Founder’s Story
Forty years ago, our founder Tom Joseph launched Steele Financial Services, the precursor to Bookminders.
Steele Financial Services was designed not only to solve a problem but to innovatively use technology to complement the life of its target employee – a college educated woman needing flexibility for her family. This laid the groundwork for what would become Bookminders, a pioneering concept that remains integral to our identity today.
Iterating into Bookminders
In 1984, the Joseph’s family business lost their bookkeeper. Tom, who had early exposure to Apple computers in his job at Westinghouse, bought an Apple IIc computer along with accounting software and formed Steele Financial Services. The original idea of having his uncle run the system was a failure, but Tom’s sister Diane was able to grasp the new technology and agreed to take on the role if she could work primarily from home. Tom and Diane transformed a lengthy process into one that took only a few hours, completed mostly from her home office. In an era before the internet, this was a radical concept. Despite this initial success, the idea was not scalable given the lack of internet infrastructure and led to the closure of Steele Financial Services.
Quality Bookkeeping
Over the next seven years, Tom continued his career in factory automation, but the idea of Bookminders was never far from mind. A 60 Minutes segment featuring a manufacturing company that was highly successful using a piece-meal compensation model inspired him to think that a similar model could be used for his “bookminders.” He envisioned an environment that would leverage technology to offer meaningful, part-time accounting roles for women seeking an alternative to traditional full-time office jobs, all while providing affordable, high-quality bookkeeping for small businesses.
Quality Assurance Program
When Tom launched Bookminders in 1991, he enlisted the help of Diane’s twin sister, Lynne. Their first client, an architect in Shadyside, PA, was fortunately demanding and forced many refinements, which greatly improved the ease of navigating the financials. This commitment to continuous improvement became the foundation for Bookminders’ Quality Assurance program which attracted auditors eager to position their clients for success.
The Wave of the Present
During a meeting with one such firm, a partner remarked that Bookminders’ approach sounded like the wave of the future. Tom replied, “We’re going to make it the wave of the present!” The employee-first focus, unique compensation model, timely and cost-effective financials, and commitment to quality poised the company for considerable growth over the next several decades, proving Tom’s vision correct.
An Innovative Concept Produces Continual, Sustainable Growth
In the decades that followed its founding, Bookminders expanded dramatically but sustainably. By consistently adopting and integrating cutting-edge technologies, Bookminders evolved from using floppy discs and a shared email account in the 90s to perfecting remote access with its customized, cloud-based platform. Recognized early on as one of Pittsburgh’s Fastest Growing Private Companies and a champion for home-based workers, the company set a new bar for work-life balance expectations in Pittsburgh’s accounting community.
The Premier Outsourced Bookkeeping Service
A focus on building resources tailored to non-profits and small to mid-size businesses, along with the opening of the Philadelphia office in 2006, led to Bookminders’ emergence as the premier outsourced bookkeeping service in Pennsylvania. Over the next decade, its innovative concept and in-demand services resulted in the launch of two additional locations: Southern New Jersey and Eastern Maryland. The strong, employee-centric culture and remote opportunities attracted an influx of staff. Finally, with an abundance of resources and growing demand, Bookminders expanded its footprint beyond the Eastern United States with a Central Texas location in 2022 and Indianapolis, Indiana in 2024.
Industry Changing, Award Winning
Bookminders has been recognized by numerous organizations for its growth, innovation, and employee-focused culture.
Honors include DotCom Magazine’s Impact Company of the Year, the American Society of Women Accountants’ Work/Life Balance Company of the Year, and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Home-Based Business Champion designation for Pennsylvania. The company is also a seven-time recipient of the Pittsburgh Business Times “100 Fastest Growing Private Companies” award and has been consistently ranked a Top Workplace by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette since 2022. Learn more about our recognition.