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~ GENERATING VALUE ----_ .._--- Spearheading the accounting revo ution ~ Mark Samowitz What do you get when you cross an accountant and an entertainer? Accounting Comes Alive! A far cry from the world I had left behind in Johannesburg - a chartered accountant at Grant Thornton in Sandton - I was living my dream as a singer/songwriter in New York City. I vividly remember the phone call I received from Peter Frampton, one of the founders of Accounting Comes Alive International. He was looking for trainers who were accountants as well as entertainers to train a new and exciting one-day workshop which could teach anyone accounting in one day, no matter what their level or background, using the technique he co-developed called Colour Accountinq! and employing the principles of discovery learning. I was, to say the least, somewhat suspicious. This seemed too good to be true! Accounting students at universities, colleges and business schools are pouring over their accounting textbooks, memorising the laws and terminology of this imposing subject while there are people out there teaching it in a day with a song and a dance? Reluctantly, I went to watch a workshop at the Manhattan branch of UBS Bank. Employees from a range of divisions in the bank - the bankers themselves, IT staff, human resources, managers and marketing personnel - were both eager and nervous to embark on a journey to see if accounting could indeed come alive. I was convinced it was dead! 12 C> BIDVOICE ISSUE 1 2010 What I witnessed that day literally changed my life. I saw the invention of the car before my very eyes. It was like everyone else in the world was using a horse and cart and I had just witnessed the first car in motion. In one day, delegates received an understanding of debits and credits, of accrual accounting, revenue recognition principles, actually prepared a balance sheet and income statement, analysed financial statements using ratio analysis and were given the tools to converse in the

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  • ~ GENERATING VALUE----_ .._---

    Spearheading the accounting revo ution~

    Mark Samowitz

    What do you get when you cross an accountant and an entertainer? Accounting Comes Alive!

    Afar cry from the world I had left behind inJohannesburg - a chartered accountant atGrant Thornton in Sandton - I was living my dream

    as a singer/songwriter in New York City. I vividly

    remember the phone call I received from Peter

    Frampton, one of the founders of Accounting

    Comes Alive International.

    He was looking for trainers who were

    accountants as well as entertainers to train a

    new and exciting one-day workshop which could

    teach anyone accounting in one day, no matter

    what their level or background, using the technique

    he co-developed called Colour Accountinq! and

    employing the principles of discovery learning.

    I was, to say the least, somewhat suspicious.

    This seemed too good to be true!

    Accounting students at universities, colleges and

    business schools are pouring over their accounting

    textbooks, memorising the laws and terminology

    of this imposing subject while there are people

    out there teaching it in a day with a song and a

    dance? Reluctantly, I went to watch a workshop at

    the Manhattan branch of UBS Bank. Employees

    from a range of divisions in the bank - the bankers

    themselves, IT staff, human resources, managers

    and marketing personnel - were both eager and

    nervous to embark on a journey to see if

    accounting could indeed come alive. I was

    convinced it was dead!

    12 C> BIDVOICE ISSUE 1 2010

    What I witnessed that day literally changed my

    life. I saw the invention of the car before my very

    eyes. It was like everyone else in the world was

    using a horse and cart and I had just witnessed the

    first car in motion. In one day, delegates received

    an understanding of debits and credits, of accrual

    accounting, revenue recognition principles, actually

    prepared a balance sheet and income statement,

    analysed financial statements using ratio analysis

    and were given the tools to converse in the

  • language of accounting with an in-depth

    knowledge of accounting jargon and terminology.

    As a chartered accountant, having spent seven

    years trying to come to grips with some of the

    technicalities discussed that day, my first response

    was anger! Why did I have to go through all the

    pain and suffering to make sense of all of this when

    all I needed was accounting presented visually?

    The use of pictures', storyboards, buckets and

    tickets simplified the entire process.

    The use of discovery learning ensures the

    day is not a lecture - but rather facilitation, a

    conversation where no one is left behind. Things

    that people know, can see, touch and feel are

    used to introduce concepts which were previously

    inaccessible. Delegates leave the workshop feeling

    completely empowered and enabled to read and

    understand financials as well as converse in

    accountancy jargon.

    I wanted to be part of the accounting revolu-

    tion - changing the way people learn accounting

    allover the world, empowering people to have

    a better understanding of the financial aspect of

    their lives, their jobs and their businesses. I was

    trained as a facilitator in Washington and began

    delivering workshops to employees across the east

    coast of the USA - bankers, lawyers, managers,

    students, MBAs, not for profits - always with the

    same reaction: "This is the best training I have ever

    had"; "I have never learnt so much in a day and

    had so much fun in the process"; "You taught me

    something today many have tried in the past to

    do but failed miserably." Delegates leave inspired,

    invigorated and free - free from the shackles of

    being financially illiterate.

    The recent use of Accounting Comes Alive in the

    world's most famous business schools - Harvard

    and Wharton - further endorses the superiority of

    the learning methodology and Accounting Comes

    Alive is already becoming the preferred vendor in

    the 'finance for non-financial managers' market.

    This course is for anyone who is NOT an accountant,

    yet has some need to make sense of, understand,

    interpret and make decisions based upon budgets

    and financials in general.

    (Mark Samowitz has presented Accounting Comes Alive atBidvest Academy IX. Visit www.accountingcomesalive.comfor more information.)

    ---_._-_._----~ GENERATING VALUE

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    Accounting Comes Alive revolutionised the way BidvestAcademy delegates view this financial function

    Natasja Ooshuizen, Crown National For the first time I understand debits and credits,

    Warren Ockynuys, Manica It just showed me that accounting can be

    easily understood,

    Karen Kelly, SA Bulk Terminals Gave me a better understanding of reading annual

    financial statements and balance sheets,

    Loshni Govender, It simplified the process and created a picture.

    Bidfreight Port Operations

    Paul van Rooyen, TMS Gives a meaningful insight into accounting.-

    Nicole Harper, Voltex Encourages you to think out the box and allows

    for the logical flow of information.

    Laurens Koekemoer, Patleys I now have an excellent overview of accounting.

    William Matladi, Waltons It has taken away the fear in accounting.

    Tshepo Thipe, First Garment Rental Getting rid of the myths and dealing with facts,

    keeping it simple.-

    Preeban Munian, McCarthy Gives me a new perspective on numbers.

    Fran ita Gerrits, Opened my eyes. Better understanding of

    Chipkins Catering Supplies accounting principles.

    BIDVOICE ISSUE 1 2010 I> 13