Entrepreneurship and Tax Wins After 50 - Ep36 Claudia Sheena

In this episode, Ildikó  chats with Claudia Sheena, an accountant who made the leap from a long corporate career to entrepreneurship in her 50s and founded Creative Studio Accountants. She is now on a mission to help ambitious marketing and creative professionals move from freelancers to thriving agency owners. Claudia shares her journey of building confidence, embracing technology, mapping her processes, prioritising health and finding new purpose as a business owner in later life. Claudia has a knack for turning financial confusion into clarity, so during this episode, she busts several tax myths and shares tax allowances you've probably never heard of.   KEY TAKEAWAYS 1.      Don´t be Afraid: Nobody enjoys stepping outside their comfort zone, but it is worth it. Claudia used a gradual approach to build up the confidence and skills to take the leap from corporate to self-employed. 2.      Expert Tax Advice Pays Off : DIY finances can cost more than the accountancy fees saved. For example, Claudia restructured a client’s business to save more than £1 million in tax each year. 3.      Embrace Technology: Don´t be afraid that tech will replace you. Instead, use it to free up your time, provide a better service and grow your business. 4.      Build Strong Processes: Claudia’s firm kept thriving when she took several weeks off after a family bereavement. This was only possible because she had already put in place strong processes, systems and team members. 5.      Prioritise Health and Wellbeing: Claudia shares how routines, diet changes, and creative hobbies healed her and now help her stay balanced and energised enough to run a demanding business.   BEST MOMENTS Claudia: "So, when I treated it (his hobby) as a business, he got some tax relief and created £2million." Claudia: "If you want to do it, do it, grab the opportunity.”." Ildikó : “You´ve got to start somewhere and back yourself.” Ildikó : “You put systems in place for work, you need to put those systems in place in your own life to make sure that you manage your health, no matter what.” GUEST´S INFORMATION        https://cs-accountants.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/claudia.sheena https://www.instagram.com/creative_studio_accountants https://www.linkedin.com/in/cs-as https://www.tiktok.com/@claudiasheena        HOST BIO Ildikó Sealey is a Property Professional, Networking Host and Podcast Host serving her local and wider community.  In the property business with her husband since 2019, their core values are revitalising neglected properties so they can provide modern, future-proofed, comfortable homes for people.  Recognising a gap in the local networking scene, Ildikó started co-hosting Property and Business Network in March 2024, bringing together the best in business in Plymouth and surrounding areas in Devon and Cornwall.  With a rich background in administration, social housing, arts and crafts, education, business and mindset, she is passionate about empowering her fellow 50+ Encorepreneurs on their journey.  Through her business, podcast shows and networking events, she makes an impact, proving that age is no barrier to success in the business world. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk