In this section of the website, we introduce you to one of our firms. Up next is Styles & Co, run by Executive Chairman Ian Lloyd and his team. Read his answers to get to know him and the firm.
What do you like about working for your firm?
“Being part of a team which is focussed on making our clients’ lives easier is the best thing I like about working at Styles & Co. It also makes me feel proud to see plenty of smiling faces around the office, knowing that everyone is getting on together and helping each other in whatever way they can. The days pass so quickly – I must be enjoying myself.”
What are in your words the strengths of your firm?
“Relationships are built on trust, and you can always trust us to keep our promises. We are forward-thinking and work alongside our clients to help them see the big picture and achieve their long-term goals. We are business people, just like our clients, and as such, we support them and empathise with them in the same way as if we are the business partners they wish they always had. Problem-solving is another one of our key strengths.”
“In the words of Michael Jordan, ‘Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships’.”
Ian Lloyd, Executive Chairman
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned at your firm?
“In the words of Michael Jordan, ‘Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.’ I’ve learnt that every team member here at Styles & Co is invaluable to us and is key to our success. I felt this more than ever during the Covid-19 lockdown when, even when we were all forced to work from home, we all pulled together to continually help and assist our clients in ways that I never dreamt were possible.”
What is the most rewarding experience you have had at your firm so far?
“It always makes me feel good when I’m referred work by another accountant. A few years ago, a company needed an audit and some specialist tax advice that their existing accountant could not provide, so she (the existing accountant) introduced her client to us. We got on swimmingly and, over the years, helped the client in a variety of ways, ranging from implementing new accounting software to being by his side during an unexpected PAYE inspection by HMRC. Ultimately, the company was sold for more than £10m, and the tax advice that we had provided earlier saved the majority shareholder tens of thousands of pounds. At the time, the client said, ‘Thank you, Ian’ – that was most rewarding.”
What result you achieved for a client are you most proud of?
“Being there when a client needs you most is important. Sometimes, regrettably, clients get into financial difficulties and need extra support, particularly if their bankers are making life uneasy for them.
In one such case, the in-house accountant had left the company in a very precarious position, and I was involved in making daily phone calls to the bank on behalf of the client to keep them informed of the current state of play because the (not insignificant) overdraft was in danger of being breached. Over the following weeks and months, we helped the client overcome their cash flow issues and eventually, the problem with the bank disappeared. The client vowed that he would never borrow money again. Now, I am pleased to report that the same client kept to his word – he never did borrow from the bank again – and he now has a very healthy business and even healthier bank balance of more than £1m.”
“With the right people, doing the right things for the right clients, our future will be very rewarding for everyone.”
Ian Lloyd, Executive Chairman
What is your favourite statement that you regularly use when advising your clients?
“Yes, I think we can help you solve that.”
Which conditions do you think a ‘firm of the future’ should meet?
“People buy from people. They always will. This means that any firm of the future will revolve around having extremely talented young people in the team. Technology will play its part too. By harnessing the skillsets of our talented people with the ever-increasing power of the latest, innovative technology, the potential of the firm of the future is limitless.”
How do you see the future of your firm from your perspective?
“With the right people, doing the right things for the right clients, our future will be very rewarding for everyone. Xeinadin brings an extra dimension to my firm and will put it head and shoulders above any of our local competitors. We already have hundreds of amazing clients and are consistently winning many more. Our challenge is to ensure that we embrace leading-edge technology so that we can continue to attract exceptional people who can develop new skills that will help to make our amazing clients’ lives easier.”