REAL Chartered Accountants

Sometimes the biggest efficiency win isn’t a new system — it’s just asking someone to do one small thing differently. 💡

The people you work with usually aren’t trying to make things harder. They simply can’t see the flow-on effects that you can — the little habit that creates an hour of work down the line, the small change that would save everyone time.

So instead of quietly absorbing the extra work, say something. A friendly “hey, could you do it this way instead?” is often all it takes.

Where in your business could one small ask make things run smoother? 🤔

Cash-flow killer #1: invoices that go out late (or never get chased). 💸

You can look profitable on paper and still feel broke — because the money’s stuck in unpaid invoices. Habits that help:
✔️ Invoice immediately — the day the job’s done, not end of month
✔️ Make paying easy — clear due date, bank details, a pay-now link
✔️ Set terms and stick to them
✔️ Chase early and politely — a friendly nudge the day it’s overdue works wonders

Getting paid faster isn’t being pushy — it’s respecting your own work. Xero can automate most of this; ask us how. 📲

💸 There’s over $600 million sitting at the IRD — and some of it might be yours.

Inland Revenue is holding around $619 million in unclaimed money. This isn’t tax refunds — it’s money that genuinely belongs to someone, but the owner can’t be found: an old bank account you forgot about, unpaid wages from years back, a dividend that never reached you, proceeds from an old insurance policy.

The catch? Once it’s with IRD, you’ve got 20 years to claim it — after that, it’s gone to the Crown for good. ⏳

Not sure where to start, or don’t have time to dig through it? That’s where we come in. We can check whether there’s unclaimed money under your name (or your business) and help you claim it back.

Want us to take a look? Flick us an email or give the team a call. 📞

Busy is not the same as building. ⏳

Almost every business owner hits this stage: the work’s flowing in, things are finally profitable… and suddenly there’s no time left. You’re doing EVERYTHING.

That’s usually the moment to ask a different question — not “how do I get through it all?” but “what should I stop doing myself?”

Buying back your time — through the right hire, better systems, or smarter processes — is often what unlocks the next stage of growth. You can’t scale a business where you’re every single piece of it.

Hit that “no hours left in the day” wall? Let’s look at what your numbers can actually support. 📈

Genelle and Angela attended the Xero Roadshow in Hamilton yesterday — and got to meet the one and only Sir John Kirwan. 🙌

A rugby legend, yes — but also someone who's done incredible work breaking the stigma around mental health.

A genuine honour to meet him.

Don't compare your Chapter 1 to someone else's Chapter 20. 🌱

It's easy to look at an established business and feel behind — but every one of them started exactly where you are now: unsure, stretched, figuring it out.

The ones who make it aren't the ones who started ahead. They're the ones who kept going and got the right people in their corner.

Wherever you are, keep going — and if you'd like someone in your corner with the numbers, that's what we're here for. 💪

"Can I claim that?" — the question we hear most. 🧾

A few myths worth busting:
❌ "It's on the business card, so it's deductible." Not necessarily — it has to be a genuine business cost.
❌ "I can claim my morning coffee." Sadly no — personal, even if you're 'working'.
✔️ Tools, stock, business travel, professional fees — yes.
✔️ A portion of home office costs — yes (there's a method for it).

The golden rule: if it genuinely helps you earn income, it's likely claimable — but the grey areas trip people up. When in doubt, ask before you assume. 💡

Flat out but the bank balance doesn't show it? It might not be a workload problem. 🤔

When you're busy but not profitable, the instinct is to work more, take on more, hustle harder. But often the real issue is your pricing and positioning — not your effort.

A few honest questions:
✔️ When did you last review your prices? (If it's been years… that's a sign.)
✔️ Do they reflect the value you bring, or just what you assume people will pay?
✔️ Are you saying yes to work that keeps you busy but barely breaks even?

Sometimes the breakthrough isn't more customers — it's the courage to charge what you're worth. We'll help you look at the numbers and price for profit, not just survival. 💪

What a way to wrap up the month! 🍕🍸

Last night the team got together for pizzas fresh out of the Ooni — and the main event: finally cracking open the gins we blended ourselves at Matahui Distillery a while back.

After a very serious (and very fun) tasting, "DisGilled" took out top spot as the team favourite 🏆 — turns out Gillian has a real knack for this!

Cheers to a great team and a great night. 🥂 (The rest of us will stick to the numbers.)

Remember when the team each blended our own gin at Matahui Distillery? 🍸

Well, this afternoon's end-of-month drinks just got interesting — we all get to crack open our personal creations and taste what we came up with. (Exhibit A: "Ginelle" 😄)

Fingers crossed past-us knew what we were doing! Cheers! 🥂