Episode 14 – Rumbi Bwerinofa-Petrozzello


Rumbi is the social butterfly between her many networks

 

Whether it’s singing karaoke in front of thousands in Berlin, running the New York City Marathon or being a part of the New York African Film Festival, Rumbi is making connections.

I talk with Rumbi about how important developing relationships is for someone who started her own forensics accounting firm. Which is pretty impressive considering she admits to becoming an accountant “on accident”.

Rumbi graduated from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts with a degree in Economics and Mathematics before going to study accounting at the University of South Africa. She worked for Big Four and industry before starting her own firm, Rock Financial Forensics in New York City.

She’s also the editor of Figuring Financial Forensics where she discusses news and her views of the world of financial forensics.

 

Other pictures of Rumbi

(click to enlarge)

Rumbi participates in a panel at the New York African Film Festival.

Rumbi sings karaoke in front of over two thousand in Berlin.

Rumbi is getting ready to run another Brooklyn Half-Marathon.

Rumbi’s links

 

Transcript

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    John: Welcome to Episode 14 of the Green Apple Podcast. This episode is full of some really great insights from someone who has some cool hobbies so I know you’re going to enjoy my guest, Rumbi. But first, I’ve got a huge favor to ask. I’m doing some research for my books, so if you work in an office, which I’m sure you do, please take 60 seconds to do a short anonymous survey at greenapplepodcast.com. You just click on the green button and you’re good to go. So, thank you so much for your help.

    Okay, now let me introduce my guest, Rumbi, who graduated from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts with a degree in Economics and Mathematics before going to study Accounting at the University of South Africa. She worked for Big Four in the industry before starting her own firm Rock Financial Forensics in New York City. She’s also the editor of Figuring Financial Forensics where she discusses news and her views of the world of financial forensics.

    Rumbi, thank you so much for taking time to be with me here on the Green Apple Podcast.

    Rumbi: Thank you for having me, John.

    John: Yeah, I’m excited. I remember meeting you last year at the AICPA Forensics Conference in New Orleans and I can’t believe it’s been a year already.

    Rumbi: I know, time goes by so quickly.

    John: Oh, definitely. I remember I gave that Green Apple keynote and I remember you coming up and that meant so much, and so I’m excited to have you here as a guest, on the podcast, coming full circle. But one thing that I love asking everybody that’s in accounting is, how did you get into this?

    Rumbi: It was by mistake. So when I went to college the first time, I studied Economics and Math. And I made a point of avoiding any class that claimed to have anything to do with accounting. And then I worked for a bank and the CEO there, he was an economist and he said, “You know I just feel that maybe I should have done something more practical and maybe you should study accounting.” And so somehow, he convinced me. I tell myself I was trying to get out of the room because he was smoking a cigar, it was a little much, to do that, and ended up in accounting.

    John: Wow, that’s awesome. That is funny. Was this when you were in South Africa?

    Rumbi: I went to the University of South Africa but I was actually living in Zimbabwe.

    John: Oh, wow! Nice, very cool. So then what brought you to the US, then?

    Rumbi: Well, even though my parents are both Zimbabwean, they met and were married while they were in college in the United States, and then they moved back to Zimbabwe but we still have family and connections here and I actually ended up going to the same college that my mother went to.

    John: Oh, that’s nice! Was she also in Economics? No, I’m just kidding.

    Rumbi: No, she was not. Sometimes I feel she’d make a better, in some ways, a very good accountant but she was a historian.

    John: Oh, okay, that’s neat! That’s great, very cool. So, obviously, running your own firm takes a lot of time. I know that just starting your own business is a lot of work, but when you do have some free time, what is it that you like to do? I know you have several things which I think is really neat but —

    Rumbi: Yeah. So many, many people tell me that I try to do way too many things but–

    John: Starting with your husband?

    Rumbi: Very often. But I run, like long distance, mostly half-marathons, but I do run marathons. Most recently, a couple of years ago, I ran the New York marathon. And I love karaoke, that’s a passion of mine.

