Newport Aquarium’s Post

“What’s the buzz around the office today?” And we were off and running. I first had the chance to talk with CFO Shana Rowlette last spring after she and her company Mann Lake Bee & Ag Supply, the country’s largest beekeeping supplier and manufacturer, were put on our radar. Mann Lake may not show up in a lot of WSJ articles, but from our point of view, it’s a company worth paying attention to. And, I needed to know what was the best — or worst — “bee pun” she hears on a daily basis. And then immediately attempt to not litter our conversation with even worse ones. What I loved most about talking with Rowlette that day, and what our own writer Sandra Beckwith captured (tinyurl.com/mv6fd9nm), is the journey. Not only of a company that started out as a small family garage business in 1983, but for Rowlette as well. “When I started here as our first staff accountant, it was just supposed to be a job that got me to the area before I found a different one in an industry that I thought was more interesting than agriculture,” she said. When she began her career, it was only her and the CFO at the time. But over the course of a decade, she took on more and more responsibilities, showing excellence for all of it.   This journey is, in part, why we ask CFOs how they go about their respective days. Sometimes it is inspiring to the point of almost being daunting when we hear about finance chiefs who train for triathlons or climb Kilimanjaro. But most of the time, it is basic, dogged persistence and discipline. Johnson Controls’ CFO Olivier Leonetti oversees a company that generates $25 billion in revenue. He begins daily by rising early (4:30 a.m.!) with daily meditation and some espresso. That habit, which he uses to propel the global company, is accessible to anyone. In a profile about the band The Eagles, co-founder Glenn Frey reflected on the nature of songwriting by observing Jackson Browne when they lived in the same apartment complex: “Around nine in the morning, I’d hear Jackson Browne’s teapot going off with this whistle in the distance, and then I’d hear him playing piano. I didn’t really know how to write songs. I knew I wanted to write songs, but I didn’t know exactly ... Jackson would get up, and he’d play the first verse and first chorus, and he’d play it 20 times, until he had it just the way he wanted it. “Then there’d be silence, and then I’d hear the teapot going off again, and it would be quiet for 20 minutes, and then I’d hear him start to play again ... and I’m up there going, so that’s how you do it? Elbow grease. Time. Thought. Persistence.” Rowlette and Leonette have a similar approach: start small, and build things that are big. Elbow grease. Time. Thought. Persistence. Bees are pretty small insects. But they are the bedrock of a national powerhouse. And that is pretty sweet. (This is a preview of The Daily Balance. Want to read more? https://lnkd.in/exNvwg8P)

Honch allows Marketing and Sales professionals to target newly appointed Finance decision-makers, as they review suppliers and launch new initiatives. This week saw 690 CFOs, FDs and other senior decision-makers join UK companies including: - Scottish Sea Farms - CFO - Euro Car Parts - Director of Financial Reporting & Projects - Hilton Seafood UK - Finance Director - Cezanne HR - CFO - Harland & Wolff - Director of Group Finance #marketing #sales #finance

Brewery accounting isn’t just a routine task; it’s the backbone of informed decision-making for a business. Accuracy in financial records directly impacts a brewery's financial health. Neglecting or placing it on the back burner can lead to setbacks, headaches, and substantial financial risks. 👎 However, getting brewery accounting done right opens a new world of opportunities. Learn more about brewery accounting in our blog: https://lnkd.in/gHfqN3bn #ZenStrategies #CFO #VirtualCFO #Accounting #OhioAccountants #Advisors #BusinessAccountant #Business #Strategy #Brewery

As we head into the Easter break, here is a discussion I recently had with IAB Director 👉 David Taylor about how finance professionals can make use of #data within their practices https://lnkd.in/e2aQjB_D #bookkeeping #finance #accountancy

We get it - you run a brewery because you love your craft, your creations, and the incomparable brewery culture. The last thing you want to do is worry about brewery accounting... Our blog will share tips to help you along the way, so you can navigate the complex world of brewery accounting with greater confidence! 🤩 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gHfqN3bn #ZenStrategies #CFO #VirtualCFO #Accounting #OhioAccountants #Advisors #BusinessAccountant #Business #Strategy #Brewery

