Tell us a little bit about your work…

Working in a CA environment means I am exposed to a wide variety of work. Our company tag line is “beyond the numbers” and this is where I spent most of my day. I work closely with my clients to define their business and financial goals and help them achieve them. My specific expertise and passions lie in financial forecasting, restructuring, due diligence, business valuations, management accounting and KPI reporting.

What does the start of a typical day for you look like?

I wish I could say I start every day with making an organised to-do list. The reality is that emails and phone calls early on can change the plan for the day. It’s important that I’m equally able to be responsive as manage all our important tasks in a timely way. Being responsible for a team means that I normally check in with them to answer any queries before I clear the first wave of emails. Then it’s time to focus on one of the various projects on the go.

If someone were to be ‘Amanda for a day’, what’s the one thing they need to know?

Be able to think outside the square. My clients come to me to get business solutions, not just compliance advice.  

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given?

That’s a tough one as there have been lots of great advice along the way. If I could wrap three into one it would be, “enjoy what you do, be true to yourself and trust your instincts”. I look for evidence to back up my instincts and my experience means I know what I’m looking for to get to a speedy decision.

How has your CA training and background helped you in the business?

With my CA qualification in hand, I jumped on a plane and headed to the UK to work for three years. This gave me the opportunity to gain international experience and travel at the same time – what more could you want!

Why did you choose to become a Chartered Accountant?

My father was a Chartered Accountant and my mother came from a banking family, so I was exposed to finance and business at an early age. I was lucky enough to work part-time for my father while I studied and quickly realised that I enjoyed accounting and loved dealing with lots of different clients in all sorts of different industries. While no day is the same as another, I get a real sense of achievement in helping clients realise their goals.

What other organisations are you involved with?

I am the treasurer of the East Coast Bays Rugby Club, a board member of the Windsor Park Board and until recently an elected board member of the North Harbour Hockey Association. For the past four years, I have been involved with Collaborative Advocacy NZ, a society made up of collaborative professionals. Being one of only two collaboratively trained Chartered Accountants, I was quickly welcomed onto the committee and took up the role as treasurer. This role is a great fit for me as I enjoy working in a collaborative team as well as working through complex business structures, independent business valuations and providing general financial guidance to clients.

Finally, what’s your favourite quote?

The golden rule for every business person is this: put yourself in your customer’s place.