Profit Cash Growth

This episode is a practical commercial audit for business owners who want to understand whether their business is genuinely protected from competition, or whether they're one well-funded rival away from a serious problem. Claire and Simon dig into Porter's Five Forces, specifically the threat of new entrants, and map out the real-world strategies six and seven-figure business owners can use to build a defensible position before the market moves around them.
Key Topics Covered:
Why AI has created the lowest barrier to entry in business history and what that means for service-based businesses in particular
The five forces that determine how vulnerable your business really is to new competition
Brand, IP, ecosystem, legal contracts, and capital requirements as practical moats for owner-managed businesses
Why "I do it better" is no longer a sufficient answer when proposals, websites, and pitches all look the same
How to use AI itself to score your business against Porter's Five Forces and identify where you have gaps
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ABOUT THE HOST:
Claire Hancott through Profit Cash Growth helps 6 & 7 figure business owners to increase their profit, improve their cashflow and grow their business using their numbers.
As a finance director & chartered management accountant, Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in finance and running businesses of her own. This gives her a unique insight into the information and support business owners need to grow a financially successful business.
Claire passionately believes that every business should be run by the numbers because the numbers in your business are telling you a story about what is and isn’t working and where your opportunities lie. Claire’s mission is to provide insightful management accounts, reports and advice to business owners and support them to make smarter decisions. 
 
*The content of this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.
 
 

Most business owners think hedging is something airlines and banks do. It isn't. It's something every business with uncertain costs or foreign income is already doing badly — or not doing at all. In this episode, Claire explains what hedging actually is, where it shows up in business and everyday life, and how businesses between £1m and £20m can use it to protect their margins and make smarter decisions.
Key Topics Covered:
What hedging actually means in simple terms, and why most people are already doing it without knowing
Why certainty nearly always beats chasing upside, especially when you're running a growing business
How foreign currency exposure silently erodes profit margins for businesses buying or selling internationally
The forward contract: what it is, how it works, and when it makes sense to use one
Real-world examples from fuel and utilities that show exactly what happens when you don't hedge The one question every business owner should be asking about their biggest variable costs
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⭐ Get a Free copy of Claire's book Profit By Numbers: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/book
 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website
LinkedIn
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Facebook
ABOUT THE HOST:
Claire Hancott through Profit Cash Growth helps 6 & 7 figure business owners to increase their profit, improve their cashflow and grow their business using their numbers.
As a finance director & chartered management accountant, Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in finance and running businesses of her own. This gives her a unique insight into the information and support business owners need to grow a financially successful business.
Claire passionately believes that every business should be run by the numbers because the numbers in your business are telling you a story about what is and isn’t working and where your opportunities lie. Claire’s mission is to provide insightful management accounts, reports and advice to business owners and support them to make smarter decisions. 
 
*The content of this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

On this episode of the Profit Cash Growth Podcast Simon and Claire discuss what happens when your reported profits don’t match the cash sitting in your bank. They open with a short news note about low consumer confidence in the UK and then move into the main topic: the gap between equity (retained profits) and cash.
Claire explains how to calculate the gap (equity less total cash in bank accounts), what a positive gap means (profit tied up in the business), and why many healthy‑profit companies still have empty bank accounts. They reveal the common culprits: slow‑paying customers (debtors), excess stock, and under‑leveraged or prepaid assets.
The hosts give practical steps to free up cash: map the gap on your balance sheet, speed up debtor collections, slow or restructure supplier payments, reduce stock levels, and finance or refinance assets to release cash. They stress the difference between strategic FD work and day‑to‑day financial controls and how small monthly improvements compound into large gains.
Listeners are encouraged to ask their accountant for the “equity vs cash” number, map where the money is tied up, and take action to reclaim that cash.
⭐ Rate, Review & Share this episode with fellow business owners, and let's grow together!
⭐ Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get Expert Advice Straight to Your Inbox: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/subscribe
⭐ Get a Free copy of Claire's book Profit By Numbers: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/book
 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube
Facebook
ABOUT THE HOST:
Claire Hancott through Profit Cash Growth helps 6 & 7 figure business owners to increase their profit, improve their cashflow and grow their business using their numbers.
As a finance director & chartered management accountant, Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in finance and running businesses of her own. This gives her a unique insight into the information and support business owners need to grow a financially successful business.
Claire passionately believes that every business should be run by the numbers because the numbers in your business are telling you a story about what is and isn’t working and where your opportunities lie. Claire’s mission is to provide insightful management accounts, reports and advice to business owners and support them to make smarter decisions. 
 
