From AAT student to full time boss: how to use your qualifications to your advantage

We spoke to Rachael Chadwick-Harrison FMAAT about her journey into accountancy – from studying hard to qualify, to balancing family life with a growing career, and ultimately choosing to launch her own business.

What first inspired you to study accountancy, and why did you choose AAT as your starting point?

I always knew my strengths were maths and science. In my teens I went into banking, but I eventually left to gain management experience because there was no in-house development programme available.

While I was gaining that experience, the banking crash happened and banking no longer felt like a secure long-term option. In hindsight it probably would have been fine to go back, but that moment pushed me to explore other routes.

I was speaking to a training provider who recommended accountancy and the AAT qualification as a practical starting point. It felt structured and accessible, and that is how I got started.

Tell us about the biggest challenge you faced while studying, and how did you overcome it?

Getting pregnant was definitely the biggest challenge. I enrolled on my AAT qualification in January 2009 and found out I was pregnant in May. At the time I was working a 60-hour week, studying, and juggling midwife appointments and everything that comes with pregnancy.

However, I turned it into an advantage. When I went on maternity leave I did not stop studying, I doubled down. When my daughter was three months old, I paid for her to go to a childminder one day a week purely so I could focus on studying. I used that time to accelerate my qualifications and it made a huge difference.

Did AAT help you build confidence in specific areas?

Yes, massively, particularly technically. I still remember reading an AAT article about deferred tax and then applying that knowledge in practice. That understanding has stayed with me throughout my career. AAT built a strong technical foundation and gave me confidence in areas that can feel intimidating at first.

In what ways did the AAT qualification give you an advantage as you moved into more advanced professional training?

I went on to study CIMA and AAT gave me exemptions from the first four exams, which was a significant advantage. I also found that AAT complemented CIMA well because CIMA does not focus heavily on tax. I chose business and personal tax as optional units during AAT, and that early technical tax knowledge has proved extremely useful in practice.

After gaining experience in industry, what motivated you to start Chadwick Accountants and Bookkeepers Ltd?

There were two main drivers. First, I saw a huge gap in the market for proactive accountants. In my roles as a CFO and Finance Director, I worked with many accountants and auditors and often felt I could do better. I wanted to create a firm that genuinely added value.

Second, culture. In many of the organisations I worked in, the culture was unsupportive or toxic. After trying different industries, I realised that if I wanted a positive and empowering working environment, I would have to build it myself.

What is one of the hardest things you’ve found by running your own business?

Recruitment has been a major challenge. We are based in a rural area and highly capable people often gravitate towards big city roles with larger salaries, so the talent pool can be smaller. We address this by recruiting for the right person rather than a rigid full-time role.

We are open to part-time or flexible arrangements because quality and reliability matter more than contracted hours. I would rather build a team of excellent part-time professionals than struggle to fill a traditional structure.

Another challenge for me personally was coming from industry and not knowing how an accountancy practice operates. I had to learn everything from scratch, from CRM systems to workflows and pricing structures. It was a steep learning curve but it has made me a stronger business owner.

What advice would you give AAT students who want to follow a similar path?

Be honest with yourself about the level of commitment required. No one reaches senior qualifications, even via apprenticeship, without investing evenings and weekends. Also, say yes to opportunities. If your employer offers additional responsibility, take it. Do not shy away because you do not yet know how to do it. That is how you grow. Building a diverse skill set will serve you extremely well throughout your career.

Further reading

From apprentice to boss: A natural pathway to partner

From study to strategy: how to think like an accountant before you qualify

Networking support: top tips for building connections as a student

Harry Rogers is AAT Comment’s news writer.