About Us

Michele Grisdale

Michele is an Australian Certified Bookkeeper, Registered BAS Agent, and founder of Rainforest Bookkeeping—a 100% cloud-based practice from day one. With over two decades of experience in digital transformation, she partners with businesses in construction, plumbing, e-commerce, and professional services to deliver streamlined, compliant, and future-ready solutions.

As a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers and contributor to ICB, COSBOA, and HIA, Michele brings deep expertise across compliance, payroll, HR, and cloud integration. She currently serves on the Xero Partner Advisory Council (XPAC) and the ATO’s BAS Agent Advisory Group (BASAAG), advocating for smarter, more human-centered solutions for small businesses and the advisors who support them.

Michele has collaborated with platforms like Xero, Xbert, Dext, NextMinute, and Ignition to help shape tools that simplify real-world workflows. She champions automation and generative AI that work alongside professionals—not in place of them—to enhance clarity, control, and connection.

Michele is also the mother of four (plus two energetic Kelpies), a fan of heavy metal music, a maker of crafts, and happiest when she’s on the water or unwinding at the beach. Her superpower? Connection—whether it’s with people, platforms, or ideas.

Other Achievements

Bachelor of Science in Business, Certificate IV Accounting and Bookkeeping, Certificate IV Training and Assessment
Xero Gold Partner, Xero Insider, presenter at Xerocon, Accounting and Business Expo and Accountex conferences
Podcast and radio guest on Small Biz Matters, Two Drunk Accountants, Cloudstories with Heather Smith, Friday Night Live with Accountants.
Cloud Integration Partner (SMB Consultants and TradiePad) - Advanced Certification
ServiceM8 Partner and integrator
Micro-credentials in Ethics, Taxable Payments Annual Reports (TPAR), Advanced Payroll

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Karen Biddlecombe

Meet Karen Biddlecombe – Experienced Bookkeeper & Cloud Accounting Specialist

With a bookkeeping career that began in 1980, Karen has spent more than four decades helping businesses across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK manage their financial records with accuracy and confidence.

Karen's journey has taken her through working directly with small businesses, a stint with an accounting firm, 20 years with a multinational engineering company, and most recently with one of the world’s leading cloud accounting platforms—Xero where she worked as an Account Manager. In that role, Karen worked closely with bookkeepers and accountants to help them adopt smarter, cloud-based solutions for their clients.

Karen holds a Bachelor of Business, a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping, and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. These qualifications support the practical experience she has gained working with a wide range of businesses helping her to develop strong client service skills that help her to understand the needs of small business owners and deliver tailored business solutions.

Now semi-retired, Karen continues to work as a bookkeeper for Rainforest Bookkeeping, combining my technical expertise with a human touch. She prides herself on building strong, trusting relationships and helping small business clients feel confident and in control of their financial position.

Helping Small Businesses Thrive Since 2009

At Rainforest Bookkeeping, we believe in growth, sustainability, and giving small business owners the freedom to focus on what matters most. Founded on 1 September 2009, our name reflects our values: like a rainforest, we help your business flourish—while embracing cloud technology to save time, trees, and stress.

What We Do

We’re a small team of experienced, certified bookkeepers and certified trainers who work with small businesses in trades, plumbingm construction, e-commerce, professional and personal services. From BAS lodgements to payroll and cloud migrations, we handle the details so you can reclaim your time and peace of mind.

Why We’re Different

✅ 100% cloud-based since day one

✅ Real-time insights and one source of truth

✅ Seamless collaboration with your accountant

✅ Trusted Xero, Dext, Xbert, Ecommerce specialists

✅ Deep experience with trades, sole traders, and micro-businesses

Our Mission

We help you ditch the overwhelm, streamline your systems, and stay compliant—so you can get back to enjoying your business and your life. Whether you need a fresh start or want to upgrade from cumbersome systems, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

🌿 Let’s grow your business together—smarter, simpler, and sustainably.