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08/03/10 - Press Release - The Local Bookkeeper hit sixty offices in the UK
 
TLBK have over doubled in size in the previous eight months to have 60 offices across the UK from Glasgow all the way down to Lymington.
 
This growth has made TLBK the largest bookkeeping and financial management brand in the UK with more local access to businesses than any other firm in the UK.
 
Phil Gaffer, Recruitment Manager, explains, “We have been inundated with requests by qualified and experienced financial management professionals to join our network. Due to our very strict recruitment process, we only take on a very small percentage of those however this has still given us a massive jump in network numbers.”
 
Many financial management professionals are looking to open TLBK offices around the UK because they are passionate about helping SME businesses become more successful and understand that through the TLBK network they are able to offer that in a service that is high quality yet accessible in both price and location.
 
TLBK is continuing to grow and is forecasted to be on over 100 offices by the end of 2010. 
 
12/09/09 - Press Release - The revolution has doubled in power at The Local Bookkeeper in months and features in the Financial Times!
 
The Local Bookkeeper has experienced tremendous growth in the last six months to nearly double the network size along with celebrating many other successes due to the proven success of the franchise and the business service.
 
The Local Bookkeeper has been inundated with interest and has welcomed many talented and experienced financial management professionals to the network all around the UK. This has been a result of the proven success of the innovative and dynamic business model used by The Local Bookkeeper and has been reflected in recent developments.
In the last six months, 22 franchisees have launched to strengthen the coverage taking the network size to 41 and allowing TLBK UK to secure positions of the nominated bookkeeper, in other national networks and also national accounts to benefit the franchisees.
 
The businesses who have appointed TLBK to manage their national accounts have specified the requirement for accurate and regular financial information, from qualified and experienced accounting professionals, to increase the success of their business. Many other businesses are realising this need as well and are showing interest in the reliable and trusted brand as a result.
 
This success can be seen in another arm of the TLBK franchise, The Local Accounts Department, where TLBK franchisees can gain large fees from businesses who wish to outsource their entire Accounts departments, is also going from strength to strength. This is generating large fees for each franchise and is becoming another desirable factor of the TLBK franchise opportunity, by providing lucrative results for the network.
 
TLBK had a feature article in the Financial Times Entrepreneur column on the 05/09/09 which was written by Mike Southon. As quoted in the article “People become entrepreneurs for a number of reasons: to make money, to control their own destiny, to make a difference to their own and their family’s lives; essentially to have more fun. Strange as it may seem to those of us who loathe spreadsheets, fun for The Local Bookkeeper involves getting your accounts in order and then providing pro-active advice on how best to scale your business without your going broke in the process.”
 
TLBK was presented as the leader of the financial management industry for businesses by Mike, who is as passionate as TLBK in promoting the success of businesses by helping them to better manage their finances, through regular and accurate financial information. This is further positioning the brand as the trusted partnersin the finances of small to medium-sized businesses.
 
TLBK is due to be featured in future FT articles and also be promoted in the hundreds of presentations that Mike Southon gives to entrepreneurs around the UK every year and featuring as The Local Bookkeeper’s  brand ambassador in promotional activities.
 
Our exclusive national partnership with revolutionary online Accountancy software, Xero, is leading us to launch The Online Bookkeeper brand that will allow franchisee to gain access to a whole new market of small business accounts and therefore gain higher incomes.

15/09/09 - Press Release-  Another four franchisees launch in September

Four extremely professional ladies launched this week in Crewe, Coulsdon, Reigate and Kingston after each completing another successful monthly training course to teach them in the brand values, marketing and sales training and systems of The Local Bookkeeper business.
 
Each one of them brings an impressive amount of experience and ability to further strengthen the network.
 
TLBK now has over 36 signed franchisees with the territory of Haywards Heath also being secured.
 
13/08/09 - Press Release- The Local Bookkeeper has grown to over thirty offices across the UK!
 
TLBK now has thirty one offices across the UK after four new offices were launched this week in Brighton North, Leatherhead, Northampton and Bermondsey.

