Business Advisory Services

Many businesses encounter challenges in implementing their strategies and generating traction. Our business advisory team provides effective tools for business owners at every stage of the lifecycle and approaches to overcome these obstacles. We offer guidance to help you achieve and maintain traction, while also ensuring accountability for you and your team.

Neil

Neil Robb

Head of Business Advisory Group & Partner

Who we can help

  • START UPS
  • ENTREPRENEURS
  • SMES
  • PRIVATELY OWNED & LISTED BUSINESSES
  • MULTINATIONALS
  • PUBLIC & SOCIAL SECTOR ORGANISATIONS
  • AIM LISTED COMPANIES

SUPPORTING YOU & YOUR BUSINESS

Talk to us

There are lots of ways we can advise you on your decisions and provide strategic and practical support to help you achieve your goals. We understand the one thing business owners lack is time – quality time to think about the direction and focus of their business.

Our business advisory team know the type of questions to ask to bring together a fresh perspective. We have the technical expertise, business knowledge and financial understanding to support you so that you can focus on what’s important – growing your business.

We can help you to understand your business performance and identify what you can do to improve profit and create time.

  • I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending AAB to anyone else who, like us, may be struggling to get the expert advice required, especially when it involves coming back to the UK and managing tax aspects on overseas income and assets.

    John Bannerman

  • I contemplated transferring my business to a limited company and I knew I could rely on AAB to make the process as straightforward as possible whilst providing the accounts and tax advice to enable me to make the right decision.

    Colin Brown

  • We were delighted to have the support from our Corporate Finance partner AAB on the largest acquisition the Donaldson Group has completed to date. The collaborative support, drive and expert advice from AAB enabled us to complete the acquisition.

    Arlene Cairns, James Donaldson & Sons

  • AAB set up Foreign Tax Net Credit Relief for us through HMRC, making it easier to get double taxation relief. They also educated our offshore workers on the implications and process of working overseas and how this affects their UK PAYE position.

    Bruce Melvin, READ Cased Hole Ltd

EXPERT TAX ADVICE

Our experienced team acts for many owner-managed businesses, from sole traders and partnerships to LLPs and companies. Whether your business is long-established or young and growing, we’ll partner with you to bring you the benefit of our experience, our comprehensive services and commercial insight.

We appreciate you don’t have time to explore and understand all the intricacies of tax compliance and tax relief. There’s no reason why you should, when our expertise is on hand to guide your tax planning in areas such as:

  • Advising on the most beneficial vehicle for your business, whether that’s sole trader, partnership, LLP or company
  • Identifying potential tax opportunities before you commit to major decisions
  • Advising on tax-efficient withdrawal of profits through salaries, dividends, pension planning, company loans or share options, to minimise tax liabilities
  • Succession planning
  • Exit planning
Benefit from AAB's tax advice

MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS

Regularly measuring your business performance is essential for informed decision-making and strategic planning. Management accounts offer valuable insights into your operations, serving as the foundation for business forecasts and financial projections. By monitoring key metrics, you can effectively manage working capital and cash requirements to support your business objectives.

Financial institutions, including banks, often require timely and accurate accounting information in the form of monthly or quarterly management accounts. At AAB, we offer comprehensive services to meet these needs, including preparing regular management accounts and financial projections. Additionally, we provide expert guidance during finance meetings, offering strategic advice to support the growth and development of your business.

Get the benefits of regular management accounts

EMPLOYEE SHARE SCHEMES

Employee share schemes offer valuable equity incentives for potential and existing key talent, driving motivation and loyalty within your team. However, it’s crucial to restrict these schemes to individuals you highly value to prevent excessive equity dilution. With various schemes available and complex tax treatments, specialist advice is essential to make informed decisions.

These schemes are versatile and can also be utilised to attract consultants or advisors for project collaboration. However, not all schemes are suitable for every purpose or company, requiring careful consideration of differences. Whether awarding Ordinary shares immediately or Options for future exercise, we ensure compliance with qualifying criteria and provide guidance tailored to your company’s circumstances.

Set up employee share schemes

BUSINESS FUTURE READY REVIEW

A forward-looking and action-focused assessment of your business from the outside in; a process designed to identify recommendations to help you build future value.

A review would typically involve:

  • Initial meetings with owners and key directors to understand your goals
  • A tailored request for information such as financials, business plan, client & supplier information, etc.
  • Follow-up questions and clarifications if needed
  • Identifying actions you can take to capitalise on market opportunities; improve risk management, address specific challenges raised, optimise business performance, and ultimately build business value
  • Personal presentation of findings with business owners (and management team if appropriate)

NEW BUSINESS SET UP

When starting a new business, selecting the right trading structure is a crucial decision. While some may find the simplicity of operating as a Sole Trader or Partner in a Partnership ideal, others may benefit more from the structure of a Limited Company or Limited Liability Partnership. Our experts guide you through the pros and cons of each option, considering their impact on your tax liability, to help you make an informed choice.

If you opt to establish a company, our swift and efficient company formation service is at your disposal. We can set up your new company or Limited Liability Partnership, complete with all necessary legal documentation, ensuring a seamless and hassle-free process.

Set up your business

OUTSOURCED BUSINESS SERVICES

As a start-up or SME, there are occasions when you require additional skills to manage an increased workload, tackle new projects, or address existing capacity constraints. However, recruiting more staff may not be feasible due to time constraints or budget limitations.

In such scenarios, our outsourced business services provide the solution. With access to our highly skilled, experienced, and resourceful professionals, you can leverage their expertise and fresh insights for the duration you need. Our comprehensive outsourced business services encompass various areas, allowing you to benefit from them individually or in combination, tailored to your specific requirements.

Sign up for the latest industry insights

  1. Blog26th Jul 2024

    Stuart Petrie, Head of Tax Investigations & Dispute Resolutions and author of blog about tax investigations

    Will You Be Caught By HMRC Trying To Bridge A £40 Billion Tax Gap?

    Whether it’s a knock on the door, a phone call or a letter with the tell-tale HMRC logo, there’s little that will strike more fear into the heart of any individual or business owner than an unexpected enquiry from HM…

    By Stuart Petrie

    View more
  2. Blog8th May 2024

    Alasdair Green, ESG Partner and author of ESG diligence

    ESG Diligence: The Key To Sustainable M&A Transactions

    In today’s dynamic investment landscape, the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors has become more than just a trend. It is emerging to be strategically imperative alongside other more traditional performance measures such as profitability and financial performance. …

    By Alasdair Green

    View more
  3. Blog2nd May 2024

    International payroll and double taxation blog image

    International Payroll And Double Taxation: How To Navigate

    In today’s interconnected world, many individuals and employers operate across international borders and this can lead to complex tax implications, especially in relation to payroll.  One significant challenge which consistently arises is the issue of double taxation as well as…

    By Craig Burnett

    View more
  4. Blog6th Apr 2024

    Jill Walker, Private Client Partner and author of blog about Salaried Member Rules

    Are The Goalposts On Salaried Member Rules Moving?

    What are salaried member rules? The salaried member rules for Limited Liability Partnerships (“LLPs”) were introduced in 2014 to ensure only those members who held a genuine ‘partner’ role were taxed as self-employed individuals, such that those with arrangements closer…

    By Jill Walker

    View more