Accountant or Entrepreneur

I recently changed my email signature in a bid to condense the many email accounts I have for all my various business interests.

It has the tagline "Accountant and Entrpreneur" and whilst many have accepted and understood this, a few people have asked if I which one I really am.

I've worked in finance since I left school in 1986 and worked my way up through the ranks of the accountancy profession. My first sort of attempt at being an entrepreneur started way back in the 2000. Back then I was doing some accountancy for family and friends under the banner of Affordable Bookkeeping & Accountancy Services.

Some years later, my wife Brenda and I started a small online business called B & S Supplies which dealt in a mixture of martial arts and giftware supplies (I know, strange combinations)

Back then, budgets where a bit tight and when the market forces changed we ended B&S but I had ABAS going on in the background whilst I also worked my day job.

Fast forward to 2008 and the great recession when I found myself redundant for the first time ever and add to the mix that I would soon be turning 40. I decided to take ABAS to the next level and really push my own practice.

However, I soon found out that many people weren't looking to change accountants during a recession and after a few months I found a job. I kept ABAS going in the background as I felt that was always my safety net.

Over the years the work built and the clients came so I had to make the decision on whether to stay in full time employment or go it alone. I spoke to others who had made the jump and they said that they just did it as they believed in what they were doing.

Unknown to me, as I was making my plans to go fully self employed, my employers were also making changes to the structure of the company. So when they told me they had to make me redundant, it wasn't so much a shock, but more like perfect timing or even fate.

I was now fully self employed and even recruited my old employer as a client.

In 2012 I picked up a new start up company as a client who were really going places.

They only had a small team and no finance department. I went in as a contractor and created a new finance structure and department for them and within six months they needed me full time.

It as a great opportunity to be a part of building something special. I accepted their off and I informed my client. Many of them where happy for me to have a foot in both camps as long as it was not detrimental to them.

Why did I jump back into working for someone? Well because it did not feel that way.

Working in a start up helped me see a different aspect of entrepreneurship and made me discover that I had been what they now term as a Solopreneur. My time with this company was invaluable but ended in 2016 when they were taken over by a larger corporate structure who simply absorbed us into their infrastructure.

Third redundancy in the space of 8 years - was I jinxed or was this fate yet again trying to tell me something. I again threw everything into my Accountancy Practice which is still going strong today, almost 20 years since I first dipped my toe in the water.

These days the business name has changed to Afforable Accountancy.

In the years from 2015 onwards my appetite to be be more involved in Entrepreneurship was growing. Some have not always been successful, every business has its ups and downs, trends change and market forces can have a major impact.

I have had some great joint ventures with some great people and many have become good, close friends. Some of these projects include:

• Co-owner of a Japanese Restaurant
• Co-owner of online drinks company with import / export aspect.
• Co-owner of online e commerce company dealing with FMCG.
• Owner of established accountancy practice,

I think the point I am getting it is that we can all have dual roles in business because each draws on the skillset from the other. My accountancy skills have stood me well in the above projects. Plus, what I have learnt from working with other entrepreneurs has helped me work closer with my accountancy clients who are all entrepreneurs.

So the next time someone asks me if I am an Accountant or an Entrepreneur.

I'm both!