Karen Badger launched the Leather head office. She is currently studying for her ACCA qualification and, in her position previous to opening the Leather head office, Karen had been dealing with improving profitability in the hospitality and care industry including managing an entire private hospital. Karen’s wealth of experience will contribute immensely to the success of businesses in her area.
 
Anna Mannion launched the Brighton North office. Anna is studying ACCA and ICB and is well experienced working in the bookkeeping industry both in the UK and in Ireland. Anna was chosen to open the Brighton North office because her extensive experience and fantastic communication skills that will allow her to effectively educate and advise business owners in dealing with their financial situations.
 
The Northampton office was launched by Steve Woods. He is CIMA qualified and worked as a financial controller before launching the Northampton office.  TLBK have the utmost confidence in his technical ability that ensures he revolutionized the role of a bookkeeper in businesses in Northampton.
 
London now has a third office with Heidi Lawrence opening her new office in Bermondsey. Heidi is AAT qualified and has worked in a variety of bookkeeping roles coupled with experience in running her own successful businesses. Heidi’s previous experience in both running her own business and in finance gives her the tools to be invaluable to business owners in Bermondsey.
 
02/07/09- Press Release- The Local Bookkeeper welcomes more franchisees to the national network in June

Taking our total office number up to twenty seven, TLBK are very proud to launch Rakesh Pancholi in Luton and Clare Farrow in Brentwood this month after successfully completing their training in Gatwick.

TLBK are expanding with more high calibre individuals as Rakesh is a fellow Certified and Chartered Accountant and Clare is AAT qualified with both promising professionals possessing many years of applicable experience in a range of high responsibility positions. They were both extremely impressive through out the assessment process and the training week so expectations are held extremely high for both territories.

The areas of Guildford, Northampton and Birmingham have also been secured for later training courses this year taking the total number of signed franchisees to thirty.
 
11/06/09- Press Release- ‘Discovery Days’ are introduced to The Local Bookkeeper to help accountancy and finance professionals start their own business

Due to the demand of the franchise, The Local Bookkeeper (TLBK) has introduced ‘Discovery days’ to be held at their offices in Gatwick, West Sussex. 

This is enhancing the recruitment opportunities for qualified and experienced professionals to determine whether the successful TLBK opportunity matches their desired aspirations and lifestyle.

The Local Bookkeeper traditionally has held one-to-one sessions with prospective franchisees but, with the large waiting list for available meetings, it has been established that discovery days in a larger group of around twenty accountancy and finance professional could prove even more beneficial to attendees. Participants will have the option to continue on to a personal one-to-one session in the afternoon if they choose to; therefore giving them the benefit from both styles of the valuable sessions.

There will be a seminar giving an overview of the franchise concept, values and packages to start the day. This will be followed by seminars from representative from the British Franchise Association affiliated banks and franchise solicitors to talk about what you can expect from a funding and legal aspect. 

Professionals can proceed into the afternoon session if they wish to further their interest to take the technical assessment and are then able to book into one-to-one sessions with two of the management team at TLBK to assess their personal situation and discuss the franchise opportunity in greater detail.

The first day will be in 8th July with the aim to hold several every month. As always, there is no commitment involved in any of the recruitment process. It is exploratory on the side of both the applicant and the franchisor to establish if it will be a mutually beneficial partnership.

If individuals would like to come to the day and discover more about The Local Bookkeeper’s franchise opportunity, please complete the form at: www.bookkeepingfranchise.co.uk/FranchiseAppForm.asp

Once you have completed the form, a member of The Local Bookkeeper team will be in contact with you soon.

14/05/09 - Press Release -The triumph of The Local Bookkeeper revolution continues….
 
The Local Bookkeeper is continuing on the road to bookkeeping and financial management growing its national coverage by having another impressive selection of successes.
 
Most importantly, TLBK UK have had five new franchisees launch in Dumfries, Milton Keynes North, Newcastle, Bath and Crowthorne taking our total number of live offices up to twenty one.
 
The territories of Brighton North and several others have been secured to launch later in the year causing the number of available territories to fail very quickly as the network continues to expand.
 
