Our Story
CIPS Accounting was founded on a simple belief: small businesses deserve thoughtful, strategic financial guidance, not just transactional accounting services.
I’ve always been fascinated by how numbers tell the story of a business - its strengths, opportunities, and potential. As a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) with an MBA in Finance and Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, I combine technical expertise with strategic insight to help small businesses grow with confidence.
While serving as a mini-Controller for emerging markets within an S&P 500 company, I experienced firsthand what it’s like to build a true “startup” business line inside a large organization. I saw the challenges of starting from scratch - no processes could simply be borrowed from corporate; everything had to be tailored to the needs of a growing, agile business. That experience inspired me to help small businesses tackle similar challenges with tailored expertise, careful strategy, and hands-on support.
At CIPS Accounting, I partner with business owners to provide clarity, structure, and insight. Our goal is to deliver the financial guidance typically reserved for larger organizations, while keeping service personal, practical, and tailored to your business.
Our Team
We’re a dedicated team of certified accounting, finance, and tax professionals specializing in SaaS and AI startups. Our mission is to make accounting effortless and tax stress-free while delivering investor-grade financial reporting and scalable systems that grow with your business.
Led by Cathy Hou, who brings two decades of experience in S&P 500 tech companies, our team combines deep corporate expertise with a startup mindset. Cathy is passionate about accounting system automation and finance transformation. From hands-on technical and operational accounting to leading enterprise-wide finance system, Agile and AI program management, she has driven Go-to-Market and high-impact finance transformation programs. With her leadership and vision for modern accounting, we bring the expertise typically reserved for large corporations to create scalable, innovative financial systems tailored to the unique needs of early-stage and high-growth tech startups.
Our specialists streamline finance and accounting, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and actionable insights. From bookkeeping and financial analysis to tax planning, we handle the numbers so founders can focus on growth. With our SaaS and AI-focused approach, your finances stay organized, audit-ready, and optimized to support scaling and innovation.
Cathy Hou - Founder & CEO
CMA, MBA, PMP
Founder's Quote
"CIPS Accounting was founded to give small businesses thoughtful, strategic financial guidance they can truly rely on.”