We’re the accounting expert
In the beginning …
It all started in 2004. Founder Kenji Kuramoto built a CFO practice knowing he could help businesses by giving them the financial tools and advice they needed to reach their full potential. Along the way, he discovered that our clients had additional financial needs, including simple bookkeeping services. We realized we could better serve small businesses and challenged ourselves to expand our offerings.
In 2013, Matthew May joined Kenji, and Acuity was relaunched as a full-service financial firm, tackling everything from invoicing and bill pay to industry-leading financial strategy. As accounting experts, we excel at pairing sound financial advice with modern technology and only consider ourselves successful when we deliver practical accounting solutions that allow our clients to keep growing.
In 2019, long time team member Lisa Gilreath took over operations. And in 2021, Acuity merged with Catching Clouds, the leading Ecommerce cloud accounting firm in the United States. Patti and Scott Scharf brought incredible expertise in process and technology improvements.
From balancing the books to assisting in your first acquisition, we’ve built our foundation on meeting clients where they are and helping them take the next step — wherever that may lead.
Our Core Values
Measured
We offer a calm work environment where colleagues are considerate of others and our clients know the work they receive has been performed thoughtfully, carefully, and with intention.
Transparent
We foster trust and understanding between team members and our clients by openly sharing information that supports clarity and confidence.
Independent
Each member of our team is free to be themselves, is able to cultivate their ideal work environment, and is trusted to take responsibility for their work and their clients.
Curious
We are forward-looking, future-oriented, and highly adaptive in the way we pursue solutions for clients and create growth for our team.
Happy
We are a company of people who enjoy working together, and who bring positivity to our engagements that makes clients and partners confident we can solve their problems and glad to work with us.
Leadership Team
Kenji Kuramoto
CEO, Founder
Lisa Gilreath
COO
Patti Scharf
Chief Process Officer
Scott Scharf
Chief Technology Officer
Matthew May
VP of Marketing, Founder
Sammy Siddique
Cloud Accounting Team Lead
Taylor McElheney
Director of Advisory Services
Catie Dotson
Director of Recruiting
Tyler Horn
Director of Sales
Graham Wood
Sr. Partner
Sergio Salinas
Tax Lead
David McLaughlin
Director of Accounting
We’re proud to be the most certified cloud accounting experts in the nation.
FAQs
Can I cancel your services at any time?
Yes. Our bookkeeping engagements require a 30-day notice for cancellation, but the controller and CFO engagements can be canceled at any time.
How do I communicate with my bookkeeper, controller, or CFO?
Our bookkeeping services are virtual so we communicate with clients via email, phone, Slack, or even video conference. Our Controllers and CFOs also have the ability to work onsite with clients.
If I use Acuity’s bookkeeping services, which software should I choose QuickBooks or Xero?
Both platforms are amazing, but the choice is yours. Want to learn more about the difference and similarities between the two? Check out our blog.
What reports can a Controller or CFO provide me with?
It’s up to you, but our Controllers and CFOs can help you create practically any kind of report. Almost any accounting system can give you an income statement and balance sheet, but you might need to create a budget or a cash flow forecast which our team helps clients with on a regular basis. Just ask us and we’ll help build reports that better help you run your business.
Do I need quarterly, monthly, weekly, or daily bookkeeping?
Our bookkeeping packages are differentiated based on cost, delivery date of financial statements, allotted transactions per month, and communication channels with your bookkeeper. Visit our pricing page to compare the four packages and see which one would be the best fit for your business. You can also get a custom quote.
Where are Acuity’s employees located?
While we’re headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, our accounting experts live throughout the U.S. and some even live internationally. We have one employee located in Greece, another in the Philippines, and another who has lived in 26 different countries while working with us. We believe that our unique ability to employ team members no matter where they live is one of the key reasons we’re able to attract the top accounting professionals in the industry. Plus it allows our team really cool opportunities to see the world while still serving our clients!
What is the onboarding process like?
We’ll perform a review of your existing accounting set up and practices along with securely establishing login credentials to accounting and financial systems. We also create a customer-specific financial calendar that we use to ensure all accounting tasks are completed on time.
Is weekly bookkeeping paid on a weekly basis?
No, weekly bookkeeping is still charged on a monthly basis. But Controller and CFO hours are invoiced to clients each week.
How will Acuity access my financials?
Our cloud accounting solution utilizes 3rd party cloud-based financial software and the client must agree to use either QuickBooks Online or Xero as their main accounting system. The client must assign Acuity as an administrative user to the accounting system. We will also utilize Bill.com and/ or Veem to provide accounts payable and bill pay and Expensify for expense reporting. These are the most popular platforms, but you can see the full list of tech partners we work with here.
What precautions does Acuity take to protect my personal information?
We value your personal information and take the necessary precautions to limit access to it by unauthorized users. Client’s usernames and passwords are secured using our LastPass Enterprise encrypted password vault. Data and reports are delivered to clients via email unless otherwise specified by the client. We also utilize HubDoc as a means of securely receiving bank and credit card statements necessary in performing our work.
I have a Customer Advocate? What do they do for me?
In 2018, Acuity became the first accounting firm to launch a Customer Success program that focuses on understanding and anticipating business owner’s needs. So yes, every client using our bookkeeper services has a dedicated Customer Advocate who will guide you through the onboarding process, monitor the health of your engagement, and reach out to you to find out how you’re doing and what more we can be doing to help you out. We highly encourage you to get to know your Customer Advocate and reach out to them whenever you have any needs or questions!
