The Silent Stigma Around Bookkeeping
Martine Hoosen
FICB | Top 50 Women in Accounting | ICB 2024 Winner: Bookkeeping Advocate & Large Bookkeeping Practice | Mentor to Bookkeepers | Are you ready to scale your business? Let's make it happen! Contact me today.
So, I’ve had some interesting conversations lately around what people believe a ‘bookkeeper’ is, and it’s become quite apparent that for those that don’t work in our industry, there is a real lack of understanding about what we actually do.?
Despite a huge amount of evolution in our industry, there still seems to be a stigma attached to the title of ‘Bookkeeper’ that I think needs to be addressed.?(No, we are not the folks in our cardigans sitting in the dark corner of the office plugging numbers into a calculator!)
Many people still appear to believe that bookkeeping is purely data entry and transactional in nature.
It’s no wonder that so many Bookkeepers struggle to communicate their value, suffer from imposter syndrome and don't charge their worth, when many don't actually understand what we do or realise the contribution that our profession provides to the business community. ?
One of the biggest challenges I see when mentoring bookkeepers, is associated with giving them the confidence to communicate their value, to not sell themselves short, and to believe in the benefits they can provide their clients.
Though, how can we effectively communicate our value, when we largely we feel quite undervalued or underestimated?
How can we remove the stigma?
I know there are people in our industry screaming out for our 'title' to be changed…. but should we have to do this? Or is it just a matter of diligently (and collectively) redefining the conversation, educating our clients and the wider business community, and stepping into our own?
Our profession has been completely transformed over the past 10 – 15 years. I started my bookkeeping business almost 23 years ago, and I have been on a constant journey of evolution ever since.?The value I and countless others in our profession provide is no longer just made up of the recording of business transactions - we have become close and trusted advisors to our clients.
Despite how much we’ve evolved, I feel we are in large, the quiet achievers of the business world, working diligently behind the scenes, often without receiving the recognition deserved.
I think it’s time for us to step up and start owning and communicating the huge amount of value we have to offer the business community.?We are now supporting our clients in so many ways outside of ‘traditional bookkeeping’ by providing additional services, like:
·??????Technology Advice
·??????Automation and Integration Support
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·??????Digital Transformation
·??????Real Time Data Analysis
·??????Change Management
·??????Payroll & HR
·??????Mediations with Government Agencies
·??????Cash Flow Management
·??????Forecasting
·??????Collaboration with CFO’s, Accountants and other Advisors
·??????Business Coaching
Whether or not a name change is necessary is up for debate, but what is clear to me is that Bookkeepers are far more than just number crunchers, and our contributions to the business community need to be recognised.
Should we be looking to change the name of our profession as some out there are suggesting (and what would it be)? Or, do we just need to step out of the shadows and learn to sell ourselves better to communicate the huge amount of knowledge, business acumen and value we provide, and educate people on what the role of a Bookkeeper actually encompasses???
What are your thoughts?
Bookkeeper and BAS Agent - Accountability BAS and Bookkeeping Services
1 年Agree with the conversation time to drop the stigma, and welcome a new professional label with the worth the contribution that we bring to the businesses who engage our professional services.
Australia's #1 Business Breakthrough Expert
1 年Oh and I'm not sure if I ever told you, but I'm an English Lit junkie and one area where I respectfully disagree with my dear Shakespeare is when Juliet says "what's in a name, that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet". The language we use has profound impact. Ahhhhh I've just added further proof to my nerd status, haven't I? ?? ??
Australia's #1 Business Breakthrough Expert
1 年Great question Martine! As you know, I work a lot with "Bookkeepers" and think you are all freaking super heroes for sure! So I may be biased but I don't see stigma attached to the name, but I definitely feel it is limiting. These days many Bookkeepers (yourself for instance) do so much more than "books" and that's not reflected in the title.
Smart Books Founder - Providing Best Practice learning for bookkeeping excellence
1 年This is a great discussion Martine Hoosen! I used to hesitate to call myself a Bookkeeper but now I proudly own the job title. I think it is about educating others on the depth and breadth of the work we do. Like any profession we come with all sorts of niches and specialties. A good bookkeeper is never just doing data entry as we take note of the transactions, the effect on the accounts ledger and can spot irregularities from a mile away!
As Ironbrij's Marketing Executive & Lead Gen Specialist, I create digital strategies to attract clients. Working with our team of VAs, we help businesses grow by outsourcing administrative tasks.
1 年Bookkeeping can be overwhelming for business owners. ?? Getting help from a professional can save time and ensure accuracy and compliance. A bookkeeper can manage finances, prepare statements, and handle tax filings. By delegating tasks to a qualified professional, business owners can focus on growth. ??