January can be a lot, especially if you run a business.

You’re expected to reflect on last year, plan the next one, be “strategic”, clear your inbox, file your tax return and somehow emerge from it all refreshed, enlightened and on top of everything 🫩

From our side of the fence at ChadStone, we see business owners go through the same thing every year:

• The same last-minute panics.
• The same “we wish we’d done this sooner” conversations.
• And the same small things that would make the rest of the year feel a lot calmer if they were done now, rather than in a rush later.

So instead of giving you another vague “New Year checklist”, we asked the team a more honest question👇

“What’s the ONE thing you wish every client would do in January?”

Here are their answers – 9 simple, real-life things your accountant quietly wishes you’d get sorted before the year runs away with you.

1. Ask our admin team before you sacrifice a day to paperwork ☕️

Tip from Sarah & Charl (our admin dream team):

While the accountants are deep in numbers, Sarah and Charl are the ones quietly saving people from GOV.UK rabbit holes and HMRC hold music.

Their top tip is very straightforward: message them first.

They can👇

• Send copies of accounts, tax returns, SA302s and tax year overviews
• Dig out company numbers and details you’ve “definitely saved somewhere”
• Handle PAYE, Self Assessment and VAT registrations
• Update addresses and company details
• Sort Confirmation Statements and filing dates
• Rescue you from portal login dramas
• Sit on hold to HMRC so you don’t have to
• Help with tax investigation insurance admin
• Clarify payment amounts, deadlines and reference numbers

If something is administrative, confusing or likely to steal half a day you don’t have, start with them. They are truly magical and we don’t know where we would be without them!

2. Skim money into a savings pot before you get attached to it 💷

Tip from Matt:

Matt’s advice is the one that stops December turning into “where on earth are we going to find that tax money?” season.

Set up a separate business savings account and skim a proportion of your income into it regularly.

It doesn’t need to be clever or complicated. Just:

• Open a savings pot in your business banking
• Move a % of monthly income into it automatically
• Treat it as untouchable money for tax and “things going wrong”

The exact percentage will be different for everyone – a sole trader, a limited company and a VAT-registered business will all need different levels. The important bit is building the habit now and then agreeing the right % with your accountant, rather than trying to magic the money up at the end of the year.

3. Stop letting your bank balance run the show 📊

Tip from Dave:

Dave’s one comes up a lot in conversations with directors:

Your bank balance is not a full health check for the business.

A healthy balance today might be hiding:

• VAT and Corporation Tax due soon
• Big bills around the corner
• Seasonal swings you’ve forgotten about

A low balance might simply be timing – a quiet week before a busy month.

Tax is based on profit and drawings, not just “what’s left in the account”. If you’re basing decisions purely on what the banking app says on a Tuesday morning, you’re flying partially blind.

This is where management information and an honest chat with us makes a big difference. We can help you understand what’s really going on underneath the numbers on the screen.

4. Tell us what’s really going on behind the scenes 🤝

Tip from Al:

Al’s is a good one to always remember:

Be open with your advisers. The more we know, the more we can help.

That might be:

• Telling us about big plans before you commit to them
• Admitting which parts of last year felt hard, even if the top line looked fine
• Sharing what’s actually keeping you awake, not just what sounds neat in a meeting

We’re not here to judge. We’re here to help you make better decisions with the whole picture in mind – the numbers, the people and the way you want the business to feel.

If you only ever show us the polished version, we’re trying to help with one hand tied behind our back.

5. Stop mixing business and personal money 💳

Tip from Hannah:

Hannah’s tip makes everything easier, for you and for us:

Keep your business and personal spending separate. Properly.

In real terms that means:

• A business account for business income and costs
• A personal account for your life
• Ideally, a separate savings pot inside the business for tax and future commitments

It sounds basic, but it:

• Makes bookkeeping and year-end much simpler
• Gives you a clearer picture of what the business actually costs to run
• Stops your tax money escaping via the supermarket shop and Saturday nights

If your first step when we ask for business transactions is scrolling miles of mixed personal and business spend… This is the change that will save everyone a lot of time.

