Having a secure future was important to accountant, Steve Powell. Which is why he is building his DNS Accountants business with a clear exit strategy inspiring his growth plan.
Have you considered what your life will look like after work? For accountant, Steve Powell, he has a clear vision of what he wants to do, once he retires. So, he is building his business which will give him the freedom to do exactly what he dreams of.
Having been an accountant for around 30 years, Steve had worked in various sectors from manufacturing and corporate to charity. But, as an employee, he’d also been through too many redundancies, throughout his career. “The first time I was made redundant, we’d just moved into a new house,” Steve explains, “so I was incredibly worried about losing it, if I didn’t find something else, quickly. Just before I had been made redundant, I’d been speaking with my then boss, about wanting to run my own business.”
The dream of being his own boss was one which has driven Steve to start and sell more than one business, over the last 20 years. “There’s something appealing about being my own boss,” he explains. “The freedom I gain by working for myself, is something I relish. I’ve explored various routes into business ownership, and each one has enhanced my experience and knowledge, despite not really lasting more than three or four years. I did settle into a routine with book-keeping and payroll, but there was something missing at the time, and I wasn’t sure how to grow.”
Throughout those years, Steve kept an eye on the franchise industry. He was looking for the right franchise which would combine his book-keeping and payroll knowledge, with the security of a brand who would offer him confidence and support. “There were aspects of accountancy I knew I could do well. But, there were other areas I wasn’t so confident with – mainly because I didn’t have the experience to offer clients a full service. So, although I’d been running my own business for a while, I was turning clients away, or outsourcing work to other accountants.”
Steve eventually came across DNS Accountants, and a light suddenly shone brightly on the future he’d been hoping for. “They were exactly what I was looking for! The franchise opportunity suited my skill set, and the means to build the future I wanted. I’d heard of them, because I’d used their software for my business, previously. But, I hadn’t realised they were a franchise until I received an email from one of the franchise websites. Having heard of the brand, and knowing the success of their accountancy software, I was instantly at ease with the prospect of the opportunity they presented.”
In 2015, Steve invested in his DNS Accountants franchise, and has since grown from strength-to-strength. “My biggest reservation about running a fully-fledged accountancy practice, had been around the more complex matters, such as tax issues. With DNS Accountants, not only do I have the backing of a successful brand, but if there is an area I don’t personally specialise in, Head Office have experts on-hand to assist me, or do the work on my behalf for my clients.”
With the support and guidance of DNS Accountants behind him, Steve is seeing his business flourish. And, because he has a clear end goal in mind, he is now in a position to invest profits back into the business. “When I first started, I was working by myself. But, before long, as more clients signed-up, my niece joined me part-time, then full time. Now, I have nine staff – both full and part time – with another three due to start by the end of July, following a couple of acquisitions. All of this is helping me keep my eyes on the end goal – to retire to Malta in a little over ten years!”
Steve is in no doubt about the secret of his success. “I definitely wouldn’t have achieved the growth I have, without DNS Accountants’ support,” he says. “They have experts in all areas of accountancy and tax, so even if something is outside my area of speciality, there’s someone who will help me respond to a client’s query. The high-level of training and information they provide us with, is second to none – they really do know what we need, from dealing with clients’ needs, to building our franchise. The training I’ve received over the years, covers everything from how best to utilise our software, to what I, as a business owner, need to know. Because of all this support, my confidence has also increased, knowing my clients benefit from accessing the full-range of services they need.”
If you have a retirement plan, or want to enhance your pension pot, maybe it’s time to invest in your future with a DNS Accountants franchise?
