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At Murtagh Accountants we believe one of the most dangerous assumptions in business is that more sales will solve underlying financial problems. For many SME owners, the instinctive response to pressure is to chase additional turnover. If cash is tight, the answer seems to be more customers. If marg…

At Murtagh Accountants we believe many SMEs underestimate how closely operational reporting and financial performance are connected. Reporting delays are often seen as an internal inconvenience rather than a commercial risk. If stock reports are late, project updates are incomplete or management inf…

At Murtagh Accountants we believe growth can be one of the most exciting phases in a business, but it is also one of the easiest times to lose financial control. When an SME is expanding, attention naturally shifts towards sales, recruitment, delivery, systems and customer demand. That is understand…

At Murtagh Accountants we believe one of the most frustrating situations for an SME owner is to look back on a year of hard work, strong activity and steady sales, only to find that the business has very little cash to show for it. The team has been busy, customers have been served, invoices have go…

At Murtagh Accountants we believe one of the easiest ways for an SME to lose profit without realising it is through underpricing repeat work and long-term client accounts. These relationships often feel stable, predictable and commercially valuable. They may have been with the business for years, pr…

At Murtagh Accountants we believe many SMEs treat budgeting as a finance exercise rather than a business discipline. A budget is often prepared by the owner, finance manager or external accountant, reviewed at senior level and then largely left within the finance function. The problem with this appr…

At Murtagh Accountants we believe margin erosion is one of the most dangerous financial issues an SME can face precisely because it is rarely dramatic at the start. Profit margins do not usually collapse overnight. More often, they weaken gradually through a series of small changes that seem managea…

At Murtagh Accountants we believe growth is often celebrated too quickly in business. Rising sales, new hires, bigger orders and expanding operations can all look like positive signs from the outside. However, growth does not always strengthen a business if the cash position underneath it is too wea…

At Murtagh Accountants we believe stock is one of the most misunderstood financial pressure points in product-based businesses. Many business owners see stock primarily as a practical issue involving ordering, storage and fulfilment. In reality, poor stock control can quietly weaken cash flow, reduc…

At Murtagh Accountants we believe one of the most common weaknesses in growing SMEs is the assumption that rising sales automatically mean the business is becoming more profitable. In reality, growth can often hide serious issues around pricing, resourcing and client performance. A business may appe…