Why Nicola minds her own business
NIcoLA Hutchings has started her own bookkeeping business after embarking on a distance learning course.
The 40-year- old, from Bexleyheath, Kent, completed courses at Ideal Schools — a specialist UK- wide e- learning college focused on bookkeeping and accounting.
The mother-of-two had always worked in the world of finance, progressing from working in internal audit at a small bank to Bank of England reporting.
From there, she spent 12 years at a Norwegian bank, leaving as a deputy manager in 2009 just before the birth of her first child.
While on maternity leave, she considered returning to work and realised that juggling a full-time job with childcare would be tricky. Nicola decided to work from home and launch a new career in bookkeeping.
She says: ‘Someone recommended Ideal Schools, and I was sold from the first meeting.
‘They had a really attractive study programme, which was reasonably priced and a sensible, well-thought- out career path I could see myself following. When I was working from home, it was brilliant to feel part of a network.’
Nicola joined more than 2,000 other students who have studied successfully with Ideal Schools, to achieve her membership of the Institute of certified Bookkeepers (MIcB).
She has now obtained her practice licence and, as a result, has opened her new business called NAH Bookkeeping.
She says: ‘After my second child was born I had a few other family issues, but the team at Ideal Schools was incredibly understanding. They knew what it was like when life gets in the way of studies, and I never felt pressured to move at anything other than my own speed.’
‘I know that running a business can become a handful and I want NAH Bookkeeping to take some of the strain, and let small business owners concentrate on making their business the best they can be.’
Meanwhile David cavanagh, 50, from Bedford, launched Joda services last December after gaining his bookkeeping qualifications with Ideal Schools.
He had previously worked as a transport manager for more than 16 years. Referring to his business, he said: ‘I’m proud of the fact I can keep it local, and based on face-to-face, and trust, and by forming lifelong relationships.’
FOR further information about Ideal Schools log on to ideal schools.co.uk