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Small Business Accountants in Berkshire, Hampshire and Wiltshire
Jon qualified as a chartered accountant in 2001 and since then has worked extensively at the highest levels of large organisations, as well as with sole traders, SMEs and on the personal finances of wealthy individuals.
Jon had always wanted to work for himself, so in 2019 he set up RED 76 specialising in compliance and advisory activities. In early 2020, Jon joined BBB.
“BBB has shown me the art of the possibility."
Jon's primary interest is football and he can be found most weekends either coaching or managing a local youth football team. Being a qualified Accountant, he is also a board member for the club and responsible for the finances.
The biggest challenge for Jon as a new business owner was the fear of the unknown. He was concerned about being completely on his own running the business and as such had a paralysis on decision making.
"I knew there was stuff I just didn’t know, but I had no idea what I didn’t know or how to find it out. I needed to be amongst similar size businesses but wanted somewhere where I could benefit from a variety of opinions and insight. I wanted to open my mind."
"BBB felt like somewhere I could get a huge amount of mentoring and insight without being tied to one mentor and being obliged to do it that one way."
Jon became a BBB member in early 2020 and has fully embraced BBB's unique goal setting programme.
"Goal setting has been a core part of my success. Running your own business can be a lonely path and it can be a hard plod or journey on what feels like a very long conveyer belt. Having goals and goal setting periods punctuates that journey and makes you stop and recognise success and where you can improve. Having the goals in place makes you genuinely feel like you are reporting to your Board. It also helps articulate to your wider circle, be that family, friends, peers, how you are progressing."
Jon has found it helpful to see how all businesses are equally vulnerable across many diverse sectors and how being a business owner is a very personal journey.
“Being in BBB is a very safe environment and there is an individual personal commitment and investment from everyone there. One of my challenges actually was growing so fast, my time has been spent winning new work, onboarding clients and actually executing the work."
"I’ve listened a lot to the advice of the Group and the BBB team, and it’s all about making the right adjustment at the right time, not too early, not too late and since onboarding
staff it’s been so much better.'
When Jon joined BBB, the world, and particularly the UK, started to be hit by the Coronavirus Pandemic, but despite the uncertain climate, Jon has made some massive achievements.
"I’ve taken on staff, I’ve grown my business, my business has reached it’s first birthday, I’ve adjusted to using technology to sell and advise whereas before I was solely a face to face man, I’ve been on workshops to give my technical knowledge and input for people worried about what financial support they could get."
"It’s been hard and long hours but I’m really proud that my business is stronger than ever and has a great future.
"My biggest success has to be having the business make it to its first birthday. Lots of growing pains, Zoom fatigue, learning to sell over the telephone (people open up to their issues better face to face), and some long hours delivering the work."
"I’ve made strong friendships and new clients and penetrated into new networks. BBB has shown me the art of possibility... office, people, tech, when to upgrade – it’s all possible now!"
Jon has progressed incredibly quickly so far on his journey with BBB, by smashing through the £100k turnover threshold. He was soon ready to scale is business further, by taking the next step into our Extreme Growth Mastermind.
"I had a mental picture that I wasn’t big enough for extreme growth even though I was tracking 6 figures+ but actually the power of being in that room is that stability of longer term businesses."
"I’d say to anyone joining Success Groups Plus – aim to progress to Extreme Growth within 2 years because you will learn so much and you will absolutely add value to those in there too. It’s a great community."
"George Swift is considered and thoughtful but at the same time hard hitting. He doesn’t rush to speak but when he does it is very powerful."
“BBB is going to be right for you if you come to it with an openness and be totally honest about your business. You need to not sign up to be a passenger as you won’t get the most you can out of it, instead always show up being willing to offer something to others as well as getting what you need.”
