Digital Solutions Business Feature: Forward Accounting

Karuna Malik joined the Digital Solutions program in September 2020 with Forward Accounting. She is a sole trader accountant and tax agent, providing prompt, one-on-one service to each of her clients, and works out of her home office in Caroline Springs.

“I have benefited by using the suggestions of my mentor and the results were visible within a week of me having my first session.”

Running her own business provides Karuna with the flexibility to manage routine around her two young kids. “I also love the fact that I am able to help small businesses like myself do well and stay compliant at all times,” she says.

In terms of her online activities, Karuna has been sourcing new leads for her business using online reviews since day one. “Given the potential customer always wants to ensure how the current customers feel about the service delivered,” she says, “it’s important to have an online presence.”  

Karuna found the Digital Solutions program to learn how she could make the most of doing business online. “Due to COVID-19, a lot of businesses have had to rethink their digital presence.”

The key aspects Karuna has taken away from the program is how to identify her target market, advertise to and attract her target market, price her services, and how to increase her digital engagement and source new business.  

“Identifying my business’s target market, instead of pitching the business to the whole world, is one of the most valuable things I’ve learned through the program,” she says. “I learned about search engine optimisation and how it can benefit my business.”  

Her participation in the program has also prompted Karuna is start rebuilding her website. “I have benefited by using the suggestions of my mentor,” she says, “and the results were visible without a week of me having my first session.”