When I started Freshwater, I wasn’t thinking about building a firm in the way I do now. There was no clear plan around systems, client selection, pricing strategy or long-term sustainability. Like most people starting out, I simply wanted to create something that worked. I wanted to generate income, have some flexibility, and build something that felt like my own.
In those early years, the business grew organically. I said yes to almost every opportunity that came my way. If someone needed help, I would find a way to make it work. At the time, that approach felt right. You don’t want to turn work away when you’re trying to build momentum, and there’s a certain level of hustle that comes with that phase.
What I didn’t fully appreciate at the time was that every “yes” shapes the business you’re building.
As the Business Grows, So Does the Complexity
As the client base grew, so did the complexity of the business. I was working with a wide range of clients across different industries, all with varying expectations, levels of organisation, and ways of operating.
Some engagements ran very smoothly, while others required more time, more follow-up, and more back-and-forth to reach the same outcome. At the time, I saw that as part of running a business, and in many ways it is.
Looking back, I can see that it was less about individual clients and more about alignment. When there’s a good fit in terms of communication, expectations and timing, everything flows much more easily. When that alignment isn’t quite there, even straightforward work can be more time-consuming than it needs to be.
If I were starting again, I’d be thinking about that alignment much earlier on.
Pricing Sets the Tone Early
Another thing I’d change is how I approached pricing in those early years.
Like many business owners, I started off on the conservative side. It felt safer to charge less, particularly when trying to build a client base. There’s always that concern that if you price too high, people simply won’t engage you.
What I’ve come to understand is that pricing doesn’t just impact revenue; it shapes the entire structure of the business.
It influences how much time you can spend on each task, the pace at which you need to work, and the overall experience for both you and your clients. When pricing is too tight, it can create pressure without you even realising it at the time.
If I were starting again, I’d approach pricing with a clearer view of what’s required to deliver a consistent, high-quality service, rather than adjusting it later once things are already in motion.
Growth Needs the Right Foundations
There was a period when the business grew quite quickly. More clients came on, the workload increased, and the team expanded to support that growth. From the outside, it looked like everything was heading in the right direction.
Internally, though, it became clear that growth on its own doesn’t make a business better.
Without the right systems and structure in place, the increase in volume created complexity. Communication became harder to manage, processes took longer than they should have, and small inefficiencies began to compound.
I’ve learned the hard way how important it is to have strong foundations in place early on. Systems, processes and clear communication aren’t things that can be left until later. They’re what allow a business to grow without becoming harder to manage.
Time Becomes More Valuable Than You Expect
In the early stages, I was available whenever needed. I responded to messages late at night, worked weekends, and picked things up as they came through. It felt like part of building the business, and in many ways it was.
Over time, though, that level of constant availability becomes difficult to maintain. It also doesn’t necessarily lead to better outcomes. It can create a more reactive way of working, where you’re constantly responding rather than working in a structured way.
What I’ve found since is that when time is managed more intentionally, the quality of work improves. Clear communication channels and more defined expectations create a better experience for everyone involved.
Growth Looks Different Over Time
One of the biggest shifts for me has been how I view growth. There was a stage where the business was bringing in more work than ever. On paper, it looked strong. Over time, though, it became clear that revenue alone isn’t the full picture.
What matters more is how the business feels to run, how sustainable it is, and whether it’s delivering the outcomes you actually want.
These days, Freshwater Tax is more structured, more boutique and more focused on maintaining a consistent, high-quality service. It’s a very different model from the one it started with, and that shift has made a significant difference.
What This Means for Other Business Owners
Looking back, the common thread through all of this is clarity. Clarity around operations, workflows, how pricing is structured, and how time is managed, but also clarity around where you’re heading and how you plan to get there.
Without that, it’s very easy to build something that looks successful from the outside but is far more reactive than it should be behind the scenes, with decisions being made on the run rather than as part of a considered plan.
These lessons aren’t unique to accounting; they apply across most small businesses. If things are becoming harder to manage, if you’re constantly responding to issues rather than staying ahead of them, or if growth isn’t improving your overall position, it’s often a sign that the business is being run reactively rather than proactively.
The shift comes from stepping back, putting structure in place for how things operate, and making decisions earlier, before they become problems that need to be managed later.
Final Thoughts
If I were starting Freshwater again today, I’d focus far less on saying yes to everything and far more on building the right foundations from the beginning. Clear systems, considered pricing, and a business structure that supports the way you actually want to work long-term.
