From Young Mum to Business Owner | Antonia on Bookkeeping, Backing Yourself & Building a Business Around Family

In this episode of the Built By Her Podcast, Georgie sits down with Antonia, founder of A B Accounts Support, to talk all things bookkeeping, business finances, and what it really looks like to build a career around your life...not the other way around.

From becoming a mum at 23 and spending five years out of work, to accidentally falling into bookkeeping and eventually launching her own business, Antonia shares the honest reality of rebuilding confidence, learning on the job, and creating a business that supports both her clients and her family.

This episode is packed with practical advice for business owners who feel overwhelmed by finances, bookkeeping, VAT, invoicing, subscriptions, and everything in between, but it’s also a really relatable conversation about self-belief, flexibility, and taking opportunities even when you don’t feel “qualified enough.”

In this episode, we cover:

• What a bookkeeper actually does (and why they’re different to an accountant)
• Why bookkeeping isn’t just “reconciling transactions”
• How a bookkeeper can actually save you money
• The benefits of having someone manage invoicing and payment chasing
• Why separating your accounts from your day-to-day business can reduce stress
• Starting a business as a sole trader vs limited company
• The importance of getting financial support early in business
• How Antonia accidentally fell into bookkeeping after becoming a mum
• Learning on the job without previous experience
• Completing AAT qualifications whilst working and raising children
• Why you don’t need your whole career figured out in your early 20s
• Building a business around flexibility and family life
• Xero vs other accounting software
• The value of personalised financial support for small business owners

This episode is such a refreshing reminder that careers don’t always follow a straight line and sometimes the best opportunities come from simply saying yes and figuring it out as you go.

Guest Details

Guest: Antonia Burgess

Instagram : @abaccountssupport

Linkedin: Antonia Burgess

If you’re a business owner who’s been putting off sorting your finances, this episode will make bookkeeping feel a whole lot less intimidating.

Send us Fan Mail

Follow Built By Her

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/builtby_her
🎟️ Events & Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/114520957181

Join the community, come to an event, and be part of the conversations beyond the podcast.

🎙️ Hosted by Georgina McDonald founder of G R Design Studio

🌐 Website: https://www.grdesignstudio.co.uk/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g_r_designstudio

🎧 Produced by Richard Lannen at Nozzle Media
🌐 https://nozzle.media
📸 https://www.instagram.com/nozzlemedia

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone building something of their own.