Being a successful gardener

I am famous for two things in our house. Our kids are constantly telling me:-

that I am not funny at all (even though I think I am hilarious) and
that I am such a bad gardener that I could kill even an artificial plant

Which is why this week has been quite amazing. Firstly, I had an enquiry from a new client that is a comedy club. I was pretty excited as this isn’t the usual sort of client I hear from. I am already workshopping the language I will have to use so I appear cool and am rewatching many episodes of Seinfeld. So long as they don’t heckle me while I am preparing their BAS, it should be a match made in heaven. So even if I am not funny, I will have friends that are.

Secondly, I have grown a baby pineapple. All those years ago during lockdown, I chopped the hairy hat off the top of a pineapple, stuck it in some water till it sprouted roots, then put it into a pot. I really just did it because I thought it made a great centrepiece for my dining table. I also named her “Pine-elope”. I always think if you name something, then you will probably look after it with more care. This isn’t the first time I have named a plant. I also have an avocado tree named Javier that I grew from a seed. Man, I really do need grandchildren.

So, three years pass, and my girl is still here. She has survived my terrible gardening skills, two house moves, countless storms and an annoying magpie. But Pine-elope had been looking a bit peaky. I had been contemplating ripping her out and planting some herbs, but having a friend called Basil seemed a lot less fun, so I stuck with her. And boy, am I glad I did because Pine-elope has blessed me with a baby pineapple. You have never seen a bookkeeper so excited and proud as me when I spotted the baby. But it did make me ponder. Other than my family, what other things have I nurtured that make me proud? And as always, the answer is my clients.

As advisors, we see business owners in the worst of times and also in the best of times. While some are thriving, others are just hanging in there and in both scenarios, our best skills are to listen, interpret and make suggestions of improvement. People think being a bookkeeper is boring because it is very dry and all about numbers. They are mistaken. This job is all about relationships and communication. I also like to think it is a lot about heart. Just like I have grown Pine-elope from a hairy hat and Javier from a seed, I have been with some of our clients since their inception. I have nurtured and supported their passion and watched them grow and when they thrive, that makes me so damn proud. Maybe I am not such a terrible gardener after all. I just need to carefully choose the garden bed.

So, cheers to all those advisors that are nurturing a crop of small businesses of their own. Your work is important so take time to rejoice in the successes of all your little Pine-elopes.

Stay ‘Appy