I’ve gained a diverse range of experience over the years, with my working life taking me from New Zealand to the United States and back again.

My accounting journey began while living in the United States, where I helped my brother with the financial management and payroll for his plumbing company, as well as helping a friend set up and manage their MYOB system.

After returning to New Zealand with my husband and three children, I took on a variety of roles that allowed me to balance work and family life, before eventually coming across an advertisement for a position at Theme Productions.

Something about the combination of accounting and events immediately appealed to me, and I joined Theme Productions in January 2017. What started as a role with a strong accounting focus has evolved considerably over the years, and today I’m the Operations Director.

While I’ve stepped away from the day-to-day accounts, I’m still very hands-on across the business. I love working with clients, designing events, developing concepts and being involved in bringing them to life, while also working behind the scenes with our team to make sure everything runs smoothly.

I love the variety of what we do, the people I work alongside and the fact that, even after nearly a decade, no two days are ever quite the same.

It’s almost impossible to choose one favourite because every event brings something different.

For me, one of the best moments is at the end of an installation, just before the doors open. There’s that moment when you can finally stand back, take everything in and think, “They’re going to love this!”

I’m incredibly proud of what our team creates and the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to bring each event together. Seeing a space completely transformed – and then seeing our client’s reaction to it – is still one of my favourite parts of what I do.

There really isn’t such a thing as a typical workday for me anymore and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

As Operations Director, my days are a mix of overseeing what’s happening across the business, supporting our team and making sure projects are running smoothly, while still being very much involved in the creative and hands-on side of events.

One day I might be creating mood boards and designing an event, the next I’m meeting with a client, working through logistics with the team, problem-solving behind the scenes or onsite helping bring an event to life.

I particularly enjoy the days when we’re all bouncing ideas around, developing concepts and working out how we can turn an idea into something really special.

After all the planning, designing, organizing and hands-on work, the best part is still seeing everything come together – and seeing the look on a client’s face when they experience the finished event for the first time.