Today I was confronted by someone in an interview who told me that accounting was awful. Not only that, this businessperson said that if there was one part of their business they disliked the most, it was the bit where it came to balancing the books.
The surprising thing isthat while this person might have felt they were in some way an oddity in the business world because of this aversion to bean-counters, it's actually not uncommon.
There's a reason us number nerds also call accounting compliance work, it has to be done but it doesn't have to be a feared chore. Changing the way you approach your books and finding the right person to help with it can make all the difference. Here are some things that might help you stay on task through the nitty-gritty, before you get back to big picture stuff.
* Refresh the why and think about the end goals. There are other reasons you started your business, and there are larger goals you want to accomplish. Accounting will seem like only a small part if you remind yourself of the big picture.
* Attempt bite-sized accounting tasks. Break down the things you must do into smaller pieces and plan times to do them. Plan the invoicing, reconciling and do it regularly rather than in a large chunk. Ask for help if you need training on your systems.
* Do you have the right support? If you don't click with your accountant — check why. Ring them, meet with them. Can you talk with them honestly and openly about your business? Do you understand each other?
It's not necessarily all boring compliance, either. As accountants we not only show you how much tax you have to pay but we can show you what you can achieve, too. Find an accountant who's as keen as you are to see what is possible for your business.
Jeremy Tauri is an associate at Plus Chartered Accountants.
