Copper & Ivy – Organising the books and easing cash flow worries

Our client's thoughts

“This wasn’t just support, it felt like we built a proper finance team almost overnight. We finally have clarity on the numbers and the confidence to make decisions.” – Jenny Cooper, Founder, Copper & Ivy

Business snapshot

Industry: Professional Services Team size: 14 → 20 (with remote support) Stage: Scaling SME Roles introduced: Finance Administrator, Management Accountant, Financial Controller (fractional) Time to hire: 8 days Cost saving: ~38% vs equivalent UK hires

The challenge

As the business grew, finance quickly became a bottleneck. The founder was still heavily involved in day-to-day financial management, with no dedicated structure in place. Reporting was inconsistent, cash flow visibility was limited, and key decisions were being made without reliable data. At the same time, hiring a full UK-based finance team felt both costly and risky. The business needed: - Accurate, consistent financial reporting - Clear visibility on cash flow and performance - A scalable finance structure without committing to multiple full-time hires

The solution

Instead of hiring a single senior finance professional, the business built a layered remote finance function, assigning clear ownership across three roles. Finance Administrator Took ownership of day-to-day financial operations, including invoicing, reconciliations, expense tracking and maintaining accurate records. This ensured the financial data was always up to date and reliable. Management Accountant Introduced monthly management accounts, tracked performance against targets, and provided structured reporting. This brought consistency and clarity to the business’s financial position. Financial Controller (fractional oversight) Provided higher-level review and financial governance, ensuring accuracy, supporting decision-making and guiding the overall finance function as the business scaled. This structure created a complete finance layer, without the cost or commitment of building a full in-house team.

The outcome

Within the first two months, the business moved from reactive finance management to a structured, reliable function. - Monthly reporting delivered consistently and on time - Full visibility on cash flow and business performance - Founder removed from day-to-day financial management - Improved confidence in decision-making and planning - ~38% cost saving compared to hiring equivalent UK roles Most importantly, finance shifted from being a pressure point to a driver of stability and growth.
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