Latest News & Updates
Saving Tax with Company Benefits: Pay Yourself and Your Team Tax-Efficiently
Saving tax with company benefits is a legitimate planning route that many company directors and business owners underuse. Salary and dividends are the usual ways to pay yourself, but benefits can also form part of a tax-efficient reward strategy. When handled...
Managing cashflow during lockdown
We've had new lockdown and tier restrictions, which means managing your cashflow during lockdown is blooming important. The financial support measures, such as the new Job Support Scheme, Job retention bonus, all needs to be factored in. If you don’t manage your cash...
Job Support Scheme and planning
If your business employs staff then COVID-19 has added more pressure, the Job Support Scheme and Planning is vital. You want to look after your employees and their welfare, but also the payment of those employees and the cash flow situation, that that creates when...
Objectives & goals for business
Your business plan is nothing without your objectives and goals for your business. Firstly, as a general rule, it’s good to have objectives and goals in your life. Secondly, it’s crucial to have them for your business. They will help it run smoothly and ensure a focus...
Why your business needs a plan
Welcome to episode 33 of 'I hate numbers'. Today's episode is "Why you need your business plan". In fact, every business needs a business plan. In this episode, I'm going to talk about why your business needs a plan and what should actually go into your business plan....
Why planning is good for business
Planning is good for business, remember if you want your business to be successful get to grips with it. Don't think "Oh no!" and glaze your eyes over. You really do need to plan,so read on It's good for business We all know how 2020 has been overall a crap year....
Your attitude in your business
Your attitude in your business, your attitude to your business is everything. Attitude is the theme of this week's I Hate Numbers podcast. In this week's podcast I look at what attitude is, and why it's such a big deal in your business. Business or hobby Firstly,...
The new Job Support Scheme
The new Job Support Scheme (JSS), Furlough mark 2, was updated on 22 Oct 2020. It was met with pretty much universal delight and applause. For many, the updated Job Support Scheme is a good replacement of the current Furlough scheme. The Furlough scheme, modified...
How to take your business seriously
How to take your business seriously Most importantly there is no magic bullet to make your business successful. Don't treat your business as a hobby, it's more than that. Run it, deal with it and approach it as a business. Business or hobby? Firstly, what’s a...
Getting Paid on Time: Practical Steps to Protect Your Cash Flow
Getting paid on time is vital for business survival. Your customers are the main source of business cash, and without that cash, paying suppliers, staff, lenders and yourself becomes much harder. In this episode, we explain why late payments put pressure on your...
Get paid on time
Getting paid on time and getting it right - easier said than done… Firstly the vast majority of self employed individuals and businesses often face a delay in getting paid. From a financial perspective cash is king in the short, medium and long term. Therefore weak...
Why Cash Flow Matters in Business: No Cash, No Business
Why cash flow matters comes down to something very simple. Your business has bills to pay. Staff need their wages. Suppliers need paying. Loans need servicing. Overheads keep arriving. And somewhere in all of that, you need to pay yourself too. Those commitments are...
Cash flow or fail!
Cash flow or fail! Because money talks. And it is especially talkative when you don’t have any, nagging money worries keep people up all night and worried all day. Most of us have been broke at some point in our lives. Most people will have had to adopt certain...
Social Enterprises Are Businesses: Purpose, Profit and Legal Structure
Social enterprises are businesses with a clear social, environmental or community purpose. They trade, generate income, make surpluses and reinvest those surpluses to support their mission. If you are starting or running a social enterprise, you still need business...
Social Enterprises
How to kick start your Social Enterprise. What you need to know. What is a Social Enterprise? There are over 100,000 social enterprises throughout the country. Contributing £60 billion to the economy and employ two million people. Firstly, Social Enterprise, Charity,...
Choosing your accountant
Choosing your accountant is not an easy thing to do. It’s a really important decision, once you've made that commitment and decision, it's going to have a massive impact. How to choose your accountant is this week’s episode of I Hate Numbers. Not all accountants are...
Choosing an accountant
How to choose your accountant is really important and something that ideally you need to take time looking into. Accountants don’t just punch numbers into a calculator there’s so much more to it than that. It may seem a bit daunting choosing your accountant, but in...
What do accountants do ?
In this weeks episode of “I hate numbers” my topic is ‘What do accountants do’? Five headline things that accountants do, spoiler alert, money features amongst that. Making money Making money is a big business goal, if you want to move from hobby business to something...
What does your accountant do?
Most importantly, Tuesday 25 th August is the first LoveMyAccountantDay – and we’re excited to celebrate everything that accountants do. Many people find that they get overwhelmed with numbers. Likewise, businesses can struggle to get their head around them. That’s...
Dividends Explained: What They Are, Why They Matter and How to Pay Them
Dividends explained properly can help company directors understand how to pay themselves from company profits without creating unnecessary tax or paperwork problems. If you run a limited company, dividends can be part of how you reward yourself, but they only apply in...
Accounting & the arts
Most people think that there’s not a lot in common between accounting and the arts. But the two do have something in common – money. Even artists have to eat, and to make a living as an artist, you have to make money. It’s not about winning million pound commissions...
Personal Tax Return Explained: Who Needs One, What to Include and Key Dates
A personal tax return is how you tell HMRC about income, gains and tax that may not already have been dealt with through PAYE or other deductions. If you are self-employed, receive rental income, take dividends, sell assets or have more complex tax affairs, you may...
Developing fundraising ideas
Developing fundraising ideas in the arts world. Ideas and SWOT analysis Gather together ideas from all of your stakeholders. Include colleagues, volunteers, donors, partners, users, competitors and beneficiaries. For example brain storming (or if you prefer, thought...
Artists and businesses working together
There is a lot to be said for Artists and Businesses working together Today's topic is about artists and businesses working together. Let me share three tips about how to get the best out of that working relationship Artists working with business doesn't seem like a...
Artists working with businesses
Firstly, on the face of it you might not think that artists working with businesses is a good match, but they have a lot in common. And you might doubt whether they can work together effectively. But to dismiss artist and business partnerships would be to miss out on...
Planning Arts Events
What has Planning your Arts Event got to do with business? Well, arts and businesses share a lot in common. There are differences, but also common ground between artists and private businesses. nevertheless. Artists are full of creativity and energy, delivering...
Arts and business – plan!
Arts and business – plan! Moreover, arts organisations are full of creative and energised people, who want to deliver inspiring work for their audiences. That is to say, they want to put on amazing events that will have people inspired. But that doesn’t mean they...
Working with others on your business
Working together with others on your business is good for your well-being, growth and bottom line. Don't forget that making money separates a hobby from a business. In this week’s episode of ‘l Hate Numbers’ I share four reasons why you should work with others. This...
Working together in business
Firstly, being part of a team matters – even for those of us used to flying solo. Secondly, when you are part of community and build connections you can facilitate business growth and success. Working together is beneficial for you and your business. So why is that?...
Do KPIs matter?
You may be thinking, Do KPIs mater? Absolutely, they are a big deal. If you are in business, you need to understand what is going on. This week's episode is about measuring your performance, making judgements, and getting opinions. From the cradle to the grave we...