We recently welcomed Graham Pearson to the role of Senior Accountant at RfM Preston. Graham has many years’ accounting experience, an infectious enthusiasm for cloud accounting and his own hashtag! Here are a few more interesting facts about Graham.
On leaving school at the age of 16, Graham took his first job at a clothing factory in Westhoughton, near Bolton. The factory specialised in military clothing (think bullet proof vests) although Graham started out making a slightly less exciting product – zips.
Graham spent 12 years at the factory, progressing from humble zip-maker to factory manager. Contracts with suppliers in Romania required Graham to travel to Bucharest several times each year, for days at a time. Over the five years that he visited the city, Graham marvelled at how Bucharest was changing and developing… but he was ready for a new challenge.
Next step… self-employment
As a factory manager, Graham had learned the ins and outs of running a business; he decided that the next step of the journey would be to work for himself.
In 1999, Graham became the proud co-owner of an off-licence. He was keen to do everything properly and sought professional advice on how to keep good financial records.
“I had a really helpful accountant who showed me how to do my books,” explains Graham. “When it came to do my end of year accounts he said I’d done everything so thoroughly I could do it as a career!”
Which, of course, set Graham thinking.
“It started with one accounting correspondence course. And then another. I enjoyed doing them so much I kept on going until I’d achieved the ACCA‘s Certified Accounting Technician Qualification.”
Tax qualification
Graham ran the off-licence for six years before deciding to pursue a career in the profession he’d only discovered he loved by accident. In 2005, he was recruited to manage an accountancy practice in Bolton.
Graham stayed at the practice for 12 years, during which time he continued to study and achieve the ATT tax qualification. Whilst there, he also made a new discovery that would further fuel his passion for his profession – cloud accounting.
#ETC (embrace the cloud)
“The practice was very forward-thinking; there was a really strong commitment to using technology to make life easier for clients. Once I got used to using cloud-based applications I could see why. Now I’m such an advocate of cloud accounting… I think it’s brilliant.”
Graham’s friends were also surprised when he turned from apparent technophobe to techno-geek.
“I go on about cloud accounting software so much they’ve given me my own hashtag: #ETC which is short for ‘embrace the cloud’. But, joking aside, I really am a cloud super fan – especially of Xero which I’ve been using for five years now.”
Xero cloud accounting software + more
RfM can now offer clients access to Xero cloud accounting along with a number of other packages.
As Graham’s such a fan of Xero accounting software, we asked him what he thinks are its three best features…
- ease of use – even a novice bookkeeper would find Xero straightforward
- automatic bank feeds – once it’s set up, your banking transactions feed directly into the accounting software
- “It’s just a joy to use” – not technically a feature but definitely a reason to try it.
Graham is also Xero Certified, which requires him to undertake training and keep up-to-date with all the latest developments in the software. He brings this certification with him to RfM Chartered Accountants.
“A number of RfM clients have already moved their bookkeeping and accounts to Xero. I’m looking forward to showing many more RfM clients how Xero can revolutionise the way they manage their business finances.”
Graham made the move to RfM in the spring so that he could continue his professional development as an accountant.
“It’s been a steep learning curve and I’m so busy… but I’m loving it!”
And we are loving your enthusiasm Graham (and your hashtag). Welcome to RfM.
For more information about cloud accounting software for your business, contact one of our offices or enquire online.