It’s the first week back from after the holiday weekend and I’m finding that it’s been a week of “settling in” and of acceptance. I’m finally feeling like there is a bit of a routine shaping up after what has been a very busy last few quarters. New routines and transitions have been front and centre in both my personal and professional life; all of these new routines and transitions have been good, but we all know that even when change is good, change is difficult and stressful.
Having wrapped up Q3 less than two weeks ago, we are taking time to meet with many folks to connect on their own new routines and transitions. With them, we are reviewing financial results, business operational changes, and future financial planning.
Walking alongside our clients as they weather entrepreneurship is an honour. In reviewing financial results, we peek behind the curtain of our clients’ routines and transitions, looking at information on the story of their business’ numbers. We share in the ups and downs of how the numbers came to be. Reviewing financial results means looking back at what has happened in a business from a numbers perspective, which paints the picture of the impact of a business’ decision making over a period of time. The information we look at tells us where clients have been, where they are, and where they are going. It shows us how routines and transitions have impacted them and it shows us what new routines and transitions are required to meet personal and business goals.
Sometimes the stories we hear and share with our clients are joyful and exciting. Things like launching a new product or service line, hiring a key employee, securing new financing, and analyzing the wins on the profit and loss statement after a measured effort at reducing spend are exciting chapters in a business’ financial story. These times are exciting and they require support on new routines and transitions through things like new processes, systems, and information required.
Other times we share in stories with our clients that require us to show up with empathy and compassion as we communicate the reality of less than ideal financial results, understand the impact of a lost key team member or customer, and listen to the struggles at securing financing. Our goal is to show up with kindness while still maintaining our professional responsibility to share transparent financial information. During these times, we work with clients to connect on new routines and transitions to help them meet the next milestones in their business journey.
As a team of accounting and tax professionals, we have seen many organizations in all stages of their life cycle – from the birth of a start up to the execution of an estate plan. All businesses go through a similar journey throughout their lives; as the business grows, so does the complexity of its needs. As the business changes, so do the routines and transitions.
Entrepreneurs are a visionary bunch, with a healthy dose of risk tolerance and leadership. Entrepreneurs face reality head on and are challenge-positive, even when it’s difficult. New routines and transitions can be difficult. They can be exciting. They can be overwhelming.
One of the things we do very well at MOD is walk alongside our clients as partners in decision making; we help very real people with very real businesses make very real decisions. We help our clients process information and are here to support with decision making.
No matter where you’re at with your business’ routines and transitions, we love the opportunity to connect with like-minded folks sharing in the same realities of entrepreneurship as we are. Please reach out to us at hello@modaccounting.ca to start the conversation on how looking at your business’ routines and transitions with a team of professionals can put you on the path to where you are headed with your business.