Ambitious Startups

Content creation can be highly rewarding but also volatile. Take a look at our Content Creators guide to financial security for tips and strategies to create lasting wealth.

Sometimes the right tax advice isn't always the "Best" advice. The right advice depends on the clients individual needs, our job is to fully support our clients goals and ensure they can make informed decisions.

Electric vehicles are often discussed in terms of sustainability and lower running costs but for many business owners and directors, the real advantage is financial. We explore the efficiencies.

Property companies don't always turn a profit. We explore what you can and can't do when it comes to using losses to reduce your tax bill and the intricate rules around this.

Incorporation relief is changing from 6th April 2026, in our latest blog we explore what the changes mean and what you need to be aware of.

In our March 2026 update we look at the Spring forecast, the changes applicable from April for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, Overpayment Relief from HMRC , Advisory Fuel Rates for Company Cars, Employer Provided Vehicles and Taxable Benefits in Kind and caution around third party labour.

We explore the impact of the changes to the National Minimum Wage from April 2026 and the impact on young people and employers.

Are you ready to take the step from solopreneur to entrepreneur? We look at the signs you are ready for the shift and the key steps to consider.

For directors planning ahead in 2026 we take a look at how you can protect your income, safeguard your business, and plan effectively.

A new year brings change and fresh perspective. We take a look at the year ahead and how you can plan, protect and grow your business in 2026 and achieve your goals.

Running a business can be rewarding, but it’s not without stress. This Stress Awareness Week, we’re highlighting how financial pressures affect business owners and how to take control of the numbers. Before they take control of you.

We take a look at how a group structure can benefit SME businesses. Whilst commonly used for tax planning purposes there are also a number of other benefits which can be highly valuable to business owners.

Simplify and automate your business processes to free up time, improve cash flow, and boost your business value for a smooth exit strategy.

Discover 10 proven business growth strategies to increase profitability, strengthen your operations, and build a saleable business.

Revenue recognition isn't just bookkeeping it's the key to scaling, impressing investors, and staying on the right side of compliance. With deferred income, multi-year contracts, and recurring revenue, SaaS accounting plays by different rules. Are you getting it right?

A practical guide to maximising innovation-based tax savings and claiming R&D tax relief in your manufacturing business.

Following on from our blog "Why Buying an Existing Business Is the New Entrepreneurial Power Move" we take a look at the Top 5 places you can find businesses for sale.

Thousands of UK businesses will soon change hands as owners retire creating big opportunities for young entrepreneurs. Buying an existing business means instant cash flow, loyal customers, and room to grow. We take a look at why buying a business offers advantages to starting from scratch — and how we can support you in taking the leap.

Fine wine can be a smart alternative investment, but the tax rules aren’t always straightforward. From VAT and customs duties to CGT exemptions for wasting assets and chattels, understanding your position is key. We explore how to invest in wine tax-efficiently, whether personally or through a limited company.

Understanding the revenue in your Saas Business is key to growth. A waterfall chart helps break down your ARR, revealing trends in customer retention, churn, and expansion. In this blog we explores how to create and analyse waterfall charts, providing insights that drive strategic decisions.

Gamers, content creators, and social media influencers are no strangers to strategy when it comes to their online platforms. But what about the bigger picture? What are your long-term goals, and how can you start securing them now? We explore the top 5 ways your accountant can help you build and execute your long-term strategy.

In the SaaS industry, metrics like ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) and MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) are vital for tracking growth, securing investment, and planning for the future. Unlike turnover, ARR and MRR focus on predictable, recurring revenue streams, making them indispensable for scaling and valuation. Learn more in our blog!

The arrival of 2025 is the perfect opportunity to start thinking about the future of your business. What new year goals are you setting? And what actions will you be taking to achieve them? We take a look at the top 3 resolution topics.

Business growth isn’t just about boosting sales. While increasing turnover seems promising, true, sustainable growth depends on financial insight. By understanding costs, cashflow, and efficiency, you can avoid common pitfalls and create a growth strategy that supports profitability. Discover how financial insight can transform your approach to business expansion.

