A Few Words

About Forks and Figures

Welcome Friends!

We are a father-daughter team built on decades of actual small business experience.  We help restaurants, retailers, and other small businesses stay organized, compliant, and confident so you can focus on what you do best!

Built by small business owners, for small business owners…we know what it takes to do your own thing- and how stressful the behind-the-scenes can be!  We understand food costs, inventory swings, seasonal cash flow, payroll headaches, and the reality of wearing every hat in the building.

Our mission is to take the stress off of you by providing stellar services to support your business, including:

  • monthly bookkeeping
  • bank and credit card reconciliations
  • tax preparation
  • payroll
  • inventory control systems
  • clean up and catch up bookkeeping
  • set up assistance
  • branding 
  • promotional materials
  • and more!

We are dedicated to providing you with:

  • Practical Systems that actually work
  • Clear Numbers you can trust
  • Honest Conversations
  • True Collaboration 
We stand for Integrity, Reliability, and Simplicity.
 
We treat your business with care, accuracy, and transparency: we will always do what’s right, even when it’s not the easiest option.  We do what we say we’re going to do, when we say we’re going to do it.  And we build clean, straightforward systems that make sense and save time.

Why Forks and Figures?

Because trust matters.  Because experience matters.  And because you deserve a team that understands your industry, communicates clearly, and treats your business like their own.  We are a family business supporting other small businesses with honesty, consistency, and care.  

Meet Joe

Hidey Ho, Good Neighbor! 

My name is Joe Petro.  I have extensive experience in the restaurant industry and lots and lots of experience as a bookkeeper.  I am a TOTAL Numbers Geek!  I love numbers.  I love charts. I love graphs.  When treated right, numbers NEVER Lie!  The numbers will show you where opportunity is waiting and will pave the way to your success!  When you hand your numbers over to me, I’ll make certain they speak the truth by ensuring reports are accurate, actionable, and timely.  

I spent a lot of time woking in the Corporate Restaurant  industry, which taught me how to analyze the financial reports and prepare action plans to maximize growth and profit.  I was fortunate enough to eventually apply what I learned in corporate America to my very own restaurant.  I owned and operated an immensely successful, high volume restaurant from 1996-2020.  I attribute a lot of the success of the restaurant to tight financial controls, ability to adjust quickly, and excellent bookkeeping and record-keeping.  In addition to ensuring optimal Guest Relations and consistent Food Quality, I loved being the bookkeeper for my restaurant.  I met with my CPA quarterly to make sure I was doing the books correctly and accurately and met the guidelines outlined in General Acceptable Accounting Practices.  (Hey, we all need some accountability-pun intended.)

In 2020,  I sold the restaurant and tried the retirement thing, but quickly learned that I wasn’t quite ready and so I decided to UN-retire.  It wasn’t that I was bored, but that I really wanted to help my fellow restauranteurs and retail shop owners. 

Some folks don’t like the numbers part of ownership.  If you are one of those people, then I’m your guy!   I can take that tedious task off your plate, handle all of the transactions, payroll (if desired), and prepare accurate and timely financial reports every month.  You can do all the things that you enjoy and excel at, and I can do all the things that I think are fun, like numbers, charts, and graphs! 

I am a certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor, as well as an Associate Digital Bookkeeper, through Bookkeeper Launch, which is a premier Bookkeeping Education platform.  

Most important of all, I am a real human being, with real experience, and a real desire to support you and your small business.

Me with my wife, Marti, at our 50th Anniversary in 2023.

Contact Joe

Meet Caitlin

Hi friends!  

My name is Caitlin West.  While I also have extensive restaurant experience, my focus these days is mainly on Wellness.  I own and operate a company called Knowmadic Coaching, which is dedicated to helping individuals unlock potential in all areas of life through tailored coaching sessions, mindful movement, and the application of knowledge to action.  I believe that education, exploration, and application are essential for evolution- and that applies equally to you as an individual and to your business.

You have to know your business in order for it to grow. 

So what does it mean to know your business?  

It starts with the foundations: knowing your financial situation, keeping accurate records, and creating systems and plans that support your mission.

Beyond the mundane, real growth is a direct result of your Sparkle…. What made you want to start this business?  What makes you different?  What lights you up and makes you excited to share what you’re building?  Translating that excitement, that sparkle, to the world, is what will sell your products and/or services, and allow you to live a life you love.

My passion is helping translate your vision to the world through branding and promotional materials, so your target customers can find you and book you.  From fonts, color palettes, and logos, to brochures, promotional copy, and website design- I want to work with you to make sure your messaging is clear.

I am an Associate Digital Bookkeeper, Quickbooks ProAdvisor, and absolute nerd for Canva.  

 

 

When I’m not behind a screen, you can almost certainly find me exploring somewhere beautiful!

Contact Caitlin