Blog – Minerva Accountants Bristol and Somerset

June 15, 2026June 16, 2026

Why referrals aren’t cracking it any more

For decades referrals have always been the most reliable source of growth for established businesses but these days word of mouth is no longer enough. Buyer behaviour has changed and prospects are researching you online before they even speak to you. Even referred clients will Google your business and take a peak at your website before picking up the phone.

We need to move from passive marketing to visible expertise.

Prospects trust experts that they see regularly and this builds confidence before the first meeting. This consistent visibility also reduces price sensitivity as the prospect feels they are taking less of a risk with a ‘known’ business.

Marketing isn’t about hard selling. It is about showing up with helpful content. It’s about helping your prospects rather than boasting about yourself.

3 actions to strengthen your online presence

Optimise your social media presence with clear, niche messaging that speaks to your reader. Post value driven content and then take time to truly engage with your network by commenting on their own posts instead of just broadcasting at them.
Regularly create useful content by answering common client questions. Share insights, not just updates and don’t forget that you can repurpose content across different platforms.
Build a simple email list that helps you to stay front of mind. Share you insights monthly (our tops tips are deliberately short enough that we can share them weekly. It’s also the length of post that I like to write). As you draw closure to your prospects on your list you can take the time to nurture them.

June 7, 2026June 7, 2026

Be your own cheerleader!

As a business owner you’re often on your own making decisions and living with the consequences. Even if/when you have a team you’re still ultimately responsible for running the business.

As a kid my parents were often overseas but, whenever they were in the country, my mother would be in the front row of every performance, waving away. When I ran the Bristol 10k for the first time she even borrowed my daughter’s pompoms and cheered me on. And for my ironman triathlon in 2017 the whole family turned up with wigs and inflatable palm trees and they played the LOUDEST music which motivated all the runners throughout the long, gruelling marathon element that finishes the 226.3km (140.6 miles) of this hardcore event.

As an introvert who prefers to avoid the spotlight I found all this EMBARRASSINGLY supportive. But it’s also good to have somebody in my corner. No matter what. Unconditionally.

Who supports you in the lonely role of running your business? Who is there for you on a bad day/week/month/year?

Business coaches can help (I like to think that I provide this support for my clients) but it’s also important that you build a whole network around you. The accountancy world is very collaborative so I’m lucky to have people around me who understand my issues a bit better than my adoring family.

But again, the buck stops with you and YOU are responsible for motivating yourself through the dog days.

I recommend:

Keep a list of your successes to refer to when imposter syndrome strikes 🎉
Keep a list of quick fixes when you’re struggling to start something eg I like to get outside, preferably by water but, if short on time, I have recorded 1min of waves breaking on a beach. 🔧
Keep a reminder close by of your reason for your business. I have a shell on my desk that is a visual and tactile reminder that I am building my life as a digital nomad. 📌
Keep a playlist that will lift your mood 🎵

What do you do to motivate yourself?

June 7, 2026

Claiming VAT on mileage

Last week I mentioned the increase in the flat rate mileage allowance from 45p to 55p (for the first 10,000 miles). But did you know that you can also claim VAT on part of this allowance? The amount that you can claim is the VAT on the fuel element which varies each quarter and depends on the engine size of your car.

This is the same rate used for company car fuel and you can find the latest list here.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/advisory-fuel-rates

eg if your fuel rate is 17p you can claim 17p/1.2x.2=2.83p VAT on the 55p.

May 31, 2026

Mileage rate for private cars used for business

It’s long overdue but, finally, the HMRC allowable mileage rate has been increased from 45p per mile to 55p per mile (for the first 10,000 miles per tax year). This change has been backdated to April.

All other mileage rates are unchanged.

May 31, 2026

How to prepare your business for sale

I don’t know about you but I hope to retire some day. I’m not in a hurry as I love what I do but I thought I’d share some of the factors that helped me to obtain 32% MORE than average on the sale of my second business. (My first business was a small partnership with a friend that we wound up amicably when I returned to the UK)

Yes, buyers will look at the profitability but there’s more beyond that so here’s a checklist for you to work on. The difference between and average and a premium valuation often depends on preparation.

1.Stable revenue and profit trends – stability is often better than erratic growth. The new owners want to know how much profit they will be able to generate. Clean, well-organised accounts – these give an impression that the whole business is well run. EBITDA is more than a buzzword, it’s an adjusted profit measurement that allows buyers to compare like with like when looking at different businesses

2.Minimise risk for the new owner – reduce risk leads to higher multiples. Assured future revenue through contracts, retainers, subscriptions, and repeat customers will guarantee the new owner their first income. This assured revenue also gives confidence over future cashflow

3.Diverse customer base. A big ‘name’ may sound impressive but they may be at higher margins and/or the business may be overly dependent on them. Risk concentration is a concern for prospective buyers. Diversified income streams (customers and products) increase stability and confidence

4.Strong brand and market position. Brand recognition and reputation will continue to attract customers to your business in the future. If you have a niche it may be easier to stand out as a specialist. Identify any competitive advantages that you have in terms of USP and intellectual property. A trusted brand will often receive a premium offer.

