Monthly Maidstone Spotlight – Brisan Accountancy
Brisan Accountancy was originally established in 2014 and since rebranding and beginning to trade as Brisan in 2020, the firm has continued to evolve and grow. What began as a small practice has developed into a team of 14, all committed to delivering proactive, people-focused accountancy and advisory services.
From day one, our approach has been about far more than preparing year-end accounts. We are driven by a passion for helping business owners gain genuine clarity about their businesses. For us, clarity isn’t just about the numbers; it’s about understanding the bigger picture, whether that’s navigating a period of growth, bringing a new team member on board or making confident strategic decisions.
We see ourselves as partners to our clients, working alongside them to provide insight, guidance and support that helps them move forward with confidence and achieve long-term success.
What kind of clients do you work with?
We work primarily with SMEs, many of which are owner-managed businesses with one or two directors. Many of the businesses we work with are in construction, but our client base is wide and includes retail, entertainment, digital and tech, and creative industries.
The majority are Kent-based but some are in Essex, the North and even overseas.
Why is Maidstone a great place to be based?
We’re on the 2020 Business Estate. It’s a great place to do business. We’re often asked why we set up here when there are already so many other accountancy firms, but we we believe in the synergy that comes from being surrounded by other ambitious businesses – we feel like it’s a real hive of activity here.
You exhibited at the Maidstone Business Show in February – how important are trade shows to you?
We’ve taken part in a number of trade events, including the Kent Construction Expo and the West Kent Expo. The Maidstone Business Show was our first local event of its kind, and it was important to us to build stronger connections within the Maidstone business community and understand how we can better support local companies.
It’s great to get out and meet people at these events. Although you connect with a lot of people digitally and on social media, it’s really nice to meet all the faces on LinkedIn and get to know that online community in real life.
Talking of meeting people, you also run networking events – tell us more about those.
We run an event called the Brisan Business Club, the idea is to get our clients and suppliers together with other businesses in the same room, so we can all learn from each other.
Some people are nervous when it comes to networking and find it hard to get out there, but the more you’re known and get to know other people, the better. Networking doesn’t have to be about selling to people, you can learn so much just from ordinary conversations and finding out what you have in common with other people.
We also encourage businesses not to shy away from connecting with others in their industry because they’re your ‘competition’; it’s a great way to help each other. I love chatting to other accountancies and bookkeepers, sharing experiences and ideas.
How is the business involved in the local community?
We’ve been sponsoring the ladies’ shirts at Maidstone United Football Club for over a year now. Keeley, who’s also an associate director, is very into football and we wanted to do something to support the sport locally. It’s also a fantastic way to bring the team and clients together while supporting a local club.
What advice would you give to businesses starting out?
One of the biggest challenges for new businesses is choosing the right structure and planning for future growth. That’s where we come in, helping clients make informed decisions from the outset so they’re set up for long-term success.
It’s good to surround yourself with people who are in the know. We’ve helped clients to set up in all sorts of industries such as media, social media, websites, photography and film companies, to name a few, so we have lots of great contacts we can share.
What’s next for Brisan Accountancy?
We have ambitious growth plans and are exploring opportunities to expand, including supporting retiring accountants who are looking to pass on their client portfolios. A lot of our business comes from referrals and word of mouth, which is great.
Find out more and follow Brisan Accountancy:
https://brisan.co.uk/
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