6. Ask the “silly” questions before they become expensive❓

Tip from Almo:

Almo’s point is aimed at people earlier in their journey, but the principle applies to everyone:

Don’t be afraid to ask questions – especially the ones you think you ‘should’ already know the answer to.

We’d much rather you ask:

• “Can I claim this?”
• “Is this the best way to set things up?”
• “Is there a better option I haven’t thought about?”

…than keep quiet and find out years later you’ve overpaid tax or missed something obvious.

There’s no prize for pretending you understand everything. If something doesn’t make sense, January is a good moment to speak up.

7. Notice when the rules quietly change 📅

Tip from Whitby:

Whitby’s reminder is about the stuff that shifts in the background:

Keep an eye on tax changes that might affect you – especially around dividends and rental profits.

This matters if you:

• Take a lot of income through dividends
• Have rental properties or other investments
• Have more than one source of income

You don’t need to spend your life refreshing GOV.UK, but you do need to know when it’s your turn to pay attention – and when to ask, “Is anything changing that I should know about?”

Finding out at the point of a higher-than-expected tax bill is the worst version of that conversation.

8. Check whether MTD for Self Assessment is going to hit you 💻

Tip from Mol:

Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax / Self Assessment is slowly edging closer for a lot of people.

Mol’s advice:

Find out early whether MTD is going to apply to you – and get set up in good time if it does.

If you’re in scope, you’ll move from one annual return to quarterly digital submissions.

That sounds scarier than it needs to be. Set up with decent records and the right software, it’s manageable. Try to sort everything last-minute and it becomes unnecessarily painful.

If you’re not sure whether this is going to affect you, that’s your cue to ask now rather than in a panic later.

9. Give yourself a basic cashflow view for the year 🔮

Tip from Owen:

O’s tip is the one that quietly lowers the background stress:

Put a simple cashflow forecast in place for the year ahead.

This doesn’t need to be complicated. A clear view of:

• What’s likely to come in
• What you already know is going out
• How that roughly looks over the next 12 months

is enough to make a big difference.

It turns “I hope this will be okay” into “I can see where the tight spots are and plan for them”. You’ll sleep better, make calmer decisions and have fewer nasty surprises.

If you only do one of these…

You don’t have to spring into action on all nine.

If you’re already juggling a lot, here’s the realistic version:

• Read the list once.
• Notice which point made you think, “Yes, that’s the one I keep putting off.”
• Drop us a message about just that one.

We’ll help you sort it.

No lectures. No guilt. Just a less stressful version of the next 12 months – which, if you ask most accountants, is exactly what we’d love you to have.

Al, Dave & the ChadStone Team


IN THE MEANTIME, HERE’S SOMETHING FOR YOU…👇

• Get the latest finance tips, business hacks, free resources, hilarity, memes and more by joining our quarterly newsletter, ‘Sumthing To Say’ here.
• Do you need your accounts taken care of for you? You can Book a Discovery Call here.

Q4 can be the most rewarding time of the year — or the most exhausting. Sometimes both.

You’re juggling deadlines, invoices, client work, staff holidays, planning for next year… and then someone says “Are we doing a Christmas party?” and it all goes a bit blurry.

This blog isn’t here to pile more onto your plate — it’s to help you end the year in control, with practical steps that support both your business and your brain.

Let’s get into it 👇

🧾 1. Review Your Financial Position — But Make It Useful

This isn’t about scrolling through bank transactions.

It’s about asking:

– What worked this year?
– What drove profit (and what didn’t)?
– Are you chasing revenue targets that no longer make sense?

✅ Action to take:

– Book in a 1:1 with your accountant and check your Xero dashboard (or the software you use)
– Run a simple P&L comparison: year to date vs this time last year
– Use it to plan what’s worth pushing in Q4 — and what’s not worth your energy

📉 2. Declutter Your Overheads

Q4 is the perfect time to get ruthless with outgoings.

