If you're running a growing SME, you've probably got a good accountant. They file your tax returns on time, sort out your statutory accounts, and keep you compliant with HMRC. That's valuable work, and we're definitely not here to diminish it. But here's a question worth asking: Is your accountant helping you grow your business, or just keeping score of what's already happened?

For SMEs, startups, and scale-ups, understanding that people are your most valuable asset isn't just feel good rhetoric - it's fundamental to business success. When examining a business's balance sheet, one of the most crucial assets rarely appears, and that is the people who make everything happen.

Chris Wilson works on enabling others to use their voice to create impact and influence. He is  an executive coach, competition winning speaker,  and accredited NLP practitioner. Chris works with techniques and frameworks to make words resonate. Be it a C-suite executive, or a solopreneur, when you speak - you want your message to matter. Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Chris Wilson at 12pm on 15th January, as they discuss how to speak with impact

Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam and Mike Oliver at 12pm on 1 st January, as they discuss the insights they have gained from the Strive & Thrive podcast in the past year, and what can be taken into 2026.​ What insights can SME business leaders take into 2026?| Strive & Thrive #27 What is Strive & Thrive? Strive & Thrive  is a series of discussions aimed to inspire and provide insights to Entrepreneurs, Business owners and the Leadership teams of growing SME businesses - hosted b

David Sloly runs a B2B sales and marketing growth agency Harvey David . He started life as an entrepreneur, sold his business, travelled, and then trained as a journalist. He ultimately fell in love with broadcasting, producing, advertising, and marketing. A non-career conformist, author of several books, including Zoom!, which was in the Independent's top ten business books, David is the creator of the world's first AI-assisted sitcom, 'Made in AI' and also author of a week

We are excited to welcome Peter Mols and Sarah Mols as our guests on Strive & Thrive Episode 25: Are you an Entrepreneur or a Business Owner? Sarah Mols is the co founder of Mastermind9 and Outside Ideas , where she helps small business owners get clearer, more confident, and better supported. Alongside her coaching and planning expertise, Sarah has a serious knack for systems. Peter Mols is the Entrepreneur in Residence at Oxford Brookes University and founder of Outside I

A fractional Finance Director (FD) can transform a cost into one of the most valuable investments for your business's future. As your business reaches a crucial stage of growth, the need for strong financial leadership becomes clear. You require someone capable of navigating funding rounds, optimising cash flow, and converting your strategic vision into effective financial planning.

Have you ever received a clear explanation of crowdfunding for business? You might have a brilliant business idea, possibly even a prototype or some initial traction, but you need capital to scale up. Crowdfunding could be a valuable tool for you.

We are excited to welcome Geoff Bird as our guest on Strive & Thrive Episode 24: The Best Leaders have Social Intelligence. Professor Geoff Bird is a cognitive neuroscientist, holding professorships at the University of Oxford, University College London, and a visiting post at Radboud University, The Netherlands. Author of around 240 papers, his work explores the neuroscience of individual and group performance, decision-making, social interaction, mental health, and neurodi

Strive & Thrive is excited to invite you to close out the year with our very first Advent Calendar - 24 Days of Insights. Each day, you will discover a curated quote of wisdom, a foundational insight, or a strategic takeaway for SME business leaders from one of our most impactful past episodes. This is a perfect opportunity for a quick, daily dose of inspiration and practical advice as you prepare for the new year. Advent Calendar Link What is Strive & Thrive? Strive & Thrive

This blog post, aimed at startups, scale ups, and SMEs, answers the question: What is a cash flow forecast? As fractional CFOs, we've lost count of how many times we've heard a business say: "We're making sales, we're profitable on paper, but we're always running out of cash." If this sounds familiar, don’t worry, you're not alone.

Today's UK budget announcements are not as scary for SME businesses as anticipated, with corporation tax and national insurance rates held, and a move to encourage investment to stimulate the economy. The Financial Market's neutral/marginally positive immediate reaction is a reflection of this. Nevertheless, SME businesses face stiff challenges in the light of National living wage changes which will increase employment costs, and SME business owners will be hit personally wit

We are excited to announce a Strive & Thrive Special episode this week (28th Nov, 12pm) where co hosts Romesh & Mike unpack the Budget, and discuss what it really means for SME businesses.  What does the Budget mean for my business? | Strive & Thrive Number 23 Romesh is the Founder of The FD Consultant , a group of fractional Finance Directors who support growing organisations. Mike Oliver   is the Founder of Easol and focuses on innovative solutions. They both share a passi

We were really pleased to have Raj Thiruchelvarajah  as our guest on Thursday’s episode of Strive & Thrive! Riding the Scale Up Rollercoaster | Strive & Thrive Number 22 Raj Thiruchelvarajah is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hytro , a leading human performance business which produces Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearables. After 15 years in banking and consulting, Raj left the corporate world to build something more purposeful -  bringing a proven but complex scientific concept ou