Author Archives: Martin Bown

A thank you…..

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Martin Bown

Life, and business, has been good since the New Year, so this is long overdue. It’s a thank you note to all the friends who supported me and my family through my treatment last year.  Whether you’re a client, a … Continue reading →

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And before you know it…..

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Martin Bown

….. we’ve reached the finish line. Just like marathon day itself, I didn’t let the challenge scare me, I loved and appreciated the support along the way, of course was happy to have crossed the line, but mainly just feel … Continue reading →

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We’re at Canary Wharf already…..

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Martin Bown

Well, I’m about to start my third and final cycle of chemotherapy. We are almost at mile 18 of this challenge, which as many of you London Marathon runners know that means we’ve reached Canary Wharf. Canary Wharf certainly wasn’t … Continue reading →

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A quick word…..

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Martin Bown

….before I head into the unknown. Yes, I know my chemo doesn’t start until Monday, but I wanted to post this update during the working week.  It’s when most of the people I want to read this are online. The … Continue reading →

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Finishing the marathon was just the start…..

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Martin Bown

As most of you know, earlier this year I completed one of my ambitions by finishing the London Marathon. I knew at the time what “made the marathon” was the training.   The training was the true challenge.  The 5am … Continue reading →

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Taking care of the carers

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Martin Bown

This is a guest blog article written by Julie Sykes, MD of JCS HR Consulting.  If you’d like specific advice on the topic, Julie and her team can be contacted on 01484 602708, via info@jcs-hr.co.uk or at their website www.jcs-hr.co.uk. … Continue reading →

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“Ghost” plumbers arrested by HMRC

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Martin Bown

It’s been announced today by HM Revenue & Customs that 5 plumbers have been arrested, and 600 more are being investigated for suspected tax fraud.  More raids and arrests are expected over coming weeks. These individuals have been described as … Continue reading →

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Announcement: We’re now Xero Certified Partners

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Martin Bown

As you know, we like Xero, the online accounting system that is easy to use.  In fact, we like it so much we already have our own page dedicated to Xero. Inbetween the recent long bank holiday weekends, Martin Bown, … Continue reading →

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Advertising online

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Martin Bown

I’ve had a number of discussions recently, mainly with existing clients, about the increasing popularity of “social media” – Facebook, Twitter and the like – and how it will affect their business in the future. My opinion is they need … Continue reading →

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Plumbers – in the sights of the taxman

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Martin Bown

On 1 March, HM Revenue and Customs announced plans to ensure plumbers, gas fitters and heating engineers declare their correct earnings and pay the right amount of tax, by introducing a new scheme called the Plumbing Tax Safe Plan (PTSP). … Continue reading →

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