✅ Action to take:

– Review all subscriptions, software and recurring payments
– Cancel or downgrade anything that isn’t delivering value
– If you’ve got stock, office supplies or assets not pulling their weight — address it now

It’s easier to make these calls now than when your January cashflow is already stretched.

📆 3. Treat December Like It’s Already Mid-January

It sounds pessimistic. It’s not. It’s practical.

✅ Action to take:

– Forecast your cashflow through to Feb 2026 and consider:

  – Staff bonuses
  – Christmas shut-down periods
  – VAT or tax deadlines in Jan
  – Overdue invoices

If you need help modelling your cashflow or adjusting your payment on account, we can help.

💬 4. Automate Your Invoice Chasing

Late payments spike in Q4 — not because people are ignoring you, but because they’re buried too.

✅ Action to take:

– Set up automated invoice reminders
– Send a friendly 1–day-late message like:
  “Let me know if there’s anything holding this up.”
– Make sure your payment terms include late payment interest and admin fees

🧘‍♀️ 5. Block Out Your ‘Non-Negotiables’

Don’t leave your personal time as the gap-filler.

✅ Action to take:

– Block breaks, quiet days and planning time in your calendar now
– Set boundaries with clients and your team for your last working day
– Decide what projects aren’t getting done this year — and be okay with that

Running a business is hard. You’re allowed to make space for yourself.

🧾 6. Check for Last-Minute Tax Planning Opportunities

You’ve still got time to optimise how your year ends financially — without big drama.

✅ Action to take:

– Review your salary/dividend split
– Decide whether to issue bonuses now or in Jan
– See if you’re eligible to reduce your payment on account in January if income is down

✍️ 7. Redefine What a ‘Successful December’ Looks Like

You don’t have to end the year with a bang.

You just have to end it with clarity.

✅ Action to take:

– Write down three goals for the rest of the year — and three things you’re actively not doing
– Avoid defaulting into “more” when “done” is the smarter move
– Choose rest over reactivity

You can’t enter 2026 strong if you’re crawling to the finish line.

👋 Bonus: Prep Your Out of Office Like a Pro

A proper OOO sets the tone for boundaries and makes your return in January 10x easier.

✅ Action to take:

– Decide your last working day now
– Let clients know in advance
– Schedule a January check-in with key clients before you log off

Update your OOO message with:

  – When you’ll be back
  – Who to contact in the meantime
  – A clear, confident tone

Need help with any of the above?

We’re not just about year-end accounts.

We’re here to help business owners succeed.

If you’d like support with your cashflow, forecasting, tax planning or even just having a better relationship with your numbers before the year wraps up… get in touch.

Al, Dave & the ChadStone Team


IN THE MEANTIME, HERE’S SOMETHING FOR YOU…👇

• Get the latest finance tips, business hacks, free resources, hilarity, memes and more by joining our monthly newsletter, ‘Sumthing To Say’ here.
• Do you need your accounts taken care of for you? You can Book a Discovery Call here.

Can we just take a second to acknowledge that… we’re somehow in September already? 😳

If 2025 has flown by faster than your summer holidays, you’re not alone.

But instead of panicking about year-end deadlines, this is your friendly nudge to pause, reset, and make the last four months of the year count.

Here are 6 things you can do right now to get your business (and your numbers) back on track — without the overwhelm 👇

✅ 1. Check your Corporation Tax deadline

If your company year-end was 31st December, Corporation Tax is due on 1st October.

It’s one of those sneaky deadlines that shows up just when you’ve got a million other things on your plate. Leaving it to the last minute = stress you don’t need.

💡 ChadStone Tip:

• Check when your Corporation Tax bill is due (dates vary depending on year-end).
• Put aside around 20% of your profits each month so the money’s ready when the bill lands. No scrambling, no “where do we find it?”, no drama.

Your future self (and your accountant) will thank you for making it a habit.

📊 2. Review your management accounts

Think of management accounts as your business dashboard. Without them, you’re basically driving blind.

They’ll show you:

– What’s actually working (and what isn’t)

– Where the money is going

– Whether you can afford that hire / investment / upgrade you’ve been putting off

💡 ChadStone Tip:

If you don’t have regular management accounts yet, now’s the perfect time to start. You’ll thank yourself in December.

