I scaled and sold a 7-figure accounting firm in 5 years. Now, through my Future Firm newsletter, I'm giving 9,500+ firm owners the tactics, templates, and frameworks I used to do it.

Ryan Lazanis

A year ago, I launched my AI coaching clone, RyanBot, as an experiment.

I trained it on everything I know so users can chat with it and get "my" help.

It launched at $19/month on a standalone basis (free for Future Firm Accelerate members).

In 12 months, it's answered 10,371 messages (which is kinda crazy!)

On the flip side:

I also launched a $20,000 group coaching program that gave more direct access to me...

... and 18 firm owners snapped it up within a week (the max I was willing to accommodate).

Why would someone drop 20k when they could get the exact same knowledge for a tiny fraction of the price?

The answer:

The time that they get with me (a human).

Here's the interesting thing, though.

I've spent my whole professional life arguing against the billable hour.

And while the billable hour is certainly cold as ice right now in our industry:

All trends work in a circular fashion.

I'm not advocating for a return to the billable hour.

But I can envision a time in the not-too-distant future where the billable hour makes a comeback in a heavily AI-saturated world.

Because rather than speaking to a bot.

Your clients will place a premium on the time and access they get to a human they trust, just like you.

Something to ponder...

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Giving systems to firm owners to unlock freedom and growth

Who here is frustrated with their professional accounting body?

Mine is literally through the roof and when I submitted my annual declaration, there was a section for feedback.

Usually, I don't, but this time, I left this.

Valid?

"Very frustrated.

I understand the mandate is the protection of the public, but we are also paying members (ie. customers).

And as paying customers, we should be more supported.

The world is changing extremely fast and I can tell you that CPAs in this province (and country) are not even close to ready.

It's your job to get them ready, because if not, the profession becomes irrelevant.

As someone who engages with multiple accounting bodies around the world, I can tell you that we are very far behind. CA ANZ in Australia is a fantastic organization.

They support innovation, change and more than anything, they SUPPORT and HELP their paying members implement innovation and change. They have an open mind and they get stuff done.

Every time I have engaged with your organization, it's with a closed mind.

I have a large audience of CPAs in my network (literally thousands), and I can tell you that your members are VERY frustrated, and if the current attitude continues as is, membership numbers will continue to decline. Members don't want to just pay for the CPA title (which has less relevance now than ever, unfortunately), they want to pay for support."

Money means nothing if you don't have your health.

I learned that the hard way in 2025. 

So... I had a super rough concussion last April, and it lasted a good 7 months.

I canceled more things than I could count.

From a business standpoint, things were great.

From a personal standpoint, this was probably the hardest year of my life.

At some points, I was unable to walk.

Unable to work for a good chunk of time.

Couldn't train for my Triathlon races (which all had to be canceled).

It was an extremely frustrating time in my life.

But I learned critical skills to manage this frustration that will carry forward for the rest of my life.

• To sit with frustration instead of outrunning it 
• Let other people make calls 
• Watch some things move forward without my constant input 
• And to accept that sometimes, my job wasn’t to grow anything at all

And if your business can’t carry on without you... that’s worth thinking about.

AI hype is everywhere.

But when we actually surveyed 150 firm owners, something stood out pretty quickly.

Only a small group is using AI in ways that truly create leverage inside their firm.

The results of this survey reveal that these firms have moved past the obvious stuff.

They’re not just asking AI to write emails or summarize articles anymore.

Here are a couple of interesting examples:

• “We use AI to turn messy bookkeeping exports into a clean first-pass financial writeup before a human reviews it.”

• “We feed raw tax memos into AI and have it produce a client-friendly version that explains the issue clearly and simply.”

Rather than writing a simple 500-word newsletter summarizing the results...

I created an entire 16-page report, which you can get for free. 🙂

Inside the report you’ll see:

✅ How 150 modern firms are using AI, backed by real data
✅ The top AI tools accounting firms rely on
✅ The 30+ advanced niche tools and how firms are using them
✅ 10 practical AI workflows pulled directly from real firms
✅ Plus... a few more high-leverage AI workflows that aren’t widespread yet 😉

Whether you're sitting on the fence wondering where to start...

Or if you're an AI pro wanting some insights into what others are doing...

There's at least one valuable nugget (probably many more) that you can take away from this report to level up your AI usage in your firm.

If you want the report:

✅ Comment the word “NUGGET” below, and I’ll DM you the link. 🙂

Ryan Lazanis, CPA

graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message

If I were running a firm today...

My #1 goal this year wouldn’t be growth.

It would be this ⤵️

Focus. 

I’d ask myself:

What do I want my life to look like?

1) How much money do I need to be happy?
2) How many hours do I want to work?
3) Where do I want to be spending my time?
4) How much time off do I want to be taking?
5) What are some personal goals I’d like to achieve in 2026?
 
