that gives you something more to do in your spare time. That's right, not only being a mother but a grandmother and an entrepreneur, but hey, podcast too. So there you go. Yeah, yeah. I'm sure you fill your hours up every day.
Heide Olson 26:30
Well, I'm inspired by your podcast, so I'll take lots of notes as I listen to all of them.
Dina Simon 26:35
Sounds good? Well. Heidi Olson, thank you so much for joining us.
Heide Olson 26:39
Thank you for having me. I feel very honored, appreciate it, and
John Simon Sr. 26:42
I look forward to meeting you, yeah,
Heide Olson 26:45
and I'll see you at the fair. We'll have a corn dog, John
John Simon Sr. 26:47
and a beer. Yes, rage,
Dina Simon 26:49
there you go. I would like to thank Heidi Olson for joining us on the podcast. Many of you know her as the CEO and founder of all in one accounting, which is now account annuity. Super excited about the new name and the focus on the brand, and then also she has started veracity pros, which is focused on helping the nonprofit sector, on a national basis, do all of this brilliant accounting work that needs to be done for the nonprofit space. So super excited to have her on Heidi, you're amazing. We appreciate the 19 years of business that you've had here in the community and spreading out nationwide. And look forward to watching you continue to grow and put people to work within the businesses that you are supporting. And just thank you for everything that you do for the community. And as always, I'd like to thank my father in law, John Simon, for joining me on the podcast, and until we talk again, you.