For years, I've rubbed shoulders with SME owners, as an entrepreneur, as a CPA and through the business networks I'm part of. And the same conversation keeps coming up, almost word for word.
They lead with conviction, know their customers by name and their operations inside out. But when the talk turns to their numbers, the tone changes. They rely on their accountant or bookkeeper, and wait until month-end, sometimes year-end, to really know where they stand. In between, they're flying blind, with a nagging feeling that something important might be slipping through the cracks.
I know that feeling. And I don't believe it's inevitable.
A CPA who chose the other side of the table
I'm a CPA. But I chose to put that expertise to work in my own business, by becoming an owner and applying it every day, for myself and for my teams.
And like most SME leaders I meet, I don't have the resources for a full-time CPA, or even a part-time one. Besides, that's far from my only role. Owners know it: our time as leaders is split between HR and hiring, client meetings, team meetings, suppliers, the banker, problems that need solving on the spot and, when we get to it, planning what comes next.
I put on my accountant's glasses a few hours a week. No more.
What I need as a leader: my numbers, in one click
What I want, as a business owner, is access to my key indicators in one click. I take a quick look at where sales stand, where expenses stand, and I compare them to budget.
I've also built dashboards that track the handful of indicators I consider critical for my business. At a glance, I understand where we stand and what we need to adjust.
Most important of all: trusting my numbers
But the most important thing is that I trust my numbers. Because in one click, I can see the detail behind every amount. Because they're up to date at all times. No need to wait for an outside accountant's opinion. No need to wait for month-end, or worse, year-end.
Let's be clear: your accountant remains a valuable partner. But they shouldn't be the only one who knows what your numbers are saying. As a leader, you need to be able to read them yourself, at the moment you're making decisions.
That's the power of a system like Odoo, when it's well structured. The software alone isn't enough: what makes the difference is how it's set up. A chart of accounts designed around your decisions. Transactions entered once, where they originate. Reports and dashboards built for the leader, not just for the year-end filing.
Three questions to ask yourself
- How long does it take you to know where your sales and expenses stand this month, compared to budget?
- If your accountant left tomorrow, who would understand your numbers?
- What was the last important decision you made without the numbers you would have wanted?
If any of these questions made you hesitate, you're not alone. That's exactly where we support SME leaders at bemade: putting in place a system that gives you reliable, up-to-date information that's accessible at all times, so you can lead with confidence.
The first conversation takes thirty minutes. You'll come away with, at the very least, a clear idea of what your current situation is costing you.
Pascale Lohéac, CPA
Senior Vice-President, Finance, Strategy & Performance Management, bemade