Modernising a Traditional Profession: Turning an Accountancy Firm into a Sustainable Growth Engine
Sep 25, 2025
When a regional accountancy firm changed hands through a partner buy-out, the new leadership team inherited a respected but traditional business. Technically excellent, trusted by clients, but reliant on referrals, manual processes, and a brand that wasn’t cutting through in a crowded market. Scaling beyond the old model felt out of reach.
At Oakmere, we see moments like this not as transactions, but as opportunities to modernise without losing the qualities that made the business valuable in the first place. Our approach begins with people, supported, not replaced, by technology. That philosophy shaped every step of the transformation.
People and Process First
We mapped the client journey end-to-end, documented processes, and distilled them into repeatable playbooks. Quality stopped being dependent on individual heroics and became something the whole team could deliver consistently. This freed capacity and created the foundations for growth.
From Referrals to Relevance
To broaden the firm’s impact, we expanded the proposition beyond compliance into advisory, HR, and legal services. This gave clients a more rounded partner and increased lifetime value while making the firm more resilient in a competitive market.
Community as a Growth Engine
Instead of chasing cold leads, we invested in brand and community. The firm launched thought leadership on LinkedIn, created a podcast, and built an online community of 5,000+ members. These channels became its most powerful source of visibility, trust, and inbound growth.
Expanding the Footprint
With new confidence and demand, the firm established hubs in SME-heavy UK cities, giving clients better access to advisors and anchoring the brand across multiple regions.
The Results
Revenue doubled in 3 years
EBITDA margins improved significantly
Headcount tripled to meet demand
75% of new business now arrives inbound via community channels
Why It Matters to Oakmere
This is what sustainable growth looks like: people-first process change, technology amplifying productivity, and culture at the centre of strategy. At Oakmere, we partner with businesses to modernise traditions while protecting the essence of what made them great. The result is enduring companies that perform today and are positioned to thrive tomorrow