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.
15th October 2019
Accounting Quick Calcs and Rule of Thumb Estimates
It may be because I work with figures all day or it may be because I have a head for numbers, but I find that when I am reviewing sets of figures or running an at-a-glance estimation process, I find a series of accounting quick calcs help me out. They help me to make rapid […]
11th September 2019
Working Smarter
As business owners sometimes do, I sat down the other day and looked at the state of the business – what I do, who I do it for – and then compared this to the same picture last year and a number of years prior to that. What was clear to me was the fact […]
31st July 2019
Know Your Numbers
What’s the quickest way to identify an issue in your management accounts? Simple – know your numbers…. I work for a number of businesses whereby I manage (nearly) every aspect of their company accounts function. From raising sales invoices to credit control, managing the purchase ledger, payment of suppliers, payroll, VAT, annual/quarterly returns and year-end […]
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 […]
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 […]
23rd March 2017
Why I extol mentoring for anyone running a business
I’ve recently had a revelation and I’m keen to share this with as many people as will listen! I’ve discovered the benefits of mentoring… As a small business owner, you suddenly have to become adept at everything a business requires, in order for it to run smoothly; planning, finance, networking, website development, IT, human resources… […]
9th December 2016
Out but not down – SME’s brave Brexit
Whilst the legal and political worlds battle over the Brexit question, my personal view is that SME’s seem to be maintaining a swan-like approach to the changing currents beneath. We know that the toughest times may be yet to come as far as the longer-term impacts of Brexit are concerned, but having spoken to clients […]
24th August 2016
So, we did it…gulp – what next?
Back in June I wrote about the looming referendum vote and what I could see were the ups and downs of staying and going. Now the decision has been made, like me, you have probably been inundated with invitations to briefings from various self-appointed commentators on where this leaves us and the potential impacts of […]
24th May 2016
Will we or won’t we?
The June referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU is looming ever closer but it seems that many business professionals are still undecided on whether to back Brexit or not. Such a key decision needs to be carefully considered and the arguments for and against must be deliberated… Having the experience of working with businesses […]