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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
It’s a question that pops up more often than you might think:
If you earn a six-figure salary, it’s easy to think “an extra £10,000 is just more money in the bank.” But the UK tax...
Changing accountants can feel like a big deal. After all, you’re trusting them with your business’s numbers, tax...
Choosing your financial year end might not sound like the most exciting part of running a business but it can have a...
If your creative work takes you away from home for a night or two – maybe you're filming on location, attending an...
As a creative business owner, you're the ideas person. You’re the face of the brand, the visionary, and very often -...
Whether it’s a filmmaking masterclass, a marketing conference in London or a paid online course in animation, investing...
If you run a limited company with one or more co-directors, chances are you’re not all contributing equally every...
If you’re in the creative industries - whether that’s music, theatre, film, design, photography or online content -...
When you buy something on behalf of a client, can you just pass on the cost and forget about it? Or do you need to add...
