Why Your Business Shouldn’t Own You – Lessons from Meryl Johnston

The Picture of Wealth

In this powerful and inspiring episode, host Dustin Serviss sits down with Australian entrepreneur and accounting firm founder Meryl Johnston to unpack the realities of balancing entrepreneurship, parenting, and health. Meryl shares her candid journey from starting a tennis coaching business in her 20s to building Bean Ninjas, an international, productized accounting service now running largely without her.

They explore:

• How Meryl balances being a mom of two, a business leader, and a surfer.
• The transition from corporate accounting to launching a scalable, recurring revenue business.
• The health challenge that changed her perspective: a breast cancer diagnosis at 40, and how recovery reshaped her mindset on work, rest, and life priorities.
• Her experimentation phase post-sabbatical: investing, coaching, recruitment ventures, and redefining her next purpose.
• The evolution of the accounting industry, burnout trends, and how modern accountants are finding freedom through intentional business models.
• Advice on starting a side hustle, building lean, and avoiding “no man’s land” when scaling a business.
• Meryl’s views on parenting, traveling with kids, and the myth of perfect work-life balance.

Whether you're an accountant, parent, entrepreneur, or someone navigating life pivots, this episode is full of wisdom on building a life that aligns with your values—not just your title.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Bean Ninjas – Productized Bookkeeping Services
• TeamUp – Accounting Recruitment from the Philippines
• Connect with Meryl Johnston on LinkedIn

01:38 Balancing Family and Professional Life

03:28 Meryl's Early Business Ventures

05:25 Building a Scalable Business Model

08:01 Health Challenges and Recovery

12:28 Insights on the Accounting Industry

24:02 Work-Life Balance and Personal Philosophy