Jessica Minkus: Leading with Passion and Flexibility at Bookminders

Jessica Minkus, the Chief Executive Officer of Bookminders, has built a remarkable career rooted in her love for challenges and her commitment to fostering a supportive, flexible work environment. Her journey with the Pittsburgh-based accounting services company began in 2006 when she joined as a Staff Accountant. Over the years, her dedication and innovative thinking propelled her through the ranks, culminating in her appointment as CEO in 2022. Today, Jessica leads Bookminders with a focus on empowering her team and expanding the company’s reach, all while balancing her roles as a mother and wife.

A Path Shaped by Curiosity

Interestingly, accounting wasn't her first career choice. "I changed my major like five times," Jessica reveals. She ultimately graduated from The Ohio State University with an Economics degree and was torn between becoming a professional chef, an event planner, or going into accounting.

"Accounting just made sense to me. I understood it," she explains. Far from the boring number-crunching many imagine, Jessica sees accounting as telling financial stories and helping clients realize their potential. "People go into business because they're really good at what they're doing, not because they're good at the numbers. Supporting entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders carrying out their mission through accounting is fascinating to me."

Her economics background, particularly labor economics, has proven valuable in her leadership role. "Economics helps me understand all the different aspects that can impact decisions, both mine and other people's, and anticipate the kinds of impacts those choices are likely to have."

How Bookminders Does It Differently

Founded 40 years ago by Tom Joseph, Bookminders has always offered flexible employment to professional accountants, which was a rare concept in the accounting industry at the time. This approach continues today under Jessica's leadership.

"We are different because of our employment model," Jessica states proudly. "We empower our employees to be efficient. They get compensated for their efficiency. We provide them with the tools, resources, and framework to be successful."

What truly sets Bookminders apart is their documentation and collaborative culture. "Ninety-five percent of everything we ask our employees to do is documented. They have clear rules to follow, and management is always there supporting them. Our environment is not competitive, it’s collaborative—we're all working toward the same common goal."

The company exclusively offers outsourced accounting services. They partner with audit firms and tax firms that refer clients to Bookminders, knowing that when tax and audit season arrives, everything will be organized with no gaps or needed adjustments.

Guiding with Purpose, Not Ego

Jessica believes great leadership comes from self-awareness and collaboration. "It's about understanding what you bring to the table and making sure you put people around you that fill in those gaps. I like to bring people in, I like to be collaborative, but I'm also extremely decisive."

She emphasizes that running a company is never a solo act. "You can't run a company by yourself. There's no ego in it. You're trying to work with your team, make them better so that you all are one collective unit."

Her management style includes clear boundaries and communication. "Everyone knew that January through April, I was pretty much available to them because it's a very busy time of year. But then after that, I wouldn't answer emails on weekends, and they knew that."

Moving Forward with Purpose

Jessica's goals for Bookminders focus on continued, strategic expansion. "My primary focus has always been recruiting and talent, retaining and attracting talent and creating an environment where everyone wants to stay."

The company plans to continue expanding into different industries, implementing new technology to serve even larger companies and non-profits.

For women aspiring to leadership roles, Jessica offers practical advice: "Don't beat yourself up about being imbalanced. Recognize that something's not right and try to figure out ways to remedy that... Be happy with getting three things done on your list and then move on to the next day. You're not settling, you're just being realistic."

Her final message is one of persistence: "Hard work does really pay off. It might not pay off this year, but you just keep going for it, and it will."