Robert always wanted to be self employed and so setting up his own business was part of his long term plan. Robert King and Company, General Accounting and Management Consultancy Practice was established by Robert King in 2007. The practice equips business owners to make financially informed, business decisions.
What is the best business decision you have ever made?
In my early years as an entrepreneur, I opened a music store with a friend.
I quickly learned that cash is king. It sounds like a cliché but if cash is scarce, business will be very challenging and that is relevant today more than ever before. This valuable lesson was the basis for me entering into the management accountancy profession. It has provided the cornerstone to everything I do in business.
How has the CIMA qualification assisted you?
Effectively, we apply the forward thinking emphasis of CIMA to both the practice and the client business.
We acknowledged early on that the boom was over and used our flexibility to ensure we quickly positioned ourselves to meet the needs of the changing business environment. Not only did we anticipate our own business needs but also those of our clients. We were able to work with them to provide tailored solutions that would meet the challenges of the changing economic climate.
Why CIMA?
Studying CIMA takes commitment but, is very rewarding as it opens up career avenues and options.
CIMA has brought out the entrepreneur in me and given me the confidence, to make business decisions and investments. If a business opportunity emerges that attracts me I am equipped to evaluate it in a calculated and forensic way thanks to my CIMA training
Would you encourage others to become management accountants?
Because you are working while studying CIMA you gain from the hands on experience of applying the learning to real work situations rather than hypothetical scenarios.
As a result, knowing that you have studied and passed CIMA is enough to give any member the confidence to go into any company and hit the ground running. From my CIMA studies I learned how to diagnose and solve problems quickly, smoothly and efficiently. This is how the syllabus trains us.
How has CIMA membership opened up business opportunities for you?
Being a member of CIMA gives me access to great networking and business opportunities.
Equally, CIMA seems to invest more in education and support for its students and members, and this to me is paramount to the Institute’s ongoing success.
I am also happy to see that the CIMA CPD possesses a good balance of all the knowledge that affects business and does not just limit itself to statutory updates. This again is a testament to the dynamism of CIMA.