    John: There’s actually a picture that we’ll have on greenapplepodcast.com of you doing karaoke in Berlin and it’s outside?

    Rumbi: Yes. And they estimate that when they have those karaoke outings, about 2,000 people come out to watch.

    John: Oh, my goodness, I mean you were like a rock star!

    Rumbi: So I kept telling my husband how much I love karaoke, so when we were planning our trip to Berlin for our friend’s wedding, he came across this outdoors karaoke that happens in a park called Mauerpark in Berlin. So I said, “Oh yeah, totally, I’ll do it!” And then we got there and I saw how many people were there and I wanted to chicken out but my ego was too much for me. So I went out and I said, “Okay, I’d like to put my name down” and the woman was like, “You know, there are so many people, you probably won’t get in” and I was like, “Oh, that’s fine” because then at least I could have said I tried.

    John: Right and then you can say your out.

    Rumbi: Exactly. We get to like 6:00 which is when they finished and somebody else was finished singing and I was like “Oh, well, that’s it.” And then all of a sudden I hear “Rumbi? Is Rumbi here?” and I was like, “Oh my God, that’s me.”

    John: You were the headliner, you were last.

    Rumbi: I was the last one. And I sang Irene Cara’s Fame.

    John: That was the big blowout.

    Rumbi: It was fun. But you know I will tell you and I guess everyone who listens that I am a mediocre singer but I put a lot of work into figuring out the best songs to sing that people will sing along and enjoy so much that they won’t really notice that —
    John: Oh, good call.

    Rumbi: And I never sing a song by someone who’s excellent.

    John: Right, right. Yeah, a popular song that everyone loves, that they’re going to sing along with, and you just sell it. You get into it and then that overcomes the vocals, yeah. I am a terrible, terrible singer, really bad. So karaoke and I do not get along, at all.

    Rumbi: I just love it so much. I think when I was a teenager, I used to tell my cousin I wanted to be a backup singer, because I knew I couldn’t be a lead singer.

    John: Yeah. That’s so funny, that is hilarious. Well, you know, forensics accountant is pretty close.

    Rumbi: Yes, yes! I’m a backup something in there.

    John: Yeah, yeah. So is that your go-to song? What are some of your go-to songs?

    Rumbi: Well, that’s one of them. I used to go out to a place where there’s a guy who always sang Hey Jude, and then he always won the competition but I always felt that was unfair.

    John: Right.

    Rumbi: I’ve also been known to sing Madonna. And recently I got into– I’m going to forget his name — you know the song Don’t Believe Me, Just Watch?

    John: Yeah!

    Rumbi: Uptown Funk.

    John: Uptown Funk, yeah.

    Rumbi: I think that would be a song one could get away with.

    John: Yeah. Get away with, I think, is the best way to put it. That’s excellent. So your ear is always out for, “Hey, that’s one I can do”.

    Rumbi: Exactly.

    John: Yeah, and everyone likes it. That’s really funny, that’s interesting. And so was that, I would imagine, your biggest karaoke event? I mean it had to be 2,000 people in Berlin.

    Rumbi: Oh, yes, by far.

    John: You’re an international rock star.

    Rumbi: I am.

    John: You’re like David Hasselhoff.

    Rumbi: I know. I need to come up with my own tag line like “Don’t hassle the Hoff.”

    John: Yeah, we’ll work on this. Rumbi’s, there’s something to play with, that’s for sure.

    Rumbi: There has to be something in there.

    John: Well, that’s so fun, so fun. And also the running, I mean doing half-marathons and the New York Marathon, that has to be pretty rewarding as well, I would imagine.

    Rumbi: It is really great. I got into the running because the marathon actually runs down the street on my corner. So I used to go out and watch people running, you yell and you cheer and you people high fives. And I was always impressed because we were at like mile seven, and I only ever would run like three miles which I figured is as far as normal person could ever run.

