Thea Chadban-Smith runs an accounting practice in northwestern Sydney called Joyful Finance, helping businesses and individuals with their accounting needs. As one of Pro Purpose’s partners, Joyful Finance supports Opportunity International Australia, pledging donations through their business. Recently we sat down with Thea and asked her about her purpose and her support of Opportunity.

Why is purpose so important to you as a business in Joyful Finance?

Purpose means intentionality, and when you’re doing something for a reason and for a purpose, it actually helps you move forward, it helps you do things even when things are rough and hard.

How does supporting charities like Opportunity help you in your business?

It gives us a purpose that’s bigger than just ourselves. It’s bigger than just helping somebody get a tax return done, or helping somebody run a report. Charities like Opportunity are important because it brings us outside of ourselves and it makes us realise that even our small contribution, combined with other people who are supporting Opportunity, is big. It creates a bigger impact to an individual or a community.

And that’s inspiring, because not only are you helping them, you’re helping their community, and you’re creating generational change. And that’s super inspiring because coming from the Philippines, that could’ve been me.

I put myself in that situation, and think ‘it could have been me’. There’s circumstances where I was lucky – my parents had education, they were able to come to Australia and we didn’t have to live in poverty. Not that we did, but we were surrounded by it in the Philippines, unlike in Australia. I think it’s nice to be able to help people in those situations.

What insight would you have on the power of money to do good?

I think money is a tool and we have the option and the choice on how to use it. We can either spend lavishly on ourselves, or we could just give up a little bit and use that little bit to make a greater impact on something else. Where you spend your money, that’s where your values lie. If we say we value being generous and being kind, then you can see that through how you give or how you use your money.

Giving to Opportunity is great because when you give money and a loan, you can then recycle that money and it’s then used to help other women.

What do you like about the partnership with Opportunity through Pro Purpose?

The great thing with Pro Purpose and partnering with Opportunity is that they have really great values aligned, and that is giving for purpose and about generational and lasting change. So not only do we help them now, but the way that we help is by bringing dignity and creating lasting change.

Do you love the idea that it’s a global organisation and that women are helped to start their own businesses?

I like that Opportunity International is a global charity, it helps people in less fortunate areas be able to start their own businesses and get themselves and their family out of poverty.

How did you come up with a name for your business? Why did you call it Joyful Finance?

So I had a dream from God and he told me about it and then I didn’t want to do it. And then we struggled for a bit and then I said fine, whatever!

I started the business when I had my first child and it wasn’t even really supposed to be a business, it was just something on the side so that I wouldn’t be too bored and that I could always go back to work.

But then, when I actually started doing it, I was like, oh, I’m skilled at this, and I’m actually really great at relationships, and more people just kept coming and coming until I was like, oh, I think I have a business now!

So, it wasn’t until two or three years later that the name Joyful Finance was impressed on my heart and at first I didn’t want to call it Joyful Finance because it could be very polarising, and you know most people don’t put joy and finance together, so I was a bit unsure about it for a long time.

I had just had my second child so that’s when Joyful Finance was actually birthed. I wasn’t in a joyful season, and I want to remind people that Joyful Finance isn’t just about always happiness and fun all the time. Sometimes you can have joy in a difficult situation.

In finances, there are people who are struggling, but we can come alongside them. And even though it’s not a joyful situation, the joy could be that we’re with them and we’re just being someone who’s in their corner, or being kind to them and helping them get out of this situation.

You’re an entrepreneur and a mother. How does the flexibility of owning your own business work for you and your family?

One of the big reasons I started a business and why I want to continue running a business is just the flexibility that it allows me to be with the kids. I get to drop them off, I get to pick them up from school and whenever they have school events, I can be there. It’s been really great with that flexibility.

I wouldn’t be able to do business without the support of my family.