For Finances Sake (FFS)

If you're not committed to prepare, you're just committing to fail. In this episode of FFS, host Rachael Chadwick Harrison is joined by Tara, Business Operations Executive at Chadwick Accountants and, outside of work, an amateur dramatics performer who recently played Sandy in Grease, to talk about why presenting yourself well matters just as much as being good at your job. Drawing on lessons from the stage, from smiling and reading the room to the discomfort of watching yourself back on camera, Tara and Rachael cover what makes a great first impression with new clients, why existing clients deserve just as much effort as the ones you're still trying to win, and how new starters size up a business within their first week. The episode ties into a chapter from Rachael's upcoming book, out in October.

Cash flow doesn't care how much you believe in your business. In this episode of FFS, host Rachael Chadwick Harrison is joined by her fellow director and husband Chris, to count down the top 10 things they wish every new business owner knew, drawn from years of working directly with hundreds of clients at Chadwick Accountants. No "believe in yourself" fluff, just contracts, cash flow, realistic forecasting, the first hire that can make or break you, and the number one tip they agreed on before they'd even compared notes: hire a great accountant, ideally before you incorporate. Rachael also shares a first look at her upcoming book, The Black Book, out in October.

It's the question every business owner asks eventually and the right answer keeps changing. With new MTD rules, Rachael breaks down sole trader vs. limited company: tax, National Insurance, liability, and the tipping points that matter, profits past £30K and £50K, high-value personal assets, high-risk businesses, and family members who could use a lower tax band. If you've ever wondered whether incorporating is worth the hassle, this episode answers it.

Most businesses don't have a leadership problem, they have a management addiction.  In this episode of FFS, host Rachael Chadwick Harrison sits down with Sarah Gardiner, Director of Strategy at the British Business Bank, to talk about the real difference between businesses that are managed and those that are truly led. Drawing on close to thirty years across banking, fintech and strategy, including turning around an underperforming Clydesdale branch and senior leadership at fintech CIC Fair For You, Sarah shares why coaching pays off, how culture shows up in the numbers, and why the businesses that scale are the ones where people grow faster than the problems.

Ever hired someone who looked perfect on paper and turned out to be an absolute nightmare? You're not alone. One bad hire can cost more than a tax investigation, and cause twice the stress. In this episode of FFS, Rachael is joined by David Dand from Coreus, a boutique talent consultancy helping SMEs attract, recruit, and retain the right people. They get into why the biggest mistake businesses make isn't a lack of candidates, it's a lack of authenticity. Why culture fit matters more than most owners think. The real cost of getting recruitment wrong (hint: it's a lot more than four times someone's salary). And why recruitment might just be the last thing you should ever delegate. From dodgy CV clichés to the questions that actually reveal who someone is, this one's essential listening for anyone who's ever made a hiring decision they later regretted, or is about to make one.