Momentum Foundations Assessment
A paid bookkeeping assessment to clarify scope, complexity, and the right path forward.
Momentum Foundations Assessment
A paid bookkeeping assessment to clarify scope, complexity, and the right path forward.
You deserve to know the true state of your books before investing in cleanup. You deserve accurate pricing, clear scope, and no surprises.
You know your books aren't right. But you don't know HOW not right.
Are you a few months behind? A year? Are there errors hiding beneath the surface? Compliance issues you can't see?
Maybe you switched bookkeepers and you're not sure what state the previous work is in.
Maybe you've been managing things yourself and suspect there are problems, but you don't have the expertise to verify.
Maybe you know you need professional help, but you're not sure whether you need simple catch-up or strategic repair.
Without a proper assessment, you're guessing. And guessing leads to expensive surprises.
You don't want to commit to $3,000+ in cleanup work only to discover mid-project that the scope was completely different than expected.
You don't want to choose the wrong service level and waste time and money.
You don't want to find out during tax season that your books have compliance issues that could have been caught earlier.
The Momentum Foundations Assessment gives you clarity before you commit to anything.
Why This Assessment Exists
Not every bookkeeping situation is straightforward. Sometimes what looks like "just catch up the books" is actually "repair a year of errors and deleted transactions."
Recent examples:
Case 1: "I thought my books were ready for ongoing support"
A business owner reached out to begin Momentum Core. They had a bookkeeper who'd been maintaining their books for over a year, and they believed everything was current and accurate.
When I logged into their QuickBooks during onboarding, I discovered 18 balance sheet accounts hadn't been reconciled in 16 months. Their "bookkeeper" had been clearing bank feeds and telling them the work was "done" — but no actual reconciliation had happened.
The previous "bookkeeper" was treating bookkeeping as a side hustle while building other business ventures. They had no accounting education or professional bookkeeping experience — they knew how to use the software but didn't understand what proper bookkeeping actually required.
Your business finances deserve more than someone's side project. You deserve better.
Expected cost: Start ongoing support immediately ($700/month)
Actual cost: $4,500 cleanup required before ongoing support could begin
The assessment would have revealed this upfront — preventing an uncomfortable mid-onboarding pause and giving the client time to budget appropriately.
Case 2: "Reports are always late, but I figured that's how it is"
A law firm owner knew their office manager/bookkeeper was struggling — reports were consistently late, cash flow information was unreliable. But they kept hoping it would improve.
They wisely decided to get an assessment before committing to cleanup work.
When I reviewed the books, I discovered:
- Transactions were being deleted to "fix" errors
- Software integrations were repeatedly broken by improper transaction handling — the bookkeeper deleted records in QuickBooks that should have been corrected, severing the sync with billing software. Despite being trained on the correct process, they refused to change their workflow. This created duplicate work, data inconsistencies, and hours of manual reconciliation
- Sales transactions were duplicated, inflating revenue artificially
- The books were so inaccurate the owner may have overpaid taxes
Because of the assessment: The owner understood the full $8,800 scope upfront, made an informed decision to proceed, and knew exactly what they were getting and why it was necessary.
Without the assessment: They would have expected $2,000-3,000 for "simple catch-up" and faced an extremely unpleasant mid-project surprise when the real issues were discovered.
What the Assessment Prevents
The Momentum Foundations Assessment ensures you:
✅ Know the true scope before committing to cleanup work
✅ Get accurate pricing instead of mid-project cost increases
✅ Choose the right service level (Reset & Rebuild vs. custom cleanup)
✅ Understand timeline and what to expect
✅ Avoid emergency situations that cost $4,500-8,800 to resolve
✅ Make informed decisions about your financial foundation
The $750 assessment fee prevents much more expensive surprises.
This Is For You If:
You're a good fit for the Foundations Assessment if:
- You're not sure whether you need Reset & Rebuild ($3k) or custom cleanup
- Your books are more than 12 months behind
- You switched bookkeepers and don't know what condition the previous work is in
- You suspect there are errors but don't know the extent
- Previous work may need to be corrected before moving forward
- Your business has complexity (inventory, payroll, multiple entities, sales tax)
- You want accurate scoping and pricing before investing in cleanup
You DON'T need the assessment if:
- Your situation clearly fits Reset & Rebuild (up to 12 months behind, straightforward service business)
- You just completed a similar assessment with another professional
- You want to start with learning/community (Journey Circle might be better)
If you're unsure whether you need the assessment, that's exactly why it exists.
