6 ways an accountant helps your business – more than a coach

6 Ways an Accountant Helps Your Business – MORE than a Coach

July 8, 2025

BACKGROUND

When you think of an accountant, you might picture someone crunching numbers or filing taxes.

But in today’s fast-paced business world, accountants are doing much more than balancing books—there are commercially experienced strategic partners who can drive growth, improve efficiency, understand your software and systems AND help you make smarter decisions.

In fact, in many ways, they can offer more tangible value than a business coach.

BETTER THAN A BUSINESS COACH?
Here are six powerful ways an accountant can benefit your business:

1. Strategic Financial Planning

While a coach might help you set goals, an accountant helps you pay for them e.g. provide detailed financial forecasts, cash flow projections, and budgets etc

This ensures your goals are not only inspiring—but can also be achievable.

Example: Planning to expand? Your accountant can put a plan together to show different scenarios including costs revenues and profitability to give you options – can your Business coach do this ?

2. Tax Efficiency and Compliance

Accountants don’t just file your taxes—they help you plan for them.

They identify and explain what tax deductions are available, manage the submission deadlines, and ensure compliance with ever-changing tax laws i.e. saving you from costly penalties.

Bonus: They can also advise on the best business structure (sole trader, limited company, etc.) for your business and personal goals.

3. Real-Time Financial Information and Insights

With the use of accountancy software such as Xero and Quickbooks, accountant can provide you with up to date (real time) financial information on your business e.g. management accounts for the board, project profitability, risk management issue, value £ of marketing spend etc.

Can your Business coach provide this information and explain to you each month ?

Insight: You need to know your profit margins, outstanding debt, costs of acquiring new clients, available cash etc.

4. Risk Management and Fraud Prevention

Accountants are trained to spot red flags and potential problems (sometimes too much…)

However that means that are ideally positioned to help you implement internal controls, detect unusual transactions, and mitigate or eliminate the risk of fraud etc.

Peace of Mind: With the material business risks covered, you can focus on growing your business.

5. Loan, Overdrafts and Funding

Need a loan or looking for investors?

Accountants can help you prepare the financial documents, consider the potential risks and problems, and also provide the information and projections that banks and funders may require.

A Business coach may suggest a need for funding, but unlikely can advise on lenders, what is involved in getting loans approved, and/or calculate what the repayments are.

Advantage: Most businesses approach their bank or lenders 14 days before needing the funds – speak to your accountant about avoiding this late approach.

6. Long-Term Business Growth

Unlike coaches who may focus on mindset or motivation, accountants provide practical financial driven advice and/or years of experience of working with other similar businesses, to help drive your business growth.

They help track KPIs, oversee and manage costs, review your software and systems and tax efficiently reinvest profits wisely.

FINAL THOUGHTS

A great accountant is more than a number cruncher—they’re a KEY business ally.

While business coaches can inspire and motivate, the RIGHT accountant that understands your business AND has a positive personal relationship with you –

  • UNDERSTANDS the numbers and
  • HOW they impact your business profitability

in a way that a Business coach just never will.

Looking to get ‘under the skin’ of your business and take it to the next level?