Stage 1: Owneroperator. On starting up it’s just you and you may choose to bootstrap and spend your time instead of your cash so that you end up working long…
Companies House carnage
What a week it’s been with confidentiality issues at Companies House following on from weeks of confirmation statement failures back in November and problems with accepting personal ID numbers for directors. We try to stay…
How to prepare for a stress-free year end
The best time to prepare for a stress-free year end is nearly a year ago. Trite but true. But we are where we are so what can you do now? Make sure…
The hidden costs of being too helpful to clients
At Minerva Accountants we are fortunate to have the best clients. This is a deliberate strategy on my part as I feel that we do our best work for people we like. I often…
A double workload ahead?
I’ve been speaking on the topic of MTD for 10 years now. Initially to our own clients, then to other accountants and bookkeepers, and now to business owners. One of the reasons I’ve been trying to encourage people to…
Les bons comptes font les bons amis
It’s a French saying that means that keeping good accounts makes for good friendships. Usually this means that debts should be settled promptly. I’ve written before about how important this…
Accountant: therapist or dentist?
When I set up my first accountancy business one of my old school friends, now living in USA, told me that a visit to her accountant felt like a visit…
The Club Tropicana business model
Apologies, I’ve forgotten where I first heard this description, but according to Wham, at Club Tropicana drinks are free! And many businesses appear to be adopting the same model. We…
Why we love Xero
At Minerva Accounts most of our clients are on Xero. I chose this back in 2012 after an abortive attempt to move to the cloud with another software provider. Back…
The importance of delegation
Some people find it easier to delegate than others. I’m one of the former, perhaps because I find it easier to find people who are better than me? 😉 But…