Part of me might be metal, but I promise I’m not a robot. There is a legitimate human being behind this website.

I did not grow up wanting to be an accountant, but it happened; As much as accidentally on purpose taking endless exams, and setting up your own practice can, anyway.

It was not part of the life plan, but when does that ever actually go how you intend it to?

I was diagnosed with bone cancer one month before my 18th birthday.

The transformation can only be compared to a hurricane passing over and leaving behind the broken and irrecoverable structures that previously stood; I was no longer a carefree teenager, but a fragile and broken shell of what had previously existed.

The substitutions were shocking;

My wheels were not a car, but a wheelchair, because I could no longer walk.

My bad hair days no longer existed, because I had no hair.

My nausea was not a result of a hangover, but the poisonous yet life-saving chemotherapy drugs being pumped directly into my heart.

My leg pain was not a result of overdoing it at the gym but a result of limb salvage surgery.

New friends were not necessarily life-long, because heartbreakingly, not all of us would survive.

But time passes, just like a hurricane. You clear away the debris and slowly repair those damaged structures to closely resemble what had previously existed.

My wheels are now a car, because most days, I can walk and no longer need a wheelchair.

My bad hair days are a frequent privilege.

My nausea is because I have had far too much fun the night before.

My leg pain is constant, but there is a mighty fine leg there!

I will always remember those friends, they are life-long in my heart.  

I realised soon after having surgery that there was no way I was going to be able to commit to commuting for work on a long-term basis; it was far too painful. By the time I would get anywhere, I’d be breathless, boiling, nauseous, and holding back tears from the endless and excruciating muscle cramps and spasms that would punish me for having the audacity to try to move. I sucked it up for as long as I could, but It was not sustainable. I was already a single and disabled mum with no qualifications. The government’s austerity measures were harsh. Seriously, what on Earth was I going to do?

I found out about the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers and dedicated every second of my spare time that I could manage to study. I juggled sleepless nights with my young son with working part-time and studying in the evenings. Learning about T accounts was MIND. NUMBINGLY. DULL. But I didn’t care. It could be as dull as it wanted. Eventually, I qualified as a member (I’m a Fellow now, check me!) and was eligible to open my own practice under their supervision.

But that wasn’t enough either. I needed more. My permanent scars didn’t bother me, but the emotional ones can only be silenced by constantly trying to achieve. I started studying with the Association of Accounting Technicians; Completing the level 4 Professional Diploma in Accounting with a MERIT. This time, I juggled studying with running my own practice, my son, planning a wedding, TWO MORE babies, revision surgery on my knee, and a whole other heap of challenges that life can throw at you.

And here I am.

With dual membership with both the ICB and the AAT, I am Kara Curtayne FICB MAAT; Passionate about business, remote working, embracing new technology and often oversharing on my Instagram stories!