“We Just Have a Quick Question”: How a Five-Minute Consultation Uncovers Two Months of Business
Uncovers Two Months of Business
“Hello, we just have a quick question. It’s very simple. It won’t take more than five minutes.”
The accountant opens a notebook. Five minutes is a good start. Sometimes that really is enough to answer a question. Sometimes it is just enough to work out where to begin.
“Of course. What kind of business are you planning?”
“We’ll be providing services to overseas clients. We’d like to know whether to set up a company or register as a sole proprietor.”
“So you haven’t registered yet?”
“Well, we actually set up the company two months ago. We were just wondering whether being a sole proprietor might have been more convenient.”
The first note goes into the notebook. The question has not quite taken shape yet, but it already has two months of history behind it.
We’re Not Really Operating Yet
“Have you had any transactions during that time?”
“No, we’re not really operating yet. We’ve only completed one project.”
“Have you received payment?”
“Yes, twice. First an advance, then the balance. But we’ll start the main work next month.”
From the owner’s perspective, the logic makes perfect sense. The website is not ready, there is no sign outside the office, and the sales plan is not final. So the business has not really launched. The first project was a trial run. The first payment was part of getting ready. The first client was practically someone they knew. But money arriving in a bank account already has a story behind it. Someone needs to establish what it was paid for, what was agreed, and which documents were prepared. Accounting does not have to wait for the official opening, the guests, or the congratulatory bouquets.
“Does your accountant know about these payments?”
“We don’t have an accountant yet. We thought we’d get one when we started working properly.”
There Are Three of Them, but We Have No Employees
The conversation continues. It turns out that the project was fairly substantial and several people worked on it.
“Do you have any employees?”
“No. Just three people helping us.”
“Every day?”
“Yes, mostly. One deals with clients, and the other two do the work.”
“And how are they paid?”
“We agreed on a monthly amount. We’ve already transferred the first month’s payment. But they’re people we know.”
“They’re people we know” has a remarkable calming effect in business relationships. You trust someone you know, reach an agreement quickly, and do not need lengthy discussions before they start. Knowing someone, however, does not explain how their work and payment should be documented.
The accountant is not trying to spoil the friendly atmosphere. They simply need to understand the actual nature of the relationship, when the work began, the terms, and the payments already made. Because “helping out” can mean daily work, defined responsibilities, and regular pay. At the beginning of the conversation, the company was not operating yet. Now it clearly is-with three people doing the work.
They’ll Send the Contract Later
The next question concerns the overseas client.
“Could you send us the contract?”
“We haven’t signed it yet. Their lawyer was on holiday. But we have the email correspondence.”
“And which company made the payment?”
“I think it was their partner company. The name was slightly different. That’s not a problem, is it?”
The five minutes are up. The coffee is still hot, but there is no space left in the notebook.
In this situation, there is no single answer simply because the payment came from abroad. The client, the nature of the service, the agreements, the payer, and the documents all matter. They need to be considered together to establish what transaction actually took place. Business owners often remember these details as the questions come up. Not because they are hiding anything. Their attention has simply been on finishing the project on time and keeping the client happy.
Business Moves Fast, but Information Arrives Late
Starting a business rarely follows a perfect sequence. A client appears one day, followed by an urgent project the next. Someone needs to be hired, equipment bought, and a bank account opened. Everyone is busy, and the paperwork is assumed to be something that can wait until things settle down. That quieter moment usually moves to next week. Then to next month. When it finally becomes time to deal with the paperwork, someone has to remember who started when, how much they were paid, which agreement changed, and where the confirmation ended up.
The consultation therefore starts with a question about the future, but most of it concerns the past. The company’s owner wants to know how to move forward properly. The accountant first needs to piece together what has already happened. It is rather like calling a doctor to ask whether you can start exercising tomorrow, then mentioning that you injured your leg two months ago. The answer is going to take a little longer.
Where to Start When You’ve Already Started
The good news is that this conversation can be the first step towards getting things in order. There is no need to come up with a more polished story or wait until every document is ready. It is much more useful to explain what actually happened, in sequence: when the company was registered, what work was completed, what money came in or went out, and who was involved. Then gather the bank statements, contracts, invoices, and correspondence relating to the transactions.
With that information, a specialist can assess the situation, identify the necessary steps, and set priorities. Some issues will need clarification; others will require checking documents or reviewing actions already taken. Every case has its own details. It also helps to have someone at the first meeting who knows the history of the agreements. An employee who simply passes on documents may not be able to explain why another company made the payment or on what terms a specialist was engaged.
When Five Minutes Really Is Enough
Later on, many questions really can be resolved quickly. When your accountant knows the business, understands how its transactions work, and receives documents on time, there is no need to reconstruct the entire history for every new question.
Bringing someone new on board? Discuss the terms before they start. Reaching an agreement with a new client? Share the draft contract before signing. Expecting an unusual payment? Explain its purpose in advance. This is how accounting becomes a natural part of day-to-day operations.
At IMPRESS, a useful consultation starts with understanding what is actually happening in the business. The sooner the details are known, the easier it is to organise the next steps.
And at the end of that first conversation, the owner usually smiles.
“So our question wasn’t quite as small as we thought.”
“The question was small. Your business had simply had time to grow.”
Next time, the call might start with a more useful sentence: “We’re planning something new. Let’s discuss it with you first.”
