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Hear from a few of our clients who believed they could create a better financial future

You’ve really helped us to look at our business in a completely different way in such a short amount of time. It’s quite astonishing really – is it a Jedi mind trick? Ha!

Seriously, thank you, we’re very grateful and lucky that our paths crossed as they did.

Claire Hodson
We Love Creative
Claire Hosdon
From the very beginning as a new business owner I didn’t have the first clue on management information or cashflow forecasting.  It was fantastic to have Serena and her team supporting me with my finances to ensure my business grew alongside sound financial decisions. Without that support, the progress of the business would have been very different.
Being experienced in what they do, the F Word team’s skills are alien to most businesses and has certainly helped Clumber Consultancy survive the first five years.
Over the years, I’ve attended a number of F Word retreats and workshops which have been a significant opportunity to remove myself from the business for a day or two, in a relaxed environment and really look at why we are doing what we are doing!  Serena has facilitated a lot of planning and forward thinking and through it, I’ve also met some incredible people.  As a business owner you can often feel isolated, and the retreats give me the opportunity to be with other business owners, discussing common ground and issues.  The time to retreat, think through and plan the next phase of the business, has been invaluable, especially with the support of the rest of the group.  In fact, the first retreat I attended made me realise that I was going in the polar opposite direction with my business to what I needed to in order to have the life balance that would be good for my employees and my family.  Being in control of my finances, rather than at the mercy of them, has made a world of difference – and I have the F Word to thank for that!
Darren Toms
Managing Director - Clumber Consultancy Ltd
darren-toms
The work we have undertaken with Serena over the past 18 months has been invaluable in allowing us to successfully navigate through the COVID crisis. The implementation of robust systems, creating financial safeguards in the business and just having another pair of eyes on our business int the toughest of times has been vital to Sherpa. I’m confident this work will now allow us to commence a significant period of growth for our company.
Tom Perry
Managing Director - Sherpa Marketing Ltd
Tom Perry
The work we have done together over the last 2 years essentially prepared Blueprint to cope with the effects of Covid, and that potentially without it and the solid foundations on which the business is now based,  Blueprint may not have survived. The planning, forecasting and systems we now have in our business have been transformational and give us the confidence to plan confidently for a bright future.
Stuart Brook
Managing Director - Blueprint Document Solutions Ltd
Stuart Brook
Just wanted to say a massive thank you from all at Timms for the excellent workshop Sharon ran for us last Thursday.

When the morning gang came back to the office, they were full of it, really inspired and felt they had learnt so much.

We were so very impressed with how the day had gone – it was pitched perfect and the fact that you had a great understanding of the business made such a difference.

Thank you so much, a great workshop delivered as part of our Pathway to Partnership, thank you for contributing to its success.

Karen Tyers
Personnel & Training Manager - Timms Solicitors
Karen Tyers
Since bringing Serena into the business this year I’ve learnt the importance of financial control and visibility. I used to be complacent about the numbers I produced each month because I didn’t really understand how to look at them and read the vital signs.

I can now look at our management accounts in an analytical way to make sure I’m giving the most accurate information to our directors, supporting them to make the decisions needed to be a successful business. We’re able to be think and act quicker which is paramount in business and this means we can be fully prepared for any eventually. Everything I’ve learned so far has enabled me to step up and support the business at a whole new level.

Serena has given me the confidence to present our management accounts which seemed very daunting at first but I’m now confident in our numbers and able to explain how we’ve reached them. It’s starting to become second nature now!

The last 6 months have given me the drive to continue my financial studies into CIMA so I can become more knowledgeable and grow even further. My role has grown so much since the start of the year and I am excited to see where this takes me going forward and how much more I can learn and put into practice within our business.

Julie Rodrigues
Finance Manager – Hallam Internet Ltd
julie
Although I’m a director and equal shareholder in my business I always felt like “the book keeper in the corner”

Now I feel like the Finance Director and know how important my role is. I know that what I do drives the company forward and keeps it on track.