There’s always a trade-off.

You just want to make sure you’re choosing it intentionally.

In short, I’d start with the end in mind. Then build the firm to support that. 🙂

Jack of all trades.

Chief Everything Officer.

CEO... COO... IT support… and occasionally a therapist. 

If there’s one small shift I’d nudge you toward:

Delegate just ONE thing.

Not the scariest thing.

Not the most important thing.

Just one thing you’re holding onto out of habit.

Your simple guide to collecting client documents quickly / easily this tax season.

👇

Tax season would be a breeze if only clients gave you what you needed on time 🙂

The problem is that clients:

1) Ignore your requests
2) Submit incomplete information
3) Submit their info late

It means that you need to constantly follow up to get the docs you need to complete your work.

It’s frustrating.

Plus a huge waste of time.

And while you may be quick to blame your clients.

Are you doing everything you can to improve the situation?

My guess is...

No.

I look at this like a numbers game.

If 30% of your clients are submitting their info on time without any prompting...

How can we get this to 60%? 70%? Or even 90%?

Well, you can greatly improve your on-time client submission rates by following these 2 steps:

1️⃣ STEP 1: Improve Your Email Communications

When sending out your tax organizers, your goal is to send an email that gets:

- Opened
- Read
- Acted upon

✅ Improve your subject lines

A large % of your clients will simply not open your document request emails.

To get more clients opening them up, you’ll want to include a subject line that generates curiosity.

Instead of:

“2026 Tax Organizer”

Use something like:

“Need some info from you”

A very busy client won’t want to open the former because they know it involves work.

But they’ll be curious to know the contents of the latter 😉

✅ Cut down on word count

DO NOT write massive emails when asking clients to submit documents.

I’ve seen emails with crazy long instructions.

The longer your email is, the fewer conversions you'll get.

Instead, just a few short lines about what you need completed and a link to the tax questionnaire.

Keep it under 150 words!

2️⃣ STEP 2: Make Document Submission Easy

Do not, I repeat, do not, send clients a Word / PDF checklist of all the docs and info you need.

It’s too much friction for your client to submit everything neatly in the doc or by email.

Which means, they won’t get around to doing it.

Instead, use software like Smart Intake in Canopy (#sponsor) to help in a few areas.

✅ Auto-reminding clients to complete the questionnaire, eliminating manual follow-ups.

✅ An intuitive, no login experience to move through your requests and to submit information. This alone will improve submission/completion rates.

✅ Have AI auto-complete some of the questionnaire for your clients based on info you already have, reducing the time it takes your client to complete.

At the end of the day:

You not only want software that makes YOUR life easier, but you also want software that makes THEIR life easier.

The easier you make things for your busy clients, the more on-time submissions you’ll receive.

Solving this problem is just a numbers game.

Improving your email communication strategy and making document submission easy will stack the odds in your favor 🙂


What’s worked for you when it comes to getting clients to submit info on time?

Canopy

Here’s the easiest formula for pricing your accounting services:

1) Estimate your time
2) Apply the cost (not rate) for that time 
3) Add all costs of your services up 
4) Apply desired margin

Notice how I say this is the EASIEST formula to come up with a price? 

But... 

It is not the BEST formula... 

Because contrary to popular belief... pricing isn’t always math.

It’s human behavior. 

Sometimes, when you’re in front of a prospect, you’re not pricing a tax return. 

You’re pricing:

- Their urgency
- Their goals
- Their appetite for risk
- Their fear of making a mistake
- Their desire for peace of mind
- Their frustration with their current accountant

None of that fits neatly into a spreadsheet.

And this still applies even with 3-tiered pricing. 

Tiers give you structure. But understanding the human tells you:

• which tier to lead with
• what to emphasize in the conversation
• what outcome they actually care about
• which tier they’ll naturally choose

Two prospects can look at the same three tiers and pick completely different options.

A formula can get you a price.

But it can’t get you the optimal price.

Only by understanding humans can we do that.

So the next time you’re in a sales call, don’t obsess over the model.

Obsess over the person (a little).

✅ Ask better questions.
✅ Listen for the emotions behind the words.
✅ Understand what a “win” looks like for them.

Once you understand the human...

The “right” price becomes a whole lot clearer.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign, this might be it. 😉

That's bold Obed Maurice! Nice one.

CPA, CA, CFP® - Advisory NOT accounting

Not a sponsored post, but just want to give a shout out to Guy Vadish and the Artiffex Inc. team. They've personally handled my investment write-ups for the past 2 years. It's a seamless service with very fast turnaround times.

Back in September 2020, I was in my small home office in Montreal.

My newborn was in the next room.

The world was in lockdown. 

No one was leaving their homes.

(Heck, we even had curfews!)

And there I was... wondering if it made any sense to launch a membership program for firm owners.

My plan was simple to start: 20 private coaching clients at $595/month.

