From Hertfordshire Roots to Essex Impact

Background

Thickbroom Chartered Accountants has been a trusted name in financial services since 1965, originally serving communities across Hertfordshire. For decades, they supported individuals, businesses and innovators of all sizes, helping start-ups and innovators navigate the complex world of finance. 

In 2024, Thickbroom expanded into Essex and discovered a shared passion with Arise Innovation Hubs: supporting entrepreneurship and economic growth.

The Challenge

Through years of experience, Thickbroom noticed a recurring problem: too many business owners sought help only after things had gone wrong. Missed deadlines, unexpected tax bills, and incomplete financial records often made securing funding difficult. These issues not only caused stress but sometimes led to fines, stressful conversations with HMRC and even business failure.

The accountants found themselves repeatedly fixing historical mistakes, which was costly and time-consuming for both parties. They realised that the real solution was to flip the script, support entrepreneurs before problems arose therefore protecting first-time founders from unnecessary stress, lost time, and expensive corrections.

The Solution: Thickbroom Enterprise CIC

To address this gap, Thickbroom launched Thickbroom Enterprise CIC, a not-for-profit Community Interest Company dedicated to empowering first-time business owners. Their mission is simple: provide the right advice at the right time.

Recognising that money is often tight in the early days, the CIC offers free, personalised advice to start-ups during the most critical period, three months before launch and up to 12 months into trading. This one-hour consultation covers essentials such as statutory obligations, budgeting, and funding options, helping founders build strong financial foundations from day one.

By doing so, Thickbroom is leveraging over 60 years of expertise for the benefit of the wider community, ensuring that new businesses start strong and avoid costly mistakes.

Collaboration at Arise

Joining Arise in May 2024 marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Thickbroom. The collaborative environment and networking opportunities at Arise Hubs enabled them to extend their reach across Hertfordshire and Essex. Soon after launching the CIC, Thickbroom opened a second office at Arise Harlow, creating a base to support SMEs and start-ups more effectively.

ARU’s Start-Up Socials, run by AREA, (Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy) and sponsored by Thickbroom, provide a space where student entrepreneurs, fledgling businesses and other support organisations were able to take advantage of Thickbroom’s free service offering. These events, hosted at Arise, sparked collaboration and allowed Thickbroom to reinforce their commitment to helping new businesses thrive.

Impact and Growth

Since joining Arise, Thickbroom has experienced remarkable growth. They have taken on over 10 new employees, upgraded their Chelmsford office twice, and successfully incorporated their Community Interest Company. Today, Thickbroom supports small businesses across Hertfordshire and Essex, offering financial reassurance, expertise, and advice to all who need it.

Their work has created tangible community impact, reducing stress for first-time founders, improving financial literacy, helping local enterprises build sustainable futures and contributing to economic growth. They regularly attend local Job Centres to provide guidance and support in workshop settings for individuals seeking financial independence via the self-employment route.

Jack Ellum, Arise Innovation Manager says: “Thickbroom’s commitment to empowering start-ups aligns perfectly with the Arise ethos of fostering innovation and collaboration. By launching their Community Interest Company and collaborating with Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy they are providing significant support to ARU’s entrepreneurial students and real impact for first-time founders across Hertfordshire and Essex. We’re proud to support their journey and see them thrive within our community.”

Michael Hall, Director at Thickbroom, says: “We are delighted with Thickbroom Enterprise’s early impacts on entrepreneurs; our offices and Arise communities in Chelmsford and Harlow have helped us reach more people than we could have hoped for. We will continue to support businesses across Herts and Essex, as we have done since 1965.”

Conclusion

Thickbroom’s journey demonstrates the power of proactive support and collaboration. By identifying a critical gap and creating a mutual beneficial membership at Arise, they have transformed their approach to business advisory services. Thickbroom Enterprise CIC is now a beacon for start-ups and innovators, ensuring that first-time founders start strong and stay resilient in an ever-changing business landscape.