During my coaching I’ve introduced really comprehensive management reporting and weekly flash reporting which means we can forecast ahead and always know where we are financially. I’ve massively stepped up how I contribute at board meetings and in the day to day running of the business. I feel confident to present my ideas for helping the business to grow and to tackle things that need sorting. I definitely think more strategically now and that’s a big win for my business.

Jenny Brewer
Finance Director - Warranty Admin Services Ltd
jennybrewer
Since we have worked with Serena and The F Word we have moved up the curve in terms of the quality of our accounting information and the way it is presented.
We’ve introduced financial forecasting, proper budgeting and established allocated funds for specific requirements and set boundaries on spending. Our cash flow is monitored and our working capital is well controlled so we can plan for future growth.
Our finance manager has taken ‘ownership’ of our financial management and reporting and now has much more control and confidence

We’ve recently revived our monthly management meetings and as a result we’ve put in place a rigorous process of checks and balances.

Personally, I too have a much clearer understanding of what I want my financial position to look like and we now have the right plans in the business to achieve this.
In what feels to me a relatively short space of time your support has provided us with a leap forwards and I am very appreciative of your advice and the progress we’ve made.

Steve Brown
Managing Director - Europrojects Ltd
Steve Brown
After years of reading her articles and following her work, we approached Serena for some tailored coaching to level-up our skills in finance and strategy. Working with her allowed us to unlock a level of clarity that we never imagined possible.
Serena has given us much more than financial coaching – she has changed the way we get out of bed in the morning, how we decide to spend our day and how we make decisions around our business. Our stress levels have gone down dramatically because we aren’t worrying about something just beyond the horizon that we didn’t know about. Here are some of the ways she’s changed Fat Free Media for the better:

Our financial skills have improved dramatically. We know what needs to be looked at and when, and understand when to bring in the expert accountants, or get external support

  • We have a clear view of our financial goals, and have a practical strategy to get there
  • We’ve also never had a better work life balance and job satisfaction. We’re hugely excited about the next financial year ahead and about what we’ll be able to achieve in the future

Kate Rostance
Director Fat Free Media
Kate Rostance
For many years I’ve been asking my accountant for better financial information.

But they didn’t understand why I wanted and needed more, and for years I felt frustrated, patronised and out of control.

Then my bank manager introduced me to Serena. She knew exactly what I was talking about. She understood where I was coming from…. and more

She came into the business and after a look at what we do, how we do it and the skill set of my team, she came up with an action plan. The rest, as they say, is history.

I now have week by week, month by month, year on year visibility on what is happening in real time in the business. The business levers are identified which shows me where to pull and push in the business to get the financial effects that I want to achieve.

I use my information to involve my senior management team; the whole team has become empowered to look at how we roll with the money and they are relishing it

And I can now set prices at the right level to ensure the health and continuity of the business.

The finance team have had extensive training and mentoring, putting systems and processes into place; they now report to me on key issues such as income, cash flow, debtors. They understand how the quality of their information helps me to make the decisions that affect the company. They are all proud as peacocks and quite right too.

Business credibility with our external financers has taken a boost and they are impressed by our level of understanding and control of our finances. No shocks, no surprises, factual and controlled – just the way that banks like to see things.

Thank you, Serena

Angela Nall
Managing Director of Pathfinders Ltd
Pathfinders
We are most certainly NOT experts in finance – I’ve been confused and frustrated for way too long!

Over the years, I’ve have asked accountants to help with financial understanding, and have consistently drawn a blank. I still couldn’t make sense of my business finances. I was devoting more time to finance and less to serving my clients. Which was very frustrating.

Serena helped us translate our figures into something meaningful that we can use to steer our business forward. She TRULY cares about helping people to reach clarity and clearing the confusion surrounding their business finance. She speaks without jargon and holds your hand throughout the process. She is diligent, client focused and sets the bar very high for business integrity.
If you want to know how your business is performing and move your business forward, financial intelligence is a must. Serena can help you develop an intimate understanding of your business finance and move your business forward.

