Owner-Managed Businesses

Specialist accounting and financial planning services for owner-managed businesses across the South West

Accountants & Financial Advisers for SME's & Owner-Managed Businesses

Overview

From start-ups to scale-ups, sole traders, family businesses and entrepreneurs, owner-managed businesses come in all structures and sizes, and each business faces unique challenges.

Just like the businesses, those who lead them all have their own aims and ambitions. At Old Mill we recognise that every business owner’s aspirations are individual to them; which is why we focus on building long-term relationships with clients, and gaining an understanding of your personal aims as well as your business objectives.

Once we have a full picture of what you want to achieve, our team can work with you to help you realise those goals. Alongside all the accountancy services you would expect – such as tax planning, Value-Added Tax (VAT) returns, bookkeeping, payroll services and compliance – we can help you to plan for future business growth using cash flow modelling and financial planning strategies. If you’re looking to expand your business through mergers and acquisitions, or seeking investment to take your company to the next level, our corporate finance team are on hand to guide you through the process.

You may be considering handing over the reins via a business sale or succession; our experienced staff will work with you to secure the best outcome for you and your business. And when you do decide to take a step back and enjoy the rewards of years of hard work, we can help you to plan for long-term financial security.

We deliver an individually tailored service to owner-managed businesses across the South West, which provides peace of mind while meeting all your personal and professional financial needs. Whatever your aims and aspirations – for yourself and your business – we look forward to helping you achieve them.

To chat to us about your plans, get in touch with us or book an appointment at one of our offices in Exeter, Wells, Melksham and Yeovil.

Stuart Grimster. Head of Owner Managed Businesses.

Head of Owner Managed Businesses Stuart Grimster

"Working with Old Mill is like working with friends that just happen to be accountants and tax specialists.”

Chris Ormrod. MD. The Flavourworks

VAT

Our People Jolyon Stonehouse Lead Adviser

Jolyon is a passionate and driven leader who was part of the Management Buy Out team that set up Old Mill in 2006. He currently sits on the Old Mill board.

Having had first-hand experience of running a business (he was Managing Partner until 2012), Jolyon uses this knowledge to provide support and advice in order to help clients run their own businesses better. He works closely with ambitious individuals to enable them to use their businesses to realise their personal goals, advising, in particular, the Food and Drink and Owner Managed Business sectors.

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Our People Elaine Kinsella Head of Tax

As a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser, Elaine focuses on proactive and creative tax solutions which fit the commercial objectives. Her specialisms include International Corporate and Personal tax.

Elaine began her career with Price Waterhouse Coopers and KPMG working in their corporation tax and international teams. She then spent 8 years at Capital One Bank where she rose to the position of Senior Director in charge of the European tax team. Elaine then moved to the South West to be closer to her family and has enjoyed spending the last 7 years working with owner managed business on a range of tax issues. She joined Old Mill in June 2013.

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Our People David Rice Director, Financial Planner

David joined Old Mill in 2007 and has over 17 years of client services experience.

He provides financial planning solutions to a wide range of clients, both personal and business and is proud to be able to enhance the region’s wealth by advising local people.

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Our People Mark Neath Director

As a director in the Commercial Team, Mark is responsible for a portfolio of audit and owner-managed business clients in the South West.

Mark is the firm’s specialist in corporate finance services, including business valuation, financial due diligence, business planning and cashflow modelling. These skills bring him into all sorts of interesting projects from employee shares schemes to buy-outs and acquisitions to renewable energy developments.

As a University of Exeter Alumnus, Mark participates in the Career Mentor scheme, working with current students about to embark on the first step of their careers.

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"The move onto Xero was a massive transition for us as there’s a lot of paperwork generated because of the cheese sales and we needed to set up all the cost centres and systems. We can now pull the right information on a monthly basis to provide us with much better insights to be able to run the business."

Emily Davies. Dorset Blue Vinny

Case Studies

A creative collaboration for Jon Thorner’s and Hunt’s Foodservice

Working closely with clients and listening to their aims and aspirations led to food and drink specialist Lorraine Bolland identifying that Jon Thorner’s and Hunt’s Foodservice could work better together.

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Case Studies

How we helped The Flavourworks achieve 10% year-over-year growth

The Flavourworks is one of the most innovative ingredients suppliers in the UK, creating exciting new flavour ideas for the country’s top supermarkets and foodservice providers for over 30 years.

The arrival of new MD Chris Ormrod in 2018 created the opportunity to recapitalise and structure a Management Buy-In so that The Flavourworks could attract new investment to take advantage of new market opportunities, broaden the product range and create more high margin value-add products and steer away from commodity items.

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Case Studies

Helping Woodbridge Farm and Dorset Blue Vinny build a future proof business

Woodbridge Farm and Dorset Blue Vinny is a multi generational, family run business helmed by Mike, Christine, Richard and Emily. Based on a working dairy farm, the company is the only UK producer of a unique 300 year old blue cheese.

When the family needed help streamlining the farm and cheese making businesses, the Old Mill team recognised the need to shift to a cloud based accounting system and helped them implement Xero.

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Case Studies

Supporting Wadswick Country Store through retail diversifications, a cafe expansion and the creation of a solar park.

Dating from the 1980’s, Wadswick Country Store is a multi-generational business that is at the cutting edge of green energy farming and country living retail.

With increasing on-line challenges to face, Old Mill has helped Tim, Carolyn, Jo and Alex to put the foundations for future security and growth in place through forecasting, business planning and the successful application for funding of a solar park and cafe expansion.

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