Not all business checking accounts are created equal...

This email contains referral links. See my disclosures.

Hi Reader,

If you’ve been on my list for any length of time, you’ve probably heard me harp on having a separate business checking account.

And yes, I’m going to remind you why that matters in a minute.

But first, let me say something that doesn’t get talked about enough:

Many small business owners are still using a checking account that:

• charges monthly fees
• earns little to no interest
• constantly disconnects from QuickBooks
• has a clunky and outdated dashboard

That may not sound like a huge deal until you realize your bank account touches everything in your business. So maybe it’s time to stop treating your business checking like an afterthought.

That’s one reason I’ve been recommending Bluevine Business Checking.

I’m an affiliate for Bluevine, but I also use their checking account myself. That’s how I know what many small business owners are missing from their business checking experience. I see my experience and my bookkeeping client’s experience firsthand.

Here’s what stands out to me:

• You can open the account online without having to leave your house
• No monthly fees
• You can earn interest on your checking balance, which is something many business owners are missing entirely
• It connects well with modern tools, including QuickBooks Online
• It offers accountant-friendly tools and access features, which can make bookkeeping smoother
• The dashboard is modern and easy to use, which matters more than people think when you’re in and out of your bank account regularly

And right now, there’s also a $500 bonus opportunity for eligible new accounts opened through my link. (This offer expires March 31st.)

Here’s the basic idea:

• Open a new Bluevine Business Checking account
• Use referral code SK500
• Meet their qualifying activity requirements

​You can check the details here.​

Now let’s talk about another reason this matters.

The IRS is very clear that keeping good business records matters. In fact, one of the first steps in setting up a business properly is opening a separate business checking account and keeping business activity separate from personal spending.

Why?

Because when your business and personal money are mixed together:

• Your bookkeeping gets messy fast
• You’re more likely to miss deductions
• Tax prep takes longer
• Cleaning up your books costs more
• It's harder to see whether your business is actually profitable

And if you’re going to open a business checking account anyway, you might as well choose one that actually helps your business instead of one that quietly costs you money and creates extra friction.

That’s why I like Bluevine.

If you’ve been putting this off, this is a really good time to take care of it. Remember: The bonus offer ends March 31st.

​Click here to check out Bluevine and the current $500 bonus.​
Referral code: SK500

I recommend reading the details and making sure the account is a good fit for your business. There are activity requirements to receive the $500 bonus, and small activity requirements to receive monthly interest.

Bluevine: A business checking account that helps your business

Sponsorship

The Bluevine $500 bonus offer expires March 31st, and comes with a few eligibility requirements that look easy to complete for online small business owners. With a few easy steps, you’ll get $500 and a better checking experience. What’s not to love!

Small Business Updates

A few recent platform changes caught my eye that are worth knowing about if you sell on Etsy, Amazon, or Shopify.

Etsy

Etsy is changing how shop review ratings are calculated. Instead of relying on a simpler recent-history approach, Etsy says average ratings will now reflect a seller’s broader review history while still giving more weight to newer reviews through a recency-weighted system.

In other words, your latest customer experience still matters most, but older reviews will remain part of the picture. For established shops, this could slightly change how your overall rating is displayed.

Shopify

Shopify recently added more visibility into what your apps are doing behind the scenes. Merchants can now go into Settings > Apps to view more details about app activity, permission use, and privacy-related access.

This is a helpful update because many store owners install apps over time and lose track of what each one can access. If your app stack has gotten a little bloated, this is a good reminder to do an audit.

Amazon

This is the update I think will matter most to many of my readers. Amazon announced changes to its Date Range Transaction and Summary reports to better align those reports with 1099-K tax reporting and month-end accounting.

Amazon says the reports now include all posted transactions, both released and deferred, rather than leaving sellers to piece together timing differences on their own. Amazon also says totals for prior periods may change under the new logic, so if you have already completed your January or February 2026 Amazon bookkeeping, you may want to go back and re-run your summary report to see if the values have changed.

On a Personal Note

My son’s freshman season of tennis has just begun. Already it’s been a wild ride with the weather! March weather was not really made for tennis. He’s had one match so far, and the coach put him on the Varsity 1st doubles team, which we were really excited about. We are guessing he will usually play 2nd doubles, but the whole family was out to see him play his first match, so it was nice to see him play up and come out with a win!

Talk soon,
Sarah