Work-life balance bottom line for award-winning bookkeeper

 

In the past anyone connected to accounting or bookkeeping has been labelled a ‘bean-counter’ but in these days of form filling, identification, money laundering, and the need for accurate data for compliance obligations, bookkeepers are much more than the nickname suggests. Their efforts are recognised at the Institute of Certified New Zealand Bookkeepers (ICNZB) annual conference award evening held in Christchurch recently. 

Among the three Northland bookkeepers who scooped three of eight major awards this year was Mangawhai’s Haley Wilson, who runs her company My Two Cents Ltd from her home in Garbolino Road. Hayley and her bookkeeper Mackayla make up the team at My Two Cents Ltd which won the Bookkeeper in a Small Practice Award. 

Haley and her partner moved to Mangawhai three years ago from Waiheke Island in search of  the community atmosphere and involvement that Waiheke was in danger of losing.

Initially a part-time job, Haley worked hard to increase her services to a full-time business and couldn’t be happier with the result.

Mangawhai has a number of entities that fall into the small business category and require support at a grass roots level to ensure their systems and processes are robust and current.

“Bookkeeping is much more than just data entry and keeping transaction records,” she says. “With the number of small local businesses about, a lot of my time is spent in an advisory capacity helping clients make sound business decisions and meeting their compliance obligations.”

Hayley was also advised by Craig Hudson, managing director of Xero, that her award entry was nominated for Xero’s own Bookkeeper of the Year Awards to be held in Wellington later in the month. Haley was awarded highly commended, with judges saying her testimonials were very emotional and stood out.

“That was such a thrill,” she says “and was due in no small part to feedback from my clients.” 

Her clientele extends throughout New Zealand as well as local, and as most of her referrals come by word of mouth, a testament to her diligence and professionalism.

“Bookkeeping has been lifted out of the misinformed ‘back office job’ and positioned firmly as a specialist profession, where being ‘in the cloud’ and certified are now part of business life,” says ICNZB president, Di Crawford-Errington. “The high calibre of bookkeepers in our community is incredible, and the award sponsors had a very hard time choosing the winners.” 

Haley Wilson helps business owners with their financial growth and decision-making.