October 24, 2013

PASSIONS, AWARDS AND MUSINGS, OH MY…

On Saturday, October 19, 2013, Accountapotamus won the Excellence in Customer Service Award as presented by the Carleton Place & District Chamber of Commerce, as part of their first annual Business Awards Gala. To say I’m proud of our company and staff would be a mild understatement. We’ve all worked very hard to get to where we are right now, and to be recognized for our efforts is pretty awesome. I’d also like to thank my amazing family for their love, patience and support, and our clients for their friendship and trust. Without all of you, Accountapotamus wouldn’t be the company it is.

I’d also like to acknowledge the efforts of all business owners, nominated or not, for what they do every day. It takes a special kind of person to do what you do, often with very little thanks or recognition. Your reward is your success. You have my admiration and respect and I will always do everything in my power to help you succeed.

Business owners start companies for a variety of reasons. Some have had enough of working for others and just want to be their own boss, never again to be a small cog in a much larger machine, some see doing what they love every day as being an attractive exit option from the (yawn) daily ministrations of corporate life, while others may be having trouble finding a job in a recessed labour market. And when they begin their business venture with immediate expectations of big money and the ability to run off on exotic vacations or spend more time with family, hilarity ensues.

Whatever their reason, it will take every ounce of passion and persistence to make their dreams a reality. With statistics such as half of new businesses not surviving the five-year mark, starting your own business can be a little scary and comes with no guarantees. Having a solid business plan, meaningful financial reporting to help you make sound management decisions, surrounding yourself with good people, and offering your clients what they WANT, are a few of the things that will help you succeed. I believe that if you develop genuine relationships with your clients and consistently offer them your best while doing everything in your power to truly help their businesses flourish, the rest will take care of itself. At least that is what has worked for me.

I started my business knowing that I was very good at what I do. I’ve been working in accounting in one form or another, for 28 years now. I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t work. Truth be told, I never held the position of Bookkeeper until I started this business. I’ve been a Controller, worked at a CFO-level, managed accounting offices and began my career doing piecework-accounting functions for very large companies. I am not a designated accountant, although I’m happy to train them on a regular basis. I started Accountapotamus with a clear vision and have remained true to that vision since day one. We are an office of very senior bookkeepers (we know what we’re doing), who take the time to get to know you and your business (we know what you’re doing, and tailor our services to your specific needs). We give business owners the financial information that they need to make sound management decisions, and help them interpret their financials when they need a bit of help. We can prep you for an audit, give you Red Cape bookkeeping service (make your financials magically appear on a regular basis), or empower you to Do it Yourself with Quickbooks and accounting training.

All of our service offerings began with me asking the question, “If I were looking for a bookkeeper or accounting training, what would I want, and what would I expect from the company providing it?” The answers came easy and we’ve built a successful company around them, providing solid bookkeeping services with exceptional client service. We’ve thought of everything. And if we haven’t, please do let us know.   *winks*

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