Clever Mamma Profile: Berwick Business Solutions

Our fabulous Clever Mamma mum in business this week is Jennifer Williams from Berwick Business Solutions in Victoria. Offering bookkeeping, business solutions and recruitment, Jennifer is also kept busy with her beautiful son and puppy dog, AND at the moment is training for a triathlon... Go Jen, GO!! All the Clever Mamma community is behind you.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your business... Well as stated in my blurb for the site I am a single mum (separated for nearly 7 years – hmm best I file that divorce paper sometime!). My son Liam is my ‘beautiful boy’ he is very active in sport, playing three games of basketball a week (+ training for all three) two domestic teams and a representative team Pakenham Warriors. Having always been very active, fit and healthy I struggled with the diagnosis of Breast Cancer in July 2010. Subsequent surgery, chemotherapy & radiotherapy have given me the opportunity to see my beautiful son grow to be a wonderful man and this is the most precious gift. I am continuing on a regime of hormone therapy (Tamoxifen) for the next five years. My long term prognosis is excellent, having had the chemotherapy gave me the ‘extra’ insurance that I am very unlikely to suffer a recurrence. I am currently training for the Noosa Triathlon (why oh why?) which should be fun. I am under no illusion that I will come anywhere close to winning but I would like to complete the course – oh and I don’t want to come last!

I have always worked in Admin / Management / Finance positions. I have worked in a variety of small medical & surgical practices before moving into corporate medical management with Mayne Health as the Victorian Primary Care Manager. In this position I was responsible for 11 primary care sites across Melbourne and Geelong. After this I entered the non for profit sector as the National Manager for Sports Physiotherapy Australia which I loved. This was a true combination of management and finance as the association ran over 250 courses nationally each year and a biannual conference - every one of them no matter how large or small had to have a budget! Since that time I worked locally whilst my son was in his first years of school part-time back in practice management of a large physiotherapy practice. My most recent position found me in a manufacturing company with an annual turnover of approximately $15m where I was responsible for everything ‘finance’. Stamping the invoices, payroll for 60 staff, landed costs for imported components, all the statutory obligations for IAS, BAS Payroll Tax, Superannuation etc.

2. How did your business begin? The manufacturing company that I was working for were acquired by a multi-national organisation and I felt that probably sooner rather than later my position would be chopped up and absorbed by their very large finance/accounts department consisting of CFO, several Accountants, Payroll Clerk, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and several Data Entry Clerks. I thought I would start BBS as a small part-time concern until such time as acquisition was finalised and then re-assess. As timing would have it I was contacted by prospective clients and the timing just seemed right to give BBS a big push and see what happened.

3. The bits I love... I love being more available for my son. I am not as stressed or worried and my house is much tidier! As it has taken quite some time to recover from my treatment working for myself has given me a chance to rest when needed without feeling guilty for having a ‘slow’ day. I also get to enjoy the occasional lunch with my much loved girlfriends.

4. The bits I not-so-love... There really aren’t many bits that I don’t like, you do have to be disciplined with your time but that’s easy once you are in a routine.

5. Any tips for other Clever Mammas? Don’t sweat the small stuff. If the ironing doesn’t get done or the beds aren’t made it just doesn’t matter. So long as you and your family are happy and healthy everything else will follow along.

6. Devonshire Tea versus Coffee & Cake??? Definitely coffee & cake. I am a bit of a coffee addict (albeit I have very weak coffee and everyone says it’s hardly worth the effort !) – and the cake – I make the best banana cake ever! Oh and my pavlova is becoming legendary!

Yummm... I might be dropping in to Jen's for some of that banana cake soon! If you would like to see how Berwick Business Solutions can assist your business head over to the listing on the Clever Mamma Directory. Thanks for spending some time with us Jen.