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Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
I'm Dean Shepherd, a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) and Fellow of the AAT, with approaching 30 years in UK tax and accountancy.
I run ESXR, a deliberately small accountancy practice for established service-based businesses — from creative agencies to consultants — who want their finances handled properly by someone who genuinely has time for them.
Before going out on my own, I spent eight years in the tax software industry, shaping how the products actually worked and helping build the software your accountant uses every day. I also lecture on tax and speak at industry conferences, which keeps me at the front of the profession rather than catching up with it.
I write these articles to make tax and money a little less stressful: plain English, no jargon, grounded in what actually works for real businesses rather than textbook theory.
If something here raises a question about your own situation, I'm always happy to help — drop me a message, or book a chat.
I run ESXR, a deliberately small accountancy practice for established service-based businesses — from creative agencies to consultants — who want their finances handled properly by someone who genuinely has time for them.
Before going out on my own, I spent eight years in the tax software industry, shaping how the products actually worked and helping build the software your accountant uses every day. I also lecture on tax and speak at industry conferences, which keeps me at the front of the profession rather than catching up with it.
I write these articles to make tax and money a little less stressful: plain English, no jargon, grounded in what actually works for real businesses rather than textbook theory.
If something here raises a question about your own situation, I'm always happy to help — drop me a message, or book a chat.
Recent Articles
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- December 3, 2025
Engaging Freelancers Based Outside the UK: Do You Need to Worry About Employment Status and Payroll?
Creative agencies increasingly hire global talent. From illustrators in Poland to video editors in South Africa and UX...
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- December 2, 2025
Christmas is a brilliant time for creative businesses — client gifting, team socials, seasonal campaigns, and the...
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- December 1, 2025
For many creative agencies, payroll feels like one of those admin tasks you should be able to handle internally. After...
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- November 26, 2025
There comes a moment in almost every creative business where cashflow gets tight. Maybe a big client paid late, maybe a...
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- November 25, 2025
This month marks the start of a new era of corporate transparency in the UK. Driven by the Economic Crime & Corporate...
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- November 24, 2025
Creative businesses love flexibility. You scale up for a project, bring in the right talent, plug the gaps and keep the...
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- November 21, 2025
If you’re a freelancer in the creative world — whether you’re a designer, videographer, editor, sound engineer,...
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- November 20, 2025
A lot of agencies reach a stage where things start getting bigger. New service lines, a production arm, a training...
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- November 19, 2025
What creative founders need to know before saying “I do” to another studio.
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- November 18, 2025
If you’re a designer, filmmaker, consultant, photographer, copywriter or any other kind of creative turning your sole...
