Zerby Group pairs two things most small businesses juggle badly on their own: putting AI to work, and keeping the books clean. We’re founder-run, based in St. Charles, and built for owner-operated companies across the Fox Valley.
Most small businesses are told to choose: chase the shiny new technology, or get the fundamentals right. We think that’s a false choice. The same owner who’s drowning in manual busywork is usually also chasing their own numbers at month-end — and both problems quietly cost them time, money, and sleep.
So we built a firm that handles both, under one roof, run by the two people actually doing the work. Cade leads the AI side — implementation, automation, and training that give small businesses the kind of leverage bigger companies take for granted. Kate runs the accounting side — clean, current books and the back-office help that keeps everything moving. You can hire us for either. Most clients end up leaning on both.
No open-ended retainers you can’t predict, no handoffs to a junior you never met, and no slideware. Every engagement starts with a short, free conversation, gets scoped and priced up front, and ends with something that actually runs after we leave. We build on the tools you already use, and we only recommend a change when it clearly earns its place.
Cade leads AI implementation, training, and accounting oversight. A licensed CPA with over a decade of hands-on e-commerce, digital marketing, and operations experience, he designs practical AI systems small businesses can actually run and keeps the financial side rigorous.
Kate leads bookkeeping, accounting, and the executive-assistant and operations work that keeps clients' back offices running. With over six years in accounting, she owns the full monthly close, reconciliations, and reporting with the kind of accuracy that only comes from doing it every day.
A licensed CPA stands behind the financial work — not a template and a login.
Real operating and accounting experience before we ever pitched you.
You work with the people doing the work. No account-manager telephone game.
We measure success by systems that keep running after we leave.
A short, free conversation. No pitch deck, no obligation. Just a clear read on where AI and clean books could help your business.