👥 3. Get payroll & compliance sorted

Payroll isn’t glamorous — but when it goes wrong, everyone notices.

Ask yourself:

– Are our systems fully compliant with the latest rules?

– Are we paying people accurately and on time?

– Can this process scale as our team grows?

💡 ChadStone Tip:

If the answer to any of these makes you wince, now’s the time to fix it.

💸 4. Stop the quiet leaks

Some drains on your business aren’t loud — they just quietly cost you thousands. Think:

– Subscriptions you’ve forgotten about

– Clients that drain your time but don’t pay their way

– Prices that haven’t been reviewed in years

💡 ChadStone Tip:

Take half an hour to list out your tools, costs, and clients. Cut the stuff that isn’t serving you.

🧠 5. Revisit your goals (and your energy)

Those January goals? Do they still fit? Or are they stressing you out more than motivating you?

September is a great time to:

– Reset your goals for Q4

– Be honest about what’s dragging you down

– Check in on your own energy (are you resting as well as working?)

💡 ChadStone Tip:

Business ownership doesn’t come with medals for burnout.

🤝 6. Reconnect with your network

Most opportunities don’t come from algorithms. They come from conversations.

So whether it’s your accountant (👋), a business buddy, or someone you promised to follow up with six months ago… now’s the time to reach out.

💡 ChadStone Tip:

A simple “How’s your year going?” can open more doors than you’d think.

Final Thought

If you take one thing away, let it be this:

– It’s not too late to reset.

– September is a natural “fresh start”.

– Small steps now can save you big headaches in December.

And if you’d like some extra support with management accounts, tax planning, or just making sure your payroll doesn’t give you nightmares — we’re right here, biscuits and all.

Al, Dave & the ChadStone Team

IN THE MEANTIME, HERE’S SOMETHING FOR YOU…👇

• Get the latest finance tips, business hacks, free resources, hilarity, memes and more by joining our monthly newsletter, ‘Sumthing To Say’ here.
• Do you need your accounts taken care of for you? You can Book a Discovery Call here.

Ah, summer.

Sunshine. Ice cream. Out-of-office replies.

And for many business owners… complete and utter mayhem.

Whether you’re wrangling childcare, managing staff holidays, or just trying to stay productive in a melting office, the summer holidays can hit hard. 

Add in patchy client comms, seasonal slowdowns (or upticks!), and that one colleague who’s “just popping to the Algarve for three weeks,” and it’s easy to feel like you’re losing control.

So, here’s our very practical survival guide to financially and operationally prepping your business for the school holiday season—without breaking a sweat.

1. Forecast Your Cashflow (Yes, Even If It’s Boring)

Look—we know this doesn’t sound thrilling. But summer can mess with your incoming cash.

✅ Clients away = delayed payments
✅ Team on leave = delayed projects
✅ You on holiday = someone forgets a deadline

Do yourself a favour and get a clear view of your upcoming incomings and outgoings now. 

If you spot a dip ahead, you can plan around it—rather than panic when it hits.

Bonus tip: If you use cloud accounting software, now’s a great time to set up cashflow alerts.

2. Automate What You Can (So You Can Actually Switch Off)

Whether you’re off for a full break or just juggling school runs, automation is your friend.

Think:

📧 Invoice reminders
📱 Social media scheduling
📦 E-commerce order processing
🗂️ Auto-responses that tell clients when you’ll reply (and help them help themselves)

Trust us, future you will thank you.

3. Set Boundaries (and Stick to Them Without Guilt)

If your summer working hours are different—tell people.

Set an out-of-office.
Update your email footer.
Put a line on your website.
Send clients a heads-up now.

It’s not unprofessional. It’s smart.

No one expects you to be superhuman—just clear.

4. Review Retainers, Direct Debits & Subscriptions

Summer is a brilliant time to do a bit of housekeeping.

That online tool you used once in March?
That subscription that renews quietly every month?
That software you’re paying for but your team abandoned six weeks ago?