As a business owner, the temptation to focus solely on short-term income is strong. But real financial success often comes from building a business with long-term value. By focusing on growth, creating a strong brand, maintaining clean financials, and building a self-sustaining team, you transform your business into a valuable asset. The reward? Not just a steady income, but a substantial payout when it’s time to sell. Start building for the end game today.

Thinking about incorporating your business? We explore the advantages and disadvantages to consider when making this all important decision in your business journey.

Yesterday, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt presented his second Autumn Statement, but with a very different tone to the gloomy announcements made this time last year. The Chancellor announced initiatives with a massive focus on pushing growth in the economy. The main question you’ll all no doubt have is… “how does it affect me?”, let’s take a look…

With demand for rental property being at an all time high we explore considerations if you are thinking of getting into property investment and how to ensure you are compliant from the offset of your journey as a property investor.

Updates for October 2023 including: The importance of accurate forecasting and utilising cloud accounting software. Associated companies and quarterly corporation tax payments. The upcoming budget report and rumours surrounding IHT.

With constant scaremongering in the mainstream media about a recession coming we have been talking to our clients and assessing the market so we can be prepared to help our clients however hard times get. In this blog Andrew Grant gives his views and shares his findings.

Updates for September 2023 including: Tax Free childcare, the effect of high earnings on child benefit entitlement, Merger of R&D Tax schemes, Income tax on Inherited Pension Funds, HMRC requiring more information from tax payers and advisory fuel rates for company cars from 1st September 2023.

Supporting National Payroll Week 2023: Keeping the UK Paid. We look at the importance of strong payroll function and what this does for your business.

VAT can often be a pitfall for start ups or small businesses. We identify the top 5 most common mistakes when it comes to VAT and what you can to do avoid them.

What's the difference between a hybrid car and a tax efficient hybrid car? Turns out much more than you think! We explore identifying the most tax efficient hybrid cars for your next company car.

How late is too late when it comes to starting a business? Many people believe age is a limiting factor when it comes to entrepreneurship, we examine how it can be used as an asset and identify some real life success stories.

Protection insurance is key to protecting your future. Are you aware of the options available to you and are you certain there are no loopholes of gaps in your cover? We explore the differences between Life Cover, Critical illness cover and income protection and the benefits of seeking guidance from an independent financial advisor can help you to ensure you have sufficient cover.

As a property investor, ensuring you have your property tax affairs structured in the most tax efficient way is vital. Ill-thought-out structuring and negligent planning can be very costly down the line. We recognise that everyone has unique situations and goals when it comes to their property affairs, so we’ve decided to take a 360 all-inclusive approach to tax planning to help you realise your goals.

Many businesses are keen to find efficiencies, streamline processes and drive profit and productivity, is the answer in your accounting software?

Registering for VAT isn’t always a black & white option, here we go through scenarios where VAT registration may or may not be beneficial to your business.

Sometimes the rules regarding VAT are not quite what you expect! Here we go into detail on 5 VAT rules that you may not have known existed.

With a range of changes in the world of tax coming into effect from April 2023, discover two simple ways to reduce your corporation tax burden and save your company money!

Frustrated with your business growth? Knowing what needs to be done and getting it done are two very different things. If you are an ambitious business owner striving for success find out how we can help you to build your business.

What does it take to build a successful business? We look at one of the most fundamental requirements- the right mindset.

There are many challenges to running your own business. Find out which ones we’ve come across and how we’ve overcome them.

We look at how effective invoicing and how automated systems can help you to get paid faster by your customers.

Business inspiration can come from many sources. Books are an obvious source but how about a champagne tasting trip in France!

During our more than 30 years trading as Chartered Accountants and Business and Tax advisers we have frequently been asked whether we could provide financial advice of one sort or another. Previously the response has been no, but we built up a strong network of third-party financial advisors who have helped our clients with all kinds of financial advice such as investments, pensions, protection and mortgages. In recent times, however, we have seen the number of independent financial advisors (financial advisors who go to the whole market rather than a few selected providers) decline and we now find that most financial advisors are tied.

