• Essential Bookkeeping & Financial Management

Essential Bookkeeping & Financial Management

Course 1: Say no to the shoebox! Empowering Small Business Owners with Essential Bookkeeping Skills

Wednesday, November 13, 2024 – 3pm to 5:30pm

This workshop is designed to empower small business owners, who are currently doing their own bookkeeping/bookkeeping in house with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage their bookkeeping activities. Participants will gain a deep understanding of the importance of accurate record-keeping and its significant impact on business decision-making. The workshop will provide hands-on guidance on setting up and reviewing your chart of accounts, understanding key financial statements, and identifying essential bookkeeping tasks.

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Explain the importance of accurate record-keeping and its impact on business decision-making
  2. Review the basics components of the Balance Sheet and Income Statement and distinguish between different types of accounts (assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses)
  3. Learn time saving considerations in setting up an effective chart of accounts.
  4. Identify the key financial processes in every business, including invoicing and collections, bills and payments and payroll.
  5. Outline the essential bookkeeping tasks within each financial process and how bookkeeping systems can create more efficiency within the key financial processes.

Course 2: Operational Financial Management for Small Businesses and Non-Profits

Wednesday, November 20, 2024 – 3pm to 5:30

This workshop is designed for small business owners who are working with a bookkeeper or are in the process of sourcing and transitioning to one. Participants will learn to manage/enhance their existing bookkeeping process effectively, implement effective financial controls, and foster a productive working relationship with their bookkeeper and accountant.

Learning outcomes:

  1. Understand when to outsource your bookkeeping and when to upgrade your bookkeeping software.
  2. Identify clear expectations and selection criteria of your bookkeeper and your accountant.
  3. Understand how a bookkeeper and/ or an accountant can enhance existing financial processes and how to make this transition.
  4. Identify and implement effective procedures to retain control and oversight over the financial processes while introducing new people into the business.

Course 3: Elevating Business Success: Managing Finances and Making Data-Driven Decisions

Wednesday, November 27, 2024 – 3pm to 5:30pm

This workshop is designed for small business owners who have a foundational understanding of bookkeeping and are working with a bookkeeper/accountant. The focus will be on managing their business using financial statements, with an emphasis on budgeting, cash flow management, and making informed business decisions based on financial data. Participants will engage in hands-on activities, group discussions, and receive practical tips to enhance their financial management skills and drive business growth.

Learning outcomes:

  1. Review the key financial statements and the stories they tell us about the company.
  2. Analyze the financial statements to assess business performance.
  3. Use budgets and forecasts to optimize cash flow and maintain financial stability.
  4. Make data-driven business decisions and strategic plans.

A series of 3 courses that can be take together or individually.  Each course is designed to empower small business owners with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage their bookkeeping activities. These workshops will provide hands-on guidance to a deeper understanding of your financial management,   its significant impact on business decision-making, setting up and reviewing your chart of accounts, understanding key financial statements, and identifying essential bookkeeping tasks.

Workshop Length: 2.5 Hours Each
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Candice Wiekenkamp

Candice is a CPA, CA, a CFA® Charterholder, and an Advanced Financial Modeler (AFM) with a robust career in accounting and finance dating back to 1996. She began her professional journey in audit, tax, and accounting, focusing primarily on small to medium-sized businesses in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. In 2001, she transitioned to Bermuda, where she spent five years in the financial services sector. Her roles there included testing, implementing, and training in accounting reporting systems, as well as teaching first-year accounting at Bermuda College.

In 2005, Candice embraced motherhood and dedicated a decade to raising her children before returning to the workforce in 2015 as the Director of Finance at an independent school. Today, she serves as the CFO of Hyperspectral Intelligence Inc., a pioneering company transforming the mining industry with its advanced rock identification tool.

Candice is passionate about helping businesses achieve their goals through enhanced financial management. She resides in Nanaimo with her husband and two children, enjoying the diverse outdoor activities that the island offers, including skiing, hiking, boating, and fishing.