"Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like" Anonymous

Over the 15+ years that I have been in tax & accounting compliance software, that I know A LOT of specialists from sole practitioners to Big4, across a wide range of disciplines.  

So when I started out on my own, I developed a service where companies looking to make a change of their accounting provider can use me to use my network to suggest a list of potential 'suitors' based on the requirements of the business - discreetly and anonymously.
Some companies might need a service not offered by their current accountant (e.g. transfer pricing), or due to cost pressures, they may need an overall evaluation of the market, to make sure they are getting the best value for money - or an instruction from an overseas parent to move from Big4 to a Top10 boutique firm (or vice-versa).  Knowing where to begin without drawing too much attention, can often be hard.

I was engaged recently to provide a multinational company with a selection of firms for an independent review of an M&A they were planning: they had all the legals done by a prominent law firm, and financials by an accounting firm; but they wanted 'another set of eyes' to look over everything.  The existing legal firm and accounting firm both provided contacts, but the company who engaged me wanted a completely independent firm - so they called me.

I contacted about 11 partners of a wide variety of firms, mostly Top10 (the request was for no Big4 firms) of which 6 put their hands up to be included in the mix; one will soon be chosen by the company.  It was a clean, simple approach that benefited the end client; one meeting with me to determine the brief and they could go back to focussing on the day to day until my list came through.  

Sometimes you cannot be seen to be looking for a change of service provider; I make that change easier.

Alan

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