Hi, I’m Colleen, the registered BAS agent and Xero bookkeeper behind Cloudscribe. I’m a former tax accountant who now helps small business owners stay on top of the ATO, keep tidy books and know exactly where their cash is going, all online.
A little about me
I’ve had a passion for business for as long as I can remember. My father was an entrepreneur who specialised in sales, so I was introduced to business at an early age. My passion wasn’t in sales, though; it was in numbers.
I loved economics and business studies at secondary school, and went on to complete a double degree: a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and a Bachelor of International Business, with a minor in Chinese Mandarin.
From tax accountant to business owner
After university, I secured a graduate role as a tax accountant in the Business Advisory Division of a mid-tier firm in Brisbane, and I soaked up everything I could. Then, rather optimistically, at the age of 24 I left to set up a company and start my own business with my late husband.
Together we ran a fruit and vegetable wholesale business with a retail shopfront. I looked after the administration, and he brought the industry knowledge, having grown up working in his own father’s entrepreneurial shadow.
Going out on your own is a steep learning curve. I often tell my clients that if employees understood the many hats a business owner wears, they might have a new-found appreciation for being able to turn up to work, go home with a consistent pay cheque and have employment laws on their side. Like everything in life, you don’t truly understand the grit and determination that goes into an owner-operated business until you’ve sat in the driver’s seat yourself.
Life took an unexpected turn when my husband passed away suddenly, and I stepped away from business and work to raise our children. When I was ready to return to the workforce, I went back to being a tax accountant at a local practice. It was another incredible learning experience: in just five years, the industry had moved to paperless files and new software, and I had a lot to catch up on. The learning curve was steep, but I loved every minute.
Back to working for myself
Then the itch to work for myself came back. I saw a real need for NDIS plan managers, so in 2022 I left my accounting role and threw myself back into self-employment. It was very rewarding work. But, as life goes, the NDIS began bringing plan management software in-house, and I decided to wrap up that chapter, which coincided with the news that I was expecting another child.
I’ve been focused on motherhood since my third child arrived in December 2025, and I’m only just putting the business hat back on as we near the end of 2026. Family is at the centre of everything I do, so I’ve built Cloudscribe around a balance that works: I work three days a week, and I’m fully focused on my clients on those days.
Because everything I do is online, it doesn’t matter where your business is. We can catch up by video call and share everything through Xero, so there’s no need for face-to-face meetings or driving across town.
Where I am today
Today I’m a registered BAS agent (RAN 24609598), a Xero Certified Adviser and a member of the Australian Bookkeepers Network, and Xero is the software I specialise in.
I’ve worked with businesses across many industries, and I’m comfortable with different business structures, whether you’re a sole trader, a partnership or a company.
What I’m passionate about
My passion is to be a source of information for small business owners, and I want to use my platforms to share what I’ve learnt. But I also understand that sometimes it’s just easier to hire the help, so you can focus on the many other roles a small business owner juggles.
I love helping small business owners make sense of their ATO obligations, within the scope of a BAS agent, and setting up simple systems that keep their bookkeeping tidy and accurate. I’d much rather you spend your time doing what you do best, running your business, while I look after the numbers.
Here are some of the ways I help:
- BAS and GST compliance: preparing and lodging your BAS, and making sure GST is coded correctly in Xero.
- Tidy bookkeeping systems: tracking income and expenses, coding transactions and keeping your Xero file clean and up to date.
- Monthly GST liability updates: at the end of each month I let you know how much GST to put aside.
- Payroll setup: setting up Xero payroll with the right pay rates, pay items and codes for your award or enterprise agreement, in line with Fair Work Australia’s published rates.
- Payday Super: getting your super onto the new Payday Super rules smoothly (more on this below).
- ASIC company changes and business administration support: while it isn’t my core work, I can help company owners lodge a Form 484 (change to company details) through ASIC’s online portal, assist with ABN and business name registrations, and help you navigate government agencies such as the ATO, ASIC, Fair Work and the NDIS, including the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL).
Payday Super: a big need right now
Since Payday Super started on 1 July 2026, I’ve seen a huge need for help getting it set up. Super now has to reach your employees’ funds within 7 business days after each payday, so the details need to be right from the start.
I’ve refined a system where I connect my clients’ employee details in Xero to run automated stapled super fund checks. That means your employees’ fund details are verified up front, and your Payday Super setup is seamless and efficient instead of a headache every pay run.
The GST surprise I see all the time
One of the biggest challenges I see in the small business community is GST. Many business owners don’t realise that if they’re registered for GST, part of every taxable sale isn’t theirs to keep: it belongs to the ATO.
Here’s the simple version. GST is 10% added on top of your price, which means 1/11th of a GST-inclusive sale is GST. So if you invoice $1,100 including GST, $100 of that needs to go to the ATO when your BAS is due.
My favourite fix is simple:
- Open a separate bank account just for GST.
- Move your GST amount into it each week (or each month) and don’t touch it.
- When your BAS is due, the money is already sitting there.
I give my clients a clear picture of their GST each month, and I set up their GST liability as a quick view on their Xero dashboard. These little changes help business owners know exactly what to put aside, so there’s no nasty shock when lodging their BAS.
Making life easier with AI and automation
AI and automated tools have changed how small businesses can work, from receipt capture and bank feeds to smart reminders and payroll integrations. Used well, they save hours every month and cut down on errors.
I’ll be using this website and my Facebook and Instagram pages to share the tools I genuinely find useful, so you can work smarter and spend less time on admin.
Why this matters
Running a small business is tough. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures have shown that only around half of new businesses are still operating four years after they start. Good bookkeeping won’t fix everything, but knowing your numbers, keeping on top of your tax obligations and having cash set aside for the ATO can make a real difference.
Let’s work together
If you’d like help with your bookkeeping, BAS, GST, payroll or Payday Super, I’d love to hear from you.
Book a time for an online chat or email hello@cloudscribe.com.au.
You can also see my packages and pricing and frequently asked questions.
That’s all from me for now!
This article is general information only and is not personal tax or financial advice.
Sources
- Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, Jun 2007 to Jun 2011, Australian Bureau of Statistics