How Serena prioritises a people-first culture at work - and why it’s winning
Serena is a bubbly and valued member of the She Owns It community, bringing her energy, expertise and care to our space. As a chartered accountant, she is proud to create a team culture that cares for each other ad their clients with a ‘people first’ ethos.
Serena shares some of her journey and goals as a woman in business and how spaces like She Owns It has supported her personal and professional growth.
What’s your biz?
JDW is a firm of chartered accountants dedicated to supporting small and medium-sized businesses. We provide comprehensive services in accountancy, taxation, and business advisory, helping our clients manage their finances efficiently and make informed decisions for growth or transition.
Who do you work with?
Our ideal clients are creative thinkers and innovators who want to focus on their craft without being bogged down by financial complexity. Many feel unsure about their numbers or find taxes and things like R&D tax credits confusing. We make it easy to understand your finances so you can feel confident and focus on growing your business. We agree on fees upfront and include quick questions, so you’ll never get surprise bills.
What sparked the idea behind your business?
I joined JDW because I loved its cultural diversity and strong ties to the local Ellerslie community. When I came on board, I brought fresh ideas in technology and marketing to help modernize a firm with over 60 years of history. My goal was to keep the trusted traditions while making things easier and more efficient for today’s business owners.
What does a typical day look like for you as a business owner?
A typical day starts with a walk and breakfast with my family before the kids head off to school.
On Mondays I work from home, and the rest of the week I’m at our Ellerslie office. Most of my day is spent meeting clients, answering emails, and checking in with my team.
I make time for a weekly Pilates class, and at 5 pm I head home for dinner.
Evenings are for Toastmasters or relaxing with my family—usually watching TV with my husband.
I keep clear boundaries so I can enjoy family time. I don’t answer work calls between 5–8 pm and rarely on weekends. I only check emails during work hours.
In summer, I love spending time at the beach and away from the computer.
What are some of the key milestones in your business journey so far?
In 2025, we entered the Best Places to Work Awards for the first time. We scored well across all areas and only just missed making the finals.
That was a big moment for us because it showed how much we care about creating a great workplace.
We’re not stopping there—our goal for 2026 is to become Best Places to Work certified. Keeping our team happy and motivated is something we’re really proud of, because when our team thrives, our clients do too.
Our managing director Rohit served as Chairman of ASNAF for 2024/2025 and represented ASNAF at the SBC Global Alliance conference last year in Paris, extending the global reach of our modest firm. We recently put our connections to good use, when a client had a French VAT question.
The connections go the other way too, as we are often called upon to set up a NZ entity and provide local expertise for overseas owners.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced so far?
Since 2018, we’ve faced some big challenges that shaped who we are today. One of our directors lost his wife suddenly while overseas. We supported him with care and patience as he stepped away from the business, balancing compassion with the need to keep the firm stable.
In 2019, another director became seriously ill with Guillain-Barré Syndrome and was temporarily paralysed. He still works part-time and brings valuable insight to the team. In 2023, we made the tough decision to sell our successful audit division because we couldn’t give staff and clients the support they needed with his reduced capacity.
These experiences taught us the importance of empathy, flexibility, and honest conversations. They shaped our culture into one that values people first while building a strong, sustainable business.
Today, our team is more connected and engaged than ever—and our clients benefit from that every day.
What are your future goals in your business?
Our team is stronger than ever compared to three years ago, so we now have room to grow our client base. We’re especially excited about using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to give clients helpful insights faster and more affordably. AI and automation are becoming standard for tasks like data entry, bank reconciliations, and reporting. That means we can spend less time on paperwork and more time giving clients strategic advice.
We are shifting from being number-crunchers to trusted business advisors, by using technology to focus on forecasting, planning, and financial strategy. Cloud-based accounting makes real-time collaboration easier—our clients get up-to-date financials anytime, anywhere.
There’s increasing demand for specific expertise, like research and development tax credits—an area we’re passionate about helping clients with.
What we’re most excited about right now is helping clients use insights, not just numbers. With better data and smarter tools, we can give clearer guidance, help predict challenges before they happen, and add real value.
Looking ahead, we plan to: Grow our client base using the team we’ve built 💪 Keep investing in AI and cloud tech Expand our advisory services, including research and development tax credits Build our in-house skills so we stay ahead of industry changes
We’re committed to helping businesses manage their finances and use them to shape confident, forward-thinking futures.
What’s worked best for you to build brand awareness and get customers?
People like to buy from people they know, like, and trust—and we take that seriously.
We work hard to build strong relationships and keep our business networks active. Staying visible in the Ellerslie community is a big part of that. We sponsor local events, schools, and community groups because we believe in giving back and being part of the community we serve.
We’re incredibly grateful for the recent growth in our work, much of which has come through referrals and recommendations. Some of our tech clients have expanded after fresh investment and now need more regular reporting services. Other clients have kindly introduced us to friends and family, or connected us with businesses whose accountants have retired.
What is one of the important lessons you've learnt as a business owner? What advice would you share to someone starting out?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is: don’t undervalue yourself when you start out.
Make a plan to pay yourself from the beginning. If you set your prices too low, clients will get used to those rates and it’s hard to raise them later.
Value your time and expertise—you’ve worked hard for it!
How does being a part of She Owns It help you in your business journey?
She Owns It gave me a big boost when I was learning how to network and use social media for my business.
I’ve met amazing businesswomen through the community—many have become close friends and supportive mentors.
The virtual co-working sessions help me block out time to work on my business, and the masterclass webinars are full of practical tips I can use to improve.
⚡️ FAST 5:
1. One thing you’d tell your younger self starting out?
“Make opportunities for yourself. Don’t wait for someone else to offer them.”
2. Your favourite biz or personal development books or podcasts?
Atomic Habits by James Clear
3. How many tabs do you have open right now?
4
4. What's your go-to power song?
Roar by Katy Perry.
5. A quote you love?
The Barbie movie monologue:
“It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don't think you're good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong."
It hits hard every time I hear it, because for so many years I didn’t see that I was worthy or good enough.
How can people connect with you and your business?
The best way to reach me is via our JDW appointment form: https://www.jdw.co.nz/request_appointment
From there, we’ll set up a complimentary meeting (in-person or via Teams video) for up to 30 minutes to understand your needs and provide a quote for services.
While you're on our website, check out our latest blog: https://www.jdw.co.nz/newsletters/blog
You can also find us on these platforms:
https://www.facebook.com/JDWCharteredAccountants
https://www.instagram.com/jdw_chartered_accountants
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