That was it.

But then 200+ people joined the waiting list.

I was shocked and terrified. 

(Not the reaction you’d expect, I know lol)

The reason was because I was unsure and had no clue if this would actually work.

The program didn’t even exist yet. 

All I had was my experience building and selling my firm... and a mission:

To help accounting firm owners unlock freedom and growth in their business.

So I started anyway.

Fast forward to today, and there are 700+ firm owners inside the program.

Looking back, the lesson was pretty simple:

You don’t need the full solution and full setup to get started.

You just need enough clarity to take the next step.

Having the right coach helped too, a lot. (Not optional in hindsight.)

Most of the rest figured itself out along the way. 

—

Who supported you when you were just getting started? 🙂

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Peace at 9am on a Tuesday.

In a warm country.

(My wife and I escaped Montreal winter for 2 weeks over the holidays... zero regrets)

That didn’t happen because I stacked my business with tools to “automate everything.”

Don’t get me wrong, I use them.

They help.

But this trip didn’t work because of a handful of tools that promise to run your business while you’re on vacation.

It worked because I’d already done the unsexy stuff before I left:

I offloaded content ahead of time.

I was clear on what to delegate (and to who).

I let go of control instead of hovering.

And I trusted a team I didn’t need to babysit.

The bottomline is this:

AI tools are helpful.

But they don’t replace judgment.

They don’t decide what needs to be done before you step away, or what needs to be locked down so nothing spills over.

That part still takes intention.

And because I did that work (with help from my amazing team) before leaving...

I was able to actually unplug… enjoy the warm weather, and read my book in peace from a hammock. 🙂

Below is a photo from outside my bungalow (it was a busy day that day, since 1 boat passed by, lol)

–

Did you get a chance to unplug or travel anywhere over the holidays?

Jason Staats, CPA and I were running a Q&A with his audience off the back of several events he invited me to be a guest at in late 2025.

Questions generally centered around improving pricing and packaging, marketing, and client acquisition.

One question came up from a busy firm owner:

“I want to grow by offering startups a discounted service offer so that I can increase my prices as they grow.”

I’ve heard this before.

My response is always the same:

Don’t do it.

In fact, never (with 2 exceptions) discount your services to bring a client on.

For 2 big reasons:

Reason 1:

The client will always remember that you discount. And they’ll always haggle with you on everything else you do.

Reason 2:

You have a finite amount of capacity.

Discounting not only directly bites into your margin, but your capacity as well.

If you are already busy, you are literally shooting yourself in the foot.

For me, the ideal is to have 10% excess capacity in your firm so that you can make room for some new (properly margined clients).

And by proper margin, I mean no less than 50% gross margin (at all times).
...

”But Ryan, I see other companies out there discounting services or products all the time, why can’t I?”

...
I’ll make 2 exceptions for when you can discount.

→ Exception 1: You Are Just Starting Out

If you have a ton of excess capacity because you’re just starting out and want to get the ball rolling, honestly, go wild.

Do what you need to do to get a few clients on board.

You have a lot of capacity and you can sacrifice a bit (not all!) of it to get some momentum.

But…

If you already have a bunch of clients and have limited capacity.

Like I said before when it comes to discounting your services:

Don’t do it.

→ Exception 2: You Provide Highly Leveraged Services

I think if you are a super modern firm offering online courses to its clients (ex: “how to do your own bookkeeping” course).

Or if you have any other kinds of services/products at your firm that have significant leverage…

Then you can offer discounts.

But if you don’t have that in your firm.

Once again, when it comes to discounting your services:

Don’t do it!

Hopefully that helps.

Ten years ago, posts like this didn’t exist.

If you were stuck, you didn’t ask questions (and had no reliable space to do so).

You just figured it out alone.

It was isolating... so seeing conversations like this in our Future Firm Accelerate community feels really good. 

Inside this community of 700+ firm owners, they are:

• Helping each other out
• Making intros
• Sharing what’s worked
• Jumping in if they see a chance to help

This is the part I wish had existed back then. 

I’m excited about what’s ahead for the community this year especially for the members already inside. 😉

—

Are you part of any accounting community like this right now? If so, which one?

Future Firm Accelerate Referrals Section

Mid-6 figures is one of the most dangerous stages of a firm.

I’ve seen a lot of firms stall right here.

You’re a 6-figure firm. 

5 people on the team. 

But you’re working a lot of hours, and you’re the bottleneck.

The reason?

You only have junior or mid-level team members.

Which meant you always ended up dealing with all the clients in more complex situations.

This doesn't scale.

Hiring a senior resource to alleviate the bottleneck situation, but that could make you a bit nervous. 

And now you have reached a major fork in the road.

🟢 Path A: Hire a Senior Resource Now

A senior resource should be able to handle A-Z with the client.

