Jo Thomson

Jo is a Director at Sidekick Flintoffs in Invercargill, helping business owners understand the bigger picture behind their numbers and make confident decisions about what comes next.

Jo has worked in accounting and business advisory since 2002. She is a Chartered Accountant and is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors New Zealand. 

A large part of Jo’s work is with rural clients, including sheep and beef, dairy and arable farming businesses, along with agricultural support businesses. She particularly enjoys working with farming families who have several moving parts, whether that is multiple entities, property, investments, succession planning or different business interests sitting alongside the farm.  

While rural businesses are a key focus, Jo also works with a range of owner-operated businesses, including tradies, engineers, manufacturers, consultants, retailers, moteliers and property investors.

Clients often come to Jo when they want to understand what their numbers actually mean, not just get the accounts and tax returns completed. She helps with cashflow, tax, borrowing, buying or selling, restructuring, succession, profitability and major business decisions. Direct, practical and strategic, Jo is good at turning technical detail into clear advice that helps clients understand their options and what needs to happen next.

For Jo, good advice happens before the decision, not after it. She encourages clients to pick up the phone early, even if they have not worked everything out yet. Her approach is very Sidekick: working alongside clients, asking the right questions, challenging their thinking when needed and making sure the advice supports their real-world goals.

Outside work, Jo enjoys spending time with family and friends, getting outside, gardening and cooking. She is a keen Warriors supporter, is involved with Lighthouse Southland as a board member and trustee, and has been part of the marching community for many years as a competitor, coach and judge.

Jackie Palmer

Jackie is a Director at Sidekick Flintoffs in Invercargill, helping small and medium business owners feel clearer, more confident and better supported in their business.

With more than 40 years’ experience in accounting, Jackie brings a depth of knowledge that clients can rely on. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant. She works mainly with small to medium businesses, rental property owners and trades, with particular interest in early childhood, trades and rental clients.

Clients often come to Jackie for compliance support, setting up or purchasing a new business, choosing the right business structure, registering a company, improving processes, and understanding the systems that sit behind the numbers. She also helps clients with accounting and payroll software, cashflow, profit updates and business performance, always with a focus on making the information useful and easy to understand.

Jackie’s style is calm, practical and down to earth. She is especially good at helping clients understand their accounts, how tax, GST and PAYE work, and where their money has gone. Just as importantly, she makes people feel comfortable asking questions. Jackie believes clients should never be made to feel inferior or stupid, and that a good advisor should be someone they can talk to openly about their plans, ideas and concerns.

For Jackie, the Sidekick way is simple: what you see is what you get. No pretence, no overcomplicating things, just friendly, practical support and a genuine interest in helping clients feel relaxed, confident and on the right track.

Outside work, family is a big part of Jackie’s life. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and often helps out with the school runs. She also has a special tradition of taking each grandchild, and their parent, on a plane trip when they turn 10. In her spare time, she likes reading, all kinds of puzzles, yoga and Zumba, and  life on the 18-acre lifestyle block she shares with her husband.  Jackie is involved with the local IHC committee and has a long-standing interest in health, disability and education.

Olivia Lee

Olivia is an Associate at Sidekick Flintoffs in Invercargill, helping business owners feel less overwhelmed, more in control and clearer about what comes next.

Olivia started in accounting straight out of school in 2014 through a traineeship and has been with Flintoffs since June 2023 (becoming Sidekick Flintoffs in October 2026). A Chartered Accountant with a Certificate of Public Practice, Olivia works with a wide range of small to medium businesses, commercial businesses, smaller farms and the occasional charitable trust. While she works across the board, she has a particular soft spot for the rural sector and tradies.

Her style is friendly, practical and energetic, with a direct approach when it is needed. Olivia is a small-talk-before-business kind of person, and she genuinely enjoys getting to know what is happening in her clients’ lives as well as their businesses. For her, good advice is not just about fixing a tax issue or preparing a set of accounts. It is about working alongside clients, spotting potential problems early, finding solutions together and helping them walk away feeling lighter, reassured and more confident.

That approach carries through into the practical support she gives clients day to day. Clients often come to Oliviafor tax advice, financials, IRD issues and practical problem-solving. She enjoys helping clients find better, easier ways to run the day-to-day parts of their business, whether that means improving how they pay bills, enter invoices, complete GST returns or use systems like Xero and Hubdoc. Olivia is especially good at helping clients understand the numbers in front of them, without making the conversation feel intimidating or full of accounting jargon.

Outside work, Olivia enjoys spending time with her husband, their two children, friends and a good book. She and her husband also own a 53-hectare beef bull farm, which they run alongside their full-time jobs. Olivia is part of the NZ Businesswomen networking group, plays netball and loves exploring the outdoors with her kids.

Bevan Underwood

Bevan is a Senior Accountant at Sidekick Flintoffs in Invercargill, working mainly with farming clients and more complex engagements, including tier reporting for not-for-profit clients.

He brings a broad background across accounting, audit, banking risk and hospitality, giving him a practical understanding of how different businesses operate. Bevan supports both clients and the internal team, helping work through complex accounting requirements and sharing his knowledge across systems like Figured and Xero.

Decisive, solution-focused and client-minded, Bevan brings a clear and knowledgeable approach to his work. He values being part of a team where strong relationships, practical support and genuine care are part of the everyday culture.

Outside of work, Bevan is a massive rugby league supporter and enjoys keeping up with New Zealand economics and politics, as well as spending time with his wife and two sons.

Shelly Buha

Shelly is part of the accounting team at Sidekick Flintoffs in Invercargill, helping clients with annual accounts, tax returns, GST and general accounting work.

