MEET JEAN-JONES
As I came to the end of my school career I wanted to go to university. I didn’t get enough points to go to the University of Zimbabwe and my family couldn’t afford to send me outside the country. I heard about articles and applied for a job at Deloitte and Touche Harare. Over the next three years I worked at Deloitte and studied through correspondence to obtain my Bachelor of Accounting Science. I continued on to the qualifying exam and qualified in the top 10 in 1995. I was privileged to go on secondment to Deloitte Luxembourg at the end of 1995 for 4 months.
On returning home I got married then spent the next 5 years working my way up to senior manager. We decided to start a family in 2000 and I took a break from formal employment. I chose to be home with my babies and I loved every minute of it. Things don’t always go as planned and in 2003 shortly after the birth of our daughter we decided to relocate. We came to Botswana and I took a morning only job at Deloitte Gaborone. This worked perfectly for me as I could still spend time with my children which was a priority for me. After 5 years I tried my hand in industry as a finance manager. However 18 months later I was retrenched. This was a hard time for me and I was devastated. I thank God for it though as it opened the door for me to start my own accounting firm. My firm grew from just myself to 9 employees over the next 12 years. I diversified and added Audit in 2012. We merged with Baker Tilly Botswana to pursue more opportunities together.
I have always strived to live a balanced life. I take pride in my work. In providing an excellent service at a reasonable price. I also take care of myself and exercise regularly and make time to spend with my family. I honour God most of all as I wouldn’t be where I am without Him.
Faith : Jeremiah 9 vs 23 and 24 This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.
“Knowing God is everything”
I hope my story can inspire people and make you realise that its ok sometimes to take a break and concentrate on your family. You are not any less important because you decide to take a step back. I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey and the time I took to spend time with my kids, I cherish every memory. So trust in God and His plans for you