    John: Yeah. I mean after that, the world is flat, you’ll fall off. I think at three miles is the end. That’s the way I look at it, anyway.

    Rumbi: So I actually was at another wedding and met a woman and she was telling us stories, “Oh, the other day, on my 20 mile run..” and I said, “Wait a minute. I think you said something wrong, you said something about 20 miles?”

    John: Is there a decimal that you moved over?

    Rumbi: And then the thing was she looked like a normal person, you know? So, again, she convinced me, which apparently I’m very good at being convinced of things, but she convinced me to try running. And she was very smart about it because I started out with like a 10K and then moved into like a half-marathon and then finally ran, but my first marathon was the Chicago Marathon. And then I found it was a great way to travel because I would go some place I’ve never been to before, run a race, take a look around and then… I’m sure people have better ways of traveling but —

    John: You will just use it as a reason to go as for a vacation, of sorts. So just half the vacation is you wobbling around on tired legs. Actually, my wife did the Chicago Marathon and she said that she’s heard that was the easier ones of the bigger ones. I mean it’s still 26.2 miles. And I don’t care how you measure it up.

    Rumbi: It’s far. I’m sure there are people who run marathons every week and they say, “Oh, Chicago is pretty flat”, but again flat is relative when you–

    John: Yeah, it’s still far. It’s not downhill, it’s not like you can just somersault it for 26 miles.

    Rumbi: No. And you’re not being wheeled along by a friend.

    John: Yes, yes. I mean that’s very impressive anybody that can do that.

    Rumbi: Thank you.

    John: I’ve done one half-marathon and then I retired. Like literally, not running anymore, I got stuff to do.

    Rumbi: I have relatives, they’re like “You run and nothing’s chasing you…”

    John: Yes. Well, especially your relatives from Africa, I’m sure.

    Rumbi: I know but that’s of one the things that I tell people that I run to break the stereotype about African runners being so fast.

    John: Right, yeah, that’s so funny.

    Rumbi: And I know because people have expectations about how good a runner they think I’m going to be. I don’t know. First, I’m like, but you see me, I don’t look like I have the body type who win the races, that’s the first thing. And then it’s such a small group of people that have this extraordinary skill and then there are people like me who were decent but–

    John: Yeah, who run for fun and for enjoyment, and then there’s the rest of everybody, just like in America, that are like eating a cheeseburger while the runners go by.

    Rumbi: Right.

    John: I think that’s excellent. That’s a really cool hobby to have and it’s healthy, and you’re able to set goals and like you said, use it for a travel. And I guess related it to what we were talking about with your African heritage is also being involved with New York-African Film Festival.

    Rumbi: Yes. I’ve been involved with that film festival, I think since 2001. I met the woman who runs the African Film Festival in a dance class. I went to watch the Alvin Ailey dancers and I was inspired and decided to take a dance class and I ended up actually in a Senegalese dance class. Which was very exciting and it’s amazing because there’s a Senegalese community here and in that community, there are some very good dancers and drummers who are actually were with the National Ballet. And one of the teachers, he said to me like when I first started, he says, “You walked in and I saw you and I thought you were from Senegal. And then you started dancing, I knew you weren’t from Senegal.”

    John: Ouch! I like you too, mister.

    Rumbi: I think I got better since that first class, I think I did.

    John: Right, you were voted most improved.

    Rumbi: Most improved. And again, breaking stereotypes.

    John: Right.

    Rumbi: But I did meet Mahen who runs the African Film Festival there and she was so nice to me and invited me to this festival which was just eye-opening and moving. Her focus is on filmmakers who are from Africa or sort of related, or from the diaspora. And it’s a great festival because I think there is such a… I mean the world, different communities of people of African descent. You have places that have more money such as the United States and more profile and some films get lost and/or forgotten. And she finds the most amazing work. These stories told from a different perspective, through different eyes. So very, very, very passionate. And I’m very passionate about it and I’m lucky enough to be able to sometimes moderate talks that they have, just volunteer at the desk, welcome people — the whole range. And then every once in a while, they ask me to do accounting work for them.

