Mini Moment #25 - Finding an accountant who gets you, not just your numbers – with Paris from Group One Accounting
Most of us treat our accountant like a stranger who happens to know our numbers. Someone we email at tax time, brace ourselves for, and quietly hope is not judging us. But what if that relationship could feel like the complete opposite?
In this Mini Moment, Sam sits down with her own accountant, Paris from Group One Accounting, to talk about what it actually looks like to work with someone who gets you. Not just someone who lodges your BAS on time, but someone you can be honest with, lean on, and yes, even cry to about tax.
Because here is the part most salon owners never get told. Your accountant is not there to be your business strategist, and expecting that will only leave you let down. The real shift comes from knowing what the job actually is, asking for exactly what you need, and finding the person who fits the way you work.
What we cover
- What an accountant is actually responsible for, and what they are not
- The real difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant
- The questions to ask before you take someone on, from communication style to fees and response time
- Why Sam pays her accountant a set amount each week, and how that protects her cashflow
- How to find an accountant who feels personal, not just professional
- Why you should never feel judged by the person doing your books
The right accountant does not just know your numbers. They make you feel safe in your own business.
FAQs
What is the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant?
A bookkeeper handles the day to day reconciling, data entry and the quarterly BAS that Australian businesses lodge for GST. An accountant usually comes in at the end of the financial year to tidy everything up and do the tax level work, though plenty of accountants can cover both.
What should you ask before hiring an accountant?
Ask how they communicate, how quickly they respond, and how they charge, including whether phone calls are billed. Being clear about what you need up front is what stops you feeling disappointed later.
Should I do my own bookkeeping as a salon owner?
For a lot of smaller salons, basic reconciling and paying wages is simpler than it looks, and learning it first keeps your head in your own business. You can always hand it over once you understand what is involved.
Mentioned in this episode:
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Transcript
what your accountant should do for you, how you can get the best out of your accountant, and why not do that with my accountant, who's extraordinary. So this is Paris.
[: [:Because I think so often people think that their accountant almost should be like a business mentor. And I know that that's, You're going to be
[: [: [:But basically just making sure that you're lodging everything on time. If you can't pay your tax obligations, you've got payment plans in place. Foreseeing any sort of big life events or tax issues, I believe, should be part of it. That's not always the case. So I think that's going in from that, the most important thing to do when you do approach an accountant is to let them know what you expect.
And then they can tell you whether they're going to provide that or not. And then you won't be disappointed. I think that's such a good point is literally saying like, this is what I need. Do you provide this? I would love, and we haven't touched on this before, but what is the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant?
It's a different skill set, but the way I at it is a bookkeeper does the day to day reconciling, entering and then taking care of the GST portion quarterly. Technically, an accountant should only need to come in at the end of the financial year and tidy everything up and and do the tax sort of level work.
So, but it does mesh in, an accountant meshes into a bookkeeper's job. I don't believe a bookkeeper's job. really meshes into an accountant job. Yeah. Yeah. There's a lot more study obviously for an accountant and but bookkeepers are so valuable. Don't ever diminish them. If they don't do a good job, an accountant can't do a good job.
Okay. Bookkeepers are just amazing. Cause
[: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [:If you have a business not to just outsource the whole lot because until you know what you're doing
[: [:And when you realize how simple they are, you would be like, why am I paying
[: [:And then you outsource it from there.
[: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [:There's certain things that I'm like, oh, I need something done. Yeah, it's I'm really stressed about it or I need to have a quick conversation with you. And then there's other stuff that I can leave and yeah, I'm like, hey, when you get a chance. Oh,
[:Yeah, get scheduled in. Yeah. Yeah. It's all communication.
[: [: [: [: [: [:So, you know, every time you're calling, it's going to be charged.
[: [: [:So you came back and gave me an invoice of what it would cost me to have a weekly amount. Yes. And for small business owners, that's brilliant. Yeah. Because never are you up front for, you know, two, three, four, five thousand dollars or twelve hundred on your bus. It just automatically, like, the money that I pay is not an amount that I would, think about.
So it just automatically goes out each week. Like, so smaller portions. Yeah. Often. Just mean that everything that I need is put in this beautiful bundle and then this is, and then I also know what to expect and you know what I need. Yeah,
[: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [: [:And so for me guys, it is. Being able to have Paris when I need her, like for those, you know, I've explained before that when I have a BAS coming in or a tax coming in, I need it explained before. If it just is emailed to me, I can get quite anxious because I need to understand it. So you know that. So, you know, you're like, I'll send it, then we'll have a conversation.
But anytime you send something, you're like, Hey, this is it, but call me, let's talk it through. Or do you feel okay with this? And most of the time I even just pick up the phone just to be like, feel better. Let's move
[: [:To do all of these things for you if you're not paying your accountant to do all those things for you. Like, it all comes on like a charge. So, you know, if someone was coming in and getting their hair down or brows down, they were constantly asking you for information outside the salon. That would come exhausting and almost need to be charged out.
So I think it's really important that we're doing the same with the people that are helping us within our businesses. That those things have to be on charge. We've got to appreciate and value your time.
[: [:And I think that sometimes we don't know what we need. I think that could be a question for your accountant.
[:This is what you're going to need. You know, you might need regular profit and loss updates or, or you might need, yeah, extra handholding. So yes, I think just tell them how you're feeling. So,
[:Because if you guys aren't completely vulnerable with your accountant and you're not having the conversations of like sobbing because you don't understand tax and stuff like that, and you're just pretending that you know it, I don't think that's ever going to be a successful relationship. Like your accountant should be that person that you can lean on and be like, tell me that, This business is successful because it doesn't feel successful.
Tell me I'm doing the right job. Tell me everything's not burning down because I've had that with all my accountants that I'm like, please tell me that this is right and I'm not doing the wrong thing. And I'm Even though it can feel, we know it's successful, we kind of don't know it's successful and we need that support for someone to be like, you're doing the right job.
[: [: [: [:You're so clever.
[: [: [: [: [: [: [:That's not going to be for everyone either. So, but that's all right.
[:work with somebody that wasn't like Paris. Like, and this is why the relationship is so strong. This is why I feel so passionate about working with you. And the reason why I feel so safe in my business is because it isn't for me, it's not just business. It's personal as well.
[: [:But I say, I'm not everybody's cup of tea either. Not everyone's going to work with me because they're not going to like the way that I do things, but. We're all not meant to be for everyone. So find the accountant that feels like, Ooh, yes, they get me. I get them, you know, they're making good choices for me.
I'm like, I feel supported all of these things. Find that in your person.
[:So,
[: [: