I have spend the last couple of days moving and updating my website, it hasn't had a good overhaul since I created it nearly 8 years ago now and was looked a bit dated. The only casualty of the move to a new provider has been that I have lost my previous blog. I am so pleased with how the new site has turned out however, it is a small price to pay, so here I am starting all over again with a brand new blog.
If I am honest I have to pinch myself when I think that it has been nearly 8 years since I started Bean Counters, it's a long time to be self-employed but I cannot imagine myself ever working for somebody else.
Being self-employed means I can work around my family, this year more than any other I have been extremely thankful that I have been able to so. It has been a difficult year personally with my Husbands attempted suicide, the death of my brother-in-law just a week later and then in October I suffered acute pancreatitis, was admitted to hospital and had my Gallbladder removed just a few days later. All of these events meant I was working odd hours (not what you'd call normal office hours) while I dealt with things, I even had my laptop in hospital with me so I could ensure all my client deadlines were met. It has been tough at times but I wouldn't have it any other way. I have some amazing clients who have all been so supportive.
Professionally on the other hand, the year couldn't have been more different, I was featured in the Daily Mirror careers section on 15th April after being approached by a journalist who wanted to do a piece on becoming an Accountant. Then came the SME Enterprise Award for Best Cost-Effective Accounts & Bookkeeping Solution in East of England. This was shortly followed by the Influential Businesswoman Award for Accountancy Businesswoman of the Year (East Midlands).
And as if these two accolades weren't recognition enough Bean Counters then went on to win Boutique Cloud Accountancy Practice of the Year (England) in the SME Finance Awards and just this week I have been told that Bean Counters has also been awarded Accountancy Firm of the Year (United Kingdom) in the Corporate Livewire Global Awards for 2021/22.
What do I put the success down to? Some call me a work-acholic, but when you love what you do it isn't really work is it!