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 November 2018
Analysis Levels – Making the numbers mean more
If you find yourself sitting looking at the figures at the end of each month with a head full of questions, like who is my most profitable sales person? which department costs the most to run? did we make money on that piece of work? or most importantly, where did we lose money? Then maybe […]
31st August 2018
VAT What you can and can’t claim
It’s not until you’re through the VAT threshold or have taken the proactive decision to register for VAT that you really get a sense of what a complex beast it is. You may be fooled into thinking that VAT is either standard rate, zero rated or as in the case of gas, charged at an […]
18th June 2018
Trading in Foreign Currencies
Whether it’s world events, Brexit votes or just the usual market fluctuation, the profit of any business regularly importing and exporting in different currencies is at the mercy of the prevailing exchange rate. But with global trade increasing and more businesses becoming involved in overseas transactions, maybe it is time for a different perspective on […]
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 […]