Nicole Valentine, an ACCA Chartered Certified Accountant with 15 years of experience supporting businesses across the North West, has launched Nava Accountancy Ltd to provide a more personal, relationship-focused alternative to traditional accountancy services. The Haslingden-based practice positions itself around the principle of "accountancy that puts people first," addressing widespread frustration among small business owners who feel overlooked by larger, impersonal firms.
Valentine founded Nava Accountancy after spending over a decade working with businesses ranging from startups to companies with turnovers exceeding £40 million. Throughout her career, she observed a consistent pattern: business owners feeling overwhelmed by financial complexity and let down by accountants who treated them as compliance cases rather than individuals with unique goals and challenges.
"I've worked with hundreds of business owners, and the same themes kept emerging," said Nicole Valentine, Founder of Nava Accountancy Ltd. "People were struggling to understand their numbers, feeling anxious about tax deadlines, and frustrated that their accountant only appeared once a year to file their returns. I wanted to create something different—a practice where business owners genuinely feel supported, understood, and in control of their finances."
Nava Accountancy's approach centers on three core principles: Clarity, Confidence, and Control. Rather than overwhelming clients with jargon and complex reports, the firm focuses on clear communication that helps business owners actually understand their financial position. Valentine emphasizes that accountancy should empower entrepreneurs to make informed decisions, not leave them feeling dependent or confused.
The practice offers flexible, scalable packages designed for different business stages, from sole traders requiring annual tax returns to growing limited companies needing comprehensive support including bookkeeping, payroll, VAT compliance, and strategic planning. Critically, all packages include unlimited support access via email, phone, and WhatsApp, ensuring clients can reach Valentine's team whenever questions arise rather than waiting for scheduled annual meetings.
"Traditional accountancy often operates on a transactional model—you pay for services, receive your statutory filings, and that's it," Valentine explained. "We're building long-term partnerships where we genuinely understand each client's business, their goals, and the challenges they face. That means proactive conversations about tax planning, growth strategies, and cash flow management, not reactive compliance work."
Valentine's extensive experience spans multiple industries including professional services, construction, retail, hospitality, creative sectors, and property investment. This breadth enables Nava Accountancy to provide relevant, practical guidance regardless of business type. The firm particularly specializes in supporting businesses at transition points—launching, scaling, becoming VAT-registered, or hiring their first employees—when expert guidance proves most valuable.
Nava Accountancy distinguishes itself through modern, cloud-based systems that provide real-time financial visibility rather than retrospective annual snapshots. The practice works primarily with platforms including Xero and FreeAgent, enabling automated bank feeds, digital receipt capture, and immediate access to financial data. Valentine emphasizes that these technologies serve the people-first philosophy by removing administrative burden and creating transparency.
Located at Prinny Mill Business Centre on Blackburn Road in Haslingden, Nava Accountancy serves clients across Rossendale, Lancashire, and throughout the UK. The firm's remote service capabilities mean geographical boundaries don't limit access to personalized support, while maintaining strong connections to the local business community that has shaped Valentine's approach throughout her career.
The practice's service portfolio extends beyond standard compliance requirements to include advisory services often reserved for larger corporate clients. Director remuneration planning, cash flow forecasting, management accounts, R&D tax credit claims, and business structure reviews are available across all package tiers, reflecting Valentine's belief that strategic guidance should be accessible to businesses of all sizes.
"Too often, small business owners are told they're 'too small' for strategic advice or that certain services are only for larger companies," Valentine noted. "That's backValentines thinking. Startups and growing businesses need expert guidance most because they're making critical decisions that shape their future. Our packages are designed to provide that support at price points that work for smaller businesses."
Valentine's personal journey to founding Nava Accountancy began in 2010 when she entered the accounting profession. Over 15 years, she built deep expertise in SME financial management while observing how traditional firm structures often failed to serve smaller clients effectively. She identified a gap in the market for accountancy services that genuinely prioritize relationships, accessibility, and clear communication over pure transactional efficiency.
The firm's name, "Nava," was chosen to represent a fresh start—a departure from traditional accounting conventions toValentine something more modern and approachable. Valentine's vision extends beyond her own practice to potentially reshaping client expectations about what accountancy relationships should look like: collaborative, proactive, and genuinely supportive rather than distant and purely compliance-focused.
Nava Accountancy's people-first approach manifests in practical ways throughout the client experience. Initial consultations focus on understanding business goals and challenges before discussing services or pricing. Regular quarterly catch-up calls ensure ongoing alignment rather than annual check-ins. Unlimited support access means clients never hesitate to ask questions due to billable hour concerns. Cloud-based systems provide transparency, enabling clients to review their financial position whenever needed rather than requesting formal reports.
Valentine also emphasizes education as central to the people-first philosophy. Nava Accountancy maintains an active blog covering topics from Making Tax Digital preparation to budget updates, written in accessible language that empowers business owners to understand regulatory changes affecting them. The practice views client education not as giving away expertise for free, but as fundamental to building the confidence and control that drive better business decisions.
For business owners frustrated with impersonal service from larger firms, confused by complex financial jargon, or simply seeking an accountant who genuinely understands their business, Nava Accountancy offers a clear alternative. Valentine's 15 years of experience provide the technical expertise expected from an ACCA-qualified professional, while her people-first philosophy ensures that expertise translates into practical support tailored to each client's unique situation.
The practice currently serves businesses across multiple sectors and stages, from solo consultants managing their first tax return to established companies with teams requiring comprehensive payroll, bookkeeping, and strategic advisory support. Free discovery consultations enable prospective clients to experience Nava's approach firsthand before making commitments, reflecting Valentine's confidence in the value of relationship-focused accountancy.
About Nava Accountancy Ltd:
Nava Accountancy Ltd is an ACCA-accredited accountancy practice based in Haslingden, Lancashire, founded by Nicole Valentine to provide relationship-focused financial guidance to small and medium-sized enterprises. With over 15 years of experience supporting businesses from startups to £40 million turnovers, Valentine established Nava Accountancy to deliver a more personal, accessible alternative to traditional compliance-driven firms. The practice specializes in providing clarity, confidence, and control through comprehensive services including tax returns, bookkeeping, payroll, Making Tax Digital compliance, and strategic advisory support. Nava Accountancy serves clients across Rossendale, Lancashire, and throughout the UK via modern cloud-based platforms including Xero and FreeAgent. For more information, visit https://navaaccountancy.co.uk or contact 01706 482150.
