After more than a decade in the aerospace industry, Adrian Bryan founded AB Accountancy in 2019.
Like many new firm owners, his early focus was on getting the fundamentals right. That meant compliance first and modelling the firm on how traditional practices operated.
“I initially tried to replicate other firms, so I was focused on compliance. Now I’m keen to explore a wider, more proactive, real-time added value service, what I’d describe as ‘corporate accounting for small businesses’.”
Fast forward to today, and AB Accountancy employs five staff and supports around 450 clients.
But growth brought new challenges.
The Challenge
As the firm expanded, Adrian found it increasingly difficult to manage multiple client relationships while keeping internal processes consistent and visible.
“For me, the hardest thing about running a firm is managing so many client relationships. We wanted all clients on the same process, and Engager is built for exactly that.”
At the same time, Adrian’s experience with his previous tax software became a turning point.
After being moved from TaxFiler to Elements, problems quickly emerged.
“There was an error that meant I couldn’t send logins to my team. Support didn’t understand the issue and I couldn’t speak to anyone in the UK. That rang alarm bells.”
Within two weeks, Adrian made the decision to move away completely.
“I switched to TaxCalc immediately, and I’m so glad I did.”
The Solution
TaxCalc – Confidence in Tax and Accounts Production
From day one, TaxCalc felt different.
“TaxCalc was so much easier to use. We rely heavily on SimpleStep for check and finish, it removes the risk of small errors creeping in, which saves huge amounts of time.”
Reliability was the key factor.
“I’ve barely needed support because everything just works as it should.”
The transition was smooth, with no disruption to the firm.
“We switched TaxCalc on and were fully operational straight away. There was no downtime.”
Engager – Visibility, Accountability and Control
As a natural system-builder, Adrian knew that sustainable growth depended on clear, repeatable processes.
Before Engager, the firm sometimes felt reactive. After Engager, everything changed.
“Engager allows us to create uniform processes that everyone can visualise. The team knows exactly who is responsible for what.”
His daily routine shifted dramatically.
“My first job every day used to be checking emails. Now it’s opening Engager’s Kanban board, and that sets up my whole day.”
Automated workflows and standardised templates also reduced admin and risk.
“You know the right information is going out every time. There’s a clear audit trail, so I can see how often clients have been chased.”
The Results: Fewer Hours, More Control
Since switching to TaxCalc and Engager, AB Accountancy has seen clear, measurable improvements:
30% reduction in working hours during peak January, despite having more clients
Increased client capacity without additional pressure
Fewer errors and less rework
Clear accountability across the team
Consistent, professional client communication
“We worked 30% fewer hours this January than last year, and we have more clients now. TaxCalc and Engager have been a huge factor in that.”
Support also stood out.
“The level of support from Engager genuinely blows me away. I benchmark my own support against it. Being able to speak to real people really matters.”
The Impact: A Firm Built to Scale
With dependable software and structured systems in place, Adrian now runs a calmer, more scalable and more enjoyable firm.
“It allows me to build systems that let me actually enjoy my business.”
Looking back, the biggest lesson is clear.
“One of my biggest regrets is not getting Engager from day one.”
The Bottom Line
By switching to TaxCalc for tax and accounts production and Engager for workflow and practice management, Adrian has built a resilient, well-organised firm with:
Lower risk
Fewer hours
Stronger client relationships
A solid foundation for future growth
AB Accountancy is no longer just growing.
It’s built to scale.
