Ever since I was a girl I wanted to fly, and finally got the chance to start learning. I then discovered how different accounting for aircraft is and that there was a gap in the market, so when I set up my own practice, I decided to specialise in aviation and transport.
With aircraft accounting you have to take many things into consideration, including how the aircraft is owned and managed, where it is registered and where it is kept. Spreading the cost requires accrual, and the best way to accrue is over engine hours. It’s similar in transportation, where you are keeping track of the mileage of trucks and ensuring that drivers get enough rest hours. It makes my job interesting and gives a different dimension to the figures that we look at for our clients.
At school, I was very artistic and qualified as a dressmaker
Brexit has raised challenges for my jet management and transportation customers. They are involved in international travel and are multi-currency businesses.
My path into accountancy was not a direct one. At school, I was very artistic and qualified as a dressmaker and pattern cutter. However, I found that this didn’t suit me, so I went back to college and, after qualifying as bookkeeper, I worked freelance in various businesses.
I didn’t originally want to set up my own practice as I loved where I worked, but there was no path to partnership. After looking around and seeing that any partnership would pigeonhole me, I decided I would set up my own.
Having worked with both struggling and successful businesses helps me to empathise
Having worked with both struggling and successful businesses helps me to empathise with my clients. I have been where they are now, and of course am again now that I run my own practice.
I am very thankful that I have had great mentors and good guidance. Sometimes others can see the potential in you that you cannot see yourself.
Over the past 10-15 years, the advances in software have revolutionised how clients record their data and connect us to it. It is up to us to work with their software, so my practice currently has access to at least seven bookkeeping packages, both cloud based and desktop based. I try to make the most of the technological advancements that have been made in our industry.
It is nice to be able to help my clients with the challenges that they face and to listen to them talk about their whole business, and not just compliance. After all, the best bit of what we do is problem solving!
