Elaine Kennedy grew up on a rural farm in Partry, Co. Mayo where she was introduced to many family traditions. Crafting, dressmaking, jam making and farming play a huge role in Elaine’s life and upbringing. Irish culture and a strong connection to nature inspired Elaine to start her business, Hawthorn Handmade Skincare.
Hawthorn Handmade Skincare creates and sells skincare products. Her products include nourishing body butter made from shea butter and sweet orange, protective lip balms made from mango butter and peppermint and protective hand balm, made from mango butter and lavender. These recipes have been carefully formulated from the highest quality botanical ingredients and then blended with essential oils.
Elaine’s philosophy is simple: “create skin nourishing products using 100% natural ingredients.”
Returning to Ireland to set up a business
Before starting her business, Elaine moved away from Co.Mayo to London, where she lived for many years. However, her connection to Ireland meant she moved back to the family farm to start a craft business. Elaine carries her love for nature into her business by offering 100% recyclable packaging, avoiding unnecessary packaging, and only using 100% natural ingredients in her products.
Elaine started her business, Hawthorne & Rose, as a Sole Trader. She did everything herself on Excel and registered her business name with the Companies Registration Office. Later, she incorporated into a Limited Company which she called Hawthorne Handmade Skincare Limited, and started to actively look for an accountant. If you’re considering changing from a sole trader to a Limited Company, we can help.
Finding the right accountant
Elaine realised she needed an accountant to help with accounting and compliance requirements from Revenue and the CRO once her company started to attract more customers.
She began her search for an accountant locally in Co.Mayo but she was disappointed in most of her local accountants because they wouldn’t give her a set fee for the work required. Elaine found the thought of finding an accountant daunting because she didn’t know what to expect, the work involved or how to justify fees for work she didn’t understand.
This planted worry in Elaine’s mind in case something went wrong with her compulsory filings. She knew she needed to find an accountant she could trust and in the end, the lack of feedback and responses from local accountants meant she needed to go down a different route for finding an accountant.
Feeling confident and reassured that your accounts are being looked after
Many business owners, like Elaine, need transparent and clear information on what accounting and compliance requirements are neccessary for Limited Companies in Ireland. Having an accountant you can trust means you can spend more time running your business.
Elaine needed support during her first few years as a business owner/Director. Setting up a Limited Company was stressful for her because she didn’t understand the process or have knowledge in the requirements.She needed an accountant that she could rely on and give her confidence in running her own company.
After finding Accountant Online, she feels reassured that her accounts are taken care of. Her online accountants, Tamar and Leanne have helped Elaine find the time focus on other aspects of her company.
Having an accountant makes you feel equipped to run a company
Elaine notices a big difference from when she started out to now – she feels more equipped to run a company now that she has an accountant’s support. She is informed about upcoming deadlines and has a greater understanding of accounting and compliance requirements.
Elaine now uses Surf Accounts to maintain her receipts, bank statements, and invoices and has a great working relationship with her accountants who are always happy to answer any questions she might have.
Knowing that your compliance responsibilities are being taken care of means that you can focus on doing what you do best: running your business. Hawthorn Handmade Skincare now sell their products through a number of retailers, including Caroll’s Irish gift shops, and they have been a finalist in the Irish Made Awards in both 2020 and 2021. Accountant Online are proud of all Elaine’s success and happy to continue to support her on her entrepreneurial journey. We hope her story can encourage you to take the first steps towards starting your own business.
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