Motivation | Break through
The rock ‘n’ roll bean counter
David Bennett MAAT was the winner of the Triumph Award at the AAT Impact Awards 2024, having demonstrated enormous personal resilience in overcoming challenges to succeed on both his accountancy and musical journey
Words Sophie Cross
David Bennett describes himself as a “rock ‘n‘ roll bean counter”. He works as an accountant for Carter Clear Accounting after starting his Level 4 apprenticeship there in July 2022, as well as being self-employed as a band sound engineer and tour manager – an industry in which he has worked since leaving school.
“My role at Carter Clear involves being a client manager for both companies and sole traders,” Bennett says. “The majority of my workload is year-end accounts and tax returns, though there are also regular weekly and monthly bookkeeping tasks and quarterly VAT returns. I also arrange meetings with the clients I manage in person or virtually to help maintain the relationship with them.
“Being a sound engineer involves a lot of shows and travelling on tour as well as one-off performances. I mix the sound for the show and sometimes drive the van, as well as doing a lot of organisation in the background dealing with promoters and venues.”
DAVID'S TIPS
For juggling a variety of tasks
1
Set time aside in the day for the different things you need to achieve.
2
Do your best to ignore distractions.
3
Focus on the task at hand.
Lockdown opportunity
Bennett had wanted to be a sound engineer ever since he helped with theatre performances at school. With a lot of persistence in a competitive industry, he has worked in both employed and self-employed roles. When Covid-19 struck, the entertainment industry ground to a halt and he found himself considering different options for his future.
He recalls: “I had known Caroline Carter FMAAT (managing director of Carter Clear) for a long time, and we’d had many conversations about where she wanted to take her business and the possibilities of my involvement. We worked out what training would be required along with some realistic time frames.”
With time off during lockdown, Bennett self-studied AAT Level 3 and, with some help and private tuition, he passed all his exams to gain AATQB status. Once he had achieved this, Carter Clear gave him the opportunity to be taken on in an apprenticeship scheme.
“Caroline had expanded from being a sole practitioner to setting up Carter Clear Accounting and she was looking for apprentices to take on, train up and guide through the process with the aim of a permanent role at the end of the course,” he says. “I decided this was a good opportunity to learn new skills with a great mentor. This also had the benefit of tuition and structured lessons from First Intuition along with support from their dedicated lecturers.”
DAVID'S TIPS
For achieving your goals
1
Make a realistic plan that includes your specific goals and time frames to achieve them.
2
Be prepared to be adaptable when things change.
3
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
From heartbreak to triumph
Bennett’s AAT journey was by no means straightforward, and it’s clear why he was nominated for and went on to win the 2024 AAT Triumph Award.
Carter says: “We always knew David was award-worthy and now the AAT Impact Awards have confirmed it. His ability to juggle accountancy, music and everything in between is nothing short of impressive. He’s an absolute asset to our team and the clients he works with, and we’re so proud to see him get the recognition he deserves.”
In fact, Bennett had to take an extended break from learning in 2023 when his mother and father passed away within two months of each other.
Even without having to deal with the devastating loss of his parents, managing his work, study, band tours, exams and life was extremely tough. And being on tour with a band for a few weeks at a time is not the ideal environment for focusing, learning and revising.
Bennett adds: “I think I was nominated for the Triumph Award as both my parents passed away within two months of each other. I also had other challenges along the way, like scheduling work and study around tours and being away. It was very difficult when it came to exams and the dates they were available. It was also challenging studying in hotel rooms and backstage at venues where the conditions were noisy and crowded.”
DAVID'S TIPS
For succeeding on a finance career path and overcoming obstacles
1
Make your studies interesting and fun.
2
Be stubborn and persistent.
3
If there are certain areas you gravitate towards, spend time taking an interest in them. For example, if it’s tax, read some articles and keep up to date. It will help you become a specialist in your chosen area.
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