Phil Gaffer has been appointed into the role of Franchise Recruitment Manager due to the massive demand that has been experienced for the franchise opportunity. Phil will be overseeing the entire recruitment process of franchisees to streamline the process and allow the network to grow at its optimum rate while retain the high standards of only working with qualified and/or experienced accounting professionals.
 
TLBK UK have acquired their first branded vehicle for one franchise territory which will be a scheme that will become available throughout the whole network, which is set to become a contributing force to spread the brand name and creating awareness of the brand.
 
The Local Bookkeeper UK is very excited to see what the next month will bring to contribute to the continuing success of the revolution!
 
11/05/09 - Press Release -The Local Bookkeeper and British Business Angels Association have joined forces to help small businesses gain funding
 
The Local Bookkeeper has been granted associate membership to the organisation that will allow them to support small businesses through the process of gaining new funding from business angels as well as provide a follow up service after the investment has been granted.
 
A recent poll from The Local Bookkeeper found that 74% of businesses are currently seeking funding and, since the banks have cut funding to one in three small businesses recently, (according to a report by The Federation of Small Businesses), business owners are beginning to realise that they do have other options. A refusal from the bank does not mean the end of the line.
 
Businesses may actually benefit by investment from business angels who will often not only make capital available to the business owner but also provide invaluable advice and contacts.
 
Because of the personal investment of a business angel, they have an interest in seeing that the business is a success to ensure return on their investment, unlike your bank manager who has no personal interest.
 
However, do not think that approaching a business angel will be any easier. These individuals are usually hugely experienced, extremely knowledgeable and will have an understanding of many businesses. Those who think they can ‘talk’ money out of them will be met with a big surprise, applicants must know their own business inside out and be ready to give every last honest detail about their business, upon command.
 
The business angel will only invest if a business is extremely well-organised and, most importantly, has growth potential with a capable management team to facilitate this. When approaching a business angel, you must be well equipped with an excellent business plan, management accounts and a presentation to allow the business angel to assess your capacity for investment.
 
There are many viable businesses that should be rewarded with funding but the business owner does not have enough financial awareness to be able to fully understand his or her situation and therefore cannot give a comprehensive proposal to the investor.
 
The Local Bookkeeper can help businesses who are seeking funding, to prepare their accounts and business plans ready to pitch. Without these, it would be virtually impossible to achieve the funding they require.
 
Management accounts will give the business owner the transparency to show the business angel their true situation and justify the new funding. These will also be essential on an ongoing basis if the investor wants to compare it against the business plan and to keep the investor updated with the growth of the company. This will almost inevitably be part of the investment terms and conditions.
 
 The Local Bookkeeper will also be able to liaise with the business angel to advise them on your operating situation.

Together, these two organisations will be able to place many deserving businesses on the path to secure funding that facilitates their growth and unlocks their potential success.
 
About The British Business Angel Association (BBAA)

The BBAA was created in 2004 and receives some support from the UK Government as well as a number of sponsors from the early stage industry.  It has a growing membership consisting of 22 Business Angel networks, 20 Early Stage Venture Capital funds, and over 30 professional advisory businesses, policymakers and academia.  
 
The BBAA is driven by a board of high calibre individuals from within the industry and supported by a network of 4 Committees whose membership comes from within BBAA, meaning that members have not only a voice in the direction of the association, but also help drive forward and shape BBAA policy. http://www.bbaa.org.uk
 
19/03/09 - Press Release (Daily Express) - Buying into a franchise could see you back on track
Business Link's Andy Berrow suggests buying into a successful franchise.

One way to offset some of the risks, advises Business Link’s Andy Berrow, would be to buy into a successful franchise. He says: “If you buy into a franchise you get support and no direct competition in your area.”
 
Franchisees, who effectively buy the right to operate an existing business in a particular area, normally receive training, equipment, back-office and other forms of support.
 
The British Franchise Association runs a series of seminars for prospective franchisees to find out if this type of business is for them.

Stephen Alambritis of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) echoes the need for thorough planning and market research, whatever business structure you choose.

He says: “Get as much information as you can about rivals and customers, and get as much support as you can from people you know. Ask yourself whether your business involves something you enjoy.”

He also stresses the advantages of joining an organisation such as the FSB to help you avoid feeling isolated and to rebuild the kind of support network that you had from former colleagues.

