Spotlight: Happy Anniversary to Staff Accountant Britney Denk

What a difference a year makes. In July of 2018, My Small Business Pro was doing great, but I needed a hand. With new clients coming in and existing customers expanding services, I had to find qualified help—and fast!

I was lucky to find Britney Denk, a DePaul University accounting student with a promising future and a great head on her shoulders. Now, one year after she joined the staff, we’ve both made progress. The company has been able to provide even better service to our new and longstanding clients, and Britney has learned a lot about what it takes to be a financial professional. Let’s let her tell her story.

What have you liked most about working at MSBP?

One of the greatest things about working at MSBP is working with small businesses. I love interacting with all the different clients and getting to know them along with their businesses and what they are passionate about. Working at MSBP is different, in a good way, because I genuinely feel like I’m making a difference and helping promote the success for a bunch of different businesses. We are truly blessed with a bunch of great clients, and it’s not always like that working with larger businesses.

What are some of the most interesting or useful things you’ve learned?

In the year I have been here, I have learned to trust my abilities and solve problems in a way that was never taught to me in college. The answer isn’t found in a textbook; you have to dig and work for it which makes going to work every day very fulfilling. Working at MSBP has taught me to create efficient processes and that accounting isn’t just about numbers and spreadsheets. Accounting only works if you have a system in place that allows it to work properly. You could have all the information in front of you, but if you don’t know what to do with it or how to interpret it, it is basically useless.

In what ways do you feel like you’re making an impact on the business? How are you personally helping clients attain financial control over their businesses?

I feel like I do a lot of the day-to-day work so I know how money is being spent and what cash flow can look like for a business in a typical week. I try and memorize what a client’s different vendors are and how much they are spending so when something unordinary shows up, I can help them troubleshoot and figure out where issues are. I think this is so useful for clients because they have an extra set of eyes on their finances at all times and can relax and focus on the bigger picture and grow their business. I am helping clients attain financial control by constantly watching the volume of transactions and organizing everything in a way that is not only efficient but also easy to see if finances are not generally your thing.

What goals do you have for the upcoming year at MSBP?

My next goal at MSBP is to continue my accounting education to earn my CPA. Stay tuned, everyone, I might be doing your taxes next year. I want to be able to provide this service to our clients; I want them to know their taxes are getting done on time and accurately.

What advice would you give to grads who are in the place you were now—just getting started looking for their first jobs after graduation?

 Be patient and hardworking. Nothing comes easy, and leaving the college world and entering the workforce can be a tough transition. Trust yourself and know that if you work hard you can accomplish your goals.

What can My Small Business Pro do to help your company enjoy greater control of its financial future? I’d love to talk to you about it—connect with me at Daliah@MySmallBusinessPro.com and let’s see what we can achieve.