Meet Shane McKenna of Aintree Group Chartered Accountants in Camberwell

Chartered accounting practice Aintree Group is celebrating its 15th birthday this year, marking an important milestone for a business that was started at the family dining table.

Directors Shane and Andrea McKenna started the business with just one staff member in 2005, looking to shake up the way things were done in the accounting world.

The Camberwell-based practice now has 25 employees and works with a broad range of small- and medium-size enterprises and family-run businesses.

Mr McKenna, who has worked in the industry for the past 27 years, decided to start the business after working at a larger, more traditional practice.

“I knew there was a better way to do things and I couldn’t achieve that at the other business, so I decided the only way to do those things was to set up my own,” he said.

Changing the conventional model

Mr McKenna said they wanted to move away from some long-established ways of doing things to a more customer-centric approach.

From day one, they started using less paper and were early adopters of cloud technology.

“We also offered our clients a fixed-price agreement arrangement from very early on, so they had certainty in terms of what they were getting for their dollars,” he said.

“It’s done a lot these days, but we were at the forefront of fixed-price agreements.

“One of the big negatives with accounting practices has been that as soon as the client rings you up, the timer starts, so clients aren’t sure what they are going to be charged at the end of the month.”

With fixed-price agreements, Aintree scopes out the work and provides an estimate cost to the client upfront, so clients know what to expect from the start.

The added bonus of fixed-price arrangements is that it allows clients to ask questions and learn without worrying about additional costs – something that McKenna is passionate about.

Giving back through financial literacy

The practice runs free events and seminars to educate the public and businesses owners about a variety of topics, including tax, business and family matters.

“I think it’s really important that people are educated in financial literacy,” Mr McKenna said.

“I love sharing financial knowledge and our business does well, so giving something back to the community is important.”

Additionally, the team regularly fundraises for numerous local charities and causes every year, including the annual Run for the Kids fundraiser for the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Aintree Group’s chartered accountants and business consultants have more than 100 years’ of combined experience in advising businesses big and small.

The firm offers a range of services for businesses, including accounting, strategic consulting, superannuation, and protection and planning services.

Visit their office

Aintree Group Chartered Accountants

Level 1, 273 Camberwell Rd, Camberwell

Phone: (03) 9851 7999.