Alambritis advises prospective entrepreneurs to try to keep things simple and their costs low in the early stages, by for example, considering whether they can work from home, and whether their sales will stay below the £67,000-a-year limit, beyond which they have to register for VAT.

And although you should arm yourself with a good bank manager and a bookkeeper, there is no need, he says, to spend your redundancy payout on an accountancy firm.

There are some basic official hoops through which anyone starting a business has to jump, notably the need to register as self-employed with HM Revenue & Customs within three months and start paying the correct National Insurance contributions.

However, Alambritis urges people not to worry unduly about officialdom. “Many people won’t set up a business because they think you need permission.

“You don’t. The UK has one of the simplest regimes for those setting up on their own.”

09/03/09- Press Release- Three new franchisees launch this week!
We are proud to welcome Richard Street, Penelope Tipper and Tsega Yehedego as the newest franchisees of The Local Bookkeeper.
 
With these three talented individuals on board, the total number of live offices is brought up to eighteen. Richard is taking the Stevenage territory, Penelope is starting with Chepstow and Tsega has chosen Edgware.
 
Richard, Penelope and Tsega are completing their intensive training course teaching them all about our tried and tested business model and how to work to our exceptional operations manual while their launch campaigns get off to a flying start in each of their territories.
 
The expertly targeted campaign will provide each person with a selection of meetings with potential clients for them to attend as soon as their training is finished allowing them to build up a good client base straight from the word go.
 
Needless to say, The Local Bookkeeper will carry on supporting them after their initial training with the assistance and expertise they require to ensure they all are rewarded with successful and ever-growing businesses.
 
The Brighton North territory has also been taken off the market as it has been secured by another promising individual.
 
The Local Bookkeeper still remains the largest franchise in the bookkeeping and financial management industry and the only nationally recognised brand.

20/02/09- Press Release- The Local Bookkeeper Gains National Recognition for Exceptional Marketing
The Local Bookkeeper (TLBK), the leading bookkeeping and financial management firm, are finalists at The Franchise Marketing Awards 2009 rubbing shoulders with other big names like McDonald’s and Subway.

This is a massive accomplishment displaying that TLBK are at the forefront in their field not only in the minds of valuable customers but are also now in the weighty opinion of distinguished business experts, such as Brian Smart, Director General of the British Franchise Association.

The Managing Director, Alex King proclaims, “Many of our franchisees are attracted to our franchise due to our marketing expertise. This demonstrates our commitment to effective marketing and brand asset management, we focus on delivering value and are extremely pleased to be recognised for our efforts”.

The team at The Local Bookkeeper are continually working to generate increased brand awareness and leads for their franchisees, using the most sophisticated marketing techniques.  TLBK are very proud to declare that these have now been recognised by the most prestigious franchise awards in the UK.

TLBK have been listed as finalist for “Best Brand Management” where they will be up against such brands as Papa Johns, énergie fitness clubs, HiQ and also “Best Overall Marketing Campaign” where they will be competing with McDonald’s Restaurants and Cartridge World.

Acknowledgement for the immense amount of hard work that is applied by the head office team is extremely pleasing but the true reward is the growing franchise network and increasing brand awareness. The Local Bookkeeper has placed itself in the market effectively, emerging as the only nationally recognised brand in a sector with no real competitors.
The awards ceremony takes place on the 20th March at Grosvenor House in London where the final winners will be revealed.
 
06/01/09- Press Release - Beat Redundancy with the Local Bookkeeper’s New Range of Franchise Packages
The Local Bookkeeper, a leading bookkeeping and financial management franchise, have created a wider range of Franchise packages that start from £5,270 up to £21,000.
 
The Local Bookkeeper appreciates that credit is harder to obtain at present and is keen to make sure any prospective franchisees do not see this as an obstacle and stop them from enjoying a great amount of success in their own business. The “Entry” package is now offered to assist those which wish to join the franchise but held back as a result of the lack of credit available, even though they still have what it takes to become a franchisee.

A “Fast Growth” package has been developed for those which have a higher investment capacity and wish to grow the business at a faster rate to gain a higher level of income and get into a staffed office as swiftly as possible, therefore increasing the turnover at a faster pace.

