Peter Margaritis, The Accidental Accountant

You ARE A Superhero

June 23, 2015June 24, 2015 From the desk of Peter Margaritis

Peter Margaritis with OSCPA Caped Crusaders!

Recently I was the Keynote Speaker at the Oklahoma Society of CPAs Annual Meeting, sharing Embrace Your Inner Superhero.

The OSCPAs team took my message to heart, building their entire meeting around the Superhero theme. Check out these caped crusaders – each and every one a CPA Superhero!

I had the opportunity to be the Keynote Speaker at the Missouri Society of CPAs and they were great, too. Thank you to both for such wonderful experiences. Hope to see you again soon!

Peter Margaritis at the Oklahoma Society of CPAs Annual Meeting.

There’s Work To Networking

June 22, 2015June 22, 2015 From the desk of Peter Margaritis

There a many articles and posts out there about the best ways to network, and all of them have some good ideas. This article offers 10 important networking tips:

• Be Helpful    • Build a Reputation    • Be Visible
• Meet lots of People    • Be Intentional
• Think Long-Term • Get Rejected
• Listen    • Ask     • Follow Up

All good tips, and all will help you build a stronger network. Often I hear complaints that networking just doesn’t work. But when I go through this list of best practices I learn that the person has barely scratched the surface of connecting with people. Without effort you cannot successfully expand your network.

In addition to this list I suggest one more very important component:

Be Authentic.

Don’t pretend to be someone or something you aren’t. If you need help, ask. If you can offer help, do it. Go to events, introduce yourself, ask questions. Then follow up with an email, a note or phone call. There is, after all, “work” in networking!

The Accidental Account In The News

May 28, 2015 From the desk of Peter Margaritis

Excerpt fom TulsaBusiness.com:

Peter A. Margaritis, CPA, CGMA, may not be Captain America, but he’ll teach members of the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants how to embrace their inner superhero at the 97th annual members’ meeting at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, June 5.

Margaritis will serve as keynote speaker and recently released his first book, “Improv Is No Joke.”

Through the book, Margaritis aims to help business professionals use improvisational techniques to sharpen creativity and develop leadership skills to become successful.

Margaritas shares his 30 years of experience developing successful business teams.

“With every client, my goal is the same: using improvisation to create positive results,” he said.

Margaritis will present two sessions at the 2015 OSCPA Annual Members Meeting: “Embrace Your Inner Superhero” and “Communicating in the Workplace.”

Read the full article

Millennials Aren’t Like Boomers

May 20, 2015 From the desk of Peter Margaritis

Not a news flash, but those twenty and thirty something clients you have are not like you. Their expectations are very different, and firms that proactively work to meet those expectations will be advantaged. So how big are the differences? In some cases, very big.

Marketing

If you think print ads, billboards or an outdated website are the way to go, you are way off base. Millennials look for online testimonials (their version of personal referral). They want a well-designed website using current mobile technology and up-to-date information. They use their smartphones and tablets to access information more than a desktop computer – be sure your site matches their needs. If you site looks outdated, they will not stay.

What about social media – you don’t like it much? They do. There are multiple ways to connect with them online. Do some research and pick one or two outlets to start with, then grow from there. Freely sharing information is a great way to get connected and stay connected with millennials. They search online for everything from medical advice to investment advice; if you’re not participating the in online conversations, you will not get their attention.

Communication

Text and email are constants in their lives. Getting back to a millennial email the next day is kind of rude. They have grown up with immediate feedback and response. Set a guideline that all emails received by say 5 pm are responded to that day, even if it is just “get the answer for you tomorrow.” Texting is actually more important to them than emails – and response time is even more critical.

Use online tools to send and receive documents. Take payments online (or at least via phone). I know many millennials that haven’t written an actual check in years!

Group communication via videoconferencing is standard for them. Coming to your office for a meeting, not so much. Look into tools that work for you and are convenient for the user.

One more very important thing: Learn more about this very important client base before they go to another firm. They are not afraid to jump ship and go to a firm that meets their needs.

Are You Forgettable…Or Unforgettable?

May 20, 2015 From the desk of Peter Margaritis

While being infamous seems to have a rather negative connotation, unforgettable carries a bit of prestige, romance, even mystique. No one wants to be so blah, so uninspiring that they are forgettable – but how do you become unforgettable in business? Not everyone can be the wittiest or the smartest or even the loudest. As David Ogilvy, founder of the very successful ad agency Ogilvy & Mather famously said, “If you can’t be brilliant, at least be memorable!”

A recent Fast Company article shares some great tips, like “wear a signature item.” Every OSU Buckeye will never forget former university president Gordon Gee and his very famous bowties. Might work for you. Or “take the lead” in a group – you always remember a meeting leader.

I have a few other ideas on becoming unforgettable that you might think about. It starts with deciding for what you want to be remembered.

Be the Innovator – Stay on top of new developments in industry technology.
Be the Mentor – Inside and outside your office, offer your time and resources to help others.
Be the Expert – Subject matter experts are invaluable and unforgettable.
Be a Decision Maker – When the team needs leadership, take control without being controlling.

And if just reading “unforgettable” makes you want to hear Nat King Cole’s rendition of that wonderful song, just click on his photo – had to listen several times myself!