Heart of the Bookkeeper

Episode 40 of Heart of the Bookkeeper allows us to tap into one of the most experienced and respected Bookkeepers in Australia - Marie Whitson from Mybiz Connexion in Adelaide, South Australia. Marie explains how a violent and abusive upbringing, transposed itself into an amazing and fruitful journey through later life including her discovery of a love for Bookkeeping and how that has helped her to deal with those traumatic early years. Reaching a point in her career where retirement from the Bookkeeping profession may be viewed as very close, Marie outlines why she believes you don't have to pull up stumps fully, just because you are of a certain age. Her telling of this will be quite inspirational for many. Marie's wisdom through a long journey of Bookkeeping shines brightly in this episode as well as some enlightening insights into her life outside Bookkeeping, which includes Mount Everest and the Kakoda Track. This amazing lady will delight and surprise in this episode.

We kick off 2025 with a bang with our first guest of the New Year - Roslyn Van Welie of Curly Girl Numbers, based out of Perth in Western Australia. Roslyn is a very experienced Bookkeeper and has encountered much of what Bookkeeping can throw at anyone in various situations across an extensive and diverse journey, that has taken her to multiple locations and business environments across the nation. Roslyn has come through an era of Bookkeeping that in some cases, the elements of which still exist today, where "being taken seriously" as a Bookkeeper and dealing with negative comments about it being a job that women do because they don't want to do "real work", is examined in this episode. Roslyn's insights into how she dealt with such biases and negativity, are worth the listen alone. Best practice processes, lessons learned along the way and why Bookkeeping keeps continuing to evolve and how to evolve with it, are all covered in this episode and much, much more. Sit back and soak up the fabulous sharing that Roslyn brings to this episode.

Do you remember why you first fell in love with Bookkeeping and being so passionate about becoming a Bookkeeper. Or perhaps you are new to Bookkeeping and need some inspiration. This episode of Heart of the Bookkeeper may well just remind many of you of why Bookkeeping can be full of joy and excitement and why you can still jump out of bed each day proclaiming - I love being a Bookkeeper. Tanya Vann, the owner of TSM Bookkeeping out of Yeppoon in Queensland, is our guest today in this episode. As a younger Bookkeeper in Australia right now, Tanya explains why she so enjoys the journey of Bookkeeping and her at times unique approach to maintain that joy and reason to keep going in what can be a very challenging profession at times. Navigating motherhood and parenting whilst working, changing towns at a time of uncertainty, working alongside others in a community and how she navigated Covid to build her business as well as her relationship with a very special fellow Bookkeeper, are all found in this episode. And then there is the "Ace in the Pack" story. Please sit back and enjoy the joy, in this episode.

Dianne Green from Green Bookkeeping Solutions in Melbourne is the guest in this episode of Heart of the Bookkeeper. Dianne (despite her last name being a different colour) sees bookkeeping in Black & White, two colours that have also been important in her life in moments outside of her Bookkeeping journey. Dianne believes that bookkeeping data entry should only be a very small part of the joy and passion that can come with being a Professional Bookkeeper and that it is rather being an influencer and advisor to how Small Business can succeed and operate thanks to working with a great Bookkeeper, that makes the real joy. By working with what numbers can tell as a story and making those numbers come to life working alongside often unsure Business owners, is really what gets her out of bed each day. Lessons learned at High School about numbers and Bookkeeping and the influence of a wise teacher, form part of Dianne's story in this episode. Incapacity in her business, toxic work environments, the sad loss of a very special sister and the crack of lightening and thunder, all get their moments in this fabulous interview. Finally, the "R" word (retirement) is discussed and Dianne outlines her thoughts and why full retirement isn't necessarily on her radar, even once the time to move into a new season comes around. Wonderful insights, a wonderful and thought provoking episode.

Cassandra Scott has been a constant in the Australian Bookkeeping scene for over 20 years and is now recognised as a leading voice when it comes to so many things impacting on the Bookkeeping Industry in Australia. Cassandra has in many ways, had to fight her natural instincts to shy away and just go along quietly over the years and yet, her vast experiences and intensive views on how important Bookkeepers are in Australia have in time, become to significant to hold back. And it is in this episode that Cassandra shares so many insights as to why Bookkeepers and Bookkeeping need to keep growing and evolving for the very existence of the profession she so passionately loves. The word Professional is examined at length in this episode, as well as dealing with a toxic work environment, the importance of systems and a particular app that changed everything for her in her practice, as well as why an exit strategy doesn't have to mean leaving and walking away. So many insights and high impact gains to be made from hearing Cassandra and her approach to bookkeeping and to life more generally in this episode. And then their is chocolate ... and for that, you will simply have to tune in to understand.

Most Bookkeepers face challenges on a daily basis and it is the resilience of Bookkeepers that shines through regularly across Australia, whether that be in the large cities or towns, or way out in the bush. Our guest in this episode, Krystal Merrett, is one of those Bookkeepers who's challenges each day can vary in so many ways, mostly due to the extreme remoteness of her location. Imagine having to do a clients Payroll whilst sitting in the farm ute on the top of a ridge. Or having to travel nearly an hour, just to find a shop that has some paper for the printer. Krystal is one of a new generation of Bookkeepers in Australia who juggles the needs of businesses in her regional district, whilst also assisting her husband and two teenage kids in their own business to run the farm. Based in far western Victoria, Krystal shares the often struggles of being a regional Bookkeeper, but also the highlights of farm life and being part of a small community. A key message in this episode is the journey Krystal and her husband have been on with dealing with succession on the farm and how that can relate to anyone hoping to create longevity and legacy in a business. Another great listen - enjoy.