Adfin | Nicola J Barnett: from one-off invoices to direct debits

In the spotlight this week is Nicola, the founder of Accounts and Tax Made Easy. Nicola shares how a career pivot led to launching her own practice, why she’s a proud generalist with a soft spot for service businesses, and how Adfin helped her ditch one-off invoices for a streamlined, scalable system.

So! Tell us about you - how did you get into accounting?

I left school wanting to be a mechanic but my second choice was accounting and went straight into it. I did take a year out, lived in Spain, worked in bars and factories - basically any job that gave me money to do what I wanted. Then I went to full-time college and I just loved it. I love accounts. I love the way it reconciles, just making things work and sorting things out. I've done it since I was about 17 or 18.

I’ve always had a few clients on the side, probably for the last ten years or so. In 2003, I got made redundant from a really stressful 15-hour-a-day job. Honestly, it was kind of a blessing. I took a month off and then started this business, Accounts and Tax Made Easy. This is my baby, and I really want to grow it.

What kind of clients do you usually work with?

I don’t have a specific niche like a lot of accountancy practices do. I like that our clients are all totally different. But we do niche down on personality — we have to get on with our clients. We focus on working with people who value us, want to grow their businesses, and want us to be part of that journey.

I heard someone say their niche is being a “proud generalist,” and I loved that, I really enjoy the variety.

And in terms of industries, are there certain types of businesses where you feel you bring the most value?

I love working with service-based businesses, especially one-man bands who want to grow, and I’ve got some larger warehouse and e-commerce clients too. That’s where I bring in my business advisory work.

Warehousing can be chaotic (no offense!): they’re often just focused on getting orders out the door. But with my Efficiency and Profit Framework, we take a step back, set proper goals, and make real progress. So in a way, I’ve got two sides: the advisory side for bigger warehouse clients, and more traditional accounting for service-based businesses. I love the variety – every day feels different.

How did you land on the name ‘Made Easy’?

With Accounts and Tax Made Easy, we were just bouncing around a few words for a while. I wanted it to be really clear what we do. We do accounts and tax, and we make it easy for you (which is exactly what our clients say in reviews!). We're always streamlining processes, whether it’s receipts, chasing paperwork - our clients often say, “It’s lovely. I don’t have to do anything anymore.” That’s exactly the aim.

What moments have shaped your journey the most?

I’ve always landed the jobs I wanted – maybe I’m good at interviews, or just good at the job! I moved up quickly, but the last five years have been the hardest.

After having my son, I was told to come back to work a week after giving birth. I refused – and was forced to leave the job. My confidence took a hit, and I went back to bookkeeping, even though I was nearly qualified. But I rebuilt from there.

During COVID, I helped buy a company out of administration, turned it around, and sold it for seven figures. That’s what led me into business advisory.

I passed all 17 ACCA exams but realised the corporate world wasn’t for me. I wanted to work with real people, so I went back to AAT and set up on my own. Running your own business has its challenges – but I wouldn’t trade it.

What does your dream client look like?

Honestly? Someone whose accounts are in a complete mess, and they know and want help! I had one client who only had sales invoices for two whole years… nothing else. That kind of chaos doesn’t scare me.

But personality is just as important. I want to work with people I can have a proper chat with, not just awkward, transactional meetings. And trust is huge. They’ve got to trust me to step in and sort things out, which isn’t always easy when it comes to money and I have to trust they will put in the work and actions we create together.

The real dream clients are the ones who want to improve. It’s not just about fixing things once, it’s about working together to make lasting changes. That’s where the magic happens.

Do you have any secrets for building that trust with clients?

It starts with personality. I usually know from the first call if we’ll work well together – trust goes both ways. I need to know they’re genuine too.

We build trust by being clear from day one. We explain the whole process – onboarding steps, timelines, what to expect. If something takes 30 or even 100 days, we say so upfront. Good communication makes all the difference.

What first drew you to Adfin?

All my clients were on a pay-as-you-go basis, especially for self-assessment. I’d have to chase and chase, not hear anything, send an invoice, and say, “Until you pay, I’m not doing it.” It was a bit of a pain. I wanted to switch to direct debits.

I tried GoCardless but only managed to get about three clients on it - it just wasn’t easy to set up. I didn’t find it intuitive. Then I found out about Adfin and moved all my self-assessment clients onto monthly direct debits. Now I do the invoices in Xero, and Adfin sends them out. It’s just so much easier. They even chase when the mandate needs signing for new clients!

Is there a particular Adfin feature you find most valuable?

Definitely the online portal. I love being able to see everything in one place - all the clients, all the payments coming through, and who they relate to. With Adfin, it’s all clear and user-friendly.

If you could automate anything in your life, what would it be?

Oh my goodness, the washing! Definitely the washing. It’s not even difficult… it just never ends. There’s only three of us in the house and I have no idea where it all comes from!

For work, I’d automate the mailbox. The inbox never clears. We try to stay on top of it - I check in the morning, my admin lady checks in the afternoon - but it’s relentless.

What’s one task you love doing, and one you’d happily never do again?

I love doing a set of accounts on Excel. No Xero, no software - just old-school spreadsheets. Sifting through PDFs and bank statements, building it manually. It makes me feel like a “real” accountant again.

One I’d happily never do again? Onboarding. There are so many boxes to tick - forms, ID checks, getting the client fully set up. It’s never made easy for us or the client. Everyone I speak to says the same, which is why I’ve now got a dedicated person to handle it.

What’s your go-to drink while working?

Black coffee in the morning, then it’s water for the rest of the day. Nothing exciting, I’m afraid!

What about your go-to drink when you’re not working?

On the weekend? I love a glass of champagne - I’m such a snob! Champagne or a nice white wine.

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Need a finance partner who can handle chaos, streamline your books, and actually explain what’s going on? Nicola’s your woman. Whether you’re a one-man band or scaling up, she’ll help you make sense of it all — and make it feel easy. Get in touch with Nicola today.

Still stuck chasing payments and sending awkward “just checking in” emails?

Nicola switched to Adfin and now gets paid on time, without the faff. Join her by booking a demo today.

Nicola J Barnett: from one-off invoices to direct debits

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