Testimonials
Jennifer Beauvais Rienert
Owner/Director
NH School of Ballet
... they let me know of funding opportunities and helped me through the application process. LifeLine being active and jumping on it made all the difference!
According to Jennifer Reinert, LifeLine Financial is right “en pointe.”
The owner of the New Hampshire School of Ballet, Jennifer says the bookkeeping and accounting firm possesses many of the same attributes as her dancers - a knack for problem solving, a teamwork mentality and unwavering dedication. LifeLine’s crew members listen intently and collaborate with business owners to ensure success, said Jennifer.
“LifeLine handles all our books, payroll and works with our accountant,” said Jennifer. “Deb and her staff are hard workers dedicated to helping people. They are excellent business people with whom you feel totally comfortable.”
Most recently, Deb and her team went above and beyond in helping her obtain COVID-19 funding, according to Jennifer. “Sue Williams literally spent the day on the phone taking me through everything and helping me complete the applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and later Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding.” Jennifer was successful in obtaining the funding, and credits LifeLine with her being able to do so.
“LifeLine was the one calling me to let me know of funding opportunities and helping me through the application process. LifeLine being active and jumping on it made all the difference,” said Jennifer. “I’m just so very grateful.”
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Russ Ouellette, DM
President and CEO
Sojourn Partners
I have been with Deb forever, and I feel like I have someone who is in my family because she cares that much.
Money and “family” often don’t mix, but that’s not the case when it comes to Russ Ouellette’s relationship with LifeLine Financial Services and company president Deborah Whitten.
“I have been with Deb forever, and I feel like I have someone who is in my family because she cares that much,” said Russ, President and CEO of Sojourn Partners. “She is loyal and I am, too, and that means more to me than anything else.”
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LifeLine does all of the bookkeeping and payroll for Sojourn Partners and also runs quarterly financials that are given to Sojourn’s CPA, providing for a seamless process. In fact, it was through his CPA that Russ said he first heard about LifeLine. He has now been with the company for 10 years. “Deb and her LifeLine Financial Crew are responsive and conscientious about my business,” he said. They have also saved him money.
According to Russ, Benjamin Jenkins, who handles the Sojourn account for LifeLine, emailed him to notify him that his rewards were expiring on his business credit card, providing a number for Russ to call that saved him $3,000. LifeLine’s value was further highlighted recently with their proactive approach to assisting Sojourn with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “All my providers were assisting me, including my bank, the SBA, my CPA and local chambers, and Deb was no exception, providing information and making sure my CPA firm had the documentation it needed to fill out all the PPP paperwork,” said Russ. “My relationship with LifeLine has been, and continues to be, outstanding.”
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John Clayton, Executive Director
Jeffrey Barraclough, Operations
We’re a small non-profit and manage with very tight dollars, so they’ve truly been a lifeline for us.
With a full-time staff of only four employees, the Manchester Historic Association (MHA) cannot afford to have a full-time bookkeeper on staff, despite significant accounting and bookkeeping needs. So when the organization’s bookkeeper left about five years ago, the MHA decided to explore options for how best to meet their needs. That’s when they discovered LifeLine Financial Services.
“We’re a small non-profit and manage with very tight dollars, so they’ve truly been a lifeline for us,” said John Clayton, MHA Executive Director. “It’s certainly more than just cutting checks. It has just been phenomenal to work with them.”
According to Jeffrey Barraclough, MHA Director of Operations, when LifeLine first came in, they put in place a set of standard operating procedures to be followed, which was extremely helpful. “They’ve definitely saved us money by streamlining our processes,” he said. “If something happens and I don’t know what to do, I know where to turn. They have excellent customer service.” When MHA received a letter from the IRS saying the organization was not in compliance, LifeLine researched the issue and spent hours on the phone and otherwise getting it corrected.
Today, after five years of working together, LifeLine performs all of the organization’s bookkeeping services, accounts payable, QuickBooks management and provides financial reporting to the Board of Directors, and the MHA could not be happier. “They are just so professional and so efficient,” said John. “We’re lucky to work with LifeLine.”
Caroline Arend, Founder and Executive Chef
Caroline's Fine Food
Deb went to bat for me, talking to people in Concord and at the IRS... Not only did this relieve a lot of stress for me, but also resulted in fines being waived, saving me a lot of money.
Caroline Arend jokes that LifeLine Financial Services kept her out of debtors’ prison.
The founder and Executive Chef of Caroline’s Fine Food in Bedford, NH, says she is only half joking, however. Shortly after hiring LifeLine for accounting and bookkeeping services, LifeLine identified that her Point of Sales (POS) was not accurately feeding her other financial systems, resulting in her not paying enough in meals taxes. She had no idea this was the case and was really upset, as she was certainly not trying to evade taxes. She didn’t know what to do, but she says she should not have worried, as LifeLine was on it.
“Deb went to bat for me, talking to people in Concord and at the IRS and got it all straightened out,” said Caroline. “Not only did this relieve a lot of stress for me, but also resulted in fines being waived, saving me a lot of money.”