What I Review
During the Momentum Foundations Assessment, I complete a comprehensive review of your bookkeeping to understand the true state of your financial foundation.
This review includes:
File & System Assessment
- Overall setup, structure, and data integrity
- Opening balances and foundational accounts
- Chart of accounts organization and appropriateness
- Whether your current platform supports your business effectively
Accuracy & Compliance Review
- Transaction categorization accuracy
- Reconciliation status for all accounts
- Gaps, inconsistencies, or unresolved issues
- Potential tax or compliance concerns
Scope & Complexity Evaluation
- How far behind your bookkeeping actually is
- Transaction volume and complexity level
- Whether previous work needs correction
- What's needed to create reliable, audit-ready books
The goal is understanding, not fixing. No cleanup or corrections happen during the assessment — that comes after you decide how to proceed.
What You Receive
After my thorough review, you'll receive:
Detailed Findings Report
A clear, written summary that includes:
- Current state of your bookkeeping (what's working, what's not)
- Specific issues identified and why they matter
- How far behind things actually are
- Any errors, inconsistencies, or compliance concerns
- Platform or system recommendations if appropriate
Clear Recommendations & Pricing
You'll know exactly:
- Whether your situation fits Reset & Rebuild ($3,000) or requires custom work
- What work is needed to create clean, reliable books
- Accurate pricing for recommended services
- Timeline expectations
- Your options for ongoing support
Review Meeting
We'll meet to walk through everything together. You'll have space to:
- Ask questions about the findings
- Understand what each recommendation means
- Clarify anything that's unclear
- Discuss your concerns without pressure
You'll leave knowing exactly where you stand and what your options are.
Investment & How It Works
Momentum Foundations Assessment
$750 flat fee
What's included:
- Complete diagnostic review of your bookkeeping
- Detailed findings report
- Clear recommendations and accurate pricing
- Review meeting to discuss everything
- Professional expertise (30+ years of accounting experience)
Payment & Process:
- Full payment due in advance
- Services provided remotely
- Typical turnaround: 5-7 business days from file receipt
- $750 applies toward cleanup work if you proceed
This means: If I recommend $4,500 in cleanup work and you move forward, you'll pay $3,750 (the remaining balance). The assessment fee isn't an additional cost — it's the first step in the work.
Why $750 Is Worth It
The assessment costs $750.
Emergency cleanup when issues are discovered mid-project costs $4,500-8,800.
Mid-project scope changes cost time, money, and frustration.
Making informed decisions upfront? Priceless.
The assessment is insurance against expensive surprises. It ensures:
- You choose the right service level
- You know the true investment before committing
- No mid-project cost increases
- No wasted time on the wrong approach
- No emergency situations that could have been prevented
$750 for clarity is far less expensive than $4,500+ for chaos.
When the Assessment Is Recommended
The Foundations Assessment is typically the right starting point when:
Complexity is present:
- More than 12 months behind
- Inventory, payroll, or sales tax involved
- Multiple entities or intercompany transactions
- Previous bookkeeper left without clear handoff documentation
Uncertainty exists:
- You're not sure what state your books are in
- Previous work may have errors
- You suspect problems but can't verify them
- You need to understand scope before committing
Stakes are high:
- Tax deadlines approaching
- Loan application requiring financial statements
- Potential audit concerns
- Business sale or major transition
If your situation clearly fits Reset & Rebuild, I'll tell you — you might not need the assessment.
But when in doubt, the assessment protects you from expensive surprises.
What Happens After the Assessment
After reviewing my findings and recommendations, you'll have clear options:
Option 1: Proceed with Recommended Work
If I recommend Reset & Rebuild ($3,000) or custom cleanup (varies), you can choose to move forward. The $750 assessment fee applies to that work, so you'll pay the remaining balance.
Option 2: Choose Ongoing Support
If your books are relatively current and don't need cleanup, you might move directly into Momentum Maintain or Momentum Core/Align for ongoing support.
Option 3: Maintain Yourself with Support
If cleanup isn't needed and you prefer to manage your own books, Journey Circle offers education and community support.
Option 4: Take Time to Decide
You can sit with the findings and decide later. There's no pressure to proceed immediately.
Regardless of what you choose, you'll have clarity about your bookkeeping foundation — which has value in itself.
