Why Choose Us?
Can you really find it?
That elusive “higher-quality, reasonably-priced” bookkeeping and outsourced financial management for small business really does exist.
It's us.
Black Columns brings you the mix of services you want —bookkeeping, data analysis, technology support, and cash flow management. It’s a controller service for small business that’s personal and customized.
So you could choose exactly what kind of record-keeping and guidance you want. Gain mastery of your own finances and metrics — to know where you are… and where you want to go. With consistency over time. And not worry about it anymore.
“I love good data, and want to help you gain data insights for your business or non-profit. So I can help you manage and grow."
Levi Loebenstein
Black Columns, Chief Finance Guru
We apply our skills to diverse industries and organizations
Focus Areas
We’ve worked with a variety of companies and organizations, and create customized solutions for your interests.
#1. Small Business.
We know small business. We believe in small business. We are small business. We know what it’s like, and work to support your interests.
Our experience includes professional services, retail, construction, real estate, ecommerce and more. General bookkeeping and ledger… to complex business dealings. Reconciling accounts and providing data analysis and projections. Including such responsibilities as vendor analysis, negotiations, and selection. Equipment financing…
Controller functions so we can manage all financial matters. Obtaining financing and assisting in reporting. Software selection, installation, and training, from QuickBooks… to Point Of Sale systems… to all-in-one AirTable data integration and project management tools.
We’ve got lots of experience to help manage and grow your small business. And we've worked with small business owners in Atlanta, New York, and across the country.
Please see details in Levi’s Bio below.
#2. Real Estate and Property Management
We’ve worked intensively in these areas, in a wide range of support capabilities.
Including everything from developing annual projections for Fannie Mae, to lender reports. To due diligence and recommendations on purchasing properties. To working with real estate and property management software such as Yardi and Buildium, and more.
We’ve got lots of experience to help manage and grow your small business.
Please see details in Levi’s Bio below.
#3. Non-Profits
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Charitable Institutions
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Chabad
We understand non-profits. And we understand the money you raise and spend is variable, and sometimes barely adequate to cover expenses.
So we help you keep your costs down. And make your cash outlays a little more predictable, when possible.
When it comes to resources you need for fundraising and events, we help you manage your money to remain cash positive.
Would you like to discuss your special interests?
Testimonials
What are they saying about Levi and Black Columns?
“I knew I was making money through e-commerce but I had no idea how much. I knew I had assets on hand (inventory) but didn’t know how much and therefore was in the dark about my financial situation. Levi really sorted that all out for me. He tailored a package to my needs where I put in transactions, pay bills etc. but he cleans it up and by the 5th of every month I get a clear custom report telling me what happened last month and where my business stands.”
Tzvi F. – Online Sales
“I invest in condominiums as passive income. I needed someone to pay the bills for the condos and let me know how the investment was planning out. Levi does all that. Now, before purchasing, I run the numbers by him and we make decisions together.”
Nick W. – Real Estate
"I’m a construction guy, plain and simple. I don’t want to have to look to hire accountants and bookkeepers etc. and have to check if they’re doing a good job. Someone suggested Levi of Black Columns LLC to me and it’s been great. He does all my bookkeeping, manages my cashflow and even takes care of workers comp and general liability insurance for me. We meet monthly to map out our next 2 months of cashflow, check on the existing and see if we’ve reached the KPIs we made together. I don’t worry anymore how if I’ll have the cash on hand to pay bills."
Mark K. – Construction
Want to be our next testimonial?
What you might want to know about
Levi Loebenstein
Black Columns has been developed and run by me — Levi Loebenstein, — I’m an experienced bookkeeper, financial analyst and controller for small businesses.
I appreciate that business owners like you want…
— Competency, there’s no substitute.
— Consistency, we won’t disappear.
— Personalized service and prompt response… you deserve it.
I’ve got a proven track record in helping small to medium businesses set up, optimize and build out their financial departments and improve the bottom line.
I can provide financial guidance and money management. And help you gain a good understanding of where you are… and where you want to go.
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The best way to talk about the experience I bring to your small business is by briefly describing some programs and results I've developed for my clients:
For some companies it can be basic bookkeeping and reporting.
Most business owners see best value when we manage their finances and data more substantially.
BOOKKEEPING BASICS: We work with small business of all kinds to do basic bookkeeping and reporting.
FULL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: Took over the full accounting department of a $7 million dollar-a-year construction company. The first thing we did was to switch over their accounting software to one that would service their needs better. We helped them get workers comp and general liability insurance. Job cost accounting, analysis of each project after completion to detail profitability and how it affects future quotes, cash flow management to determine salary raises and purchase of new equipment. Contacted and finalized financing for multiple pieces of new equipment. Introduced new software to track employee pay and do away with any external systems for that and new software to track job costs in real time, simplifying processes.
RETAIL/ECOMMERCE: We work with a company that had multiple retail locations and ecommerce arm, and chose a POS that would match the needs of their business best. We centralized the financial operations, and had the managers of retail and ecommerce meet monthly to review our reports and analysis, and plot a path towards greater profitability. That resulted in dropping certain products, lowering expenses by 12% and recording a much stronger overall rate of return.
CLOUD ACCOUNTING: Set up client with cloud accounting where they input the data, and we are on call to provide support, do month end closings— answer questions and give assistance on any “non-standard” entries and issues.
DATA INPUT & INTEGRITY: Assist a large property management company with their data input, we provide monthly services to ensure the integrity of that data, and assist with any bookkeeping help they may need.
INVESTMENT ANALYSIS & GUIDANCE: We provided consulting for small private real estate investors about the profitability and financial metrics of current properties and future purchases to guide their purchasing.
We work with small businesses and NPOs in Atlanta, New York, and across the country.