It has been found time and time again that businesses that plan and seek professional advice from the outset have a significantly greater chance of being very successful.

SureStart is designed to help your business overcome the hurdles that trip up of 80% of new businesses, and help it become highly successful.

As founder members of the Added Value Network, we have worked with other firms of accountants across the UK to develop a brand new small business support programme - called 'SureStart' - that, for a modest fixed fee, gives start-up businesses everything they need to become successful. As well as the obvious areas of business planning, tax, accounts and finance, its also includes a comprehensive business growth programme that we have developed in conjunction with internationally published business author Steve Pipe. It is called 'Business Builder', and we can now use it to help businesses to find breakthrough strategies that will guarantee their success.

So what is it?
It is a comprehensive package of business services worth over £5,332 plus VAT, but we invest in your business idea by making a bundle of our services and discounting the price.
What's more, because we appreciate that cashflow is all important in the early years of a new business, we will set up a standing order to spread the balance over 10 monthly standing order payments- without any annoying interest charge!

What is included in SureStart?
You choose! The table below shows the menu of services to choose from. So you can select those items you feel will benefit you - all you have to do is to contact us with your details and choices and we will send you back a fixed price quotation.

• Advice from one of our Business Advisors
• Company formation
• Bookkeeping training
• Preparing a forecast cashflow and profit and loss
• Free financial advice
• Free loan finance advice
• Computerised accounting systems installation
• Boardview
• Free ad hoc advice
• Free business software
• Free guidance leaflets
• Fee protection insurance
• Discounts of 20% on:
  - Preparing a detailed business plan
  - Payroll services
  - Bookkeeping services
  

Advice from one of our Business Advisors
Up to four hours with one of our business advisors to discuss taxation, legal requirements, insurance, financial and accountancy issues in respect of setting up your business. We will also deal with all the paperwork for notifying the taxation authorities - and take away the worry of getting on the wrong side of the taxman!

Company formation
We will form a limited company with the name of your choice, and provide all necessary Companies House forms to get it set up.

Bookkeeping training
A full day of comprehensive bookkeeping training (or two half-day sessions if preferred). A well kept set of records will provide you with reliable information regarding the performance of your business and keep the cost of preparing annual accounts to a minimum.

Preparing a forecast cashflow and profit and loss
With your help in providing information we will prepare a detailed cash flow and profit and loss forecast for your first year in business. As well as being suitable for presentation to your bank if finance is needed, these forecasts will provide a target for you to achieve during your first year in business.

Free financial advice
As part of the SureStart package we have negotiated an hour long meeting with a independent financial adviser who understands the world of business. You will be able to ask questions regarding pensions, investments and insurance free of charge.

Free loan finance advice
As part of the SureStart package we have negotiated an hour long meeting with a loan finance specialist. Someone who will be able to advise you about your chances and the ways and means open to you of obtaining loan finance.

Computerised accounting systems installation
Installation of either Quickbooks or Sage line 50 and setting up the company data file ready for use.

Boardview
One of the things that all of the UK's most successful companies have in common is that they hold regular board meetings to discuss strategy. What's more, in my experience, when smaller businesses - even one man band businesses - start holding board meetings they immediately start thinking like, acting like and achieving like their bigger and more successful counterparts.

We'll gladly come to any of your key business meetings as a resource to help you make the very best use of your time. And you can use me in any way you want - from silent observer to adjudicator, technical adviser to independent sounding board, chairman to minute taker, or even as the facilitator for brainstorming sessions.

Free ad hoc advice
As a valued client of Jonathan Vowles Chartered Accountants you will have unlimited access to our entire team for advice on ad hoc matters. Which means that you can call on us at any time knowing that you will never be charged for our time or advice.

Free business software
To help on your path to success we will give you a free copy of SSTW - simple stuff that works! A software tool that helps you to grow your business.

Free guidance leaflets
We have a comprehensive range of leaflets on a wide range of subjects - handy and informative reference to answer most of the common business questions - all of which are yours for free as part of the SureStart package.

Fee protection / Tax compliance service
As part of our service, we offer our clients 'TaxSafe' tax compliance service. This is a fixed fee service, which covers any future fees in respect of Inland Revenue investigations, disputes with HM Customs & Excise and PAYE investigations. Over the last few years the number of businesses and individuals who have had their tax affairs investigated has escalated dramatically. In 2003 Gordon Brown announced that £66 million was being invested by the Inland Revenue to further increase the amount of tax collected through investigations and other enforcement measures. The most recent information available suggests that more than one in ten businesses will experience an Inland Revenue enquiry.

Discount of 20% on our other services:
As a SureStart client you will also benefit from a discount on the following services for the first 12months of your membership.

• Preparing a detailed business plan - business plans are important and are different to a cashflow forecast! A good business plan should act like a roadmap - it might not make your journey to success any easier, but it should help show you when you are on a side road and when you are on a motorway!
  
  
• Payroll services - Payroll is a complicated area and so we can deal with all the paperwork and take away the worry of penalties for late or incorrect payroll tax returns.
  
  
• Bookkeeping services - Bookkeeping can be a hassle and eat up your time. So we can deal with it for you, freeing up your time to concentrate on your business.