The problem at the mid-6-figure range is the following though:

It's hard to find this person

They're expensive, which can wipe out a big chunk of your profits

If this person leaves, you're back to square one (larger firms can shift the workload to another senior temporarily)

🟢 Path B: Wait Until The Firm Grows To Hire a Senior

You can acquire more clients, build more profits and then make the hire.

But:

It's still going to be hard to find this person, it will still cost $$$ to bring them on, plus you'll be working more hours until they come on board.

At each stage of business, there's a risk you need to take to get to the next step.

Plus, keep in mind there's ways to negate the risk:

Hire for attitude, not just skill (to ensure you're bringing the right person on board).

Make sure your cash flow can handle it.

Where possible, cross-train others on the team as you bring the new hire on board. If they leave, then at least the hole is not as large.

---

So... Path A or Path B? Which path would you take? 🤔

Most firm owners self-diagnose INCORRECTLY. 

When you say:

“I need better processes.”

Take a pause and see if what you really mean is:

“I’m trying to serve too many people in too many ways.”

No amount of tech fixes that.

Simplify what you offer first.

Then build systems around that.

And if you’ve been in those shoes before... congrats, you’re 100% normal, lol.

Quick gut check for firm owners at the start of 2026:

Which of these do you want more of ⬇️
 
1️⃣ Time
2️⃣ Profits

Pick one only. Don’t overthink it. 😉

I rarely see firms stuck because of bad systems.

In most cases, they don’t have a process problem or a "not enough tools" problem.

They’re busy.

Doing good revenue.

Falling behind in their work.

So they assume better systems or more tech will fix it.

When I dig in, the picture usually looks something like this:

• No senior resource on the team with 700+ clients
• 40% net margin
• Working 50+ hours per week
• 20% of clients are C-level or worse

On the surface, the 40% net margin is very good.

But it's being masked by the firm owner shouldering all the load.

So if they actually had the right team in place, the net margin would be no higher than 25%, though likely less, indicating a potential underpricing problem.

But here's the big thing.

Most firm owners come in asking for help with the wrong thing.

They think they need better processes.

Or a new tool.

Or another system.

But fixing any one of these would move the needle way more:

✅ Get rid of (or solve) 20% of your crappy clients = instantly gain capacity and headspace

✅ Bump prices up across a portion of your clients = instant margin gains

✅ Hire a senior resource = ability to pull yourself out of the bottleneck position

Fixing any one of those 3 things would have a much larger impact compared to fixing your processes.

If you see yourself starting to gravitate toward fixing processes or implementing tech as the solution to your growth problems...

Pause.

Make sure you’re not skipping over the foundational stuff first. 🙂

If even one of these signs feels familiar...

That’s your cue to take a fresh look at your pricing. 🙂

Proactive chartered accountant helping businesses save taxes and multiply revenue through strategic financial planning | Auditor | Finance Director | Fractional CFO

Are you a business owner who handles all their business finances on his own?

Are you overwhelmed by the taxation rules and deadlines?

I can understand your pain.

Being a business owner can be challenging. 

You have 100s of tasks to do, from sales calls to managing your team.

But do you know you can hire a finance director without a full-time commitment?

Yeah, can you imagine to have an accountant:

- Who takes care of all the deadlines
- Save taxes and increase your business revenue
- Tell you where your business is going?
- Give you the advice to grow your business.

That imagination can be turned into reality because you have landed on the right profile.
Hi, I'm Ahmad, a Chartered Certified Accountant with over 15 years of experience. I am a registered auditor and licensed practicing holder with ACCA.

 I provide Virtual CFO services, along with traditional accounting and audit solutions, tailored to your needs.

I have worked for one of the largest accountancy practices, KPMG and Grant Thornton, providing audit and accounting services to a diverse client base. This helped them make important strategic decisions to increase their business revenue and expand.

Here is how I can help your business:


- Audit and Assurance
- Virtual Finance Office
- Fractional CFO
- Personal taxes
- Bookkeeping
- Payrolls
- VAT

I like to share positive stories and occasionally give accounting tips!

I am not like the old-fashioned accountants who contact you at the end of the year to discuss their accountancy jargon.

I am more than an accountant (I am your trusted partner who wants your business success more than you)

Ready to take control of your finances and focus on what matters most? Let's connect and discuss how I can support your business goals in the featured section.

Ahmed Tirmizey, FCCA

8 years of working in the UK.
2 of the biggest accounting firms on my CV:

→ KPMG UK
→ Grant Thornton UK

But 0 family support, 0 safety net, 0 guidance.

The constant challenges made it lonely and overwhelming.

So I did something different.

I started building my own business from scratch.

If you’re not seeing any luck either:

Stop waiting for help to appear.
Stop thinking success will come without effort.

Build resilience and take control of your journey.