    John: Okay, right, while we’re at it can you do some of these.

    Rumbi: While we’re at it, take a look at this, and talk… But it’s interesting because it’s eye-opening for me which I think helps me a lot in my forensic work because I talk to people who are there because of their love of film or of Africa or sharing stories or whatever but they’re usually not financial people, but then they have to perform financially-related role like dealing with petty cash. So trying to explain how things work in a way that they understand is a good lesson for me, as well, because I can’t make assumptions about anything. I remember having a conversation about how petty cash can’t be negative because you have the software, you have QuickBooks, which is great, it’s so smart, you put the numbers there and everything works.

    John: Negative petty cash, even I got that one. That’s awesome, that’s so funny. There’s actually an old story of Bob Newhart, who was an accountant and I guess before he became a TV star and a comedian. And I guess when he would balance his petty cash in his office, at his firm, if he was off by $5 or $10, he would just put the money out of his pocket because he’s like, “I’m not even going to worry about figuring out why this is off. Now it balances, let’s go home”.

    Rumbi: Exactly.

    John: But at least it’s not negative. That’s so funny, that’s hilarious. No, I think that’s a great thing. And so most of these films that are made in Africa, and then they’re here to showcase?

    Rumbi: Well, a lot of the films are made in Africa. Some of the films are made, I guess, by people maybe like me who emigrated from Africa elsewhere or first generation people whose parents maybe came from Africa. We have in the past also, had films from the diaspora, from Brazil, from Haiti. I don’t know how Mahen find the films, it’s just incredible. I think when I first started going to watch the films, I considered myself very knowledgeable on sort of African issues and what’s going on and just about every year I’m surprised and amazed by some of the stories that I hear.

    John: Yeah, that’s got to be a pretty powerful stuff. That’s the thing that I think a lot of Americans don’t understand is how huge Africa is. I mean just huge, it’s like two-and-a-half United States wide. It is so big, because when we were there, and I mean I didn’t fully understand until I went.

    Rumbi: Right. Sometimes when I’m talking to people and trying to get them to understand when they to tell me things about one place and I’m like “Well, that has nothing to do with me” or “No, I don’t know” or “I don’t understand”, it will be like if we were talking and I started telling you about Mexico, like with —

    John: Right. Like “Okay. I don’t know.” Or “I live in New York City”, “Well, I’ve been to Vancouver before”, “I don’t know what’s that about”.

    Rumbi: And sometimes, it’s funny because even the United States is so diverse and it’s just one country.

    John: Yeah! But just imagine four United States worth of territory, I mean it’s just so huge.

    Rumbi: Those languages and —

    John: Oh, yeah. It was impressive, I mean, just how overwhelmingly how big it was. So that’s just a little fun fact, hopefully the listeners will get off your back. I guess you’re used to it by now but I would imagine —

    Rumbi: I’ve only flown through Kenya but it’s on my list. My husband and I talked about sort of going on a tour. I have a cousin and he has some friends got one of those VW buses and they drove from Zimbabwe, I think they actually got as far as, I think they got to Zanzibar in this van and they went through various countries — Mozambique, Malawi — and it just sounded so cool.

    John: Yeah, it was a cool experience. I was like, “Wow, this is so not like the movies.”

    Rumbi: I think one of the things I do like about the African Film Festival is also that the shows are so different. Sometimes, it’s a gangster movie that just happens to be set in South Africa, for example. And so you get cultural aspects but then you have this incredibly fun adventure, exciting adventure that you’re on. I think it just shows that any story can be told anywhere. So you learn but you enjoy and you’re not always just watching and…

    John: It’s not a documentary of sorts.

    Rumbi: Exactly, exactly.

    John: Yeah. You’re learning on accidents, which is kind of like my keynotes.

