Feedback from our clients 

At Shine at Business, we love what we do so, when we receive amazing feedback from our clients, we feel very humbled and grateful. 

“I would highly recommend Dianna Jacobsen and Shine at Business. When I first came in contact with Di, I was looking for an accountant because my business was starting to get a bit complicated for me to do myself.

 However, Di is more than just an accountant. From our very first talk, I felt extremely confident and inspired that I could go ahead and build the business that I’ve been dreaming of for a long time. Her enthusiasm Is catching and not only is my accounting in order, but I have been privileged to be able to take part in various courses that have sent me on a positive mental mindset to achieve my goals.

 In spite of Covid causing me to be unable to build my main businesses, I have been able to expand online and in other areas, so instead of going backwards as many people have, I have been able to not just maintain my income but steadily increase it. 

From being a one-person business, I now have multiple employees and Di’s advice and support has been critical in getting to this stage so quickly…

No matter the stage of your business Shine at Business will be able to add value and support for you. If you listen to Di and follow her advice, you will be able to achieve your goals and overreach them more than you ever thought you could.”

Donna Burton - Donna the Astronomer @ Milroy Observatory

“I met Dianna a little over 3 years ago. At the time I was lost, broke and uninspired. From our first session, Dianna shared her journey and introduced me to a new way of living. I began to meet with Dianna on a regular basis privately and attending her personal empowerment sessions with other women in business and within a year my debts had halved, and my business was thriving and I personally genuinely happy. I'm ever so "grateful "(another powerful word Dianna taught me) and am so glad I've met such an inspirational family and businesswoman”  

Jade Sparks

“After25 years of building a horseback riding adventure tourism business from the ground up, it was time to hand over the reins and let our two sons saddle up taking guests on horseback adventures through the mountains. 

They had, after all, grown up with the business and Steve and I sadly had developed physical issues that led to assessing what we were able to do in the future. We had already established home, stables and garden suited to running a horse riding business, and running a business from home and having the opportunity to be very close to our boys as they grew up but the accommodation was always the missing link for the business. 

They both returned from University studies and travelling the world to set their roots; back in the Kiewa valley and mountains, they enjoyed during their childhood. Both accomplished horseman and qualified at university in multimedia and film making and developing unique skills travelling the world, it was the natural progression to expand the business model to support a growing family business. So, teaming up with Steve and me, we designed and built Spring Spur Stay, a commercial kitchen, riders lounge and a 12-bed luxury accommodation building using collected recycled materials. This took 4 years from conception to completion. 

That when things got complicated. 

Having developed the infrastructure and working so hard for so long, things started to fragment. New relationships were developed grandchild was born, the stresses of living so close working so hard, being public property for hours without a break, the whole concept and family relations were at risk of imploding. 

That's when we found Dianna Jacobsen and Shine At Business.

After recognising we needed help, and our very first meeting, committing to using her consultancy, the healing began. 

Dianna's professionalism, her ability to grasp and understand a complicated family structure and then tease out the knots, encouraging us to tell own individual truths and be open and honest about our fears, was a relief. To have an independent professional to guide us, and gently steer us through a dark tunnel towards the light, was almost seamless.

She has been privy to details, both individually and within the business, she has never compromised relationships, moreover, she has improved them. We have developed skills that Dianna has taught us how to grow and work closely together without conflict, recognising our individual strengths and weaknesses, giving us structure and importantly permission to take time out and reward our achievement of 30 years in Tourism. She has a vast network of professionals in many areas and has generously made them available to us solving issues that were seemed to us, almost impossible to achieve. 

Thank you, Dianna and team.”

Kath Baird Spring Spur Stay, Bogong Horseback Adventures. 

“I attended the Rural Women's Business Conference held in Beechworth in May 2014. The conference is a fantastic forum to seek other like-minded women in your area and share ideas, highs and lows of being in business.

 Dianna Jacobsen was a presenter of one of the many workshops held throughout the two days. Dianna's background in Accounting was the initial reason for me attending her workshop. The workshop empowered me to further discuss my then, current situation and business direction.

 At the time attending the conference, I was possibly at the lowest part of life. Ill health of my business partner and husband over a long period, health issues of my own, close family members passing away and huge financial pressures. A close friend even paid for my ticket to attend as cash was so tight.

 Dianna literally changed all this.”

DTM Constructions    

“Dianna Jacobsen is one of the most impressive women that I have had the pleasure to work with. 

 After meeting Dianna at a conference for rural businesswomen, she referred some clients to me, and I did the same for her. I could see the gaps that Dianna fills, both in dealing with women on a more personal level than most financial professionals, but also have a broader scope to be able to truly coach and guide those in difficult situations, who otherwise fall through the gaps.

 As a young professional woman running my own business, Dianna has taken me under her wing in the only way that could have been accepted by me, and I have also engaged her consulting services formally. 

 Dianna has added an element in her coaching with me that I have not previously been able to find – she focused on the full range of areas in my business, instead of just marketing or just my personal development. The frameworks that she has developed and the activities that she has encouraged me to work on in my business have been incredibly effective. Her guidance with dealing with my staff has been invaluable, as has her contribution to a recent negotiation that will involve a doubling of my business. 

My firm is staffed by females only, and we primarily work with individuals and families, focusing on women and their needs. Dianna is completely in alignment with this approach and has a realistic approach that often only a rural person can have.”

Jacqui Brauman,

Principal, TBA Law

“I met Dianna at a women’s health Expo where I was looking for answers to my life. I had just been through my second ordeal with my ex-husband who ruined the short-lived relationship I was in, as he did the last 5 years earlier.

In my 10 years I with him he was mentally abusive, and I thought I was going nuts. I had to see a psychologist to help me through my decision to leave. 7 years along it was never easy and there I was again!

Dianna touched base with me several times before we finally got to meeting up. There she helped me understand how “VALUABLE I WAS” in this equation! I felt I could offload to her without any judgement. She talked through her strategies to help live in the moment & gave me her time so freely.

With her amazing generosity with no expectations of cost for her time and ideas to take home, this was the turning point for me. Since then, she has kept in contact with me on a regular basis and been very encouraging and emotionally supportive.

I have exciting plans to start a small business and be the mother I want to be; juggling everything with more confidence. I am able to live in the now and excited about what lies ahead in the future for my daughter and me. I’ll be forever grateful to her” 

Jodi Gorman

“Dianna Jacobsen is unique in her ability to bridge the gap between just numbers and actual reality. Dianna combines Accountancy, Financial Planning and counselling to empower her clients to take charges of their affairs and grow both emotionally and financially.

I have had the immense pleasure to witness at first hand the fruits of her vision, seeing the outstanding transformation in the businesses she has assisted with, including several notable cases on which we had a high level of collaboration.

All of these business transformations occurred as a result of Dianna providing leadership and mentoring which has provided those clients with the tools to transform their businesses and lives.”

Mark Mott, Lending Specialist, Complete Capital

Testimonial by Animals on the Move