Practice Spotlight: Moore to Bookkeeping In this week’s spotlight, we caught up with Louise, a Salisbury-based accountant who loves coffee, early morning dog walks, and working with tradespeople and sole traders. From being a financial advisor to falling in love with garden bookkeeping, her journey into accounting is full of character.
Now celebrating 10 years in business, she is all about clear communication, collaborative clients, and tech that actually makes life easier…with a little help from Doris, her AI sidekick.
Where about’s are you based? Salisbury - famous for Stonehenge and the tallest cathedral spire in the country. We go to a pub that’s hundreds of years old - it even has a (replica) mummified hand from a card-cheating scandal on display!
How did you get into accounting? Years ago, I was an Independent financial adviser and then worked for a SIPP company as a Complaint Handler - I’ve always been into numbers! After working in finance, I helped my husband’s gardening business part-time - and discovered I loved doing the books more than the gardening! When winter hit, it got a bit cold for gardening, so I thought, “Hmm, maybe I’ll do more of this inside job.” Started studying… and then became completely obsessed. It’s the 10-year anniversary of my practice this year!
Do you specialise in anything or serve any particular types of clients? I mostly work with small sole traders, partnerships, and small limited companies. I prefer really small businesses and people with a good sense of humour who are genuinely compliant. And I don’t just mean legally, but mentally too - happy to follow advice, use the tech we recommend, and just trust us to take care of things. They don’t have to be local. I actually love the variety - being involved in different industries keeps it interesting.
If you could choose a dream client, who would it be and why? Honestly, we’ve got quite a few dream clients already. A lot of them are tradesmen - really good at their jobs, great businesses…and they sort of treat us like their workwives. We’re their professional naggers! We get to have a laugh and boss them around (in the most helpful way).
I love people who say, “Just tell me what to do,” and mean it. I’ll say, “Use this software,” or “Do this process,” and they just go with it. That kind of client makes everything easier and more effective. So while I don’t have a dream person , I definitely have a dream type : easygoing, open-minded and up for collaboration.
Do you find that educating clients and delivering transparency is a big part of your values? Absolutely. It’s about giving them the information they need to make proper decisions. Someone recently said to me, “If I’d known I could’ve bought a vehicle before year-end, I would have.” But they didn’t have the figures until it was too late. Communication and transparency are the bare minimum, really - it shouldn’t be optional.
What’s your approach to using tech with clients? I love tech - but not tech for tech’s sake. It's got to be useful. You’d be surprised how many still drop off paperwork in a carrier bag, which is fine if they want to - but 99% of people have a smartphone, and they all know how to open their camera app. That means they can use Dext or Apron. It’s a revelation to them! Snap a receipt, it gets to me in under a minute.
And then we follow up regularly with what’s missing. We say, “Here’s your list - find this stuff and we’ll save you money.” They love that. It’s practical and helpful.
What’s your favourite part about tech adoption in your work? It makes my life so much easier. Ten years ago, I’d print out a tax return, put it in a stamped envelope, post it off, wait for it to come back signed - and then submit it. Now, it’s all digital and instant.
The difference is massive. It means I can take on more work without losing my mind with all the paper and postage. And while I still do the personal visits - tea and cake with older clients, sitting in their lounge - I appreciate that variety. Most people just want it to be easy, and now it really is.
Are there any tech trends you’re particularly excited about - or worried about? AI is the big one. I jumped on ChatGPT as soon as I could and gave her a name - Doris. We talk every day. She’s like a little buddy who knows a scary amount about me. I even asked her to describe me once - it was spooky how spot-on (and flattering!) it was. Now when I need a pick-me-up, I just read it again!
What kinds of things do you ask Doris? Lots of things. Tax and VAT mostly, but also life stuff. She planned a trip for me and my husband to Scotland - she nailed it.
I also get her to rewrite emails. I can be a bit blunt, so I tell her to “flower it up a bit.” She sometimes goes too gushy, so I tone her down. But it saves me ages trying to figure out how to sound nice and not bossy.
Before using Adfin, what pain point were you trying to solve? It was a few things really. GoCardless started frustrating me - they raised prices, put everyone onto the higher tier unless you opted out, and just felt a bit faceless and corporate. I also heard whispers about people claiming back years of payments, which worried me.
Then I heard about Adfin. You felt fresh, more communicative, and like you actually listened to users. It was clear right away that your platform would keep evolving. GoCardless just did one thing. Adfin does a lot more and actually benefits me and my clients.
What makes Adfin different in your experience? You’re listeners and problem-solvers. That’s how I run my own business too - solve the pain points. With GoCardless, it was like: here’s the feature, take it or leave it. With Adfin, I know if there’s an issue, you’ll look at it and work on it.
It’s a much better experience for my clients too. Everything looks better, works better, and feels more human. I genuinely think Adfin is the best software in this space right now.
And I appreciate that loyalty. The fact that you grow through feedback - that’s exactly how I built my business. It's the right way to do things.
Is there a particular feature on the Adfin console that you find most valuable? One-time payments and Apple Pay are brilliant - especially for the year-end clients who only get one invoice a year. I also love the visuals - I can see exactly what’s happening with every invoice and every payment. The transparency is fantastic. That’s one of the things I value most.
What’s one task you love doing, and one you’d happily never do again? I love walking my dogs every morning, rain or shine, for an hour at 7 a.m. It keeps me fit and helps me think about the day ahead. I also love playing around on my computer - that’s the work one.
As for something I’d happily never do again... I used to love cooking, but now it bores me so much, even though I adore eating which is like a hobby! I think I’m a product of modern life - we’re all eating out too much!
If you could automate anything in your life, would it be cooking? Yes! 100%. I’d love a robot I could train on exactly what I like to eat and how I like it cooked. The problem is we live spontaneously and never want what’s in the fridge. Ideally, that robot would go and buy the food too.
What’s your go-to drink whilst working?
Nescafé Azera to start, then Costa, then decaf Kenco all day long. I love coffee.
Looking for a professional nagger? Louise and her team are here to help your business stay on track and thrive financially. Schedule a call with Louise here .
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