The term Bean Counters is sometimes used disparagingly as a term to describe accountants, so why, you might ask, choose it for our business name?
Well quite simply, although the term Bean Counter is used in jest to describe someone who closely works with numbers like an accountant. It originates from a humorous or slightly dismissive stand point it is a term of reference to the meticulous attention to detail that accountants often display. Wouldn't you want your accountant to be meticulous and have a great attention to detail when preparing your accounts?
Origins of the Bean Counter
Some people think that the term Bean Counter comes from the beans or beads on a abacus, however the term likely originates from the German word Erbsenzahler, Erbsen (bean) and Zahler (counter) and was first used in the 1600's to describe someone who is overly concerned with trivial details.
Agricultural Roots
The phrase likely derives from a literal activity - the counting of beans or other small abundant units. In agricultural societies beans were a staple crop and keeping track of quantities was an important task for farmers. Early Accountants or Bookkeepers may have been responsible for such tasks in farm economies. While some may have been happy to count the sacks of beans the Bean Counter would want to know how many beans were in each sack, hence bean counter became a metaphor for someone focused on precise calculations and financial accuracy.
Stereotype of Accountants
Over time some accounts gained a reputation for being detail-orientated and focused on small financial details that others might overlook. This is because their work involves managing the smallest financial records from petty cash to large sums. The term Bean Counter exaggerates the focus on the minutiae.
Rise in popularity in the 20th Century
The term gained more popularity in the 20th Century in the business world, particularly in the business world it was often used by executives or creative professionals who saw the finance department as overly conservative or focused only on the budgets and averse to risk taking. Incidentally in the American car industry the term was changed to rivet counters for obvious reasons.
Our company
So, the term Bean Counter is an accountant with great attention to detail, who is focused on managing detailed financial records while balancing budgets to offer financial solutions for the financial health and efficiency of businesses, ensuring that every 'bean' is accounted for.
So when it came to giving our company a name it had to be Bean Counters, as these two little words, while some consider it humorous or slightly dismissive describes perfectly what we do to serve our clients.
Our Services
If you are looking for a a new Accountant or Bookkeeper or just need to chat about your options we offer a FREE initial consultation, so give us a call to see if we can help you.
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