It has only just occurred to me, but 7 Feb 2024 will mark my time of 30 years since I got my first job in accounting. I remember that time very clearly. I completed my degree at Curtin University, and I was out looking for my first job. I had a few interviews, without much success. I knew I wanted to be in public accounting, and I knew I wanted to be a Chartered Accountant. It was just a question of where I was going to get my opportunity. I got my first job offer in an accounting firm in Perth, in St George’s Terrace, and I was super excited. But it wasn’t what I dreamt it would be.
Day 1, I soon realised I hadn’t the faintest idea what I was doing. Not only that, but I quickly discovered I absolutely despised my time there. It was my first experience at workplace bullying, by the partner I was working under. I was yelled at, sworn at, called all sorts of names in front of whole office. I remember that time for the fear I had going to work every single day. My Sundays were spent in anxiety, fear, and dread about what may happen that coming week. And it has taken nearly all of my 30 years to rid myself of the demons that 18 months caused. But I am grateful for that experience because what I experienced would teach me lessons that would create the success I have today.
Here is why.
1. From that moment I knew what good culture meant. The values and culture you instill in your workplace mean everything to your business’s success. When you churn employee turnover, that is clearly a reflection your businesses culture is really poor. I was not going to repeat that culture that I experienced. The culture I wanted was going to be a place where everyone loved coming to the office. Where we will all laugh, where we respect each other, and value each other for who we are, where people feel free to be whoever they are.
2. Your team are everything. I learnt quickly how crucial your people are. If you are successful in business, that is because your team are awesome. Throughout my journey, being an employee, a partner, to owning Peak Strategies, you are only as good as the people you have around you. At Peak I learnt to identify what personality traits I needed, that not only matched me, but matched Peak and Peak’s clients. Hire personalities, skills and experience are trainable. And, very importantly, be patient with hiring. Take your time. The right one will come to you. It took me a while, but I got it right, and my team are amazing.
3. Technical skills only account for 1/3 of your success. The other 2/3rds comes from communication and relationships. Accountants aren’t $ and numbers. We are in the relationship game. Yes, we produce reports with dollars and numbers, but unless we can communicate what that means in a fashion that the recipient can understand, the client just gets confused, and ultimately that is your fault. We are in the business of communication and human relationships. We need to understand the psychology of the client, how to communicate with them, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and how to get the best out of them. We have been marriage counsellors, psychologists, life coaches, mentors, all sorts of things, and seen many tears. A degree in psychology would have had a greater impact on mine and my team’s success, as we are also dealing with emotions, fears, anxieties, uncertainties, risk.
4. All of us, whether we are employees, or employers, do what we do for the returns we receive. Yes, some of those returns are in the form of $, being salary or business profits. But that is only a minor part. The returns we are wanting are emotional. The connections you have with your team, the culture of the business, the relationships with clients, plus the learning, growth, and evolution for you as a human and as a professional and celebrating successes. I love it when a plan comes together.
I also reflect on the circumstances, turning points, chance meetings that we all have in our journey that leads us down life’s path. If it wasn’t for that first job being so horrific, I wouldn’t have looked for a new accounting firm to work for. That second accounting firm then started my journey into pharmacy. I spent 15 years in that role, and discovered what a good team culture and good people can do. It would lead me down a path where I found out what I was good at, what I was passionate about…. Pharmacy. Accountants weren’t my people. Pharmacists were my people. That was where I could provide value. That was where I would immerse myself for the rest of my career and business.
I reflect on the people I met, the introductions I got to other people, the chance meetings, and the lifelong relationships that are formed from these moments. These are the things that bring me so much joy. Some of my closest friends have come from this industry.
Lastly a note on Peak. Peak started 14 years ago, following on from my annus horribilis. 2009, where my dad had an aneurism and nearly died, and Mum was diagnosed with Cancer. That lead me to question things and wanting change. I found myself needing to answer a question. Can I run a successful business on my own? That started Peak Strategies. And yes, I can tick that box off. I am very proud of Peak and that amazing team.
So, 30 years on, 3 decades of insomnia, mental health battles, psychologists, medication, mentors, life coaches, I am incredibly grateful for this path I have walked, the things I have learnt, the experiences I have had, the growth and evolution of me, JT. Not only have I learnt a lot about myself and how to elevate my being, but I understand people so much better.
