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Our Team

Our Team

Helen Schafer - Consultant / Director

ICNZB ICNZB L2 Certified Xero Professional

Helen Schafer

As our Lead Consultant, Helen meets with every client first — online or in person in Tauranga — to understand the business and work out which contractor will be the best fit.  Helen is also available for trouble-shooting with you and your bookkeeper when an extra set of eyes might be helpful. 

Availability: Available for Consultations by appointment.

Expertise:

Job Management Process - understand options for successful time and cost job management and how some leading software options may or may not fit your business requirements.

Xero Process - getting the best out of Xero on a day to day basis

WorkflowMax - Training, Process improvement and Troubleshooting

Xero Payroll - Training, Troubleshooting, Leave Audits

With more than 10 years’ experience supporting businesses throughout New Zealand, I have a strong understanding of the challenges businesses face in gaining clarity around profitability in time‑and‑cost billing environments. I particularly enjoy working with professional consultancies, as well as construction, manufacturing, and contracting businesses.

Contract Bookkeepers 

Living Business works with a select group of trusted contractors, only some of whom are listed below. In addition, we have access to a wide professional network and are often able to source suitable contractors to meet the specific needs of a project or role.

Robyn

Availability: Limited space available
Expertise:

  • Advanced Xero Support
  • Payroll
  • Ecommerce Integrations - Shopify, PayPal, AfterPay & Stripe

Robyn has been working with the Living Business team for nearly 10 years now as the family has grown and changed.  Known for her laser like attention to detail and persistence in following up and ensuring information is correct, Robyn now has a loyal following of clients who just cannot do without her!   

Outside work, there is always the next tramping holiday in one of NZ's beautiful great walks or other spectacular location. 

Sandra

Availability: Limited space available
Expertise:

  • Advanced Xero Ecosystem Support
  • Cin7, Shopify, PayPal, AfterPay & Stripe

Coming from a background of extensive experience as CFO over many years and working with many different systems in various environments, Sandra now likes to balance interesting contract work with maintaining her orchard in northern BOP. 

Sandra is most interested in those tricky situations where a multitude of systems are in play that are just not working that well together.  Sandra has the knowledge from both the technical app side as well as the advanced financial accounting side to be able to pull systems together and sort out best practice. 

Selvie

Availability: Limited space available
Expertise:

  • Advanced Xero support
  • Xero remediation & review
  • Excel, Jax & Syft reporting
  • Accounts payable & receivable
  • Bachelor of Business in Professional Accounting (In Progress - 2nd Year)

I provide practical, dependable accounting support built on accurate data in a well‑structured setup.  I ensure processes are streamlined and efficient as well as being compliant. My personal focus is on delivering clear financial insights and reporting that’s easy to understand and genuinely useful for both day‑to‑day and strategic decision‑making.

Based in Papamoa Beach, I support clients both locally and remotely, offering a calm, down‑to‑earth approach to accounting. 

Catherine

Availability: Limited space available
Expertise:

  • Advanced Xero Support
  • Payroll

Alongside a niche portfolio of bookkeeping clients, Catherine is the bookkeeping engine behind Living Business. She manages accounts enquiries and maintains the Living Business Xero file, including the complexities of our Xero Platinum Partner subscriptions. 

She has experience in payroll and general bookkeeping, taking pride in her attention to detail, ensuring accurate and reliable outcomes for clients.

Outside of work, she enjoys swimming, yoga, cooking, gardening, and walking — activities that help her stay balanced, focused, and energised.

Tina

Availability: Limited space available
Expertise:

  • Advanced Xero Support and Training
  • Advanced Fergus Support and Training
  • Payroll Administration and Support
  • NZQBA Member

Tina is a superstar in Xero and Accounts with speed and efficiency - and just a pleasure to work with. She has deep knowledge of the accounting side of administering Xero, sorting out bookkeeping messes and getting accounts into order.   From time to time Tina may also have capacity for ongoing bookkeeping contracts. 

Sharon

Availability: Limited space available
Expertise:

  • Advanced Xero Support
  • Payroll
  • Shopify, PayPal, AfterPay & Stripe invoicing
  • NZQBA Member

I’m a highly experienced bookkeeping and finance professional who enjoys accurate, structured work and well‑run systems. With over 30 years in finance administration, I work quickly and efficiently, with a strong focus on getting things right and double‑checking the details.

I’m Christchurch‑based and work remotely with clients across New Zealand and Australia. I’m happiest when I can get on with the work, keep everything running smoothly in the background, and communicate clearly so nothing is left unclear or unfinished.

Outside of work, I enjoy time with my whānau, a good book, and keeping a healthy sense of balance.

Tanya

Availability: Available for project-based work and part-time work.
Expertise:

  • Unleashed Inventory system
  • WorkflowMax Job Management system
  • Ecommerce system integration
  • Payroll
  • Xero Apps

I work at the intersection of numbers, systems, and creative problem‑solving. While I have a strong accounting background, my approach is anything but traditional—I think laterally, connect ideas across disciplines, and design systems that actually suit how people work.

Alongside this work, I’m actively involved in creative arts, which shapes how I approach business challenges. I specialise in setting up and untangling cloud‑based systems, making sure everything talks to everything else, and helping people feel confident using the tools they rely on every day.

Mystery

Is this you?

We have capacity for senior contract bookkeepers to join the Living Business team.

Click here to find out more and send in your Expression of Interest. 

Join the Living Business team. 

Sue - Credit Control

Sue

Availability: Available
Expertise:

  • Credit Control

Sue is an extraordinary asset to our clients. She enjoys tackling the tasks many business owners simply don’t get around to—proactively following up with debtors to control and prevent overdue receivables. This includes prompt, friendly phone calls, texts, and emails to ensure invoices have been received and to clearly confirm payment arrangements. Credit control is not debt collection; it’s proactive, positive, and relationship‑focused—and Sue is a whizz at it.

Sam

Availability: Limited availability
Expertise:

  • Advanced Xero Support
  • Payroll
  • Management Reporting

Sam has been part of the Living Business team since 2016 and has a loyal following.  Sam is known for her thorough approach and strong communication making sure best practice is followed in maintaining Xero and connected apps.  

Claire

Claire

Availability: Available Part-time
Expertise:

  • Xero Administration to GST
  • Payroll Administration
  • Accountancy administration support

Claire is a highly experienced Accounts Administrator with 10+ years supporting service-based and rural businesses through her work over a decade at an accountancy practice. . Known for accuracy, reliability, and keeping finances, month-end processes, and office operations running smoothly..

Dr Anita Gisch

Anita

Availability: Available 

Systems & Strategy Consultant 

Dr Anita Gisch works with Living Business as an external specialist in organisational systems and project management software implementation.

Through her consultancy, Gisch Consulting, Anita helps professional services firms align people, processes, and technology so their project data supports better operational and financial decision-making.

Anita is a certified implementation partner for WorkflowMax, PlanRight, and ProjectWorks and works with organisations across Australia and New Zealand to implement and optimise project-based business systems.

Anya

Anja

Availability: Available
Expertise: 

  • Advanced Xero Bookkeeping
  • Accredo Bookkeeping
  • Xero Payroll Accredited
  • Xero Advisor Accredited
  • NZQBA Member

With over 30 years of experience in accounting and administrative services, I’ve dedicated my career to ensuring financial accuracy and efficiency.

 After becoming a Certified Bookkeeper through NZQBA, I continue to bring my passion for precision and efficiency to every client I serve in Tauranga and beyond.