“Knowledge shouldn’t be locked away. If we can teach people how to manage their money better, we change families, not just businesses.”
So says Lindsay Kearns (42), founder of Kearns & Associates Inc, business advisory company from Kuils River. He and his company are looking to give back to the community he comes from by sharing insights and knowledge from the financial field on a local radio station.
Forest Heights
Kearns was raised in Forest Heights, Eersteriver, as a boy who didn’t quite know what he wanted to become.
“The idea of medicine visited his imagination now and then, but it never truly settled. What did stay, what consistently called my attention were numbers. Patterns, logic, and order. While other children dreamed in titles, I found comfort in calculations,” he says.
As the eldest of three children, responsibility came early. He was raised in a middle-class home led by a devoted father, Dennis Kearns, who worked tirelessly to support his wife, Ansie, and their children. Dennis, remembered by those who knew him as steady, selfless, and protective, passed away in 2023, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and sacrifice that continues to shape his family.
Academic path
Lindsay’s academic path followed his natural strengths. He studied Cost and Management Accounting at Cape Peninsula University of Technology and later completed his Chartered Accounting qualification through the University of South Africa.
“The journey was demanding and deeply personal. Family functions, celebrations, and milestones were often missed. While others gathered, I studied. While others rested, I worked. I kept my eye firmly on one prize, to one day build a firm of my own. That dream came to life in February 2017 with the founding of Kearns & Associates Inc. The early days were not easy. Long hours, financial pressure and the weight of responsibility tested my resolve.
“Yet those close to me say success never hardened me; in fact, it softened me. I remained approachable, grounded, and generous with my time. Helping others became his instinct. I like intentionally extending opportunity to aspiring accountants, mentoring and opening doors where I can. My next step is to plug our community service on the airwaves, with a planned Eersteriver Radio segment aimed at helping small, medium and micro-enterprise owners become more money-savvy and financially confident.”
Besides the upcoming radio show Kearns also employs people from the Eersteriver community and create real pathways for growth and professional development.
“For many a job at this firm is more than employment; it is a first step towards realising a dream. I always want to help.”
