Sometimes when people ask me what I do for a living I’m tempted to simply say “everything”. Anybody who starts out on the rocky, but rewarding, road to self-employment will know the feeling. Whether you simply work for yourself or run a small business your ‘core’ work is usually only the start of it. For those working alone the list, apart from the actual job, usually includes being the cleaning staff, the secretary, the HR manager, the catering staff and your own accountant. Most of these jobs I’m relatively comfortable with, apart from the last, which has a tendency to make my blood run cold. I’m a writer and I love words, but numbers and I have had a long and bitter relationship which stretches back into the distant past when I was always last in the class to learn each of my times tables. But keeping up with accounts is crucial, not only for the obvious reason – cash flow – but depending on the size of company you run, for VAT, tax and payroll purposes. The latter being a particular focus of attention as far as your staff are concerned. Well presented, accurate accounts can be valuable in other areas of business life too – from your client’s perspective professionally presented invoices are an indication of your attitude and from a bank’s point of view accurate, understandable accounts speak volumes.