Running around an indoor netball court in the depths of a Southland winter, Sarah Hopkins can’t imagine going back to playing outdoors. It is one of the many perks she has found moving to the region from Manawatū eight years ago.
She has embraced the opportunities available, including her role as an associate trustee with the Dairy Women’s Network (DWN).
“When I moved to Invercargill I planned to see heaps of Southland and I said yes to a lot of opportunities at the start,” Hopkins said.
“It’s amazing what opportunities open if you say yes.”
Saying yes is why she moved in the first place, when her current accountancy firm was looking for someone with a rural focus to lead a newly acquired rural division.
She grew up in Feilding, where her parents own a motel and restaurant business. She lived at the motel and did plenty of work around the complex.
“It’s similar to farming, in the aspect that my parents were always working and the work never stops.”
Although she went to Feilding High School, she did not have any experience with agriculture till she graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor of Accountancy.
“I sort of fell into rural accounting. I secured a scholarship in Year 13 through an agriculturally focused accounting firm that helped towards my study and provided a job after I finished,” Hopkins explains.
“I learnt a lot about farm accounting and worked on various farming clients.”
And that was what made her attractive to her current accounting firm as she was able to bring that knowledge to Southland.
Her accounting career has advanced significantly, through managing a rural client base as an associate. And she is excited to become a director and shareholder when she buys into the business next year.
She works with a range of clients at all stages of their farming careers, from just starting to exiting through various forms of succession. The knowledge and skills she has developed as a rural accountant will benefit the role with DWN too.
“As trusted advisers to farmers we hear a lot and now I can bring that knowledge to help DWN at a national level.”
She was appointed to the 20-month position in February. It was created to support women with a desire to develop their governance experience and provides a framework and mentoring to develop skills and experience by actively participating in governance with the organisation.
She has been enjoying working with the dairy sector in a different way.
“I’m not there as Sarah the accountant, I am Sarah with an accounting background, and I’m enjoying cementing my thoughts and ideas about the sector and getting a deeper understanding.
“Everyone is facing similar challenges.”
She believes being an accountant is about more than simply crunching numbers.
“It’s about providing comprehensive support to my clients, helping them to achieve their business goals, and offering a listening ear when they need it.
“I look forward to taking these skills into governance with DWN.”
Originally she became involved with DWN through attending their social and educational events, including delivering workshops.
When the associate role came up she thought it looked good and chucked her name in the ring.
The DWN Trust board HR committee recognised Hopkins has strong regional networks and customer focus. And her leadership and team mentoring capabilities were welcome skills to the role.
When she was appointed the committee chair, Lucy Johnson, emphasised Hopkins’ strong set of values.
“I’m excited by this position and know that I will gain experience, grow my skills, and build confidence.
“I hope that I can give back as much as I receive. I see a future in governance and appreciate the opportunity I’ve been given by DWN,” said Hopkins.
She has played netball since she was young and is involved with the local St Marys Netball Club.
She is also an avid traveller and she and partner Cam like to explore different places each year – though it was a shock landing back in Invercargill after a recent trip around Asia, leaving Singapore at 32degC.
She is looking forward to saying yes to more opportunities and always pushes others to give things a go.
“Great things do happen when you break out of your comfort zone.”
In Focus Podcast: Full Show | 26 July
Bryan attended the Red Meat Sector Conference in Wellington and caught up with Meat Industry Association chair Nathan Guy, who outlined some of the structural shifts in the industry and gave his views on the big challenges sheep and beef farmers are facing at the moment.
Immigration settings are still causing headaches for farmers as calving begins. Federated Farmers dairy chair Richard McIntyre tells Bryan what he’s doing to help improve the process and gives some tips on how farmers can give themselves the best chance of clearing the hurdles.
Neal Wallace joins Bryan to wrap up the Red Meat Sector Conference, which brought together processors, industry groups, stakeholders and farmers. The sector is doing it tough right now and judging by the conference programme, there’s more uncertainty ahead.
