I've spent more than two decades working in accounting, and if there's one thing I've learned along the way, it's that change is inevitable.
Which is rather unfortunate, because I'm not particularly fond of it! In fact, I HATE change.
I like knowing where I stand. I like familiar routines, established relationships and knowing who to turn to when something doesn't go to plan.
And despite the occasional frustration, the deadlines, the paperwork and the never-ending changes to legislation, there's something about walking into an accounting office that I've always found comforting.
It's familiar.
Inside those four walls, I know my job. I know what's expected of me, I know how the systems work, and I know that when someone comes to me with a problem, there's a pretty good chance I can help them find an answer.
It's a different world from the one waiting at home.
There are no grocery lists to remember, no washing to hang out, no ironing pile silently judging me and no family logistics to coordinate.
Well, not usually.
Instead, there are numbers, deadlines, conversations and problems to solve.
And I love it.
Not necessarily every single part of it, mind you. There are still days when I wonder why I didn't pursue that childhood interest in meteorology instead!
But after all these years, it's the people who make the work worthwhile.
My own career has certainly had its share of changes.
I've worked in small firms and large firms. I've experienced businesses growing, shrinking, merging and restructuring. I've moved interstate, learned new systems, adapted to different expectations and started over with new colleagues and clients.
Some changes have opened doors. Others have made me question what I was doing and where I belonged.
And every time, I've had to find my feet again.
Perhaps that's why I understand when clients feel unsettled by change.
Changing accountants isn't always as simple as transferring a file or signing a new engagement letter.
For many business owners, it means starting another relationship, explaining how their business operates, sharing their concerns and hoping the person sitting across the desk will take the time to understand.
Because behind every set of financial statements is a person.
Someone who's worked hard to build something. Someone who's taken risks, made sacrifices and probably spent more than a few nights wondering whether they're making the right decisions.
And I think that's something we accountants should never forget.
There's a misconception that accountants spend their days entering figures, preparing tax returns and telling people how much they owe the Australian Taxation Office.
And yes, there's plenty of that.
But some of the most rewarding conversations I have with clients aren't about tax at all.
They're about understanding their business.
It's helping someone realise that having money in the bank doesn't necessarily mean they're making a profit.
It's showing them how to look at their accounting software and understand what they owe, who owes them money and whether they're actually doing better than they were this time last year.
It's explaining why their business can be profitable on paper while they're still struggling to pay the bills.
It's sitting beside someone who's considering a big decision and helping them understand what the numbers are telling them before they commit.
Sometimes it's finding an error that's been worrying them for weeks. Sometimes it's helping them understand something they've been too embarrassed to ask about.
And sometimes it's simply being the person they can ring when they don't know what to do next.
Those are the moments I love.
When someone walks into the office feeling overwhelmed and walks out understanding things a little better.
When a business owner who has spent years simply hoping there's enough money in the bank begins to understand their cash flow.
When a client starts asking better questions because they've finally been given the confidence to understand their own figures.
That's when I feel like I've done my job.
And perhaps one of the most satisfying parts of my career has been watching clients become more confident and capable over time.
Teaching someone how to use their accounting software properly might not sound particularly exciting, but there's something wonderful about watching the penny drop.
Suddenly, they're not just entering transactions because somebody told them to.
They understand what they're doing and why it matters.
They can recognise when something doesn't look right, keep track of their obligations and make better-informed decisions without having to rely on somebody else for every little thing.
And isn't that what good advice should do?
Give people the confidence to stand on their own two feet.
Of course, the relationship between an accountant and a client needs to work both ways.
A good accountant can't make business decisions for you, and we certainly can't make every financial problem disappear.
And here's something else I think is important to acknowledge.
Accountants aren't perfect. And I'm certainly not.
I make mistakes. Sometimes I forget to return an email or a phone call. Sometimes something a client has asked me to do takes longer than it should, and sometimes work doesn't get completed as quickly as either of us would like.
I've also made choices throughout my career about how to balance my professional responsibilities with being a mum.
I wanted a career, and I still do. But my children have always come first.
Working part-time has sometimes meant juggling competing priorities, and while that helps explain some of the challenges, it doesn't remove my responsibility to the people who are relying on me.
That's why I believe honest communication is so important.
If you're unhappy with the service you're receiving from your accountant, tell them.
If something is taking too long, ask why. If you're waiting on a response, follow it up. If your expectations aren't being met, have that conversation.
We don't always know what we don't know.
And sometimes the person on the other side of the desk genuinely doesn't realise how frustrated or concerned you've become.
That doesn't mean you should accept repeated mistakes, missed commitments or poor service. Accountability matters, and sometimes changing accountants really is the right decision.
But before you reach that point, give the relationship an opportunity to improve.
An honest conversation can clear up misunderstandings, reset expectations and help both parties work together more effectively.
And as accountants, we need to be willing to listen, acknowledge when we've fallen short and do something about it.
Because trust isn't built by pretending we never make mistakes.
It's built by how we respond when we do.
Just as importantly, clients should feel comfortable asking questions.
You shouldn't feel silly because you don't understand something. You shouldn't feel like you're bothering someone when you need clarification. And you shouldn't walk away from a conversation with more confusion than you arrived with.
Accounting can be complicated. Explaining it clearly is part of our job.
I also believe that understanding your numbers shouldn't be something that happens once a year when your financial statements are prepared.
Your accounting software can be so much more than a place to record invoices and reconcile the bank.
Used properly, it can help you understand what's happening in your business while there's still time to do something about it.
And that's a far more useful conversation than discovering twelve months later that things weren't going quite as well as you thought.
Over the years, I've learned that people don't necessarily remember every figure you've explained or every tax return you've prepared.
But they do remember how you made them feel.
Whether you listened.
Whether you took the time to explain.
Whether you helped them feel more confident about something that had been keeping them awake at night.
And perhaps that's what I value most about the profession I've spent so much of my working life in.
The relationships.
The trust.
The opportunity to make something complicated feel manageable.
Change will always be part of life, and certainly part of accounting. Businesses evolve, technology changes, people move on and sometimes the familiar becomes unfamiliar.
I might never become someone who welcomes change with open arms.
But I am learning that the knowledge we share, the relationships we build and the difference we make don't simply disappear when circumstances change.
Sometimes we have to trust that we've done our best, given people the tools they need and accept that their next chapter might look different from ours.
So the next time you speak to your accountant, don't be afraid to ask more than just how much tax you owe.
Ask how your business is performing. Ask what your figures are telling you. Ask what you could be doing differently.
And if something isn't working, speak up.
Give them the opportunity to listen, explain and put things right.
And if you're an accountant reading this, remember that sometimes the most valuable thing we can give someone isn't another report.
It's understanding.
Because a good accountant doesn't just help you keep your books in order.
They help you make sense of the story those books are telling.
And after many years in this profession, that's still one of my favourite parts of the job.
Be real, not perfect. Be kind, be brave, be yourself.