A This week as part of our ‘meet the people behind Shenward’ series, we caught up with Rashid from our Bradford office to gain insight into why he chose to be an accountant, his life inside and outside of Shenward, and who his dream celebrity client would be.
Tell us about your role at Shenward?
I’m a Senior Accountant. My day is understandably rather varied – more so due to last year’s events. Typically, I work on producing accounts, corporation tax, tax planning and supporting clients with their queries on tax.
I really enjoy how every day is different and I have to say, one of the best parts of the role is being able to get to know our clients and the stories behind their business.
What inspired you to become an Accountant?
I’ve always been interested in business and for as long as I can remember, been inspired by those building successful and meaningful businesses. As an accountant, I play a key part in supporting clients with their business success and they value our support so much. Being able to do this was one of the key reasons why I chose this career.
My role is often about being that level-headed person the client can come to, making sure their business survives and prospers, and giving them support to make sure that their resources aren’t stretched too thinly.
What first attracted you to Shenward?
Shenward is an aspiring and ambitious firm. I was impressed by the partner’s professionalism during my interview and enjoyed hearing about their future plans. The team are hardworking, but they are also extremely social, which makes for the perfect culture to work in.
What’s a typical day in the office like?
Loud music, plenty of food and partying all day everyday… Ok, back to reality, jokes aside – a typical day consists of preparing accounts and addressing tax queries. You never know what a client will ask next, and I love it.
If you weren’t an Accountant, what would you be?
I was highly interested in space in my teens, then intrigued by F1 as I got older. I imagine I would have been some form of engineer.
Over the last few years, I have grown a liking for good architecture and design. The importance of space and light, the use of natural lighting and resources for efficiency, so perhaps an architect.
Tell us about who Rashid is, what do you enjoy doing etc?
I am of the age where I enjoy and value my family time. I want to spend time with my 2-year-old son and enjoy the cute baby stages of his life before he hits the teens (wish us luck).
I think it’s important to connect with your children from a young age, to create a bond and friendship so they can freely share their life experiences without hesitation.
Life is becoming ever more demanding and stressful, especially for young children, many of whom suffer from some form of mental health, so it is ever important to be there for them.
If I can support my son through the difficult stages of life, to encourage him to achieve his best, and follow his ambition, confidence and self-esteem – I will consider my role as a father a success.
Aside from family, I like the odd bit of DIY, and I’ve had plenty of that over the last few months working on my house.
Which celebrity would be your ideal client?
I am not that envious of celebrities, but if I could choose from multiple popular figures, I wouldn’t mind Neil Armstrong, Michael Schumacher (praying he gets well) or the late Zaha Hadid.
Funniest moment in your career?
There are a couple of moments I can think of, but they might not be best shared in public. Other than that, the conversations I have with colleagues, the stories they tell probably top the charts. There was a moment last year when in a quiet room with the accounts team, we heard a big bang in the corner of the room, turned out my colleague let one loose, I couldn’t breathe so had to run downstairs to get some fresh air.
What one piece of advice would you give to business owners reading this?
Please keep an eye on your business operations and document EVERYTHING! Also, it would help if they considered some form of tax planning, better time management and organisation as it can save a lot of money. The number of fines and interest paid unnecessarily due to negligence always surprises me.
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