As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a child I really wanted to be a teacher. I have always had a passion for sharing my knowledge and helping others to learn. I often played school with my three siblings pretending to be a schoolteacher, giving lessons, organising tests, and grading their performance.
Where had that got to during your later studies (or not, as the case may be)?
Being from a poor background, Teachers College in Jamaica was very expensive for me. There wasn’t any flexible option to work and learn at the same time. I couldn’t see how I was going to support myself through four years of Teachers’ College without working. So unfortunately, that plan was placed on the back burner.
When did you move into accountancy; why, and how?
I was first introduced to accountancy at the age of 16 in high school. I was fascinated by the subject ‘principles of accounting’ as I had a flair for numbers. I immediately became obsessed with the subject and took a chance at completing my national exam in year ten. I got one of the highest marks in my high school. I thought, right, this is it, I’m either going to be a teacher of this subject or become a chartered accountant. That summer I went to a careers fair where I was introduced to the ACCA; I was hooked, and the rest was history.
How important is accounting in your role – and how has being an accountant helped you develop in your career and as a person?
Not everyone speaks the language of accounting and, as a practitioner, an important part of my job is not only to complete the financial statements but to articulate those numbers in such a way that the client can easily understand. From start-up to the developing and growth stages, I love helping and supporting business owners and their company at every phase to drive positive business performance.
Catch the full article in the XU Magazine here
