Business as a means to assist the individual pursuit of happiness

When you visit a place like Washington DC, where the most powerful country was birthed and read the words inscribed in the Jefferson Monument:
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“We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. Among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men.”
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You can’t help being a bit sentimental and question the in-depth meaning of life and business.
A nation based on a sound foundation of national principal can grow and thrive, as has been proven in the case of United States of America. Same applies to an organisation or business. If we say that a business is instituted among its members to act as a means to help individuals to pursue happiness, it is bound to succeed. This is pretty much what I can see in Gilligan Sheppard, as an evolving business over the past 15 years.
This year, GS tried hard to find the words to say it out loud (although we may not be as articulate as Jefferson). Richard Ashby and I flew all the way to Washington DC to connect with likeminded professionals at the AGN International Congress. On this journey we sought inspiration on how to improve our principles of doing business and to making connections with our clients.
AGN International is an association of independent accounting and advisory businesses (read more here; https://www.agn.org/) Gilligan Sheppard joined last year. The beautiful fall weather welcomed more than a hundred delegates from member firms in four of the AGN regions: Asia Pacific, Central & South America, Europe Middle East & Africa and North America. Blue sky and golden leaves showcased the most beautiful and powerful landmarks – monuments and ceremony witnessed three hundred years of brief but extraordinary history of a young nation.
The two day congress was packed with speeches and discussions relevant to the accounting and advisory industry. Technology has changed the way people live and businesses are quick to try to meet the demands of people. To help businesses grow and thrive, put together a team of talent and match them with tasks that they are good at and enjoy. Then you’ll find that they work harder and smarter to meet customer needs. Every individual is unique and have their own type of talent and character. A business run by a team with the right talents, in the right place, can provide better services to their customers and produce better results for the team. In summary, if a business does it right, they can help improve the lives of all individuals involved.
Apart from structured learning and sharing, the congress also provided a opportunities to meet people and enjoy diversification; from old Aussie mates we’ve known for over ten years, through to introductions of likeminded professionals from Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dominic Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Casablanca, Milan, Turkey, US, Canada and China. The geographical and legislation environment we live in may be different, but the principles of life and doing business are likewise. The prospect of being able to help mutual international clients, to share ideas on business operations and industry trends, and to enjoy friendship for the years to come, made the trip worthwhile.
Our Gilligan Sheppard mission is:
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“We enrich our lives through enriching yours.”
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All of these relationships encourage enrichment!