You’re Not Too Small for a Finance Team - Just Build a Virtual One
- Sam Chapman
- May 7
- 2 min read
Updated: May 19
Most founders wait far too long before getting help with their finances.
They think, “I’ll get an accountant when I really need one.” But by the time they think they need one - it’s usually because something’s gone wrong.
I was chatting to a freelancer recently who’d just crossed the £50k mark in their first year. Solid setup, doing their own bookkeeping, and had someone lined up to file the tax return. They were proud - rightly so. But when we dug deeper, there were gaps.
No plan for how to take money out of the business. No salary vs dividend split. No tax planning, use of allowances, or director loan strategy. Just money in, money out - hoping for the best. They weren’t doing anything wrong - just missing out on better ways to run the business.
We got them set up with Lightbulb on a simple, affordable plan. We handled the bookkeeping, gave them a real cash flow forecast, and mapped out a sensible plan to save on corporation tax. Suddenly, they weren’t on their own anymore. They had someone looking out for their business.
That’s what a Virtual Finance Office is about.
You don’t need to be a big company. You don’t need to hire anyone. You just need someone who knows how to read the numbers and guide you.
At Lightbulb, we do that for founders who are often brilliant at what they do — but not trained in finance. Sometimes it’s monthly check-ins, sometimes it’s just quarterly. But it means someone’s watching the numbers, helping you take profit out properly, and staying ahead of tax.
The biggest mistake I see? People only taking a salary and ignoring everything else - dividends, director’s loan accounts, or deferring income. It’s easy to miss, and expensive when you do.
We’re not here to make things complicated. We're here to give founders the support they didn’t know they needed — until they get it.
No pressure, no jargon, just a useful conversation about what’s possible.
