The Art of Accounts – How to Make Accounting Creative and Fun

It’s a persistent stereotype that accountants find accounting ‘fun’ – persistent and oh so true. But before you make a face at that not-quite-revelation, consider why we find numbers so fun.

It’s not because they fit so nicely into a spreadsheet, or because they add up to create a neat balance sheet; we love numbers because they tell us so much about your business.

In short, the numbers talk to us and tell us the past, the present and the future of your business. And when we understand the language of your numbers, we can help you to take the next big step in your journey.

 

Accounting is the language of Business

Learning to utilise numbers for your business is similar to learning a new language – a language that only accountants speak. To us, numbers simply make sense and help us to better communicate what’s happening in your business.

We ‘get’ the numbers – and we’re fluent in the language – which is what makes us great accountants.

We know where all those complex figures come from, and we know where they go to as well. But most of all, we know that your numbers represent a whole lot more than just what’s owed to HMRC, or how much money you have sitting in your bank account.

When we fire up Xero and look through your numbers, we can tell a lot about your business:

• They tell us what money you take out of the business for personal spending.
• They tell us how much time you have in the day (and how you use it).
• They show us what kinds of project you love to work on (or those you don’t).
• They tell us if you’re spending too much time with the wrong customers.
• They tell us if you’re making enough profit to open another office.

Being able to speak this language means we’re in a better position to tell you what’s going well, what needs a bit of tinkering, and what just isn’t working. By teaching you to learn this language – and understand the art of accounts – we can actually make accounting a whole lot more fun than you may have thought possible – really!

How to Make Accounting Fun for You

The key to making your accounts fun is to start learning what the numbers mean. As with all languages and creative skills, this will take some dedication and application on your part – and, of course, we’ll be there to help train you up. Trust is when we say the end result is 100% worth it.

It may not sound like much fun at first, but knowing the difference between ‘net profit’, ‘gross profit’ and ‘profit margin’ could help you to better run your business almost overnight. Actually being able to look at your key business information and seeing the story it tells makes you a better business owner, a better creative leader and a more successful entrepreneur.

• You understand the flow of cash through the business – and have ideas for how to improve that cash pipeline.
• You see where your overheads and spending are in need of attention, and where cost-savings can be made.
• You know which customers are the most profitable ones – and which are the ones you should wave goodbye to.
• You can project those numbers forward and see where the business will be in 6 months – and tighten up your business plan in the process.

It’s like taking a dusty old painting and having a skilled restorer remove all the grime and varnish that’s blocking out the picture. Suddenly, you see the colours, the brush strokes and the story that’s being told to you in the image.

With a real understanding of numbers and accounts, it makes managing your finances a whole lot more fun – and a lot more productive!

Get Back to Being Creative

The secondary bonus of understanding your accounts is that you’ll spend far less time poring over ‘confusing numbers’ and trying to work what to do next.

With a handle on the numbers, you’re always on the ball with your financial management, and always ready to act on any issues that come up.

In short, you’ll have more time for focusing on innovation and new ideas, which makes you more creative and, quite frankly, makes you more fun… we know that all work and no play makes for a very dull life, after all!

Talk to Us About Learning the Art of Accounts

If numbers bring you out in a rash, or you develop a cold sweat when anyone mentions ‘profit and loss accounts’, don’t worry – help is at hand.

Get in touch and we can arrange your first lesson in ‘the Art of Accounts’ over a strong cappuccino. We’d love to help you get more from your business information and start you speaking the language of numbers.