Creative Businesses and Professional Artisans

In addition to the services offered to Artists and Creators we also offer the following services to a wide range of Creative Businesses and Professional Artisans in the media, and media support, and in the production of food and clothing: 

Business

  • Business review and developing strategies for the future.
  • Establishing your current position and your short-term and long-term goals
  • Business Restructuring – reviewing your plans and practical advice on implementing diversification, expansion or downsizing
  • Advice on acquiring or selling a business or taking in new partners or shareholders

Marketing

  • Defining or re-defining your market and plans for development and growth
  • Advice on the role of product pricing in establishing and developing your market
  • Advice on building a distribution base – the role of key accounts and multiples, agents v sales representatives, new media, exhibitions, specialist shows, trade fairs and exporting.
  • Exporting – how to go about it including finding distributors / agents / direct export
  • Developing the visitor and tourist potential and the effective use of data bases and new media
  • Developing and protecting your image and intellectual property rights
  • Identifying target galleries and shops both nationally and internationally to match up with your work

Finance

  • Business planning and forecasting
  • Cash flow planning and projections
  • Raising funds – grants, banks, public and private sectors, philanthropists and other potential stakeholders including beneficial arrangements customers and suppliers.
  • Advice on sourcing supplies and making the best deal with suppliers including international considerations
  • Product costing, pricing and margin analysis
  • Commercial advice on terms of trade and customer and supplier contracts

Accounts & Taxation

  • Preparing accounts whether your business is a sole trader / partnership / limited company / social enterprise and all statutory and taxation compliance requirements.
  • Setting up or reviewing your accounting systems. Helping you to get the information you need on time.
  • Installing Sage Accounting or operating it for you
  • Taxation and tax planning, including filing tax returns and agreeing tax liabilities. Resolving HMRC enquiries

Employment

  • Advice on employing people and understanding what’s involved. Operating PAYE, issues arising and communications with HMRC

VAT

  • VAT – getting the right scheme – maintaining your records and filing returns
  • Technical advice and communications with HMRC
  • Advice on VAT as applied to EU and non-EU imports and exports