Rachel Yang

Training in martial arts has taught Rachel Yang a lot about how to succeed in life. Over the years her taekwondo practice has given her the ability to “take hits, stay resilient both mentally and physically, and keep moving forward”.

As the founder of several businesses, Rachel is a successful accountant and entrepreneur, but it’s her commitment to community and helping others that sets her apart. 

“At heart, I am an accountant with passion and integrity who believes in doing my part to make the world a better place,” she says. 

For more than 15 years, Rachel has lived by that philosophy. She has mentored students at the University of Auckland through initiatives such as the Business School and Law School Women’s Mentoring Programmes, the Workplace Insight Mentoring Programme and the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s Summer Lab.

She has also organised beach clean-ups with Sustainable Coastlines and networking events with Age Concern Auckland, and is the founder of the University's Chinese Alumni Club.

“The most rewarding part of my work is meeting people from all walks of life and knowing I can make a positive impact,” she says. “I love being able to help people solve problems, whether it’s guiding a client through a complex tax issue, developing technology that protects businesses, or mentoring students so they feel more confident in their own abilities.”

Rachel graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Legal Studies. In addition to giving her a strong grounding in her fields of study, she says the University also opened her eyes to the power of connecting with those around her.

“The University felt like a small community that reflected the real world; it taught me how to be more social, collaborative and open-minded.”

Another surprising takeaway from her time at university was being exposed to the world of entrepreneurship. That experience led Rachel to found her companies Ysquared Chartered Accountants, Ysquared Education, which teaches others about accounting and tax, and Trusted AML, a start-up that helps businesses securely verify client identities and meet anti-money laundering rules.

“It has been a big leap into entrepreneurship, far beyond what I pictured when I was a student, but one that has combined my passion for technology, innovation and financial integrity,” she says.

It’s this unique mix of skills that has helped her along the way.

"I have realised it’s not that common for accountants to branch into technology, or for tech professionals to dedicate themselves to community service. For me, I’ve just been fortunate to find myself moving across all three areas, while also carrying with me the resilience and discipline I have learned through martial arts.”

One professional milestone she is particularly proud of was being recognised as the 2020 Young Regional Advocate by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. Other career highlights include Ysquared being selected as a finalist in various categories at the Westpac Business Awards in both 2018 and 2019, and Trusted AML being selected for the Founder Catalyst Programme run by the Ministry of Awesome – an acknowledgement Rachel says “validated my path into technology”.

Awards collected along the way, though, are just an extra for Rachel, whose primary motivation is how much she can impact others. “I believe success isn’t really about the money you make or the awards you collect. It’s about the difference you make, the people you inspire and those you’re able to help along the way. I’m excited to keep serving, inspiring and creating opportunities for others.”