A self-proclaimed introvert who doesn’t mind the odd red wine or two, Shaun Reeves toes the line between deeply complex and delightfully simple. “I live for superhero moments,” he smiles. “That’s what makes my day and my life. The ability to create positive change for other people – whether it’s for our clients, team, community or anyone else.”

After all, accountants don’t just sit “on their own in the dark late at night trying to smash through a tax return.” According to Shaun, they’re “problem solvers who are analytical and help people understand what’s going on in the dynamics of their business.” Now that’s a real superhero moment. 

As of the 13th of April, 2023, Shaun has been the proud contributor of SRJWW for thirty years – an amazing journey for someone who once thought that he’d “kicked the tyre on a job interview”. Today, Shaun is more than a partner – he’s a teacher, psychiatrist and phenomenal leader all rolled into one.

The journey to leadership begins…

The year is 1993. Back then, a young and very green Shaun was working hard at his previous large firm. “1993 was a fairly tough time,” says Shaun. “I had a fair bit of self-confidence about what I could do and where I wanted to go at my previous firm. I thought I was doing a pretty good damn job. I was 101% productive, which meant that I was working all hours of the day and night – all whilst doing a law degree in the evening.”

However, when the time came to appoint a manager, the accounting firm went in a different direction. “They bought someone from outside in as manager,” a shocked Shaun explains. “So I thought, ‘hang on –  if there’s a glass ceiling, and we’re in a recession, it’s going to be a while before I’ve got the opportunity for advancement in my career. So I might just have a look around.”

It was a calculated decision that eventually brought him to SRJWW. “It was really me getting ahead of myself and trying to do the right thing for my career,” Shaun elaborates. “I was looking sideways a bit and hoping to grow something from a new opportunity.”

Because when it comes to new opportunities, Shaun isn’t one to let them fly by. “I say opportunities are great – especially the whooshing sound they make when they go past,” Shaun laughs. “ SRJWW was just an opportunity that I didn’t want to push past.”

The outcome? Shaun quickly became the new Manager (vetted to be a Partner soon after) at SRJWW – which at the time only had six employees. “If I had my time over, would I have done it exactly the same way,” Shaun grins. 

Learning empathy through numbers

Now that Shaun had established himself at SRJWW, the real learning could begin. And the lessons came in thick and fast. 

Under the guidance of then-owner Jim Skaines, he quickly learnt that “you don’t try to tell your clients how to suck eggs.”  Or, in Shaun’s words, “you don’t sit on the other side of a desk and preach to your clients how to run their business.”

“What I learned from Jim was that he’d been able to have these clients come on board because of his preparedness to treat them as people and not just a tax return.” Shaun clarifies. It was something that Shaun would continue to remember, even thirty years later. 

“I allow myself to be vulnerable with my clients, and empathy is way underrated in advisors. The ability to fully understand what people are experiencing and to explain to them why or how you understand what they’re going through is crucial. The clients go, ‘wow, this guy knows what I’m talking about. He knows me – that’s really cool. Maybe I need to listen and engage in what he has to say.’”

The accountant and leader Shaun is today

When it comes to being a conventional accountant, Shaun isn’t one to play by the rules. “I just don’t do things because it’s the way they’ve always been done,” says Shaun. “I’m the anti-accountant as far as being process-driven goes. I’ll always question the process if it doesn’t fit what the end objective is.”

So what makes Shaun so anti-accountant? His continuous striving towards innovation. “I think a constant questioning of what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and what are we trying to achieve with it, is the best way to tackle a problem. When you try something new, ask yourself, ‘is it the best way? Let’s give it a go.’ If it works, great! If it doesn’t, what’s the next thing you can try?”

But that’s not to say Shaun isn’t a traditionalist at heart. Just like all accountants, he finds beauty in numbers. “Numbers are beautiful.” Shaun gushes. “I love numbers. You’ve got to listen to what the numbers are telling you, and then listen to your clients and try to find a perfect romance between the numbers and the people.” 

Taking a look at the bigger picture

“People often say to me, ‘gee, you’re lucky with how you’ve been able to build your career at SRJWW,” Shaun starts. “But I think I’m the unluckiest person in the world with a lot of the stuff that’s happened to me over the years.”

For Shaun, the journey to leadership hasn’t been easy. “I’ve struggled with things,” Shaun says. “I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression at times – but that doesn’t mean that I’ve hidden in a corner somewhere. I believe in looking forward, not looking back. After all, I can allow this to be negative, or I can allow it to be positive.”

Shaun’s advice? Take a step back, and consider some other perspectives. “When you’re living through it, it can be really, really hard. But you’ve got to remember to pull yourself back out and have a look at the big picture.”

SRJWW is honoured to have people like Shaun who have grown and evolved with the company. The outcome of his career success has benefited not only himself but our 70 other employees. We look forward to many more years together! Keep an eye on our careers page for career opportunities at SRJWW.