# How junebird creative turned invoice chaos into mailbox money

> Set-and-forget reminder rules made junebird creative's late fees 'mailbox money' and gave Christine her client time back.

Source: https://www.paidnice.com/success-stories/junebird-creative
Publisher: Paidnice
Part of: Paidnice success stories, https://www.paidnice.com/success-stories

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## At a glance

- **Customer**: junebird creative
- **Industry**: Agency
- **Location**: 🇺🇸 United States
- **Accounting platform**: Xero
- **Interviewed**: Christine Tierney, Founder
- **Video**: https://latechaser.wistia.com/medias/xh1e4lzb70 (3:50)

## Paidnice features used

- [Payment reminders](https://www.paidnice.com/email-sms-reminders)
- [Late fees & interest](https://www.paidnice.com/late-fees)
- [Customer groups](https://www.paidnice.com/debtor-management-software)
- [Xero integration](https://www.paidnice.com/integrations/xero)

## The policy set

- Reminders 5 days before, on, and 5 days after the due date
- Late fee rules by client group
- Fee exclusions for nonprofit passion projects

## The story

> "When I send an invoice, I need to get paid. I'm not salaried unless people pay me," explains Christine Tierney, founder and CEO of [junebird creative](https://junebirdcreative.com/).

For her Minnesota-based digital marketing agency serving entrepreneurs and small businesses, manual payment collection was eating into valuable time better spent serving clients and growing her business.

## Breaking free from the manual follow-up

After nearly a decade running her agency, Christine found herself stuck in a reactive cycle of chasing payments. "I would go into each account manually, send statements, and it was mostly retroactive sending of past-due notices versus proactively managing payments," she recalls.

With clients ranging from small LLCs to nonprofits, many without formal accounting departments, getting paid on time was a constant struggle.

## Finding the perfect fit

As a long-time Xero user, Christine needed a solution that would integrate seamlessly with her existing systems. After discovering Paidnice in the [Xero App Store](https://apps.xero.com/app/paidnice), she found exactly what she was looking for, a flexible, automated system that could adapt to her diverse client base.

The impact was transformative:

| | Before Paidnice | After Paidnice |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Collections** | Reactive, by hand. "Mostly retroactive sending of past-due notices." | Proactive, automated. Reminders go out 5 days before, on the day, and 5 days after. |
| **Late fees** | Awkward conversations. Enforcing a fee meant having the conversation directly. | "Mailbox money". Applied by rule, waived for the clients she chooses. |
| **Christine's week** | Admin over client work. "I'm not salaried unless people pay me." | Time back for clients. Set-and-forget rules that fit her business. |

> "I don't have time to mess around in my accounting system," Christine emphasizes. "I need things that are automated, that I can set up in ways that support my business versus having to fit my business into the structure of something."

## The power of set it and forget it

Christine now has:

1. **Reminders on a schedule**: 5 days before the due date, on the due date, and 5 days after.
2. **Late fee structures by client group**: Different rules for businesses, nonprofits, and passion projects.
3. **Direct payment links**: In every reminder email, so paying takes one click.
4. **Exclusions where they matter**: Chosen clients, like nonprofit passion projects, never see a late fee.

"People are paying on time more because they're getting the reminders, and they're not mean reminders, they're just friendly reminders," Christine notes. "The cost is just a no-brainer. The implementation is just a no-brainer."

For other businesses considering Paidnice, Christine's message is clear: "Whether you are a solopreneur or a big agency, this is a no-brainer. The time saving and freedom from chasing accounts receivables will save you so much money in the long run."

## The bottom line

For junebird creative, Paidnice delivered exactly what Christine needed: "Automation that empowers and gives me the ability to run my business without having to chase my accounts receivable."

With more timely payments, automated late fees creating "mailbox money," and hours saved on administration, Christine can focus on what she does best, helping her clients grow their businesses.

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Full version with video: https://www.paidnice.com/success-stories/junebird-creative
All success stories: https://www.paidnice.com/success-stories