Who am I and why did I become a bookkeeper?

My name is Todd Barrett. I am a community organizer, resident of Oakland, and a father with a young son attending OUSD. I got my start in bookkeeping by managing the finances for InterCulture Foundation as its COO, a 501c3 started by Larry Biehl in 2008. I still run the foundation today, including being its bookkeeper.

I put the non-profit on the back burner for a while in 2016 as I focused on building a career in design, and spent roughly a decade managing contract bookkeepers. I cycled through a lot of contractors, because I learned that most bookkeepers did not have the experience to understand what my needs really were. That is what got me thinking about offering it as a service myself.

What I enjoy about bookkeeping is understanding the stories behind the transactions that keep a business running. Which accounts in the books are affected by each line item, and how to make it all understandable to someone wanting to know the current financial position of their company or organization.

So in 2025 I left my career in design, traded out my drawing trackpad for a numeral pad, and got to work building my bookkeeping business. In addition to returning to the books for the non-profit and other clients, I am also pursuing my bookkeeping certification, Xero certification and training as a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor.

You can learn more about InterCulture Foundation and the fiscal sponsorship we provide, here.

You can find my LinkedIn profile here.

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