I’ve been working with small businesses for over 25 years and during this time I’ve picked up a few hard-earned lessons about how the accounting job works. With that in mind, here are a few quick sayings I think every business owner should be familiar with:

1. Every business needs a strong accounting function in order to be successful.

2. QuickBooks isn’t an accounting system, it’s a piece of software.

3. Your accounting software is only as good as the person who’s using it.

4. 88% of spreadsheets contain errors.

5. Accountants are the only people who can get excited about a clean balance sheet.

6. It’s not a sale until the cash register rings.

7. Running a business without looking at your financials is like driving in the dark without headlights.

8. The secret to great accounting is repetition.

9. Behind every successful business is an accountant silently preventing disaster.

10. I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why the numbers are right.