The Team

Aaron is a co-founder and director of Upstart Advisory. Aaron has close to 15 years of experience in finance, strategy and consulting. He started his career in the Private Clients Division of PricewaterhouseCoopers and was there for 10 years before starting Upstart Advisory.

He has vast experience across financial strategy, structure, process improvement, business scaling and M&A. His passion is working with fast paced companies that are striving for growth.

Aaron holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting/Management) from Melbourne University. He is also a certified Chartered Accountant (CA).

Benson is a co-founder and director of Upstart Advisory. Benson started his career as a property & commercial lawyer, but later transitioned into the employment law and HR space. 

With over 13 years of experience in commercial advisory, employment law, internal process improvement, workforce structuring and planning, recruitment and HR management, Benson has a proven track-record of successfully helping businesses build a strong platform for growth.

Benson graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance/Accounting) and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours).

Cherise is a Marketing Director at Upstart Advisory. Starting her career in digital advertising in a NASDAQ listed company, Cherise has progressively evolved into an expert on corporate branding, sales and marketing strategies.

With over a decade of experience in marketing, Cherise has gained a wealth of experience across various industries including property development, real estate, hospitality and start-ups, etc. Her passion lies in creating stories, igniting ideas and strategic planning for brands.

Cherise graduated with a Bachelor of International Business and Marketing.

Maddie Grant is a Senior Advisor at Upstart Advisory. Maddie started her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, working with clients from a multitude of different industries including retail, finance & not-for-profit. She has had 12 years experience working for businesses of varying scale from a small startup to a large ASX-listed company with a $2.5 billion dollar turnover.

Maddie acts as an outsourced Finance Manager for a diverse portfolio of clients in retail, hospitality, professional services and manufacturing industries. She specialises in financial reporting, budgeting, financial strategy, operational improvement and systems integrations such as XERO, Deputy and DEAR inventory.

Maddie has an entrepreneurial mindset and passion for guiding business growth through process improvement and developing achievable financial goals.

Maddie graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and holds a Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification.

Amanda is a Senior Advisor at Upstart. Having built her career in assurance at KPMG, Amanda moved into industry at a large ASX-listed company as a key finance team member leading business transformation and systems integration projects, financial reporting, management reporting and analysis, and external compliance.

Her 10 years of accounting, finance and operational improvement experience also includes 2 years of international experience working in the UK.

Amanda has a passion for partnering with business owners and leadership teams as an outsourced-CFO to provide insightful financial analysis and strategic recommendations. Graduating from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Commerce, Amanda is also a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA).

Marc is a Senior Advisor at Upstart. His professional journey began in Assurance at BDO and then PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he gained exposure to the finance operations of a diverse client base.

Marc relocated to the UK in 2016 for a period of two years. During this time, he worked with global organisations in the services and technology sectors leading system implementation projects, financial reporting activities and SOX compliance.

Marc is passionate about business partnering across functions and using data-driven insights to add value and support decision making.

Marc graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance/Accounting) and is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA).

Ashley is a Senior Advisor at Upstart Advisory. Ashley began her career in a professional services firm in Brisbane, managing a portfolio of clients across an array of industries such as hospitality, manufacturing, construction and retail. 

A Xero certified advisor, Ashley has over 9 years experience with numerous APIs, cloud software conversions and integrations. She has a keen interest in helping clients to utilise systems & technology to improve efficiency for sustainable business growth. 

Ashley graduated with Distinction from Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Business (Accounting)/Bachelor of Media & Communication. 

Joyce Chan is an Assistant Accountant at Upstart. Joyce started her career as a bookkeeper in the professional services industry for small businesses and further to international agencies.

Joyce has nearly 10 years of experience in end-to-end bookkeeping and accounts management dealing with accounts payable and receivable, payroll and everyday reconciliations within business bank accounts, trust accounts, intercompany accounts to audit compliances. 

Joyce has a wide range of experience with various accounting and financial software such as Xero, MYOB, Salesforce, Coupa and MediaOcean. She has a passion for learning new systems and improving financial processes.

Joyce graduated from Swinburne University with a Bachelor of Commerce in Account and accredited Financial Services certification.

Csez is a highly motivated accountant with over 9 years of experience. She has worked across various industries globally, providing exceptional services in accounting, management, bookkeeping and financial reporting. Her extensive experience with a multitude of financial and accounting software systems has equipped her with excellent skills and knowledge of best practices. Csez is a dedicated accounting professional who prides herself in high quality delivery and ongoing client support.

Gaining 9 years of working experience with 3 years as an Australian accountant, Cesz started as an AU Tax Accountant dealing with BAS, IAS and income tax returns and perfoms as a Bookkeeper who manages bank reconciliation, accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll within the company.

Cesz graduated from Lyceum of the Philippines University with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Management Accounting.

Eleine has 8 years of experience in the field of accounting and bookkeeping. She commenced her career as an outsourced bookkeeper servicing small businesses, and over time her roles have expanded to international companies across various industries. Her extensive experience includes end-to-end bookkeeping, managing accounts payable and receivable, overseeing payroll and payroll tax, and preparing month-end reports.

Eleine has gained exposure to a diverse range of accounting and financial software, including Xero, Oracle, QuickBooks, and other industry-specific software. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and is a licensed CPA after successfully passing the board examination.

Mark has extensive experience in accounting and bookkeeping, having worked in this field for several years. He began his career in AP with a US-based firm for one year before transitioning to various Australian-based SMEs and big entities, where he has worked for over five years. During this time, he has handled end-to-end bookkeeping for multiple clients, consistently providing accuracy, timeliness, and efficiency.

Mark has worked with a range of accounting systems, including in-house and cloud-based solutions such as Xero, MYOB, Oracle, and others. He graduated from Colegio de San Juan de Letran Manila with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Financial Management. He also holds a post-graduate Diploma in Financial Engineering from De La Salle University Manila.

Thomas is an Accounting Intern at Upstart Advisory.  With a passion for finance and accounting, Thomas is currently pursuing a degree in this field at RMIT University and has already demonstrated a keen understanding of the industry’s complexities.

We’re excited to have Thomas on board, and we can’t wait to see him flourish in this role.

Currently, he is studying at RMIT University and is on track to earn his Bachelor of Business (Accountancy and Financial Planning) in 2024.