Nakiea Cook: Helping you Make Financial Sense of Your Money

A Black female accountant and business owner facing the usual challenges of the business world is not new. But Nakiea Cook feels that is what pushes her towards her goals. Not one to succumb to stereotypes (as she dons multiple hats of being an author and mentor as well), she wants to break those barriers on what an accountant should look like or how they should function and set a precedent for future generations of women .

Nakiea’s interest in accounting was born during her childhood through her father’s stories of working in the banking sector. In high school, she attended the academy of finance. She went on to pursue a career in accounting and auditing as she believed with knowledge and understanding of money, she could become resourceful and a blessing to those seeking financial freedom. Nakiea Cook has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from D’Youville College, an MBA from DeVry Keller School of Management, a Graduate Certification in Entrepreneurship, and a Level II Financial Management Certification from the Department of Defense Comptroller Office. Besides being a Certified Financial Education Instructor, and holding many other accounting industry certifications. She worked as an auditor for the federal government (Department of Defense) for ten years before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey.

Money Matters

Nakiea’s passion is to assist women and teenage mothers in getting their finances in order. She founded NC Accounting and Consulting Solutions (M/WBE Certified NYS & NYC) in 2016 to provide consulting services for bookkeeping, tax preparation and planning, accounting advisory services, and training. Her main aim behind starting this business was to help the next generation. Especially teens, understand the importance of cash flow, how money moves, and how financial literacy is extremely important to navigate life efficiently and effectively. Over time, her knowledge and expertise in the field caught the attention of others, and her business grew to teach the parents of teenagers and moved on to expand to business owners .

Nakiea’s focus with her business is to increase the financial literacy of business owners and individuals. She believes that understanding cash flow and keeping financial records organized is crucial for businesses and personal finances. The mission is to help clients manage their finances efficiently in order to prevent any future issues with the IRS and emphasizes the importance of understanding personal finances and how they relate to running a business. The company offers financial literacy workshops, business consulting, and services such as tax preparation, bookkeeping, and accounting. Nakiea’s firm offers virtual expert financial management services to help businesses grow by providing the necessary tools and information for success. As the business expands, the accounting needs also change, and the firm proactively assists clients by dedicating a professional financial manager.

Financial Literacy 101

Poor financial management is one of the leading reasons that businesses fail. No matter how skilled you are at creating a product, providing a service, or marketing it, the money will elude you if you don’t know how to collect it efficiently, keep track of it, save it, and spend or invest it wisely. Nakiea understood the importance of money as she became a mother at an early age. She was determined to understand how money could work for her and not against her and applied the same techniques in her business as well. While preparing taxes for clients, Nakiea also includes a three-year audit protection plan to fully support the business against any adversities with the federal government. An intriguing aspect of her business is that she considers it an extension of herself. Her goal is to educate and assist through resourcefulness. She believes that everyone knows how to manage their money, but sometimes needs a nudge or additional information to move from one point to another.

Uplifting Financial Well-Being

Nakiea is also the founder of Everythingkiea, LLC (the bigger umbrella under which her firm also rests), which provides financial literacy to low- and middle-class individuals. Her goal is to increase the financial skills of this demographic, so it can decrease poverty, violence, and medical conditions that plague a financially stressed individual. Nakiea’s dedication, hard work, and tenacity to help others be self-sufficient and in control of their finances are shown in her proper planning, prayer, and strong faith in the Lord. There is nothing that gives more joy and fulfillment to Nakiea than educating and facilitating people’s financial goals.

Touching Lives, One Person at a Time

Nakiea believes in the importance of setting financial goals and understanding personal cash flow to alter inter-generational patterns. To facilitate that, she hosts webinars, training courses, and workshops. She has even participated in numerous events where she disseminates free financial information. Her main goal is to Inspire, Create and Educate (ICE) anyone she meets. Nakiea still believes in brushing up on recent developments and does her research to keep helping people in the best possible manner. She wants her interpretation of the situation to be in alignment with your needs. She ensures her clients are aware of the entire process and understands the nitty-gritty rather than just being silent spectators and being fed with numbers they just do not get.

Nakiea’s primary focus is empowering women to be financially independent. She further believes that women should be empowered by numbers and understand the nuances of their financial lives very well to save them from rough days and achieve success in all areas. “There are so many resources out there to equip yourself on finances like books, YouTube videos, or accounting groups. These will help you move along as everything lies within you and in your power. No one can tell you what to do best for you other than yourself, and if you feel there are not many opportunities to do so, then create them yourselves. Live with your authentic truth,” said Nakiea.