As of today I am no longer a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia…but don’t panic…I am now a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand!

That’s right, the premier accounting bodies in Australia and New Zealand have joined forces and as part of the amalgamation a new name has been announced.

The identity/logo is still being put through it’s legal paces (as such I’m unable to attach it to this post)…but it promises to present Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand as the future of our industry!

I’ve been involved in the past with accounting firms who have changed their name or identity…new logos, stationery and websites…there’s more to it than meets the eye, but a fresh approach is sometimes needed to keep business moving into the future.

Until recently there were two coffee shops in my home town with similar names…even more confusing was that they were on the same street!  When ever you met someone for coffee, you always had to name the café and then explain which one it was with reference to nearby stores or offices.

One of those cafe’s changed their name a couple of weeks ago – it’s given them a bright new feel and hopefully in time we’ll just be able to say the name and do away with the explanation…so for them I see the name change as a positive step!

Have you had any experience with a name change?  What was the outcome?

Regards

Happy End of Financial Year!  Yes, we Accountants tend to get excited when 30th June rolls around…well I do anyway…

Some of you may recall I wrote briefly about “Year End” during the A – Z Blogging Challenge (you can read that post here), but today is the day!

I’m not really one for making new years resolutions at the end of the calendar year, but I do tend to use the end of the financial year as a time to reflect on where I’m at with my career and my business…and I encourage you all to do the same.

If you are an employee, a good place to start is to look at where you sit in your organisation…is it where you want to be or is there room for improvement?  Find out what you need to do to make those improvements and then take the necessary steps…whether that’s getting additional training, looking for alternative work experience or sourcing a mentor…now is as good a time as any!

If you are in business, a similar process can be followed, but it’s likely to take you on a path of reviewing how your business functions and how it works for you.  You might find you need to make adjustments to stock, staff and procedures (including your bookkeeping) in order to make improvements to increase efficiency and productivity – both of which will benefit your business and you as a business owner.

OK, I’m off shopping now for my “end of financial year present to self”…seems like a good excuse to me!

Regards

It’s Frivolous Friday…but I don’t really consider today’s topic to be frivolous…as it involves happiness!

One of the benefits of working for yourself and working from home is having the ability to change your plans for the day (of course when time permits)…and this is exactly what happened to me yesterday…

As usual I had a list of the work I wanted to accomplish for the day (I love lists, but that’s a topic for another time), as well as where I needed to be and when…but then I received an offer for a “cake date” with a three year old (and his gorgeous Mum)…how could I resist?

It got me thinking that it wasn’t too long ago that I would have had to turn this offer down, and while it means I’ll need to do some catch up work on the weekend…I’m glad I had the opportunity to spend time with them (the smiles of this three year old definitely warm my heart).

The end of the financial year is always hectic for Accountants, as it is for many others…but I urge you all to take time out for your loved ones whenever you can… take in the happy times…because happiness is golden.

Regards

* I haven’t actually made a list of the benefits of working from home…I just made this number up!

 

After much encouragement from a number of friends and colleagues…I’ve finally joined LinkedIn!

I’m still very much an amateur at the inner workings of it, but I’m really looking forward to the connections that I will make, with both new and old associates…but I’m also looking forward to the professional opportunities that may arise.

When it comes to social media, Facebook is probably the most well known platform and it’s very useful for both individuals and business alike…in fact, many of you are reading this now having found it through our Facebook page!

But being linked isn’t just about the use of social media…a lot of referrals to The Tax Chic are coming from good old fashioned “word of mouth”…and there is nothing more rewarding in a professional sense than hearing positive words being spoken about you and your business!

I think it’s important to work with your contacts, both online and in person, to help yourself, your business and others…

So, if you are a student looking for your first job, talk to your teachers, family and friends for details on who’s hiring.  If you are relocating to a new town or city, ask people around you for tips on everything from the best bakery or dry cleaner, to restaurants and doctors…and if you are an individual or business looking for a new accountant, talk to other individuals and businesses for a recommendation!

Regards