The Why Behind the Who
A while ago, we gave you a sneak peek at the inner workings of Sudoku Bookkeeping Services in our blog “A Peek Behind The Curtain”.
We were proud to present Sudoku Bookkeeping to our readers and give an idea of who we are, what we value, and how we can serve you.
When you first start a business, one of the things business coaches often tell you is to have a WHY.
Your “why” is what gets you out of bed every morning, ready to work longer hours than you’ve ever worked before, for less money and more stress.
Your “why” is the thing that makes you get up and work on your business every single day.
It could be a charity that’s close to your heart, a need to spend more time with your children or a yearning to travel the world.
It’s different for everyone, but in this blog, I will give you some insight into what has me showing up every day.
My why isn’t as simple as one single thing.
I’m driven by a few different aspects of life, so let’s dive in while I take you on a journey.
Why #1- We Are Family
It may seem a little cliché for one of my primary motivators to be my family, but everyone’s story is unique.
This is mine.
My story begins in Lebanon, where I was born to a Palestinian mother and a Lebanese father.
My mother’s family had fled Palestine as refugees in 1948 and settled in Lebanon, so from the start, I was around people who had had to draw on personal strength to get through hardship.
My father was a policeman, while my mother focused on raising myself and my four younger siblings as a stay-at-home mother.
Sadly, I lost both parents when I was still in my teens- my father when I was 13 and my mother when I was 19.
Dealing with their deaths was such a challenge, but I wasn’t on my own.
When I was 13, I met my husband, Tony. After dating for a couple of years, we eloped when I was just 15- a fact that still blows my kids’ minds!
Because we eloped, we don’t even have a wedding photo, but 45 years later, we’re still together and as happy as ever!
In 1979, we made the difficult decision to emigrate to Australia and start our family.
Our children, Charbel, Ann and Alex, were all born within a few years of each other, so I had quite a bit of time off from the textile factory where I worked.
In 1986, I landed an admin traineeship which kicked off a decade-long career with the Department of Health.
After ten years, I started doing bookkeeping for a not-for-profit organisation and spent most of the next 23 years in this industry before starting my own bookkeeping business in 2015.
I found that I loved the job and was so good at it that I was even given the nickname, the “Wizard of Bookkeeping”!
I continued to study and grow as a professional, something I still do as much as I can to this day.
One of the greatest joys in my life is being able to take care of my 4 (soon to be 5!) grandchildren a few days a week.
Having my business allows me to spend with my grandchildren and be active in their lives.
Another factor I considered when starting Sudoku Bookkeeping was our lifestyle.
Since my husband will be retiring in a few years, I wanted to be able to maintain that lifestyle.
Being my own boss allows me to do just that.
Working part-time hours but performing as a full-time business has driven me to work as hard as possible to ensure I get the most out of small business owners.
It may surprise you to discover that this isn’t my only “why”.
There are a few things that drive me, so tune in next time to find out what else motivates me!
In the meantime, don’t forget to book in for your free initial consultation, so I can help reduce your stress while you relax!