The Ultimate FD Podcast

Joshua Keegan

ULTIMATE FD PODCAST

  1. 3d ago

    #229 - Tax Talks - The Five Tax Traps (AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM)

    In this episode of The UltimateFD Podcast, I am joined by Tej Gill, a tax specialist who works with entrepreneurs across the UK, to go through five live tax traps that are hitting SME owners right now. The tax environment for UK entrepreneurs has shifted materially over the past two years, and most business owners have not fully adjusted their approach. Tej and I recorded this episode because too many people are absorbing tax hits that could have been planned around with the right advice at the right time. We work through each trap in detail. Making Tax Digital is already live for sole traders earning over £50k in revenue, with quarterly digital submissions now mandatory and the threshold dropping to £20k within two years. Dividend tax rates have crept up across all bands, and Business Asset Disposal Relief has gone from 10% to 18% since April, for anyone planning to sell a business in the next few years, the cumulative tax cost is real and worth understanding now. We also examine Substantial Shareholding Exemption, a corporate-level relief that can reduce the tax rate on a business sale to zero if the right structure is in place early enough. I share a personal example too: one proactive meeting with Tej's team saved me around 33% of my own tax bill this year, through entirely legitimate planning that I simply had not spotted until we sat down together. This episode is for entrepreneurs who are serious about protecting their profits and positioning their business for a clean exit. If your current tax strategy amounts to hoping your accountant sorts it out at year end, the practical steps Tej shares here could save you a meaningful amount of money. 👉🏻 DOWNLOAD A COPY OF OUR BOOK SMALL BUSINESS BIG PROFIT FOR FREE: https://ultimate-fd.webflow.io/small-business-big-profit  👉🏻 HOW FINANCIALLY FIT IS YOUR BUSINESS? Take the Ultimate FD Acid test to find out and have a bespoke report in less than 5 minutes!!! Take the test here: https://josh-dtlqxm7w.scoreapp.com/  👉🏻 DOWNLOAD THE AUDIOBOOK HERE: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Small-Business-Big-Profit-Audiobook/B0GJT8Q63B

    30 min
  2. Jun 21

    EP#228 - Zombie Nation - The Stupid Sh*t Entrepreneurs Do

    In this episode of The Ultimate FD Podcast, I look at something I am seeing more and more behind the scenes of UK businesses: companies with strong top-line revenue that are not making any real money.  I call them zombie businesses.  Not dead, not thriving, just bumbling along and draining the life out of the people who run them. The timing matters. Employer National Insurance is now 15%, the national living wage has risen, corporation tax sits at up to 25%, and around 62.6% of SME invoices are being paid late. Nearly 24,000 businesses went insolvent last year, and the ones still operating are often in worse shape than the headline figures suggest. This episode examines six mistakes I see entrepreneurs make, all of which push a profitable-looking business into zombie territory. Two of the most damaging are swimming upstream (building in declining or crowded markets instead of finding a niche with room to grow) and sacrificing gross margin to win sales. Chasing top-line revenue while quietly eroding your margins is one of the fastest ways to build a business that looks impressive but pays you nothing. I also cover the psychology behind over-recruiting, the trap of spending freely when trading is good, and what happens when you take on debt without a clear repayment plan. These are not theoretical warnings. They come directly from the company finances I review every week. If your business is generating revenue but leaving you stressed about payroll, short on cash, or working excessive hours to sustain it, this episode is worth your time. I share the five financial rules every business needs to protect its margins, and set up a new methodology I will be covering over the coming weeks for taking a zombie business and turning it into a genuinely profitable one. 👉🏻 DOWNLOAD A COPY OF OUR BOOK SMALL BUSINESS BIG PROFIT FOR FREE: https://ultimate-fd.webflow.io/small-business-big-profit  👉🏻 HOW FINANCIALLY FIT IS YOUR BUSINESS? Take the Ultimate FD Acid test to find out and have a bespoke report in less than 5 minutes!!! Take the test here: https://josh-dtlqxm7w.scoreapp.com/  👉🏻 DOWNLOAD THE AUDIOBOOK OF SMALL BUSINESS, BIG PROFIT HERE: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Small-Business-Big-Profit-Audiobook/

    36 min
  3. EP#227 - Rob Balderstone - AI EXPERT EXPLAINS: 5 AI Tools That Will Transform Your Business

    Jun 14

    EP#227 - Rob Balderstone - AI EXPERT EXPLAINS: 5 AI Tools That Will Transform Your Business

    In this episode of The Ultimate FD Podcast, I speak with AI expert Rob Balderstone about the innovative landscape of artificial intelligence and its profound impacts on businesses today.  Rob, founder of Appleboar, shares his extensive experience in implementing AI solutions across industries, discussing how companies can harness these technologies to stay competitive. We delve into the distinctions between automation and AI, highlighting when and why each should be used to maximise business efficiency and productivity. Listeners will discover insights on how Rob applies AI to real-world business challenges, transforming tedious processes into streamlined workflows. He discusses some of the game-changing technologies in his stack, including Google Gemini and NotebookLM, emphasizing their potential to enhance business operations. Rob also provides an in-depth look at specific AI applications, from automating marketing tasks and refining internal processes to overcoming personal productivity hurdles. Tune in to gain valuable perspectives on AI's potential to reshape industries while maintaining a balance between leveraging innovation and ensuring reliable business outcomes. 👉 YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT APPLEBBOAR HERE: https://appleboar.com 👉 YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH ROB BALDERSTONE HERE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbalderstone 👉 DOWNLOAD A COPY OF OUR BOOK SMALL BUSINESS BIG PROFIT FOR FREE: https://ultimate-fd.webflow.io/small-business-big-profit  👉 HOW FINANCIALLY FIT IS YOUR BUSINESS? Take the Ultimate FD Acid test to find out and have a bespoke report in less than 5 minutes!!! Take the test here: https://josh-dtlqxm7w.scoreapp.com/  👉 DOWNLOAD THE AUDIOBOOK OF SMALL BUSINESS, BIG PROFIT HERE: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Small-Business-Big-Profit-Audiobook/

    1h 1m
  4. MAGIC MOMENTS: The Secret to Reducing Financial Frustrations

    Jun 10

    MAGIC MOMENTS: The Secret to Reducing Financial Frustrations

    Welcome back to another episode of Magic Moments ✨ In this episode I sit down with Stephan Latham to uncover the insights and strategies behind managing a successful property business. This shortform episode segment distills actionable tips to enhance productivity and commercial acumen in finance departments. Stephan shares his experience in recalibrating his team to be more commercially-minded, reducing unnecessary workloads, and achieving significant cost savings. The conversation delves deeply into the intricacies of optimising cash flow, one of the biggest challenges for property businesses. Stephan emphasizes the importance of having the right people in place and ensuring teams are aligned with the company's commercial needs. He shares his journey towards leaning out business operations and strategically planning for the future, underscoring the wisdom of not overextending resources and sticking to a steady growth trajectory.  As Stephan unfolds the strategic importance of a five-year business plan, he offers listeners seasoned insights into dealing with fluctuating market conditions and leveraging debt prudently. This episode weaves through themes of resilience, strategic foresight, and the delicate balance between ambition and sustainability in business growth. Stephan's grounded perspective on growth offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs facing similar industry challenges. Did you enjoy this Magic Moment? Click here for the full episode.

    8 min
  5. #226 - 12 Step Company Health Check (in 30 seconds)

    Jun 7

    #226 - 12 Step Company Health Check (in 30 seconds)

    In this highly informative episode of the Ultimate FD Podcast, I unveil my 12-step company health check process – a rapid yet thorough evaluation he applies to businesses to assess their financial vitality.  This health check can be conducted in under 30 seconds and aims to identify critical areas that determine a company's overall financial wellness, thus enabling entrepreneurs to make sound, decisive improvements. I emphasize the necessity of transforming top-line revenue into bottom-line profit, revealing that many businesses with impressive turnover figures often falter at profit conversion. Diving into the process, I detail the key aspects of the health check, such as analyzing bank balances, assessing accounts receivable and payable, scrutinizing credit card usage, and understanding the implications of loans and invoice factoring. By examining these elements through the lens of clean and accurate bookkeeping, I highlight the importance of financial clarity and control.  Entrepreneurs are equipped with actionable insights to eliminate inefficiencies, manage cash flow adeptly, and maintain consistent profitability even amidst turbulent market conditions. 👉🏻 DOWNLOAD A COPY OF OUR BOOK SMALL BUSINESS BIG PROFIT FOR FREE: https://ultimate-fd.webflow.io/small-business-big-profit  👉🏻 HOW FINANCIALLY FIT IS YOUR BUSINESS? Take the Ultimate FD Acid test to find out and have a bespoke report in less than 5 minutes!!! Take the test here: https://josh-dtlqxm7w.scoreapp.com/  👉🏻 DOWNLOAD THE AUDIOBOOK OF SMALL BUSINESS, BIG PROFIT HERE: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Small-Business-Big-Profit-Audiobook/

    44 min

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