I maintain long-term relationships with my clients, some, indeed, since early 1989, shortly after I set up in practice. Trustiworthiness, honesty and a feeling of safety are important to a client, I believe. As well, taking an interest in the particular business of a client helps me and them. I have the patience of a teacher of many years which proves helpful. I have never found a job too small; no doubt one day I shall find one that is too big. I'm an art(s) junkie, especially of art, music, theatre and film, so it's perhaps not surprising that quite a number of my clients are from that sphere. Might almost call it my speciality, I suppose, though I have many clients who are not in the creative industry. I welcome clients no matter what they do. (Though if you have a job as an executioner or torturer or in the arms industry, perhaps better find another accountant.)
I'm a mathematician/physicist (Honours degree NZ) turned accountant (Part qualified ACA - 2 years). I have taught at a university for many years, the last 20 in London, at the same time as pursuing this accountancy practice (since 1988). In between, I worked for 13 years at an accountancy practice in the City of London (one of the top 15), the last 4 years of that as a tax senior managing a range of personal and corporate clients.