Paula Henderson, our Payroll and Co Sec team leader, has been part of Blu Sky for 16 years, joining the business when it was just Jon, Dave and one other accountant.
She started out on the front desk looking after phones, post and visitors, and has grown with the business as it’s scaled. Now she’s one of the people keeping everything running in the background, from payroll and company secretarial work to Blu Sky’s own finances.
We caught up with Paula to hear more about her journey so far.
What is your role at Blu Sky and what does it involve day-to-day?
My main role now is Payroll and Company Sec Team Leader, working closely with Reegan on everything from payroll to share changes, director appointments and annual filings.
I also look after the internal finance for Blu Sky, working with Steve on management accounts and budgets, paying bills, paying staff, and making sure the office runs smoothly. And most importantly, making sure the snack drawer is full!
I’m still the main point of contact for a few of our legacy clients. It’s been great to keep in touch and support them over the years as they’ve grown. I’ve really been with them through it all.
What made you want to work in this field?
There wasn’t really a big plan to be an accountant. I’ve always had finance-type roles, and payroll just seems to follow me around.
Before Blu Sky, I worked at South Tyneside Council. I started in admin and then moved into the finance team, doing budget monitoring and invoices for schools and energy supplies. When I joined Blu Sky, it was as an admin role, Jon and Dave needed someone to look after the day-to-day so they could get out and see clients.
After a while, I started asking questions like “how do we do VAT returns?” because I’d always seen the other side of finance, not the production of it. I took an interest, asked for training and from there my role just grew.
What would you say is the best lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
For me it’s about having faith in yourself and giving everything a go.
When I started here, I didn’t really know any of the accounting side and I could have just stuck to the admin. But I saw opportunities where I could help with more, so I pushed myself to get involved and asked for training.
Everything I’ve learned has been on the job, and it’s given me a huge amount of experience. So I’d say back yourself, try, and don’t live with regrets.
What’s your favourite part about working at Blu Sky?
Other than the people and culture we have here, I really like getting into the details and solving problems.
A lot of my work now is around things like share movements. You’ll go to file an annual return, realise there’s a mismatch, and have to go right back to point one and work it all through. I enjoy digging into that, figuring out what’s gone wrong and being able to say, “right, this is what we need to do to fix it.”
What advice would you give someone who might be thinking about joining Blu Sky?
If you come in with the right attitude, are willing to pull your socks up, admit what you don’t know and learn, you’ll get a lot more out of the role. It isn’t always an easy job, but it is a fulfilling one.
Our clients expect a lot from us, and we want to go above and beyond. We’ve got a great, flexible and supportive culture, but keep in mind that it’s give-and-take. You get out what you put in, so if you’re willing to work hard, you’ll feel a lot more fulfilled.
And finally, what do you get up to outside of work?
I have a weekly catch up with some friends at a local pub quiz. We try to be brain boxes but it doesn’t always work out, though we’re usually pretty good at the music round!
