Accountancy

ICB awards

Last month I was invited to the ICB (Institute of Certified Bookkeepers) awards, also known as the Lucas after the inventor of the double entry system, Luca Pacioli. I love…

Accountancy

5 minutes a day keeps the accountant at bay

I’m starting an initiative for business owners to do their bookkeeping in FIVE MINUTES PER DAY rather than leaving it all to the end of the year. If you’re on…

Accountancy

Why is the tax year end 5 April?

This is such an odd date and so here is the story dating back to 1582. Prior to this time the tax year started on Lady Day, 25 March. Rents…

Business

Would you buy a discounted parachute?

It’s a question that Brad Burton asked which got me thinking. (So I hope it will get you thinking too) Why do we assume that we need to be cheap…

Accountancy

Less is more

Management accounts. What should they include? It depends very much on the users, their goals and their understanding of finance. Most management accounts that I have seen over the years…

Business

Why Monday morning made me sad

I recently decided to make a concerted effort to stay on top of my emails. Not an Inbox Zero exercise where you just hide them in different folders (I tried…

Accountancy

Confidentiality comes as standard

When I joined ICAEW as a trainee accountant sometime back in the dim and distant past I signed up to a code of ethics. Like most accountants I take that…

Accountancy

How to train your clients

I see lots of people complaining or rolling their eyes at the behaviour of certain ‘vampire’ clients that suck far more time and resources than the average client. But what…

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

Celebrating our successes

If you’ve been reading these tips for any length of time you’ll know that I am a great fan of celebrating our successes so that these positive memories remain with…