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Learn a little more about our newest partner and what shaped his path here – in his own words.
Looking back I always had an interest and was involved in our family businesses; this provided me with a lead into accounting.
I had my first job at 12 years of age working Saturdays in my uncle’s cafe in North Melbourne, giving up tennis to wash dishes and fold napkins. I also had my father who was a significant influence who operated a convenience store on Sydney Road. Although my father wanted me to become a dentist, he trained me to do his bookkeeping so he could have a Saturdays off which gave me the foundation of my career and him some free time.
Thinking about it now I never really knew what I wanted to do other than knowing I wanted to eventually work for myself. Prior to my year 10 work experience, I was leaning towards the path of becoming a carpenter like many of my friends.
I remember my accounting teacher, Neville Box, telling me I’d make a good accountant.
My interest in accounting and advisory really developed when I completed my year 10 work experience at a local accounting firm. Even though I only had a small taste of the profession, I found that I became really interested in the preparation, review processes and advising aspect of the profession. At this point, I made the decision to focus on business/accounting VCE subjects and I achieved my first A grade overall in accounting. I remember my accounting teacher, Neville Box, telling me I’d make a good accountant.
…the satisfaction of becoming a Chartered Accountant and now a partner at Mead Partners in the end makes those sacrifices all worth it.
As most professional accountants can understand that becoming a fully qualified accountant has its challenges and sacrifices, with the ongoing commitment to continually maintain skill levels and ongoing education. I do remember when I was a graduate and lost most of my weekends for 2 ½ years while undergoing my CA studies, one weekend before my exam there was a heat wave in Melbourne and my friends were heading to the beach, I was in the office studying, I doubt my friends remember those weekends like I do but the satisfaction of becoming a Chartered Accountant and now a partner at Mead Partners in the end makes those sacrifices all worth it.
…my goals shifted from just getting my foot in the door to wanting to be an irreplaceable member of the team.
When I started at Mead Partners in January 2008 as a graduate fresh out of university, I thought that this would provide me with a start to my career but due to the travel, that perhaps I would only be working in the firm for 1 or 2 years to gain experience as my commute between home & work was fairly large at the time. But very early on I found this thought process change after working at Mead Partners and I remember that my goals shifted from just getting my foot in the door to wanting to be an irreplaceable member of the team, mostly due to;
- The support from the team
- the clear path that the partners had for the firm and for all staff members
- the diversity of work and industries I’m involved in/exposed to and
- the trust and opportunity to take charge of the path I take my career
When asked who are my mentors or heroes are, I could not pinpoint one particular person as I guess I could say that I am lucky as so many people have provided me with so many positive influences including the people that I am around every day at home and the in the office. But one particular person is my partner, Kim – she truly makes me a better person.
I feel that this will provide me with new challenges which I am both nervous and excited about.
I have grown with a lot of my clients and I feel that I have become an integral part of their personal and business affairs. I will always continue pushing and growing my skill set and now having the opportunity to become a junior partner at Mead Partners I feel that this will provide me with new challenges which I am both nervous and excited about.
Personally, I am very satisfied and proud of my career as a whole to date at Mead Partners and look forward to helping to continue to build and grow the firm for other potential staff members to have a similar experience that I have had.
Finally, people may say having a Giraffe as a favourite animal is a bit strange but it has a special childhood memory because when my sister and I were younger my father would tell us Giraffes could be used as a water slide and we always wanted one to test his theory.
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