Xina Gooding Broderick
The Inspirational Funeral Director
Xina
Serena’s no-nonsense, practical approach to business finance is a breath of fresh air! In our work together Serena was able to apply her vast experience, whilst openly listening to our perspective to come up with unique solutions. She’s a genuinely nice person who really cares about her impact in the world and her mission to give clients freedom from worry through visibility and control of their own business finances.
Darren Joint
Managing Director - Viking Signs
Darren Joint
Going into the Covid crisis I knew we didn’t need to panic. Working with Serena I’ve built strong financial foundations and had all the tools I needed to remodel our finances quickly, with certainty we’d be ok for cash because of how we run the business now.
Jenny Brewer
Finance Director – Warranty Administration Services Ltd
Jenny Brewer
We’ve been working with Serena to develop our financial management as part of our growth program; upskilling the directors and putting the robust financial controls and reporting in place that a fast-growing business needs. Luckily we did this prior to Covid and as a result were on a really strong footing, calmly able to scenario plan and keep the business on track for another successful year.
Jake Third
Managing Director – Hallam Internet Ltd
Jake Third
Before I didn’t really understand much about the accounts and we relied on the year-end accounts to run the business. I found your financial coaching invaluable gave me the building blocks to grow the business and made me the director I am today.

We put financial reporting place so I could track monthly and forecast profitability and together with the cash flow forecast and KPIs I’ve been able to track our most successful marketing campaigns and measure the results to keep the business growing whilst getting stronger.

I feel so in control of the business as I have a firm handle on the financial micro management and direction. And the Deep Work Serena talks about all the time has really helped me to focus deeply on our marketing to the point we have grown turnover 102% this year!

I’ve even been inspired to start training for my professional accountancy qualifications!

I will always remember and be grateful for what you did to get me started. Thank you! 😊

Colin Booth
Finance and Strategy Director – Just for Tummies Ltd
Colin Booth – Finance and Strategy Director – Just for Tummies Ltd
We used to outsource our management accounts and only used to get very basic information. Since I trained with Serena and Chris we’ve developed much better, automated financial information and brought it in-house so I do this myself.

Not only does this save money but we’ve got much more control over our information and better financial visibility. We now have a budget and can reforecast throughout the year so we always know where we’re going, and we use the information to plan different scenarios and make better informed business decisions.

Before I felt like I was just processing the numbers but now I feel have full control and a lot more confidence. I can look at the accounts in depth to understand what’s really going on, and having graphs and KPIs means we can see everything right across the business and can plan for the future in a way we never could before.

Wendy Eastwood
Finance Manager – Europrojects Ltd
0
Working with The F Word has helped me develop within my role and I have learnt a lot from Serena and Sharon. They’ve extended my financial knowledge to help me see the bigger picture, but also to understand the “why” with key areas in the accounts. This has helped give the business insight needed to push the Company in the right direction and make necessary decisions.

The F Word and SFC have also encouraged me to continue my studies and I am working towards the CIMA Professional Qualification. Serena gave me great advice on how to approach the course which has been very beneficial to my progress. I’m keen to develop my career and progress within my role as Finance Manager to give the best life to my little girl and family, and also to bring more knowledge and understanding to the Company I work for. I’m very grateful to my employer for giving me this opportunity.

Emma Somerset MAAT
Finance Manager – SFC Group
emma
Firstly many thanks for a very productive day yesterday

Quite honestly it is the best day I have ever spent with an external consultant.

I was totally staggered by the sheer scale of your drive, energy and commitment during our day yesterday. I have worked with many professional people previously, the vast majority of them (in particular accountants) will go through the motions, I am frequently sat at the other end of the table feeling I have to wind them up to get a response. This was categorically not the case with you.

I would like to thank you for the passion you showed in trying to help me and our business, considering this was the first time you have visited the progress already made is very encouraging.

