Accounting is not just about numbers

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How did you come to specialize in transfer pricing?

I’m from Latin America and have a legal background, but I wanted to travel the world. The idea was to first finish my Masters in international taxation, but ten years ago I had no idea that transfer pricing would become such an important area! It was a bit of a “happy coincidence”. I took courses in international taxation at the University of Melbourne, Australia, and started to specialize in transfer pricing.

How did you find out about Transfer Pricing Solutions?

Very interesting, indeed. When I met the director Shannon Smit my problem was difficult. I couldn’t work full-time because I was a student, and the Big Four in accounting could only offer me full-time positions. Shannon had the perfect solution for me.

What challenges has your company faced?

Because we are only in the first year of operation in Singapore, our main challenge is to prove to the industry that we are just as credible as the Big Four. People tend to believe that if you’re not one of the Big Four, you have no recourse against the tax authorities – which is actually wrong. We have excellent relations with them. Hence the current challenge. To gain the trust of the market, so that it understands that we can be an alternative, with the same reliability, at the same level and with the same guarantees.

Sometimes people think that because you don’t have an office you can’t be serious and professional, but I think that’s what Regus allows you to do. If a client requests a meeting, I can call them today and Regus finds me a space for the next morning. Customers come to the office and notice our sign and see that the front desk knows us. You can show that you are a serious and professional firm without having a permanent office. This is important because our business is built on trust.

Do you like working for a small business?

Oh yeah ! At first I needed this flexibility to study, then I wanted a full-time job. I then worked for a time for the Big Four, but I changed again when I wanted to start a family. I needed flexibility, working remotely without having to be held to an 8 to 5 while I had to take the kids to school. This is why I returnintrigues ed to Transfer Pricing Solutions.

Why is this work-life balance so important to you?

Meeting other people is energizing for me. I do meditation and yoga, one of my latest hobbies is dancing. As a Latin American, I love to dance and I’m lucky that my husband likes it too! And so I manage to spare the goat and the cabbage.

I also think that meeting other people can give you perspective and develop your empathy. When you work in tax, you’re up to your neck in numbers and sometimes you lose track of people. So if you hear someone talk about their difficulties, it makes you more empathetic in your work and allows you to give the benefit of the doubt and be positiv

We believe that keeping knowledge to yourself is not a good thing. We aim to educate our customers. And I am convinced that the more we train people, the more they want to work with us.

And precisely, when you participate in one of these workshops, you take note of the vision of the client who explains to you what he wants and talks about his challenges. When you digest the information you are able to come up with helpful solutions that reflect what he wants.

Adriana works in the Regus offices in Singapore. You can connect to Adriana through LinkedIn and learn more about her company on her website Transfer Pricing Solutions Asia

Adriana’s tips:

Find your source of motivation. Sometimes I approach speakers from other sectors, all sectors, fashion, engineering, whatever, because they are all sources of inspiration, they all face the same challenges, and that motivates me.
Be tenacious and fight for your ideas. You live for what you do so share it with others everywhere. Spread the word about what you do and take justifiable pride in your successes!