With redundancies rife within the accounting and finance industry, many people are considering the option of self-employment when they may not have done before. The appeal of job security and the freedom of becoming your own boss are enticing individuals to explore the option of self-employment and finding themselves faced with a prospect that is perfect for their situation.
 
Success is very likely when taking on a franchise rather than starting up a business alone;  the NatWest/BFA Survey of Franchising for 2007 research found that 93% of all franchises were profitable after two years compared to non-franchise businesses where four in five will fail within two years.
 
Business start ups may be down in general but The Local Bookkeeper are receiving more franchise applications than ever before due to the obvious success that their franchisees are experiencing.
This success is even soaring during the recession. This is because, as resources are lessening for small businesses, owners are reaching for the vital services our bookkeepers and management accountants provide to help them stay afloat in these testing times.  As a result of being given increased opportunity to show the difference The Local Bookkeeper can make in their finances, businesses are realising what an essential service is provided and franchisees are securing more long term clients than ever before.
 
The opportunity provided by The Local Bookkeeper has given many people the chance to dictate their own future and enjoy the fruits of their labour themselves with no threat of losing their job. The new franchise packages have been developed to allow more individuals to discover this freedom who may not have through they could have been able to before.

19/12/08 - Press Release - British Franchise Association membership is awarded to The Local Bookkeeper

The Local Bookkeeper (TLBK) is very proud to announce they have been granted a British Franchise Association (BFA) member that displays their commitment to a continuing ethical code of conduct, franchisability and viability. It confirms that TLBK’s good reputation is rightfully deserved after passing the association stringent assessments and adds even more value to the bookkeeping brand. TLBK has become a part of the influential association that includes Toni & Guy, McDonald’s and Threshers Group among its successful members.

When choosing a bookkeeping franchise, it is important to find one who has membership to the BFA. This will prove that the franchise is accountable through an independent system of checks, ensuring you will be treated with accordance to the ethical code of franchising set by the association. This is a feature that TLBK agrees is so important for both the franchisee and the franchisor.  The BFA will monitor this through their own system of disciplinary, appeals and re-accreditation rules. The BFA has performed their own assessment of TLBK’s franchise agreement that has confirmed it is a perfectly fair document. This provides a prospective franchisee with the knowledge they would be going into business with their eyes wide open with the right franchise partner.

Alex King, Managing Director of The Local Bookkeeper “We have been working with the British Franchise Association for many years through our associated company, Franaccounts, the leading BFA affiliated accountancy firm. We are extremely pleased that our commitment to ethical franchising has been recognised by accreditation of the BFA.”
The BFA have performed their own checks to confirm that TLBK provides a bookkeeping service that is viable and saleable and therefore is able to generate a profit that is sufficiently needed to sustain a franchised network. They have found that TLBK is also able to pass on their knowledge to the franchisee even from afar so as to ensure the franchisee can receive continuing support. BFA membership allows a prospective franchisee to be confident that all information about the franchise proposition and the agreement is available to them.

Through this membership, the first-class reputation of TLBK is upheld and reinforced by the BFA and will assist the brand to continue to grow as a trustworthy and reputable market leader in the industry.
 
 
5/12/08 - Press release - The Local Bookkeeper is not only weathering the recession, it is taking the SME market by storm.

Since job placements are down 70 percent, many people are looking to set up their own business. Many are wisely making the brave decision to buy into a lucrative franchise during a recession. It should not be viewed as an intimidating proposition due to the extensive benefits of choosing a franchise, rather than the far scarier prospect of setting up a business alone. The proven and tested business model, coupled with the support you would receive from the franchisor and their team, provides the franchisee with a far greater chance of success as the likelihood of mistakes being made are considerably lower.

