Here at Grace Team Accounting we’re currently celebrating our 30 year anniversary and with a fresh new looking brand and office space we thought it would be a good idea to get some valuable insights and wise words from founder, Lindsay Grace by looking back over some of his key highlights and asking him just what does it take to be successful in business for 30 years? We also wanted to tell you about what’s happening in the future for Grace Team Accounting.
Over to you Lindsay ….
I arrived in Tauranga at the end of 1985 and worked for another local accountant. After a few years there I decided to go out alone and set up Grace Team Accounting. I wanted to lead a company that communicated efficiently and from the very start my belief has always been if it’s important to the client, it’s just as important to us.
Starting out in 1988 we had two staff members plus myself, Wendy and my wife Glenys who is still working with us in the business today. Fast forward 30 years and we’re now a great team of 17.
Highlights over the last 30 years?
There’s been many but a stand out is still having a number of clients we had when we started. It’s been a real privilege helping them and other clients reach their goals both personally and professionally.
Many of our core staff like Sue and Kristen have been with us around the 25 year mark. Maria, Jane, janine and Janet all 15 years plus.To think we’ve enabled them to achieve personal growth and they were able to work and build relationships that made them feel like they were making a difference is something to be proud of.
One of the reasons I think we have a loyal customer base is because of how we communicate. It’s just as important to listen as it is to give clear and concise advice. We know at times when
dealing with problems clients can feel uncomfortable so we like to make sure we give our clients confidence because we know there’s a solution.
I come from a construction background which meant when you had a problem you had to solve it quickly and communicate clearly so that is what I wanted to bring into the company. As I said before if it’s important to the client, then it’s important to us.
Another highlight is we’re working with 3rd generation clients where we have worked with the grandparents, we’re now working with the grandkids. It’s great stuff and working with the future generation is exciting.
Where to from here?
Goal setting and helping others achieve their goals has always been a big part of who we are but Michael is taking this a lot further and formalising how we offer these services. Instead of waiting for our clients to come to us with an issue we’re working hard at being proactive and offering services and solutions before they arise.
We always had a bend towards helping clients and giving them confidence to be in business and taking a more formal approach to how we can do this is what we want to do now and into the future. You can’t live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself so why not learn from others?