Donna Williams MICB has found true freedom through bookkeeping, creating a career that balances financial stability and family life. In just five months, she built a thriving practice from scratch, securing ten clients with more in the pipeline.
Donna’s first passion was art and design, but after completing her studies, she found limited career opportunities in the field. With a strong interest in business and a practical mindset, she recognised that the best way to understand how a company operates was through its finances. Without the option of university, she took the initiative to gain hands-on experience in accounting, committing to a long commute to build her expertise from the ground up.
Juggling parenthood and career
While juggling full-time work, accountancy studies, and motherhood, Donna sought more flexibility by launching a wedding cake business. However, running a commercial cake studio for eight years proved more demanding than expected. “I started it to spend more time with my children but ended up working seven days a week,” she recalls. This experience gave her invaluable insight into the financial and operational challenges of small businesses.
With over 13 years of experience in bookkeeping and accounting, Donna has worked with businesses of all sizes, from small firms to global companies. While her career included time at large firms like BDO, redundancy during maternity leave twice led her to rethink her path. Rather than seeing it as a setback, she embraced self-employment as an opportunity. “There’s more risk in employment than in running your own business,” she reflects. “At least when it’s your business, you’re in control.” Inspired by others, she realised she had the skills and experience to build her own bookkeeping practice.
To gain hands-on experience, Donna took a job at a small accountancy firm while earning her ICB qualifications with Training Link. When her cousin encouraged her to start her own practice, she took the leap. Now, just five months in, she has 11 clients, with three more on the way.
Networking has been key to her success. “I say yes to every opportunity,” she says. “Even if someone isn’t a potential client, I’ll meet them for a coffee—you never know where a conversation will lead.” Her enthusiasm for bookkeeping often surprises people. “They say, ‘I’ve never met anyone as passionate about bookkeeping as you!’ But if a business doesn’t have good bookkeeping, nothing else works properly.”
Donna’s work has already made a significant impact. She recently helped one client recover £14,000 in unpaid invoices and another identify £12,500 in overlooked funds. “Some business owners don’t even realize they haven’t invoiced for work they’ve already done,” she explains. She also provides credit control services, ensuring late payments don’t disrupt cash flow. “I can be the ‘bad cop’ if needed so my clients can maintain good relationships while still getting paid on time.”
Looking ahead, Donna is expanding her practice and planning a move to an office space for better work-life balance. “Since starting my business, I feel like I’ve started a new life,” she says. “The cloud has lifted.”
Her advice to aspiring bookkeepers? “Don’t underestimate yourself. The corporate world can be tough, but working for yourself gives you the freedom to build something that works for you and your family. If I can do it, anyone can.”
