Your accountant should be compassionate with you. They should be your biggest cheerleader. The journey in business can be rough. There are so many examples to give. But the people that surround you as the owner, or the leader, must be supportive not only in their knowledge to take tasks off your plate, but also supportive as a friend. I really believe that your accountant should be one of those people to you.
Why is it that peer groups nowadays are so popular? Because it’s necessary to have support around you. This journey is 80% mental. Will your self-doubt talk you out of ideas before you give yourself enough time to implement them to reap the benefit? Bottom-line, you are your worst enemy in your own journey. Pulling ourselves out of mental struggle and doubt comes from either talking to ourselves or having a truly strong support system.
Sure, the bookkeeping/accounting firm you hire to handle your books provides a service, but consider they too are in business. They are your peer-group. They are your people who understand your journey because they are on it too. They also want to see you succeed. They are your biggest cheerleader. Because let’s be realistic, your business’s success is needed for any accounting firm to succeed. So of course they should want to do everything in their power to help you through it.
Accounting is a critical tool for you as the owner. Lean on your accountant/bookkeeper for their knowledge. But do not forget to lean on them for their support. Business and life are intertwined. Who you meet on your business path is your life. Do not forget that this is about the journey, and not the destination. Your life is lived each day, and the people you most often encounter is at work. It is a glaring opportunity to find compassion, friendship, support, through those we encounter in our business.
How do you do this? Call your accountant just to set up a meeting just to talk through what you have going on. What is the current situation in your business? Give them the full picture. Tell them where you are trying to go, but what is holding you back. The right accountant will listen, and will sympathize, and if they have a probable solution, they will offer it. Arrange this to be a recurring meeting, so you automate this task (God forbid you put another thing on your plate!). Enjoy the ride together. Watch each other grow. The day-to-day is our life; make the most of it by noticing those around you. Your best friendship is right under your nose.
If you know your current accountant is not the type of person you want to do this with, or you know they can’t comprehend the business struggle because they are not interested in growing their own business or scaling their own business, then contact us.