Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexia Scruggs.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My path to founding ALS Professional Services has been anything but linear – and I think that’s what makes it work so well.
I’ve spent over 17 years as a Senior Systems Analyst in different industries, where I developed a deep expertise in breaking down complex processes, identifying inefficiencies, and creating systems that actually work for the people using them. That analytical mindset became my superpower, but I always knew I wanted to build something of my own.
I started ALS Professional Services in 2010 with virtual contract services, helping businesses streamline their administrative operations. It was my first step into entrepreneurship, and it taught me invaluable lessons about what small businesses and entrepreneurs really need – reliable systems and someone who understands process.
In 2022, I expanded into bookkeeping services, which honestly started as a passion project. I had gained accounts receivable experience back in 2008, and I’d always loved the clarity that good financial systems bring to a business. I saw so many clients struggling with keeping their books straight – mixing personal and business expenses, missing deductions, and losing track of performance. Adding bookkeeping felt like a natural evolution.
By 2024, I elevated those bookkeeping services into full financial analytics. It wasn’t enough to just record transactions – my clients needed insights. They needed to understand what their numbers were telling them about their business health, profitability, and opportunities. That’s where my analytical background really came into play.
Which brings me to 2025 and the launch of ALS Deal Flow. Real estate investment kept calling to me, and as I learned the industry, I noticed investors were drowning in transaction details. They’d find great deals but get bogged down in coordination – the contractors, the paperwork, the back-and-forth. I invested in my Top-Tier transaction coordination certification to ensure I could deliver the highest level of transaction coordination expertise in creative finance real estate deals. I realized I could take everything I’d built over 15 years and apply it specifically to real estate transaction coordination.
What sets us apart is that we don’t just coordinate transactions; we systematize them. I’ve built comprehensive SOPs, automated workflows, and frameworks that bring high-level process rigor to real estate operations. We’re not just managing deals – we’re creating scalable, repeatable systems that grow with our investors.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth? Not even close – but that’s where the real growth happened.
One of my biggest struggles has been deciding which direction to take the business. When you have multiple skill sets and see opportunities everywhere, it’s tempting to chase them all. I’ve had to make hard choices about when to pivot, when to expand, and when to stay focused. Moving from virtual contract services to bookkeeping to financial analytics and now to real estate transaction coordination – each transition required me to bet on a vision before I had proof it would work. That uncertainty never gets easier, but I’ve learned to trust the through-line: systems and process always matter, regardless of the industry.
The other major challenge? Working with business owners who don’t understand the foundational concepts required for successful businesses. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve encountered clients who want to scale but won’t invest in proper bookkeeping, or who want growth but resist documenting their processes. They’re looking for shortcuts to success, but there are no shortcuts to a solid foundation.
It’s frustrating because I can see exactly where the gaps are – that’s what my analytical background trained me to do – but I can’t force someone to value what they don’t yet understand. I’ve learned that part of my job is education. I have to help clients see that systems aren’t bureaucracy; they’re freedom. Good financials aren’t just for tax time; they’re your business intelligence. Documented processes aren’t busywork; they’re how you scale without chaos.
The clients who get it? They’re the ones who transform their businesses. The ones who don’t often struggle repeatedly with the same issues. I’ve had to become comfortable with the fact that I can’t help everyone – I can only serve the people who are ready to build something sustainable.
These struggles have shaped how I run ALS Professional Services today. I’m selective about who I work with, I lead with education, and I never compromise on the fundamentals. Because I’ve learned that doing it right from the start is always easier than trying to fix a broken foundation later.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about ALS Professional Services?
ALS Professional Services is built on a simple but powerful premise: backend excellence enables frontend success. We provide the operational infrastructure that allows business owners and real estate investors to focus on growth, not getting bogged down in administrative chaos.
**What We Do**
We offer two core service lines that work independently or together: financial analytics and bookkeeping services for businesses that need clarity on their numbers, and our newest division – ALS Deal Flow – which specializes in real estate transaction coordination for investors.
**What Sets Us Apart**
What makes us different is that we don’t just complete tasks; we build systems. I bring 17+ years of systems analysis experience to every client engagement, which means I approach business operations with documented processes, quality controls, and scalable frameworks.
Most bookkeepers record transactions. We provide financial analytics that tell you what your numbers mean for your business decisions. Most transaction coordinators manage deals. We’ve created comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures, automated workflows using platforms like Make.com and GoHighLevel, and proprietary frameworks like our INC Investor Network Compass that turn one-off transactions into repeatable, scalable systems.
We’re known for bringing a level of process rigor to small businesses and real estate investors that they typically wouldn’t have access to without hiring enterprise-level operations teams. Our clients get enterprise-grade systems at a scale that works for their business.
