24 years old in 2024
Tashly Consulting celebrates it’s 24th birthday this month. After almost quarter of a century in business, it is an interesting time to stop and reflect on the growth and changes in the industry over this time.
Seeing an opportunity in 2000 when the GST system began the business was born, but what it looked like then, is very different to the way it looks now.
According to Wikipedia, the internet in Australia became available to some universities in around 1989, however it wasn’t until mid 1990s that dial up internet services became mainstream and available to households and businesses. Even as the internet superhighway was gaining momentum, there were very few services available online in 2000 when Tashly Consulting started. To put that into perspective, Google wasn’t launched in Australia until 2002, and the Nokia 3210 was the cutting-edge tech in mobile phones at that time. The mobile phones had no connectivity to the internet, could not be used to send/receive emails and sms messages were limited to 160 characters.
However, computer technology was improving, and MYOB was the small business software of choice at that time. Having launched in 1991, they offered an ‘off-the-shelf’ package that met the bookkeeping requirements for small business. The software was available through your local Officeworks or computer store in a box which contained a CD-Rom with the software to be downloaded to the business PC. The price point was affordable and gave businesses the professional edge with customisable invoicing templates, streamlined payroll processing and by 2000 when the new simplified tax system with GST reporting, easy BAS reporting. The adoption of this software was substantial, particularly with the new tax system, and I saw this as an opportunity to empower small businesses around their finances.
As the software was installed on a local computer at the client’s premises, I spent my days driving from business to business and updating their bookkeeping, processing their payroll and printing any reports. I had no way of easily providing any additional support outside of their scheduled bookkeeping appointment time, unless I made an unscheduled visit to their site. Accordingly, I found it challenging to grow the business, as my time and resources were limited. I attempted to employ staff, but found it difficult to provide them adequate support if they were out on site at a separate location and needing assistance.
Meanwhile, in 2006, there was a team in Wellington NZ who were working on a product that would later disrupt the market by using the internet as the platform for their software. Xero was born. In the early days, it was a very basic product and was lacking payroll and accounts receivable/payable functions so was not suitable for many client’s needs, however fast forward to the mid 20teens and the software continued to be developed adding the additional features needed for a full accounting system. Xero then began to gain some real momentum and provided the benefit of being able to access client files anywhere, anytime and on any device with internet access.
This provided the benefit of the accountant, client and bookkeeper looking at the same real-time data, and support being available externally when needed. This development in the industry enabled us to pivot our services from being an onsite service, to a remote service while still being able to deliver a higher level of support due to the ease of access. Initially I started working from home, but quickly transitioned into a permanent office in a co-working space until it closed, and then sub-leased a space in Vale Park from a conveyancing firm for approximately 6 years.
The team at Tashly Consulting was able to grow as we could now all work together from the same central location, whilst working on multiple different clients, and be able to support one another. This expansion resulted in us gaining true independence and securing and office space, with generous boardroom in Walkerville.
A significant improvement that cloud accounting offered was live bank feeds and connectivity to third party software providers. Integration of external information with your accounting platform provides a feature-rich environment for clients, and removes duplicate handling of information.
At Tashly Consulting, we are licensed BAS agents and can assist you with your payroll, BAS, and bookkeeping needs. We offer Bookkeeping Packages and if you need help tidying up your records or have fallen behind in your obligations. We can also provide Adhoc Consultations via zoom meeting, or face to face, for any queries you may have, as well as Xero training if you would prefer to keep your bookkeeping in-house but need help getting started.
Tashly Consulting Xero Bookkeepers Adelaide are Registered BAS Agents #86318001, and we are dedicated to providing seamless, high-quality, transparent bookkeeping services – If you would like any further information please contact us via telephone (08) 8121 4424 or via email to discover how the multi-award-winning team at Tashly Consulting can help you better manage your business bookkeeping.
Tashly Consulting Xero Bookkeepers Adelaide – Not your average Bean Counter!
Disclaimer: All or any advice contained in this blog/newsletter is of a general nature only & may not apply to your individual business circumstances. For specific advice relating to your specific situation, please contact your accountant or other professional adviser for further discussion.
Images by Xero | Edited by @tashlydesign