Rosemary Bookkeeping Croydon celebrates first year in business
Rosemary Bookkeeping Croydon owner Dean Kokshun looks back at his first year in business.
Last year, Dean Kokshun opened Rosemary Bookkeeping Croydon, bringing the brand’s expert and bespoke bookkeeping services to the area for the first time.
We sat down with him on the anniversary of his first year in business to look back at the journey so far.
Dean’s Journey
Dean’s journey in accountancy began in 1985 when he joined the bookkeeping and external audit departments of KPMG Mauritius – then known as Peat Marwick before qualifying with the ACCA in 1993. By 2001, he had been admitted as a member and achieved fellowship (FCCA) status.
As a qualified accountant, he has held senior positions within small UK accountancy practices, accumulating 30 years of experience. Throughout his career, Dean has excelled in external auditing of small to medium-sized entities, financial reporting, and management reporting. This has taken him across diverse industry sectors, including retail, services, manufacturing, hospitality, and investment.
“Launching Rosemary Bookkeeping Croydon has given me the opportunity to combine my years of financial expertise with running my own business locally,” Dean says.
He says getting to work within his community to support small and local businesses has helped him feel part of something bigger.
“The support from the Head Office team and the wider Rosemary network has been invaluable, and it really feels like being part of a community.”
“I’ve also enjoyed meeting and getting to know other small business owners in Croydon and the surrounding areas through local networking events and sharing our experiences.”
“When I first started, I was focused on offering day-to-day bookkeeping services. However, over the past year, the peculiar demands of the local market have led me to refine my approach. I now focus more on being an approachable expert for small business owners who need help and guidance navigating the gaps between bookkeeping and compliance.”
“It’s been exciting to see my client relationships grow. Some now view me as a trusted expert, giving them peace of mind knowing someone reliable is on hand to help steer their business in the right direction.”
Work/Life Balance
For Rosemary Bookkeeping clients, our services are designed to help you focus on the things that matter most by taking the stress and time worrying about your books out of the picture.
For Dean, managing and running his own business has equally been a balancing act when navigating how he spends his time.
“Balancing the demands of a new business with everything else in life hasn’t always been easy, especially with family caring responsibilities in the mix!” he says.
“But as the business evolves, I’m learning to adapt, manage my time better, and set clearer boundaries. Having a strong support system, both personally and through the Rosemary network, has made a huge difference. It’s been about staying focused on the long-term vision while allowing space for the day-to-day things that matter.”
Successes and Support in the Community
Dean says that while his first year has not been without its challenges, particularly within such a competitive market and area, he has seen some great successes in how he has positioned the business and helped provide support to those who need it in the last year.
“There are so many options for bookkeeping services in Croydon/South London, and standing out was tough at first. I overcame this by leaning into what makes Rosemary – and myself – different: being approachable, reliable, and offering peace of mind through accurate books and compliance.”
“Moving from a full-time role in a long-established practice after three decades to becoming a business owner was a real shock to the system – but in a good way!” he adds.
“I’m enjoying the challenge. Seeing my client base gradually grow, particularly over the last six months, has been very encouraging. More than that, it’s the trust clients place in me – whether I’m helping to sort out their books, supporting them with day-to-day bookkeeping, or guiding them through increasingly complex regulations. Each time I help a client breathe a sigh of relief, I count it as a big success.”
This has naturally come with many highlights for Dean, such as a particularly memorable client when he was working with a small group of local university students to make sense of their finances to start their own business.
They had no financial or business background and wanted to start their own e-commerce business, but were struggling to make sense of business finances and the maze of regulations involved.
“After a couple of months of working with this group, two of them found the confidence to dive in and launched their business successfully! Moments like that remind me why I started Rosemary Bookkeeping Croydon. When clients finally understand their numbers and feel in control, it’s incredibly rewarding,” Dean says.
The Road Ahead
Looking to the future, Dean says his biggest goal for his business is to establish Rosemary Bookkeeping Croydon as the go-to bookkeeping service for small businesses, including accountants, in Croydon, South London. Longer term, he hopes to expand my services and build a wider team.
He will doubtlessly achieve this through his commitment to building visibility in Croydon through networking events, partnerships with local accountants, or sharing insights that empower local business owners.
“I want to focus on growing the business sustainably while maintaining that personal touch with my clients,” he says.
“It’s been a challenging, enjoyable, and ultimately rewarding journey so far. The support from Rosemary Head Office, fellow franchise partners, and – most importantly – my clients has made this first year truly special. I’m excited for what’s to come!”
Need a bookkeeper?
If you’re in Croydon and the surrounding area and need support with your bookkeeping, contact Dean on 0208 191 2958.
Or, nationwide, find your nearest Rosemary Bookkeeping business to see how we can help you today.
