Lewis Jones has progressed from joining TaxAssist as a junior member of staff to becoming a franchisee alongside Gail March. Now approaching his second anniversary as a franchisee, Lewis has opened a second location, acquired another fee bank and expanded his team, with the support of the TaxAssist network.
Starting out with TaxAssist
Lewis Jones has been working in the Litherland office of TaxAssist since July 2020. After completing his Initial Training Course in 2023 and obtaining his practising certificate, Lewis became a franchisee alongside Gail March.
After studying Business and Economics at university, Lewis began his career as a trainee management accountant working for a PLC. When the opportunity arose to join TaxAssist as a member of staff, he decided to take it.
“I have had the chance to experience what it means to be a TaxAssist Accountant and that’s why the decision to become a franchisee was easy. The model is clearly successful, you can see how many fantastic franchisees there are within the network with really strong businesses and the recent re-branding further strengthened the attraction to join a fresh-looking modern business.
“After meeting all of the incredible teams at the Support Centre you get an understanding of the level of support available to you and your practice as well as the genuine interest everyone takes in you as an individual as well as in your business.”
Building a growing practice
Since becoming a franchisee, Lewis has seen significant development in the business. Approaching his second anniversary, he and the team have opened a second location, acquired and integrated another fee bank, expanded the team and built a larger, more diverse client base across a wide range of industries.
Reflecting on his progress, Lewis says: “I think my biggest achievement has been successfully bringing another practice into the business while continuing to grow our existing practice at the same time. That has involved building relationships with a large number of new clients, integrating the two practices and, importantly, giving our team more responsibility and opportunities to develop. Watching the team grow alongside the business has been one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.
“We’re very much a family business, and I’m particularly grateful for the support of my mum, who is our Practices Manager and has played a huge part in what we’ve achieved, as well as the wider team around us. The business genuinely wouldn’t be where it is today without that guidance and support.”
Support to grow with confidence
For Lewis, access to TaxAssist’s specialist teams and the experience of other franchisees has been an important part of building the business.
“I feel that our practice is in a far better position to provide our services than any of the local competition, based on our ability to draw on the resources of the various teams at the Support Centre.
“The brilliant technical team enable us to be confident in the quality of the work we produce and the marketing team helps to grow the brand with us and win business which in turn facilitates fee bank growth.”
That support is particularly valuable as the accountancy profession continues to evolve, creating new opportunities and challenges.
“Being part of TaxAssist has given me the confidence and support to keep pushing the business forward. Having access to the technical team, Support Centre and other franchisees is incredibly valuable, particularly as the profession continues to change through technology, AI and Making Tax Digital. It gives us the support to remain compliant and efficient while continuing to deliver the best possible service and outcomes for our clients.
“We couldn’t deliver the high quality service so easily without the support of the network.”
Embracing change and planning for the future
Technology and digitalisation are already playing a role in how the Litherland practice operates, introducing AI and digital tools, with the view to enhancing both efficiency and overall client experience.
"In the short time since joining the network as a franchisee and taking over the business, we have experienced a period of exciting growth and internal transformation. The business has not only continued to grow but has also evolved in how we deliver services to clients."
Lewis and the team are now focused on establishing strong foundations for the next stage of the business.
“Our immediate focus is on consolidating the growth we’ve achieved, continuing to provide a great service to our existing clients and putting strong processes and foundations in place for the next stage. We’re always looking for new opportunities and I’m excited to see where we can take the practice over the next few years.
“It’s been pretty intense since taking over the new practice, so I am looking forward to a consolidation period.”
Looking back on the journey
Lewis’s progression from a junior member of staff to a franchisee has given him a first-hand understanding of the business and the support available throughout the network.
“I have loved my journey so far with TaxAssist, from starting as a junior member of staff making tea for clients, to senior accountant within the practice and now franchisee. In that time, I have learned so much and got the chance to work with so many brilliant people.
“Stepping into the role of director and franchisee has been incredibly fulfilling and I’ve particularly enjoyed building relationships and exchanging ideas with fellow franchisees across the network. We have a remarkable network of experienced and friendly accountants who are willing to support and share lessons with each other, giving a true sense of community and ambition which has made a real difference to how I have been able to run our practice here in Litherland.”
With a growing team, two locations and a broader client base, Lewis is now focused on making the most of what the business has achieved while looking ahead to its next phase of development.
"It’s a really exciting time and I am so proud to be leading a team that is a part of TaxAssist. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us in Litherland but also for the entire TaxAssist network."