She has a strong eye for detail and is good at working through the numbers to find what is missing, unclear or not quite adding up. Shelly supports both clients and the wider team by organising information, identifying issues and helping make sure work is completed accurately.

Reliable, approachable and patient, Shelly brings a thoughtful and steady approach to her work. She is always looking to build her knowledge and values the part good accounting plays in helping clients better understand their business.

Outside of work, Shelly enjoys walking, trekking in the bush, listening to music and spending time with her family.

Rachel Duncan

Rachel is part of the accounting team at Sidekick Flintoffs in Invercargill, helping clients with annual financial accounts, GST returns and general accounting work.

She brings a structured and thorough approach to her role, with a practical mindset and a willingness to get stuck in wherever support is needed. Rachel works closely with clients and directors, helping keep information organised, work moving and the details carefully checked.

Reliable, thoughtful and keen to keep learning, Rachel enjoys the variety that comes with accounting and the opportunity each day brings to take on new challenges and build her knowledge.

Outside of work, Rachel enjoys spending time with her two daughters, keeping active through swimming and planning future travel adventures.

Natalie Broad

Natalie is part of the accounting team at Sidekick Flintoffs in Invercargill, helping with GST, annual accounts, tax checking and general office support when needed.

She has a careful and practical way of working, with a good eye for the details that help keep client work accurate and on track. Natalie likes solving problems, working through the numbers and getting things to balance, bringing steady support to both the accounting team and the wider office.

Approachable, helpful and detail-focused, Natalie is always willing to pitch in where needed. She brings a reliable, down-to-earth approach to her work and helps keep things moving smoothly behind the scenes.

Outside of work, Natalie enjoys keeping active, spending time with family and friends, and helping out on the family farm.

Toni McRae

Toni is part of the administration team at Sidekick Flintoffs in Invercargill, helping with the day-to-day support that keeps the office running smoothly.

Her role covers a wide range of admin tasks, supporting clients, staff and the wider team with whatever is needed. Toni enjoys the variety that comes with administration and is often helping to sort the practical details that keep work moving.

Organised, helpful and easy to deal with, Toni brings a steady and supportive presence to the team. She is good at keeping things on track and making sure people have the admin support they need.

Outside of work, Toni enjoys getting outdoors with her family, reading and gardening.

Ric Thorpe

Ric is CEO of Sidekick Holdings, helping grow the Sidekick group while supporting our offices, people and clients to be more successful.

Ric has been involved with Sidekick since 2010 and became CEO in early 2025. His background sits across business growth, marketing, sales, strategy, technology and client experience rather than traditional accounting. This gives Ric a different lens within the accounting world, with a focus on helping business owners make better decisions, understand where they are heading and connect the right advice, people and systems around them.

Ric works closely with ambitious business owners, growing SMEs, regional businesses and people who are trying to build something bigger or better. He also spends a lot of time with accounting firm owners, partners and leaders who are thinking about growth, succession, joining Sidekick or building a stronger future for their team and clients.

Clients often come to Ric for clarity, growth ideas, a fresh perspective and honest conversations about what needs to change. He helps people work through growth decisions, marketing and sales opportunities, technology, AI and automation, leadership, succession and turning loose ideas into practical plans. Ric is especially good at joining the dots between marketing, sales, systems, people and numbers, helping business owners focus on the things that will really move the dial.

His style is straight-talking, energetic and practical. Ric likes big-picture thinking, but he is always focused on turning ideas into action. For him, good advice should make business feel clearer, less lonely and more manageable. He believes business owners do not need more noise – they need clarity, confidence and practical help from people who genuinely want them to win.

Outside work, Ric enjoys spending time with family, cars and motorbikes, travel, good food, coffee and finding interesting places. He is naturally curious and enjoys learning about new ideas, technology, business models and people. Ric has also been involved in community and charity activities, including running 50km for Life Education Trust Canterbury, and is interested in supporting young people, business owners and regional communities where Sidekick can make a positive difference.

Steph Holt

Steph is the creative mind behind Sidekick’s brand – making sure everything from marketing campaigns to internal events reflects who we are and what we stand for. With over 15 years of experience in design and strategy, she loves finding fresh, meaningful ways to bring the Sidekick story to life. From shaping how our brand looks and feels to creating moments that connect our team and clients, Steph brings a mix of curiosity, energy, and heart to everything she does.

Outside of work, Steph enjoys spending time with her teenage son, road-tripping in her self-converted campervan and tending to her ever-growing veggie patch – a creative outlet that balances her busy, design-filled days.

Manoli De Silva

Manoli keeps the team running smoothly, making sure all the day-to-day details are taken care of. She has a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of London and a master’s in international relations from the University of Colombo, she has worked across law firms, UN agencies, and the government sector. Her experience in different environments gives her a strong eye for detail and a knack for keeping things organised and on track.

A massive foodie, Manoli loves cooking and trying out new restaurants. She also enjoys running and staying active, and likes to unwind with a good book and a glass of wine. Most of all, she treasures spending time with her husband and their two young daughters. 

Helen Pauley

Helen is a Marlburian who has travelled the world and landed back here. Having a varied work life from managing a regional office for a multi-national advertising firm, owning a hospitality business to practice management of a medical practice, Helen brings a bucket load of skills. Communication is her flag ship skill and she enjoys problem solving. Resourceful and fun, pretty much sums her up.

She is married to Gary, who is a Business Advisor and in their spare time they love to travel to family & friends, experience the great outdoors and discovering new recipes and flavours, accompanied by a glass of fine wine.