Over the past two years Lara Manton has transformed LJM Bookkeeping LTD and the business is growing from strength to strength. Lara guided her clients throughout the covid pandemic, making them aware of schemes and loans available to them in order for them to survive the trying times they faced. Lara treats her clients accounts as she would her own using Accuracy, Continuity and Efficiency. 

If you choose LJM Bookkeeping Ltd as your bookkeeper your business will have an Accounting Eco-System built for them which will grow with your business. Lara is an expert when it comes to software and has even been asked to give reviews for software companies for their ICB Accreditation. Lara has also appeared on various podcasts to discuss how being tech savvy can result in the growth and success of your business. 

We spoke to Lara today to get an insight into the workings of LJM Bookkeeping Ltd.

How long have you been a bookkeeper?

“I set up LJM Bookkeeping 11 years ago in January 2011. I spent about 9 months studying online and via distance learning before I was qualified enough to get my first practice licence.”

What made you choose bookkeeping as a career?

“I moved 100 miles north to be with my now husband and tried to work out what I could do as a job in a slightly rural community. I didn’t drive at that time and I had health issues, so I needed a job that could work around me. I always liked working with numbers and had experience doing the bookkeeping when I was the practice manager for a wellness clinic. The external accountant suggested that I should get my bookkeeping qualification and he introduced me to my first clients.”

What industry do you enjoy working with?

“I like working with serviced based clients, especially those working business to business. I can offer a full accounts function to them, taking the pressure off their internal teams and helping the business run as efficiently as possible.”

Do you have a niche?

“I only work with Xero and tend to work with Limited companies who have a team of less than 10. I work in a paperless way wherever possible, using Dext, so it suits certain styles of businesses. However, if I can feel I can help and add value to clients of different backgrounds, I will always consider them as a client.”

How did the coronavirus impact you as a business?

“As most of my processes are cloud based, it didn’t impact me too much. With Xero and bank feeds and Dext already in place, even clients that I would usually be on site for were able to transition to remote working. I was able to make sure clients still had real time bookkeeping even when I wasn’t there in person. All deadlines were still met and business owners had the info they needed at a critical point.”

How did it affect your clients?

“A lot of my clients were impacted. Even those working as B2B found that businesses were less willing to spend money and really cut back on everything. Every one of them survived thankfully, but there were some very testing times.”

What support were you able to give them?

“By having their books up to date, it meant that they had the information they needed to apply for grants, funding and loans. I did a lot of planning with clients, reviewing their costs and looking at all their options to make sure they had the funds to continue trading. I used my social media and email newsletters to make sure they were aware of support out there and used my contacts to assist with other funding options if needed.” 

How has your business grown over the past couple of years?

“A few years ago I did some internal work, making sure that I was offering the most value to my clients and aligning that to my fees. That made quite a big change to my own mindset, which meant I’ve been able to grow my business. I also started offering other services, such as Xero Training Power Hours, Process and Software Reviews (which means that clients can pick and choose what services they want) and additional admin support with the help of my Virtual Assistant.”

What’s your proudest moment?

“Winning the ICB’s LUCA for Small Practice of The Year. In order to support my entry, I asked clients for testimonials and the comments I got were lovely. Having been short-listed in 2020 and being short-listed for 3 other awards and not winning in 2021, it was amazing to win. It is the biggest thing for an ICB bookkeeper to be assessed by your peers and bookkeeping ‘celebrities’ to be doing enough for clients to win.”

What are your goals for LJM Bookkeeping?

“I chose the motto ‘Accuracy, Continuity, Efficiency’ as that is what the business is about. I aim to provide a high level of service and make sure that business owners understand their numbers so they can use the information to help them grow their businesses. If I can educate business owners and managers in order to take away their stress, then that makes me happy.”

Where do you see yourself being in 5 years time?

“I don’t have a 5 year plan as such, but I’d like to be able to offer my services to as many clients as possible, especially those wanting more of the outsourced accounts function. I’ll need to keep up with the ever changing software market and make sure I am utilising all of my efficiencies to be able to do that. I’m enjoying speaking to and helping other bookkeepers, so I hopefully will expand on that.”

What makes LJM Bookkeeping stand out?

“It is an award winning practice offering high level, personal financial and administration support. While I specialise in cloud based systems, I still make sure it has the regular support and communication that business owners need to be confident in their numbers.”

Lara has recently transformed LJM Bookkeeping to a Limited Company and her dedication to bookkeeping is reflected in the feedback she receives from her clients.