Jake Reimer-Madden
The job that taught him to read a room, and a P&L
Jake joined Pitcher Partners as a graduate after finishing his Bachelor of Business and Commerce, drawn specifically to the opportunity to work in a hospitality-focused accounting team. Having seen the front of house side of pubs and cafes firsthand, he was curious about what happened behind the scenes financially.
“I liked the idea of seeing the financial side of how those businesses operate behind the scenes,” he says.
Already knowing people at the firm made the move into full-time work feel a lot less daunting, and Pitcher Partners quickly felt like a supportive place to start his career.
Building the fundamentals
Early on, Jake focused on personal tax returns and BAS work, building a solid technical foundation. From there, he was encouraged to take on more, including company and trust tax returns and management reporting for pub clients, work that stretched him and accelerated his learning.
“That enabled me to grow my knowledge and experience quickly,” he says.
The shift from reporting to advising
What changed the way Jake approaches his work day to day was learning to look past the compliance side of the job and ask what the numbers were actually telling clients.
Through management reporting and advisory work, he developed the ability to identify trends, benchmark performance, and translate financial information into practical, commercial advice.
“I now approach tasks with a more commercial mindset,” he says.
It’s a shift that defines his current role. A typical week might include tax planning, equity and share sale work, reviewing tax returns and BAS, and preparing management reports for hospitality clients. But it’s the advisory side Jake enjoys most, helping clients improve gross profit, manage cash flow, identify cost-saving opportunities and make better commercial decisions.
Hospitality is one of the most community-driven industries, and at Pitcher Partners Newcastle and Hunter, that makes for genuinely rewarding work. From meeting new clients and attending industry events to working closely with partners on real business decisions, no two days are the same.
Helping venues see what they couldn’t before
One of the milestones Jake is most proud of is the shift from preparing compliance work to leading advisory conversations with hospitality clients, including running his own client meetings.
He recalls using management reports, gross profit analysis, wage percentages and industry benchmarks to help a client understand exactly where their venue was performing well, and where there was room to improve.
“It has been rewarding to see clients take that advice and apply it to their venue to improve trade, margins and overall profitability,” he says.
What you learn when everyone’s willing to teach
Jake describes the culture at Pitcher Partners as welcoming, approachable and generous, the kind of environment where asking questions is encouraged and people want to see each other succeed.
That same generosity has shaped his own approach to development. Taking on work from different managers and partners, he says, is one of the best ways to grow, since everyone brings different experience, knowledge and client relationships to learn from.
“Ask questions, take on as much variety as you can, and be open to opportunities that push you outside your comfort zone,” is his advice to anyone starting out.
What’s ahead
Jake isn’t done growing into the advisory side of the role. There’s more ground to cover with his existing clients, and more venues he wants to help turn data into decisions that move the needle on profitability.
“Longer term, I am also looking forward to mentoring juniors and sharing the knowledge and experience I have gained from the people around me,” he says.
It’s a fitting next chapter for someone who started out asking the questions himself.
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