The shaping of a successful leader

Rachael Chadwick-Harrison runs Bidford-based Chadwick Accountants and Bookkeepers and has learned a life lesson or two on her path to heading up a successful business.

In an interview with C&W in Business, Rachael revealed how her personal and professional life have helped to shape the leader she is today.

“I said that if I couldn’t make it work after six months, I’d just go back and get a job because that’s something I knew was possible.

“I was so fed up with the corporate world. I really was. I’d experienced some awful things and I just thought that I wanted something different and the thought of being able to help other businesses was something that really excited me.”

The new business was born in July 2021 and by November, Rachael had signed up so many clients that she needed to take on more staff.

The only issue was the fact she was running the business from home and it meant members of the team coming to her house – where Rachael and her husband Chris had converted the garage into an office – to work.

“By the time there were four of us, I thought it was time to get an office!” she said.

“It was okay at first, but if you are feeling unwell, it’s not ideal to have the whole team descending on your house when you are taking the day off!

“We started looking around for offices and I really wanted something in Bidford but didn’t think