Daily Balance

Founded in 1990 by CPA Syd Highley, the practice keeps books remotely and in real time for small businesses and nonprofits, and puts itself among the first accounting firms to work that way. The work runs on a secure cloud-based accounting system reachable around the clock, with Xero at the center of it — Daily Balance holds Xero Silver Partner status. Tradespeople, construction contractors, retailers, professional service providers, and vineyard owners and winery operators are all on the books, and payroll is handled alongside the bookkeeping. New clients are offered a 30-day no-fault agreement, and time spent is not billed by the minute. Every member of the team holds an accounting degree. There is also a comic book, in which Dexter Balance — number-crunching alter ego of Busitown superhero Captain Balance — organizes receipts electronically and reconciles books that have gotten out of hand.