Paul Meaton
A few months ago, we managed to sit our newest partner down and pull out his journey from longhaired IT guy to suave and bearded Lincolns Partner, Paul Meaton.
The journey for Paul has not been linear, although the best stories never are… Paul joined Lincolns back in 1996 after becoming the inaugural intern, a position he gained by his dad cornering one of the Partners at a weekend BBQ. Eager Paul was into IT and came on board one day a week to do ‘computery things’, which eventuated into a full-time role.
One evening, once he had settled into this IT role, Paul worked out he was spending about 2/3rds of his weekly pay going out on weekends. It was at that point he sat himself down for an honest think about what he wanted to do in life.
With a swift chop of the locks, Paul met his now wife Kym and left Lincolns to complete his university degree - a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting & Information Systems). Paul and Kym decided to expand their horizons and relocated to the UK to gain some life and work experience. The naive young’uns found themselves a house and, despite having nothing to eat with and sleeping with a towel as a sheet for a couple of nights, they were bliss, pushing the boundaries along the away as often as they could. Landing a role in IT and using every weekend to jet set to surrounding countries Paul has fond memories of their two years abroad.
Kids were always going to happen after meeting Kym. Their long-term plan was always to return to Albany to raise a family. And so on returning to Albany he was promptly on the phone, finding a space at Lincolns and re-joined the Lincolns team as an accountant in 2009. Paul has always said “Lincolns is a good firm to be in, the culture, caring nature and the family focus. Everyone does care about each other. There is a level of trust that provides you with ownership over your clients and the chance to have free rein”. We asked Paul to give us a little insight into his how, where and now.
How did you get into the partnership?
I’ve always challenged myself, even if you are not confident to do something go and have a crack, that stuff gets noticed and always do that bit extra. Spread yourself around, get to know everyone in the team. It can be too easy to get consumed in work. Plus, having a constant niggle at the partners every year is a solid way to wear them down.
How have your clients reacted to your entry to the partnership?
I’ve had some fantastic feedback from clients which has been awesome, some of my clients that I’ve known for years and have been interested in my career have often asked when I was going to become a Partner. It has been nice for them to see it has happened.
What is the ideal client?
Someone who listens. It can be difficult when clients don’t want to accept our advice or don’t ask for help, as advisers we really want to see our clients succeed. I also enjoy working with the genuine, down to earth clients that Lincolns seems to attract.
Has your family noticed any changes with the transition from Manager to Partner?
The kids definitely have, Stella my youngest is not so keen as she has noticed the extra work commitments and she knows when my brain is at work rather than home. Kym has perhaps taken on some more pressure as I don’t switch off as much as used to. For me it has been important for our family to set boundaries, weekends are family time. This can be difficult at times as clients are expecting more from us and often chasing responses quicker as technology blurs the line between work and home.
How do you switch off work?
I drive round the harbour to home each evening and use that time to listen to music and re-set, trying to leave my work day behind me. It can be difficult to leave the day behind and make the switch to husband and dad. I fill as much of my time playing with the kids as they are only young once. I also wait until the kids are in bed before bringing work out when I need to get things done.
Do you get any ‘me’ time?
I do like to get out in the bush with the dogs or relive my youth playing Nintendo. I think I have an addictive personality and very easily get sucked into things like reading a book. I can become absorbed in the book and end up neglecting what else is going on around me. Because of this I only read a few books every now and again, mostly science fiction fantasy. I’m also getting into some podcasts which generally seem to be anything science or technology related at the moment.
What is your best work sense of achievement?
I have had the opportunity to mentor or train around 7 or 8 of the team at work over the years. I get a real satisfaction from seeing the team grow and develop.
Who mentored you?
Helen Hawley, who has now retired from Lincolns. She was fantastic at mentoring and understanding the systems at Lincolns, I like to think that I’ve taken on some of her ways of dealing with the curly issues that come up from time to time.
What is the biggest challenge going forward?
Workload wise, being a Partner! Practice wise, we need to foster an enthusiasm for change, both within the team at Lincolns and also for clients. While our compliance work will always be there, we need to work with clients and technology to be able to act on changing demands and the need to provide insights in a timely manner.
What would you tell your 18-year-old self?
Really think about what you want to do with yourself. Set targets and goals and work on getting a head start earlier on … and maybe don’t go to the pub so much! Having some self-doubt is OK as it forces you to grow and improve, do things your way and be true to yourself.