*The content of this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

If you've been thinking about changing accountants but keep putting it off, this episode is for you. Claire breaks down exactly why business owners stay with the wrong accountant for too long, demystifies the switching process from start to finish, and explains why the fear of moving is almost always bigger than the reality. Whether you're at half a million or heading toward seven figures, this is the practical conversation you've been avoiding.
Key Topics Covered:
Why the fear of switching accountants is almost always bigger than the reality, and what's actually driving it.
The step-by-step process of moving to a new accountant, including what a chartered firm handles on your behalf.
When is the right time to switch, and why waiting for your year end is rarely the answer.
How to handle a difficult or unresponsive old accountant during the handover.
The signals that tell you you've outgrown your current accountant, even if you can't quite articulate why.
Why some businesses keep their year-end accountant and add FD services separately.
⭐ Rate, Review & Share this episode with fellow business owners, and let's grow together!
⭐ Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get Expert Advice Straight to Your Inbox: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/subscribe
⭐ Get a Free copy of Claire's book Profit By Numbers: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/book
 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube
Facebook
ABOUT THE HOST:
Claire Hancott through Profit Cash Growth helps 6 & 7 figure business owners to increase their profit, improve their cashflow and grow their business using their numbers.
As a finance director & chartered management accountant, Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in finance and running businesses of her own. This gives her a unique insight into the information and support business owners need to grow a financially successful business.
Claire passionately believes that every business should be run by the numbers because the numbers in your business are telling you a story about what is and isn’t working and where your opportunities lie. Claire’s mission is to provide insightful management accounts, reports and advice to business owners and support them to make smarter decisions. 
 
*The content of this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.
 

This week we break down Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax and explain what it means for six- and seven-figure business owners, landlords and the self-employed. Claire defines MTD, why HMRC is moving to digital records and quarterly updates, and how the change affects people with rental income or sole-trader/self-employed turnover.
They cover who is in scope (personal rental income and self-employment turnover), the current and planned thresholds (50k in April 2026, falling to 30k then 20k in later years), what’s excluded (limited companies, salary/dividends, LLPs and most partnerships), and practical steps: using compatible software, record-keeping, and the likely impacts on cashflow and accountants’ processes.
⭐ Rate, Review & Share this episode with fellow business owners, and let's grow together!
⭐ Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get Expert Advice Straight to Your Inbox: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/subscribe
⭐ Get a Free copy of Claire's book Profit By Numbers: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/book
 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube
Facebook
ABOUT THE HOST:
Claire Hancott through Profit Cash Growth helps 6 & 7 figure business owners to increase their profit, improve their cashflow and grow their business using their numbers.
As a finance director & chartered management accountant, Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in finance and running businesses of her own. This gives her a unique insight into the information and support business owners need to grow a financially successful business.
Claire passionately believes that every business should be run by the numbers because the numbers in your business are telling you a story about what is and isn’t working and where your opportunities lie. Claire’s mission is to provide insightful management accounts, reports and advice to business owners and support them to make smarter decisions. 
 
*The content of this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

On this episode of the Profit Cash Growth Podcast we tackle a debated question: when does a small business become a big business? Aimed at six- and seven-figure business owners, the conversation explores practical frameworks to understand scale, profitability and growth.
We run a four-round "battle-off" covering metrics (turnover, headcount, locations and funding), the subsidy argument (who deserves public support and when), founder dependency (can the business run without its owner?) and lifestyle versus scalability (choice to stay small vs intent to grow).
⭐ Rate, Review & Share this episode with fellow business owners, and let's grow together!
⭐ Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get Expert Advice Straight to Your Inbox: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/subscribe
⭐ Get a Free copy of Claire's book Profit By Numbers: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/book
 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube
Facebook
ABOUT THE HOST:
Claire Hancott through Profit Cash Growth helps 6 & 7 figure business owners to increase their profit, improve their cashflow and grow their business using their numbers.
As a finance director & chartered management accountant, Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in finance and running businesses of her own. This gives her a unique insight into the information and support business owners need to grow a financially successful business.
Claire passionately believes that every business should be run by the numbers because the numbers in your business are telling you a story about what is and isn’t working and where your opportunities lie. Claire’s mission is to provide insightful management accounts, reports and advice to business owners and support them to make smarter decisions. 
 
*The content of this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

On this episode of the Profit Cash Growth podcast, hosts discuss the race to use annual tax allowances before the 5th of April and share practical tips for six- and seven-figure business owners to protect profits and improve cash flow.
The deep guide covers six year-end tax actions you can take now: use the Employment Allowance (up to £10,500 of employer NIC relief), consider the annual pension allowance (up to £60,000 and up to three years’ carry-back), claim directors’ trivial benefits (up to £300 each), use the £150 per head tax-free staff event allowance, book the company-funded annual health check, and review your dividend vs. salary split before the tax year ends — payroll must be paid in the tax year to count.
⭐ Rate, Review & Share this episode with fellow business owners, and let's grow together!
⭐ Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get Expert Advice Straight to Your Inbox: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/subscribe
⭐ Get a Free copy of Claire's book Profit By Numbers: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/book
 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube
Facebook
ABOUT THE HOST:
Claire Hancott through Profit Cash Growth helps 6 & 7 figure business owners to increase their profit, improve their cashflow and grow their business using their numbers.
As a finance director & chartered management accountant, Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in finance and running businesses of her own. This gives her a unique insight into the information and support business owners need to grow a financially successful business.
Claire passionately believes that every business should be run by the numbers because the numbers in your business are telling you a story about what is and isn’t working and where your opportunities lie. Claire’s mission is to provide insightful management accounts, reports and advice to business owners and support them to make smarter decisions. 
 
