The Business of Bookkeeping

Meet members of First Class Accounts, Australia's largest bookkeeping network and learn how and why they got into the business and what they do to succeed. Presented by Robert Gerrish, Founder of Flying Solo and host of the Rekindle podcast.

Why small can be beautiful 04/12/2024

Why small can be beautiful When Jeffrey Phillips left University he walked straight into an accounting career and quickly realised that sitting at a desk all day crunching numbers wasn't for him. With an idea of how he wanted to balance life and work, he bravely started his own franchise business. Twelve years on, he's successfully designed his ideal venture, one where small, agile and mobile are essential ingredients. And it's working rather nicely. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/30723403

How Elisa brings years of experience to franchisee support 03/14/2024

How Elisa brings years of experience to franchisee support After many years as a First Class franchisee, Elisa Mayenco's needs changed and it was time to consider exiting her business. As we'll hear, this she did successfully, but happily her knowledge and skills have been retained in her new role supporting new bookkeepers. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/30367073

How positive self-talk can help get you through the early days 01/18/2024

How positive self-talk can help get you through the early days When Bhayva Mittal started his bookkeeping business late last year, he was understandably a little nervous. Gone was the constant flow of work and a regular paycheck. However, holding the goal of an improved work/life balance and financial independence helped carry him through the early months. Thanks to this positive outlook and a commitment to effective, regular networking, business is growing and the vision is steadily becoming a reality. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/29552023

Doing due diligence 12/21/2023

Doing due diligence In his area of franchisee recruitment, Howard Kodra recommends extensive and careful research when contemplating this investment in your future. He wants to ensure First Class Accounts are a good fit and in this podcast we find out how his past experience influences his approach. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/29193173

Why following a familiar footpath made so much sense 11/27/2023

Why following a familiar footpath made so much sense When Robyn Welch decided to break away from employment and start her own journey, she didn't need to look far for encouragement. With her older sister already in the First Class family and loving it, the decision was not hard to make. In this interview, we catch her in the early stages of her business with the future vision still taking shape. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/28799663

Shining the spotlight on the Australian Bookkeepers Network 10/26/2023

Shining the spotlight on the Australian Bookkeepers Network In this podcast we meet Peter Thorp one of the founding principals of ABN and learn about their important role in the bookkeeping industry. Peter shares a summary of how things are changing, an insight into the likely impact of artificial intelligence and the benefits to the client/bookkeeper relationship. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/28415615

How Jackie narrowly avoided burnout and the lessons she's learned 09/29/2023

How Jackie narrowly avoided burnout and the lessons she's learned Based in Subiaco, WA, Jackie Becker loves her area and has enjoyed over a decade in her business with plans for at least another ten years. It's not all been straightforward, however and on a few occasions she has really felt the pressure. In this podcast, she candidly shares her experiences and her tips. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/28174019

Shining the spotlight on MYOB 09/01/2023

Shining the spotlight on MYOB As Community Relations Manager at MYOB and head of her own bookkeeping business, it was no surprise to hear some gems regarding business building from Leanne Berry. Another passionate and dedicated supporter of the First Class Accounts network. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/27911520

The marketing plans work! 08/04/2023

The marketing plans work! Since starting his franchise 3 years ago, Deepak Vallabh has worked hard to structure the business to ideally suit his life and professional goals. As we hear, things are developing very well and he’s mightily impressed with the results he’s achieved using tried and tested marketing strategies. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/27653625

Knowing where you’re going and how to get there 07/06/2023

Knowing where you’re going and how to get there Trent McLaren has been in the Accounting and FinTech industry for over a decade and has worked with a number of leaders in the field. He’s recently established ‘Journey’ a business dedicated to furthering growth and success and it’s going gangbusters. In this episode he talks about the importance of a clear vision, how to keep the culture alive and how to avoid the pitfalls of rapid expansion. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/27395004

Realising that people want to meet you 06/09/2023

Realising that people want to meet you A new start-up, Sarah Tice has long had a picture of the business she wishes to grow and how it will fit into her life. In this podcast, we learn about her plans and processes and some great strategies for anyone fearful of networking and promotion. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/27089022

Knowing what to do when you need to grow 05/12/2023

Knowing what to do when you need to grow Andrew Walker has run his business for a little over ten years and is currently, pleasantly full with ideal clients. Clearly this has taken work and Andrew is not the kind of person to take anything for granted. Should the situation change, he knows what to do to top up his new business opportunities and in this podcast he shares his tips. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/26818788

Allowing time for trust to build 04/14/2023

Allowing time for trust to build When Ana Hindocha started her business, she knew that growth might take some time. She realised that allowing someone to dive into your finances calls for a high degree of trust and that was a process that could not be rushed. Happily she was prepared to wait while steadily building relationships. It's starting to pay off and she's loving her work. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/26436750

