Meet Teresa Polyak, a seasoned professional boasting over 23 years of experience in the accounting field.
That there is only one path in business management.
I see two distinct paths.
The first is the more traditional method.
This means the business manager handles general finances, pays bills, prepares reports, etc.
The second is the concierge/boutique method.
This is what I specialize in and what attracted me to the business management field.
I work to provide tailored solutions that help my clients reach their financial goals and build long-term wealth.
So, what does that mean?
Well, every day is unique and not at all what you would expect of an accountant.
My responsibilities werent just related to accounting for the costs.
I also assisted with choosing the designer, architect, and general contractor.
I provided advice and input on build options and scenarios.
What steps did you take to enter the sports and entertainment accounting field?
I actually started in public accounting, which gave me the perfect foundation to what I do today.
It also taught me what I enjoyed and what I could do without.
What I enjoyed the most was situations where I could use critical thinking and creatively solve problems.
From there, my entry into the entertainment space was quite simple.
Collaboration is often crucial in this industry.
Do you work closely with agents, managers, or other stakeholders to achieve financial goals or resolve issues?
This could mean investments, career planning, budgeting, and more.
If accounting were a music genre, what music genre would it be?
For those reading this who grew up in streaming, back in the day, we had radio stations.
In remote areas, one radio station would play every genre of music.
This is business management, a bit of everything every day.
Talking finance with a CEO is very different from talking finance with an entertainer.
It is the business manager’s responsibility to present the information in a relatable and meaningful manner.
There is a misconception that you gotta be good at math to be an accountant.
They get it because you found a way to make the information relatable to them.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from your career in accounting?
That our responsibility is to provide the client with all the information necessary to make an informed decision.
It’s vital that they know the pros and cons of the decisions they are looking to make.
When you’re providing concierge/boutique business management services, everything is specialized to the client.
No two are alike.
Interested in learning more about accounting?
VisitAccounting+for all the information you gotta kick-start your career.
This interview has been edited for length and/or clarity.
