Real talk time. I meet so many business owners with money shame, and I wish that weren’t the case. But I totally get it.
I hear from people all the time that their number woes come from the fact that they…
- Don’t know or understand them entirely
- See the business isn’t making money and they don’t want to admit that
- Don’t want to share their numbers with a bookkeeper or accountant because that just makes it even more real
Bookkeeping is often seen as something that’s dry – after all, it’s financial. There’s not a lot of room for creativity or inspiration. Numbers are pretty black and white.
But there’s a lot of emotion tied up in finances and our relationship with money – from how we were raised to see money – to how we handle it now.
So it’s totally understandable that you might have these deep emotions when it comes to looking at your numbers and facing some hard truths – but understanding where those feelings come from is a great first step to moving past them and feeling more comfortable with your money truths.
It also might be time to get some professional help to get you on a path to learning how to handle your books. I wanted to help business owners who were feeling that crappy feeling of number shame do just that, which is why I – the ultimate Number Nerd – created the Number Nerd Review.
I don’t think bookkeepers or CPAs should sugarcoat anything. It’s not like we’re here to make people cry – but I think it’s the responsibility of whoever you hire to help with your books to pinpoint where you can be more efficient and where you need the most help.
I also think it’s important to learn how to troubleshoot and not only figure out when things are working well, but when things get a little funky and something isn’t working.
Think about it like this. Any expert you hire to give you a hand should be not only helping you get organized but setting you up to take off the training wheels so you can manage things on your own. Remember that age-old adage about teaching a man (or woman) to fish? The same goes for business.
When you hire someone to get your books back on track they should be teaching you to be self-sufficient, how to understand the ins and outs of your books and stay organized so you don’t end up in a numbers nightmare again.
When I do a Nerd Number Review, I get to help business owners learn to do that – manage their books and lose the shame. It’s awesome to see entrepreneurs move from this troubled mindset to really empowered CEOs who have the confidence and knowledge to make great business decisions.
Never gets old.
Look – I know sharing your info and numbers with an expert can be daunting – when you don’t want to face a hard truth yourself, the last thing you want to do is talk about it with a stranger.
So what advice do I have for people who are scared to share their numbers with an expert?
Experts are here to help you – and the ones that DO make you feel ashamed aren’t the ones you want to work with. Find someone who you’re comfortable with and who will help you learn along the way. Learning is meant to be a positive experience.
Just because someone is an expert, doesn’t mean they’re the right one for you. Be picky – but recognize when you need the help and find it.
Trust in yourself and know that you can do this.
Ready to move past your money shame? Book a free consultation call with me and we can talk more about how you can take back control of your business! Book yours now.
