A DBA of Penguin Protect LLC
Clean Books. Clear Decisions.
No Guesswork.
Open for business. Book a free fit call, get a clear plan, and engage on a scope that fits — sprint rescue, ongoing care, or a full AI-assisted ops shield.
Bookkeeping • Cleanup • Reporting • QuickBooks Setup • Security-first handling
Curious how pricing usually works? See investment scenarios · AI-assisted ops are part of how we deliver books work — not a separate mystery product.
Progressive finance leadership across Fortune 500 and nonprofit organizations.
Process improvements and automation that cut waste and speed month-end delivery.
Annual payment volume managed across multi-entity operations at scale.
What We Do & When You Need It
Not sure which service fits? Start here. Each item explains a common need in plain English — then book a fit call so we match the right engagement shape, not a random package.
Books Health Check
A diagnostic review of your chart of accounts, reconciliations, bank feeds, and payroll mapping. You get a written severity assessment and a phased fix plan—so you know exactly where you stand before committing to ongoing service.
Historical Cleanup & Catch-Up
If your books are behind—weeks, months, or even a full year—we reconcile every bank account and credit card through an agreed-upon date, correct opening balances, and hand you a file that is ready for your CPA or tax preparer.
Monthly Bookkeeping
Ongoing reconciliations, transaction categorization, and clean financial statements delivered on a predictable schedule every single month. This is the core service most small businesses need to stay audit-ready and make confident decisions.
Bill Pay & Vendor Hygiene
Consistent vendor setup, approval workflows, and 1099 awareness so nothing slips through the cracks. Even a light bill-pay rhythm prevents costly year-end scrambles and keeps vendor relationships clean.
Payroll Reconciliation Support
We tie your payroll reports (Gusto, ADP, QBO Payroll) back to the general ledger every period. This catches misclassifications early and keeps payroll liabilities accurate—critical for tax filings and audits.
Year-End / CPA-Ready Package
A clean trial balance, completed reconciliations, fixed-asset schedule notes, and a questions list for your tax preparer. We do the heavy lifting so your CPA can file faster and you avoid last-minute surprises.
App Stack & Workflow Design
Bank feeds, categorization rules, receipt capture, approver roles—we design the right tool stack for your business and set up practical automation that reduces manual work without making magic promises.
Unit Economics & Cash Runway
Simple dashboards or a monthly narrative for owners who have outgrown "just reconciliations." We surface the numbers that matter—margins, burn rate, breakeven—so you can plan with confidence.
How engagements usually look
No shopping cart. Find the shape that sounds like you, then book a free fit call — we write the real scope and pricing afterward.
Short-term consultant
Rescue, setup, or a sharp second opinion when something is broken or unknown.
From $125/hr · often a 10-hour minimum ($1,250). Complex rescues quoted as a fixed block after the fit call.
Book Fit Call for This PathMiddle projects
Catch-up, migration, or redesign over weeks to a few months while you keep operating.
Biweekly billing with deliverables approved in a draft → review → close pipeline.
Book Fit Call for This PathYear-round caretaker
Established processes that need a calm steward — monthly close and CPA-ready continuity.
Fixed monthly retainer sized to hours. Efficient rate band when systems are already sane.
Book Fit Call for This PathFull attention package
Growing businesses that want AI-assisted ops + clean books + year-end CPA zip readiness.
Higher retainer or hybrid. The destination most owners want once DIY stops working.
Book Fit Call for This PathBaseline professional rate $125–$150/hour. Optional fixed start: Books Health Check at $350. Full detail on Investment & Fit.
Two Ways to Start
Pick the entry point that fits your situation. No commitment until you are ready.
30-Minute Fit Call
Free — no obligation
A focused conversation to review where your books stand, what is slowing you down, and whether we are the right fit. You leave with a clear next step and a ballpark scope—even if that next step is not us.
Book Free Fit CallPaid Deep-Dive Session
$350 — includes written deliverable
A hands-on review of your QuickBooks file, chart of accounts, reconciliation status, and workflows. You receive a written Books Health Check report with severity ratings and a phased cleanup or improvement plan you can act on immediately—with us or on your own.
Schedule Deep-DiveModern Tools & Automation
How we work faster without cutting corners
We bring enterprise-grade process discipline to small business bookkeeping. That means practical workflows tested at organizations managing billions in annual payments—scaled down to fit your size and goals.
Agentic AI is becoming a necessity for operators of every size. We pair two decades across models, finances, AP, and messy data with practical agent workflows — triage, intake, exception queues, SOP checklists — always human-accountable. Ramp AI & Automation training for Expenses and Accounting backs the spend side; QBO, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Oracle, and SAP experience backs the books side.
The result: fewer manual steps, faster month-end, and cleaner CPA handoffs — without magic promises or unmanned books.
Ramp AI & Automation Training
Expenses & Accounting certified
Security Credentials
CompTIA Security+ · Google Cybersecurity
ERP & Analytics
QBO · NetSuite · Sage · Oracle · SAP
Proven Strategic Results
Real outcomes from 20+ years of corporate and nonprofit financial leadership
125-School Ramp Rollout
Architected a 22-week phased rollout onboarding 125 schools onto Ramp's AI-powered spend management platform. Deployed agentic AI pipeline for batch fiscal policy extraction and built banking form automation—eliminating hours of manual data entry per school.
QBO Cloud Migration
Directed full-cycle accounting operations including the successful deployment of three integrated ProCard payment systems with QuickBooks Online, ensuring PCI DSS compliance and real-time GL visibility across the organization.
Billion-Dollar Payment Operations
Managed $1B+ in monthly disbursements across 5,000+ vendors. Designed and deployed financial analytics dashboards providing real-time KPI visibility for senior management. Optimized credit card payment programs through advanced modeling.
Industries We Serve
Specialized experience for complex business environments
Service Businesses
Construction & Trades
Restaurants & Food Service
E-commerce & Retail
Professional Services
Non-Profit Organizations
Healthcare Practices
K-12 & Charter Schools
Your Fractional Finance Leader
East Mesa Bookkeeping
A DBA of Penguin Protect LLC
Corey M. Francis
Director of AP Operations · Multi-Entity Finance Leader · AI-Driven Automation Expert
Corey brings 20+ years of progressive finance leadership across Fortune 500 organizations, nonprofits, and K-12 education. He currently directs an enterprise-wide AP transformation at Vertex Education, onboarding 125 schools onto Ramp's AI-powered spend management platform.
His career spans managing $5.1B in annual payments, leading teams of up to 15 across AP, AR, and GL operations, and deploying ERP integrations and automation programs that measurably improve close speed, accuracy, and cash visibility.
His cybersecurity credentials—CompTIA Security+, Google Cybersecurity Professional, and Google Cloud Security Engineer—ensure sensitive financial data is handled with enterprise-grade security practices.
That same enterprise discipline is now right-sized for your business.
Credentials & Certifications:
- B.S. in Accounting — Penn West University
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA A+ Network
- Google Cybersecurity Professional
- Google Cloud Security Engineer
- Ramp AI & Automation — Expenses & Accounting
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt (ICYB)
- 20+ Years Fortune 500 & Nonprofit Leadership
Why East Mesa Bookkeeping
Senior-level experience, right-sized for SMBs
Enterprise-grade process discipline without enterprise overhead. Proven systems from organizations managing billions in annual payments, adapted to your size and goals.
Security-first handling
Financial data treated as critical infrastructure with structured access, secure workflows, and compliance-minded practices backed by multiple security certifications.
Diagnostic-first approach
We never sell you a package before understanding what you actually need. Start with a free fit call (optional $350 Health Check), get a written plan, then decide your next move.
Results that show up in the numbers
Cleaner books, faster closes, fewer surprises, and better visibility—measured, not promised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most
I'm not sure my books are that bad—do I really need help?
That uncertainty is exactly why we offer the Books Health Check. For a flat fee you get a written report telling you what is working, what is broken, and what to fix first. Many business owners are relieved to learn the situation is simpler than they feared—and those who do need cleanup get a clear, phased plan instead of an open-ended bill.
Will you lock me into a long contract?
No. Monthly bookkeeping is month-to-month after a short onboarding period. One-time services like the Health Check or Historical Cleanup are scoped with a fixed deliverable and a clear 'done when' condition. You always know what you are paying for and when the engagement ends.
I already have a CPA for taxes—why do I need a bookkeeper too?
Your CPA prepares the return; we prepare the books the return is built on. Clean, reconciled books mean your CPA works faster, catches fewer surprises, and charges you less. Our CPA-Ready Package is specifically designed to hand off a file your preparer can trust.
How do you keep my financial data secure?
We treat financial data as critical infrastructure. We use least-privilege access, MFA on every account, and secure document workflows aligned with PCI-minded practices. Corey holds CompTIA Security+, Google Cybersecurity Professional, and Google Cloud Security Engineer credentials—so security is built into our process, not bolted on.
What software do you work with?
Our primary platform is QuickBooks Online. We also have deep integration experience with NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Oracle, and SAP from enterprise environments. For payroll we support Gusto, ADP, and QBO Payroll. For receipt capture and document management we set up tools like Dext and HubDoc based on your needs.
What does 'modern tools and automation' actually mean for my business?
Years in finance, AP, and data paired with agentic AI tooling: transaction triage, document intake queues, recon assists, and month-end checklists — always human-reviewed. Plus practical stack work (QBO, Ramp, receipt capture). You get fewer manual steps and a cleaner handoff for your CPA — not a black-box bot running your books.
How much will this cost?
Professional time starts at $125/hour, with engagements typically shaped as Sprint (often 10-hour minimum), Pipeline (biweekly projects), Steady caretaker retainers, or a full Shield package. We publish scenarios on the Investment & Fit page so you can plan budget; the exact number is written after your free fit call.
Ready for clear, reliable books?
We are open for business. Book a free fit call or call now — leave with a clear next step and honest ballpark.
Free 30-minute fit call · From $125/hr · Not a CPA · No long-term contracts required