Meet Reece, the Financial Controller at John Good Group overseeing Good Travel Management. His workdays are spent with financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, cash flow management and plenty of project work within the business.
How did you first get into the finance Industry?
Once I got my initial passion to pursue accounting as a career, every career event I went to I discussed becoming an Accountant and they encouraged me to go down the academic route. From school I went to college to study Accounting, Math’s, Further Math’s, Computer Science and Business Studies.
After college I went to University of Hull to study Accounting and whilst there, I learned of the 4 accounting firms and knew I wanted to qualify with one of them. I landed my first role on a graduate scheme where I became fully qualified as an accountant. After qualifying in practise, I wanted to go into industry as I was keen on getting FTSE1OO experience. It was a job I never saw myself working at due to it being an SME, but I slowly came around to loving it. Having a much bigger impact, with a lot less red tape and bureaucracy. After Covid, I was messaged by Ben, Chief Financial Officer of John Good Group and here I am today.
What has inspired you in your career?
After my uncle discovered my keen interest in Math’s and Money, he encouraged me to pursue accounting as a profession, and I’ve never really deviated from that.
What are the biggest challenges in your role?
Currently, there are a lot of high-level projects which need building and rolling out, as well as streamlining the foundations. The integration of Wexas into Good Travel Management, the day-to-day and trying my hardest to be a half-decent line manager. Still looking for Bernard’s watch (one for the 90s kids).
What skills have been the most crucial to your success so far?
A solid grasp on Excel and a logical mindset. Also, finding a role which fits into your skillsets and interests. For example, I have less of an interest in financial compliance (caveat: I am compliant, don’t worry, I just find it a bit boring) but a real enjoyment for commercial finance. I think you can perform at a much higher standard when you find the role interesting.
What education or training would be most useful for someone looking to follow your career path?
From an education and training point of view everything is much easier if you become fully qualified. The qualification opens a lot of doors. Albeit you can do it without the qualification.
University definitely isn’t required, but it is 3 years of shying away from responsibility whilst still saying you’re doing something with your life. 100% would recommend!
What advice would you give to someone looking to follow in your career path?
Exposure! The more financial exposure you get the more well-rounded and financially literate you become. Push your boundaries and try to take on new work, this is obviously not the preferred easy route, but the more exposure you get whether that be by choice or instruction, the more confidence you will get dealing with different situations. It will be hard, and you will make mistakes, but hopefully you’ll learn from those mistakes, knowing how to fix and avoid the mistake going forward.
What makes you excited about working for the central services at John Good Group?
My enjoyment comes from free rein and empowerment, not just for myself but also for the people I work with. Empowering somebody to own a job and see them succeed on their own merit is much more rewarding for me than telling somebody specifically what to do.