Name
Elisabeth Gerhardt, 40
Position
Senior Finance Consultant
Country of origin
United States
Tee or coffee?
Defintively Coffee.
How do you relate to numbers?
I love math because its very “black and white” - there is either a right or a wrong answer, and you don't ever have to worry if your interpretation of what is correct is actually correct or not.
Where is your favourite spot for holidays and why?
A nice beach with warm weather is always nice, but my favorite place for holidays will always simply be my moms house in Phoenix,Arizona.
What do you like to do in your freetime?
I love to be crafty and make things! I also love to be in the kitchen cooking or baking.
What would you have become if accounting hadn't worked out?
Hmm... I would have loved to own a bakery.
How did you get into accounting?
By accident, really! One of my first jobs was in a customer service type role, the company needed someone to fill in on payroll processing, and they asked me to do it. To this day I still don't really know why they chose me. But it all worked out, and I've been in finance in one form or another since.
Where did you work before Done!Financials?
I've worked with startups, mid to large corporations and also the US government… You name it! I worked for the government in Southern Germany beforeI came to Berlin. Here I worked for a real estate/tech startup and this was where I met my new boss, Magnus!
Which corporate culture suits you better: start-up, corporation or government?
Definitely start-ups. They are usually a bit chaotic, but also adaptive.This gives you the chance to redesign processes. In big companies and in government, it's more like you have to adapt yourself to the existing processes.
Pros and cons of working for Done!Financials?
Cons? Are you kidding? I absolutely love everything about working for D!F. I love my work, I love my team, and I love my boss. I wouldn't change a thing!
What do you like best about your work as an accountant?
In this position, I really like how things are constantly evolving, andI'm able to learn new things. No two clients are exactly alike, no matter how many similarities there may be, so there are always new challenges. But it's also a great feeling to be able to bring ideas to the table for them, to help build and refine processes that they might not have thought to do otherwise.
At work, what makes you freak out?
Credit cards. Same as every other accountant (laughs). The typical credit card user will purchase something and say: “I'll do the documentation later.” But that never happens and so the accountant team has to take care of it which is usually quite complicated because you can't track many payments.
What does your workplace look like?
I just moved back to the US, and am staying at a friends place where I don't really have a “work desk” at the moment. Don't tell my boss! (laughs)
Why did you go back to the US?
I was blessed to have spent a decade of my life in beautiful Germany, and gained a lot of experience both personally and professionally. But I missed my family, especially my mum. So I decided to move back home. When I toldMagnus this, he suggested I work for Done!Financials from the US. A perfect solution for me! I can serve my German clients well from here and I believe that many companies in the US also have a need for interim accounting.