Andrew Mills
Director at T Allen Engineering
A Mills
We have worked with Serena for many years. We have no hesitation in continuing to work with her now and in the future with our clients. She is first class in helping our clients fix, understand and improve their financial functions.
Dave Mckeon,
Partner, Charnwood Accountants LLP
Dave Mckeon
Serena’s advice has truly changed my life as a business owner. After 10 years running my own firm, I can now say with confidence that I know exactly what’s happening with my cashflow and plan properly for growth. Her advice is invaluable. She is fiercely passionate about helping small businesses get a handle on their finances – and is your critical friend if there is something that you need to stop doing for the good of your business!
Nickie Elinor
MD of Your HR Lawyer
Nickie Elinor
As a small business, but with big ambitions it was important for us to understand the underlying financials of what we do and how that reflects on our whole management reporting structure. We engaged with the f word just over a year ago and during this time with their help and expertise we have been able to integrate our business pipeline into our forecasting and also have been able to identify where we need to focus our attention to improve our bottom line. For any company that feels that they need to be setting up this approach, then I would recommend they get in touch with the f word to find out how they can tailor a system that works for you.
David Kentish
Director Kentish and Co Limited
David Kentish
I hired Serena to take our financial management from being a weakness to a business strength. And she’s certainly given me that.

After struggling to get the monthly management and reporting we needed from traditional accountants, Serena gave us a process and helped us organise how we keep a handle on the finances internally. She tops this off with her incisive brand of consultancy. She probes to the heart of the matter, exposing risks and opportunities to help us grow the business.

Serena does a superb job of steering our financial strategy, growth planning, recruitment and more. If we have a tricky issue to solve I give her a call.

Ben Afia
Managing Director, Afia Consulting Ltd
Ben Afia
Words cannot to describe what you have achieved today. I have loved going through this with you and been blown away how you connect the dots and create a financial plan from my ideas and dreams!
You are truly amazing! I hope you had a great trip home.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I will keep you posted!!!

Katie Young
Forever Young
K
Serena Humphrey worked with us at Caprice Holdings to develop a Finance for Non-Finance Manager workshop for managers across our business. The course she developed was exactly what we were looking for to provide no-nonsense explanations of finance to our employees

Serena has a really engaging training style that keeps employees focuses for the whole day. Her passion is what makes her so engaging as a trainer. She was able to explain key finance terms to our staff including P&L and balance sheets in order for our staff to understand the story of what happens in their sites from a different perspective and remove the fear of figures that many have.

As a result of her workshops, our employees that attended have a clear understanding of how the work that they do affects the top and bottom line. All employees left with greater knowledge and understanding than before they attended and are actively involved in initiatives to help both the top and bottom lines.

I recommend Serena for any finance training that you require for your business

Dan Barnes
Learning and Development Manager - Caprice Holdings Ltd
Dan Barnes
Serena was brought into our business to get to grips with our financial reporting, and in particular the long standing issue of WIP that had clouded our financial reporting for years.

She quickly got behind the numbers, implemented a stock and wip control system, and was able to relate the figures to our business in a way that previous accountants had been unable to. We did not believe our accounts before, and that really created doubt and uncertainty as the business grew.

The other benefits of having Serena in the business were that we had someone from the outside, with a breadth of knowledge and experience from other industries, who brought enthusiasm and a fresh perspective, who could be the catalyst for the changes we wanted to make. I found it incredibly valuable having someone independent to confide in about business issues, especially someone who would tell it straight and not necessarily agree with me!

Martin Lynch
Director, Clymac Ltd
Clymac
One of the best and most cost effective investments we have ever made.

If you want to take the pressure off you and your business this cashflow training is the answer.

After the initial set up and a little planning our business was transformed.

  • We now control our cash flow instead of it controlling us.
  • We no longer have suppliers chasing payments and our purchase ledger staff are no longer being placed under daily pressure.
  • Our banking fees have been reduced
  • We have control over our sales ledger.

The training and tools we have had from Serena has changed our world for the better.

Steve Cook
Managing Director, The Hardwick Motor Group
steve_cook
Serena at The F word has been invaluable to our business acting as the interim between finance controllers.
She gets stuck into the business adding value via her extensive knowledge and experience.
Her attention to detail is second to none with the capability to source solutions to most problems.
John Hayes
CEO at Champions (UK) PLC
John Hayes
Our need for the F Word suddenly came to a head, when after an extremely busy period we had a drop in turnover and unexpectedly an issue with our cashflow.
Our bank manager introduced us to Serena

Very quickly and immediately we started using our brains a bit more with our money ince then, our profit margins have improved because Serena made us look further into the detail…what were we doing and how was it costed? We started to cut through the wastage.

