Advice when it truly counts
FROM CORK IN IRELAND TO THE FAR NORTH, SPORT-LOVING FORENSIC ACCOUNTANT JOHN GOGGIN HAS BUILT A CAREER ON HARD WORK AND A DESIRE TO HELP SOLVE FINANCIAL STRESS, WRITES ALICIA NALLY
THE head of Cairns’ newest forensic accountancy firm has certainly done the hard yards in his field.
John Goggin was an 18year-old Irish lad from Cork when he started studying and about 12 months later landed on his feet with a traineeship at a local firm.
“I got the job – which turned into a full-time position that paid just 40 pounds ($60) per week,” he recalled.
“After five years of working and studying, I graduated and became a qualified accountant and then got promoted to manager level. I later went on to start my own firm in 1999 and when my old boss retired a year later, I bought his client base and amalgamated that practice into mine.”
That same year Mr Goggin stepped out into small business ownership, he also met a young Australian working holiday maker called Helene, who hailed from Millaa Millaa.
Fast forward eight years and the couple moved to the Far North, quickly settling into the community.
The 47-year-old father to daughter Jessica spent four years as treasurer for the Cairns Jockey Club, a position he stepped away from last year to focus on his new business.
“I opened the Worrells Cairns office after having spent over 10 years specialising in insolvency and forensics at local professional firms,” Mr Goggin said. “I am a bankruptcy trustee and registered liquidator, so I work a lot with people who are susceptible to or amid financial stress.
“I help people work through their financial problems by providing relevant advice that is clear, honest and trustworthy.
“I’ve always been a numbers person but in this role you have to interrogate the numbers quite intensely and you have to have a knowledge of both law and accounting.”
Becoming partner and owner at the FNQ branch of Worrells Solvency & Forensic Accountants is one of Mr Goggin’s biggest achievements.
Since September, he has been marketing and developing the business, meeting prospective clients and dealing with all the challenges of setting up a new accounting practice from scratch, in a relatively short period of time.
“There were several reasons I decided to do this. I previously had my own accounting firm in Ireland, and when the opportunity arose to start a new firm here in Cairns, I felt the time was right to pursue the challenge. Cork city has a population similar to that of
BECOMING PARTNER AND OWNER AT THE FNQ BRANCH OF WORRELLS SOLVENCY & FORENSIC ACCOUNTANTS IS ONE OF MR GOGGIN’S BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS
Cairns,” Mr Goggin said.
“The opportunity to become part of the Worrells network was very appealing, given their positioning as a leading national firm. I also saw a gap in the local market following the retirement of some senior practitioners in this field.
“Cairns is very friendly and personable and it doesn’t have the hustle and bustle of a big city. It’s a great place to live, work and raise a family.
“When I first arrived here in 2008, the city was starting to feel the effects of the GFC. Many businesses were struggling and a number of high- profile insolvencies hit the city hard. Since then Cairns has slowly recovered and it is good to see some large-scale developments starting to take shape.”
The biggest challenge for FNQ businesses, Mr Goggin maintains, is in managing cashflow.
“After all, cash is king and when running a business you need to keep your finger on the pulse and know exactly what is coming in and going out,” he explained.
“Too often when I am approached to help a struggling business it is already too late.
“My advice is always to act early before things get out of control.
“For local businesses there is also the added pressure of the extra costs associated with doing business in a regional city.”
With visits scheduled every few years to catch up with family and friends in Ireland, Mr Goggin makes the most of living in paradise, spending time with Far North-based family and friends enjoying the outdoors.
“In my younger days in Ireland, I was keen sportsman and spent much of my spare time playing Gaelic football and hurling,” he said.
“Now, I enjoy running on the beach, playing golf when I get the chance and cheering on the Broncos.”
CAIRNS IS VERY FRIENDLY AND PERSONABLE AND IT DOESN’T HAVE THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF A BIG CITY. IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND RAISE A FAMILY JOHN GOGGIN