*The content of this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

In this sequel episode, we explore five things business owners often don’t worry enough about: cash flow timing, business model quality, funding strategy, over-reliance on the owner (key-person risk), and skill stagnation. We share real-world examples and practical advice on how to spot and address these issues before they derail growth.
⭐ Rate, Review & Share this episode with fellow business owners, and let's grow together!
⭐ Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get Expert Advice Straight to Your Inbox: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/subscribe
⭐ Get a Free copy of Claire's book Profit By Numbers: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/book
 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube
Facebook
ABOUT THE HOST:
Claire Hancott through Profit Cash Growth helps 6 & 7 figure business owners to increase their profit, improve their cashflow and grow their business using their numbers.
As a finance director & chartered management accountant, Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in finance and running businesses of her own. This gives her a unique insight into the information and support business owners need to grow a financially successful business.
Claire passionately believes that every business should be run by the numbers because the numbers in your business are telling you a story about what is and isn’t working and where your opportunities lie. Claire’s mission is to provide insightful management accounts, reports and advice to business owners and support them to make smarter decisions. 
 
*The content of this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

This episode breaks down the five common overreactions we see from business owners: obsessing over competitors, panicking about tax bills, fixating on vanity metrics (like revenue or social followers), overinvesting in branding or premises, and fearing one wrong decision.
Simon and Claire explain why these concerns are often misplaced and share practical ways to focus on what matters: profit, cash and sustainable growth.
The hosts also offer quick tips—plan cashflow for tax liabilities, prioritise niche execution over constant comparison, use meaningful metrics, avoid expensive branding traps early on, and learn to recognise reversible (B) decisions versus irreversible (A) ones.
Link To The Robot Dog News Story! https://youtu.be/1ONE4l_pgHw?si=_rnIQVHAsVvtnfYt
 
⭐ Rate, Review & Share this episode with fellow business owners, and let's grow together!
⭐ Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get Expert Advice Straight to Your Inbox: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/subscribe
⭐ Get a Free copy of Claire's book Profit By Numbers: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/book
 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube
Facebook
ABOUT THE HOST:
Claire Hancott through Profit Cash Growth helps 6 & 7 figure business owners to increase their profit, improve their cashflow and grow their business using their numbers.
As a finance director & chartered management accountant, Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in finance and running businesses of her own. This gives her a unique insight into the information and support business owners need to grow a financially successful business.
Claire passionately believes that every business should be run by the numbers because the numbers in your business are telling you a story about what is and isn’t working and where your opportunities lie. Claire’s mission is to provide insightful management accounts, reports and advice to business owners and support them to make smarter decisions. 
 
*The content of this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

In this episode of the Profit Cash Growth Podcast we focus on AI in the finance function: Xero’s AI bank reconciliation feature (its limitations and risks), OCR and machine‑learning invoice processing (Dext, others), AI commentary tools for management accounts (Sift, Fathom, DataRails), and the wider question of whether AI can replace CFOs, accountants or bookkeepers. The discussion explains where current tools help, where they fail, and why human nuance, trust and complete data capture remain critical.
Key takeaways: current AI tools can speed up tasks and act as copilots but often introduce errors without careful oversight; high‑trust roles like CFOs and advisory accountants are unlikely to be fully replaced in the near term; businesses should focus on better data aggregation and training tailored models if they want useful AI assistance.
 
⭐ Rate, Review & Share this episode with fellow business owners, and let's grow together!
⭐ Subscribe to the weekly newsletter to get Expert Advice Straight to Your Inbox: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/subscribe
⭐ Get a Free copy of Claire's book Profit By Numbers: https://www.profitcashgrowth.com/book
 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Website
LinkedIn
YouTube
Facebook
ABOUT THE HOST:
Claire Hancott through Profit Cash Growth helps 6 & 7 figure business owners to increase their profit, improve their cashflow and grow their business using their numbers.
As a finance director & chartered management accountant, Claire has nearly 20 years’ experience in finance and running businesses of her own. This gives her a unique insight into the information and support business owners need to grow a financially successful business.
Claire passionately believes that every business should be run by the numbers because the numbers in your business are telling you a story about what is and isn’t working and where your opportunities lie. Claire’s mission is to provide insightful management accounts, reports and advice to business owners and support them to make smarter decisions. 
 
*The content of this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.