    Rumbi: I remember enjoying your talk in New Orleans, it was just funny and fun and inspiring. I like that usually when we’ve had conferences, I guess the keynote speakers who come in and speak to us in that way are not necessarily in the profession or of the profession and I like that about…

    John: Well, thank you so much, that means a lot. The fact that you remembered anything I said is beyond crazy–

    Rumbi: Especially after New Orleans.

    John: Right. Well, especially after New Orleans, I don’t even remember what I said. But you were an excellent group down there, it was a lot of fun. So when it comes to the karaoke and the running and even the film festival, when you worked at Deloitte or even worked in the industry, was this something that you openly talked about and openly shared with coworkers or clients?

    Rumbi: Yes, absolutely. For instance, with my running, this was when I was working at a company, and our auditors came in, and I had just ran in Chicago, and one of our auditors happen to be from Chicago. And we just got to talking and she then started running because she decided she wanted to run the Chicago Marathon. And then she met — I think they’re married now — her now-husband at work, and she got him into running.

    John: Oh, my goodness. I guess they’re like “If she can do it, anybody can.”

    Rumbi: Because we’d meet now at different running events around the city and sort of follow each other and her husband, she was like “Oh, you know I run so maybe I’ll join you.” It turns out that he’s really good, like really, really good and I was like “You see, this is why my husband and I don’t run together. I don’t know if I could handle him being better than me.”

    John: Right. That’s so funny.

    Rumbi: I think, even at work, I go to work and I talk to my coworkers about the running, and several of them either were already running or started running, and then we just have conversations usually about dealing injuries or good places to run, or complaining about tourists getting in your way when you’re trying to run. It gives you something to talk about all the time. I’ve never sang at a work party because I still want my coworkers to respect me in some way.

    John: But now you have that Uptown Funk songs so let’s do it.

    Rumbi: I know. I think that would work in a work function. And of course, when the African Film Festival comes around, I’m always trying to convince people to watch films. And some of them do. There was a film that sort of started with the African Film Festival, became pretty big, it was Timbuktu. I think it was nominated for an Oscar. And so when things like that happen, I also get very, very excited. There are several actors and filmmakers who are doing really well that I have met at the African Film Festival.

    John: Wow, that’s neat, very cool. And so it sounds like not only clients but also coworkers, those relationships are much stronger–

    Rumbi: Absolutely.

    John: –due to sharing that. That’s a great thing, yeah. It sounds like you’ve always been sharing and open. And was it a conscious thing or just sort of happened organically type of a thing?

    Rumbi: I think it’s probably more organic. I have a friend who she refers to me as the social butterfly.

    John: Okay. But it’s better than a moth, right?

    Rumbi: There you go, yes, the butterfly is much nicer to look at. I always find that it’s easier and more interesting for me to do my work if we’re able to have a conversation. And when I started out in audit, most of the time the client really doesn’t want you there and sometimes it can be a little standoffish or they feel that you are out to get them. So I’d always find that these conversations break down some of these walls and often they tell me how crazy I was for doing whatever it is I was doing, but it sort of breaks — because then they’re like, “Well, if she’s that crazy we can kind of talk about anything. I’m kind of normal compared to her.”

    So I think then we were able to create a rapport and have these conversations where then they could share information or give me that trial balance that I’ve been asking for for four days or whatever, so I think it works well that way. And for me, it makes them more human, like people because they’re not but —

    John: Right, right. Some people I wonder, to be honest.

    Rumbi: But I think that just works really well.

    John: Yeah, yeah. You have that relationship on another level, as opposed to that surface transactional, “Give me the trial balance, thank you very much, I’m out.” Instead it’s “No, I legitimately care about whatever you’re into, as a person”.

    Rumbi: Right, right. And we were talking earlier, and we talked about this a lot, sort of CPAs and accountants in the profession, what makes you different from the QuickBooks that will let you have negative petty cash is these conversations and these relationships where you can listen to them and know what they want and hear what they were looking for and help them get to that point.

