The Business of Bookkeeping

Before Darrelle Puttock started with First Class Accounts she ran an independent bookkeeping business. However it quickly started to feel too much like a job. Thankfully she made the switch and everything changed.  

Parul Mehta has retained most of her clients for years and little by little guides them to work precisely as she chooses. This allows her to run her ideal business and honour her commitment to her local community. 

Practice Ignition eases the on-boarding process for any new clients working with members of the First Class Accounts network. Their systems create a single smart proposal that can be read, signed and paid in one place. It's little wonder their service is in demand.

While some are attracted to First Class Accounts because it allows them to move around, Gabi and Bruce Reid are enjoying settling into a community. And they're finding that networking does much more than just help build business. 

Along with her young family, Karen Bradshaw relocated to Australia from the UK and soon began her business with First Class Accounts. While she started with few contacts and an intimidating learning curve, she quickly felt the benefit of community support. 

When Charmaine Perry and husband Tony started their First Class franchise it was a challenging time. Their prior business had major complications and stalled their plans. Happily once they got going 'the system' saved them. That was 16 years ago.

Three years into her bookkeeping business, Felicity Menchin still has the occasional day when things feel new and daunting, but in the main she's very happy with how it's going. A person who enjoys variety, she's resisting the lure of the niche and for now is unlikely to change.

Eric Tong has always wanted to start his own small business. With little marketing experience and a country and language that were new to him, it was always going to be a challenge. But rise to the challenge he has!

When he swapped his rubbish removal business for a bookkeeping practice, Gary didn't hesitate to go the franchise route. He realised that having a proven system and the back-up of a successful model would likely serve him well. Nearly 5 years in, he's happy with how it's going.

Calxa helps make reporting easier for bookkeepers and their clients. Their app creates management reporting for small businesses and not-for-profits, generating reports against budgets, cashflow forecasts, KPI reporting and a whole lot more.

Sue Jenkins describes herself as something of a 'gypsy', but for now she's happy to be in one place and build her business. A newcomer to the industry, she's loving the freedom and enjoying the challenge. 

When Joy Liu moved to Australia from China, she wasn't about to make any hasty decisions. Before buying her franchise, she did plenty of research and took advantage of the multicultural nature of the established network.

In this episode we meet Skye Taylor from field service management app, Service M8 and hear how they support the work of our bookkeeping network and make life easier for a key sector of small business.

Now in her ninth year with First Class, Michelle Timperley reckons she gets more and more value from other franchisees as time goes by. Regardless of the challenge or question, she never struggles to find solutions and answers.

Unlike many small business owners who see benefit in specialising, Dheeraj Sachdev loves to have a varied client base. He gains much from learning about new industries and is clearly energised by the process. Having recently left the world of employment, he's revelling in the freedoms he enjoys now.

When Jenny Bayly decided to start her own bookkeeping business she figured she could do it all by herself. Sadly, things didn't go too well, so she promptly invested in a First Class franchise. And what a good decision that turned out to be!

Chelsea Sanginiti has experienced her share of highs and lows in her bookkeeping business, but never loses sight of the bigger picture. Time and again she comes back to what she values most and therein lies the answer.

In this podcast we hear from Debbie Stanton, General Manager of First Class Financial Group and the path that led her to where she is today. We learn the source of her strong caring instinct and how following her heart has got her into trouble on occasion.

When Trevor Lindsay stepped away from his corporate career he wanted a lot less commuting and a lot more control. As we'll hear he's largely got what he wanted and he's got some inspiring plans for the future. 

When Irene Latoa moved back to Australia following a big career in Asia, she wanted things to be different. As you'll hear, she got more than she bargained for, but has a clear and exciting picture of the future.

Milton Young didn't enjoy being in an industry that was undervaluing its customers, so he left the world of Banking and set up on his own. Here's how he adapted to his new life.

For much of her working life, today's guest got restless in her work. That all changed when she started her business and she's never looked back. Keeping things fresh and alive is essential, particularly as she plans for the next phase of development.

When Robyn Graham started her business, the path ahead was unclear. Over the years she's evolved and grown and today has a clear picture of the future.

When Hilmi Dabbagh relocated to Australia he bought with him unique skills and a passion for justice and equality. Here's how he combines all that is important to him.

Anthony Furniss has big plans for his franchise, but with grandchildren and a hobby to keep on track, he's prioritising how business and downtime intersect.