Page 51 - KZN Top Business LEADERS-eBook

HEATHER FLACK

eather Flack is the impassioned business THRIVING FOR 21 YEARS “I overcame that by developing a meaningful
leader of Flair Accounting, a boutique hiring process whereby we can discover who you
accounting practice based in Morningside, The accomplishment that makes Heather the are before you work with us, because who you are
HDurban. proudest is not just surviving for 21 years but we can’t change. What you know we can change;
thriving. “I’m very proud of our legacy of impact, we can teach you and you can learn. I’m immensely
Heather grew up in Vereeniging in the Vaal which was not my intention when I started, but proud of our hiring process and how we go about
Triangle. When she matriculated in 1997, she was which has been the outcome of the last 21 years of finding those right people.”
unexpectedly offered a full bursary to study any focusing on relationships whilst providing incredible
form of art, which Heather says was quite unheard accounting solutions. This means the world to me.” LIVE YOUR WHY
of. “However, I was blessed with the wisdom to
know that while art was my passion, it’s a subjective She is proud of the many people who have worked In addition, Heather says that although businesses
field. I could end up in jail for beating somebody up for Flair Accounting, who believed in her ethos of will always encounter obstacles and workforces
when they said they didn’t like what I had made!” breaking the traditional accounting practice mould. will always have conflicts, the best way to resolve
she explains with a chuckle. The grounding gained has seen them go on to work these is to be clear about what your culture is and
for companies such as Unilever, Derivco and the to live your why.
Preferring the structured nature of accounting PKFs of the world. Heather says, “Our success is really
and realising the impact sound financial decision due to each individual who has served with us.” “There’s a wonderful book by Simon Sinek called
making could have for businesses, she started her Leaders Eat Last and that ethos I’d like to think
articles after school and studied at night at the then The best advice Heather has received was from we model here. When the times are tough, I will
Potchefstroom University. George Ross, the first client that she took on when be the first one to join the team and do the hard
she started her business. He said that the definition of yards. I have always found that when I climb in
After working in a practice for a few years, Heather a leader is somebody that people WILLINGLY follow, the trenches with the staff there’s nothing that we
realised that the traditional accounting model was which shaped Heather’s approach to engaging with can’t achieve.”
never going to work for her. Heather explains, “My staff, clients, community and stakeholders. “If you
heart was always in a space to really help business are not a leader that people will willingly follow, Heather is inspired by ethical people who are not
owners in the full sense of what finance can give to you’re just a dictator. Understanding that defined afraid to stand up for what they believe in. She adds,
a business owner – not just their tax structure.” my entire company culture and how I interact with “Not because they have to, but because it’s the
every single person in my life,” explains Heather. right thing and that has always been a wonderful
Heather then joined a business in Durban in 1999 affirmation for me.” An example of a leader she
and after three years, on her 23rd birthday, started Heather has faced two major challenges in her follows is Thuli Madonsela, because in a male
Flair Accounting, which has now been serving business. The first she has resolved by getting dominated world and in an incredibly challenging
clients for 21 years. older because the immediate challenge that she environment, she has had the strength of her
faced was her youthful age when she started Flair convictions.
“I am blessed to lead a wonderful team. We have Accounting.
always said that we want to change the world one Heather’s vision for her business in the next
business at a time because life is about people, not “Firstly, to get anybody to have the confidence that five to ten years is that, although they’ve grown
about numbers, titles, or accolades. Finance has I had the ability to do what I said I was going to do exponentially over the last years, she would like to
an amazing ability to empower people to make was quite difficult. Developing trust in my abilities see even more impact being had on the economy
decisions to change their businesses to affect the took many years and sometimes meant that I offered by empowering people with brilliant financial
economy, and to positively affect the country.” to do the work for free. If the clients were happy information.
afterwards, they could pay me, which worked. One
Flair Accounting’s mission statement is “to be the client even paid me double!” she explains. The motto that Heather lives by is “life is about
most loved accounting practice in Durban.” “We love people” which is the superpower driving her
the work we do and seeing the impact it makes.We The second challenge, which took a little bit longer company culture. “If we always remember that,
want the businesses and clients that we serve to love for Heather to resolve, was realising that when it whether it’s a tax return I’m dealing with or a financial
working with us because ultimately relationships comes to hiring people to join the practice that statement or a forensic audit or estate planning. I’m
are what empower us to make that difference in you can’t just hire anybody – you need to find the doing it with numbers, but I’m doing it for people,”
their lives.” right body. she concludes.
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