According to Caroline, LifeLine reviews her bank accounts to ensure the numbers are where they should be and money doesn’t need to be transferred among accounts and performs other day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping tasks. She said in today’s uncertain business environment, they do even more. LifeLine proactively reached out to Caroline to notify her that she was eligible to apply for a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan, and offering to help her file the application, given that LifeLine had all her financial information in hand having helped her organize her financials long before the crisis hit.
“LifeLine has really saved me quite a bit of work,” said Caroline.
Defining Deb as a “tremendous advocate,” Caroline said she chooses to work with LifeLine for her accounting and bookkeeping needs because of the company’s strong morals and ethics and knowledge on her part that no matter what she needs, LIfeLine will make it happen. Said Caroline, “I know Deb’s not just doing this to make a living. I really believe she is looking out for clients’ best interests. She’s an upstanding person and I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with LifeLine.”
Melissa Albano-Davis, President
Grapevine Marketing
I’ve become more profitable because things are being done the correct way and people are on top of the financials
She spent an entire Sunday at her kitchen table going through books as she was months behind. That was the catalyst to her hiring LifeLine Financial Services 10 years ago - and she has never looked back.
“It took me an entire day to do what the LifeLine crew did in a couple of hours,” said Melissa Albano-Davis, president of Grapevine Marketing.
When first starting out, Melissa was doing everything herself - QuickBooks, invoicing, following up on receivables, monitoring financial reports, all the while trying to sell her services. As her business grew, it became overwhelming. By hiring LifeLine to do her daily financial work, such as reviewing bank statements, credit card transactions and essentially analyzing all her accounts and applying vendor payments, Melissa could then focus on her clients and what she does best and not worry about the bookkeeping and accounting. “I’ve become more profitable because things are being done the correct way and people are on top of the financials,” she said.
According to Melissa, she has also been more successful because LifeLine has helped her understand where she is profitable and where she is not and to adjust her business strategy accordingly to focus on the services that are a better fit for her agency, thus more profitable overall. As a result of this analysis, Melissa took a complete line of business out of her offerings. “LifeLine is able to track the expenses and revenue to each client and each line of service, and as a result, help me to be smarter about how we grow,” she said.
Tax planning services provided by LifeLine have also saved Grapevine Marketing time and money, and taken a huge weight off Melissa’s shoulders. Ongoing conversations throughout the year keep the company on track. LifeLine also prepares end-of-year financial reports for her to send to the accountant so that Melissa knows at the end of the year what to expect for her federal tax payment and is able to get her taxes done easier and faster, putting the company in a better position overall.
Melissa acknowledges that some of the day-to-day bookkeeping tasks could be done by different firms, but said what sets LifeLine apart is that they truly get to know your business and help you strategize and plan. They care about you and helping your business prosper, according to Melissa. “LifeLine has put me in a place where I can make better decisions about my business in order to build a stronger company and grow in a way that makes sense for me, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.”
Heather Ramsey
Managing Partner & Executive Coach
Sojourn Partners
For Deb, it isn't just about bookkeeping - it's about helping small businesses thrive and grow.
For Heather Ramsey, Managing Partner & Executive Coach at Sojourn Partners, LifeLine Financial has been a constant throughout her work life, in large part, according to Heather, because Deborah Whitten and her team always go above and beyond to ensure she has what she needs for her financials.
“They have helped with multiple organizations that I have been with and I can't say enough about their industry experience, customized approach to taking care of clients, dedication to communicating, patience and flexibility,” said Heather. “For Deb, it isn't just about bookkeeping - it's about helping small businesses thrive and grow. Her support is not just in the numbers, but also in her clients and helping them to navigate challenges in a way that will help them sustain and thrive!”
I view Deb as kind of my guardian angel... I wouldn’t consider anyone else for my accounting and bookkeeping services.
James Alexander thought he was doing everything correctly when he started Capital Car Audio in November 2018.
“No one exactly tells you how to start a business,” he said.
Thankfully, James joined Business Network International (BNI), a group where members meet weekly to discuss business and support each other’s businesses by sharing referrals. It was there that he met Deb Whitten, president of LifeLine Financial Services, the month after opening his business. It was Deb who actually came to James first for his expertise. He worked on her car and her husband’s car. “There were no questions asked. She took a chance on me, so I decided to take a chance on her,” said James.
Today, the LifeLine crew manages Capital Car Audio’s financials, balancing all of the books, accounts payable processing, and, as James refers to it, “everything on the back end, so that it’s smooth sailing.” He said even beyond that, however, LifeLine provides education along the way to him, coaching and training him on various aspects of the financials, so that he has a clear understanding of his cash flow and budget. According to James, the LifeLine crew always answers the phone right away and in addition to at least bi-weekly visits, calls at least a couple of times per month. When a payment issue arose, he said they not only identified it, but dealt with it, saving the company both time and money.
“I view Deb as kind of my guardian angel,” said James. “I very much respect and trust her and wouldn’t consider anyone else for my accounting and bookkeeping services.”