Services for All Businesses
We offer exceptionally competitive pricing deals on some of our services, which we have indicated as follows:
- Free - yes, some services are free of charge!
- Fixed Price - on many of our services we offer a fixed price option, ask where you see this indicator.
- Contingency Fee - on some services we may offer to work on a contingency basis. We only get paid if the project is successful.
Wherever your business is in the cycle of growth we can provide services to help you prosper.
We have split the cycle down into the following stages:
Starting up in business
Exceeding the VAT threshold
Taking on employees
Expanding
Growth by acquisition
Selling your business
Planning for retirement and beyond
Starting up in business
If you have never worked for yourself before, it is worth coming to see us before you take the plunge. Quite apart from the practical implications, we have seen literally hundreds of business propositions, so we can help you to find and overcome the flaws in your business proposal.
If you need to raise money to start your business we can help you to draw up a business plan and advise you which are the best financiers to present your plan to. Fixed Price or Contingency Fee options are available.
We will help you get your business registered with the Inland Revenue (there is a £100 fine if you do not register within 3 months) and set up your self-employed National Insurance contributions. We will also advise you on basic record keeping and selecting a sensible year end. This service is Free of charge to anyone appointing Hornbeam for the first time.
We are pleased to offer a half-day course in writing up your own cashbook. Many clients have benefited from this course in many ways: - better control of finances, lower accountancy fees, more satisfaction from doing the job right. Fixed Price
Exceeding the VAT threshold
VAT can be a particularly onerous tax, hitting small businesses with swinging penalties, interest and back tax. We can help you plan and monitor your business to avoid penalties, interest and back tax, by ensuring compliance with regulations. We also help you order your affairs to minimise the cost of this tax to you and your business. For example, if you exceed the VAT registration threshold unaware you will be liable for VAT for the whole subsequent period, even if your turnover drops back below the deregistration limit. We can help you monitor this and suggest strategies to avoid triggering registration, if appropriate.
When you need to register for VAT we can help you with the registration, and help you set up your systems to ensure compliance, whilst minimising the cost of this tax.
Many clients choose to minimise their concerns regarding VAT compliance, by outsourcing completion of their VAT returns to Hornbeam. Fixed Price option available.
Taking on Employees
Nothing causes small businesses more anguish than taking on employees.
We can advise on employment law and payroll taxes.
We can provide you with model contracts of employment(hyperlink to put in when doc added).
We can advise on the thorny issue of distinguishing between employees and sub-contractors. We are happy to take on status enquiry cases.
Many clients choose to minimise their concerns regarding PAYE compliance, by outsourcing their payroll function to Hornbeam. Fixed Price option available.
Expanding
There are many problems associated with expanding, many of which we can help with.
Many entrepreneurs become snowed under with the administration and compliance requirements at this stage. We offer a number of services to help out the small business including accounts computerisation, training and support for accounts staff, and even total outsourcing (often on a Fixed Price contract). We have something of a reputation for sorting out accounts departments that have already got into a mess!
What many businesses need at this stage is help with seeing the bigger picture. We provide a business coaching service, helping our clients to assess their strengths and weaknesses, to find out where they want to be, then to develop and implement a plan for getting there. However we are also happy to answer to very specific business consultancy requirements such as how to develop a pricing policy, or how to monitor job costs. Most of our consultancy assignments deliberately involve a large element of training.
We offer a debt collection service. Contingency Fee basis available.
Growth by acquisition
Many successful businesses are grown by acquiring suitable targets. However this is an activity fraught with danger, nationally and internationally a very high proportion of deals are thought to destroy, rather than create, shareholder value. We have an excellent track record in this area.
We can help you search for targets , providing a confidential search service.
Once the target is found we can help you to ask the right questions then when we have sufficient information we can help you draw up the business plan and find the best way to fund your deal.
We can help you structure and negotiate your deal.
We can carry out due diligence enquiries on your target.
We do not offer contingency fee deals when assisting with acquisitions, because we feel it is crucial to have no impediments to advising you to walk away from a deal if we think that the risk is too high!
Selling your business
Probably the biggest sale you will ever make is when you come to sell your business. This is a very tax efficient opportunity for you to maximise your lifetime earnings.
We are pleased to offer advice on capital gains tax, and all the other tax implications of selling your business.
However, the best results can be obtained by considering strategies for management continuity and business disposal at an early stage, and we are pleased to help you right through the cycle. Firstly, by sorting out your particular objectives and timings. Secondly, by identifying then cultivating possible buyers, both within and outside the business. Thirdly, we can help you value the business. Fourthly, we can help you prepare the sale document and make confidential approaches to possible purchasers. Lastly, we can help you negotiate the deal. We offer a Contingency Fee deal when helping you to sell your business.
Planning for retirement and beyond
Hornbeam is not a registered financial advisor, but in a bid to expand the level and range of services that we supply, we have formed a joint venture called Hornbeam Financial Services LLP with Philip and Rose Martin. Philip is an independent financial advisor with many years experience, with whom we have worked closely on projects in the past. Hornbeam Financial Services LLP is able to provide those services that Hornbeam Accountancy Services Ltd cannot. This will be a fee based service instead of a commission one that can lead to unexpected costs.
If you would like more information please contact us and ask for Phil Needham.
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