A new week means you get to meet another of our amazing Shuriken team members. She has been a valuable part of our team for about two years now. We think it’s time for you to meet her…
Her name is Katrina Zhang and she is an accountant at our office in Sydney.
She is a friendly, organised and dedicated professional. We are so lucky to have her as part of our team. Let’s get to know her better…
Behind every successful career is a curious mind
After finishing her accounting studies, Katrina started working at GroupM Beijing in 2012 as an accounts payable officer.
Working at the world’s largest media investment group made her realise she has so much more to learn.
A year later, she enrolled in a Master of Professional Accounting at the The University of Sydney. Here, she participated in Deloitte Fastrack Innovation Program.
This program is an amazing learning module offering real-world experience to students. Their aim is to partner with more Australian universities in order to create and develop intrapreneurship competition.
One particular project Katrina is proud of is her team’s “Cents for Difference” idea. It’s the first project that challenged her to think like a business woman:
- Focusing on what really matters to clients
- Thinking of ways to deliver value to clients
- Finding practical ways to use limited resources
This was a unique experience for Katrina that shaped her thinking in a profound way.
Now, being a part of Shuriken Consulting, she thinks this experience has equipped her to truly understand and help her clients.
Katrina is an A star! (read “accounting star”)
She first started as an intern back in 2015. Katrina has come such a long way since her intern years. We are happy she chose to grow with us.
Katrina is an Accountant for our Sydney office. She is responsible for two big financial services companies.
A few of Katrina’s accountant duties are:
- Preparation and review of month/year end financial reports including Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Forecasting and other reports
- Maintaining accurate registers and monthly reconciliation, accounts payable such as, managing large volumes of invoices and responding to suppliers’ queries and payments processing on weekly basis
- General Ledger maintenance on monthly basis
…and many more.
Working for a small versus big company
Katrina has experienced the best of both.
She confesses she would still pick a small company if she were to choose again. Why?
“A big company taught me all about the technical processes of being an accountant. But I felt like I was part of a big machine.” This experience was invaluable for Katrina’s career.
“The fast paced working environment at Shuriken taught me how to handle pressure. It stimulated my potential. I can honestly say I found my place, among friendly and kind colleagues,” explains Katrina.
The perks of working in a small business from Katrina’s perspective – “A small business can teach you a lot about passion and how to follow your dreams.”
Katrina + Accounting = a long lasting career love story
When asked how she would describe her job, Katrina’s response was: “Accounting is interesting and fun!”
“As an accountant, you learn a lot about how to run a business. You have all those numbers that you need to track down.” It’s sometimes very similar to detective work.
It may seem tedious work to some, but to Katrina, it has become second nature. “Reading business financial statements is pretty much second nature to me now. I can identify large holes in a company from a quick glance at their P&L.”
[ctt template=”7″ link=”Sadxn” via=”yes” ]“Many people think accounting is easy. It’s just numbers. But it isn’t. To me, those numbers tell a story.”[/ctt] explains Katrina.
She is aware how much responsibility an accountant has on their shoulders, “Every day, I am well aware how my work could impact my clients. One mistake can cost them millions. My numbers have to be right all the time.”
Katrina’s advice to you…
“A business cannot and will not be successful without good leadership. Executives will not reach their full potential without being a good leader.”
Become good leaders. Create good leaders.
Katrina’s hobbies…
When she’s not at the office, Katrina loves to cook. Cooking relaxes her and also gives her a chance to make her taste buds happy.
Spending time with her cats is another of Katrina’s passions. Each cat has a different personality and sometimes they can be a handful. Not to a cat lover, though.
If you would like to chat with Katrina to find out more about Shuriken’s services and how they can help you develop your business, get in touch with her below.
