Good afternoon, lovely clients and friends,
This month marks a major milestone – our fourth birthday as a ltd, full-service accountancy firm. And what a journey it’s been! From humble beginnings to multiple award wins, a growing team, and some seriously fun adventures along the way – we’re incredibly proud and so grateful to have shared it all with you.
But before we get to the celebrations, let’s talk about something that’s come up again and again in client conversations lately...
💬 What We’re Hearing From You – And It’s Not Pretty
Honestly, nearly every client meeting this month has had the same theme: things are getting harder.
Rising prices, higher taxes, more red tape. It’s no exaggeration to say that running your own business has never felt more punishing. There’s a growing sentiment that the government is making it less and less appealing to be self-employed or running a small business.
We’re not here to be political – but it's impossible to ignore how many of you are struggling with decisions that are completely out of your control. It’s starting to feel like the government is trying to nail the coffin shut on small businesses, and that’s more than a little worrying.
We’ll always champion small business – and we’ll continue to support you through the thick of it. But we also hope that, come the next election, those of you who are feeling the pinch will remember how it felt in times like these.
🗳️ A Thought on Policy – And a Leadership That Blinked
So, a few weeks ago I said credit where credit’s due – and for a moment, it looked like I was going to have to give Keir Starmer some. He’d suggested something genuinely positive: reforming welfare to help disabled people get back into work.
Now, that’s something I still believe in. It was a chance to take a broken system that’s been writing people off and give them a pathway to purpose, independence and dignity through employment. Not by forcing anyone into roles they couldn’t manage, but by supporting those who can work and want to, to re-enter the workforce.
But what happened?
He bottled it.
Under a bit of pressure from within his own party, he’s since watered the entire thing down into some vague, soft-edged nonsense – just enough to keep his backbenchers happy and avoid a leadership challenge.
Let’s call it what it is: putting his own self-interest ahead of what’s best for the country.
And honestly, that’s the bit that stings. This wasn’t about austerity. It wasn’t about cuts. It was about recognising that many disabled people are capable and keen to contribute – and that society needs to stop sidelining them with a monthly cheque and a message that says, “You’re not expected to have value.”
Remote working is more common than ever. Employers are increasingly aware of how to support physical and mental health. There are more opportunities than we’ve ever had before to make employment flexible and inclusive. This policy was a chance to step forward. But instead, Starmer chose to step back, scared of upsetting the status quo within his own party.
So no – no more credit from me. Because this isn’t leadership. It’s cowardice dressed up as caution. And if you're going to posture like you're serious about reform, only to back down the moment it gets awkward, then you were never serious in the first place.
We need real solutions. We need people in leadership who will put principles above popularity and country above career. Sadly, that’s not what we’re getting right now.
🏆 Awards, Applause & A Very Proud Team
Let’s get back to the exciting stuff! We’re absolutely thrilled to share that we’ve been:
- Named Accountancy Firm of the Year (Midlands) at the Prestige Awards 🎉
- Featured once again in the Stratford Herald (we’re starting to get a real taste for the limelight!)
- Winners of Apprentice and Employer of the Quarter thanks to the amazing Beth, who is on track to complete her marketing qualification two months early – a real testament to her drive and commitment
- Finalists in the Women in Change Awards for “Change Programme of the Year” – ceremony's next month in Paddington, so please cross your fingers for us 🤞
We're genuinely humbled by the recognition. It's an honour to see our team's hard work and client-first approach being noticed.
🙌 Welcome Joanna – A Proper Pro
We’ve had a fantastic addition to the team this month – Joanna Coleman, a qualified Chartered Accountant who many of us have had the pleasure of working with before.
She’s got loads of experience across telecommunications, IT, and the charity sector, and she’s already fitting in brilliantly. She’s also verified... by us! 😂
💼 Training, Growth & Handing Over the Reins
This month I’ve been delivering some really rewarding training sessions to the team – passing on my knowledge, developing their skills, and watching them step into more direct client-facing roles.
The result? They’re flying – and I’m finally not trying to juggle 450+ of you on my own (which, I must admit, is a bit of a relief).
Seeing them flourish in these roles has been one of the real highlights of the year. In fact, I’m wondering why I didn’t do it sooner!
🛶 Kayaks, Quizzes & the Great Outdoors
When we’re not crunching numbers, we’re finding time to unwind:
- We hosted a cracking property-themed quiz night, featuring some very cheeky team names (don’t ask – or maybe do…)
- We’ve had team members kayaking between Stratford and Bidford – full-on adventure mode
- And even Monty tried to get his very white feet a bit more tanned to match the rest of him – bless him, he’s trying!
Excel Tip of the Month: Calculate Exact Years, Months, and Days Between Two Dates
Need to find the precise difference between two dates in Excel? Use the DATEDIF function!
Here's how:
- Assume Start Date is in cell A1 and End Date is in B1.
- Use these formulas:
- Years: =DATEDIF(A1, B1, "Y")
- Months (excluding full years): =DATEDIF(A1, B1, "YM")
- Days (excluding full months): =DATEDIF(A1, B1, "MD")
💡 To display the result as "X Years, Y Months, Z Days," use:
=DATEDIF(A1, B1, "Y") & " Years, " & DATEDIF(A1, B1, "YM") & " Months, " & DATEDIF(A1, B1, "MD") & " Days"
This is a great way to track ages, project timelines, or anniversaries. Try it out! 🚀
🎙️ Podcast Power – It's Gaining Momentum!
If you haven’t already, check out our podcast – especially if you’re in the property or landlord world. June saw more downloads than the entire previous history of the podcast combined!
We’re covering key topics to help you manage property, tax, and business life – and there’s more great content coming soon.
For Finances Sake (FFS) | Podcast on Spotify
Or find us by searching “For Finances Sake” on your favourite podcast platform.
🚀 Four Years In – And Just Getting Started
As we celebrate four years of Chadwick, we’re reflecting on just how far we’ve come:
- New team members
- More services
- Bigger ambitions
- An in-house marketing function
- A business development specialist in training
- And partnerships with an amazing lead generation service and PR firm
It’s been a HUGE year – and if Year Five is even half as exciting, we’re in for one hell of a ride!
Thanks, as always, for trusting us with your finances, your businesses, and your ambitions. We don’t take it lightly – and we’re here to keep making your lives easier and your businesses more tax-efficient than ever.
