The Top 5 Ways to Tell if Your Business Accountant is the Best!

Accountants come in all shapes and sizes, just like an entrepreneur’s dreams. But turning these visions into reality doesn’t always feel like a dream. Bringing a business to life takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. It’s only natural for business owners to have their hands full growing their businesses. With so many moving parts, owners end up working around the clock feeling overwhelmed. Rather than trying to do it all alone, successful entrepreneurs know it takes a team of experts to be on your side. When it comes to figuring out your finances, choose a proactive accountant that lightens the load and helps set you up for the big time.

All expertise is not created equal. As a business owner, we know you’re brilliant at what you do. Whether it’s making custom celebration cakes, getting in shape or providing expert advice, chances are high the world needs more of what you do! But success isn’t as simple as just doing that one thing you’re awesome at doing. It also means figuring out the systems like operations, HR, marketing, and finance. Rather than becoming a jack of all trades, try building your all-star lineup. Hand-pick the right players to make your vision come true. You need the best talent you can find, so how can you tell the best from the rest? When it comes to financial advice, check out these top tips.

A proactive accountant is a secret weapon. In all areas of life, we all prefer proactive people and for good reason. A proactive accountant is committed to your success like it’s their own. He or she is genuinely brimming with excitement to spot the opportunities to raise the bar. Sure they handle the taxes and the compliance stuff. But then comes the real magic and this is where it really matters. They love to share their financial nerdiness in the form of tips and advice so that you can make smart financial choices. In fact, they love making sense of money matters so much that they’re eager to share their lens so you can start to see what they do and spot the game changers too.

In case you aren’t already sold, here are the top 5 marks of a great accountant:

1. The best accountants are easy to understand. Financial matters can be complicated, but they don’t have to be. All true experts know the goals of communicating are to be understood and not just heard. So the best accountants aren’t interested in jargon and don’t over-complicate things. Actually, they simplify finances so they make sense while also making sure they get your business, industry, and lifestyle vision. Did you know 80% of small businesses work with an external accountant, yet 70% wouldn’t recommend their service provider? Trusting someone with your business finances that you wouldn’t recommend is a recipe for disaster. If you’re questioning your financial relationship, start with the most common concerns: a lack of understanding and support. Great accountants listen and provide timely advice and support that’s easy to understand and easy to execute.

2. They make clients a serious priority. Your finances are important, just like your business. But the common denominator is you! A proactive accountant takes the time to get to know you, your goals, and your unique situation. First comes a deep discovery before prescribing a business and financial plan designed specifically for you. Did you know many people feel judged and dread having meetings with their accountant? In fact, it’s so bad that 33% of owners advise people to avoid their accountant! On the flip side, when you’ve got it right everything falls into place. It might even start to feel like you’re catching up with a financially-savvy friend. Small business owners deserve a financial advisor that gets them and prioritises their needs.

3. They listen & work with you. Ever heard of two plus two equals five? When uniting brain power with super accountants it really does. A proactive accountant seeks out opportunities to figure out what’s possible. Then they work with you to design a plan that gets you closer to your dreams. Business owners face different challenges at all stages of the game. So understanding finances is critical. 21% of SMB owners admit to not knowing enough about bookkeeping. The best advisors know everything about starting, growing, and balancing a business. They work hard to share the right knowledge to help your entrepreneurial dream become the economic engine that fuels your personal dreams. They even know about buying and selling so they’re with you every step of the way.

4. They ensure you set realistic goals & they check in regularly. A business advisor is like a coach or personal trainer. Sure he or she could give you a generic plan, but chances are it won’t work as intended. The hard truth is there are many options and they’re not all ideal. With several ways to reach your goals and different timelines, choosing the best plan can be hard. Proactive accountants align your current state, your options, and your timeframe to realise your vision. They listen more than they talk so you can openly share your expectations, ideas, and dreams. This is the secret used by great accountants to successfully guide you through your journey and ensure you’re on track for success.

5. They provide value, transparency and no (nasty) surprises! While accountants adore the financial side of life, no client likes extra fees. Proactive accountants set clear expectations and are up front about the costs. When new matters arise, they delight in tackling them and advise of the possibility of additional investment. If you’re getting nasty surprises, it might be time to make a move.

See what’s possible with Prime. A proactive accountant shouldn’t be hard to find like a needle in a haystack. And they shouldn’t be hard to understand or work with either! When you partner with the best, you can kiss the financial mysteries goodbye and get excited about the future. Our team at PrimeAdvisory is a fun bunch of number loving humans who are excited to create results for our clients.

For business owners, we’ve got it covered. From getting set-up to switching to a new adventure, we can do it all. We’re ready to create your roadmap to build a better financial future. We delight in helping you achieve your dreams while living the lifestyle you need. Our accountants are here to guide you – wherever you want to go. It’s the smartest move you could ever make.

As we like to say, with Prime, anything is possible. Ready to have a confidential chat? Give us a call on 02 9415 1511 or email us [email protected] and let’s explore your roadmap to wealth.