2027 is set to be an exciting year for Elsby & Co as we enter the next chapter in our story, with ambitious plans for our team, our services and, most importantly, the support we provide to our clients.
Following our recent management buyout, Managing Director Claire Emery has taken ownership of the firm and, alongside Partner Leona Bateman and Associate Partner Carina Benzie, is continuing to shape the future of Elsby & Co.
It is a new chapter, but one that remains firmly rooted in the things that have always mattered to us: building genuine relationships, doing great work and making a positive difference to the people and businesses around us.
Growing our team and our expertise
By the end of 2026, our team will have grown to around 40 people, following further investment in our audit team and the recruitment of additional accountants and trainee accountants.
And we are not stopping there.
Recruitment will remain an important part of our plans for 2027 as we continue to build the expertise and capacity needed to support growing SMEs across Northamptonshire and beyond.
As Claire explains:
“Our ambition is to be the best accountancy firm in the area and for us that means being the accountancy firm clients genuinely value, trust and recommend.”
For us, great accountancy is about much more than processing accounts or meeting a deadline. It’s about understanding a client’s business, responding when they need us, identifying potential issues early and being there to provide practical advice when things become complicated.
Making it easier to become an Elsby client
Our growth has also seen the appointment of Kayleigh Sharp as our Business Development Executive.
Kayleigh supports businesses from their initial enquiry through to becoming an Elsby client, providing a consistent point of contact and helping to ensure they are matched with the team member best suited to their business and requirements.
It’s part of our focus on making the experience of working with Elsby as straightforward, personal and supportive as possible, from the very first conversation.
Supporting businesses through change
There is plenty for business owners to prepare for in 2027, including continued tax and reporting deadlines and further changes under Making Tax Digital.
From April 2027, sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £30,000 will need to comply with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
Our team is already supporting those affected with everything from accounting software selection and setup to training, registration, bookkeeping and ongoing compliance.
The message from Associate Partner Carina Benzie is simple: don’t leave preparing until the last minute.
The earlier businesses understand what the changes mean for them, the more time they have to put the right systems and processes in place.
More support beyond compliance
Another major focus for Elsby in 2027 will be developing the wider advisory support available to our clients.
Growing or established businesses don’t always need someone simply to tell them what happened in last year’s accounts. Often, they need financial insight that helps them decide what to do next.
Our growing advisory offering includes our fractional Finance Director service, providing businesses with access to higher-level financial insight and strategic support without necessarily employing a full-time FD.
We are also developing fractional business turnaround support, enabling us to work more closely with businesses facing financial or operational pressures. This can include understanding where challenges lie, identifying potential improvements and creating a practical plan forward, including working alongside banks where appropriate.
It’s all part of our aim to be much more than an accountant our clients hear from once a year.
Putting our clients at the heart of 2027
Client satisfaction and retention will be a major focus for us in the year ahead.
We will continue looking at how and when we communicate with clients, making sure the support each client receives reflects their individual business, ambitions, challenges and opportunities.
And while we’re serious about providing great advice, relationships matter too.
We’re therefore looking forward to bringing clients, contacts and members of the local business community together for our summer drinks event in June 2027, with more details to follow.
There is plenty ahead, and we’re excited about what the next chapter holds for Elsby & Co, our team and the businesses we support.
You can also read more about our plans for 2027 in our recent feature in All Things Business: [Read the full All Things Business article].
If you’d like to talk to us about how Elsby & Co could support your business in 2027, get in touch with our team.