Sanjay Ghimire, accountant and tax consultant at Strive Tax Advisory, has worked across various sectors before establishing his accounting practice.
When Sanjay Ghimire reflects on why he chose public accounting over corporate finance, the focus on people fuelled his decision. “I like people, and I like understanding and solving their issues,” he says.
This people-first philosophy has guided the Nepal-born accountant since he arrived in Australia as a student in 2009. “I came to Australia from Nepal to study an Advanced Diploma of Accounting after helping keep the books in my parent’s business and majoring in accounting and economics at high school,” he says.
After completing his diploma in Sydney, he continued with a business accounting degree and professional year, gaining hands-on experience through internships.
Today, he leads a team of five professionals at his Canberra-based practice, Strive Tax Advisory, serving clients across Australia. But between the classroom and corner office, Sanjay’s career has included stints in supermarket management and real estate ventures, with a side interest in burger restaurants. This breadth of experience has helped him juggle clients from diverse sectors.
The power of mentorship
After his studies, Ghimire worked in area management at Aldi, but missed the connection with business owners he had experienced during his internship.
“In public practice, you catch up with real people and listen to their challenges and successful stories,” he says. “When you’re working in a big corporation, you feel like part of a big machine and don’t get that same interaction. I didn’t find it engaging.”
In 2017, he joined a chartered accounting firm where he worked for six years. He met the person who would become his most influential mentor – Ben Ghimire.
Ghimire says he’s still his guru today. “If I have any issues, I always discuss them with him,” he says. “He’s helped me throughout my entire career and he’s the one who showed me what was possible if I worked for myself in public accounting.”
This mentorship helped Ghimire not only with the technical aspects of accounting, but also how to practically run a practice and forge meaningful client relationships.
“[Ben] taught me that public practice is all about knowledge,” Ghimire says. “Although in private accounting you also deal with money and business, I like working with different clients, being a trusted advisor to them and building meaningful working relationships with other professionals.”
When Ghimire established his own practice, he chose to join the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) on his mentor’s advice.
“He said to me that the ‘IPA is good because it empowers you to help yourself’,” he said.
“All my clients are small businesses, so the IPA data and content is always relevant and valuable.”
From employee to employer
The transition from employee to business owner brought both freedom and responsibility.
“The best thing about leading an organisation is we can make our own decisions,” he says. “If I think something is a good idea, we can act straight away.”
Ghimire deliberately structured his practice collaboratively. Rather than focusing solely on his own firm, he’s cultivated partnerships with other accounting businesses, including a partial ownership in Reliance Advisory – Tax.
“I don’t see them as competitors,” he says. “I love working with people, including smart, like-minded financial professionals. I believe if I don’t collaborate, I won’t see success.”
Entrepreneurial spirit
Just a few months ago, Ghimire opened Ken Behrens Café & Burgers in Canberra. This venture is part of a larger vision. “I want to open at least five to 10 restaurants within four to five years,” he reveals.
His accounting background gives him a strategic advantage in business.
“I had my real estate agent license and briefly owned an agency before exiting,” he says. “I like the property market and working alongside people growing wealth.
“Now in my accounting business, I work with builders and a lot of clients in the construction industry. My experience means I understand their challenges and aspirations.”
Public accounting isn’t about numbers – it’s about partnership, building businesses and helping others achieve their goals. From chatting with customers at his café to running his practice, Ghimire’s driven by a belief that business thrives on connection.
“My clients are more than businesses and tax returns. They’re real people with real stories and I’m privileged to be a part of their journey.”
More information on IPA’s Client Service, The Client Experience and Client Relationship Management here.
IPA Group CEO Andrew Conway will join regulators, top legal minds, international AML and accounting compliance experts at AML Edge 2025. They will examine the upcoming tranche 2 AML/CTF reforms, including risk assessments, client due diligence and reporting obligations at the event held at Watersedge, Sydney on 27 March. Visit here to register and find out more.
