Global Bookkeeping Week - why I love my job

It’s Global Bookkeeping Week

Yep we have had ‘take your dog to work day’, ‘International Secretary’s Day’ and ‘Dry July’

Now it’s the bookies turn - no one sent me flowers today - boo hoo - so instead I will express my joy here.

I am going to unashamedly tell you why I love my job.

First off - Let’s be honest - I fell into this - then I tried to claw my way out - kicking and screaming - I knew nothing about small business - I wasn't even really good with numbers. I just saw an opportunity and I went for it. Along the way I made sure I was good at the ‘numbers’’ thing - I learnt, I failed, I adapted.

I thought my dream job would be in a corporate office - wearing a suit to work each day - my own little cubicle. Instead it was a home office - crammed into the side of the baby’s nursery often with my fingers racing across the keyboard while my foot rocked the cradle. It paid the bills and it fed the kids and the clients were counted on 1 hand. I loved every one of them and I ran their businesses like they were my own.

Life sends you curveballs and you hit them out of the park !!

(The analogy should have been “life gives you lemons - you make lemonade “ but my kids are not lemons - they are my pride and joy. )

I learnt on my feet - I crashed hard - I got back up again - I did what every small business does - I survived.

Along the journey I have met some incredible businesses, I have seen businesses start, prosper, waver, sometimes fail but never give up.

It takes courage to start a small business and sometimes we have to kiss a few frogs. Just like my career choice - you find your rhythm - you find your feet and you learnt to do what you love.

I digress - why do I love my job ?

I get to take businesses on a journey , I get to experience the nervous starts and the late night emails and relish in the ultimate highs. I get to make the numbers easy - to make the finance stuff the least of their worries. The numbers are critical but organising them is my job.

I love the human element of my job - I love the passion, the emotion - good, bad and ugly . If you know me well, passion is the fire in my belly - it is also the emotion most likely to get me in trouble. :)

I live for the relationship

This is also the hard part of my job

I am human - I err - I stumble - I have bad days - I have a personal life that transects my business life. Hey sometimes I even get it wrong.

Being a bookkeeper is like being someones best friend, mother, confidante, business coach…. it’s intense at it’s best, emotional at it’s worst.

It takes strength and energy to be able to face new businesses every day and relish in the thought of creating value to existing businesses. I love that the numbers do NOT lie - they tell a story. Sure sometimes we don’t like the narrative - but the beauty is - we have the ability to change it.

Debits will equal credits. The left will equal the right. Most of all the Bank will never lie.

I love the structure - the complexity and the sheer simplicity the numbers tell me.

I love engaging with BRILLIANT accountants to bring even deeper meaning to these numbers. A passionate bookie and an intelligent accountant is a secret business weapon. Now if you can get the 2 to collaborate - that’s the secret sauce.

So bookkeeping is not dead - it is something you can do yourself - but bookkeeping as a career and a mindset is a whole new ball game.

I love being a bookkeeper - I don’t miss the cubicle - I don’t need the corner office - I need to feel I offer value and I can bring something to the table (and flowers are always nice!)

So in the week of celebration of Global Bookkeeping I want to say - I get up each morning at 5am because - I love my job.