How did you end up in the accounting profession?
My father was an accountant all his life and my brother had his own practice but I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others by not being your normal everyday accountant so I chose to start David Leddy & Associates aka DLA Partners.
Why do you do what you do? What part of your job excites you the most?
I’ve always had a passion to help people and what better way than to guide business owners to create better business through better financial management and especially during adversity and their time of need. Seeing the positive outcomes and their faces when they achieve their goals is what gives me great satisfaction and that’s why I do what I do.
How did you build the firm that you head up today? What made the difference?.
I think being an innovator and a problem-solver has attributed towards the firms success along with the professional assistance and knowledge of my fellow Partners.
I note in today’s world there are many new ways to look at things and many different approaches but for me some of the most important ingredients are missed like:-
- Do you have the fire in the belly to succeed?
- What are you prepared to do to succeed?
- Are you prepared to make the hard decision?
- Most of all, are you prepared for short term pain for long term gain?
What would you be doing if you were not an accountant?
I’ve always wanted to be an architect because I love designing things.
What hobbies do you enjoy?
Travelling and understanding other cultures.
Spending time with family and friends
Meeting new people
Sport
Playing golf
Fishing
What sport do you play and/or watch?
I’m an avid AFL supporter. I enjoy watching and playing golf, I enjoy watching cricket and tennis too.
What’s your favourite city in the world?
Prague, Czech Republic.
Where was your last holiday?
Europe – spent 4 weeks travelling the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Malta.
Who are your favourite people to hang out with?
My wife Tracy, my 3 sons and their partners, and friends.
What have you learned about life by working with your staff and your clients?
Take nothing for granted.
What is the most exciting thing happening in your life right now?
We are expecting our first grandchild in December so we are very excited about this.
If you had to send a message back in time to your 30 year old self, what would you say?
Set your goals, back yourself, stay true to your values, always be humble and respectful of others