60 Seconds with Mike O’Connell, entrepreneur and CEO of Isosceles Mike O’Connell is CEO of Isosceles.  In founding Isosceles, he wanted to give growing companies access to great finance, accounting and HR people to support their growth and help them achieve a successful exit. Mike is also a non-exec director on four boards (two TechTrack 100 companies). Guilty pleasure? 5-a-side football on a Monday evening. The best things in life … Continue reading →

Estimated reading time 8:00 minutes (but worth it!) As a supplier of FD Services, we often meet potential clients who are not entirely sure what a modern finance director does, or why they need one.   “I have a financial controller who is more than capable of producing a good, timely set of management accounts, what would a finance director add?” The modern finance director has changed, no longer are they … Continue reading →

“When should I outsource accounting?” is a crucial question that entrepreneurs may consider in their business’ early stages of growth and development. With the current business environment presenting serious challenges for businesses of all sizes, entrepreneurs may be looking to outsource their finance function or elements of it to grapple with the impacts of the global pandemic compounded by the conclusion of Brexit negotiations. In this blog, we outline how … Continue reading →

Many of us pay our day-to-day bills using direct debits. These types of payments mean we don’t forget, and it makes life easy. However, our ability to assess the quality of the product or service and measure it against our expectations before choosing to pay (or not!) is gradually being eroded. The flip side is that when we have the opportunity of true discretionary spending, our expectations are significantly sharper … Continue reading →

Which “shore” is right for the SME: onshore, nearshore or offshore As technologies converge facilitating the easy transfer of documents and data, and as communications improve to allow the provision of services anytime, anyplace, anywhere so the question has emerged in the world of SME outsourced accounting:  “which is better onshore, near-shore or offshore ?” What is the Difference Between the ‘Shores’? Let me start, for the avoidance of doubt and … Continue reading →

An interim FD is very similar to a part-time FD, but there are a few subtle differences. A part-time FD works with growing businesses on a long-term part-time (a day a week or a day a month, for example)  basis. They support companies who need the insight of an FD but cannot justify a full-time resource. An interim FD is temporarily engaged to deal with a particular situation For example: … Continue reading →

This is a good question, who in their right mind would choose the role of a part-time FD?  Potentially a different client every day and nowhere to hang their hat! The life of a part-time finance director is unquestionably a double-edged sword, with opportunities and challenges in equal measure. Adding real value to growing companies The variety of working with a portfolio of clients, all at different stages of growth; associating with, and … Continue reading →

The decision to outsource accounting should never be taken lightly.  Most leaders of growing businesses do recognise when the finance function is not as effective or as efficient as they need it to be. They also know when the time is right to consider outsourcing, but often they find it difficult to rationalise their decision – a huge stumbling block which may prevent a company from scaling. Why does signing a … Continue reading →

Preparing a company for sale When preparing a company for sale, one of the most difficult issues for the first time entrepreneur is when is the right time to sell your business? In an ideal world Sure the management books tell us to plan 12-24 months in advance develop relationships with the companies that could become potential predators. Raise your profile in the eyes of the predator; establish relationships, joint … Continue reading →