Accountancy

Can I ‘just’ pick your brain?

How often do you get asked this? People you barely know, if at all, wanting to take some of your valuable time and expertise in exchange for a coffee or…

Accountancy

Continuing professional development

This week I’ve been busy with my QAD inspection. As a chartered accountant I have these inspections regularly. Although I like to think that we do everything ‘by the book’…

Accountancy

Are you working too hard?

With Summer holidays over and Winter drawing in I’m seeing more exhausted business owners. Although there may be particular pressures on accountants facing tax return season everybody is affected to…

Accountancy

Education is the wing on which dreams fly

I’m not sure of the original source of this quote but it strikes me as very true. As a chartered accountant I get hung, drawn, and quartered (or something similar)…

Accountancy

What business owners can learn from cats

Bryony Thomas (author and founder of Watertight Marketing*) may liken customers to cats in the way we tempt them in but never own them. But I think business owners can…

Business

Good causes vs charities

Not all good causes are charities and not all charities are UK charities. Why does this matter? Only donations to UK charities are tax deductible. Please don’t let this stop…

Accountancy

If accounts are the language of business learn to say “hello”

It works both ways. Business owners need to understand the story that their accounts tell about their business and accountants need to be able to translate the accounts story into…

Business

You are not a bank!

And, as far as I know, you are not a charity. So why are you lending clients money by allowing them extended credit or even working for free? Here are…

Business

The most important training session

The most important training session isn’t the toughest one, and it isn’t the last one before your A race. It’s the one that you really don’t want to do but…

Business

My life isn’t as perfect as my timeline

Nobody’s is! I’m all in favour of authenticity but I also hate oversharing. You’re my wonderful clients and business contacts, not my best friends, and there need to be boundaries…