I recently went snorkeling in Hawaii when I was on the beautiful island of Maui for ExpensiCon, hosted by the expense report management tool called Expensify.
At the event, everyone was encouraged to bring a plus one. So, Mom came along with me.
Before things kicked off at ExpensiCon, Mom and I went on a snorkel tour. It was awesome. We hopped into a military-style pontoon boat with a dozen other people and drove along the southern coast of Maui, pulling right up to the volcanic formations and even parking in a pod of dolphins. And then we went snorkeling at Molokini Crater. What a day!
One of the most striking aspects I noticed about snorkeling was how bright things are underwater! As nerdy as this may sound, here are three incredible parallels between small business accounting and a snorkeling experience.
1. You’ve got to get in the boat.
To really experience snorkeling on the southern coast of Maui, you’ve go out to the clear, deep water, which is several miles away at Molokini Crater. Theoretically, you could swim to the crater, but you risk being eaten by a shark on the way out there. Similarly, to experience the beauty of modern business tools that sync everything online from your invoicing or ecommerce system to payroll to your general ledger (and more!), you’ve got to get on board mentally (and financially) with the software as a service revolution which really will enable you to access and use meaningful data from anywhere.
2. Either jump or be pushed in.
Then, you get to the crater. You won’t have a life changing experience unless you get in the water. You can either jump in or be pushed in. I recommend jumping in, whether you’re on the snorkel tour or deciding to upgrade your accounting system to the cloud.
3. There’s light, beauty, and harmony just under the surface.
The day I went snorkeling it was cloudy, windy, and a little chilly, so jumping in meant experiencing some discomfort to get to the good stuff. But once in the ocean, the natural beauty of the coral reefs, schools of fish, and clear water are a vivid reminder that you are part of a larger ecosystem.
For years now, software developers, accountants, and consultants have been navigating and implementing large computer systems with robust modules to get all the functions of a business to work together; it’s historically been referred to as enterprise resource planning (ERP). This concept is here to stay, but with API-friendly cloud tools available at significantly lower price points than their historical counterparts, it’s possible to create your own ERP using software within the small business ecosystem.
Time to take the plunge!
Thankfully, there are many software tools like Gusto (payroll), Expensify (expense management), and Bill.com (payables and receivables) that now talk to popular cloud accounting systems like QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite.
We believe every business needs a team. If you need some help navigating all the many cloud accounting options on the market these days, head over to our directory of accountants and advisors; we’ve built in some filters designed to help you find someone who is able to get started answering your questions.
And if you’re wondering what three days of ExpensiCon looks like, check out my highlight reel.