8 years of persistence 
→ now I own Reflex Accounting, helping businesses:
→ Save taxes
→ Maximise profits
→ Make smart financial decisions
 → Scale to new heights

P.S. If you are struggling in life then you are on the right track.
Keep moving

I spent the last 15 years in the corporate world
But 1 realisation changed everything.

Here’s why I left the safe path and started my own firm in 2024 ⤵️

When I started my career in 2009, I had no intentions to start a firm:

- I was new in field.
- No roadmap
- No backup plan

Just a Rs 6,500 stipend and the hope that hard work would take me somewhere.

And in many ways it did.

15 years.
Multiple countries.
Well-paid roles.
Job security.

But as time passed 
Despite the stability, I felt stuck.

Like I was just ticking boxes, not building something meaningful.

That’s when the realisation hit me:
👉 If I don’t start now, I’ll still be working till my 60s and retire without any impact.

So in 2024, I stepped away from corporate life and launched Reflex Accounting.

No more:
- Climbing someone else’s ladder.
- Waiting for promotions.
- Trading time for a salary.

Today?

I live in the UK with my family.
I own a growing accountancy firm.
I work on my terms, with clients I love serving.

It wasn’t easy.
But it was necessary.

If you’ve ever felt that quiet voice telling you there’s more out there 
Listen to it.

You don’t need to have it all figured out.
You just need to be brave enough to begin.

Job stability or be your boss? What do you prefer?
Love to hear your opinions in the comments.

P.S. Follow Ahmed Tirmizey, FCCA, to learn how to manage your finances better.

He tried to save £50. It nearly cost him £5,000.

Got a call today. “Just a quick payroll question.”
It’s from a friend. Not a client.
Has his own accountant (apparently).

But still calls me every few months.
And this time… I almost lost it.

He’s been doing his payroll himself “to save money.”

Within minutes, I spotted two major errors:

He’d opted out of Employers’ NI by mistake
Missed out on Employment Allowance, worth up to £10,500

He sighed and said, “I’ll just pay it.”
I told him he didn’t have to.
But only because I knew how to fix it.

Here’s the irony:

He’s paying £200 a year for payroll software
He’s spending hours doing it himself
He’s still losing money to HMRC

That’s not saving. That's wasting.

- Time
- Energy
- Cash

All because he wanted to “cut costs.”
This is what happens when people DIY what they don’t understand.

You try to save pennies…
And end up burning thousands.

That’s not being smart.
That’s being short-sighted.

P.S. Are you saving money or losing it?

HMRC doesn’t need your permission to look at your bank account.
Most business owners don’t realise that.

Yes, really.

Thanks to something called a Financial Institution Notice (FIN), HMRC can go straight to your bank if they believe it’s reasonable for an investigation.

No warning. 
No approval from you first.

What HMRC can access:

- Bank statements
- Savings and investment accounts
- Loans and credit facilities
- Financial links you didn’t think were “business related”

It sounds scary but there are safeguards.
Still, it’s a serious wake-up call.

Why this matters (especially for sole traders):

- Personal and business money often gets mixed
- HMRC can question personal spending
- “It’s just my own account” doesn’t protect you
- Poor records make investigations longer and messier

The common mistakes that trigger problems:

- Using one bank account for everything
- No clear audit trail for income and expenses
- Guessing figures at year end
- Treating personal transfers as “not relevant”

The simple fix:

- Separate business and personal accounts
- Keep clean, consistent records
- Reconcile regularly, not once a year
- Get advice before HMRC asks questions

HMRC doesn’t need to catch you doing something wrong.
They just need a reason to look.

Clean records = peace of mind.

P.S. If you know a sole trader who still uses one bank account for everything, this might save them a lot of stress.

One of my clients was running profitable GP… yet every dividend was taxed at 33.75% unnecessarily.
That’s what this GP didn’t realise.

On paper, everything looked fine.
Profitable Limited Company.
Regular dividend withdrawals.

But every withdrawal meant more tax than necessary.
So we sat down and looked closer.

He was the only director and shareholder.
Every dividend was paid to him alone.

Which meant:
- His £12,570 personal allowance was already fully used.
- His £500 dividend allowance barely helped.
- Most dividends were taxed at 33.75%.
- Some pushed into 39.35%.

Nothing illegal.
Just inefficient.

No one had stepped back to ask:
“Why are all the dividends landing in one name?”

We made a simple, legal change.

Here’s what we did 👇
- Appointed his wife as a director.
- Issued shares to allow dividend splitting.
- Used her £12,570 personal allowance.
- Used her £500 dividend allowance.
- Kept dividends in lower tax bands.
- Reduced the overall tax bill.

Same GP.
Same company.
Less money handed to HMRC.

If your Ltd Company dividends are all paid to you and your tax rate keeps creeping up, this is worth reviewing.

P.S. The biggest tax savings usually come from structure,  not last-minute fixes.

Let me say something that might sound harsh:
A lot of people don’t actually want to be successful.

