Case Study: Secret Door Events
When Rosie Spencer and Sarah-Jane Wilson launched Secret Door Events, they had a clear idea of what they wanted to create.
Their flagship event, Nordic Nights, brings a Scandinavian-inspired Christmas party experience to Leeds, working with local suppliers and businesses to create something a little different.
What they also needed was an accountant they could trust. Someone who would explain things clearly, answer their questions without making them feel daft and give them straightforward advice when they needed it.
That’s where AFor Accounting came in.
We spoke to Rosie about why they chose AFor Accounting, what it’s been like working together and the difference having the right accountant has made as they’ve built the business.
Tell us a little about you and your business
I'm Rosie Spencer, co-founder of Secret Door Events. I've worked in the events industry for over 10 years, specialising in weddings, corporate events and large-scale hospitality.
Last year, my business partner Sarah-Jane Wilson and I launched Secret Door Events, and our current flagship event is Nordic Nights, a Scandinavian-inspired Christmas party experience in Leeds. We work with businesses, organisations and groups of friends who want something a little different for their festive celebrations, and it's been really exciting seeing the idea come to life.
One of the things we love most about what we do is bringing lots of brilliant local businesses together to create one memorable event. As a small business ourselves, we're passionate about supporting local suppliers and showcasing the incredible talent we have here in Yorkshire.
When you were looking for an accountant, what were you looking for?
To be honest, we were looking for someone who would make accounting feel less overwhelming. Running a business means wearing lots of different hats, so we wanted an accountant who could explain things in plain English, answer our questions without being patronising, and help us stay on top of everything.
My biggest concern was finding someone we could trust. We weren't looking for the cheapest option or someone who would just file our accounts once a year, we wanted someone who felt like they were on our side and would give us honest advice when we needed it. We know if we have questions, we'll get straightforward, honest answers, which is exactly what we were looking for.
Why did you choose Allison and AFor Accounting?
It was really Allison's personality that stood out. From our first conversation, she was friendly, approachable and just very easy to talk to. She explains things clearly, doesn't overcomplicate anything, and has a really no-nonsense approach that I appreciate.
Running a business can be stressful enough without feeling intimidated by your accountant, so it was important to find someone we felt comfortable picking up the phone to. With Allison, there's never any jargon or pressure, just honest, practical advice, which has been invaluable.
What is it like working with Allison?
Like having an older sister who tells us how it is! We know we can pick up the phone to her and she’ll give us a straight answer.
Can you share an example of something Allison has helped you understand, improve or resolve?
When we first set up the business, Allison's advice was invaluable. We'd already done a lot of the groundwork ourselves, but she took the time to review our profit and loss forecasts, sense-check the figures and make sure everything stacked up.
Having that experienced second pair of eyes gave us real confidence that we'd covered everything properly. She helped us refine the financial side of the business and ensured all the details were in place, which made us feel much more confident about turning our business idea into a reality.
What difference has working with AFor Accounting made to you and your business?
It’s given us the time to actually concentrate on what matters as business owners, making the key decisions and doing everything else that isn’t the accountancy. We would no doubt have created a lot of headaches for ourselves so she’s taking a huge part of running a business of our plates.
What would you say to someone who feels nervous, embarrassed or overwhelmed about speaking to an accountant?
It can be all of those things, I think it’s really important to look around and only go with someone you get a good feeling from, follow your gut.
Find out more about Secret Door Events
Want to find out more about Rosie, Sarah-Jane and what they’re creating with Secret Door Events?
Visit the website: www.secretdoorevents.co.uk
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretdoorevents
Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/secretdooreventsltd