    John: Yeah, that’s an excellent point. Like you said, computers are doing half or more of the job, anyway, so it’s bringing that other dimension to it that makes us of value to them. That’s an excellent point in. And I guess something that I sometimes think about is, when I was sharing doing comedy or sports or whatever, it was just all an accident, kind of organic thing. I just was like “Well, I’m a person, you’re a person, that’s what people talk about”, that type of a thing.

    But how much do you think like on a spectrum from the organization creating a culture versus it’s just on you as a person to do this on your own, where do you think on that spectrum, it lies that more of the responsibility. Was it more on the firm or the company, or more on the individual to just share?

    Rumbi: I think it really depends. There are some firms that really go all out with the communication and having sort of personal interactions. But often I have found that, I’ll go into a space and it’s not necessarily the case especially when you’re in finance and considered more back office and the expectation is that you’re working with your numbers and you’re doing all of that.

    So I always think that I’m spending so much time at work, it shouldn’t be horrible. So I really just feel like these conversations and these interactions and bringing people out of themselves is very important. And then I love going into a space where that is already happening and encourage them. And sometimes what I found in a workplace is there’ll be several groups of people that are interacting with each other but there’s no crosspollination.

    John: Oh, good point. That’s where the butterfly comes out.

    Rumbi: Exactly.

    John: Look out everybody!

    Rumbi: I’m that person. I used to watch How I Met your Mother, I’m like the guy, “Have you met Ted?” And I think it’s great, I think it’s fantastic when people connect in that way because you find out just absolutely amazing and surprising things.

    John: I guess another question that I might have is just obviously for you, this is what you do being the social butterfly, but to other people that aren’t that way, what might be some words of encouragement?

    Rumbi: I’m glad that you asked me because actually, a couple months ago, I gave a talk on networking to what they call next-gen CPA. One of the things I did talk about is a lot of people are afraid. They’re afraid of maybe rejection or people not finding them interesting enough. And I tell them that I always found everyone else is probably nursing the same fears.

    And so I always encourage them to just start talking about something that you like, like sports. If there’s a big event going on, even when you know nothing about it, like the Rugby World Cup just happened, it wasn’t on regular TV so I wasn’t watching anything so maybe I saw headlines, but you could start a conversation about that and that could lead anywhere and then it could lead back to work. But it’s anything. I’m a huge sports fan so I am very good at having a conversation about sports even if I can’t remember anyone’s name. I didn’t grow up with American sports so I understand soccer and rugby more than American football or baseball, but I will hold down a conversation along with anyone else.

    John: Sure. And I think you bring out a good point to that fear of, it’s okay to say, “Hey, I saw this rugby thing. I don’t know anything about it. I don’t know the rules”, and I think people are afraid to bring something up that they’re not really proficient in. So why would I start a conversation on something that I really don’t know anything? Well because maybe the other party, you’ll learn something and be able to have a conversation about it. And maybe both of you don’t know and then it’s just funny your interpretation of what was happening.

    Rumbi: Right. Exactly, exactly. And I mean it’s anything, it’s just sort of opening and having that first sentence. Almost never have I been shut down in a conversation where someone’s like, “Why are you talking to me?” and they turn around, like that never happens.

    John: That’s an excellent point, it’s just throw yourself out there. The benefits are so much greater than whatever the fear that you have in your head. It’s like you said, you’re projecting it on someone else. They have that same fear.

    Rumbi: Right. I think I’m very good at being a wingman, so sometimes you can find someone who you can start a conversation with and maybe they are chattier than you are but then they will introduce you to other people so then you only have to do that once and then it becomes a chain reaction.

    John: Right, right. That’s really profound and really, really good insight and that’s so ironic that you’re giving a networking talk to the new kids. And I feel like we’ve really gotten to know you, but as you know, until we run through my 17 rapid fire questions then we can really get to know who Rumbi is. And whenever you start hiring, I think that these are the interview questions you should use for your staff.

