For David Boyes, bookkeeping was not part of the original plan.

After 36 years with the same company, where he had worked his way from accounts payable through procurement and into senior global business roles, David suddenly found himself facing redundancy.

It was a huge change.

He had joined the company at 16, built a successful career, and held responsibility for major commercial decisions across an international business. Then, following an organisational restructure, the role that had shaped so much of his working life came to an abrupt end.

“I had a very, very good job,” David says. “It was the first thing I thought about in the morning and the last thing I checked at night. It felt like my business, and then it was taken away.”

At first, David took some time to pause and gather himself. But as the months went on, he began thinking seriously about what might come next.

Looking for a New Direction

David applied for roles but quickly found that his senior experience was making things more complicated rather than easier.

“I wasn’t looking for another Global Business Director role,” he explains. “I was happy to start again, but my CV was either too senior or not quite what people were looking for.”

Around this time, someone mentioned bookkeeping as a possible route. It offered something David was beginning to value more and more: the chance to work flexibly, part-time, remotely, and in a way that could fit around real life.

That led him to a conversation with Brian at Ideal Schools.

“I felt Brian was honest, realistic, and inspiring as well,” David says. “I just got a really positive feeling from him.”

That conversation helped David begin to see bookkeeping not simply as a qualification, but as a practical route into a different kind of future.

A Pivotal Moment

The decision became even clearer after David attended an Ideal Schools webinar featuring Louise Woodhouse, an Ideal Schools tutor and practising bookkeeper.

Around the same time, while he was still deciding whether to take the plunge, he reached out to a contact already working in the field.

“They said, ‘Get yourself qualified, I may have work for you,’” David recalls.

That made the decision to enrol feel much more tangible. This was not just an abstract idea or a hopeful leap into the unknown. David could see where the training might lead.

He enrolled on the ICB Career Path with Ideal Schools and set himself the goal of progressing quickly.

Studying with Purpose

David approached his studies with real focus.

Having the time to study helped, but so did his determination to build something new. He made quick progress through the course and particularly valued the flexibility of the online materials.

“I loved the online version,” he says. “I’m not really a paper person, so being able to search the materials was fantastic.”

Although he did not need to contact tutors constantly, he knew support was there when required.

“There were very few times I had to phone a tutor and ask them to explain something,” he says. “But the feedback on assignments and exams was really positive and really good.”

David has also connected with other students along the way, including one fellow Ideal Schools student who has been progressing at a similar pace. That peer support has been useful as they both move from training into practice.

A Soft Landing into Real Bookkeeping Work

One of the most valuable parts of David’s journey has been subcontracting for more established bookkeepers.

Through these opportunities, David has gained hands-on experience with real clients, real transactions and real bookkeeping systems.

“I think subcontracting for established bookkeepers is a great model,” he says. “I’m using Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent and document capture systems. I’m processing transactions and learning how all those systems work.”

For David, this has provided what he describes as a “soft landing” into the profession.

He is building confidence, gaining practical experience, and learning what a bookkeeper’s role really looks like day to day, while still having the support and structure of working alongside more experienced professionals.

For newly qualified bookkeepers, opportunities like this can often come through building connections within the profession. Ideal Schools alumni regularly recommend getting involved with local ICB and AAT branch networks, not only as a way to meet other bookkeepers and accountants, but also to learn from those already working in practice and hear about projects and connections that can help them get started.

Building Boyes Business Services

David now works through Boyes Business Services, offering bookkeeping under the name How Many Beans Bookkeeping, alongside wider business support services drawing on his commercial and procurement background.

His previous career has not been left behind. Instead, it has become part of what he can offer.

As well as bookkeeping, David brings experience in purchasing, commercial decision-making and business management. That combination means he can support clients not only with their books, but also with broader business understanding.

He is already working with clients and continuing to explore new opportunities, including on the west coast of Scotland, where he and his wife, Ruth, hope to move in the future.

Creating a Life That Fits

One of the biggest changes for David has been how bookkeeping fits into the kind of life he now wants to build.

At 54, he describes himself as semi-retired, not because he has stopped working, but because he is choosing a different relationship with work.

His week now includes regular bookkeeping commitments, but also time for swimming, cycling and travel. He and Ruth spend time in Glencoe, where they have family connections, and the long-term plan is to move north.

Because bookkeeping can be done remotely, that future feels possible.

“Bookkeeping will travel,” David says.

He has already begun seeing opportunities in and around the Glencoe area, where small businesses may need flexible bookkeeping support. For someone planning a life built around place, family, outdoor activity and meaningful work, that matters.

Work That Keeps the Brain Alive

After years in high-pressure corporate roles, David has found bookkeeping surprisingly enjoyable.

“It’s like solving a Sudoku or a crossword puzzle every day,” he says. “It’s not that stressful. It can be challenging to get your head around certain things, but it’s surprisingly pleasurable.”

That sense of satisfaction has been important.

Bookkeeping gives him income, structure and purpose, but without the all-consuming pressure of his previous career. It keeps his brain active while still allowing him to protect the flexibility he now values.

“It doesn’t feel like work,” he says. “It’s something I can do, and something I want to do.”

Looking Ahead

David is continuing to grow his bookkeeping work at a pace that feels manageable. He is also thinking carefully about further training, particularly as clients’ needs develop and more complex areas arise.

Like many new bookkeepers, he is discovering that qualification is only one part of the journey. The real learning continues as client questions arise, businesses change, and practical situations bring the theory to life.

But he is enjoying that process.

David’s story is a reminder that a career change does not always begin with a perfectly mapped-out plan. Sometimes it begins with an unexpected ending, a conversation, a recommendation, and the decision to start again.

With the right training, support and practical experience, it is possible to build something new, even after decades in a completely different working world.

For David, bookkeeping has become more than a bridge to retirement. It has become part of a new way of living and working.

And if the dream eventually involves bookkeeping from a boat while travelling around the Scottish islands?

Well, as David puts it: “What’s not to love about that?”

Thinking About a Career in Bookkeeping?

Ideal Schools offers flexible ICB and AAT bookkeeping and accounting courses designed to help students study at their own pace, with personalised support from experienced tutors.

Whether you are changing career, returning to work, or looking to build a more flexible future, our team is here to help you find the route that works for you. Reach out to arrange a no-pressure chat at a time of your choosing.

David has also kindly offered to act as an Ideal Schools Ambassador and speak to anyone considering bookkeeping and accounting training with us. We will be adding him to our Ideal Schools Ambassadors’ page shortly but in the meantime, he can be contacted via LinkedIn here.