Digging deeper, Serena introduced the Monthly Information report, and a 13 week rolling cash flow forecast. Initially unpleasant to look at but I now have the clarity on a monthly basis looking at the budgets and see what isn’t going well.

It has given me and the management team a great deal more confidence, the scrutiny of the numbers gives a better message to the staff, that things are being checked and that we have accountability. We have more cash in the bank, we’re more organised and have better systems and processes in place. SO much better than where we were two years ago.

Sharon is a genius who comes in and gets into the details, and doesn’t let us get away with things. Serena is a great coach. She cuts straight to the point of the problem; it’s an innate skill, and is prepared to challenge me.

I would 100% recommend Serena and The F Word to others, for the feeling of being in control of my own business, and not running after it.

Jamie Mcloughlin
Director at Syston Fencing Ltd
Jamie Mcloughlin
I have known Serena Humphrey for several years and I have recently introduced her to my colleagues and several of our clients. Her unique and pragmatic approach to financial management, coupled with her professional manner and inherent coaching skills, allows Serena to deliver outstanding value in just a few sessions.  Helping the owners of  growing businesses to pro-actively manage their finances and to get the best from their  professional services suppliers. I can happily recommend her services to any business owner who wishes to have more control and insight into their cash, accounts and financial processes. I certainly sleep at night better now that I have adopted some of the simple tools she provided.
Steve Potts
Director Andante (UK) Ltd
Steve Potts
Serena always manages to make finance so exciting and interesting, which is brilliant for us and our clients.  Many business owners don’t get to grips with their finance and find it confusing.  Serena has a style that makes it easy to understand and relevant, using clear language and practical examples. She really knows her stuff!
Claire Allsopp
Managing Director, Troy Business Services Ltd
Claire Allsopp
I just wanted to say a HUGE and MAHOOOOSIVE thank you for all your help today. You were practical, professional and inspirational in every way.

With every good wish,
Cathy

Cathy Mellor
Find Your Voice
cathy-mellor
Thank you for your expertise yesterday. I think we could have asked you to come sooner! As a growing SME, Serena’s expertise is invaluable in helping us manage our financial growth safely and effectively. We now have the management accounting tools to help us to develop a detailed financial plan that will allow us to assess our risks and forecast more accurately – so we’ll be able to plan when we need to and can afford to take on our next recruit. We’ll be able to feedback to Serena as we adapt the tools to meet our own requirements and become more confident with our forecasting skills’
Helen Taylor
Hosta Consulting
Helen Taylor
Serena, thank you for sending me your weekly blog – I don’t think I have ever said that to another blogger before! Your content consistently addresses the financial challenges I am helping growing businesses to overcome on a weekly basis. You then add even more value by helping me to maintain and enhance my knowledge of these matters and by providing practical solutions that I can use with my clients. Keep up the good work and thank you for taking the time and the effort to share your knowledge and experience.
John Hassall
JRH Business Consultants Ltd
John Hassall
Working with the F word and in particular Serena has certainly increased my financial IQ. As a busy MD together with an important legal caseload that I run personally finances for me has always come down in my list of priorities. As long as everyone was being paid used to be my priority, it still is, but Serena has set up reporting structures for me which allows me to look at all the KPI’s at a glance and be able to make business decisions from a position of being much more informed. As a consequence costs have been reduced, business planning is  a lot more meaningful, banking relationships have improved because of the reports that they receive and as a business in high growth mode we can move ahead more confidentially.o.
Thalej Vasishta
Group Chief Executive Officer, Paragon Group
Thalej Vasishta
Serena has a supportive, caring approach to financial strategy that is both tremendously helpful and very reassuring. In helping to get my initial business plan (and the financial plan to go with it), Serena offered me pragmatic advice borne out of her deep experience of helping other organisations get themselves in order. Serena has a sharp, commercial mind and knows exactly how to set your finances on the right track. If you’re looking for someone to help you with your financial management systems then I’d recommend Serena and The F Word in a heartbeat.
Paul Crick
Paul Crick Ltd
Paul-Crick-150x150
“Our general understanding of our business and the process of making decisions on instinct was only going to take us so far. Working with Serena and Wendy has changed the way we work, the way we think and how we view our future. We now have clarity with our financials and can budget, forecast and control the cash flow. Our monthly management meetings allow us to focus and plan all areas of the business whilst keeping a close eye on our overheads and margins. We have been around for nearly 45 years, now I can safely say we will be around for a few more to come.

