Meet Ashlynn McFarlane

From receptionist to trusted advisor

I didn’t plan to become a bookkeeper. At 19, I was answering phones as a receptionist when our accounts payable person quit suddenly…over voicemail, no less. The controller tossed me the keys (figuratively), and I figured it out one invoice at a time. Turns out, I had a knack for it. That one chance opened a door I’ve been walking through ever since.

My career path hasn’t been linear—but it’s been intentional. I was a teen mom, born into poverty, determined to break that cycle for my kids. I chose accounting because I knew numbers could build the kind of life I wanted: steady, empowering, and full of possibility. Along the way, I noticed a theme in every business I worked with. Owners who were brilliant at their craft but afraid to admit they didn’t understand their financials. That stuck with me.

Lucid Ledgers started as a side hustle. A friend-of-a-friend needed help with an HOA’s books, and I said yes. That client is still with me five years later. Now, what started at my kitchen table has become a full-fledged CAS practice, and the clients I serve trust me not just with their books, but with their business decisions. That’s an honor I don’t take lightly.

Helping others is at the core of everything I do. Whether it’s cleaning up a year’s worth of chaos or explaining a P&L in plain English, I live for that moment when the tension leaves a client’s shoulders. When they stop feeling lost and start feeling in control. That’s why I’m here.

Bookkeeping was just the beginning. The real joy comes from teaching, solving problems, and showing business owners that understanding their finances isn’t just possible, it’s powerful.