My first year as CEO

We are well and truly into December now and I've eaten more mince pies and After Eights than I care to count. Thank you to Sylvia Bourhill, our Advisory Council vice chair, for warning me that mince pies are poisonous for dogs so I can be particularly careful to devour every last crumb to protect our whippet, Spyro, who at 10 months old is definitely still a puppy.

 

No doubt like me you are starting to wonder if you'll get through the holiday season in one piec

e. Whether it's keeping to last minute deadlines, sorting staff appraisals, client receipts, Christmas presents, or cakes for the school Christmas fair - you'll want to be like Bing and Bublé's tree in the Grand Hotel - 'the sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow.'

 

2023 was my first year as ICB CEO and it's been a whirlwind of unforgettable moments. Let me take you through what I learnt and why I'm excited for the year ahead.

 

 

2023 showed me again how resilient, sturdy and FUN bookkeepers are. With our ICB member reviewers, we've launched new software reviews and, when I spoke to members at the Inspire Tour and the Bookkeepers Summit, I saw first hand how open you are to new techology and new ways of thinking; whether that means embracing AI, offering new services, or just taking some much-deserved time off. Above all, I can see that across the UK ICB members are enjoying themselves and raising each other up.

 

Our discussions at ICB events and various tech panels throughout the year have highlighted how as bookkeepers you can leverage AI and other changes to enhance what you do, offer more value to businesses, and elevate your career.

 

Your ability to understand the biggest dreams of even the smallest businesses is something that no AI can replicate. The way you connect with business owners on a human level to offer tailored advice and build lasting relationships is uniquely wonderful and it means there'll be work for you as long as we have humans running businesses.

 

This was my first LUCA Awards as CEO. I joked about being dressed like a LUCA Award and how quickly a year in the top job has passed. The LUCA Awards are always such a special occasion because they recognise the people that make the business of running a business easier; whether that’s through being an exceptional bookkeeper, practice owner, employee, or technology provider.

 

This year the LUCA Awards gave me an opportunity to thank my team who I couldn't have gotten through 2023 without. We have some really passionate people working at ICB because we truly believe in bookkeepers. Our work chat on Teams is full of screenshots of your social posts and us celebrating your successes as if they’re our own. So for us to enjoy the LUCA Awards with the people, the practices and the partners that give us meaning and purpose, was really very special indeed.

 

And then to witness the standing ovation for Advisory Council chair Kirsty St John as she took to the stage to collect her award for Personality of the Year. Wow! There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

 

Wars will rage, global temperatures (and interest rates) will rise, but here in our community there’s a pocket of positivity, of optimism and the belief in progress. Because we know we can make a difference, one business at a time.

 

When I opened the Bookkeepers Summit I spoke about how we all know that bookkeeping is the beating heart of accounting, but now everyone can see bookkeepers are no longer bringing up the rear but leading from the front.

 

ICB is also transforming as we undergo a complete digital overhaul ready to launch a new website next summer. You'll be pleased to hear the website will look gorgeous on your phone or tablet and it will truly reflect your professionalism. For the first time we will have the opportunity for all members to appear in an online members directory, meaning if you are employed or looking for a job you can display your credentials and be seen. If you are running a business, the practice directory will give you an enhanced opportunity to showcase yourself and the bit I'm most excited about is that we're bringing Bookkeepers Summit style networking features into the main website. For 365 days of the year you can find each other online, collaborate and grow.

 

We'll be even stronger together in 2024.

 

For this year's Office Party the ICB team is getting together to enjoy a Charles Dickens 'Christmas Carol' walking tour. We'll be visiting some of the sites of his famous tale nearby our new office in Chancery Lane, Holborn. Dickens famously wrote, "There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor" so, as we revel in each other's company and share in the festive spirit, on behalf of everyone at ICB may I wish you a very happy holiday season in the company of your nearest and dearest.

 

I truly hope you get the chance to put your work down so you can enjoy yourself and spread some cheer because no matter whether it's your loved ones, those tax returns, your clients or your employer, 'the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing right within your heart.'