Say Something Nice Day was on June 1st, and that got us thinking about … nice things people say about accounting. Wait — do people say nice things about accounting? Or do most people just prefer not to talk about accounting at all?
Well, we checked, and sure enough, some people do have nice things to say about accounting — including some famous people whom you’ve probably heard of. That made us feel like we’re not just screaming into the void when we talk about the five bookkeeping mistakes that are costing your business money.
(Of course, if you have any nice things to say about us specifically, you can email us directly — we’ll always take compliments!)
So let’s take a look at some nice things people have said about accounting, and what that means for your business and your bottom line.
“Accounting is the language of business.” — Warren Buffet
Who doesn’t pay at least a little attention to Warren Buffet’s financial advice? As one of the world’s most famous investors, he knows a thing or two about accounting.
When he says that accounting is the language of business, he means that it’s important for small business owners to be fluent in financial lingo. It’s not all about the numbers — you need to be able to describe your finances in words too.
If you don’t know the difference between ROI and ZBB, that’s ok! At Harmoney Books, we’ll decipher financial acronyms for you. We even offer Financial Reporting Literacy Services to help you read financial reports and understand the story behind them.
“Accounting is the best place to start because it’s the purest form of finance. You can’t fool it; it’s empirical.” — Robert Kiyosaki
Another way of saying this is: the numbers don’t lie. You can’t fool a balance sheet — well, you can, but that’s not the kind of accounting we want to be a part of!
What we love about bookkeeping is that it shows you the truth behind your business, warts and all. And that knowledge is power, because you can use it to make better decisions and guide your business toward more sustainable outcomes.
“A good accountant is a good poet [who] appreciates the true value of things.” — Robert Frost
Comparing accounting to poetry would seem like a stretch … if it didn’t come from Robert Frost, one of America’s most beloved poets.
As a small business owner, it’s easy to get sucked in by the latest technologies (we’re looking at you, AI!) or have FOMO for the road not taken. But those monthly fees and software upgrades can really add up. What’s the true cost of that business expense, and is it really as good a deal as it seems?
A trusted accountant can help you see the true value of things, and what’s really best for growing your business and your bottom line.
“Never take your eyes off the cash flow because it’s the lifeblood of business.” — Richard Branson
“Never take your eyes off the cash flow” sounds like good advice for a small business — especially coming from an entrepreneur like Richard Branson — but how practical is it on a daily basis? There are so many other things to keep an eye on — your products, your customers, your marketing — that cash flow can easily become an afterthought.
We agree with Richard — cash flow is the lifeblood of your business — but we give you permission to take your eyes off it once in a while, as long as you have someone doing it for you. Knowing when to do things yourself and when to outsource is the mark of a true business owner — and our full and partial bookkeeping services are perfect for someone who just isn’t passionate about tracking cash flow yourself.
“Personal finance is only 20% head knowledge. It’s 80% behavior!” — Dave Ramsey
Straight-talking finance guru Dave Ramsey tells it like it is — that knowledge will only get you so far. Is it any coincidence that “accounting” and “accountability” are related concepts? Ultimately, good bookkeeping is about holding yourself accountable to the things that you already know.
Our GleamUP and Advisory services do exactly that: align your financial knowledge with your behavior. We’ll help clean up your books and get back on track after neglecting the clutter for just a little too long — and we won’t judge you along the way!
“The accountant is the unsung hero of today’s business.” — Mary E. Jones
Aw, thanks, Mary — that’s a really nice thing to say! So much of what we do takes place behind the scenes, and we’re quick to put a spotlight on our favorite clients.
But sometimes it’s nice to bask in the praise from them in return. Here are just a few nice things clients have said about us:
“I can’t recommend Harmoney enough. They have been very professional, easy to work with, knowledgeable, thorough, and utterly trustworthy.”
“Harmoney is honest, detail oriented, responsive, enthusiastic about their work and most importantly gets the job done.”
So there you have it! Finding nice things to say about accounting wasn’t so hard. If you want more words of wisdom about small business finance, sign up for our newsletter to get the latest tools and resources tailored to New England business owners like you.