What You'll Leave With
By the end of the Momentum Foundations Assessment, you'll have:
Complete clarity:
- Exactly where your bookkeeping stands today
- What's working and what needs attention
- The true scope of work required
Accurate information:
- Precise pricing for recommended services
- Realistic timeline expectations
- Clear understanding of your options
Confidence:
- No more guessing about your books
- No fear of mid-project surprises
- Knowledge to make informed decisions
A path forward:
- Specific recommendations tailored to your situation
- Multiple options to choose from
- No pressure to decide immediately
You'll finally know what you're dealing with — which is often the biggest relief of all.
A Note from Stacy
Hi, I'm Stacy Luft, Founder of CEO Business Balance.
I created the Foundations Assessment because I kept seeing business owners discover mid-cleanup that their situation was far more complex than expected, leading to cost overruns, timeline delays, and frustration for everyone.
The assessment solves this by creating clarity upfront.
It protects you by ensuring you understand scope and cost before committing to major work.
It protects me by allowing me to give accurate recommendations instead of discovering issues mid-project.
It protects our relationship by establishing trust and transparency from the beginning.
Needing an assessment doesn't mean you've done something wrong. It means you're being thoughtful about understanding what you need before investing in solutions.
"In my world, being a CEO means being a Calm, Empowered Owner of your business, your numbers, and your decisions. The Foundations Assessment helps you step into that role with clarity and confidence."
When you're ready to understand where you stand, I'll walk this path with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from Momentum Reset and Rebuild?
Foundations Assessment is about understanding. Reset & Rebuild is about doing the work. The assessment helps me fully understand your bookkeeping situation before recommending cleanup or ongoing support. If your books clearly fit Reset & Rebuild, I'll tell you — you might not need the assessment. If something more complex is involved, the assessment ensures accurate scoping and pricing before work begins.
What if I'm not sure how behind my bookkeeping is?
That's very common and exactly why this assessment exists. You don't need to know how far behind you are to book it. If things feel unclear, inconsistent, or hard to trust, the assessment gives us a steady starting point. We'll figure out where things stand together.
Will you fix anything during the assessment?
No. The assessment is diagnostic only — review and planning, not correction. This allows me to give you accurate recommendations and pricing without rushing or guessing. Any cleanup or ongoing work happens only after you understand the scope and decide how you'd like to proceed.
Do I need this assessment before working with you?
Not always. If your bookkeeping situation clearly fits Reset & Rebuild or ongoing Momentum support, you can start there directly. The assessment is used when complexity or uncertainty is present, or when the appropriate scope can't be determined through intake alone. I'll guide you honestly about which starting point makes sense.
What happens after the assessment?
After the assessment, I'll walk you through my findings and recommendations in a review meeting. You'll leave knowing where your bookkeeping stands, what support would be most helpful, and what the investment would be. From there, you decide how you'd like to proceed — with no pressure.
Is the $750 credited if I move forward?
Yes. If you proceed with any recommended cleanup work or custom engagement, the $750 assessment fee is credited toward that work. You only pay the remaining balance.
What if I decide not to move forward?
That's completely okay. You're paying for clarity, understanding, and a professional assessment of your situation. Many clients find that alone brings relief and confidence, even if they choose a different path afterward. The assessment has value regardless of whether you proceed with additional services.
Is this a good fit if my business is small or straightforward?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If your books are simple and only slightly behind, Reset & Rebuild might be a better starting point. But if there's uncertainty beneath the surface — previous bookkeeper issues, suspected errors, unclear scope — the assessment can be valuable even for smaller businesses. I'll guide you honestly about which option makes sense for your situation.
How long does the assessment take?
Typical turnaround is 5-7 business days from when I receive your file access. The review meeting is scheduled after you've received and reviewed the findings report.
What do you need from me to complete the assessment?
I'll need access to your bookkeeping file (QuickBooks, Xero, Kick.co, etc.) and any relevant supporting documentation. I'll provide clear instructions once you've booked the assessment.
How do I know which option is right for me?
You don't need to figure that out alone. If you're uncertain whether you need the assessment or can start directly with Reset & Rebuild or Momentum support, reach out and I'll help you determine the best starting point with transparency and care.
Ready to Understand Where You Stand?
Stop guessing about your books. Get clarity before committing to cleanup work.
The Foundations Assessment gives you accurate scope, clear pricing, and confidence in your next steps — all for $750 that applies toward any work you choose to do.
Book Your Foundations Assessment ($750) →
You don't need to be perfect or prepared to begin.
You just need to be willing to understand where you stand.
Start here.