Women in Accounting Wednesday - Susan Cook

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In almost every class I teach at conferences there are always some 'bright and shining faces' of people who you can tell are not only ready to learn, but excited to learn, no matter what the topic. I can honestly say that Susan Cook has always proven to be one of those individuals.

Today, Account Ability Consulting provides accounting system reviews and support for small to mid-market businesses across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Cape Cod and the Islands. Susan also offers nationwide service and consulting via remote support. She focuses on the QuickBooks family line of products and integrated apps to meet the needs of her clients.

But now that her client base has grown so significantly, she no longer does bookkeeping or tax, she provides the consulting and sales her clients need. Susan told Insightful Accountant, "...I love meeting new clients and helping entrepreneurs master the accounting systems that will work best for them. I learned so much from attending conferences like Scaling New Heights that I decided to develop a specialty. Since I liked shopping, I thought 'Retail' would be perfect."

"While it was new and different at the start, and I was all thumbs, I eventually got the hang of it. I've been an Intuit Premier Reseller since 2009 and now specialize in Point-of-Sale and Retail solutions."

But people have a way of hearing about those special advisors in an area that seem to be able to help businesses accomplish what they are trying to do. Apparently that was the case for Susan, because she also developed a reputation for being able to help small wholesalers and manufacturers. Many of those have taken her into the realm of QuickBooks Enterprise and beyond.

Sometimes it's hard to 'say no,' and so it seems with Susan, because she told us, "...in recent years I am working with many small service companies and actually helping them implement QuickBooks Online with the Apps they need."  While many so-called experts preach that ProAdvisors should 'streamline' down to a very limited specialization, it seems that Susan's specialization has actually grown into the role of a 'technical generalist.'

Susan told us, "...my office is now in my home so I’m able to keep an eye and ear on family needs during days that I’m not traveling to client’s offices. When I do have a longer trip for onsite client meetings, my husband Ralph will often accompany me as driver." Apparently being the driver isn't the only role Ralph occupies in Susan's business, it seems that he picked up the knack for working with all that hardware that Susan found difficult at the start. She said, "...he has been super helpful during POS hardware installation (helping us get it right); further his confidence in me has been my inspiration to keep reaching for challenging opportunities."

We know technology is especially important when you are running your own business, so we ask Susan what she used. "I love my iPhone, iPad mini, Apple Watch and my LG Bluetooth headset.  I use OneBox for a virtual phone system with voicemail transcription. Outlook calendar that is synced to the iPhone and iPad keeps me on track for keeping both client and personal appointments.

Of course 'work' isn't the only thing that we concern ourselves with in regard to our Women in Accounting Wednesday participants, we are also interested in how they balance family life and themselves along with work. In sharing a bit about her family life Susan told me, "...my husband Ralph and I both have our roots in Massachusetts. We have a happy marriage of 37 years!

For many years we lived and worked on the beautiful Island of Nantucket. Since I started my accounting business there I had to glean time from my demanding schedule to enjoy the beauty of our surroundings. It isn’t difficult to understand why National Geographic acclaimed Nantucket “The Best Island In the World.” We took full advantage of all its attractions including beach, boating, entertainment and shopping!  But I also feel very blessed that our wonderful son had the amazing opportunity of spending his early years growing up there experiencing all its charm and advantages."

So even though Susan and her family eventually returned to Cape Cod, where they still live and work, life didn't really slow down, just changed. The new consulting firm meant learning new things and developing new business relationships. And with that, the family also developed new avenues. Susan told me, "...today, our son is becoming an accomplished electrician and we are so very proud of his outstanding work ethic. He recently moved to his own apartment leaving us with a bit of the empty-nest syndrome. 

It means, new experiences for the three of us which we are all learning to explore and embrace. "

As for Ralph, it seems he may have taken on a bit of a specialization in his role as husband and father, because he has apparently become a bit of a gourmet cook. Susan say, "we enjoy having friends over for dinner parties, and Ralph will always prepare the entree...his specialty is seafood..." I can smell the aroma all the way from Cape Cod to Oklahoma, can't you? You just really can't get great seafood in Oklahoma!

Apparently Susan and Ralph volunteered for missionary assignments earlier in their life together, but in recent years they have found time to visit Japan, Nigeria, Brazil, Portugal, Alaska on vacation. While some parents might tend to leave children at home when traveling to such exotic locations, not Susan and Ralph, she said, "we took our son to most of these places because we felt it helped round out his education." Having traveled extensively when my own father was working all around the world, I couldn't agree more with Susan, it was indeed the learning experience of a lifetime and I'm confident her son will feel the same.

Having a home office with the views of Cape Cod provides an opportunity for not only luxury to the work place, but provides a place of solace for Susan each day, she told me, "... I start my mornings reading a spiritual text & enjoying my coffee while overlooking the little pond outside my kitchen window. The wildlife and views change with the New England seasons. Very tranquil and balancing start to my day!"

Of course, there is the other side of having a home office, the not getting away from home part, but that doesn't seem to really deter Susan, she said, "... I’ve found that the advantages of working from a home office outweigh the few disadvantages. There are times after a tedious meeting or challenging migration project that I need to just get up and walk around.  I stay productive by folding a load of laundry or emptying the dish washer and then I can return to focus on the task, often with renewed ideas." 

And when those physical needs kick in, Susan doesn't just walk around; no, she gets it in gear. Several mornings each week she attends CrossFit style classes at the local women's gym. She told me, "...it still surprises me how 'pushing myself physically' is mentally refreshing."

Susan summed things up to Insightful Accountant in a way that needs to clarification whatsoever, "Collaboration with the other talented people in the Woodard Network has given me an “always keep learning” outlook.  We can do our own research, take classes, learn from our clients, and learn from each other.  When we don’t know the answer, be honest with your client and then go find the answer.  I try to be a good listener and empathize with the clients struggles to grasp accounting work flow and value the importance of its results."

With a philosophy like that, you can see why she is one of those 'bright and shining faces' who are not only ready to learn, but excited to learn, no matter what the topic.

If you are a women in accounting, bookkeeping or business consulting and you have a story you want to share, we want to hear from you.  Simply post a 'Count me in' within the comments section of this, or any future, Women in Accounting Wednesday article.  Your email will be recorded in confidence, then I will reach out to you with the tools we have developed to make it easy to 'share your story.'  I personally look forward to hearing from you, and I'm confident that our readers will too.