PATHWAYS 🎙 When Tim Bensley started his career, he wasn’t really convinced that he loved accounting. However rising through the ranks to Group Chief Financial Officer for Carpet Call, has confirmed that Tim not only knows a thing or two about numbers, but that he also has an incredible business brain — playing a key role in cementing the companies position as Australia's top flooring retailer. Atlas Partners Director, Liam Killen, sat down with Tim to understand what the journey from early days accounting to CFO has been like, and particularly the transition and core differences from Commercial Manager to now Group Chief Financial Officer. “The people management aspect really escalates to another level. I think time challenge is one of the biggest things. You have to be more judicious with your time and move quickly — make decisions right or wrong, and move on. Some of those things you have to learn on the go and you won’t know everything to begin with. There's more things that you're not an expert at. But with the support of the business, you just get through it. You also need to do a lot more research, which can be time consuming, you have to be scanning the landscape for larger risk, more enterprise-wide risk. The difference is also the impact and the influence you can have on the business — your decisions matter, they affect hundreds of people. So while there's a lot of responsibility, I think it's a dream job.” ➡️ Read the full interview here https://lnkd.in/gCsVhtb2 Stay tuned for more Pathways stories, sharing how Atlas Partners accounting and financial services network got to where they are today. #AtlasPartners #AccountingServices #FinancialServices #AccountingCareers #CareersMelbourne

🌟 Faces of Northwest: Meet Jessica Garduhn! 🌟 Jessica joined Northwest beginning of 2023 as Director, Finance & Management Accounting. Her journey is a testament to resilience, dedication, and passion for the finance department. With a career spanning over a decade, Jessica has left an indelible mark in the finance and business transformation landscape. From her early days as a Trainee to her most recent leadership roles, she has consistently demonstrated a knack for driving positive change and delivering impactful results. At the heart of Jessica's success lies her ability to navigate complex challenges with determination. Whether it's restructuring finance departments, optimizing processes, or leading teams through periods of transition, she approaches each task with commitment and strategic foresight. 𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄: 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮, 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻? Away from the finance world, I enjoy spending a lot of quality time with my family. Water, the sound of the sea, as well as the peace and quiet, hold a special allure for me since I spent a big part of my childhood at the Baltic Sea. Nowadays, we have two residences and commute between Berlin and Schwerin. Moreover, I enjoy playing tennis, a sport that requires your focus, enhances your fitness, and reflects my passion for teamwork. 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲? If you manage to reach people's hearts, the heads will naturally follow suit. That is the motto I live by. Soft skills are a crucial part in my opinion, hard skills such as Excel, can be taught very easily with a bit of willingness to learn and patience. To be successful in the finance world, it is important to be hands-on and fully understand the processes. Ask a lot of questions, to ensure that you comprehend every detail. Step out of your comfort zone and always be courageous and friendly. Perseverance, patience, and humility are essential as well. And of course, you should love to juggle with numbers 😉 Here's to you, Jessica! 🚀 #FinanceLeadership #WomeninFinance #FemaleLeadership 

The market for public accounting professionals for the past few years has been a whirlwind of movement and competition. Good for the accountants, but challenging for the firms. Many firms are now getting the wake-up call that culture matters. Investing in your people matters. It might be too little, too late for some. When I joined GEMRT - Garcia, Espinosa, Miyares, Rodriguez, Trueba & Co. LLP almost two years ago, I was new to the arena of public accounting. I soon realized how special the firm was because we kept growing. We were attracting talented professionals left and right because of the intentional decision to grow within the guardrails of our values and culture--not in spite of them. We are not treading water, but swimming purposefully. It takes time and resources, but it's worth it. And everyone at GEMRT is better off because of it. Want to wish all the tax and audit professionals in my network a successful busy season. I hope you don't burn out. I hope you take care of yourselves. I hope you grow your expertise. I hope you deliver for your clients. I hope you knock it out of the park. If you don't accomplish these things this season, maybe it's time to change it up. There are great, small and mid-sized firms that are being more deliberate about their people and long-term relationships. It might be worth taking a look.

✅ Reviewing financial statements & bookkeeping  ✅ Conducting audits ✅ Suggesting financial efficiencies By all accounts, 13-year Trade Fixtures veteran Accountant Stacy McFall is a numbers master (and our very first employee spotlight). We asked Stacy for her all-time favorite Trade Fixtures product. See her response below ⬇️  #employeespotlight #accounting #grocery #foodindustry #food