A conversation with Agata Burchardt, owner of Enigma Accounting Firm, and Emilia Staciwa, owner of Bookkeeping Office in Łódź, both nominated for the title of Charismatic Woman, about cooperation and communication with clients, co-workers, and other accounting or bookkeeping offices, as well as the need for economic education.
Agata Burchardt
Together with Emilia, you are accountants but also friends, and, instead of competing with one another, you decided to create a platform connecting other professionals involved in accounting. What’s your goal?
We’d like to show how accounting offices can cooperate, support each other and exchange experiences. We plan to educate and show which path to follow and what changes to implement. Running an accounting office involves a wide range of activities: financial and accounting services for companies, HR and payroll services, financial, tax, insurance and credit co nsulting… It is necessary to have extensive knowledge and understanding of constantly changing legal regulations and tax laws. For example, from 2026, all entrepreneurs will be required to use the National e-Invoice System, which enables the issuance, transmission and receipt of electronic invoices in a structured format. To do this, one will need to have the right software and the right skills. This will be a difficult period for accounting offices, and we’re there to help.
Two years ago you became the owner of Enigma Accounting Firm. Was it then, when you transformed into a charismatic woman or were you simply born that way?
I had to become one much earlier. As a young woman, I experienced some very difficult moments, and that’s when I realised I could never give in to adversity and be dependent on someone else. I’ve been earning money since 16. I used to work with ceramics and fire various patterns onto plates. Then, I was a surveyor in a company that conducted research on various products. I studied at a general secondary school and dreamed of becoming a journalist. Focusing on others has always been important to me. However, at that time, no university in Łódź offered such a course, so I abandoned the idea of moving to Warsaw.
How did your career evolve?
After secondary school, I started working at my mother-in-law Grażyna Burchardt’s Enigma Accounting Firm. I graduated from the University of Economics in Łódź with a degree in accounting. I’m an accountant with 30 years of experience. We serve over 200 entities with diverse business structures and employing up to 30 people. Our office is divided into specialties: full accounting, small accounting and human resources. We employ 16 people: 14 women and 2 men. My husband is in charge of human resources. The team I work with is my long-term companion. Over the past 30 years, I’ve trained many people who’ve gone on to set up their own accounting offices.
How do you integrate the team?
I try to do this every day by creating a friendly atmosphere at work. Through small gestures, such as bringing a special cake tailored to each employee’s personality on their birthday. We then sit down with coffee and celebrate the day. I also organise joint outings. Recently, we went to the theatre and after the performance we went to a restaurant.
What is your greatest achievement in life?
My son, who’s 20 now. I’m very proud of him.
What are your future plans for development?
Today, I guide many people, not only my employees, but also clients, because a bookkeeper or an accountant running an office is someone who must provide maximum support, show the way, listen to people, diagnose their needs and prevent problems. But I’m still learning to be a leader. I’ve been thinking about further self-development. Both Emilka and I want to obtain tax advisor qualifications. We’re partaking a course organised by the Chamber of Tax Advisors and the Association of Accountants in Poland, which ends with an exam at the Ministry of Finance.
Where did you meet Emilka?
At a conference organised by the Modzelewski and Partners Institute of Tax Studies in 2018. Since then, we have been inseparable, going together to conferences. Our families are befriended and work together.
How?
We complement each other in our tasks and implementation of our clients’ plans. I love full accounting, balance sheets and analyses. I could constantly issue credit applications and deal with difficult cases, conduct so called ‘detective work’ in accounting. However, I don’t like matters related to environmental protection, all those fuel and packaging reports, etc. Emilka is great at that.
Emilia Staciwa
What are you fond of in particular?
I like interacting with people as integral and important part of my work, helpful in writing grant applications and obtaining the money for clients.
I like people having ideas for themselves and carrying out interesting projects. When it comes to charisma, I’ll pre-empingly answer I was born a strong woman. I’ve always known what I want to do in life and tried to have a plan ready for action, sooner or later, one way or another. As a teenager, I traveled to Italy, where, without knowing the Italian language, I explored the country and was able to navigate the city on my own. The trip brought me confidence and a sense I could handle any situation. Since high school, I knew my future job would be related to accounting. After maturity exams, I graduated in accounting from the University of Economics in Łódź. Thanks to my first job, I learned the ropes from scratch and learned how to settle accounts for the warehouse, cash register and terminals. Millions of PLN passed through my hands. I managed a team of 70 people. After the birth of my children, a project slowly formed in my head to open my own office. My life plan was: family, bookkeeper, company.
How long have you been running your business?
My company has been on the market for 15 years. During this time, as the Chief Accountant in a large construction company consisting of three companies with approximately 150 employees, I gained lots of work experience. An accountant must have diverse knowledge and cannot pigeonhole themselves into one field. This profession is based on interpersonal relations, and contact with clients is a matter of great importance.
How many clients do you provide services to?
My office provides services to about 70 entities, including companies and sole proprietorships. I do all their bookkeeping, HR, payroll, write applications and obtain subsidies. I also deal with environment protection issues. Because of working almost 24 hours a day, Agata suggested hiring an employee. Following her advice, I now have more time for my family and for self-growth. I owe it to Agata that we got out from behind our desks and towards people. Being among business people and learning trade secrets broadens our perspectives and, as a result, brings in new clients.
What are you most proud of?
I’m proud of myself for achieving the goal I set already in high school. I’m a fulfilled wife, mothering two children. I have a wonderful family. I started my accounting office without any support or financial backing. All I had was knowledge, passion, and determination to work independently. Step by step, I developed the office, gaining the clients’ trust, building a team and creating a place where reliability meets a human approach.
What are your further development plans?
My plans for the development of the office are focused primarily on sustainable growth, with an emphasis on quality of service, modern technologies and real support for clients. My clients are mainly mature individuals. I also intend to reach out to young entrepreneurs, which is why the next step is to create a company’s website.
How do you spend your free time?
I have very little free time, but in my spare moments I listen to podcasts on psychology. I’m interested in this field, so important in both professional and private life.
Dorota Kolano