After making the initial choice to become a franchise, individuals are then faced with the decision of which market to operate in. It is sensible to choose a business that is still facing demand or, even better, enjoying increased demand during the recession, which it is forecasted to last until at least 2009. An example of a business that is experiencing exceptional demand in this trying period is the revolutionary ‘The Local Bookkeeper’ franchise. This franchise specialises in helping small- to medium- sized businesses (SMEs) to have better management of their finances. Since banks are pulling back facilities for small businesses, they are being forced to better manage their finances to avoid failure and often require professional financial help to do so. Receivership has shot up by an incredible 238% in the past year illustrating how serious the repercussions are for small businesses and demonstrating that there is a dramatically growing demand for professional financial support. The Local Bookkeeper will take the burden of a business’s finances off their shoulders by providing a highly professional, value-based, financial management service for small businesses including bookkeeping, management accounts, credit control service and payroll services. Mike Southon, author of ‘The Beermat Entrepreneur’, outlines the importance of having a ‘financial cornerstone’ in small businesses who will advise business owners on their financial position, how they can better manage their cash flow and can also become their financial representative in situations where a greater financial knowledge is required. All small businesses require this service and, with 4.7 million SMEs in the UK, the client potential is enormous.
 
 
 
 
 
Paul Dawson became The Local Bookkeeper Southend-on-Sea when he started in April 2008. Paul possessed a background as an Accounts Manager for a law firm but felt his job was not providing enough of a challenge for himself and he knew he would be capable of much more if he was given the opportunity. Paul saw this opportunity in The Local Bookkeeper and decided to join the revolution because he was so impressed with the franchise’s philosophy and values and, under the proven and tested business model of helping small businesses have a better understanding of their financial position, he was convinced he could create a successful business.

There are unrivalled advantages to becoming a part of The Local Bookkeeper’s successful network. Even though The Local Bookkeeper is essentially recession proof, the sensible business person will be looking past the next few years towards the long term demand for business in addition to the short term issues. The unique selling point of the services that The Local Bookkeeper offers are that, no matter what the economic climate, businesses will always require their bookkeeping to be completed, payroll to be managed and to be have a better understanding of their financial position in order for them to identify ways to better manage their business. As a result of this, our franchisees will never have to worry about declining demand for The Local Bookkeeper, which is invariably a concern when choosing a franchise.
Therefore the proposition of The Local Bookkeeper is experiencing a massive increase in demand and in October this year the network experienced their best months yet. “I am ahead of my targets, which means I have had to already recruit my first member of staff and am already on the hunt for another talented individual to expand my team,” enthuses Paul. He is delighted to be on the way realising his goals of growing an extremely successful business and to help further develop The Local Bookkeeper brand as a professional market leader in financial management.

The Local Bookkeeper has over twelve years of experience behind them that has been used to ensure that their business model is flawless and which has also been verified in practice to be the road to success, by each franchisee that has followed it. The constant support from the franchisor makes sure each franchisee is able to overcome any barriers they may have in order for them to achieve success. These distinctive qualities separate The Local Bookkeeper from their competitors meaning you would be becoming a part of a network which is known for its excellent service and high standards of technical knowledge, which is revolutionising the way the public is viewing the importance of a bookkeeper.
Viva la Revolution! 
 
01/10/08 – The Local Bookkeeper welcomes two more franchisees to the revolution.
 
Sharon Liddon AICB has held previous positions such as Finance Manager for a £1m+ turnover business. Sharon will be the franchisee for the Pontypridd territory increasing the number of franchisees across Wales to three. To strengthen the coverage within the Midlands, The Local Bookkeeper has launched Cannock with Kim Walker and Gill Fitzpatrick, they are both qualified with the AAT and worked for a national accountancy firm with FTSE 100 firms.
 
01/09/08 – The Local Bookkeeper welcomes two new franchisees to its highly successful bookkeeping and financial management franchise.
 
Ashley Beetson MICB has joined The Local Bookkeeper as the Bury St Edmunds , he has worked within practice and within commerce. Cathy Laundy joined the revolution and owns the Wrexham territory. Cathy has a background within the financial and management accounting within various manufacturing businesses and is CIMA qualified.
 
01/08/08 - The Local Bookkeeper launches two new franchisees, Lymington and Bloomsbury.
 
The Lymington territory is owed by Louise Lloyd ACMA MICB CB.Dip, and Bloomsbury is owned by Tania Wall who is part-qualified ACCA and has assisted many small to medium sized business with a wide array of accounting and financial matters.