Throughout the second half of 2023, Chartered Accountants, En Khong and Andela Rustinya from Stirling Partners joined the Spacecubed community, and were able to provide invaluable assistance to local founders and entrepreneurs by getting involved in various programs and initiatives.
En and Andela joined the community as part of the Chartered Accountant Australia New Zealand residency program, which allows accounting professionals to immerse themselves in some of the most innovative and dynamic startup hubs and communities across Australia and New Zealand.
Over the course of their residency at Spacecubed, En and Andela were able to engage in a range of programs run by Spacecubed to help founders connect with industry professionals and grow their business, including Office Hours and the Plus Eight Pre-Accelerator program.
When asked what he enjoyed most about connecting with various founders through Spacecubed’s Office Hours program, En shared that meeting people, and hearing the excitement behind their innovative ideas was great.
“Most people I’ve met had great ideas but had very little to no exposure to tax or corporate structuring, accounting systems and financial modelling. Through these sessions, it allowed me to provide these founders with key insights. We were able to point them in the right direction and allowed them to progress their ideas in the best possible way.” En shared.
En and Andela were also extremely involved in helping founders throughout the Plus Eight Pre-Accelerator program, where they ran a financial masterclass and offered the winning teams access to financial services support as part of their prize.
When asked why they were enthusiastic to get involved in the program, En shared, “We love to train people and share insights.”
“Throughout the masterclass, we were able to offer participants knowledge that accounting and operations is not just about the numbers, but also how to use the numbers to make decisions. Structuring is important as this is something that is difficult to change.” He continued.
By the end of the 6-week Pre-Accelerator program, Spacecubed hosted the final Pitch Night at FLUX, where 16 startup founders pitched their business to a room full of 100+ Spacecubed members, like-minded founders and ecosystem supporters.
As part of the prize for the three winning teams, En and Andela provided these founders with access to tax and business services support.
“Through this tax and business services support, we hope that these founders get a taste of advisory support and use of accounting software. We hope that they will learn the value of business advice as part of their journey and also kick start using numbers in their decision making process.” En shared.
Reflecting on their time as CA in Residence, En shared that his time at Spacecubed has reinspired him to connect with entrepreneurs and startups.
“There is a lot of passion and enthusiasm in them but not a lot of knowledge. Knowing that you may have led someone down the right track, or have helped protect them in their start-up journey is a priceless and rewarding feeling. We love contributing to the community around us, and helping people realise their dreams!” En concluded.
Are you an entrepreneur looking to connect with industry experts to discover new opportunities to grow your business? Book your free 15 minute session with a range of mentors, investors and advisors through our year-round Office Hours program. To learn more and book your session, click here.
