About LeAnne Blakelock
I created 2ic Limited, a boutique sole-practice firm, in 2011 to satisfy demand for my accounting and tax skills from friends and family. At the time I was working in a corporate finance job and simultaneously balancing life contract-milking with my partner Ian on a Manawatu dairy farm.
I was born in Taranaki, however I have spent more of my life living elsewhere in the world. I spent my primary school years in Australia before heading back to Taranaki and attending New Plymouth Girls’ High School. In 2002, I graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (Accounting) and the ability to make a mean latte, thanks to my part time café job. Since then I have completed my OE in the UK working for a variety of firms, completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting and completed all requirements and exams to become a chartered accountant, whilst working full time at a variety of chartered accountancy firms.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, the past ten years have also been spent years moving to different dairy jobs around the country. My partner Ian has fulfilled various roles in various set-ups and farm sizes. In 2014 we purchased a farm in Inglewood with my parents. We are now equity partners and variable order share-milk 400 cows on a medium input system. The farm is self contained, so there is always plenty of work to be done with the youngstock.
I had been wanting to break away from a decade of working in public practice and traditional accounting firms, and really wanted to start a practice that was “a little different.” Something that allowed me an “off the clock” style of communication and a chance to really build close relationships with my clients in order to improve not only their business performance but their lives as well. Working part time on 2ic in the evenings was fulfilling, but I would see that it would never be the path I wanted to take whilst holding down a corporate role.
I got the chance to focus on 2ic full-time in July of 2016. I was brave and took a few months “career break” from a international financial controller’s role and spent the time working full-time on our dairy farm rearing calves and milking cows and thinking about how to develop 2ic.
In November 2016 I opened the office in Inglewood (and got my spare bedroom back at home!) The dynamic changes to the accounting industry, in both technology and people’s expectations along with my love of communication and helping out has meant the accounting practice has gone from strength to strength.
In my spare time, I can still occasionally be found milking cows. I also enjoy riding my horse (“Sam”) and working in a voluntary capacity assisting several community groups.