About Clayton Oates

Enabling Small Business, Accountants, Bookkeepers & Technology Companies to enhance connection with each other and the clients and customers they serve. It’s been a fascinating journey so far & I've managed to collect some interesting stories along the way; some extremely inspiring ones, and others, well, not so uplifting. But every experience has provided an opportunity to grow & contribute back to a life changing profession that has given me so much. I chose Accounting Technology (more than 30 years ago) as the vehicle to build a better life for myself and my family – and it worked! At the time I was a frustrated and uninspired 24 year old Tax Accountant who dreamed of one day having my own business & the freedom that came with it (Ok so I discovered that the price of freedom certainly isn’t free - but it is worth it). The by-product of adding value to others was that I started to achieve the very thing that inspired me to start my own business in the first place - Freedom! Then just when I thought I had made it, something happened – I Burnt Out! Fortunately, the business model I had built fully supported my family and I throughout the 3 year recovery period, and although I had often said it, I hadn’t appreciated it until that moment – “Be sure to dig your well before you are thirsty”. This experience has been a blessing (although tough to appreciate at the time) it has given me a renewed perspective on life. It has also made me acutely aware that I am not the only one who has had (or is currently going through or heading towards) the same experience. Part of my quest has been to help others (where I can) to live a life of their dreams by being an enthusiastic encourager, instilling confidence, building belief & helping create businesses with a model that provides time for transformation via personal growth & contribution to others. If there is one word that best reminds me of what I value & appreciate, that word would be – Authenticity! What’s your Word?