Not your typical accountants
I’m Jon Gordon, and I operate Propeller Accounting.
I’m a Chartered Accountant and I have gained a fairly unusual set of skills and experience over 20-plus years in accounting and commercial roles.
I started my career with EY - Ernst & Young - and have held several senior commercial roles since. So I am an experienced big-business commercial and corporate accountant. But I also love small business, and that is who Propeller is built for.
Why Propeller exists
At Propeller it is all about the client. That is why we exist.
We partner with our clients and become a key advisor to the business - helping them establish it, grow it, and achieve the goals they set out with. That is a different job from filing a return once a year, and it is the one I am most focussed on.
We are not your typical accountants. We are business partners, going the extra mile to propel your business forward. We’re hands-on, and we love to help.
What twenty years in big business is actually for
Corporate finance teams do things that most small businesses never see: real management reporting, three-way forecasting, board packs, due diligence, proper systems and governance.
Bringing that expertise to full time smaller businesses is what Propeller does. You do not need a CFO. You need access to one, at a price that makes sense, from someone who has actually done the job.
How we work
We take care of all your accounting and tax related requirements, giving you the time to focus on your business.
Each client’s needs vary depending on the stage of their business, and at Propeller we are acutely aware of this. From setting out on that journey and not knowing where to start, through to exiting a business, we have the experience and know-how to help throughout the business life cycle - which gives you the peace of mind that everything is under control.
We love helping our clients navigate their business challenges, and celebrating their successes. We are mobile, and we like to connect with our clients on a regular basis rather than once a year at tax time.
We work with a business through its whole life, not just its financial year
Every client needs something different depending on where the business has got to. From setting out and not knowing where to start, through to selling up and moving on - the work changes, and so does what you need from an accountant.
Starting
Structure, software and systems set up once, properly. The first GST return filed and the first set of numbers you can actually read.
Growing
Management accounts every month or quarter, a plan with dates on it, forecasts a bank will lend against, and someone to talk it through with.
Running
Compliance handled on time, tax planned rather than discovered, and governance and administration that keeps up with the size you have got to.
Exiting
Valuation, due diligence and succession planning - the work that should start years before the business goes on the market, not weeks.
Before you get in touch
Do I have to be in Whangarei to work with you?
No. Propeller is based in Whangarei and works right through Bream Bay - Ruakaka, One Tree Point, Marsden Point and Waipu - and that is where we do most of our face-to-face work. But the work itself is done in the cloud, so where you are is rarely the deciding factor. If you want an accountant you can sit down with, being in the Whangarei and Bream Bay area helps.
Do you only work with Xero?
Xero is what we use most and we are a Xero Silver Partner and certified advisor, so if you are on it you are in good hands - and if you are not on anything yet, that is where we will usually start you. We can work with other systems; we will tell you honestly if we think a change is worth the disruption and if it is not.
I already have an accountant. Is switching a hassle?
Not for you. There is a standard process between accountants for handing over records, and we do that end of it. Most of what you have to do is say the word and sign one letter.
My business is small. Is it too small?
Almost certainly not. Owner-operated businesses are exactly who Propeller is built for, and the earlier we are involved the more we can do - getting the structure and the systems right at the start is far cheaper than unpicking them later. Have the conversation; it costs nothing and we will tell you if we are not the right fit.
What will it cost?
We do not publish package prices, because sorting every business into three or four boxes is a marketing exercise rather than an honest quote. We look at what your business actually needs, agree it, and give you a no-obligation quote - which becomes a fixed monthly subscription for the year. Phone calls and ad-hoc questions are included. More about how fees work.
Let’s get your business moving
A no-obligation conversation about where the business is at and what it actually needs. If we are not the right fit, we will say so.