Jenna McArtney
Our chartered accountant and tax adviser, Jenna Gauld, is the star of this week’s In Your Shoes blog.
This popular blog series from Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce puts the spotlight on local business people to find out how they spend their time:
Jenna Gauld is a Chartered Accountant and Tax Adviser at MMG Archbold who have offices in Dundee, Forfar and Montrose. Jenna works with clients to get to know their business and personal circumstances. This enables her to offer the very best advice on tax and give clear guidance on general accountancy practices. Born and bred in Dundee and a graduate of Dundee University, Jenna has been an integral member of the MMG Archbold team for over six years.
Monday: Madness
After a busy long weekend there is a feeling of Monday Madness with lots to catch up on following an extra few days out of the office. I always start my Monday with a to-do list for the week ahead that allows me to block out time for pieces of work and to ensure my calendar is arranged accordingly. I spend the day catching up with emails, calling clients and meeting with colleagues. I work from the Dundee office but my role involves quite a bit of travelling to meet my clients, so the more prepared I am for the week ahead, the better.
Tuesday: P2P
That is People to People, not an algorithm for the perfect return! Accountancy is less about numbers and more about people. I’m meeting with a potential new client in Perth today who was referred to me by an existing client, which is always a great endorsement for the personal service we provide. Getting to know my clients and building that vital trusted relationship is the most rewarding part of my job and to know a client is happy with our service and wishes to recommend us to others is fantastic.
Wednesday: Planes, trains and automobiles
I’m in Perth again today assisting a client with their online accounting package. This hands-on support is really important, not only for the client but also for me, visiting their business and learning more about what they do. After a busy morning it’s back to the Dundee office to respond to emails before driving to Edinburgh Airport with our Managing Partner to catch a flight to Birmingham (which we narrowly avoid missing due to me misreading which flight was delayed. Whoops!).
Thursday: Networking that isn’t taxing
A change of scene today as I’m attending the Annual Tax Conference at Warwick University with our Managing Partner, Paul Crichton. This conference is a great opportunity to meet and develop relationships with our peers through a number of interactive sessions to discuss changes in taxation and the impact this has on clients. The extensive session on exit planning is of particular interest to me as many of my clients are looking to the future and planning how to exit their businesses to achieve their personal aims and aspirations.
It’s not all work and no play however. The first day of the conference concluded with a fantastic dinner and a few drinks with the new people we have met (and no, we didn’t talk tax over dinner!).
Friday: Property Planning
After an enjoyable night networking, the second day of the conference had an early start. After checking in with the office in Dundee and replying to a few client emails, the day continued with a variety of speakers presenting on topical tax issues, including the changes that are hitting the property world. This is of particular interest as a number of my clients have property businesses and we work with them to plan ahead in a bid to minimise the financial impact of these regulatory changes and to develop and grow their business.
After a busy week, it’s back to the airport to catch our flight home. Next week will be a new to do list. The work of an accountant is really rather interesting.