[ryanmarsh]

I don’t like the tone of this advice. It’s very off putting.

Look, do what you want. If you want a business start it. You’ll need a CPA and a book keeper. These are easy to find and low cost. I pay my book keeper $200/month and my CPA a few thousand each year.

I literally have never bothered with taxes. I hand them to my CPA and just double check the numbers when he’s done. Same with my book keeper. I don’t deal with IRS letters and whatever I just scan them and forward them to him and he deals with it.

Tax/accounting/finance are the easiest part of a small business. These jobs are easy to outsource because they’re well commoditized. Tax/finance/accounting for a small business can be challenging for a lay person but it’s routine for these professionals.

Lastly, if you fuck up your taxes and accounting it’s not that big of a deal. The IRS is happy to have you sort it out and pay them what you owe with interest later. They’re very polite people. I should know.

The dirty secret about starting a small business is that everyone’s back office is a total shit show. Ask any freelance bookkeeper or CPA what state their clients were in when they acquired them.

[akerl_]

Your comment amounts to the same advice as the comment you’re replying to: outsource your tax and overall finance management to a qualified 3rd party.

I’m not sure why you felt the prior comment was “offputting”; they don’t say not to start a business, they’re pointing out that financials are an area that a business owner needs to address, and that outsourcing it is often the correct route.