Accountant Spotlight: Sheryle Hounsell
If you don’t set your own direction, you’ll just end up going down the stream
Senior Accountant, Sheryle Hounsell, is technically ‘new’ but actually had a distinguished accounting career from graduate level to Partnership in South Africa.
When political and economic uncertainty prompted a family move, Sheryle made the Northern Rivers her home and started all over again!
Joining Collins Hume in 2022, the accomplished accounting professional has slotted easily into her new role.
Sheryle admits that settling in Australia took longer than expected, but once she and her family called the Northern Rivers home, they soon discovered many similarities with her original home of Port Shepstone. Being close to the water was an important factor in choosing a location.
At Collins Hume Sheryle manages and supports an accounting team, bringing her cross-continental perspective.
“I like being able to help people build their careers and businesses,” says Sheryle. “I found the bigger the organisation became, the less connected I felt to team and clients, so I have steered towards the more personal small business environment.”
Finding Collins Hume has allowed Sheryle to acclimatise to the local business landscape yet still have the ability to balance family with career.
“I enjoy everything about small business and knowing what drives small business owners to do what they do — their goals and their motivations.”
Bringing a fresh perspective means lending her insight to Collins Hume and Sheryle is also charged with coordinating the team’s workstyles and aligning procedures.
“I’m really enjoying it – Collins Hume is a progressive firm, and the Partners are supportive, flexible and very interested in not just churning out tax returns but, more importantly, assisting clients to build their businesses.”
Being a stone’s throw from the beach brings balance
Re-establishing a life closer to the water and taking advantage of early finishing on Fridays to stroll on the beach is always an opportunity Sheryle relishes. Outside of work she is an avid beachgoer, but she is equally focussed on supporting her kids through high school. Sheryle is also a keen beginner gardener, reader (when she gets the chance) and an ex-hockey player, now active committee member at Alstonville Hockey Club. She’s also planning to see more of the world.
“I grew up by the sea and get that in Ballina. Before joining Collins Hume I contemplated a few changes and always came back to being close to the water where I could take on a new role without disrupting my family again.”
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Sheryle Hounsell is an accounting public practice veteran having worked in all size of firm from Big 4 to SMB firms both here and previously in South Africa. She holds a B Comm (Accounting), B Compt Hons (Accounting) and has completed the Income Tax Law & Aspects of Company Law, Income Tax conversion course (USQ). Sheryle is both a CA (SA) South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Chartered Accountant (CAANZ). She has vast experience in all accounting software platforms and can generally get each working to her own rigorous specifications.
Copyright 2022. Collins Hume Accountants and Business Advisers. Ballina and Byron Bay NSW. Photo by David Keith.