Amanda Hutchings

CELEBRATING OUR TEAM

Meet our newest Associate - Amanda Hutchings

A third-generation Number-Ninja, Amanda’s rapid rise through the ranks has been no surprise to those who know her. A gift for numbers runs in the family, with her nana and mum both leading by numbers before her.

It was at school that she learned that not only did she have a knack for accountancy, but she also loved the challenge of making things balance. Over the years, although her experience and business acumen has grown vastly beyond balancing the books, her passion for accountancy has never dwindled.

Amanda is originally from the Wairarapa, where she spent school holidays kicking round the family farm. She moved to the beautiful Bay in her early teens. When she finished school, she did her business degree through Waikato University’s Bongard satellite centre, right here in Tauranga. With her love for numbers, it was no surprise she went for a Double Major in Accounting and Finance, with a Graduate Diploma in Management Studies for good measure.

After graduating, the draw to Bennetts Proactive was a natural choice for this talented, down-to-earth lady. The appeal was two-fold: many of the clients were based in the rural sector which she loved, and as a smaller firm, Bennetts Proactive had opportunities to be exposed to clients and a real breadth of accountancy work sooner. In a bigger firm, you may have to move up or move sideways before you get that opportunity, or even run the risk of being pigeon-holed in one specialty area.

Not so at Bennetts Proactive – although the role was her first out of university and she started out learning the ropes, before long, with Bennetts Proactive’s support she qualified as a Chartered Accountant. “Having Bennetts Proactive support me during that time meant a more direct path perhaps than some. To qualify as a Chartered Accountant, you have to tick off certain tasks to get the experience you need – and Bennetts Proactive always made sure they put things in place so that my role involved what was needed. They also supported me with paid study leave and exam costs.” All the hard work seems to have paid off – as a qualified CA, Amanda has now been promoted to Associate and Team Leader of 5 – and she is still only in her 20s.

In the 7 years Amanda has been at Bennetts Proactive, being able to work directly with clients from the start was a big attraction for the naturally curious Amanda, who is described by those in the office as ‘having a big heart’ and ‘always looking out for others. Understanding people’s businesses and how to help them became a passion for her.

When considering all this, it is clear to see why Amanda has been able to achieve so much while still so young. With her tenacity to achieve goals and get things done, a natural talent for accountancy, plus her love for working with people and understanding their businesses, she is a real asset to Bennetts Proactive – which of course, ultimately benefits her clients.

But, humble as ever, Amanda is full of praise for her firm. “What I love about this job is that they will support you to create the opportunities you want. If I wanted more complex work or take on more challenges, they would work with me to put in place what I needed to do that,” says Amanda. And it’s not just the Management Team – everyone is happy to help out and support each other. “We have a really good team and great people here. The support is fantastic – people are always keen to use their various experience and expertise to help where they can.”

In terms of flexibility and lifestyle balance, Amanda thinks she has it nailed. “I work full time, but by starting early, I try to finish early on a Friday so that I can either go outside with a good book in the sun, or even get jobs done so I can just enjoy the weekend. If it’s a spectacularly beautiful day, which we get plenty of up here in the Bay of Plenty, we’ll take the dogs, Chicago and Ollie, for a walk.” It’s also a bonus that Bennetts Proactive offers special ‘banker’ days every year – extra days off on your birthday and to extend other long weekends. With her home nearby, there is no need to state the obvious benefits of being able to walk to work, no commuter traffic, and plenty of free parking.

Another audacious goal of Amanda’s is to renovate her home with her partner. She describes it as a typical first home. “We’ve put in a laundry and a veggie garden, are gradually stripping old wallpaper and painting and we’re now thinking about putting in a new kitchen. We’re making it our own.”