2025 Bookkeeping Reflection

The story of our year

If you’d told us back in January that 2025 would include everything from packed-out events, new micro-courses, bookkeeping wins across the motu, and more questions about AI than any human should be expected to answer in one lifetime… well, we probably would have smiled the polite smile that says “sure, okay, maybe”.

But here we are – nearly twelve months later – looking back at a year that was busy, bold, and brilliant in all the best ways.

• We met Bookkeepers celebrating their first clients.
• We met Bookkeepers expanding their teams.
• We met Bookkeepers who were exhausted but determined, and Bookkeepers who were absolutely thriving.

Through every conversation, email, meeting room, phone chat, and late-night message, one thing kept showing up clearly: Bookkeepers in New Zealand are stronger together.

And honestly… that’s what we’ll remember most about 2025.

A moment for our own reflections

Here’s where we each get to add a little personal flavour.

Favourite Parts of 2025:

Kenn:

I LOVE that I can work remotely in my role. It means freedom to work from anywhere in the world, and in 2025 I really took advantage of that as I spent most of the year working overseas. (wink wink to Sandi coz she hates when I talk about this haha!)

Ironically though, my favourite part this year was returning to New Zealand for our conference. We decided to shift our approach to community-building by creating fun, relevant videos for our members. Oh boy, working on those with Sandi was a blast! We were like kids just having fun and playing around – literally! You’ll understand when you see the playground videos. 

Remote work is great, but you do miss the energy of collaborating in person, and those projects reminded me how enjoyable that can be. Honestly, it didn’t even feel like work. It felt like creating something fun together.

And of course, the conference is a constant yearly highlight. I’m really glad we went with a themed event this time as it brought such a lively, engaging atmosphere. The feedback we received from members was incredibly rewarding! People didn’t just find it insightful, but they genuinely had a great time networking, socialising, and enjoying the day. Seeing their smiles and knowing we helped create that experience was the part I loved most.

Sandi:

Hands down, my favourite part of 2025 was the way Kenn and I really hit our stride. We found our groove this year – and we had so much fun doing it. I genuinely feel lucky that we crossed paths because our skills complement each other so naturally, and we get excited about the same opportunities at the same time.

And on an actual work note, launching the micro-courses was a huge highlight for me. I’ve wanted to do this for years, because there’s so much value in teaching the small, practical things everyone assumes you already know when you’re starting out as a Bookkeeper (or business owner). Seeing that finally become real was awesome.

Least Favourite Parts of 2025:

Kenn:

OMG, I only travelled for 10 months, but when I returned to NZ, the inflation felt like I was gone for 10 years! That was not fun and I could really see its impact on our members. I kept hearing stories about people losing clients, businesses having to shut down, or members leaving the industry altogether because they needed to change careers just to make ends meet.

It’s been tough to witness, and it really puts into perspective how challenging the environment has been for so many people. But I’m hopeful that we’re finally moving out of this difficult period. My hope is that we can leave all of that behind in 2025 and look forward to a much better and more stable 2026.

In saying that, here’s me packing my bags again for another round of travelling because I found it’s literally cheaper to travel in Southeast Asia than live in NZ for now. (wink wink to Sandi)

Sandi

I really wish we’d been able to launch our podcast, but a few big projects took over the year (you’ll get to see those soon!).  And don’t worry – the podcast will be live in early 2026 (once we figure out how to use the software!)

And in all honesty – 2025 was a tough one for me personally. It felt like everything that could go wrong for me personally … did. But through all of it, my work with NZQBA and the people I’ve met through this role stayed consistent. It was a bright spot during a stormy season, and I’m grateful for that more than I can say.  And super grateful to have had Kenn keeping me sane (and picking up any of my slack) through it all.

What this year taught us

Ok, back to the professional part …

2025 has also reminded us that Bookkeepers in New Zealand aren’t just keeping up with change – you’re leading it.

• You embraced AI with curiosity rather than fear.
• You stepped up to compliance challenges with confidence.
• You shared knowledge generously and supported each other openly.

The big takeaway for us?  Success for Bookkeepers isn’t about doing more – it’s about doing it together.

Where we’re heading next

With everything we learned in 2025, we’re heading into 2026 with purpose.

• More practical learning you can use immediately.
• More support without the overwhelm.
• More micro-courses built around what Bookkeepers actually need.
• More opportunities to connect – online, in person, and through our growing community spaces.
• And more ways to raise the profile and power of Bookkeepers across Aotearoa.

2025 set the foundation.

2026 is where we build on it.