Welcome to the Nicki Paddy & Co. Blog.
We are regularly asked questions by our clients, the answers to which are often pertinent to other clients and SME’s. So in a bid to make useful information freely available, we seek to answer the most regularly asked questions or provide some ideas about managing the perennial issues faced by SME’s and growing companies.
If there is a subject you would like us to consider, please contact us.
13th April 2018
Do I need Accounting software?
The accounting software industry has flourished over the last decade with start-up companies and SME’s investing in online, easy to use accountancy tools that can be accessed on the go. But, is this something your business needs? With the introduction of the Making Tax Digital initiative by Government, all companies will ultimately be required to […]
Choosing the right accounting software for your business
A business partner recently asked me why I use Xero, Quickbooks and Sage (amongst others) to run my clients accounts, instead of picking one and moving everyone onto that system. A good question and from a purely selfish practical perspective moving to a single system would be heaven, but it’s not that simple. As I […]
24th January 2018
PayPal and Credit Card Merchant Business ‘Loans’
Alternatives to Traditional Loans As I mentioned in my Xerocon roundup back in the Autumn of 2017, one major development of the year was the introduction of business loans/cash advances being offered by the card processing merchants – including PayPal. If you haven’t considered these yet the concept is simple. In summary, the ‘processor’ of […]
23rd November 2017
Fostering Referrals
Fostering Referrals Those of you that know me and work with me know I value good marketing as a key part of running any business. You can be the best at what you do, be able to save clients millions of pounds or have invented the greatest thing since the bread slicing machine, but if […]
ICB Summit
ICB Summit There are bookkeepers and then there are bookkeepers and the ICB is the industry membership body that brings together those with formal qualifications and certification in bookkeeping. They then hold an annual summit, enabling the members to come together, learn, share best practice and enjoy industry updates. I always find this summit very […]
Xerocon
Xerocon Xerocon is the gathering arranged by the authors of Xero – the cloud accounting software many of my clients chose and for which I am a qualified partner – and brings the software developers, add on partners, users and resellers together under one roof. This year’s Xerocon was one of the best in my […]
27th September 2017
The Business Lifecycle – Where are you?
The Business Lifecycle – What stage is your business at? Exactly as for us human beings, there is a business lifecycle. If you think about the range of businesses you know, you will probably be able to identify a handful by each stage – new born (start up), adolescent/teens, young adults, mature grown-ups and then […]
2nd August 2017
Payroll: what we need to know
Payroll consumes several days of time and effort every month here at Nicki Paddy & Co. As the end of the month rolls around we’re busy inputting names and numbers to ensure everyone wakes up on that longed-for day to a bountiful bank account. However, sometimes one of our biggest frustrations is when our crystal […]
11th May 2017
State of the Economy
We can’t deny the economically uncertain times we live in, so it’s important to take a look at the state of the economy we live in. Brexit, rising inflation and a struggling service sector are just a few difficulties facing Britain today. And on the face of it we’re seeing a somewhat struggling economy, with […]
2nd May 2017
Auto Enrolment – A Beginner’s Guide
What is Auto Enrolment? Saving for life after retirement is not at the forefront of many people’s minds, especially if you have just entered the world of work. The truth is we are all living longer so at retirement age we will need to fund the next stage of our life, however long that may […]