Both as an individual and as a Business owner, I try to engage with the community as much as possible. This ranges from charities to work with my church — and, when I was asked to speak at a school careers day for sixth formers, I jumped at the chance.
Adeyfield Academy is a comprehensive school in Hemel Hempstead, and I was delighted to take part in an event that could influence the future career paths and career inspiration of their students.
Why Is Speaking to Students Important?
At one time, careers advice to school students was all about what jobs to apply for once they left full-time education. However, the picture has radically changed in recent years, and the chances are that many school-leavers today will be looking to become Entrepreneurs.
However, although schools do a great job in many areas, the curriculum doesn’t always have the capacity to delve into practicalities of entrepreneurship and business ownership. This is why the more aware schools, like Adeyfield, recognise the importance of bringing in experienced Entrepreneurs who can give a realistic view of what’s out there — including questions like what income to expect, how to set up a business and whether they should be employed first or dive straight into Self-employment.
What I Talked About
The talk I gave aimed to explain about the basics of what Accountants do, why they’re important and how they benefit Entrepreneurs:
- The core of a successful business is having the right attitude. I began by running through the qualities an Entrepreneur needs, such as being reliable, loyal and committed.
- Then I outlined the various services Grace Certified Accountants offer, including Payroll, Bookkeeping, Trusts, VAT, Capital Gains Tax and Year end Statutory Returns. Besides explaining what these services are, I also impressed on the students how they can benefit both businesses and individuals.
- I went through all the various types of people we work with at Grace Certified Accountants, ranging from Self-Employed Electricians to Limited companies.
- I explained how an Entrepreneur can save money on their tax bill, running through what can be claimed and what can’t.
- Finally, I talked about the rewards of entrepreneurship – like the freedom to shape your own path, while also highlighting the value of gaining experience through employment.
Why Was My Talk Important to the Students?
What I’d really love, of course, is for at least one of the students listening to decide to set up their own accountancy firm. And I’d genuinely love to see more people entering the profession, even if that means more competition. The important thing is to have more Accountants who take on board the right values.
On the other hand, many may set up in different kinds of businesses. I hope these will remember my talk and not only realise how much having a great Accountant will benefit them — but also know how to recognise a great Accountant.
Hopefully, of course, this will in many cases be Grace Certified Accountants. Even if they look elsewhere, though, I’ll be proud to think I’ve helped some new, budding Entrepreneurs make the right choices.