Meet a Chamber member: James Phillips

Hi James, can you tell us a little bit about who you are, and what you do at Cardens?

I’m James Phillips, I was one of the original team when Cardens Accountants started 15 years ago. I joined four days after my last A-level exam, and I’ve seen it from its beginnings as a small team, through its growth to a medium sized business today.

I’ve done a bit of everything here. I started out at the very bottom, making all the drinks in the office and going through expense receipts. I trained under Victoria Mason (Partner at Cardens), and three years ago I was promoted to Associate Partner.

Now I run a portfolio of micro and small businesses. Because Brighton is eclectic, the clients I look after are eclectic too. My job is to take away the stress and worry of the numbers, whilst helping clients to understand what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.

What that means is, I interpret the numbers and make them mean something. Sometimes they mean something bad, sometimes something good. Sometimes there can be an opportunity, but that’s what we’re here for: to understand what they mean, and how they can use them to better what they do.

Aside from the numbers, is a lot of what you do focused around business support?

The numbers make up a small amount of what I do on a day-to-day basis. I spend a decent amount of my time talking to clients, sounding out their ideas, looking for ways they can make more profit, or where there are pressure points and how we can help remove them.

Trust and information are both so important to us. One of the ways we did this was by being one of the first firms to offer a fixed fee approach, so no charges for calling up and asking a question. By doing this we empowered our clients to start that dialogue with us, allowing us to help when it mattered. This is the power of good, honest, and timely communication.

You mentioned that Cardens turns 15 this year – what are the key things that have sustained its success and growth in that time?

People.

Having the right people and investing in them is key to any business going through growth. We’ve worked hard to build a team that can communicate and work well together. This process starts right at the beginning, by ensuring we recruit the right type of people to fit our ethos. Also, like any good business we invest in our staff, giving them all the tools they need to succeed.

We’ve gone from having 14 of us to our current 65, so it just keeps on moving. That exponential growth has been incredible, so we must be doing something right.

Becoming a larger business brings its own challenges. But it’s one that I wouldn’t change.

How important is it to plan an end goal for the business when you first start?

Good business isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. Very few businesses know where they want to end up, or where they expect to. But by having a plan, you can make key choices on that journey. Your goals and aspirations are the things that allow you to choose the most applicable road when you have a decision to make. In a way, they stop you getting lost.

However, it’s also important to understand that goals and situations change. COVID is an example of this. Clients have had to entirely pivot their business and be flexible with, or change, their goals. You need to understand whether your goal is achievable in the current market, or whether it will make you any money.

Constant evaluation is so important. My advice is don’t be scared to change them. Your goals and aims will constantly give you a direction to point in, and that’s the most important thing.

What’s been the most helpful part of having a Brighton Chamber membership at Cardens? And, any advice to other accountancy firms thinking about joining the Chamber?

The Chamber allows me an opportunity to meet people who aren’t clients. Understanding how their business is going helps me collate data and information about the local economy that can then help me with my clients. Having the opportunity to have those conversations with business owners is a real asset.

I also use it to generate a network of professionals. I’m an accountant, I can’t do everything! We get asked all sorts of things, so being able to make a good referral and build a network of professionals helps add value to what I do, and my client knows they can trust me. It takes time, and the Chamber has allowed me to build that network over the years, giving me the opportunity to surround myself and build connections with people who can fill in the gaps, so I can advise my clients to the best of my ability.

The Chamber is also great at making connections and introductions. I think of Amy (Head of Member Engagement) as the Cilla Black of business matchmaking!

And finally, do you have a fun or interesting fact about yourself?

Some Chamber members will know this, but I used to be in a marching band.

In 2012, I was a member of a marching band called The Company, so it meant for most of the year I drove many, many miles to Barnsley to sleep on floors, create, practice, and rehearse a 12-minute show.

We’d compete against other bands in both the UK and Europe. In that final year we won both the UK and European championship, so that year I signed off as both the UK and European champion.

To get in touch with the Cardens team, or find out more, head over to their website. 

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk