Member News
Cramlington based national accountancy firm, Tennick are celebrating winning a brace of accolades at this year's prestigious Accounting Excellence Awards held on 3rd October 2023 at The Roundhouse London and hosted by comedian Tom Allen.
Accounting Excellence
Having first picked up the award for Small Firm of the Year for the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Tennick team went on to win the national ‘Grand Prix’ Small Firm of the Year Award for UK and Ireland. Following a rigorous judging process, the Awards recognise and celebrate members of the accounting profession that embody excellence in everything they do for their clients and teams.
Commenting on what has been an exceptional year so far, founder Graeme Tennick said: "I’m absolutely blown away to have come away with not one award, but two!! So super proud of the team that work alongside me, together with the support we have from our families that give us the motivation to be better and do better. We also wouldn't be where we are without our clients who have embraced our unique approach to finance by looking to improve time, money and freedom for each of them”.
Xero Firm of the Year
The double award follows an equally spectacular win for the Tennick team who picked up the 2023 Xero Small Firm of the Year Award in April at another high-profile event in London. The Xero Awards showcase the achievements of those supporting small businesses to navigate current and future challenges with a focus on innovation, boosting productivity, and providing client solutions. Commenting on Tennick’s win, Xero said:
“Taking on a ‘business first and finance second’ approach, they recognise the mental struggles of business owners, putting them at the heart of what they do by upskilling their team on coaching, and focusing on mental health…with unwavering commitment to client care, innovative use of technology, and their dedication to knowledge sharing within the community...Tennick Accountants focus on the true reasons why their clients started their businesses.”
Transformational not transactional approach
Reflecting on the team’s key to success with clients, Graeme said:
"Time, money and freedom; so many of us do not have enough. Having grown up in a household where my Dad built a successful forklift truck business I can relate to these struggles. I often reflect on the time I missed with the kids when setting up the firm eleven years ago - the financial sacrifices and lack of freedom that come with starting and scaling a business. Thankfully, I can now also relate to coming out the other side - I can take the kids to school and see the family benefits of a level of freedom I always dreamt of. Our 360-degree transformational rather than transactional formula of integrating the financial, operational and retirement aspects of a business, allows us to help fellow business owners to replicate the positive lessons we’ve learnt first-hand, but without the war wounds.”
Starting where other accountants stop
This has been Tennick Accountants’ mantra, aiming to transform lives by giving business owners time, money and freedom by helping them find the answers to questions they never thought to ask – the team aims to influence the numbers rather than just report them. Dubbed the firm's 'Chief Impact Officer', Graeme is not afraid of highlighting the firm's ambitions:
“To be recognised as a national accountancy, coaching and data analytics firm for SME businesses, eroding ‘entrepreneurial poverty’ in terms of money and time, by aligning business and strategic plans and at the same time strengthening the resilience of their owners. As part of this journey, when celebrating the business’ tenth anniversary about a year ago, we shared this vision with our clients. We also made the bold commitment that in three years we’d win at the North East Accountancy Awards, Xero Awards and Accounting Excellence Awards. Well ahead of our target, we were shortlisted for all three, and then went on to win the national Xero and two Accounting Excellence Awards! With that track record, I’m excited to see what else we can achieve for the business, as well as our clients.”
Business first, accountants second
Tennick Accounting’s aim is to help business owners avoid regretting not spending enough time with their families and often ask their clients the following hard questions:
- Are you comfortable with how many mealtimes and bedtimes you are missing with loved ones?
- Are you happy with where your business is today and is it where you wanted it to be when you started it?
- Would you be happy with the life you have lived and left behind for loved ones?
The firm specialises in accounting and taxation for individuals and companies, with the added services of strategic financial planning that strengthens both the commercial acumen and mental health of business owners, in turn, enabling their goals and vision become a reality. To find out more visit Tennick.co.uk.
