If you’re 22-38 today, you’re part of the millennial generation. Millennials have been transforming the workplace for the past decade or so, bringing new attitudes and characteristics which have either been celebrated or lamented by previous generations. However, millennials are no longer the youngest generation on the scene – they’re maturing into management professionals and our future leaders.
At Accru Felsers, all our Managers, Principals and Supervisors are millennials – and they’re from incredibly diverse backgrounds. Why did they choose an accounting career? Who inspires them? What advice would they share with young entrepreneurs? Find out in our quick Q&A below.
Meet Will Merdy
Principal, Business Services
Why did you choose an accounting career path?
I liked the new insight that accounting was giving me on life and transactions: every interaction is a kind of exchange from each party’s perspective.
A person that inspires you? Hard to choose – it’s what people do that inspires me.
Your advice to young entrepreneurs?
Find your support system – people that will celebrate your successes and help you through the rough times until you make it on your own. Most people who build their own businesses fail a few times before they get it right. Know this, embrace this – it will be easier to stand back up and try again.
Hidden talents?
I can code at a pretty advanced level in VBA, hear very high-pitched noises (ultrasonic pest-deterring systems drive me mad), am an advanced skier, can speak 4 languages and make out the general sense of quite a few more…
What you do in your spare time?
I’m a nerd at heart with an interest in tabletop and video games and comic books. It helps me communicate with my young nephew and niece! I spend a lot of time studying and am about to finish my 5th degree. Every few years, I go skiing overseas.
Favourite cities?
Paris will always be where I grew up and Sydney where I gained maturity. I wouldn’t live anywhere else for each of these periods in my life.
Meet Jean Zhang
Audit and assurance manager
Favorite part of your job?
I get to work with many types of large businesses across many industries and I enjoy meeting a lot of very intelligent, highly experienced and passionate people.
What you do in your spare time?
I enjoy meeting new people especially my Millennial peers to identify upcoming trends and patterns in business.
A person that inspires you?
My greatest inspiration in life has been my grandmother, from Shanghai. She was a great communicator, very intelligent and always had a solution for every difficult situation.
Your advice to young entrepreneurs?
Great decisions come with experience, and experience comes with bad decisions so embrace failure, identify your strengths and always be persistent.
Meet Thomas Heenan
Associate Financial Planner
Meet Thomas HeenanFavorite part of your job?
Engaging with clients and making a difference in their lives by putting them in a better financial position.
What you do in your spare time?
I read market and investment literature, and play plenty of cricket and tennis.
A person that inspires you?
My wife – She has always been very giving with her time and energy, and she has constantly taken on roles where she can help others. She is driven, organized and empathetic, all qualities I admire and aspire to improve in myself.
Your advice to young entrepreneurs?
Generating ideas is crucially important, thinking of improvements to every day problems or experiences. Once you have an idea have the drive to implement, bring specialists together and seek out others who have started their own business to avoid the pitfalls.
Favourite cities?
I lived in many different cities – Auckland, Wellington, Wanganui, Canberra and now Sydney. Queenstown New Zealand would be my favourite.