Paint, craft & maker studios
Books and taxes for mosaic studios.
Walk-in stepping stone projects, a restaurant mural commission paid in three milestones, and tile and glass bought by the pound in a dozen types. Gus sorts it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
April made $6,800. The restaurant mural commission hit its midpoint payment, and I kept that separate from walk-in project fees since it is tied to a job that runs into next month.
- Walk-in project feesMosaic projects
- Mural commission, midpointCommission work
- Tile and glass orderTile and glass stock
- Grout and adhesiveGrout and adhesive
- Studio rentRent and utilities
Why your books are different
A mosaic studio's books go wrong in the same few places.
A generalist sees project fees and a tile bill. Your business runs walk-in stepping stones next to a mural commission that takes three months and gets paid in stages, with tile and glass bought by the pound in more types than most craft studios stock. When the books do not know that, a commission's deposit can look like a windfall instead of the first third of a real project.
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1
Commission milestones get booked as if the job is done
A mural or large custom mosaic commission is often paid in stages, a deposit to start, a payment at the midpoint, and a final payment on completion. Booking the deposit as fully earned income overstates how much of the job is actually finished.
What we doKeeps commission payments tied to the stage of work they represent, so income reflects how much of the job is actually done. -
2
Tile and glass inventory gets treated as one number
Ceramic tile, stained glass, smalti, and broken china pieces all cost very different amounts, so lumping every material purchase together makes it hard to see whether a project's material cost was actually priced into what it was charged.
What we doKeeps tile and glass purchases visible against project pricing, so material-heavy projects can be priced to cover their real cost. -
3
A tile order distorts one month
A bulk order of tile, glass, and smalti for an upcoming commission can cover months of work, but if the whole bill lands in one month's books, that month looks like it barely made money while the material sits ready for the job.
What we doKeeps tile and glass purchases in one steady line and flags a bulk order tied to a commission so a heavy-buying month is not mistaken for a bad one. -
4
A wet saw or tile nipper set gets filed as a supply
A wet tile saw or a full set of nippers and cutting tools can run into real money for a growing studio. Filed as a supply, it muddles a normal month and never gets the equipment treatment it should on the return.
What we doFlags larger equipment purchases the day they show up and logs them as equipment, not supplies. -
5
Retail and class income blur into commission work
Walk-in stepping stone fees, class tuition, and a large mural payment all rolling through the same line make it hard to see whether commissions or everyday studio traffic is actually paying the bills.
What we doKeeps commission work in its own category, separate from walk-in projects and class tuition.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a mosaic studio.
Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Mosaic projectsWalk-in stepping stones, frames, and small pieces.
- Commission workLarger custom murals and installations, paid in stages.
- Class tuitionBeginner and technique classes.
- Retail finished piecesReady-made mosaic art sold in the studio.
- Party bookingsGroup events paid with a deposit.
Money out
- Tile and glass stockCeramic tile, stained glass, smalti, and china shards.
- Grout and adhesiveMaterials used across every project size.
- Backing boardsWood and cement board for mounting pieces.
- EquipmentWet saw, nippers, and cutting tools, tracked separately from supplies.
- Studio rent and utilitiesSpace for cutting and grouting.
- Instructor payClass and workshop leaders.
- MarketingLocal ads and commission portfolio promotion.
- Card processing feesWhat Square or Stripe keeps before you get paid.
What we watch for you
- Commission stage tracking
How much of a multi-month job's payments match the work actually completed.
- Material cost per project
What tile and glass actually cost against what a project is priced at.
- Commission versus studio traffic
How much revenue comes from large jobs versus everyday walk-ins and classes.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.
Ask Gus
Things mosaic studio owners ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
I book it against the stage of work it covers, so it shows up as progress on that job rather than as if the whole mural is finished and paid for.
I kept it in a steady material line and flagged it as tied to the commission, so it reads as project prep, not a rough month.
Usually it can. I logged it as equipment, not supplies, and flagged it so the accountant makes the call with your whole year in view.
The tax side
The tax side of a mosaic studio.
Most of what goes wrong here is a multi-stage commission counted all at once, and equipment filed as supplies.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Tile and glass as inventoryTile, glass, and smalti bought in bulk are inventory until used, then they become the cost of the piece or commission sold. Tracking roughly what is on hand keeps the return accurate.
- Multi-stage commission incomeA commission paid across a deposit, a midpoint, and a final payment is usually recognized as the work is completed, not all at once when the first check clears.
- Equipment depreciationWet saws, nippers, and cutting equipment bought for the studio can usually be written off in the year they are bought, with bonus depreciation at 100 percent for property bought after January 19, 2025.
- Sales tax on projects and commissionsMost states tax the finished mosaic piece a customer takes home or a commission delivers, though public art and installation work can sometimes be treated differently depending on your state.
Deductions mosaic studios miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Tile, glass, and smalti
- Grout and adhesive
- Backing boards
- Wet saw blades and nippers
- Instructor pay
- Studio rent and utilities
- Liability insurance
- Local social ads
- Card processing fees
- Sealer and finishing supplies
- Safety glasses and gloves
- Commission portfolio and photography
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
A mosaic studio year, kept every month.
Spring and summer commissions, a fall class schedule, and holiday retail all pull differently. Your team keeps you ahead of the calendar and the return both. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the year
Last year's return gets started, and a monthly set-aside is planned so April is already handled.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, because the set-aside has been running since January.
- July
Halfway check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and how commission work has tracked against classes and walk-ins so far.
- October
Before the holidays
Gus looks at tile stock, class scheduling, and any equipment worth buying before the holiday retail push.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for mosaic studios. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions mosaic studio owners ask first.
How does Gus handle a commission paid in stages?
Payments are tied to the stage of work they cover, so a deposit or midpoint payment shows up as progress on the job rather than as if the whole commission is finished.
Does a big material order for a mural make a month look worse than it is?
No. Gus keeps tile and glass purchases in a steady line and flags an order tied to a specific commission, so it reads as project prep, not a slow month.
Can Gus tell if a commission's price actually covers the materials it needs?
Yes, material cost is tracked against project pricing, so you can see whether a material-heavy commission was priced to cover what it actually cost.
Do commissions and walk-in projects get mixed together?
No. Commission work is kept in its own category, separate from walk-in projects and class tuition, so you can see what each part of the business brings in.
Is a new wet saw worth writing off this year?
Often yes. Gus flags the purchase and logs it as equipment, and the accountant tells you how it gets written off, whether all at once or over time.
My books are behind from tracking commissions in an email thread. Can Gus still help?
Yes. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts them, the accountant checks them, and most owners know where they stand inside a week.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever