Trina Sowers

Twenty-five years of bookkeeping has taught me one thing: business owners don't need another thing on their plate. They need someone who can take the books off their hands so they can focus on what they built. That's what happens here. Getting to know each client, understanding what they're trying to accomplish, and handling the numbers so they don't have to think about it.

The career path wasn't exactly linear. Started at Marathon Oil after graduating from Indiana Business College in 1990, then moved to Visiting Nurse Services when Marathon consolidated. After my first child was born in 1993, staying home mattered more than anything else. So bookkeeping became something that could happen from the house, starting in 1999. Remote work before anyone called it that.

Took a part-time bookkeeper role at Chateau Thomas Winery in 2001 while still handling books for other companies. Twelve years later, that turned into Operations Manager. When Dr. Thomas became ill in 2019 and needed surgery, he asked me to oversee the business during his recovery. He didn't make it through the surgery, and the next three months were spent keeping the winery running until it sold. That experience taught me more about resilience than any class ever could.

These days, the work includes bookkeeping, payroll, all the various taxes (payroll, sales, alcohol, gaming), QuickBooks setup, and migrations. Been with Kinnamon Financial for seven years now, and the variety keeps it interesting.

Outside of accounting, there's the tattoo world. My dad started tattooing in the early 1980s, before it was even legal in Indiana. Years later, partnered with one of his students, Chris Taylor, to create the Indy Tattoo Expo. Next year marks the sixth year, and it's been a wild ride.

Family is everything, though. Married to Don for 35 years. Two kids: Tyler and Catherine. Three grandchildren: Amelia, James, and Claire. The whole reason for building a flexible career was to be there when the kids were growing up. Now it's about being available for the grandkids. Live in Plainfield, have been here 30 years, and can't imagine being anywhere else.

*Trina Sowers is not affiliated with or registered with Cetera Advisors LLC.