5.Documented systems and processes – these will help the business to run smoothly without you making the transition easier for the new owner will also increase the value of your business

6.Reduced dependence on the owner. If the business is dependent on you to continue running then it may well collapse without you and so will be valueless to the new owner. Start your retirement now. Ensure that others in your team have knowledge of operations and sales as well as customer and other business relationships. It is important to delegate to your team.

7.Experienced and reliable team – they will keep the business running day to day when you have exited. Retention of employees post-sale is often desirable for the new owner so ensure that the buyer is aligned with your key team. This will reduce operational risk for the buyer (as well as looking after the team who have served you well)

8.Potential – Buyers will pay for potential growth and scalability. Ensure that you have up to date, scalable systems in place (this is where many retiring accountants fail to prepare leaving the new buyer with too much work to do). Identify untapped markets, new products, and expansion opportunities

9.Clean compliance position. Ensure that all contracts, licences, insurance, etc are in order and settle any outstanding disputes or liabilities

10.Clear exit preparation and timing – spend 1-5 years preparing* in advance of the sale by improving financial metrics and reducing risk.

Increasing the value of your business is not just about increasing profit but also reducing risk and proving that profits are sustainable. Put yourself in the position of the buyer. Small improvements can often significantly increase sale price.

*Warning – when Della has coached business owners to prepare their business for sale two thirds of them have liked the new business so much that they have deferred their retirement!

May 25, 2026

Tax efficient salary

For many years it used to be more tax efficient for director shareholders to take low salary and high dividends but things have changed.

Over the last 3 years the optimal salary/dividend policy has changed because:

Higher corporation tax rate of 25% introduced with a marginal rate of 26.5% 1 April 2023

Dividend tax free band reduced to £500 2024/25

Employer NI starting point reduced to £5000 2025/26

Employment allowance increased to £10500 2026/27

Dividend tax rates increased to 10.75%-39.35% 2026/27

It keeps us accountants on our toes revamping all our models each year!

May 25, 2026

She made me cry

Last week at Accountex somebody made me cry.

I was heading into the restaurant in my hotel for a quiet dinner and somebody recognised me and followed me in. With minor celebrity status (more Z list than A list) in the accountancy world I’m used to people stopping me because they’ve read one of my books or seen me speak.

This time they wanted to thank me for an encouraging comment that I had made when she first set up her business in 2019. A single comment that I made to a stranger and she still remembered it 7 years later. Words really do have power!

As an author I love the precision of words and deliberately dwell on the exact vocabulary to express my meaning as accurately and concisely as possible. But I’m not so careful when I’m just chatting, in person or on social media, as those words are very much ‘in the moment’.

As a mother I was aware of the way that words can build up or tear down my children. Usually after I’ve said the wrong thing!

As a boss I need to remember to take time to thank my team for the good job that they do looking after me and our clients. I’m often busy and just spit out instructions without thinking of the human impact.

We use words in our marketing all the time and our tone of voice, as well as the words themselves, allow readers to imagine themselves working with us … or not.

So, today, I encourage you to look at the words that you use. In seven years time will somebody be thanking you or recovering from a damaging throw away comment that you have made while feeling stressed about something completely unrelated?

May 17, 2026

Keep your bookkeeping up to date!

This is the single biggest thing that you can do to minimise tax and penalties. If your records are up to date you will:

know when you need to VAT register so no late registration penalties

know how much tax you are likely to need to pay so you can squirrel it away long before the due date so no late payment penalties

know how much profit after tax is available to take as dividends so no penalty tax on overdrawn directors’ loan accounts (DLA)

have up to date information to ask your accountant for advice before you make any major business (or life) decisions

Frankly, I’m sick of being asked to help directors out of a hole long after the time has passed for action. Whilst I might sympathise, I can do much more if provided with basic information and consulted early rather than having to refer clients to HMRC for a Time to Pay arrangement after the event when we are finally given information to START preparing the accounts.

May 10, 2026

Minerva Momentum Review

To keep your business moving forwards (without the faff).

The Minerva Momentum Review is a sharp, monthly business check‑in for owners who want progress, not another report they’ll never read.

In 30 minutes we boil your business down to one page:

3 key numbers that actually matter

What’s going well, what needs attention, and what’s quietly shouting for help

Clear actions, with names next to them (because things only get done when someone owns them)

No jargon. No waffle. No 40‑page management accounts destined for a drawer.

This review keeps you focused, accountable, and looking forwards, not just backwards at last month’s numbers. It’s structured enough to be useful, relaxed enough to be human, and designed to keep momentum going month after month.

Think of it as a regular business MOT; quick, practical, and far cheaper than fixing things once they’ve broken.

One page. Three KPIs. Clear actions. Real movement.

Contact to book yours.