21 Year Celebration – Anthony McPhee, much more than just a mild-mannered accountant.

Many of you would have seen that Anthony McPhee, the Managing Principle here at Charter Partners, celebrated 21 years of service at Charter Partners on 24 June 2019.

During that time Anthony has overseen a lot of changes within the business and the industry. Significantly, he has been instrumental in driving a 400% increase in the revenues of Charter Partners, since becoming a partner in 2000, which has seen staff numbers grow from 10 to 40. Most of this growth has been organic through referrals from existing clients due to the high quality of service provided.

Anthony believes he is just the current custodian of Charter Partners the business and its 87-year legacy. His responsibility is to ensure he upholds the values of exceptional quality and service and that the true signs of good leadership are where the business doesn’t rely exclusively on its owners for its success but more so its people, systems and values. How well Anthony has done his job…well, that’s not just measured by success now but will be measured by the success of the business beyond his time.

So, to help celebrate the milestone let’s take a deeper look behind the man and see why Anthony McPhee is much more than just a mild-mannered accountant.

Success Factors – Charter Partners and Anthony McPhee

Solid Foundations – a legacy extending back to 1932 when the practice was originally founded.

When asked about the success of Charter Partners, Anthony stated “I was very fortunate to become part of an accounting firm that started from humble beginnings way back in 1932. So, you could say that longevity is in the Charter Partners DNA and fortunately the legacy of all the previous partners was a firm with a fantastic reputation and standing in the Gympie community. From the start, my aim was simply to continue this legacy and seek opportunities to benefit more clients in more ways.”

This legacy extended much further than just a fantastic reputation. Crucially, throughout the years the partners had implemented a lot of great systems that continue to be utilised to this day. Understanding the importance of great systems for any business, Anthony has driven Charter Partners to build on and improve these systems to ensure the high level of quality and service Charter Partners provides clients today.

Charter Partners is founded on providing sound practical advice and dealing with clients, staff and other partners in a highly ethical manner.

When it is all boiled down Charter Partners is about getting results for its clients and nothing gives the crew at Charter Partners more satisfaction and excitement than finding a solution for their clients particularly for new clients that feel they have exhausted all avenues. Getting results like Sharon’s for our clients is what drives us every day.

Attention to detail and a wealth of experience, in the accounting arena and more broadly as business owners and property developers, along with strategic joint venture partners means Charter Partners keep providing great outcomes for their clients.

Highly Qualified, Experienced, Excellent Reputation

Obviously accounting expertise lays at the heart of the excellent reputation Charter Partners has forged.  Furthermore, Charter Partners has a reputation for solving client’s issues with smart insights to either save significant amounts of tax or increase business profits (Profit Discovery Sessions).

Leading the Charter Partners accounting expertise, Anthony McPhee is a highly qualified and experienced accounting expert having been awarded as a:

• Fellow of the Certified Practicing Accountants Australia (FCPA)
  • at least 15 years’ full-time work in accounting, finance or business, including at least five years in an executive position or as a public accountant to be eligible.

• Self Managed Superannuation Specialist Advisor (SSA) – SMSF Association of Australia
  • Advise on SMSF’s regarding industry standards, fund set up, contributions, investment rules, fund taxation, benefit payments and winding up funds.

These qualifications and experience reflect Anthony’s level of commitment to providing the best advice possible to his clients.

Business Focus – Anthony McPhee has Walked In Your Shoes

Charter Partners growth over the years has not happened by accident. Armed with an excellent reputation built over many decades with an intense client and systems focus, Anthony McPhee emphasized a priority on organic growth through referrals from existing clients to capitalise on the high quality of service provided. Over the years, further opportunities for growth were pursued via joint ventures (expanded service offering to clients) and some strategic acquisitions (expansion to new markets).