Cancel it. 

Or at least question whether it’s earning its keep. Small leaks in summer can turn into big gaps come autumn.

5. Embrace the Quiet (If You Can Find It)

Business a little slower this month? Rather than stress, use it strategically:

🧠 Review your pricing
📊 Catch up on your accounts
💬 Ask your clients for testimonials
🗺️ Plan Q4 now, when you’re not in crisis mode

Slow doesn’t mean lazy—it means opportunity.

6. Support Your Team (Without Losing Your Mind)

If you’ve got team members off over the holidays, you don’t need to pick up everything yourself.

Instead:

👯 Cross-train where possible
📝 Share clear instructions for temp cover
📅 Accept that some tasks might pause—and communicate that

And if you’re the one off? Leave a handover. Otherwise, you’re basically paying to stress-scroll Slack from a sun lounger.

7. Don’t Panic About the Chaos (You’re Not Alone)

Every business owner is facing some level of summer mayhem.

You are not behind. You are not failing.

You’re just a human trying to do your best while 65% of your clients are in Cornwall and your inbox is quietly turning into a monster.

You’ve got this.

(And we’ve got your back.)

Final Thought: Prep Now = Less Panic Later

If you take one thing away, let it be this:

Summer doesn’t have to derail your business.

With a little prep, some smart boundaries, and a few ice lollies in the freezer—you can come out the other side calmer, clearer, and ready for the final push to Christmas.

If you need help getting your finances summer-proof, we’re here.

(Unless we’re in a dragon boat. But even then, we’ll try to email back within 48 hours.)

Need help keeping things afloat this summer?

📩 Get in touch with us
🛶 Or sponsor our upcoming chaos: https://www.justgiving.com/page/chadstone

And if you’re unsure what we’re on about with dragons and boats…

We’re officially in training for the Severn Hospice Dragon Boat Festival on the 20th of July… and we need your help 😅

This brilliant festival is raising money for Severn Hospice, a cause that means a lot to all of us.

Their support helps families across Shropshire during the toughest times—and we’d love to give something back 🙌

🎯 Our goal: £1,000


🛶 Our strategy: Paddle like mad and don’t capsize


🐬 Our odds: Hopefully better than they are at photoshopping

If you can spare a few quid, we’d massively appreciate it 👇


https://www.justgiving.com/page/chadstone

Al, Dave and the ChadStone team

IN THE MEANTIME, HERE’S SOMETHING FOR YOU…👇

• Get the latest finance tips, business hacks, free resources, hilarity, memes and more by joining our monthly newsletter, ‘Sumthing To Say’ here.
• Do you need your accounts taken care of for you? You can Book a Discovery Call here.

Running a business means juggling a lot: clients, marketing, operations, team, goals, the list goes on. 

So, it’s no wonder that financial management sometimes ends up in the ‘deal with later’ pile. 

But here’s the truth: if your numbers aren’t working, your business isn’t either.

We see it all the time (and we’ve even made a few of these mistakes ourselves over the years). 

So, here are 10 of the most common money slip-ups we see business owners make—and how you can avoid them.

1. Treating your accountant like an afterthought 😭

We get it. Accountants can be seen as the people you only need once a year, in a blind panic, before the tax deadline.

But the best results happen when your accountant is involved throughout the year, not just at the end of it.

What to do instead:

• Have regular check-ins (even quarterly!) to review performance.
• Ask questions when things feel confusing.
• Don’t wait until you’re stressed or behind—involve us before it becomes a thing.

Better yet? Management accounts. These give you a clearer, more proactive view of your business performance across the year—not just when your year-end hits.

They’re ideal if you’re an established business wanting to grow, manage cash flow, or get more control over your numbers.

They help you:

• Compare quarter-on-quarter progress
• Spot where you’re overspending
• Make better decisions (before it’s too late to change anything)

If you’ve never had them before, we’d be happy to show you what they look like and how they could help.

Your accountant should be a strategic part of your business. Use them well, and they’ll save you time, money and headaches.

