The proud founder and leader of the business, Jan spent time working abroad before coming back in search of a career. After training as an accounting technician, she was given the opportunity to become a chartered accountant and the rest as they say, is history.

What’s your role at Jan McDermott, and when did you join the team?

As owner and founder of the company which I set up in 2055,  I call myself the MD. My role is really to oversee everything and manage the compliance side of the business. I still do some client work which I really enjoy

What inspired you to work in this field or join Jan McDermott Chartered Accountants?

I’ve been in accountancy since 1990 and so having qualified as an Accounting Technician and then a Charted Accountant, it seemed like a natural progression to “go it alone”.

I’d received some excellent training and had some really good role models so I was comfortable in making the move.

What kind of clients do you usually work with?

We work with all types of business structures in a wide range of industries. I don’t really get involved in the day-to-day work for them, but am called in to help with any really technical issues or any major changes to their business, like buying or selling.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

The satisfaction that we are helping people to run successful businesses and that because of our experience we are able to help them pay less tax .

Is there a particular area of your work you find especially rewarding or interesting?

I prefer working on the more strategic side of things, both for our clients and for our own business.

How do you like to start your day at work?

After a cup of tea, my first job is to check and respond to recent emails and schedule any additional work. Then catch up with the Team using our Practice Management system.

What motivates you to do your best work?

I take pride in being reliable, helping clients and being part of our team.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Running, I have been a member of Wallasey Athletic Club since 2015 and have achieved things I never thought I would. If I’m not accounting or running then I like to travel (which does often include running) and would love to see more of South Africa.

What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?

I came into the profession without a degree, which in 1990, was very unusual

What do you think will be a big industry trend/ change within the next 5 years?

AI has contributed a huge amount to the profession, and this is only set to continue. Whilst some people see this as taking work away from real life human accountants, it doesn’t. It allows us to dedicate more of our time to really helping business owners to understand their businesses and allow them to get out what they want from it.