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Rob Sheppard on the value of counting on simplicity

By Rob Sheppard

Managing Director - BJT Accountants Ltd.

Keeping things simple and delivering a good value service is the winning formula applied by Rob Sheppard in his business BJT Accountants.

The sum of Rob’s 16 years of experience includes working across accountancy roles throughout the industry – from audits of large international organisations, to preparing monthly management accounts – before he started out on his own in 2017.

Now, with a growing team, Rob’s strategic plans for expansion are leading this accountancy firm toward a future of further straightforward success.

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Can you talk us through the BJT accountancy services?

We do pretty much the whole shebang when it comes to accountancy: limited company accounts, tax returns, sole trader accounts, VAT returns, bookkeeping, payrolls, company formations, tax advice, and tax planning.

We specialise in supporting small companies with a turnover anywhere from £10,000 up to a couple of million. We support a whole range of businesses with their accounts: plumbers, builders, gyms, cleaning companies, consultants, recruitment businesses, architects…you name it, we’ve probably got someone on the books who does it.

"I take a straightforward approach rather than bamboozling people with jargon and accountancy words. We pride ourselves on keeping things simple."

Which elements of the job do you find the most enjoyable?

I really enjoy helping people, because a lot of people set up a business, and they don’t know where to start with their accounts and finances so it’s nice to guide them in the right direction. They can concentrate on their own business while we take care of their admin, and if we can save them some tax as well, it’s a bonus. Smaller companies really appreciate the advice they get, and it’s rewarding to make a bit of a difference to them.

Have there been any proudest moments since you started out on your own?

Taking on new employees is always great. I started off as a one-man band and now we’re a small team, so creating jobs from nothing is something I’m proud of.

It’s vital to get the right team in place; in our industry where we’re dealing with finance, you’ve got to have the right people. I’ve got a trustworthy team, they know what they’re doing, and they’ve all hit the ground running.

How do you stand out in the competitive market of accountancy?

We always say that we do a good job for a fair price. I like to say it how it is and spell things out in layman’s terms. I take a straightforward approach rather than bamboozling people with jargon and accountancy words. We pride ourselves on keeping things simple.

How do you maintain your knowledge and insight in such an ever-changing industry?

We’ve got a training provider and we do regular courses through them to meet our requirements for the ACCA.

It’s vital because our job is always changing; every year there’s a different budget and new policies come in. The last budget was very different, it totally changed how things work so it’s been a challenge this year trying to stay up to date with all the all the changes, and more changes are likely to be ahead with the election next year.

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What would you recommend is one thing every business should do with regard to their accounting?

Speak to an accountant. Some people try and do their accounts themselves but they’re missing out on so many tax breaks and they might be doing it completely wrong.

I always suggest to anyone who’s got a business to at least speak to an accountant first because we should hopefully pay for ourselves in what we save in terms of time and hopefully tax.

Numerous clients we’ve picked up have tried to do it themselves and sometimes when they finally speak to us it can be too late. So, it’s better to speak with an accountant earlier rather than later.

Is there anyone who has influenced your professional career?

I had a colleague at my old firm, who encouraged me to give it a go on my own. When you work for a firm, you can easily get into that mindset and never leave. He spurred me on and gave me the confidence and the belief to give it a go by myself, he gave me a few clients to get things off the ground and if it wasn’t for him, I may not have done it.

"I always suggest to anyone who's got a business to at least speak to an accountant first because we should hopefully pay for ourselves in what we save in terms of time and hopefully tax."

Rob Sheppard - Managing Director, BJT Accountants Ltd.

What was the last thing you read or listened to?

I do quite a lot travelling, especially long drives, and I love listening to podcasts and audiobooks.

1984 by George Orwell is the last book I listened to. I should have read it many years ago because it’s probably one the best books I’ve ever read. He wrote it in 1949, and a lot of what he predicts has come to fruition. Considering he wrote it so long ago, it’s incredibly accurate for the world we live in today.

Is there a place that you particularly enjoy visiting when you’re travelling?

Austria is my number one place, because it’s so peaceful, especially during the summer. It has lovely scenery, nice mountains, and it’s good to relax and do a long bike ride or a walk out into the countryside. It’s a very relaxing environment so I always head there a few times a year, I drive so that I can take the bikes and the dog along too.

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