Our
History
Grandpa Sy and Uncle Don
Grandma Madeline
Kerry teaching Kathleen to read
Kerry teaching Kathleen to Drive
Role model Dolores
A Legacy of Numbers and Partnership
Kerry and Kathleen, sisters and lifelong business partners, were shaped by a rich financial legacy. Their grandparents worked at Paramount Studios: grandfather Sy as an accountant and grandmother Madeline as a bookkeeper. Their uncle Don was a CPA, and their mother Dolores was also a bookkeeper. With this foundation, Kerry and Kathleen built a business focused on financial clarity and accounting expertise.
Raised by their mother and grandmother, they were surrounded by strong women who led by example. When Dolores returned to full-time work, Grandma Madeline stepped in to care for the girls. After her passing, Kerry and Kathleen became latchkey kids, developing a fierce independence. Dolores juggled a full-time job while putting both daughters through private school, inspiring them to believe they could accomplish anything. Numbers were part of family life, with Dolores turning card games and number puzzles into fun learning experiences.
A Legacy of Numbers and Partnership
Kerry and Kathleen, sisters and lifelong business partners, were shaped by a rich financial legacy. Their grandparents worked at Paramount Studios: grandfather Sy as an accountant and grandmother Madeline as a bookkeeper. Their uncle Don was a CPA, and their mother Dolores was also a bookkeeper. With this foundation, Kerry and Kathleen built a business focused on financial clarity and accounting expertise.
Raised by their mother and grandmother, they were surrounded by strong women who led by example. When Dolores returned to full-time work, Grandma Madeline stepped in to care for the girls. After her passing, Kerry and Kathleen became latchkey kids, developing a fierce independence. Dolores juggled a full-time job while putting both daughters through private school, inspiring them to believe they could accomplish anything. Numbers were part of family life, with Dolores turning card games and number puzzles into fun learning experiences.
Kerry's Path
Kerry’s journey to accounting wasn’t direct. She started studying Chemistry, Biology, and Zoology at California State University, Los Angeles, before finding her calling, and switching to Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. After passing the CPA exam (back in the days before calculators were allowed), she chose not to practice publicly and instead became an executive at Angeles Corporation, a real estate syndicator and property management firm. There, she handled SEC filings, audit coordination, and financial forecasting. She co-authored an article for the Journal of Accountancy, completing data analysis via teletype before personal computers were introduced. Kerry also became one of the first adopters of the new IBM computer, equipped with the latest high-end technology, including two floppy disk drives.
Kathleen's Journey
Kathleen began her accounting career in 1973 while studying at UCLA. Kerry, managing the accounting department at Angeles Corporation, needed help with accounts receivable, and Kathleen stepped in. Under Kerry’s guidance and mentorship, she quickly advanced, becoming Controller at CREMO, managing audits for 75 complex partnership structures. She traveled extensively across the U.S. for property acquisitions and financial closings. Kathleen’s early analysis was done manually with green columnar paper and keypunch cards. When it came time to implement a new computer system, Kathleen rose to the challenge. Working closely with outside consultants, she helped design custom financial statements and rent roll systems on the IBM System 38. That experience catapulted Kathleen into computers and conversions and formed her love for technology.
From Corporate to Entrepreneurial
After 13 years at Angeles, both Kerry and Kathleen transitioned to new roles. Kathleen worked in software for nursing homes, training staff and setting up patient data across the western U.S. She also computerized retail and accounts receivable for a wholesale tree grower. Kerry moved to a bank and then to executive finance at a company that acquired businesses in need of restructuring. Kathleen eventually joined her, and their experiences as outside consultants led them to a new venture.
In April 1991, they founded K&K Business Solutions, Inc. (KNKBS). What started as a basic bookkeeping and computer consulting service evolved into a firm specializing in cleanups, catch-ups, system conversions, and a range of accounting services. Kathleen expanded her expertise in technology, becoming a CRM consultant and spending over 22 years implementing, customizing, and training teams on customer relationship management systems. This evolved into an expertise in project management and providing innovative business solutions.
Where We Are Today
KNKBS now specializes in Bookkeeping, Cleanups, Catch-ups, and Conversions. Kerry and Kathleen are experts in QuickBooks, Quicken, Zoho Books, and SmartSheet for project management. Their strong financial background and decades of experience make them uniquely qualified to assist businesses across industries. The legacy continues, as both of Kerry’s sons have followed in the family’s footsteps, becoming CPAs and Auditors.
