Welcome to our Winter newsletter! 

INSIDE THIS EDITION

CAROLINE BOARDMAN CONSULTING business news and current offers.

CLIENT FOCUS: Eric Jackson of Statement Artworks. Eric answers some questions, including how his fantastic business started, and it's not how you might expect.

WINTER Tax tip, FreeAgent tip and Money Saving tip.

CBC business news and current offers

Welcome to all the new readers of our newsletter. I'm Caroline and since the last newsletter, we have celebrated our 2 year business birthday! We've taken on Sabrina, our lovely new freelance bookkeeper, and Michelle and Emily are back to working their hours from home.

Well, coronavirus isn't going anywhere is it? Up here in Manchester, we moved into Tier 3 lockdown after a week of uncertainty, then more business support was announced, then changed, then changed again! We have continued to send newsletters about the changes and hope you are still finding these updates useful.

What’s been happening?

• I've been keeping up to date with ALL of the COVID-19 government support for businesses and communicating this by email, on my Facebook page, in my favourite Facebook groups and on LinkedIn and Instagram. I've left Twitter!
• We've been processing furlough claims which are finished now and we are moving on to the job support scheme (JSS).
• We have chosen to limit new clients coming on recently, and have now closed the books on 31st October to anyone new. This will enable us to concentrate on our current client base, and make sure we look after you all. The 31st January 2021 tax return deadline is looming, so we're working on getting all the self-assessments filed.
• We have had 2 online training days in collaboration with FreeAgent since the last newsletter, both went well with some great clients as speakers in the afternoon (Lisa Clennell of Your Happy Customer, Madeleine Birtles of Birtles Mortgages and Financial Solutions, Lucinda Hutton of L Hutton Consulting and Clare Ferguson of With Agency. I love these sessions, my clients are experts in their fields and they always turn into very informal networking sessions. 
• We had a VAT inspection (routine spot checks by HMRC for one client last month, so I have been communicating even more about the annual tax investigation insurance which is now available for £100 per year. This can be paid £25 per month November to February if you prefer. Let me know if you are interested in this, this covers the time I would spend to help you get everything together for a tax inspector and also gives you access to a legal helpline. Let me know if you are interested in this.
• I'm offering non-clients one off sessions with me for £60 (bookable via my website). This is really just an opportunity to "borrow my brain". I've had a few in November ranging from working through someone's self assessment with them so that they feel more comfortable submitting it, chatting about the High Income Child Benefit Charge to 1:1 FreeAgent software training. If you want to book a one off consultation with me, you can do this here:- https://carolineboardmanconsul...

CLIENT FOCUS: 

Statement Artworks (Eric Jackson)

Former journalist Eric Jackson, who was the arts editor, TV critic and travel editor of the Manchester Evening News and a lecturer in journalism at two universities. He has returned to his first love of painting, which he studied at art school, and he now specialises in northern poster art. 

I love Eric's business, it is successful, he and his wife, Jane listen to my advice and are just lovely people!

I asked Eric a few questions about his business and how things have been going for him in 2020.

1. How did the idea for Statement Artworks (which you know I love!) come about?

Totally by accident. I was happily working as a journalist (a 36 year career), when I had to have operations on both my feet, which meant I couldn't leave the house for three months. So I started painting in the poster style I love (I'd studied at art school), just to amuse myself, and when I could go back to work I decided I didn't want to. The art won!! And the name? All my pictures have to make a statement. Since then it's just boomed!

      2. Your designs are great and always so appropriate for each area and the words so witty and on point (Chorlton still my absolute favourite). How do you have so much local knowledge? And do you have a favourite?

Being born in central Manchester and working on the Manchester Evening News as an editor, writer and designer for 19 years helped with the local knowledge, even about places I'd never been to. My favourite poster? Cheadle, simply because that is where I grew up and the place I found the hardest to do (Chorlton is easy, it's almost beyond parody). My other favourites are Monton and Whaley Bridge.     

  

     3. How has the pandemic affected your business?

The markets stopped for a while, and income plummeted, but then the slack was taken up by online orders, and since lockdown ended the online and market sales have continued to do well. Also, I sell through various shops, and they are doing well.

         4. Do you think there will still be the heightened Christmas sales for your pieces this year?

Can't answer that, although I am in a John Lewis pop-up and if all my 300 prints sell in there, the champagne will be coming out!

         5. Where can people buy your lovely work from?

Online at www.statementartworks.com, the Warren in Stockport, the Chorlton Art Market shop, Hearts for Homes in Ramsbottom, Jarva Gallery in Whaley Bridge, Gift and Home in Altrincham and at scores of Makers and Artisan markets.

CBC Winter tips

Tax tip

As the 31st January 2021 self-assessment tax return deadline approaches, a good thing to know about is HMRC's "Time to Pay" initiative. 

If you cannot pay your Self Assessment tax bill

You can set up a payment plan to spread the cost of your latest Self Assessment bill if:

• you owe £30,000 or less
• you do not have any other payment plans or debts with HMRC
• your tax returns are up to date
• it’s less than 60 days after the payment deadline

You do not need to contact HMRC if you set up a payment plan online.

Call the Self Assessment helpline if you’re not eligible for a payment plan or cannot use the online service.

Self Assessment Payment Helpline
Telephone: 0300 200 3822
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm

Money saving tip

Planning ahead is always a good idea but more people than ever have realised this in 2020.

If you haven't already done this, take the time to go through all of your Direct Debits and Standing Orders on your business and personal accounts and ask yourself, "Do I really need this expense?" If the answer isn't an immediate yes, cancel it and save yourself some money. Always cancel DDs directly with the company though. Cancelling them at the bank without informing the company who you set it up with could affect your credit rating.

FreeAgent tip

You can see when each tax is due to be paid (or if you are lucky, refunded!) and this can help you save for your taxes and avoid any nasty surprise tax bills.

Words by Caroline Boardman with assistance from Lisa Clennell.

https://www.yourhappycustomer....

Amazing illustrations by Victoria Lysaght of TeaCup Doodles.

https://www.teacupdoodles.co.u...