Accountant

Current Experience:

• Accountant at Moore Johannesburg (Full-time): Nov 2022 – Present (2 years, 3 months)

past experience:

• Trainee Accountant at Digital CFO (Contract): Oct 2021 – Oct 2022 (1 year, 1 month)

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting

Country of Residence:

• South Africa

LinkedIn Profile:  

Connect with Phuti Matete Mathekga

In our mission to highlight exceptional finance professionals, Accounting Weekly presents Phuti Matete Mathekga, a dedicated Accountant at Moore Accounting JHB with 2-3 years of experience in accounting. Phuti exemplifies resilience, attention to detail, and a passion for creating balance in her work, making meaningful contributions to her team and clients.

Phuti starts her day at 6:00 AM during the week by immediately getting ready for work. On weekends, she enjoys catching up on messages and seeing what’s trending, creating a relaxed and focused start to her day.

What time do you usually wake up on the weekend?
I wake up at 6:00 AM.

Are you an early bird or a night owl?
I’m a night owl.

How do you spend the first hour of your morning?
During the week, I honestly wake up and immediately start getting ready for work. During the weekend, I go through my messages and see what’s trending on that day.

What sparked your interest in accounting or finance?
I’m a numbers girl. Words overwhelm me. I can do with words for a while, but I thrive more with numbers. I also like balance, and my job deals with a lot of balance.

Can you share some key career milestones or defining moments?
I think having the highest billings in my department has to be one of my biggest milestones.

What is your role within your company’s finance department?
I do day-to-day processing and also assist my clients with the overall financial functions of their businesses.

How do you contribute to the overall financial strategy of the business?
I add value to my clients and save them time while also providing them with the necessary support they need for their businesses.

What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge would be pressure from the clients all at once. Apart from the services I provide, clients sometimes want you to go above and beyond and assist them with certain things that you didn’t plan for. How I overcame it is by breaking down my tasks into little chunks that are more manageable. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you have a lot on your plate, but I think taking it one bite at a time goes a long way.

What tools or strategies do you use to manage the financial operations of the company effectively?
We are cloud-based, and we use tools such as Xero, Syft, and QuickBooks to manage the business more effectively and flexibly.

How do you stay balanced during busy periods?
I’m known for my little lists. I like putting my tasks in a list, and that also helps me identify which items are more urgent and which can wait a bit.

What do you enjoy outside of work?
I enjoy cooking and watching movies/series. I’m an indoor person, so I enjoy my indoor, relaxed activities.

Do you mentor or support other team members in the finance department?
I support, yes. We are a team, and we help each other every way we can, even if it’s something small or something you might feel like isn’t worthy of taking someone’s time with. I also believe a lot in being patient with people and having an approachable nature. I like to approach people with a smile, especially when someone is asking me for help. I feel that makes them feel more comfortable.

What advice would you give to aspiring finance professionals?
I think technical skills such as Excel are very important. For me, it’s something I never thought I needed in accounting. I can’t even tell you why I thought that. But I believe it’s one of those skills you are better off knowing. I also believe time management is very important. You need to respect time and deadlines.

What’s your favourite quote or mantra that motivates you?
Be yourself.

Share a leadership lesson or piece of advice that’s been valuable in your career.
Being approachable and being kinder to people. I feel this creates a positive change in the next person.

What’s something surprising about you that isn’t in your professional bio?
I’m actually very shy. I can come across as the life of the party when I’m comfortable, but deep down, I’m a shy person.

If you could have any superpower to help you in your job, what would it be?
I would want to know the answers to every question.

Phuti’s journey highlights the importance of patience, balance, and a passion for creating meaningful connections with clients and colleagues. Her dedication to growing her skills and maintaining her approachable nature makes her an inspiring figure in the accounting profession.

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