Those running a successful business will know the important role a good accountant and financial adviser plays, helping to steer the business towards growth and avoid common pitfalls. Skills and experience are vital, as is personal chemistry.
Enver Kannur, the managing director of multi-award winning firm Accounting Direct Plus (ADP), which has offices in Palmers Green and Soho, Central London, tells us what sets his accountancy practice apart from others.
When was Accounting Direct Plus formed, and is it a member of any regulatory bodies?
It was formed in 2010 and is a member of ACCA and ACPA. We are regulated for all our accountancy work by the ACCA. We are also an ACCA and AAT training centre.
Who are the firm’s main partners / advisers, and what experiences/qualifications do they hold?
There are five of us, including myself, who are ACCA, ACPA or AAT qualified. The main team is comprised as follows:
- Enver Kannur: Managing Partner;
- Irem Lopez: Office Manager and Reading Liaison Office
- Tugrul Yigitoglu: Business Development Partner
- Mehmet Gazioglu: Tax Partner
- Ronak Patel: Practice Partner
There are other ADP team members who are qualified, as well as those taking exams on their way to being qualified.
Which territories do you serve?
We serve all of Britain: I have visited Scotland as well as Cornwall, to see our clients.
We’ve heard ADP have won a fair few awards. Can you tell us about these?
Too many to mention but the main recent ones are AI 2016 International Finance Awards, Finance Awards 2015 for Best Tailored Accounting Services, and UK Corporate Excellence Awards 2015 for Best Accountants in the South East.
What are your areas of expertise?
We specialise in the service industry mainly, but we also have manufacturing clients as well as professional clients. We have been doing a lot for Buy-to-Let landlords, trying to help and advise them with regard to the recent changes. We try to be one stop shop.
What’s different about your accountancy practice?
As I said above, we try to be one stop for our clients’ business needs. We try to help them run their businesses and not just take care of their accountancy needs. Some clients only want a basic service, which is not what we are about. We enjoy getting involved in client businesses, providing them advice to help them grow.
Are you affordable for start-ups and sole traders?
I believe so. We help our clients save money on various areas of their business through the proper advice they receive [from us], which can be considerable in the long run. A business owner should not look at what he is paying, but what he is saving!
How can you help small businesses grow?
A lot of ways — we know what’s important to a small business, not just to survive, but to create the right conditions to grow, and a growing client is a good client for us.
The reason that Accounting Direct Plus has expanded so rapidly is because we are helping our clients to get bigger; their success is driving our growth too. We work with our clients’ bank managers and others to ensure the business needs are met in full and in a timely manner.
From your observations, what are the main reasons why some businesses fail and others succeed?
I have a saying: “turnover is vanity, profit is sanity and cash is the reality!” Those who forget this, or start their business with over-expectations struggle to survive. We also see some business owners drawing too much money from their business at the start. Cash is the lifeblood of any business. Making profit is not enough unless there is enough cash to pay the expenses when they are due.
Is it true you offer free cup cakes for clients?
Ha ha ha! Yes we do. We are constantly visiting clients, but once a year we will come armed with delicious cupcakes.
Accounting Direct Plus is a member of T-VINE’s Business Directory.
