Carryn Hills
Partner
Qualifications
CPA
Bachelor of Commerce
Specialties
Agriculture
Small to medium businesses
Experience
Carryn Joined Lincolns in April 2015 and became a Partner in July 2022. She has been working in public practice since 2006.
Skills
Family collaboration
Solving problems
Personality profiling
Mediating issues
Expertise
Carryn’s expertise is primarily in the agribusiness sector, where she thrives on the challenges of succession planning and structuring, along with the dynamic nature of tax work. Carryn says that each year brings new complexities and opportunities, making every year feel like the first. Additionally, she works extensively with small to medium businesses, focusing on optimising systems and implementing industry best practices to create significant impacts with minimal disruption.
Carryn’s approach
Carryn prefers to know her clients well and work directly with them—personal interaction is key for her. If she could, she would deal personally with every enquiry, big or small, though she know that’s not always practical (maybe it’s a control thing!). Her style is fast-talking, fun-loving, and often self-deprecating, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it allows Carryn to be her authentic self and, in turn, the best advisor for her clients.
When it comes to complex tax or succession matters, Carryn takes a holistic approach, always trying to see the bigger picture and the broader family or business dynamics. Carryn’s upbringing gives her a unique edge here—her father was a leadership trainer, and he practiced his goal-setting tools on his kids at home. This early exposure to cascading goals and family dynamics has given Carryn an innate sense of how to align people towards a common goal, which is incredibly useful in business advisory.
Personal side
Carryn feels her background has shaped her in unexpected ways—losing her mum when she was 18 taught her resilience and self-reliance, which she brings into her work every day. Having moved countries three times, Carryn has learned how to build networks from scratch, making her adaptable and empathetic to others facing uncertainty.
Carryn also values giving recognition where it’s due and she is always open to having her beliefs challenged if there’s a good reason behind it. Carryn is an INTJ personality type—a "Mastermind," as they call it—so she’s a truth-seeker by nature, but she’s also creative and easily captivated by new ideas.
Life in Albany
Carryn says, “What’s not to love about Albany, Western Australia? As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate the quieter pace here. I would never cope with the high-octane rush of a big city. I love that it’s so easy to find solitude—you don’t have to go far to feel like you’re in your own world.”
Outside of work
Outside of work, Carryn is a full-time mum to a 13-year-old son and a cat owner, which leaves her with limited time for much else! But she does love to challenge herself—whether it’s skydiving, adventure hikes, CrossFit competitions, or a half marathon (some of which she says she’ll never do again!). Day-to-day, Carryn is usually multitasking—listening to audiobooks while cooking, cleaning, or planning her next renovation project. She’s a bit of a jack of all trades: doing friends’ daughters’ hair, giving makeup lessons, or helping her son at the go-kart track. If someone needs a hand, she’s always up for it.