Thanks again. You and Wendy have made the world of difference here and it couldn’t have come at a better time

Kate McArdle
Director Trent Oil Lubricants Ltd
Trent Oil
I’ve had the privilege to know Serena for a number of years, and I’ve seen first hand the way she really takes care of her clients. She has that rare blend of financial expertise, strategic insight and formidable empathy with people which make her the perfect business partner
Rob Brown
Managing Director Rob Brown Ltd
Rob Brown
I had a fantastic day’s training with Serena to put the financial foundations in place for my new business.

Despite being fairly small at the moment, Emma and I knew that the money would be one of the most important things to get right. Serena gave us a very clear, step-by-step process to make sure we’re finding out what we really need to know, and explained it in a way that got us really excited about it.

Pete Cornes
Director, Emma Cornes Ltd
Pete Cornes
In the course of running a business it is not unusual to experience all types of advisors and specialists, of the many, few people create real value and deliver a lasting legacy as a result of their actions and involvement, Serena is one of that rare breed.

Mixing a broad range of understanding with specialist proficiencies, she is able to see the end game and still apply empathy and discretion to the myriad of details that have to be addressed in order to attain sustainable success.

It has been a pleasure and privilege working with Serena and I would recommend her services to those with a serious ambition to succeed.

Darrell West
Managing Director,Venture for Life Ltd
Darrell West
We first engaged Serena as our business was growing rapidly and we did not have the financial knowledge we needed to keep up with the banks requirements, and we knew the monthly information we got from our accountant was not accurate and didn’t in any way help us run the business.

Serena has identified the problem areas, streamlined all our accounting processes, trained my accounts team to delivery accurate work to a monthly timetable so that we get our group accounts out by week 2, and trained me to manage the accounts team and how to understand the accounts better.

She has torn our stock and margin position apart and put in place systems and controls to make sure the gross margin is always accurate. We now are able to raise finance easily from the bank to fund our continued expansion, as the bank know we have a firm grasp on our financials, and the monthly information means we can spot problems quickly and fix them.

Serena also constantly keeps us focussed on the projected full year result and on increasing the net return.

I feel safe now that Serena is part of the business, she keeps me focussed and is my safety net.

Clare Arrowsmith
Company Secretary, NJ Screenprints Ltd
NJ
Serena’s advice has been invaluable and her positive attitude is a breath of fresh air, after every meeting with her I always leave feeling incredibly positive and raring to go. I always recommend Serena to business colleagues and will continue to do so.
Jim Swetnam
Managing Director Eyetee Network Services Ltd
Jim Swetnam
I was introduced to Serena through the Growth Accelerator programme that we are on. I was aware that I wanted some management accounts but wasn’t sure what they should look like.

Serena put together a great document summarising exactly what would be useful – and then helped out by putting the rest of our accounts in order – not a task for the faint- hearted as we had been led down a garden path by a succession of so-called accountants. We are now in a very much better place with accounts that are running just a week behind, and everything available to view online through a great programme called xero…. I can’t thank her enough!!

Alfie Halliwell-Sutton
Managing Director, IndigoBlu Ltd
Alfie Halliwell
We have worked with Serena for two years and I can categorically say that we wouldn’t be where we are now if it weren’t for the sound advice we receive from Serena.

