Finding a trustworthy Accountant
The first inclination that most people have when they start a business is to look for ways to save money, and this is generally a good idea. However you need to make sure that the things you cut in order to save money don't end up costing you more in the end. This is the case with an accountant, while it may seem like a good way to save money by doing the books yourself it rarely works out this way. An accountant is an experienced professional who can help make your business a success. The key is knowing how to find a trustworthy accountant.
The first decision you will need to make is whether you are going to go with a small accounting firm or with a big corporation. In order to make this decision you will need to think about why you are looking for an accountant. Few accountants can handle everything from balancing the books to doing your taxes to auditing your financial statements. Different companies have different needs and you need to assess what yours are. It would be absurd to think that a small sole proprietorship business and a large corporation would have the same accounting needs. Sometimes, a small business will have enough with a good piece of accounting software, and not even paying someone else to do the books.
A large corporation is probably going to want a large accounting firm, and even a smaller business may choose to go this route it they have complex financial dealings. A large accounting firm has specialists in virtually every field of accounting, meaning that no matter what you need done they will have somebody with that expertise. The downside of this, especially for the small business is that none of the accountants will ever really get to know and understand how your business works because you are constantly dealing with somebody different. Dealing with a small firm or even an individual accountant will allow you deal with the same person every time making easier for them to understand your needs. The downside here is that he won't have expertise in every field of accounting. Generally a big accounting firm is a better option for a large company and a smaller firm is a better idea for a small company, but this is far from set in stone.
The next step is going to be to start researching the firms that seem like they would fit your needs. The best place to start is to ask other business owners if they are happy with their accountant and get a referral from them. When you contact a potential firm you should ask them for a list of their clients so you can see if they represent businesses that are similar in operation and size to yours. They should also be able to provide you with a list of references who you can contact. The final step is going to be to sit down with your potential accountant and discuss your needs, this should give you a good idea if they are a good fit for you and if you are comfortable with them as your accountant.