**What I’m Most Proud Of**
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that ALS Professional Services has become synonymous with operational excellence without bureaucracy. We’re the team that makes complex operations feel simple. Our clients know that when they work with us, things get documented, systems get built, and they get their time back to focus on what actually grows their business.
I’m also incredibly proud of how we’ve evolved. We didn’t just add services randomly – each expansion has been strategic, building on the last. Bookkeeping taught us about financial clarity. Financial analytics taught us about strategic insight. And now, real estate transaction coordination lets us apply all of that in an industry that desperately needs it.
**What Readers Should Know**
If you’re a business owner or real estate investor who feels like you’re constantly firefighting, drowning in details, or unable to scale because everything depends on you, we built ALS Professional Services for you. We don’t believe in Band-Aid solutions. We believe in foundations.
We work with clients who understand that investing in proper systems, accurate financials, and documented processes isn’t an expense – it’s the difference between a job you own and a business that works for you. Our ideal clients are growth-oriented but willing to build right, not just build fast.
Whether you need someone to bring order to your books, provide insights from your financial data, or coordinate your real estate transactions from contract to close, we bring the same philosophy: systematic excellence that scales with you.
We’re not for everyone, and that’s by design. We’re for the business owners and investors who are ready to build something sustainable.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I have a complicated relationship with risk – I respect it, but I don’t fear it. And I think that distinction matters.
**My Approach to Risk**
I’m analytical by nature, which means I don’t take blind leaps. But I’ve learned that calculated risk is just another system to build. Before I take any major risk, I map out the downside, identify what I can control versus what I can’t, and then I ask myself the most important question: “What’s the cost of not taking this risk?”
Sometimes the biggest risk is playing it safe.
**Major Risks I’ve Taken**
Starting ALS Professional Services in 2010 was my first major risk. I was building something from nothing with no guarantee of success. But I knew that staying in a place where I couldn’t grow was a guaranteed loss, so the risk became acceptable.
The bigger risk came with each pivot. In 2022, expanding into bookkeeping when I already had established services meant potentially confusing my brand and diluting my focus. In 2024, elevating to financial analytics meant positioning myself as a strategic advisor, not just a service provider – that required a different level of confidence and expertise.
But one of the hardest risks I’ve had to take? Releasing clients who don’t align with our company values.
When you’re building a business, revenue feels like oxygen – you think you need every client to survive. But I learned that working with clients who don’t value foundational business concepts, who resist proper systems, or who want shortcuts instead of sustainable solutions… that’s not just frustrating. It’s dangerous. It drains your energy, dilutes your brand, and prevents you from serving the clients who actually want to build something meaningful.
Letting go of paying clients – especially in the early days or during slower seasons – feels terrifying. There’s always that voice asking, “What if no one else comes?” But every single time I’ve released a client who wasn’t aligned, it created space for better opportunities. Clients who value what we do. Clients who understand that investing in systems and foundations isn’t an expense, it’s a strategy.
It takes courage to say, “This isn’t a fit,” especially when you need the income. But I’ve learned that protecting your values and your energy is worth the temporary financial discomfort. You can’t build an excellent business while compromising on what excellence means.
And then 2025 – launching ALS Deal Flow and entering real estate transaction coordination. I invested in top-tier certification, built comprehensive systems and frameworks, and committed to an industry where I was building credibility from scratch. Starting over in that environment required belief in what I’d built and confidence that my systematic approach would stand out.
**My Thoughts on Risk**
Here’s what I’ve learned: risk isn’t about being fearless. It’s about being prepared. Every risk I’ve taken has been built on a foundation of research, skill development, and strategic planning. I don’t gamble – I make informed choices.
I also believe that risk tolerance grows with experience. The first time you release a client who doesn’t align, it feels terrifying. The first time you pivot, you question everything. But each time you survive uncertainty and come out stronger, you realize that you’re more resilient than you thought. Risk becomes less about “what if I fail?” and more about “what can I learn and build from this?”
The other thing about risk is that it forces clarity. When you have something on the line, you can’t afford to be mediocre. You build better systems, you serve clients better, you show up differently. Some of my best work has come from moments when I had no safety net.
**My Perspective**
I tell my clients the same thing I tell myself: don’t take risks to prove something. Take risks to build something. And when you do, make sure you’ve done the work to give yourself the best chance of success. Document your processes, understand your numbers, build your foundation – then take the leap.
Because the truth is, entrepreneurship itself is a risk. Staying stagnant is also a risk. Working with the wrong clients is a risk. The question isn’t whether to take risks – it’s which risks are worth taking, and how well you prepare yourself to handle them.
Pricing:
- $700+ Per Creative Real Estate Transaction
- $12,000+ Data Visualization/Business Assessment/Custom Dashboard Build
- $300+ Bookkeeping Services avail only as a add on for custom dashboard clients
Contact Info:
- Website: https://main.alsprofessionalservicesga.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alsprobooks/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexia-scruggs-93aab7378
