LEAH Oliver has been a nurturer of numbers for small businesses in Sydney’s Inner West for more than a decade. Collating reviews to find the best accountants in NSW, TrueLocal.com.au recently ranked her among the state’s top 10.
And the expert number cruncher, whose clientele is largely based in Drummoyne, says she owes it all to trust. “You’re delivering a service and not a product, and when you’re dealing with people’s finances, you need a relationship that is based on trust,” she said. Word travels and you eventually build and grow from there.” Watching an evolution of enterprise for 15 years, Ms Oliver said the Inner west was largely based in small businesses; some of which have thrived while others plunged down the financial gurgler. She said Inner West businesses that floundered, particularly during Global Financial Crisis, owed their downfall to spending beyond their means, misunderstanding financial reports and a lack of a good budget. But it’s not all doom and gloom. The Woolwich resident said the new financial year was the perfect time for a fresh start. “It’s a time of year when businesses can start with a clean slate – all profits and losses roll over, and it’s a good time to look at getting together a good budget.”