Are you planning on, or in the process of, developing a video game? Have you considered one of HMRC’s creative industry tax reliefs, Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR) – you could be missing out on additional tax relief of up to 20% of qualifying development costs!

Free money!! Every company director loves a tax rebate, particularly when you have incurred expenditure on a project and someone tells you that not only is this expenditure tax deductible but for the same money spent you can get additional tax relief of 130% on the expenditure and either get a lovely big tax rebate by trading in losses at 14.5% or reduce your tax liabilities down significantly.

Having run an accountancy practice for almost 30 years I have had the good fortune to meet literally thousands of business owners. Many have created great companies but many others have unfortunately failed. Reasons given for failure are numerous. Many are genuine such as Covid or an unforeseen bad debt resulting in severe cashflow problems. Most however are due to a basic misunderstanding of what is required to create a successful business.

The pandemic has had a dramatic effect on all our lives over the last two years. Businesses have had to adapt quickly to a changing environment. One area that may have been overlooked is the need to review your health and safety compliance.

In today’s fast pace business world the need for growth is essential. However doing it on your own is incredibly difficult. Having a strong team around you is key but this can only be created and sustained through strong leadership.

Good leadership principles are there for everyone to take and have been for a long time but even so few leaders fail to implement them. We examine what common errors business owners make and how they can improve their leadership techniques.

If building a business was so simple then why do almost half of businesses which set up fail within the first 5 years? Construction is even worse with 2 out of every 3 startups failing in the first 5 years! It isn’t the lack of cash but this is often the nail in the coffin. It all started on day 1 with the failure of the business owner to understand what is really involved in becoming a successful business owner.

There are many ways to grow your business. Moments of truth is a simple strategy which when adopted can transform any business. It involves breaking down processes into bite size bits or interactions and ensuring that each interaction becomes a positive experience.

Business startups and small businesses often do not need to register for VAT. However by registering for VAT the VAT incurred on expenditure can be recovered potentially increasing profitability. The article explores the circumstances when voluntary registration makes sense and when it doesn’t.

The Friend & Grant Top Ten Best Business Books for 2019. Whether you read, listen or watch we have some super suggestions for you….

There’s never enough time to do anything! Here are my top ten tips for saving time and getting things done.

You know you should delegate but you don’t. Here are 3 ways to overcome the excuses as to why you don’t delegate.

We believe these are the seven ways to build a business. But thinking big, offering excellent customer experience and building real value in the business will help grow a small business into a great business.

This is our special budget report following the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget announcements. As previously announced, these were the main themes of the Chancellor Phillip Hammond’s third budget but what we were waiting to hear was where the extra money was going to come from? Had he found a “Magic Money Tree”, or would tax and...

Building a Business without cash means developing creative ways to promote a business. A lack of cash resulted in lots of creative way to build the businesses. From startups, through growing businesses to established businesses, there's example after example.

Entertaining clients is a legitimate business expense and can be paid out of the business account. But, you will not be able to claim tax relief for the amounts spent nor can you claim back any VAT paid. But, if there is a sponsorship element to the expenditure then the position may be more favourable.

This question is asked a lot and it is usually along the lines of…. “I would like to learn about X and there is a great course. Could I put it through my business?” Most business owners think that training costs aimed at improving skills or business profits automatically qualify for tax relief, but that’s not...

Tax Free Trivial Benefits – Make Sure You Make the Most of This Opportunity First announced in the spring 2015 budget, new legislation clarifying the tax treatment of trivial benefits came into force from 6th April 2016. But is this an easy opportunity to extract benefits tax free from your company? The simple answer is yes!...

Do you think that all 100% tax relief cars are electrics with the performance of an old fashioned milk float? Think again. This one does 0 to 62MPH in 2.9 seconds! There’s over 130 makes and models of cars which qualify for 100% tax relief; some amazing vehicles are included on the list: BMW I8,...

Despite there being no public news announcements from HMRC, like the TV advert about Auto-Enrolment with the 10ft furry monster, Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT is still going ahead from 1 April 2019. MTD for VAT will affect almost all VAT registered businesses in some way, meaning there could be more work to do...