"A bookkeeper records the financial transactions of an organization and takes care of day-to-day functions such as recording sales and invoices, paying bills and processing payroll," Stephens said. "Accountants take the financial data and analyze it to help organizations make financial decisions."

Yes, a bookkeeping business can be very profitable. In fact, ZipRecruiter reports that the national average income for an independent bookkeeper is $56,100, though some report income as high as $122,000. The cost of doing business is relatively low, mostly related to bookkeeping software, so profit margins are high.