WHO I HELP

Sole traders. Partnerships. Limited companies.

HOW I HELP

Bookkeeping. VAT returns. Management accounts. Statutory accounts.

SECTORS/SUPPORT

Across a wide range of industries.

“I TAKE AN IN-DEPTH APPROACH TO WORKING WITH MY CLIENTS.”

Laura McCallion is a Manager in the Business Advisory team. She manages a wide portfolio of clients across the Island of Ireland, assisting them in bookkeeping, vat returns, management accounts and statutory accounts. In her day-to-day role, Laura also leads a team of trainee and qualified accountants who help drive the portfolio, ensuring all clients are taken care of and assignments are delivered in a timely manner and are of the highest quality.

Driving a meaningful connection

“I’m a social person so I enjoy building meaningful relationships with my clients.  Getting to know them on a more personal level helps build trust within the relationship, which I believe is ultimately the key in business. For me, there’s no greater feeling of accomplishment than seeing a business flourish or a goal achieved and knowing that I’ve been a part of that journey.

One of the greatest compliments I’ve received is when one of my clients said that I make their life easier. By looking after the client’s administration and bookkeeping I can take the pressure off their shoulders, allowing them to allocate their time to the profitable part of the business. Over the past years of supporting the client, it has been incredibly rewarding to see how significantly their business has grown.”

Embracing the virtual channels

“I recently moved back to my hometown to be closer to family, which is a considerable distance away from the closest office. Working in a firm that embraces technology has given me the flexibility to work remotely most of the time. Having built up great relationships with my clients, they were more than happy to keep in contact virtually, knowing that if something comes up and they need me in the office or on their premises, I’m always happy to rearrange to accommodate that.

As a tech-enabled business, we’ve seen first-hand the accessibility and efficiencies that virtual channels offer to us. I believe it’s safe to say that the implementation of virtual and remote systems has been vital to the growth of any business.”

Investing in our people

“I lead a small team and looking after their wellbeing is always at the forefront of my management style. It is only when staff are happy and healthy that I can expect the work or output to be at its best. I try my best to ensure they feel heard and valued, and their work schedule works around their personal life. As a working mother, I know first-hand how important getting the work-life balance right is, and I feel the support we have from AAB is unmatched. It’s great to have the flexibility to put our family first and maintain that work-life balance, allowing us eliminate distractions during work to do the best we can for the clients and the firm.”

Helping businesses combat rising inflation

“It’s certain to say most businesses across all industries are feeling the pressure of inflation and the energy crisis, which is having a knock-on effect on profits and reinvestment for growth and strategy. By looking at a client’s expenditure and cash flow, we can check if savings can be made elsewhere and ensure that the client is increasing their own sales in line with the rate of inflation.

Different industries experience the pressure of rising costs in different ways, so a ‘one size fits all’ solution is never an option. Having worked across a wide range of industries and with a background degree in economics, I don’t only look at the figures in front of me, I apply them to the industry the client is in for comparative information, think about how the economy effects the client, and try to step back from year-end figures and look at the whole picture.”

Breaking the stereotype of boring accountants

“People around me tend to have the misconception of accountants that they’re boring. I feel this could not be further from the truth. It’s an ever-evolving industry where there’s always room for professional development and to learn new skills. Every day is different, and the clients and businesses that I get to work with are interesting and unique. For me, it’s exciting getting to know different clients or industries and being able to help businesses thrive.

Also, I love that there’s always the opportunity to challenge the status quo. I definitely take a more in-depth approach to working with my clients and I’m not afraid to assert myself where needed to challenge ideas and plans if I think it could benefit the project. I firmly believe that it is the challenger mindset that we have across the firm that truly allows us to make a positive impact and add value.”