Getting set for success 03/17/2023

Getting set for success For nearly a decade, Monique Kalter has helped First Class franchisees set up their business and prepare for growth. In this podcast, we hear about the breadth of training and the importance of the wider network. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/26256195

"Just doing a good job" 02/16/2023

"Just doing a good job" Kentucky born, Maria Jowett came to Australia with a background in corporate management, yet didn't hesitate to start her own business. In this podcast, we learn some of the reasons she's been chosen as our Franchisee Of The Year and - spoiler alert! - it has a fair bit to do with just doing a good job. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/25956069

Your business, your way. 01/19/2023

Your business, your way. As he enters his 21st year with the franchise, we catch up with Andrew Eustace. A man with, as he says, a 'just get on with it' attitude. From the outset shunning business plans and marketing plans, Andrew has designed his business, his way. But as you'll hear, he's always had a picture of where he's headed and how to get there. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/25663326

Nurturing faith in yourself 12/22/2022

Nurturing faith in yourself A very recent start-up, one of Wayne Spencer's biggest challenges has been building faith in himself. He's learnt a great deal from existing franchisees and through his strategy of simply getting out and about and talking to people his business is steadily growing. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/25411614

Designing the work life you really want 11/24/2022

Designing the work life you really want Immediately prior to starting his First Class Accounts journey, Neil Hodgson helped out a mate driving his scrap metal truck. While this may not have contributed to his accounting skills, it surely helped him understand the value of autonomy and freedom. These were to become key values in his bookkeeping business. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/25126971

The delightful process of organic growth 10/27/2022

The delightful process of organic growth David Gillies started his business just as COVID 19 hit and the surprises didn't stop there. Basking in new found freedoms and flexibility, David decided to take a slow-and-steady approach to business development. As it turns out, his 'organic growth strategy' has been working rather well and in this podcast he shares his thoughts about adding structure and discipline. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/24825792

Our 2021 Franchisee Of The Year shares her story 09/30/2022

Our 2021 Franchisee Of The Year shares her story Robyn Graham and daughter Nikki Dempster run a successful and growing family business on the Fraser Coast. In this episode Robyn discusses her work-style and future plans. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/24539451

How teamwork and discipline helps success 09/01/2022

How teamwork and discipline helps success When Karen Norman came to bookkeeping, her background may not have seemed ideal. It turns out the opposite was true and 17 years on she's constantly reminded. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/24245769

The support that new franchisees need 08/05/2022

The support that new franchisees need In this episode we hear from Simon Boler who supports new and existing franchisees. Working from head office, but frequently out in the field, Simon shares some of the common challenges and how to address them. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/23965194

The value of creating a growth mindset 06/24/2022

The value of creating a growth mindset Clayton Oates helps implement simple and effective business systems that allow us to spend more time working on the business. He's currently running a program with First Class and in this podcast shares some tips to create a growth mindset. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/23525117

Building a professional image 05/26/2022

Building a professional image Michelle Timperley jumped the fence from being a First Class bookkeeper, to working with the team at Ignition. As she says, 'leaving one family to join another'. Together we delve into how Ignition supports a franchisee and the ways they help establish an ideal client relationship. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/23242265

Why and how to be frank 04/28/2022

Why and how to be frank In this podcast, Damien Gooden of HR Central shares his tips on how to confront challenging conversations head-on. He's knows all about 'Radical Candour' and he tells us who created the concept and how to embrace it. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/22947632

Be in business for yourself, not by yourself 03/03/2022

Be in business for yourself, not by yourself Tracey Leak knows more than most when it comes to understanding the benefits of a franchise. In this podcast, she shares what she's learned in over a decade working alongside startups. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/22320470

Lessons learned over a decade 02/03/2022

Lessons learned over a decade Since starting her business, Trish Jones has evolved and fine-tuned the way she works. In this podcast she shares her many tips and strategies. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/22017974

When the love of banter drives the model 01/20/2022

When the love of banter drives the model Matt Jeavons loves on-site interaction with his clients. So much so it governs how he works. For nearly a dozen years, this structure has proved ideal and is unlikely to change anytime soon. Riding a Harley-Davidson probably helps! /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/21833561

Turning a dislike of networking into a love 12/24/2021

Turning a dislike of networking into a love When Darren Law started his business, he hated the idea of networking. Now, two years in and having endured the disruptions of COVID, he looks forward to meeting his group and marketing his business. What's more, his work his giving him freedoms he's never experienced before. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/21591095

Handling a barrage from day one 11/25/2021

Handling a barrage from day one As soon as David Jennings opened his doors, the questions began. After a hectic first few months, things are under control and this new business is growing nicely. /episode/index/show/businessofbookkeeping/id/21281243

The Business of Bookkeeping

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