Hi, I'm Kirsten

Accountant & Business Advisor

And I have a thing for business & money.

I mean, seriously, though who doesn't.

After 18+ years (yes YEARS!) spent darkening the desks of NZ accounting firms, I could take it no more

And because I noticed a lack of real hands on support for businesses I left in a flurry of activity to open my own….

Only to discover the numbers calling me again, and after a move to the big smoke of Kaikoura to of course be by the sea.

What started out as doing a "few tax returns" turned into a thriving Accountancy & Business Coaching practice.

Which I grew 100% from the ground up from zero clients and zero money to now serve hundreds of clients, in Kaikoura where I live and all over New Zealand.

 

Not bad for a teenage mother ...........

Fast Forward to Now

I’m smack bang in my Rich Life Era.

I put my prices up (no more bargain-bin accountant vibes), built a team who actually back me, and stopped trying to fight my money own money habits. 

Turns out, when you work with your own money traits instead of against them, everything clicks.

That’s where The Savvy Money Method™ came from, part strategy, part mindset and determination, and the exact way I made my business pay me properly.

These days?

You’ll find me running things from a beach café in Vietnam for 4+ months a year.

Iced coffee in hand, proving you can grow a profitable AF business and live the life you actually want.

Cue, your Rich Life Era

A few things 

You should
know about me

1. In winter you'll find me here,
being a digi nomad in Vietnam

2. I freaking love coffee!

3. My Rich Life is freedom!
To work from anywhere in the world

It’s not just me, we have a whole team situation going on…

Meet the

Savvy Team

Behind every Savvy client is a small team who keeps the wheels turning (and the coffee machine working).

We’re not a faceless firm. We’re a small-but-mighty team who know you, your numbers, and your quirks. 

Here’s who you’ll be chatting to when you flick us an email, book a sesh, or need some straight-up clarity.

Gemma Newby

Accountant + Client Manager

Gemma is the one making sure your accounts aren’t just balanced — they make sense. She’s across the detail, keeps GST and tax stress-free, and loves helping clients get that “ohhh, now I get it” moment. 

If you’ve ever thought accounting had to be stiff or boring, Gemma will prove you wrong.

Stalk Me Here

© 2025 Kirsten Russell | Start Out Savvy | NZ Wide | Website by Start Out Savvy