A business adviser used to be someone who’d been there, done that, and had the scars to prove it. They'd run companies, survived recessions, fired people, hired people, built brands, lost sleep, and occasionally gained a few pounds along the way. Nowadays, a "business adviser" might be someone who watched a YouTube video, set up a funnel, and now teaches others how to teach others to do the same. Like an MLM scheme, but with more jargon.

Starting a business is like doing a pub quiz where the questions change halfway through and the quizmaster’s set fire to the rulebook. It’s not for the faint-hearted or anyone who enjoys a steady wage and regular sleep.

Sometimes, growing your business means shrinking your ego. Sometimes, saying “no” makes you richer than saying “yes.” And sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is admit you don’t know it all and ask someone who does.

Because while some businesses do need to scale quickly, rocket ships, AI unicorns, or the people who invented edible protein made from air (true story) for the rest of us, scaling too soon is like trying to run before you’ve finished putting your trousers on.

But here’s the reality: HMRC may not be peering through your letterbox, but their digital tentacles are everywhere. They’re less Inspector Morse, more Minority Report with spreadsheets. And they’ve got a grudge against sloppy small businesses.

A decent accountant often saves you more than they charge—and that’s before they even open their spreadsheet wizardry.

But here’s the thing: if profit is sanity, then cash flow is your actual heartbeat. And if your business runs out of cash, you’re not mad — you’re dead.