They talk about better jobs, starting a business, earning more, having freedom.
But very few take action.

Let’s be honest:

Who stays up late to learn new skills?
Who actually uses the free resources available?
Who studies money, tax, or how businesses really grow?

Most don’t.
Most just keep talking.
And I say this as someone who’s been there too.

As a business owner, this hits home. 
At Reflex Accounting, I want to help people build better, more profitable businesses. 

But I’ve realised something:

Not everyone wants help.
Some want comfort more than change.

Only a small group will:

- Face their numbers honestly
- Do the unglamorous work
- Choose discipline over convenience

There’s no happy ending here.

If you want things to change, you have to act.
If you don’t, everything stays the same.

Monthly vs Quarterly VAT Returns – Which One Is Right for You?

Most business owners don’t realise that the right VAT schedule can save or cost you cash.

Take Alex, for example. He runs a SAAS business most of the sales out of the UK and was on quarterly VAT returns. At first, it seemed fine: he saved VAT.

The problem? When a refund was delayed, his cash flow froze, leaving him scrambling for day-to-day expenses.

Here’s the simple comparison:

Quarterly VAT – Best if you’re paying HMRC

Keep the VAT in your account for 90 days → earn interest.
Fewer returns to file → less admin stress.
Discipline is key: save what you owe and pay on time.

Monthly VAT – Best if you get refunds

Smaller, faster refunds → smoother cash flow.
Refunds can cover your entire monthly profit → critical for tight-margin businesses.
Audit risk? Easier to manage one month of delay than three.

The Rule of Thumb:
Owing VAT? Quarterly.
Receiving VAT? Monthly.

Small timing changes like this can free up cash, protect your business, and make HMRC less of a headache.

P.S. If this helps, share it with a business owner who struggles with VAT timing.

Karl stared at the screen, rereading the email.
“This makes no sense… how can I be overdrawn when I didn’t borrow anything?”

This is a reality most company directors live in.

Karl thought he had profits
He deserves the money withdrawn from his bank account.

But he forgets one thing:

You have to pay corporation tax before you withdraw your profits.

Here is a simple example:
Profit: £150,000
Corporation tax (approx): £36,000
After-tax profit: £114,000
Director drawings: £140,000

➡️ Overdrawn DLA: £26,000
➡️ Section 455 tax @ 33.75%: £8,775

No loan. No mistake.

This is why overdrawn DLAs feel like they come out of nowhere.
And this is exactly why so many directors get hit with tax bills they never planned for.

I break down why this happens and how to stop it before it starts when I speak to clients.

If you’re running a limited company and paying yourself regularly…

P.S. DM me the word “DLA” and I’ll explain how to avoid this quietly, draining your profits.

A dental practice invested heavily last year.

New equipment.
Practice upgrades.

Yet their tax bill stayed high.
So they called me.

Here’s what we uncovered:

They had spent the money…
But weren’t claiming it correctly.

What was missed:

- Dental equipment not claimed under capital allowances.
- Furniture and fittings expensed incorrectly.
- Property improvement costs ignored for tax relief.
- No planning around Annual Investment Allowance (AIA).

Let’s look at the numbers 👇

Purchases made during the year:

- Dental machinery: £28,000
- Chairs & clinical equipment: £12,000
- Furniture: £6,000

Total investment: £46,000

What should have happened:

Capital Allowances Calculations:

• Equipment & machinery (£40,000)
→ Claimed under AIA
→ 100% deductible in year one

• Furniture (£6,000)
→ Qualifying assets
→ Included in AIA claim

Total capital allowances claimed in a year
 £46,000

Tax impact (Limited Company):
• Corporation Tax rate: 25%
 • Tax saved: £46,000 × 25% = £11,500

The result:
✔ £11,500 less tax paid
 ✔ Same revenue
 ✔ Same spending
 ✔ Fully compliant

The takeaway:
Buying assets doesn’t automatically reduce your tax.
Claiming them correctly does.

If you’ve invested in equipment and haven’t reviewed capital allowances,
There’s a strong chance you’re overpaying tax.

P.S. DM now so I can help you out.

When business owners tell me they’re managing finances themselves, I usually hear this:

“Everything’s fine.”

But is it?

A few months ago, a client named James (not his real name) said the same thing.

He’d been running his business solo for years.
Managing finances without any outside help.
He felt confident it was all under control.

I offered to review his accounts for free.
“Let’s just double-check,” I said.

When I shared what I found, he was shocked.
“I thought everything was fine!” he said.

Here’s what we found:

→ Unclaimed expenses worth over £5,000.
→ Inaccurate VAT filings risk penalties.
→ Missed tax reliefs costing thousands.
→ DIY bookkeeping is costing them business growth & money.
→ Confusing cash flow patterns hiding opportunities.

This isn’t unusual.
Most business owners aren’t accountants.
And when you’re too close, mistakes go unnoticed.

