Meet Keila Hill-Trawick | Founder + CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Keila Hill-Trawick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Keila, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Initially I started my firm to distract me from the monotony at my government day job, aiming to use my skill in service on the side. But I quickly saw the value in being able to see immediate results in using my knowledge and expertise with business owners who are frequently forgotten – tiny businesses with 1 owner and a small (if any) team.

It felt nice to be able to fill the gap in an industry that is typically known for confusing explanations and condescension, and instead be able to provide a caring customer service experience that empowers entrepreneurs and makes them feel heard. My guiding principle is to make accounting information accessible. I see how hard it is for small business owners to get valuable, actionable information when managing business finances, and we want them to be able to feel safe asking questions and receiving answers that help them to grow their business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
When I started this business, it was meant to be an ongoing side hustle, not a full time job. I worked hard to learn systems and processes, and it was a lot of late nights and early mornings to manage both when I started. It wasn’t easy, but two lessons I learned early on and continue to use in my business are:

– I am to use my skill in service. Everything we do at Little Fish is in service of the clients who pay us and others who listen to us. We want to make it easy to work with us, and the goal is to make sure our expertise enriches the lives of small business owners who might not have otherwise received that support. If you lead with serving, the money, attention, and clients will follow.

– I am ok with giving information away. Working with me to do the work will always cost, but I want to constantly empower people by providing guidance on things to keep in mind. This has allowed me to grow my instagram account, build a podcast following, and opened doors for paid speaking engagements and panel interviews.

I would say what sets us apart from a lot of firms is that we care. We want to help, to make it right. Instead of just plugging the numbers, we want to teach you how to understand them. It’s part of our brand to ensure that you leave better off than when you came to us.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am notorious for getting people tired throughout the day, so that I can avoid going out at night (I get sleepy early). I love brunch and museums, which DC is known for, so a quick trip with me would include the following:

Brunch! There are so many great brunch spots, but I’d probably head to Provision No. 14, because the food is delicious and I haven’t been in a while. Start with great food and bottomless mimosas before walking around the area.

The Metro gets a lot of knocks but it takes you where you want to go! We’d hop on and head to the National Mall to catch the sites and sights – see the Capitol, Washington Memorial and pick a museum – if we could snag one, definitely tickets to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The food there is pretty good, and if we aren’t still full from brunch, a sit down lunch there would be amazing. That being said, the NMAAHC takes a while – I’ve been several times and can make it through about half per day, so that’s a two day event within itself.

If the weather’s nice, we can walk or grab a bikeshare to ride on the Mall, visiting the Lincoln memorial, Jefferson memorial, and Martin Luther King memorial. Riding along the tidal basin is always nice, and if we avoid peak tourist season, it’s a leisurely walk with beautiful views (and sunsets!)

Finally, I’d take a trip to Georgetown for people watching and dinner. The Peacock Cafe is one of my favorites, and we can shop at one of the many small and large shops in the area.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh wow! I feel like I’m accepting an award 🙂 I would definitely like to thank my friend Amber Cabral, who is the first person who told me that what I did was good and necessary, and has continued to support me constantly for everything about my business. I’d also like to thank the community at Accountants of Color, which remains a safe space for me and other BIPOC accountants to express ourselves without judgement and ask for help. I wish I had that when I started my business, and am proud to have helped shepherd it for others in our industry.

Website: https://www.littelfishaccounting.com

Instagram: instagram.com/littlefishaccounting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keilahilltrawick/

Facebook: facebook.com/littlefishacctg

Image Credits
All photos by D Finney Photography