I recently attended the ICNZB BookkeeperCon21 in Rotorua, NZ which NextMinute sponsored. The theme of the conference was “We’re Taking Care of Business’’. 

With around 200 members attending the conference event over 2 days, it was a hive of activity. 

Everyone was there to learn from sponsors, speakers, other attendees or the organisers. 

We had great conversations, heard customer stories, a bit of smack talk and for us, getting a deeper understanding on what’s going on in SME businesses at the coal face.

It wasn’t until day 2 of the conference that the theme hit me. There is so much more to “taking care of business” than numbers, compliance, payroll etc. These are all outputs of a job completed, but businesses have a reason to exist outside of just turning a profit.

The meaning is in the title…When we say “take care of yourself” we don’t mean washing dishes, vacuuming, chores or life admin. We say it with the meaning for you to do something that will improve your quality of life. Like eating a good meal, enjoying a good book or taking a holiday.

There has not been (at least in my lifetime) a more volatile and uncertain period of time to be a business owner, but what has been clear is that there is resilience. Having a trusted support network alongside to help navigate challenges has been critical to many businesses just getting through. And these support networks have come in the shape of our community of bookkeepers, accountants, business advisors, software and ecosystem apps and industry bodies like the ICB.

The BookkeeperCon21 was a chance to bring together part of our community. It gave bookkeepers a chance to discuss their challenges, opportunities, and who they can talk to and what they need most. 

When I cut through it all, there was a common theme to everyone’s stories and insights, the human element. They wanted to know they could pick up the phone,  send an email or chat online and be heard and looked after. They don’t expect perfection, they want simplicity, but most importantly they want “us”, our care and attention.

Apps and software, processes and equipment will continually be upgraded or replaced. Genuine conversations, listening and laughter, things that an app cannot do, cannot be replaced.

When bookkeepers partner with NextMinute, they get us. When a customer uses NextMinute, they get us. We are here to make business life simpler and easier to navigate, so when things get hectic, we can rely on each other.  A sense of belonging, trust, empathy and passion is “taking care of business”. 

Let’s take care of business for builders and trades together … let’s do it by combining smart tech with the human element.