Hi, I'm Sharon.

Bookkeeping & Business Finance Educator

I love accounting, and I love teaching it even more.

I spent a decade in corporate accounting and have spent 22 years in the classroom. Today, my entire focus is education: helping adult learners understand their numbers, build real skills, and walk away confident enough to use them.

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Sharon deFonteny, Bookkeeping and Business Finance Educator

My Story

How a missing bank reconciliation changed everything.

I started my career in corporate accounting, working my way from assistant controller to controller. Later, I started my own bookkeeping business as an independent full-charge bookkeeper.

That's where I saw firsthand how bad the books can get.

Every time I took on a new client, I found the same thing: tasks done incorrectly, or not done at all. And the owners had no idea. One client stands out. When I sat down to do my first bank reconciliation, I discovered the previous bookkeeper hadn't done one in 12 months. Twelve. The owner had no clue.

That's when it clicked for me. The problem wasn't the people. It was that they were never properly taught. So I earned my degree in Business Education and a teaching certificate in Accounting, and I've been teaching ever since.

Manual System First. Software Second.

Data entry is not bookkeeping. Understanding your numbers is.

Software is a great tool. But it can't teach you bookkeeping, and it can't tell you when something's wrong.

That's why my bookkeeping courses start with the manual system. When you understand what's happening behind the scenes, you can use any software with confidence, and you'll catch the mistakes it can't. And for professionals who don't keep the books but rely on them, I teach how to read the numbers and use them to make better decisions.

Everything is taught in plain English, with real-life examples and language that actually makes sense. No jargon unless I'm teaching it to you on purpose. Step by step, until it clicks.

Experience & Credentials

The background behind the classroom.

10 years in corporate accounting, from assistant controller to controller

Independent full-charge bookkeeper with my own bookkeeping business

22 years teaching through continuing education and workforce development programs at universities and colleges

Bachelor's degree in Business Education from Temple University

Pennsylvania Department of Education teaching certificate in Accounting

Certified Online Instructor

What My Students Tell Me

My favorite part of the job.

One student emailed me after finishing just one module to say she was already using what she learned at work.

Another caught a mistake her accountants had made, and they were impressed.

A student who handled accounts payable took the Bookkeeping Essentials program and was able to fill in for the bookkeeper during her maternity leave. Her boss was pleased and surprised, and she told him it was because of the program.

And one student, who had taken accounting in both high school and college, said she never understood debits and credits until my class.

The comment I hear most? Some version of "Thank you for making this so easy to understand."

Just this week, a student wrote: "You really explained the concepts in a language for those who don't work in this industry." ~ Juliane S. She printed the course materials so she can keep coming back to them.

That's why I do this. Real skills, real confidence, and results people can use right away.

Beyond the Books

A few more things about me.

I love helping people, and nothing makes me happier than knowing someone improved their career, or their life, because of something they learned in my courses.

When I'm not teaching, you'll find me hiking and soaking up nature, cheering on every Philadelphia sports team, and enjoying a really good cup of coffee.
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