>> Well, as a Controller, I am more in charge
of overseeing the entire Accounting Department
so that Accounting Department and the
Accounts Payable Department falls in mine
and I also have [inaudible] Accounting and
the Fixed Assets and I have to make sure
that every month-end we are able to close in a
weeks-time and that is my goal every [inaudible]
and we finish in a week, that way we can
have the financial result the following week.
I want to make sure because we have
eight locations across the United States,
I want to make sure that all the [inaudible]
have submitted their documentation,
[inaudible] who owes for the month, any invoices
that it would process our accrued for so
that the grand expenses are
recognized for the correct month rather
than having it being charged to the following
month which makes this particular month wrong.
I think the most important thing is that
on a daily basis I want to make sure
that I have enough collection that will cover
my entire, you know for the weeks payable.
Well in this time of the economic problems that
we have, there are so many customers that used
to be good customers that are having issues
with their money, so we want to make sure
that we're proactive and that
we're on top of the collection,
we call when there's a late payment or
especially when a customer is shopping
in this town, those are the red
flags that we have to watch out for.
But I typically 8 to 10 hours a
day because the way we do this,
we have a system, I can actually work from home.
So even if I work 8 hours in the office,
when I go home I still log on to make sure
that the other locations,
because we have the West Coast,
so you're talking about a 3 hour difference.
So I want to make sure that
they can still contact me.
You know I try not to work on weekends
but Saturday I still have my phone,
you know, I still have my phone.
You know that's the thing with iPhone
or Blackberry, you're connected 24/7.
[Pause] The best part about my job is because I
handle, I am the lead for audits and [inaudible]
on it, the sales and [inaudible]
which is my favorite.
I always have a high after the audit I
completed and don't have to pay anything.
That tells me my team is doing a great job,
that we're actually on top of everything
and so that gives me a good feeling
of satisfaction because for me
when you're passing an audit, it
means we're doing the right thing,
we're following the rules and
that makes a big difference.
>> How about the challenges,
every job's got their tough parts.
What are some of the ones in this one?
>> Well I can tell you I think for
every manager the challenge is people.
The person that work for you, the person that
you work with, that is one thing that a manager
for me you don't have to be really technical.
But you have to be good in
dealing with personal issues.
You know there will be some drama,
especially I operate a women's group.
My entire [inaudible] is all women so you know,
every day is a challenge but, you know what,
as long as you take care of your
people, they will take care of you.
I always believe in that, I always give credit
where credit is due and when you do that,
you get something back because
they feel appreciated,
they feel like they're being recognized
and I think everybody wants that.
[Pause] Well I guess my main advice for
young people is that because one thing
that we have here at U.S. Green Fiber
is that during your high school,
you could actually take accounting.
You can start with that, just
take those accounting classes
on the side, that way you have a feel.
See for me, being going to college is
actually doing something that you want.
On my part, I didn't get in accounting
because I know I have it, that's not the case.
The reason why I'm in college
is for practical reasons,
I know if I have an accounting
degree, I can work anywhere.
Any industry will accept you.
But see with kids now days,
they have so many options today.
One thing they have to do is they really
have to figure out what they want.
And there's nothing wrong with trying
a hobby on the side because believe me,
you will have a job wherever you go.
And from there they could actually have a
feel, okay is this boring, do I like this?
Do I want to do this?
Then that's a good start for them.
[Pause] Well, I have a Bachelor's degree in
Accounting and then I went [inaudible] and take
up the Master's Degree in Accounting,
major in Controllers [inaudible].
Things have been funny because
my actual career in life
when I finished college I knew I would
work in an Accounting Department.
I work in the banking industry, I started
as Purchasing Assistant and then I worked
in the Export Department and eventually
when an Officer ship training came up,
I applied and I got in and so before I left
the bank industry, I was a bank manager.
So for 10 years I was in the bank.
So when I moved here in the
U.S. to be with my family,
it's really funny that I started
operation, I helped a friend of mine
who has a business, so I started with that.
I helped her operate the business
and then got the job at Green Fiber.
[Inaudible] for a while and then moved to Green
Fiber, and one day my boss told me [inaudible]
and so I said, "Okay, I'm taking your job."
It's because when he said,
"He can get us traveling."
So I said that's the magic word,
hey travel, I would do that
and train a [inaudible] Accounting Student, you
actually know what it is and I love the job,
I love the daily challenges of it and
that's why I took the Master's degree.
Hey, accounting is my love life.
What can I do?
[Pause] Well I guess one thing I can advise
young people because I have a 24-year-old.
Thank God she's a nurse so I don't have to worry
about how she dresses and
I have a 16-year-old, okay.
One thing that I notice about the young
kids now days, they don't know how to dress.
It's just like they don't know how to spell and
I think the spell part is because of the texts.
When you text you don't always spell.
See with the dress part I always say,
I even said this with [inaudible]
you always have to dress for success.
You want to be recognized,
you want the management
to see you, make sure you get noticed.
But if you're coming to the office with a
sloppy clothes and believe me this doesn't have
to be expensive, as long as you wear clean,
descent clothes, it doesn't go unnoticed.
I always believe in first impressions lasts.
So on the first meeting, you're wearing sloppy
clothes, believe me I will remember that,
but if you're also wearing the right
clothes, I will always remember that.
So I guess this is the number one
thing, always dress for success.