Combining that experience with navigating some significant industry changes, a complete rebranding of the business and some successful risk mitigation foresight to smooth the waters when a partner became seriously ill, sees Anthony and the Charter Partners team ideally suited to understand their clients’ needs as business owners. Some of the highlights for Charter Partners include:

Expanded Service Offerings

• 2009 – Business Advisory Division aiming to identify opportunities to improve the performance of our client’s businesses.
• 2009 Elston (Joint Venture) – offering financial planning services to the client base, wealth planning, risk products (life insurance), intergenerational wealth transfers
• 2019 Charter Funding (Joint Venture) – providing commercial and domestic finance services to clients via Matthew Gordon

Business Acquisitions & Relocations

• 2004 Gympie Relocation – practice moved to Cullinane’s Building
• 2005 Bundaberg Expansion – purchased Takalvan Street practice in Bundaberg
• 2013 Bundaberg Expansion – purchased Craig Proctor’s Bundaberg Practice. Luke Samways became a partner. Charter Partners Practice moved to Barolin Street Bundaberg
• 2015 Brisbane Expansion – purchased Ashgrove practice in Brisbane.
• 2015 Gympie Relocation – Inga Jarick became a partner in Gympie and the Charter Partners Gympie practice moved to the purpose-built premises at 28 Excelsior Rd Gympie (developed by Anthony)
• 2016 Brisbane Relocation – practice moved to current offices in Milton
• 2017 Brisbane Expansion – purchased a Toowong accounting practice
• 2019 Bundaberg Relocation – practice moved to Bourbong Street Bundaberg

Business Challenges – in addition to those above

• 2000 Introduction of GST – the size of the task and workload was severely underestimated at the time. It was a herculean task for the practice but provided invaluable experience for dealing with major changes to a business that would prove invaluable in later years.
• 2007 Partner Illness – one of Anthony’s former partners became ill, fortunately, Anthony had the foresight to implement appropriate risk mitigation strategies including staff, systems, and insurances to enable the relatively smooth transition of the business through a difficult time.
• 2009 Rebranding Charter Partners – rebranded Laird McPhee (name of practice after 2000 when Anthony became a partner). The word “Charter” means chartering a course and trying to keep people on track. So, Charter Partners – are your partners in keeping your financial affairs on track.
• 2018 Introduction of Cloud Services – Charter Partners moved to the cloud for tax, accounting and practice management

Property Development

Anthony has developed several commercial properties as well as residential developments over the years including:

• Bourbong Street Medical Centre Bundaberg – a multi-million-dollar medical centre
• Charter Partners Gympie Office – 28 Excelsior Road Gympie purpose-built commercial office.

Community Citizen

Charter Partners has been a major sponsor of the Rainbow Beach Surf Club, Gympie Golf Club, and numerous other smaller community organisations. Their way of helping support the local community.

Anthony’s sanctuary

To help preserve his sanity while building Charter Partners, Anthony enjoys spending time with family and friends, travel and is an avid golfer.

His last overseas trip was to Russia over the Christmas New Year period, with his partner Nathalia and her son George. They travelled to Nathalia’s home island called Sakhalin located in the Pacific Ocean north of Japan where it got to a balmy minus 20 degrees Celsius.

On the golf front, with some dedication and perseverance, Anthony has been able to reduce his golf handicap from 14 to a low of 7 (currently 9).

“Finally, Anthony and the Charter Partners team simply say “thank you” to their loyal clients for their continued support over the years. Without the support of loyal clients, Charter Partners would not exist.”

Conclusion

So, the success of Charter Partners is a combination of a relentless client focus, well established and qualified expertise as accountants along with the practical experience of growing a successful business and thriving in the challenges it presents.

Congratulations Anthony and the team at Charter Partners on what has been some journey in building Charter Partners to the revered status it enjoys today.

Finally, Anthony and the Charter Partners team simply say “thank you” to their loyal clients for their continued support over the years. Without the support of loyal clients, Charter Partners would not exist.

Charter Partners look forward to creating many more client success stories.