My name is Emily Coltman, or M for short.

Here’s a potted history of my career.

When I first pitched into the world of work after university, I ended up at Whitbread, who were still brewing then, but I promise they did not pay me with free beer (hic!).

Deciding that I’d rather work in the small business world than get tangled up with the much too complicated big business red tape, I left after 2 years to join Cannon Moorcroft, a small accountancy firm in High Wycombe.

That’s where I qualified as an ACA in July 2003. (Phew that was hard work.)

That’s also where I realised that the clients I enjoyed working with the most were those who weren’t trying to be the next Richard Branson and build a huge business, but just wanted to have a small, home-based business. (I’m certainly not trying to be the next Mr Virgin. For one thing, the beard wouldn’t suit me. )

Two years after qualifying, I married my wonderful husband Matt, who’s from County Durham. He’d always had a hankering to move back to the North of England, and two years later, he did just that – with a wife in tow!

That of course meant leaving Cannon Moorcroft. I spent about 18 months working for a company that makes data collection software for small businesses. But at the end of December 2008, the credit crunch bit them and I got made redundant.

Ow.

But that did give me the chance to start up my own home-based business.

And now I’ve got two.

Not only do I run an accountancy practice, but I also make bespoke screencast videos. To find out more about that please click here.

OK, that’s enough about me. Now let’s talk about you.

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