Backup for the important decisions, big or small

Ambitious business owners are making decisions every day. Whether they’re big mountain-moving decisions or small intricate developments, they all add up to the bigger picture. When you’re going it alone, the pressure to make the right decision can be overwhelming.

We give women in business the backup they deserve.

A BUSINESS OWNER LIKE WHO?

THE KIND OF PEOPLE WE CLICK WITH

Image for the kind of business owners we click with

FEMALE-OWNED BUSINESSES

THE KIND OF INDUSTRIES YOU’RE IN

We’re not exclusive, but we specialise in these industries.

Professional Services Icon

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Tech Icon

TECH

Online Retail Icon

ONLINE RETAIL

Hospitality Icon

HOSPITALITY

Landlords Icon

LANDLORDS

Fashion Icon

FASHION

WE WORK BEST WITH THOSE WHO SHARE OUR VALUES

THE KIND OF ETHOS WE CLICK WITH

Bullet point

APPRECIATION

We’re a positive bunch. It’s easy to focus on the bad things but it’s just as important to show appreciation for the good.

Bullet point

OWNERSHIP

When we take ownership we work best together. We’re a team and being able to trust that something gets done is a big part of supporting each other.

Bullet point

UNDERSTANDING

We have a duty to take care of our clients. This requires us to understand our tasks and their needs, as well as them understanding ours.

Bullet point

SETTING EXPECTATIONS

We’d rather under promise and over deliver. Clients deserve clarity and we deserve their understanding.

Bullet point

OPENNESS

Being open allows us to get to the heart of every challenge. When we’re open with each other and our clients it gives them/us the tools to empathise.

Image of 2 staff members

WE’RE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN YOU

Coming from various backgrounds in business, we’re always excited to hear about business ideas, innovations, dreams and goals. We’re an open, sociable company, meaning there are no silly questions here (but there is always coffee).

OUR TEAM

Georgi Rollings

Georgi Rollings

CO-CEO

Emma Lawrence

Emma Lawrence

CO-CEO

Juliet Wylie

Juliet Wylie

CLIENT MANAGER

Christopher McMahon

Christopher McMahon

CLIENT MANAGER

Andrea Thomas

Andrea Thomas

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Jennifer Grocott

Jennifer Grocott

JUNIOR ACCOUNTANT

Claire Hobson

Claire Hobson

ADMIN ASSISTANT

Annie Upton

Annie Upton

BOOKKEEPER

Nicoleta Seceleanu

Nicoleta Seceleanu

BOOKKEEPER

Olesia Avdoshyna

Olesia Avdoshyna

BOOKKEEPER

Olga Ashton

Olga Ashton

BOOKKEEPER

Lisa Smith

Lisa Smith

BOOKKEEPER

Georgi Rollings

Georgi Rollings

CO-CEO

I first started Starfish Accounting when I was nearing the end of my maternity leave after having twins. Even though my employer would have supported me moving to part-time, I didn’t want to go back into the corporate world. I felt I wouldn’t be able to do my job properly, and I realised that so many women in business are struggling with the same thing. That’s what Starfish is here to do: whether we’ve been working with a client for a decade or just a few months, I love forming connections with them, pushing their business forward, and helping them achieve their goals while still being able to spend time with their family. When I’m not being the residential systems geek and handling Xero conversion projects or integrations, you can find me at a coffee shop with a good book, listening to music, or spending time with my twin girls.

Emma Lawrence

Emma Lawrence

CO-CEO

There aren’t many people who could make me leave a secure job and jump into the unknown of running our own firm, but Georgi is one of them! I joined Starfish in 2014 when it was just three years old after meeting Georgi through social media, and I’ve never looked back. I love the flexibility that running my own business gives me – it can be hard working around school drop offs or diving lessons, but I know that so many of our clients are dealing with the same things, and we get to work together to find a solution. Now, I can spend part of my day handling payroll or compliance queries, speaking to clients, and working hard to find solutions to their problems, and the other part baking with my daughter, taking my son to the theatre, or going on (super) long walks – I’m virtually walking the 2,278 miles of Route 66 in just 12 months!

Juliet Wylie

Juliet Wylie

CLIENT MANAGER

Before starting work with Starfish Accounting, I spent six years of my career working in a client-facing role in retail. It was here that I realised contact with people is what makes me tick – that I thrive on building relationships with clients, learning about them, and helping them as best I can. I took on this role when my children were young as, even though I had a degree in Accounting and Finance and had spent the majority of my career with a large accountancy firm both in Liverpool and Reading, I needed a job with more sociable hours. Little did I know that I would be able to find my dream role utilising my accountancy background and my desire to work with people at that time, but I am so grateful to have found my role as Client Manager with Starfish in 2019. Starfish is made up of working mums, just like me. My family means the world to me, and I love being able to balance preparing accounts or handling accounting queries with tackling renovation projects with my husband or going on a family walk with our dog and grown-up children.

