“Mom, you know a little about business, right?”

A single question has set a mother on a mission to help bring her teenage son’s business idea to life.

Jen Becker, Mod Ledger Founder and CEO

Jen Becker is the founder and CEO of MMAC member business Mod Ledger, a boutique accounting and tax firm based in West Bend. Her team offers bookkeeping, tax filing and preparation as well as consulting and advisory services.

Jen worked her first job out of school as a bookkeeper for a law firm. Years later, after bouncing around to other law firms, she realized that she didn’t like how these businesses were operating.

“Anybody who starts a business is good at their craft, but it doesn’t mean they’re good at running a business … except for somebody like me, whose business is running businesses with the numbers side of things, at least,” she said.

Her knack for business development and relationship building led her to launch Mod Ledger in 2019. The first few years were what Jen referred to as a “rollercoaster” of a learning process. However, her desire to take the business to the next level grew even stronger following her teenage son Wyatt’s cancer diagnosis in March 2023.

“Had I not started the business when I did, I would not have had the flexibility to do all of the chemo rounds and the inpatient stays that they said were very uncommon for what he had to go through,” said Jen. “When we got to the other side of that, I wanted to create job opportunities where if we found the right people, the right fit and it worked for the business, we could offer them flexibility as well.”

Jen’s passion for helping others was not only evident in her expansion of the Mod Ledger team, but it continues to shine through in the firm’s strong emphasis on financial education for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

“They’re the backbone of our economy,” she said. “…they’re the people that are working day in and day out, not paying themselves enough.”

Mod Ledger offers a mix of in-person and digital classes on topics like tax basics and emergency funds. Jen also engages in financial programming of all kinds. She recently spoke with high school students in West Bend about financial literacy and currently runs a quarterly series called Money Seasons with Adam Ashley of Northwestern Mutual. In February, Jen will give a talk at a women’s mental health retreat.

“For me personally, what bookkeeping has turned into is a passion for helping kind, honest folks build their dreams and advise them so that they don’t make the mistakes that so many do,” said Jen.

Wyatt Becker, Scales and Tales Founder and Owner

So, when Wyatt approached Jen with the idea of starting a business of his own, she was more than willing to help make this dream a reality.

Wyatt has always had a passion for animals, but this passion grew immensely when he began a part-time job at a local pet store. One year later, he launched Scales and Tails.

Scales and Tails is an office aquarium services provider and soon-to-be pet store. Wyatt offers various aquarium setups and care packages to choose from, providing clients with an opportunity to bring nature into the office space without the associated hassle of maintenance. According to his website, office aquariums reduce stress, enhance creativity, improve mental health, increase productivity and more.

“It’s been an amazing gift to watch my son take a passion, have a big idea and turn it into something real. Seeing him spout off facts about the specific care of each type of fish, his knowledge of water quality and the way he naturally explains what each tank needs has been incredible. You can tell he’s not just repeating information; he genuinely understands it and cares about doing things the right way to care for these beautiful, living creatures. He’s also realizing that owning a business is so much more than the passion that started the idea,” said Jen.

Wyatt plans to lease a space in West Bend where he will be able to run a pet store and meet with aquarium clients.

“The biggest thing I have learned about starting a business is how much work you need to put into it to make sure it is actually successful. I have started to understand that the best way to build yourself up to success is to find a career that you truly enjoy,” said Wyatt.

“He has a new appreciation for what it all takes as he continues to learn about entrepreneurship. It shows me how capable he is when he’s motivated by something that matters to him. I can’t wait to see what he does with his dreams,” said Jen.