Words such as accretive, accruals and accumulated depreciation can strike fear in the hearts of even the toughest executives, but can non-financial managers combat their accounting fears? According to Mark Samowitz the principles of Accounting Comes Alive ‘makes accounting accessible and understandable to anyone.’

Many non-financial managers struggle to come to grips with the cryptic language and mysterious principles of accounting but Mark Samowitz shares the secrets to decoding accounting and talks about the Colour Accounting product which ‘makes accounting accessible and understandable to anyone.’

Samowitz discovered the Accounting Comes Alive methodology while living in New York. As a chartered accountant with seven years experience he approached the presentation with caution; however he was so blown over by the concept that he bought the rights for SA.

Colour accounting is unique in the way it is taught. This unconventional method makes use of storyboards, colours and pictures. It is interactive, engaging and empowers learners through discovery learning. ‘It has been recognised throughout the world as the future of accounting and business literacy’ says Samowitz.

The one day training course covers complex accounting principles, such as debits and credits, journal entries and general ledgers, in a way that is easy to understand. By the end of the training, delegates will have the skills needed to prepare, analyze and interpret financial statements ‘which will enable better decision making’.

So why has this concept only been developed now? ‘The methodology was discovered out of necessity’ says Samowitz. He explains that co-founders Peter Frampton and Mark Robilliard believed that there was an easier way to learn and teach accounting and have been exploring this new method of teaching for more than 10 years.

The concept of a more visual, hands-on training technique is gaining in popularity says Samowitz. ‘Accounting firms have embraced the methodology and have become resellers of Accounting Comes Alive, empowering both their staff and clients with accounting literacy.’

Samowitz says that South Africa’s major accounting firms have been endorsing the product, which has been a testament to the quality of the Accounting Comes Alive product.’ Even the managing partner of PKF Cape Town has become an accredited trainer – what an endorsement!’

The vote of confidence from industry titans serves to reinforce Samowitz’s vision for the future of Accounting in SA, which he hopes will only be taught using the Colour Accounting methodology. ’As more and more people become exposed to it, the shift will happen and accounting will be taught this way in every school and educational institution.’

Samowitz says that ‘negative experiences bad teachers and most of all, a bad learning approach’ has left many people scarred for life, creating a mental block barred by past failures. Many find the learning process ‘threatening, scary and one big hole of uncertainty’. But he encourages participants to ‘leave what you came in with at the door’ promising to demonstrate a method of learning that is ‘easy, completely logical, will stick and makes sense’.

The most popular course is the Accounting Comes Alive 1-day workshop which he says is ‘an incredibly powerful and empowering day and allows employees to engage more fully in the business, to understand where they fit in and how their actions contribute to the bottom line. The workshop makes them more financially aware and cost-conscious and in stills in them business acumen for life. After all – it’s accounting that tells the story of the business!’

Full details on Accounting Comes Alive available here

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