Our monthly finance meeting gives us the dedicated time we need to monitor the progress of our business, whilst analysing threats and opportunities. We can then get on with the day to day running of our business, working to deliver our plan, secure in the knowledge that our finances are in safe hands. If you don’t have a ‘Serena’ in your business, it’s about time you did.

Philip Bray
Investment Sense Ltd
Philip Bray
As a specialist lender to the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector we at Key Fund believe that it is vital that our clients “know where they are now financially and where they are going”. Through their commitment to promoting a no nonsense pragmatic approach to financial management the team at F Word Training clearly demonstrate the passion we share for providing the best possible support to clients. The highly professional workshop that Serena ran for our Investment Officers has been fantastically helpful in making us re-examine what we mean by good management information; underlining the importance not only of producing reliable financial information but also of ensuring that the numbers are presented in ways that can be understood at every level within the organisations we support. The discussion and debate facilitated sparked a number of ideas that we will implement as part of our commitment to providing the highest possible standard of service.
Garry Brown
Head of Investment for Key Fund Investments Ltd
Garry Brown
The course gave me the confidence that I was doing lots of things right and there were other elements I could put in place to start to grow my business.

It was also fun – and I don’t think ‘fun’ and ‘finance’ go in the same sentence very often. I really benefitted from our sessions and am looking forward to growing my business with her help and guidance.

Janet Gordon
Managing Director Blue Starfish Consulting Ltd
Janet Gordon
We were fortunate to have one to one training with Serena which benefitted us greatly as we were able to concentrate on our company rather than a generic company.

The biggest difference will be for me to delegate more as I have learnt to focus more on my main role and not get distracted by doing other roles that can be done by others allowing me to spend more time focusing on company finances and use the considerable financial expertise & systems available to me.

The training exceeded my expectations and has made me re-focus my role in the company. I have also learnt new technologies and been given new tools to improve my effectiveness to the company.

Serena highlighted areas that required improvement & gave us the tools and advice to implement the changes.

The course was enjoyable & delivered professionally without being too indepth.

Guy Overton
Managing Director, Overton UK Ltd
Overton
Serena has worked with New Art Exchange since 2005, providing strategic, professional and operational advice and support. As an organisation going through significant organisational change and facing a particularly challenging financial environment, Serena has played an active role in guiding the organisation and is contributable to New Art Exchange becoming financially viable and sustainable.

A highly professional, outcome focused and personable individual; the Board and Senior Management Team have enjoyed working with her and will continue to call on her services in the future.

I can without hesitation recommend Serena to provide both strategic and operational policy support whether it be in the private, public or third sectors.

Mark Stephens
Director of Operations & Enterprise, The New Art Exchange
Mark Stephens
Absolutely brilliant Serena!

Thanks for your help with getting my KPIs and financial structure in place – it makes total sense.  I can’t thank you enough as this really helps!

Bradley Walters
Managing Director Hifi Racks Ltd
Bradley
In the world of small business, there is an army of advisors offering pretty much the same tired solutions as everyone else.

Then there is the F-Word.

Serena Humphrey has realised the emperor is naked, and identified that in many boardrooms up and down the country, directors simply do not have a sufficiently robust handle on their numbers.

For those confident enough to admit they are not omniscient, Serena uses her considerable expertise to bring not just clarity, but revelation.  Uniquely, she does this with empathy and encouragement.

Serena has been pivotal in helping us claw our way out of a loss-making position, through break-even, and into profit; all this in a highly volatile market with very lumpy cashflow.  We are now able to identify meaningful targets and robust measures to identify where we are on the journey to meet them.

I would not hesitate to recommend the F-Word for ANY company – even as a financial health check for those who think they know better

Carl Benfield
Managing Director, Prescient Power Ltd
Carl Benfield
Serena is a breath of fresh air when it comes to talking about and understanding your accounts and your business. She understands that there is far more to a set of accounts than the profit made and tax due. She also knows what you can do now to make sure that you’re running a better, more profitable business.
Martin Horton
Rivington Accounts
martin horton
Cashflow is something you have to get to grips with from day one

I recently called upon the f word for one to one cashflow training following a period of financial difficulty. As a new business owner, cashflow is something that you have to get to grips with from day one, and yet most of us have never had the experience of, or the worrying that comes with, cashflow. The f word gave me very friendly expert guidance and cashflow planning techniques which have developed my understanding of the mechanics and importance of cashflow and helped my company gain greater control over our  company finances. Needless to say that without the assistance of Serena and Wendy at the f word my business wouldn’t find itself in the stronger financial position that it is in today.

