The impact of good bookkeeping is often invisible – until it isn’t. Whether a business is expanding, selling up or being audited, clean records and compliant systems suddenly become essential.
Myreeann Tchopourian, Managing Director of Chisholm Business Services, has built a career on delivering that kind of readiness.
In a sector shaped by constant change, her focus remains consistent: solid financial footing, built detail by detail. And with regulatory expectations continuing to tighten, that foundation is more valuable than ever.
Learning by doing
Tchopourian began her practice in 2000, shortly after the introduction of the GST.
“Prior to that, I had been in credit and risk, and at the time, I was on maternity leave,” she says. “A friend of mine had a hairdressing salon, and she was told by her accountant that she needed to do a BAS. She had no idea, so she asked me to look at it. And that’s where it started.
“I ended up not going back to my full-time job. I was able to help her, and then a couple of other businesses in the local area after she mentioned to them that I was doing her book work.”
At the time, the profession was relatively informal, and bookkeepers didn’t have as high a profile as they do now, she says.
“Then, in 2010, we were required to be registered and have at least a Cert IV in bookkeeping. I had no qualifications… I had done a bookkeeping course 30 years before when I was in Year 11.”
Since completing her Advanced diploma in Accounting and registering as a practitioner in 2010, Tchopourian has focused on refining her services, keeping pace with industry changes and investing in deeper areas of specialisation like payroll compliance.
Building foundations
A self-described “stickler for the rules”, Tchopourian’s approach to bookkeeping is grounded in structure, accuracy and an expectation that business owners treat their finances seriously.
When she began her practice, this meant helping local businesses get to grips with the GST and submitting Business Activity Statements (BAS) for the first time.
Today, factors like Single Touch Payroll (STP), new Fair Work legislation and the introduction of Quality Management Systems (QMS) are posing similar compliance hurdles to businesses and bookkeepers alike.
“Payroll is messy. It has the greatest potential for risk, and these requirements are not something that a lot of small businesses are aware of.”
Myreeann Tchopourian, Managing Director, Chisholm Business Services
In this climate, one of Tchopourian’s biggest challenges is instilling a compliance mindset in ambitious entrepreneurs.
“You’ve often got to reel clients in because they’re off on a tangent or they’ve got a vision,” she says.
“They’ve got to understand that it’s a business. This isn’t playing at something, making quick money and moving on. And the more you look at Fair Work [cases], the more you see people being penalised.”
Some clients initially treat their business finances casually, withdrawing money as needed. She encourages them to adopt a more structured approach, including setting regular wages for themselves.
“A lot of them understand that and get the hang of it as soon as they do their first tax return,” she says.
This foundation-first mindset carries through in her correction and reconstruction work, which often involves examining and reorganising financial records to bring a business back into compliance.
“I do a lot of rescues,” she says. “I’m doing one at the moment which is an NDIS client, and it’s huge. We’re reconstructing six years worth of work.”
Guarding legacies
Some of Tchopourian’s current projects include supporting long-term clients as they prepare for retirement or business succession.
“There are a number of clients I’ve had for over 20 years, and they are now in their 60s and early 70s – I’ve even got some in their 80s,” she says. “And when they’re deciding to power down and sell their businesses, it’s important they understand the regulations and the requirements.”
These decisions are taking place in the context of increased scrutiny around underpayments and new legislation targeting wage theft. A number of high-profile cases have underscored the importance of often overlooked entitlements like long service leave.
“I have a client who’s just sold their business and paid out all of their long service leave to their staff of over 25 years, and it was a huge amount of money,” says Tchopourian. “They also ended up having to pay over $150,000 just in PAYG withholding.
“I specialise in payroll, and there’s a reason for that – because payroll is messy. It has the greatest potential for risk, and these requirements are not something that a lot of small businesses are aware of.”
Cultivating a community
Bookkeeping can sometimes be a solitary profession, says Tchopourian. However, purposefully building a supportive network around you makes the job both more sustainable and more rewarding.
“The community is really strong, and that’s the most important thing,” she says. “Especially now, because we’re all now heading into year end, we’ve all got issues going on with all of our clients and the new requirements like the QMS, so [connecting] is really important for us.”
Mentoring has been an essential part of Tchopourian’s professional life, and she encourages new practitioners to be proactive in seeking out guidance and learning opportunities.
“Find somebody that does it and ask them to mentor you. Go to every meeting you can go to, listen to what the questions are and ask as many questions as you can – no question is stupid.”
Cultivating mentoring relationships will allow you to access a ready-made network of bookkeepers, many of whom refer clients to one another when their capacity is limited. What’s more, peer support can offer vital perspective and encouragement when times are tough.
“Without a mentor, you’re out there on your own,” she says. “Bookkeeping and accounting can be very isolating, and if you don’t reach out, you can just drown.”
