21st June 2019

We are celebrating 10 years in business – Nickie looks back over the past decade…

In many ways it seems only 5 minutes ago since I decided to venture out of my position in an accountancy practice and set up in business on my own. In the 10 years I have had many great experiences, new challenges and sometimes difficult moments along the way, and I have learnt so much while taking the business from a small start up to an established practice with a team of employees by my side.

My career began 23 years ago as a trainee working in Kings Lynn where I studied and sat my Chartered Certified Accountancy exams and completed the training required to become qualified and then to gain my practicing certificate. After 13 years of working in King’s Lynn I decided to take the step and set up my own business.

I started with a small handful of clients who have been with me since the business began and I would like to thank them for their continued support and business. The client base has grown over the years covering a wide variety of business sizes and industries. This mixture of clients is always a great challenge.

I have many memorable moments over the 10 years. I clearly remember the first six months on my own and enjoyed the initial steps in working for myself, taking on new clients and learning to be in business for myself after years of working in practice and advising businesses every day. I feel that the experience I have had in setting up my own business is invaluable, and I pass on and share my experiences with all clients I have now going through similar steps.

Some of my highlights

Employing my first team member……. to my 6^th

Very soon after starting up I soon realised I had to employ someone to help me support our clients. Such a daunting step and one not taken lightly. I was now going to be responsible for someone else’s earnings. Having said that from the first to our most recent appointment I have always embraced the steady growth.

Moving into a bigger office, and again, and again

Similarly, as the team grows the space required grows. Another challenge in the moving and the extra running costs. We have moved four times over the 10 years, always within the same building but into bigger offices or bringing two offices together to create the large open plan space we now use. The Boathouse has worked well for us and our clients.

Taking part and winning local business awards

Two years after starting I was approached to enter the Fenland Business Awards and I was surprised but very pleased to win Small Business of the year 2011 and Woman in Business the following year. Sometimes when you are the boss there isn’t anyone to tell you well done so this is a good feeling that you are doing something right.

Barwell Babies

Over the 10 years we have welcomed several babies in the team. Some more eventful than others with team members going into labour in the office….

Staff meals and days out

We always try to get out for a lunch a couple of times a year and have had day trips to London as well. This is always a favourite for us and a good way to spend time as a team without it being all work related.

Cakes

Many people know I have a hobby outside work of baking, frequently trying to pull of whatever has appeared on this weeks’ Bake Off and sharing cake in the office is always on the agenda. Who doesn’t like tea and cake!!

Meeting with customers

Every day I get the most out of meeting or talking with current and new customers, its why I wanted to do this, I wanted to have that relationship with my customers and really feel part of their businesses and work with them to support their current needs. I am passionate about building good relationships with them to ensure I can provide the best service possible.

None of this would have been possible without the support of my family and team of staff. I am truly grateful for everyone’s input in this journey and look forward to sharing the next 10 years with you all.

The team and I would like to thank all our customers past and present and look forward to the next 10 years.

6th June 2019

How many of you have Topshop or Miss Selfridge gift cards or vouchers?  Read on as we explore what is the future for High Street gift cards…

The Arcadia Group, which includes Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Burtons, and Dorothy Perkins amongst other well know High Street brands, is in crisis talks about its future.  It’s just the latest retail group to run into trouble, and many are predicting it will collapse into administration.

Gift cards and vouchers are still popular, especially for presents with a gift card being an easy option for the elderly relative, particularly around Christmas and birthdays.  Last year, sales of gift cards and vouchers amounted to more than £6billion in the UK.

A large proportion of that is effectively lost though, as cards get lost, they expire, or a balance is left on them that can’t be spent. 

What is most worrying, though, is when the business goes into administration.  In recent years, other high street retail failures have included HMV, House of Fraser, Maplin, Toys R Us and Evans Cycles, all of which were popular with the gift card market. 

When a business does go into administration, these gift cards become effectively worthless, as the business can legally stop accepting gift cards.  So the message is clear – use your Topshop or other Arcadia group gift card now, or risk losing its value completely. 

If you have bought something already but want to exchange it or ask for a refund, it’s the same message – act quickly.  It would be sensible to not accept a credit note but ask for a replacement item instead.

So whilst gift cards have never represented that good value for money, with the High Street in crisis, it makes sense to cash them in quickly rather than run the risk of losing them completely. The future for High Street gift cards looks bleak…