Andrea Thomas

Andrea Thomas

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Raising twin girls and working as Starfish’s Operations Manager has one thing in common: no two days are ever the same! I’m in charge of a wide range of duties for the team, from being the “internal IT department” to anything admin or operational related. I’m a bit of a “fixer”, meaning even if I don’t have the answer to a problem right away, I love the challenge and satisfaction that comes with finding a solution. Outside of the office, I never say no to a new adventure, like backpacking around Canada or training as a Snowboard Instructor in New Zealand, all fuelled by a hot cup of coffee in the morning and lots of squash (I drink gallons of it)!

Jennifer Grocott

Jennifer Grocott

JUNIOR ACCOUNTANT

After a long career in the corporate world, I decided to retrain and find a different path that allowed me to spend more time with my family. I’ve always been detail-oriented and diligent, so accounting seemed like a natural fit for all my skills to flourish. I completed my AAT qualifications and joined Team Starfish as a bookkeeper in 2018. Now, I’m the go-to person for keeping clients’ accounts up to date and answering any and all questions about Xero and Dext. I love helping the small business owners we work with learn new things and find solutions to all the problems that have been troubling them. When I’m not buried in spreadsheets, you can find me spending time with my children, exercising, or doing a home renovation project!

Claire Hobson

Claire Hobson

ADMIN ASSISTANT

I think I’m the only member of Team Starfish who can say that I started working when I was just a child living in Hong Kong. Now, instead of modelling and being the marketing face for toys, I’m in charge of incoming post, office facilities, and ad hoc jobs as an Administrative Assistant. I love being surrounded by other working mums who understand what it’s like to fit work around raising a family. I couldn’t live without my three beautiful daughters, my lovely pet animals and a good cup of tea at the end of a long day!

Christopher McMahon

Christopher McMahon

CLIENT MANAGER

I was drawn to Starfish when I saw my love of helping people reflected in their values. Whether it’s relieving business owners’ stress or assisting the team as the resident software wiz, I try to add value to the lives of those around me. As a firm believer in harnessing the power of technology to solve problems, I love learning new software to deliver a better service. When I’m not taking care of clients, you can find me whipping up something delicious in the kitchen. In fact, I used to be a professional chef. Although I’ve now swapped saucepans for spreadsheets, I won’t need much convincing to bring a few homemade treats into the office!

Annie Upton

Annie Upton

BOOKKEEPER

Even when I was just a child in school, I had a knack for numbers; I’ve always been good at piecing information together, identifying the problem, and finding a solution, and I love being able to do that for the appreciative and friendly clients we work with at Starfish. My biggest talent is finding where things have gone amiss and cleaning it all up again, whether that be bookkeeping, a friend’s garden, or a house that needs gutting and refurbishing. Of course, after a long day of fixing things, nothing beats a glass of red wine and a good book!

Nicoleta Seceleanu

Nicoleta Seceleanu

BOOKKEEPER

I never shy away from a challenge. Whether it’s solving the mystery of why an account isn’t reconciling or moving from Romania to the UK to raise my family and continue improving my English, I love putting in hard work to achieve amazing results. As a bookkeeper for the Starfish team, I get to spend all day doing two of my favourite things: crunching numbers and helping people. When I’m not creating financial reports or reconciling accounts, I’m usually sharing delicious snacks around the office, gardening, or enjoying time with my family and friends.

Olesia Avdoshyna

Olesia Avdoshyna

BOOKKEEPER

After moving from Ukraine to the UK, I joined the Starfish team in 2022 as a bookkeeper. It’s always seemed like a natural calling because balance is one of my core values. I keep balance at the centre of pretty much everything; in accounting, relationships, my soul, and even when I dance ballet. I was drawn to Starfish by its joyful and positive leadership, and I’m now part of a caring and supportive team of other working mums. The business owners we get to work with are one of my favourite things about Starfish; I’ve always found them to be smart, talented and creative people, and I enjoy communicating with them and being in their company. I love to dig into their accounting processes to see what’s keeping the business from full health and maximum profitability. Outside of work you’ll find me snuggled up with a book in fluffy socks with a cup of tea (balancing out the chilly British weather with warmth and cosiness!).

Olga Ashton

Olga Ashton

BOOKKEEPER

Not many six-year-olds say they want to be an accountant when they grow up…I was a bit different! I looked up to my grandfather who was an accountant in the agriculture industry, and he inspired me to follow this path. Now part of the close-knit Starfish team, I handle bookkeeping and dealing with our clients’ daily transactions. I love the variety of our clients and understanding their specific needs to help them achieve their goals. If I weren’t working my magic at Starfish as a self-professed “organisation magician”, I’d be an events organiser. I love throwing parties for my family and friends…and it helps that I make a mean Amaretto Sour!

Lisa Smith

Lisa Smith

BOOKKEEPER

I’ve always enjoyed working with numbers in a variety of ways. That passion, combined with my love of problem-solving, means I’m most in my element when I get to pop on my detective hat and investigate why an account isn’t balanced! Like most of the team, I’m a working mum and I was drawn to being part of a company that supports women in business. Outside of work, when I’m not going for walks in the countryside with my husband and son, I swap Starfish for being Star Baker. Okay, so I might not be in the Great British Bake Off tent just yet…but I do love whipping up a mightily tasty cake!

FEELING THE WEIGHT LIFT A LITTLE ALREADY?

See how we practically help you take steps towards financial freedom