Singapore business book named International Book Awards finalist

James C Foo Leong’s independently published Once Upon a Balance Sheet was named a finalist in the Business: General category of the 17th Annual International Book Awards, putting the Singapore title alongside books from Harvard Business Review Press, Penguin Random House and Wiley. The recognition adds to a run that includes Amazon bestseller status, a No. 1 Hot New Release ranking and a separate international award win. Why it matters: - The finalist spot gives an independently published Singapore business book visibility in a competition that also includes titles from major global publishers. - The recognition reinforces demand for books that help non-finance professionals understand accounting and financial statements. - The book’s awards and sales momentum suggest growing readership beyond its specialist niche. What happened: - Once Upon a Balance Sheet: How to Make Better Decisions, Drive Growth and Increase Profits was named one of six finalists in the Business: General category of the 17th Annual International Book Awards. - The book was published in November 2025 by Singapore-based Visions.One Consulting. - The finalist list places the book alongside titles from Harvard Business Review Press, Penguin Random House and Wiley. - James C Foo Leong wrote the book for people who feel intimidated by accounting and finance. - Leong said the book aims to show that financial statements are stories that reveal what is happening inside a business. The details: - The book uses storytelling, visual frameworks and practical business examples to explain financial statements. - The book introduces Leong’s Financial Storyverse®, where characters, stories and visual frameworks turn numbers into business insights. - Leong says the central idea is that financial statements are stories about a business, told in numbers. - The book became an Amazon bestseller and a No. 1 Hot New Release shortly after publication. - More than six months after publication, the book continues to rank strongly on Amazon Singapore and recently returned to the Top 10 in its category. - In May 2026, the book won International Impact Book Awards — Business: Management Accounting. - Leong spent close to four years writing, rewriting and testing the book’s ideas. - His original publisher went bankrupt during the publication process, leaving the project in doubt. - Leong took over the publishing process through Visions.One Consulting and managed the remaining production, distribution and marketing work. - Leong said there was no major publishing or marketing machinery behind the book. - Leong said the project continued because the book still deserved a chance to reach non-finance professionals. Between the lines: - The finalist recognition is notable because it shows an independently published title competing with books from established publishing houses. - The book’s path suggests audience demand can outweigh traditional publishing scale when a title lands with a clear professional need. - The repeated awards and sales milestones indicate the book is gaining credibility in both specialist and broader business-book circles. - Leong’s comments frame the book as part of a wider effort to make finance less technical and more practical for everyday business use. What’s next: - The International Book Awards recognition could broaden the book’s reach with readers, educators and business professionals. - Leong said the book’s progress was supported by readers, colleagues, clients, friends and professional communities. - The book’s ongoing Amazon performance suggests further visibility if the finalist status translates into new attention. The bottom line: - Once Upon a Balance Sheet has moved from a difficult self-publishing journey to international recognition, with awards, sales and finalist status now backing its pitch that finance can be taught through stories.