After working together:

→ His cash flow is stronger than ever.
→ He’s saved thousands in taxes.
→ His financial processes now run on autopilot.

James told me later, “I thought I was fine until I wasn’t.”

Here’s the truth:

Fine isn’t good enough.

If you’re managing your finances alone, ask yourself:
What’s the worst that could happen?

Or better yet, let’s review them together.
I’ll help you spot what you’ve missed.

No pressure. Just clarity.

P.S. Let me have a look and tell you where you can save more if you have an accountant like me.

£4,803 saved in Corporation Tax legally.

That’s what Thomas realised after our review.

UK Limited Company.
Same turnover.
Same workload.

Just better tax planning.

Here’s what was being missed 👇

- Mileage Allowance not claimed.
- Capital Allowances ignored.
- Trivial Benefits Allowance unused.
- Profits left higher than needed.

So we fixed it before year-end.

Here’s exactly how 👇

1️⃣ Mileage Allowance (AMAP rates)
→ 2,700 business miles driven
→ £0.45 per mile
→ £1,215 allowable deduction
→ No tax. No NI. Fully HMRC-approved.

2️⃣ Capital Allowances – Annual Investment Allowance (AIA)
→ £18,000 on laptops, monitors & office equipment
→ 100% deductible in year one

3️⃣ Trivial Benefits Allowance – £300 per director
→ 6 × £50 tax-free benefits
→ No PAYE
→ No National Insurance

4️⃣ Corporation Tax at 25%
→ £19,212 total extra deductions
→ £4,803 Corporation Tax saved

The result?

Same business
Same effort
£4,803 kept instead of paid to HMRC
Fully compliant

No schemes.
No stress.

Just using the allowances HMRC already gives you.

This is how proactive planning actually saves tax.

P.S. Want to save tax as well?
DM “TAX” now.

If I had to rebuild my business finances from scratch…

These are the 17 things I’d do EVERY DAY:
(You might want to save this one)

1. Review yesterday’s numbers for clarity.

2. Look into tax planning opportunities throughout the year.

3. Connect bank feed to softwares like Xero to make it easy to scan expenses.

4. Categorise expenses the same day.

5. Chase overdue invoices without delay.

6. Move tax money into a separate account.

7. Compare revenue with monthly targets.

8. Update forecasts using real numbers.

9. Track spending patterns for waste.

10. Write a short finance note daily.

11. Review client profitability by project.

12. Remove fees that drain profit.

13. Automate one finance task daily.

14. Check decisions that need numbers.

15. Ask: “Where am I losing money?”

16. Take one action to grow margins.

1. Support one business owner with value.

Simple actions.
Strong control.
Reliable decisions.

Growth follows discipline.
Clarity follows consistency.
Profit follows focus.

P.S. Which three habits would you start with?

You didn’t start your business to be buried in numbers and stress.

Right now, it might feel like you’re running on a treadmill that never stops.

You’re:
- Juggling invoices and payroll.
- Unsure if you’ll hit your financial targets this month.
- Worried that one misstep could derail everything.

It’s exhausting.
And it’s not just your business that’s paying the price.

It’s your:

- Peace of mind.
- Energy levels.
- Ability to enjoy time with family and friends.

You don’t have to live like this.

With the right financial support:
- You gain clarity on your cash flow and finances.
- You can make confident decisions without second-guessing.
- You have a strategic plan to grow your business without fear.

A Fractional Finance Director brings the expertise of a full-time FD, without the overhead.

I work with business owners to:

- Simplify their finances.
- Plan for growth.
- Take the stress out of decision-making.

You can stop worrying about “what if” and start focusing on what you love & growing your business and enjoying your life.

P.S. DM now and get your peace of mind back.

This business was leaving £6,200 on the table every year
Just by not using salary sacrifice properly.

Director-run company: two directors, no employees yet.
The director admitted: “I knew about pension contributions and other perks, but it all seemed complicated. I didn’t want the paperwork.”

Here’s what we fixed:

- Introduced salary sacrifice schemes for pensions and other benefits
- Adjusted directors’ salaries to optimise tax and NI savings
- Set up automated monthly contributions so nothing is missed

The impact:

- Personal tax and NI savings: £6,200+ per year
- Increased pension contributions without extra cost to the company
- Payroll is fully compliant, and benefits maximised

Why this happens:

- Directors often overlook salary sacrifice because it seems confusing.
- Without proper setup, businesses pay more NI and directors pay more tax.
- Small missed opportunities quickly add up over the year.

What we take off your plate:

- Set up salary sacrifice schemes correctly for directors
- Automate monthly payroll deductions
- Design a tax-efficient salary structure
- Keep clear records for HMRC and future planning
- Plan your taxes proactively so there is no last minute panic.

We can usually implement salary sacrifice and get payroll running properly within a week then it’s completely hands-off for you.

