A Week Like This Reminds Me Why I Still Love Building Businesses

A week like this reminds me why I still love building businesses.

Twenty-one years ago, Aintree Group started at our home dining table.

Back then, setting up an office meant finding space wherever you could, making do with what you had, and figuring everything out as you went. If someone had told me we’d one day be able to walk into a fully serviced coworking space like WeWork at 333 George Street in Sydney, I would have thought they were dreaming.

This week has been a reminder that while the environment has changed, being a founder really hasn’t.

We’ve stocked up with snacks and supplies for the Sydney team. We’ve greeted longstanding clients at the new digs at 333 George Street. We’ve helped new team members log into laptops and get everything working. We’ve traversed the streets of the Sydney CBD carrying newly purchased monitors and keyboards from JB Hi-Fi. And somewhere in between, we’ve still been running the business.

People often see the announcements, the office opening and the exciting milestones.

What they don’t always see is that founders are still the people unpacking boxes, troubleshooting technology, making coffee, answering questions and doing whatever needs to be done to get the team off to the best possible start. Behind the scenes, the incredible people supporting our operations have been troubleshooting, editing, billing, answering late night messages and generally being utterly awesome.

It’s been a big week, but Sydney is officially up and running.

I’m incredibly grateful for how far we’ve come, for the flexibility that modern workspaces like WeWork provide, and most importantly, for the amazing team who are making our Sydney expansion a reality.

There’s something special about walking through the streets of the Sydney CBD knowing that Aintree Group now has a home here.

Here’s to the next chapter.

About the CEO – Andrea McKenna

Andrea co-founded Aintree Group with her husband, Shane, over 20 years ago. Together, they set out to build a truly integrated, multidisciplinary firm offering accounting, legal, wealth, and advisory services under one roof – a trusted adviser clients could turn to for everything they need.

With a background in politics, marketing and communications, Andrea brings a broad perspective to leadership and problem-solving. Her extensive knowledge of operations and strategy is backed by decades of experience as both a business owner and adviser. She has a strong interest in optimising systems and processes, and is a passionate advocate for life-long learning and the power of curiosity.

Andrea is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, small businesses and community organisations overcome challenges and achieve sustainable success. Beyond her professional commitments, she serves on numerous committees and advisory boards, and provides mentorship to the next generation of industry leaders.