Starting a new business involves gathering information about a lot of new things very quickly and talking to as many people as possible. One of which should be your accountant. But what will they tell you about launching your new venture? Will it just be things such as how to register for VAT and what the rules are for filing your accounts with Companies House? Or will you talk about what really matters? Here is the first of my six Golden Rules. Discuss these from the outset, and the future should pan out more productively. 1. For the avoidance of doubtEvery entrepreneur wants to save costs. So employing expensive lawyers to create sophisticated shareholder agreements is not necessarily a priority. Besides, I hear you say, what is the point of going to court over something that probably won’t be worth a lot of money for some years yet? There is every good reason to involve lawyers now (for example to tie down your intellectual property, or perhaps to position it offshore). The key thing is to draw up a document that sets out clearly what you have agreed with each other. This does not need to involve lawyers at all. A one-pager, signed by each of the founders, is a nil cost must-have document. Companies so often break up because of arguments between shareholders and they often happen because of simple misunderstanding – you said you would do this… I thought that…. Write down what you have agreed and the benefits are obvious. This is the first of six short pieces on working with your accountant, written by Christopher Jenkins, senior partner of Wingrave Yeats (yes, they’re accountants). Wingrave Yeats was voted Best Medium Sized Firm of the Year and Chris was voted Best Business Adviser of the Year by the CBI. Contact him at cjenkins@wingrave.co.uk or go to www.wingrave.co.uk For more on choosing and using an accountant, click here for our Start-up Guide.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.