Every couple of years, I spend part of my summer leaving the office.
That probably sounds strange coming from a CPA.
Most people picture accountants sitting behind a computer all day, buried in tax returns, financial statements, and spreadsheets. To be fair, that is a pretty accurate description for much of the year. But every few summers, I make it a point to get out of the office and spend Fridays visiting the businesses we work with throughout the year.
These visits are not audits. They are not sales calls. I am not showing up with a fixed asset list to make sure your forklift is still sitting in the corner. I am not looking for mistakes or trying to sell another service.
I am simply there to learn.
One of the best parts of my job is getting to know the people behind the numbers. Financial statements tell me what happened. Walking through a business helps me understand why it happened.
When I can see the equipment, inventory, workflow, employees, and day-to-day operations, the numbers suddenly have context. The business becomes much more than a balance sheet or profit and loss statement.
Sometimes those visits are exactly what you would expect. We walk through the building, talk about operations, and I spend most of my time asking questions.
Other times, they are much more interesting.
A few years ago, one of our excavation clients invited me on a ride along. Instead of sitting in their shop, I climbed into the truck and spent part of the day watching the business operate in real time. I watched customer interactions, listened to conversations on the job site, and saw how estimates turned into completed work.
Later, those observations helped shape conversations about workflow, advisory opportunities, and even tax planning related to where work was being performed. It is a good example of how understanding a business in person can lead to better advice back in the office.
I have also had visits that completely changed my assumptions.
One client’s bookkeeping always felt a little chaotic from my perspective. Looking only at the accounting records, I expected to walk into a business that operated the same way. I could not have been more wrong. Their team was organized, communication was excellent, meetings were productive, responsibilities were clearly divided, and everyone knew exactly what they were doing. It was one of the smoother operations I have seen.
That visit reminded me of something every accountant should remember. Financial statements tell an important story, but they never tell the entire story.
Every visit looks a little different.
Some clients have a facility to tour. Some invite me on a ride along – either a worksite or various locations. Some are incredibly busy, so I simply stay out of the way and observe. Others work from home, so our “site visit” becomes lunch and a conversation about business, family, and where they hope to take the company over the next few years.
There really is not much structure to any of it.
One of my favorite parts is watching employees wonder, “Who is this guy wandering around asking questions?” I should reassure them that I am the accountant, not OSHA but I leave that up to management.
Out of respect for our clients and their teams, I do not take photos during these visits. The point is to be present, observe, and learn, not turn someone else’s workday into content.
The goal is not to inspect anything. It is simply to understand the business and the individuals a little better than I did yesterday.
Occasionally, those conversations uncover opportunities.
During one visit, a client casually mentioned paying a sizable personal property tax bill every year. They were new to our firm, so after asking a few questions, we realized they were unaware of an exemption in their case. Once we corrected that, the unnecessary tax was saved going forward.
That conversation was not planned. It was not on an agenda. It simply happened because we were standing together talking about the business.
Those are the kinds of moments I enjoy.
People sometimes think accountants only care about numbers. I understand why. Much of what we do happens is behind the scenes. Month-end closes, reconciliations, tax planning, projections, consulting, and tax return preparation are not exactly exciting to watch.
But good advisory work is not only about understanding the numbers.
It is about understanding the people who built the business, the challenges they face every day, and what success looks like to them.
That is why I enjoy these visits so much.
They are fun. They are rewarding. They make me a better advisor. They strengthen relationships that have often lasted for many years. Every single time, I leave with a better understanding of the business than I had when I arrived.
If you are one of our accounting clients and I ask if I can stop by this summer, do not worry. I am probably just hoping to learn something new and if we’re lucky, help you too. And maybe get a ride-along if you’ll let me tag along.
See, accounting can be fun.