P.S. Send me “SALARY SACRIFICE” and I’ll show you how much you could be saving.

How I saved some ££ in taxes for a property investor.
Many property owners miss out on valuable tax relief.

Last Saturday, a property investor reached out to me and said that
"I have got a big tax bill."

He mentioned that he has recently furnished his property.
He invested a lot, so he can't pay the tax bill.

I replied:

If you own furnished property, you're likely spending on furniture and fittings regularly.

Did you know you can turn those expenses into tax relief?

You can claim tax relief for replacing furniture through the 'replacement of domestic items' relief.

This applies to items like beds, televisions, fridges, freezers, carpets and floor coverings, curtains, crockery, and cutlery you replace over time.

Here's how it works:

1. Claim Replacement Costs:
When you replace worn-out furniture, you can claim a tax deduction for the cost.
For example
↳  If you replace a £1000  sofa, that amount can be deducted from your taxable income.

2. Understand the Replacement Cycle:
Furniture typically needs replacing every 3 to 5 years due to wear and tear.
↳  So, keep track of your replacements to maximise your claims.

NOTE:
Initial Costs and Upgradations are not deductible.

By applying this relief, the investor offset a significant portion of his tax bill.

The proper knowledge turned a stressful situation into a manageable one.
Make sure you're not missing out on savings.

P.S. Are you a property investor who wants to save some taxes and invest more? Then let's talk in the DMs.

Success isn’t a single moment.
It’s a series of small, intentional moments that add up over time.

You only see the full picture when you connect the dots.

Here’s how to think about it in practice:

Long-Term Vision:
I want to reach the peak of my potential in my career and life.

Yearly Milestone:
Gain a new skill that opens doors.
Increase income or impact by 20%.
Strengthen key personal relationships.

Quarterly Focus:
Complete a major project.
Attend one course or workshop.
Have consistent weekly check-ins with my mentor.

Monthly Action:
Finish one key assignment.
Schedule networking or learning sessions.
Reflect on wins and areas to improve.

Weekly Routine:
Set priorities every Monday.
Block out focused work sessions.
Check progress and course-correct on Friday.

Daily Habit:
Start the day with a clear top 3 priorities.
Take breaks to recharge energy.
End the day by reviewing wins.

Right Now:
Write down your top 3 priorities for today.
Take the first small step.
Celebrate it.

When you see success as a series of moments, each step becomes meaningful.

 You start winning in ways you didn’t notice before.

Think about it:

→ Career growth
→ Building habits
→ Strengthening relationships
→ Personal health

Success isn’t magic
It’s intentional.

These are the steps that helped me build my accounting firm (Reflex Accounting) from scratch.

P.S. What’s one small moment you’re focusing on today? Let’s talk in the comments!

The biggest tax change in decades is coming.
From April 2026, HMRC is rolling out Making Tax Digital (MTD).

And here’s the reality: if you leave your finances until year-end, this change will expose you.

Picture this…
It’s July 2026.

Business owner A:

- Panics as the HMRC deadline looms.
- Scrambles through receipts and bank statements.
- Worries about penalties and wasted time.

Business owner B:

- Opens their software.
- Submits the report in minutes.
- Knows exactly where their business stands financially.
-
The only difference?
Habits.

Here’s what MTD means for you:

- Submission due every 3 months (not yearly)
- Records must be kept digitally.
- Submissions via HMRC-approved
software.

Who does this affect?

- Starts with sole traders & landlords having revenue £50,000+
- From 2027, those businesses having more than £30,000 revenue will be included.

How to prepare now:

- Start keeping digital records.
- Practise quarterly reporting before it’s mandatory.

P.S. Decide now whether you want to be Business Owner A or Business Owner B? Let me know in the comments.

The most overlooked mistake doctors make in their self-assessment.

With the January 31st deadline coming up, many doctors leave things until the last minute.

A mistake I see repeatedly? Forgetting to include professional subscriptions and work-related expenses.

I spoke with a GP last month earning £95k.
He’d been filing his own self-assessment for years.

But he never claimed his medical association fees or journal subscriptions.
 Result? He overpaid tax by thousands.

Here’s what you need to know:

✅ Professional fees: Memberships to medical boards or associations are usually deductible.
✅ Work-related courses & conferences: Training directly linked to your role can reduce taxable income.
✅ Equipment & uniforms: Items required for work like scrubs, stethoscopes, or PPE can count.
✅ Home office or admin costs: If you complete paperwork from home, a portion of utilities or internet may qualify.

Example:

Locum income: £95,000
Use of personal car for work: £1,800
Subscriptions: £1,200
Work-related courses: £800

Taxable income reduced by £3,800, potentially saving £800+ in tax.

Even if you file via payroll or software, these deductions are often missed.

P.S. With the deadline just around the corner, double-check your expenses before filing. DM now if you need help.

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