For growth-stage founders
You're past survival mode. Revenue is consistent, you have a team, and the financial questions are getting harder: R&D credits, IR35 for freelancers, optimal extraction across shareholders, when to think about holding companies and exit. This is where specialist accounting pays for itself many times over.
What we hear from growth-stage founders
The questions and concerns that come up most often in the first conversation.
Are my management accounts useful?
Monthly P&L by client, gross margin per project, utilisation rate, revenue per head. The metrics that actually tell you whether you're building a business or buying a job.
Am I claiming R&D properly?
Most agencies doing custom tech work qualify and don't claim. We've seen £15k-£150k claims for digital, performance, AI, and SaaS-adjacent agencies. Annual assessment as standard.
IR35 risk on freelancers
As you scale your contractor base, IR35 risk scales with you. Status determination statements, contract reviews, engagement structure. We handle it.
Director extraction across shareholders
When you have co-founders, alphabet shares, or a spouse on the cap table, salary/dividend optimisation gets complex. We model it across all of you.
Should I set up a holding company?
If you're thinking about acquiring another agency, taking outside investment, or planning a partial exit, a holding company structure often makes sense. We model it before you commit.
Forward planning for exit
Exit is a 3-5 year project, not a transaction. We help you build a sale-ready business and plan extraction to maximise BADR and minimise CGT.
How we work with growth-stage founders
Monthly management accounts
Real numbers, not just compliance. P&L by client, gross margin tracking, cash flow forecasting, KPI dashboard. Delivered within 10 working days of month end.
Annual R&D claim assessment
We review your year's projects against HMRC qualifying activity tests. Where claims exist, we prepare and submit them. Most clients see £15k-£60k claims; AI/SaaS-leaning agencies often higher.
IR35 compliance for freelancers
Status determination statements, contract structure review, engagement audit. Annual review as standard, plus ad-hoc for new engagements over £30k/year.
Multi-shareholder extraction modelling
Optimal salary/dividend split across all shareholders, factoring in personal tax positions, pensions, spousal income. Re-modelled annually.
Group structure planning
Holding company analysis, group registration for VAT, intercompany agreements, transfer pricing if relevant. Modelled before you commit to changes.
Pre-exit positioning
Build a sale-ready business. Clean accounts, normalised EBITDA, IP review, key-person risk reduction. Start 2-3 years before exit.
Get specialist accounting for your growth stage
60 minutes with an ICAEW qualified accountant. Tailored to where you are now. No obligation.
Common questions from growth-stage founders
At what revenue does a specialist accountant pay for itself?
Usually around £500k revenue. Below that, a generalist is fine for compliance. Above £500k you start hitting situations (R&D credits, IR35, holding companies, exit prep) where specialist knowledge saves multiples of the fee difference. Our typical growth-stage client saves £10k-£50k per year through specialist advice that wouldn't have come from a generalist.
How much does a growth-stage agency accountant cost?
£3,000-£8,000 per year typically, depending on complexity (number of shareholders, freelancer count, R&D activity, multi-entity structure). We provide fixed-fee quotes after an initial call. No hourly billing.
How often should I get management accounts?
Monthly. Quarterly is too slow for a growth-stage agency, by the time you spot a margin drop or cash flow issue, you're already two quarters behind. Monthly accounts with a 15-minute review call let you adjust quickly.
Should I switch from cash accounting to accruals?
Almost certainly yes if you're above £500k revenue. Cash accounting hides revenue recognition issues that matter at scale (deferred income, accrued costs, work-in-progress). Accruals is the standard for limited companies above £632k turnover anyway. We handle the transition.
Is R&D credit really worth the hassle?
If you're doing genuine custom development, almost always yes. The merged scheme post-April 2023 means a 20% credit on qualifying spend (27% for R&D-intensive SMEs). A typical 6-engineer agency claiming on 60% of dev time can recover £30k-£80k per year. The claim takes us about 3-4 weeks to prepare; the cash usually arrives within 12 weeks of submission.