Tar Heel State Entrepreneur Making it Big with BookKeeping Express

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Joe Lee Jumpstarts Bookkeeping Business' Growth across North Carolina; New Offices Planned for Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham Markets

April 16, 2010 // Franchising.com // GREENVILLE, N.C. – BookKeeping Express, (BKE), the first U.S. franchise focused solely on bookkeeping services, announced today its 2010 expansion plans for North Carolina. Focusing growth during the balance of the year in the Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham markets, BKE's plans include opening up to 25 new offices in total in the regions starting as soon as early-summer and continuing throughout late-2010 and beyond.

"The small business community is growing across the state, especially in Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham, and BookKeeping Express is expanding with it," said Brent Early, Area Developer for BookKeeping Express. "We know businesses flail when they don't stay on top of their books, and have seen it happen all too often in the Tar Heel state. Our Greenville office has been received extremely well, with local small business owners responding with a huge feeling of relief once they get familiar with our distinctive set of services."

Successful Greenville businessman Joe Lee, the owner of Greenville's BookKeeping Express, opened his office in mid-2009. Serving Pitt, Beaufort, Edgecombe, Nash and Wilson counties, Lee has carved his business' niche in the market as the professionals to turn to for sound financial guidance. Already working with local businesses in the automotive and printing industries, Lee has positioned North Carolina's first BKE office as a trusted consultant and advisor, filling the much needed chief financial officer role for several clients.

"Watching my clients' faces light up when they see the difference I can make to their bottom lines has been truly rewarding for me as I've gotten my business going," said Lee, who has more than 25 years of management and professional accounting experience. "Taking on a consultant role provides my clients with great value. They're receiving more than our outstanding bookkeeping and accounting services, and that's the value-add that is making a big difference for my business."

A fit for transitioning corporate professionals and entrepreneurs eager to take a new career path, BookKeeping Express offers a prime opportunity to grow a business with the support of a proven business model, ongoing marketing support and continuous investment in technology.

Lee transitioned into franchise ownership with BookKeeping Express following several years in executive level positions at manufacturing companies. Immediately preceding his agreement with BookKeeping Express, Lee served as Plant Controller for eight years at NACCO Materials Handling Group's Greenville Plant.

"Throughout my professional career I have always felt that the small business community was underserved when it came to professional bookkeeping services," added Lee. "We have a great opportunity to bring this service offering to the rest of the state and fill a niche that remains untapped."

The expansion throughout North Carolina's Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham markets is part of the company's aggressive national development plans which call for more than 400 new territories, initially targeting growth throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

As part of the BookKeeping Express franchise model, all locations will offer the BKE Connect system, which allows businesses access to all bookkeeping files remotely through an outside server, as well as a dashboard that clearly and visually 'sums' up the business' operations for thorough analysis. Two options available to BookKeeping Express investors include Master or Area Development territories that can be operated out of home-based or commercial space locations; per territory start-up fees run under $50,000.

About Bookkeeping Express

BookKeeping Express, a national company focused on providing professional bookkeeping practices to small businesses, was founded in 1984 in California and grew to over 150 locations through licensing agreements. In 2007, Greg Jones, along with Bob Stocker and Merritt Green, purchased the company and launched the new business model in McLean, Virginia in January of 2008. BookKeeping Express is currently registered to franchise in 41 states.

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