Please meet Anna Lee Christiansen, the owner of Tree Frog Canopy Tours, a zipline company located in the heart of Loudonville, Ohio. What began as a family’s small business venture is now a successful company offering a variety of recreational packages to its customers. An adventure for the whole family, Tree Frog Canopy Tours is Northern Ohio's only dual-cable zipline canopy tour. It's a great way to explore the natural beauty of the area, all while having a challenging and thrilling experience and creating memories. We asked Anna more about her family’s journey and how bookkeeping has played a role in their business.
Tell me more about your business: Where do I start? My husband came up with this idea of tree climbing and from there, we went with the idea of ziplining instead. We felt it was more enjoyable and was becoming a fun sport to do in the trees.
We started working on the idea in 2009. My husband put together a business plan and he found an area that would support this. We lease 50 acres from a campground owner in the Mohican area in Loudonville, Ohio. We contracted a company from Grand Junction, Colorado that installs zip lines throughout the country. They began building in April 2010 and we opened on August 1, 2010. Our business is seasonal from April through October.
But our business is truly a family affair: My daughter, Madison, started working as a guide from day one and is now the No. 1 person to oversee the course operations and guide training. I worked at the front desk and welcomed in the participants. My husband, Jody, took care of all the bookwork and taxes.
What is your biggest challenge? In the early years, we were moving along fine, though slowly, because none of us had any sense of building a business. We were always coming up with ideas but had no execution. That was, and still is, our biggest challenge.
However, my husband passed away in 2016, leaving my daughter and I to take over. I am not computer savvy and I fell short quickly. I tried to learn from my accountant and have learned quite a bit, but I was still ignorant when it came to QuickBooks.
What led you to call BudgetEase? We are ready to sell this business and I recently found out that my profit and loss statement was out of whack! I was embarrassed when I didn’t follow through like I should have. This is when I sought help and found Kathy at BudgetEase.
What do you find helpful having someone else do your bookkeeping? One word, RELIEF! I have enjoyed talking with Kathy and Brad. They do not talk above me and I don’t feel like an idiot!
You can learn more about Tree Frog Canopy Tours at www.treefrogcanopytours.com.
We are always excited to meet new clients. If you're looking for a bookkeeping service or help with your QuickBooks, please call! We can make QuickBooks work for you!
