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Sitting opposite of me is James McBrearty who is a tax and accounts consultant. Welcome.
James: Thank you
Nice to see you, I know your Tax and accounts is your everyday what you do and how you make
you’re living, but you have written a book.
James: That's right I have written a book called Chocks away achieving freedom from
the 9 to 5.
What’s it about?
James: It’s really about, how, when people start up in business. They’re not sure what
to do and its combining online and offline networking to make it as easy as possible.
And how, do you think people are aware of how much they must do online and offline,
most of them are fine offline but how much to they do online?
James: I don't think so, there is a lot of people that think when they start a business
they will just do the business itself not realizing that suddenly their HR manager,
the head of advertising and everything else that goes along with it.
So is your book sort of a guide to lead them through what they do?
James: Yes, it's very much that if people want to find out about online networking and
the offline as well this just gives them the tips and how I have used it in my business
to grow it to where it is today.
So do you, I know you are a great fan of networking as well but do you find, let me give you a
quick example someone said to me the other day that 5 or 6 years ago when they were trying
to build their business they did a big leaflet drop and got a really good result. Now it
is all done online, they send out however many emails or join however many things and
get the work in that way, is that what you find?
James: Very much, when I started up my business I did a leaflet drop myself and I found then
the result I was getting was less than the traditional way of doing it. It always used
to be if you did 1000 leaflets you get 5 replies and 2 clients but nowadays the offline is
great because that leads through to the online and I don't see a difference between the two
of them, its combing the 2 together.
Why is it called Chocks Away?
James: After the private pilot's license, there is an aviation theme to the book but
it's really for people that might be stuck in a job they are not enjoying and might be
grounded and this is the Chocks away to get away from that.
Oh I see. I understand that. So what made you, I know you wanted to write to help people
out. Where is it selling?
James: It's on Amazon, people can buy it in the UK on Amazon.co.uk or in the US as well.
But it’s also because it's got an ISBN number you can just walk in to a book shop and order
it where ever they like.
Did you find that there is a lack of self-help books out there such as the one you have written
presumably that's why you wrote it?
James: That's right there is a lot about online networking and offline and some of them tend
to say if you do the offline you shouldn't do the online but what I do is combine the
two together.
So would you consider yourself moving in to business coaching then if you helping business
people set up?
James: Yea, it's very much, the main core of my business is doing people accounts and
tax returns but I can also advise them on how I have used social networking and offline
networking to grow my own business.
And where are you based?
James: I am based in Cobham.
Oh are you, from home or on premises?
James: Yea I work from home, what I tend to do is that a lot of my client are self employed
and they are out on jobs during the day so I tend to meet them where ever is convenient
and they love that the fact that I will actually go out to see them rather than come into an
office.
So are you an actual accountant or are you a consultant?
James: I am a tax advisor so I am registered with my tax association and the core of the
business is self-employed sole traders rather than a general practice that might do a bit
of everything.
And of course I had a lady in here earlier today Sandra Hewett talking about a woman’s
guide to working for herself and of course when you start off with your own company you
are at difficulty to know what you should be doing.
James: Very much when I started my own business I thought I will go out and do some networking
and I went to some of the events where you walk in to a room and there is a 100 people
give you name badge and do some networking. One of the things I share in the book is be
an eye which is my own networking group that I use and just so much of the training that's
available to that. It just makes it so much easier they actually tell you how to do for
example a 60second.
Yes that does get a lot of people doesn't it how do I speak for one minute, yes exactly.
Great well that's sounds really interesting and is the book going well?
James: Yes the book is going well particularly as it’s in the UK and US there is a global
market for it.
Well good luck to you and would you like to quickly give you details out James, how people
can find you?
James: Yes, people can go to the website which is Chocks-away.com or they can just go to
Amazon and search for Chocks Away.
Lovely thank you very much, that's James McBrearty there tax and accounts consultant.