A new book by Peter Margaritis, CPA, author of Improv Is No Joke
Taking The Numb Out of Numbers
Explaining and Presenting Financial Information with Confidence and Clarity
Learn how to...
- Control Your Anxieties – Peter shares tips to help calm your nerves and increase your confidence
- Craft Your Story – Learn the art of powerful storytelling to share complex information
- Connect With Your Audience – Discover how you can engage people and create interactive conversations
Available Now on Amazon!
Discounts Available for Bulk Orders. Contact Peter for More Info.
"... a must-read for any financial professional.” — Hayden Williams, CPA, CFO at the Washington Society of CPAs
Cursed With Knowledge.
If you’re like most financial professionals, you are cursed. You are “cursed with knowledge” and a comfort with numbers, spreadsheets, financial reports, tax codes, and investment models that collectively add up to a virtual foreign language to others who don’t possess a similar knowledge base. Because of this, you may have a hard time connecting with the very people who need your help the most ― with your clients or your colleagues. It’s a challenge you must overcome, an impasse you cannot simply shrug off. You need to talk to your stakeholders about the numbers; you need for them to understand.
But How?
You can’t change the numbers themselves; they are true and vital and, to a financial professional like you, beautiful and reassuring. What you can do is change your delivery when presenting financial information and bring those numbers to life!
In his game-changing new book, Taking the Numb Out of Numbers: Explaining and Presenting Financial Information with Confidence and Clarity, Peter A. Margaritis, CPA, offers a refreshing new approach for connecting with audiences of any size ― with one valued client on the other side of your desk or with 1,000 adoring fans giving you their rapt attention as you take the stage.
Margaritis makes a compelling case that the secret to such audience connection can be found in the art of storytelling and improvisation. Through a book that’s equal parts practical guidebook, motivational support, and relatable examples, he helps readers construct their own storytelling methods and styles while learning a tried-and-true recipe for success in ensuring meaningful connection.
Delve into Taking the Numb Out of Numbers, and tackle everything from:
Get Past Your Fear of Public Speaking
For many people, presenting in front of an audience is their #1 fear, beating out drowning, snakes and even clowns! Peter takes you from simple breathing exercises through preparation and practice to hone your skills and calm your nerves.
Storytelling in Business is a Great Strategy
If you think business storytelling is like telling fairytales, think again. We are exposed to stories from major companies everyday through commercials and branding. Telling stories in business is big business, and you will learn how to develop your message into a compelling, well-crafted story.
Connect With Your Audience Through Meaningful Conversations
Being a subject-matter-expert is not the same as being an expert presenter. Learn how Peter prepares for every presentation, no matter the size of the audience. You’ll be ready to give a presentation to one client or one hundred of your peers.
Learn From Experts
One of the tips Peter shares in this book is to watch videos of really good speakers to learn their techniques for connecting with an audience. Watch The Best of Ronald Reagan to appreciate how he delivers his humor with perfection. Watch Bill Clinton Bids Farewell at the 2000 White House Correspondents’ Dinner and take notice of his facial expressions, especially when he is discussing writing his resume. And this clip from President Obama’s 2015 Correspondents’ Dinner titled “President Obama’s Anger Translator” show great timing and delivery.
Listen to Peter discussing the critical importance of financial storytelling to create shared understanding on the Future-Proof podcast, with Bill Sheridan. Hosted by the Business Learning Institute.
Making a Presentation into a Compelling Conversation and Turning Numbers into Stories Takes Hard Work.
To Achieve This, You Must Change Your Mindset.
You need to be determined to change your approach from merely an exchange of information (the proverbial data dump) from one party to the next, to an engaging dialogue that includes facts and figures brought to life through the power of storytelling.
Delve into Taking the Numb Out of Numbers, and tackle everything from: Controlling your anxieties, to Crafting stories, to Connecting with your audience.
Learn the key differences between data storytelling and data visualization, and discover, step by step, how to become amazing and engaging by getting past your fears, then thoughtfully developing, preparing for, and delivering your presentation.
The principles explored in this book, while tailored to financial professionals, are applicable to anyone who presents technical information ― like engineers, scientists, lawyers, doctors, or technologists.
About The Author: Peter Margaritis, CPA
Going from being a CPA to taking the “numb out of numbers” for thousands of other accountants is definitely the road less traveled, but that is exactly the path Peter chose.
Accounting was never the career Peter envisioned for himself at 17 – standup comedy was going to be his ticket. However, based on his father’s advise – “Don’t be a funny guy, Pete. Be a CPA, you’ll never be hungry.” – and a knack for numbers, Peter earned his Master’s in Accountancy and then his CPA license. He worked in key positions in several large organizations, and did very well. But accounting really wasn’t his passion. He was, in fact, The Accidental Accountant.
During his time as a corporate CPA, Peter took improv classes and performed stand-up comedy. Communicating directly with audiences was life changing, and Peter discovered his true passion: Teaching what he knew rather than being a practicing CPA. That led him to university faculty positions where Peter combined his accounting skills with his improv performance skills. He realized his students not only learned more when they were entertained and engaged, they retained that knowledge and could apply it in new situations.
It was an epiphany.
“Applied improv is all about the ability to draw upon your experience, knowledge and education to apply them in a way that meets the needs of the person you are taking to or working with – and it can be taught.”
Through his keynote presentations and customized workshops, Peter shows how the tools used in improv – like listening, flexibility and trust – can change how a team interacts with each other and their clients. Bottom line, Peter can help your team learn new methods to improve their communication and build stronger relationships with your clients, customers, stakeholders and associates.
Peter A. Margaritis, CPA is a speaker, educator, trainer, humorist, and self-proclaimed chief “edutainment” officer for The Accidental Accountant™. He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, Georgia Society of CPAs, National Speakers Association, and the Ohio Society of CPAs. Peter is also the author of Improv Is No Joke: Using Improvisation to Create Positive Results in Leadership and Life.
Visit Peter's website at petermargaritis.com
Testimonials
What They're Saying about Peter's New Book!
"Peter offers a practical guide for accounting and finance professionals to up their game in storytelling and presentation with lots of great examples, stories and tips. Use Peter’s book to upgrade your ‘self-ware’ and make your presentations even better!”
Tom Hood, CPA
Executive Director & CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs
“Peter's new book underscores the deep need for many financial professionals to be able to clearly explain the financial impact of decisions at every level, and Pete is one of the very best at helping people understand an entire financial concept rather than seeing only unrelated fragments."
Jack Park, CPA, MBA, CSP
"This book is my new communication playbook. In an environment that includes several stakeholders with varying interests and goals, the tools Peter provides help me to ensure my interactions are engaging and meaningful. Allowing me to better communicate technical information to facilitate well-informed business decisions."