Jerry Fembury

About Me

I'm Jerry — an accounting consultant with over 30 years of helping small businesses stay afloat, stay honest, and stay sane. I’ve worked in just about every sector: retail, non-profit, timber, and most recently, helping artisan coffee roasters scale up sustainably.

I believe in simple systems, clean spreadsheets, and treating clients like real people — not rows in a ledger. But this site isn’t about what I do. It’s about who I’ve been. A father. A mentor. A guy who tried early retirement and hated golf.

I split my time now between Bellingham, WA and a cabin outside Missoula. I help a few good clients, walk a lot, write when I can, and still run every number in my head before I leave a tip — force of habit.

Career Timeline

• 1970: Born in Spokane, Washington
• 1988–1992: Studied Accounting at Western Washington University (B.S.)
• 1993–1998: Junior accountant at a regional timber supply company in Oregon
• 1999–2008: Promoted to corporate controller, managing multi-state ledgers and compliance
• 2009–2014: Transitioned to freelance consulting, helping family-run and mission-based businesses
• 2015–2020: Focused on sustainability-driven clients and nonprofit audits
• 2021: Began scaling back consulting work, prioritizing writing and travel
• 2022–present: Offers selective advisory services, writes essays, and hikes in the Pacific Northwest

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