Darren Toms
Director - Clumber Consultancy
darren-toms
We assigned Serena to look into our MI & Taxation on an interim basis and found her commercial aware, detail to numbers, investigation and through-put to be invaluable!! She has been instrumental in driving our MI forward and selecting a partner we can work with long-term. Highly recommend
Andrew Pilling
Director, E3 Recruitment Ltd
Andrew Pilling
I’m a words person. Numbers and I have never been best of friends which was why I thought Serena might be able to help me become more confident with the essentials of smart business finance. Her one-day workshop is one of the most well-structured and delivered – not to mention useful – courses I’ve ever been on (and I say this as a trainer).

She’s managed to make business finance accessible without dumbing it down, and leaves you with insights and tools that can immediately transform the financial health of your business. If you’re after a day that just might change your life, I urge you: spend it with Serena.

Well packaged, structured and delivered – thanks Serena.

Heather Atchison
Creative Director, Afia Consulting Ltd
Heather Atchison
Whether you want to build on your current understanding, get into more detail or if like me the notion of finance is a little bit terrifying,

Serena’s training is an excellent journey into the secret world of finance by a genuine ambassador for making finance clear and simple.

Serena doesn’t attempt to mystify with jargon and draws on real experiences/case studies to demonstrate how concepts work and how they can be applied to your business.

I walked into the session feeling apprehensive and after a brilliant one-day workshop walked out armed with a a healthier view on finance and a toolkit of ideas for how I can support the business I work for.

Sophie Smithwell
Project Manager, Afia Consulting Ltd
Sophie Smithwell
Running a service business is very time consuming and often the owner (me) can neglect to attend to every single facet of the business.”

Be that down to time or in my case with finance, an admitted lack of knowledge. I met Serena at a networking event and appreciated her no nonsense approach and we arranged to have a one-to-one session to go over the key principles. Within half an hour I was dangerously close to actually enjoying looking at the numbers (a very odd experience) and crucially, understanding how best to use them to forecast and plan for optimum profit and performance.

Greg Simpson
Managing Director Press for Attention Ltd
Greg Simpson
Fantastic day – very empowering

Wendy is a fantastic coach …

Thank you very much for all your hard work today I believe what and how you’ve taught me today will make a real difference to my business and family.

Fantastic day very empowering I have completed a weeks worth of input , all good so far managed to get the numbers to tally when checked and double checked after an initial error.

Makes sense more now I have had time to let it all sink in – I was surprised what I didn’t know and I’ll now be making more time to set aside for my finances.

John Gaston
The Woodburner Co
Woodburner
Hi Serena
Just wanted to say, I love your blog: it’s interesting, informative, accessible and I always look forward to reading it.
Keep them coming!
Jacinda Read
Polestar
Polestar
Serena has been integral to the management of our charity over the last 10 years.

She combines expertise in all things financial alongside an ability to understand how a business operates.

Tim Desmond
Chief Executive The Egalitarian Trust
Tim Desmond
Serena has acted in a consultancy role for several projects during the course of the last three years, including assistance in preparing for the introduction and integration of Microsoft Dynamics (Navision) as the Company’s accounting facility, selection of the Company’s new Deputy Managing Director and the reorganisation of the Company’s accounting function, including selection, assessment and recruiting of a qualified Accountant to head the Administrative function of the Business.

In all aspects Serena has performed to levels above expectations, and always with a very satisfactory outcome. We have no hesitation in recommending her for any finance or senior personnel project that may be presented to her.

Mike Brown
Managing Director, Bampton Packaging Ltd
Bampton

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