Our Story
We're The Accounts Ladies
A forward thinking, client focused team of qualified finance professionals for UK small business
Hi, I'm Deborah Halliday, UK Profit First Professional, Fellow of The Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers (IAB) and Xero Advisor Accredited. I've spent over 30 years working in finance and business leadership in various organisations.
I'm the founder of The Accounts Ladies, a growing team of Business Financial Coaches, Accountants & Bookkeepers. Our Partners include Starling Bank, Swoop Funding and Cheetham Jackson – Financial Planners. We are also Xero Silver Partners.
Deborah Halliday
Founder
The Accounts Ladies
How I got started
In 2003 I left my corporate position of Senior Business Development Manager - Sales Team Leader, in a central London Management Development company to begin my maternity leave. My son was born and my daughter arrived shortly afterwards in 2004.
Being at home with them both made me realise that I wanted to be a stay at home mum. Going back to my previous position, which involved lots of traveling and 12 hour days, didn’t seem very family friendly!
So instead I took on the admin and bookkeeping for my partner's roofing business, using my extensive experience of payroll, targets, budgets, sales/purchases, stock takes and audits. My years spent in accounts and retail departments made me a perfect fit.
My partner's work colleagues heard of my skills, along with other tradespeople, and so the requests began. This was what I had been looking for! Something I could work around my family, choose my own hours and my schedule, in my own home.
I enrolled in night school to gain the additional bookkeeping and accountancy qualifications that I needed. Then I applied for my license and began my own bookkeeping practice. I became a qualified registered bookkeeper in 2008.
Putting Profit First
In 2019 I wound down my business, when I made the decision to home school my daughter through her GCSEs. Once she passed her exams and entered college it was time for me to build my business back up.
However, I wanted to do that not from scratch, but from experience. I knew I had to do things differently if I was to have a profitable business without suffering burn out.
I went in search of a better way and found Mike Michalowicz's book Profit First, a lightbulb moment. This would allow me to ensure my business was financially healthy from day one - unlocking owners' pay and profit without owner exhaustion. I implemented this into my business and I've
not looked back.
I knew this would help my clients as my own business was proof of that. I gained the accreditation to become a Profit First Professional and I was back on my journey to help my clients maximise their profit potential.
When working in the management training industry, “Maximising your potential” was our company mission statement. The natural foundation for that is now my mission and vision for you as an Accounts Ladies client:
“Maximising Profit Potential”
The Accounts Ladies
Get in touch
To book your discovery call
and initial profit assessment
Our Team
At The Accounts Ladies, we believe that every small business owner should have access to a team of professionals who can help them achieve financial success. That's why we've formed a team of profit-first professionals who specialise in business coaching, financial planning, accounting, and bookkeeping.
Our team is dedicated to helping small business owners understand their numbers and develop a profitable business model. We know that it can be challenging to manage all aspects of a business on your own, especially when it comes to finances. That's why we are here to guide you every step of the way and ensure that you have a solid financial foundation.
We believe that by working with a business coach, financial planner, accountant, and bookkeeper, small business owners can achieve their goals and take their business to the next level. Our team is passionate about helping small businesses succeed, and we are committed to providing the support and guidance needed to make it happen.
So if you are a small business owner looking to improve your financial situation and take your business to the next level, The Accounts Ladies are here to help. Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you in achieving financial success.
Deborah Halliday
Founder of The Accounts Ladies
Once upon a time, like many business owners, my cash flow was a mess. Despite being a seasoned bookkeeper, I fell into the all-too-common traps of low pricing, high costs, and little profit. Burnout seemed inevitable. Hi, I'm Deborah Halliday, and this is my story.
With over 15 years in finance and business leadership, I thought I had it all figured out. But when I left my corporate job in 2003 to embrace motherhood, everything changed. I traded in boardrooms for nursery rhymes and briefcases for mammas & pappas bags. Yet, I still craved the fulfilment of professional success.
In the midst of nappies and feedings, I found respite in numbers, managing the finances of my partner's roofing business. Word spread, and soon I was handling accounts for friends and colleagues. It was the flexibility I needed as a new mum, but it came with its own set of challenges.
By 2019, I had temporarily stepped away from my business to homeschool my daughter through her GCSEs. As she moved on to college, I faced a crossroads: rebuild my business or seek a new path.
It was during this time of reflection that I stumbled upon Mike Michalowicz's book, Profit First. His methodology was a revelation - a roadmap to financial health and sustainability for businesses. Inspired, I restructured my own practices, implementing Profit First principles from the ground up.
The transformation was profound. Not only did my business thrive, but I discovered a newfound passion for guiding others on their financial journey. Armed with the Profit First methodology and my years of experience, I founded The Accounts Ladies - a team of financial coaches, accountants, and bookkeepers dedicated to helping businesses unlock their profit potential.
Our mission is simple yet powerful: Maximizing Profit Potential. Just as I found a way to turn my financial struggles into success, I'm committed to empowering others to do the same. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, I'm here to guide you towards financial freedom and fulfilment.
So, if you find yourself drowning in spreadsheets and struggling to make ends meet, remember, there's always a way forward. With the right guidance and mindset, you can turn your business around and write your own conversion story.
Find out more
Get in touch now to find the right plan
for you and your business
Our Affiliates
Making the best use of the profit generated by your business
Our affiliate partner at Cheetham Jackson can advise you on health insurance, wealth building, pensions and future planning; all helping you to achieve your lifestyle aspirations.
Our investments? Never in harmful industries. We’re on a mission to make value-led banking the industry standard.
We're proud to partner with this award winning bank.
We have our own personal point of contact at Starling who will help support our clients’ needs.
Funding for ambitious UK businesses.
Proudly partnering with Swoop, we can provide you with the solutions to grow your business.
We combine our unique knowledge of your accounts with the accessibility of Swoop’s funding solutions across grants, loans, savings and equity.
Who We Work With
Our clients are typically business owners who do not currently have clarity on their finances or who are ready to scale.
We work with forward thinking business owners who understand the value of working with business financial experts. People who put their finances first and require expert advice and guidance to get to the next level.
We only work with business owners who value the importance of working with business financial experts to map out and guide future financial success.
Fees
Our clients typically invest a minimum of £6000 pa in our services. We limit the intake of new clients each month.