    Rumbi: Okay. I will, like “If you get any of them wrong…”

    John: Yeah, you’re out! So here we go, just 17 quick questions, super fun. So the first one, Star Wars or Star Trek?

    Rumbi: Star Trek.

    John: Favorite animal?

    Rumbi: Oh, penguin.

    John: Penguin, really? Why is that?

    Rumbi: They’re so cute! Every time I see a penguin, I just smile. And I say see a penguin, everyone who sends me a card it has a penguin in it, we have penguins on our mantelpiece… I love penguins.

    John: Oh, wow! All right, very cool! Sudoku or crossword puzzle?

    Rumbi: I do both but let’s go with crossword puzzle.

    John: Okay. Favorite toppings on a pizza?

    Rumbi: Prosciutto and spinach.

    John: Wow, fancy. Balance sheet or income statement?

    Rumbi: Balance sheet.

    John: Right click or left click?

    Rumbi: Right.

    John: Okay. Heels or flats?

    Rumbi: Flats.

    John: Yeah, that’s what I figured. Here in the city especially, right? Favorite number?

    Rumbi: Four.

    John: Really, why is that?

    Rumbi: If you add my birthday, it comes up to four.

    John: Okay, all right. I like it. That’s good, that’s a reason. Your favorite sports team, or if you have more than one, rattle them of.

    Rumbi: Oh, wow. Okay. So right now, I really like Green Bay. I love Aaron Rodgers. He was on 60 Minutes. I am a fan of Lebron James, sorry, so I like the Cavaliers. The New York Yankees, my husband does photography for them sometimes. And I do like the Jets and the Giants.

    John: Oh, wow! So you’re just all in, all in. That’s excellent. Very cool, very cool. PC or Mac?

    Rumbi: Mac.

    John: Movie that makes you cry?

    Rumbi: Well, recently, I’d say The Color Purple.

    John: Okay, that’s a good one, that’s an excellent one. Favorite color?

    Rumbi: Red.

    John: Yeah. Least favorite color?

    Rumbi: I say like, puke yellow, not like any…

    John: Puke yellow, like mustard, like ugh. Do you have a favorite band or musician?

    Rumbi: Yes, I do. I have a favorite musician, Maxwell.

    John: Maxwell, there you go. Favorite actor or actress?

    Rumbi: So right now, I’m going through a Viola Davis when…

    John: This Viola Davis phase, I think we all go through that, right? You’ll come out of it. Pens or pencils?

    Rumbi: Pens.

    John: And last one, favorite thing you own?

    Rumbi: Okay. So I have Shona sculpture and Shona sculpture is very well-known, I guess in the world of art. And they even say that Picasso, like his abstract art was inspired by Shona sculpture. Yeah, that’s my Zimbabwe plug. And I have several pieces that are heavy and horrible to bring over on a plane but I bring them anyway.

    But the other day, I was looking at a piece that I have and it’s a carving, it’s kind of like, somebody was carving a woman but it’s incomplete, and I named it lady-in-waiting. And I really love that piece even though it’s not everyone’s favorite piece when they visit and they see our pieces, but I really love that piece because I think it symbolizes who I am, that I’m under construction.

    John: Right, right, and the best is yet to come and you’re never finished and sitting in idle.

    Rumbi: Absolutely, yeah.

    John: Excellent! Well, thank you so much, Rumbi. I really appreciate you sharing your wisdom here today. I really appreciate it.

    Rumbi: Thank you, John. I’m enjoying your podcast so I’m honored to be your guest.

    John: Well, there you go, Rumbi, you did it! And thank you for sharing your great insights. What a great, great point Rumbi made about being human is so important because that’s what makes us different than what the clients can do on their own using QuickBooks.

    Go to greenapplepodcast.com for some pictures of Rumbi in action and a bunch of links including her Figuring Financial Forensics blog. And I’m so grateful for the five-star review on iTunes and Stitcher. It definitely helps others to know that they need to listen to this crazy fun show. Now, go out and be a green apple.


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