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Jeremy Robbins on approachable accountancy

By Jeremy Robbins

Proud owner of Genio Accountants

Genio Accountants has doubled in size over the past year thanks to open and proactive advice delivered in a professional yet relaxed way.

The firm is the creation of Managing Director Jeremy Robbins, who, after many years of working for large corporate accountancy practices, established Genio to help small businesses.

The approachable accountant, having set up as a small business himself, has a comparative understanding of his clients’ perspectives and he’s always open to a chat.

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What have been, and are likely to be, the changes within accountancy?

The major change has been the software. It’s good and bad, because you can only really get things automated if they're set up correctly.

Making sure that things are done every month is key, and Xero or any equivalent accounts software helps to do that - the time savings are huge.

MTD (Making Tax Digital) is changing things quite significantly. It’s already come in for VAT returns. It means that HMRC has access to records at the transaction level. It’s coming into place for company accounts and personal tax returns - it’s going to be a huge change in the next few years.

What advice would you give to new businesses and clients to ensure they embed the right accounts processes from the start?

For the majority of our clients, we do it for them. Our client base is small businesses; they do what they're good at and know that we're behind the scenes making sure their accounts are tidy.

Every month we make sure everything's reconciled and take that burden off the client. If you do it regularly, it means all the deadlines are met. There's no last-minute panic about return deadlines; clients get plenty notice when they've got to pay their taxes through their VAT returns.

How do you maintain your high level of knowledge on behalf of your clients?

We do regular courses. We partner with an insolvency practitioner called Leonard Curtis who do tax accountancy seminars throughout the year which the whole team go to. We have to stay accredited for Xero, so everyone in the office has to do a Xero accreditation every year.

With COVID we were literally learning as we went along and sharing our knowledge. At first, even the software hadn't caught up with accounting for furlough.

Can you tell us about your COVID-19 business support?

We set up a COVID-19 business support group at the start of the first lockdown. It was basically just to help, because on that Friday when lockdown was announced I got so many phone calls, with people panicking and asking the same questions. We set up a Facebook group, and it snowballed with people joining from all over the UK to access a central point for all the information. Everyone was learning 18 months ago - no one knew what furlough was, what grants they were entitled to, and what new legislation was coming through.

Proactive is a really big buzzword in accountancy, everyone uses it but not many actually practice it. It's really frustrating when you see big firms saying they’re proactive but in reality, they’re not. Being a small firm, we really care and we can adapt to what is needed quickly.

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Is there something you are passionate about which you advocate through your business?

We’re really passionate about Shop Local, especially in the high streets. We’re based in Woolston, which has an interesting high street; we’ve got a Shop Local quote in our window which is really well received. I just love the fact that if you use local businesses, you’re helping a local community. If you try and help small businesses, every little sale helps. We’re a small business ourselves, I know when I get a new client, it makes me happy. People putting that trust in you as a small business means a lot.

What do you most enjoy doing outside of the business?

I spend a lot of time golfing. I’m an ex-long-distance runner and I’m trying to get back into it.

My daughter’s an elite gymnast, so I spend a lot of time at the Southampton Gymnastics Club. I really enjoy it as it’s another great sort of community. She’s done it since she was seven, and now at 11 she’s trying for Team GB. And my son plays football; it’s great sharing their journey with them.

"Everyone was learning 18 months ago - no one knew what furlough was, what grants they were entitled to, and what new legislation was coming through."

Jeremy Robbins - owner of Genio Accountants

Is there something you are passionate about which you advocate through your business?

I played chess for Nottingham when I was at primary school, so not only am I an accountant, I was also a chess player. I do love a challenge, I would love to play chess with anybody, it’s a great leveller and it’s good to have a chat with someone whilst playing.

Is there something you are passionate about which you advocate through your business?

I do like Below Deck Mediterranean, there’s something about the escapism that I enjoy. I’m not normally into reality TV, although I do love The Apprentice.

I’ve just applied to go on Hunted – the programme where you have to go on the run and evade capture from the expert hunters. I’ve got a plan for what I’d do, but you’ll have to wait and see if I go on to find out what it is.

"I just love the fact that if you use local businesses, you're helping a local community. If you try and help small businesses, every little sale helps."

Jeremy Robbins - owner of Genio Accountants

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