2. Confusing profit with cash 💷

You can have a profitable business and still run out of money. Yup, it hurts to type it. But it’s true.

Profit is what’s left after expenses. Cash is what’s in the bank. And just because your accounts say you made money doesn’t mean you’ve actually got it to spend.

What to do instead:

• Understand your cash flow and review it monthly.
• Set aside money for tax the second an invoice is paid.
• Don’t rely on what’s “left in the account” as a spending guide.

We always like to say cash is king (or queen!) here as it’s so true!

3. Not knowing your numbers 🔢

It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many business owners couldn’t tell you their monthly income, outgoings or margins.

That’s not a judgement—it’s a sign that the systems (or time!) just aren’t working.

What to do instead:

• Set 30 minutes a week to review your financial dashboard.
• Know your break-even point.
• Review your pricing every 6–12 months.

You don’t need to be a finance expert. But you do need to know the basics to steer the ship.

4. Doing it all manually 😪

Still taking photos of receipts and filing them in a box labelled ‘sort later’? That’s soul-destroying for you and us.

These days, there are apps and automations that can do the heavy lifting for you.

What to do instead:

• Use accounting software with built-in receipt scanning.
• Get set up on a secure client portal (like ours!) to upload and track everything in one place.
• Automate recurring invoices, reminders, and reconciliations.

Manual admin wastes your time and increases the risk of error. The right systems pay for themselves.

5. Avoiding the big-picture planning 🖼️

It’s easy to get stuck in the day-to-day. But if you never zoom out, you’ll miss opportunities to grow, improve, or pivot before it’s too late.

What to do instead:

• Review your goals quarterly.
• Book time with your accountant to deep-dive into future planning.
• Ask: “If nothing changes, where will we be in 6 months?”

You don’t need a 100-page business plan. Just clarity on where you’re headed—and how your finances can support it.

6. Not building a buffer 💷

The businesses that bounce back fastest from setbacks? They’ve usually got a rainy-day pot to fall back on.

The fix: If you can, build a small emergency fund into your business account—ideally 1–3 months of core running costs. It’s not always easy (or possible!) but even £50 a month adds up.

7. Mixing business and personal finances 😬

We get it—it’s tempting to use one account for everything. But come tax time, it’s a headache you really don’t need.

The fix: Open a separate business account (if you haven’t already). It’ll make cash flow clearer, taxes easier, and help you see how your business is actually doing.

8. Forgetting about tax until the deadline 😱

Self Assessment in January. Corporation tax a few months later. VAT every quarter (if you’re registered). It’s a lot.

The fix: Get those returns done early. As soon as you have your info—send it in. You’ll know what you owe, have longer to save, and your accountant won’t cry into their coffee.

9. Not looking after yourself 🧠

Burnout is expensive. It slows everything down—and often leads to rushed decisions.

The fix: Look after the boss. That’s you. Whether it’s taking regular breaks, switching off properly at the weekend, or speaking to someone when things get tough—it’s not a luxury, it’s business maintenance.

10. BONUS TIP: Don’t forget about you 🙌

One of the most common gaps we see is business owners forgetting to pay themselves properly, plan for their future, or prioritise their wellbeing.

What to do instead:

• Factor your salary into your business costs.
• Speak to a financial adviser about pensions, insurance, and savings.
• Take time off when you need it—seriously.

Your business needs you well. Financially, mentally, and physically.

If you only take one thing away, let it be this 👇

Money mistakes are normal. But they’re also avoidable—especially if you’ve got the right support.

If you’re reading this and nodding along, that’s a sign it might be time to get some help. 

Whether it’s setting up better systems, understanding your cash flow, or finally putting a plan in place—we’re always here for a no-pressure chat.

Al, Dave & the ChadStone Team

IN THE MEANTIME, HERE’S SOMETHING FOR YOU…👇

• Get the latest finance tips, business hacks, free resources, hilarity, memes and more by joining our monthly newsletter, ‘Sumthing To Say’ here.
• Do you need your accounts taken care of for you? You can Book a Discovery Call here.