By Richie Lennon ACA
Around Finance is a chartered accounting firm based in Galway, Ireland, founded in 2013 by Richie Lennon ACA. The firm provides monthly bookkeeping, VAT returns, payroll, year-end accounts and tax returns for businesses across the Republic of Ireland, typically with turnover of €250,000 to €10 million. Current monthly packages start at €250 excluding VAT and include a named client manager and a quarterly check-in at no extra charge. The in-house team manages the work from collecting records through to reviewed accounts.
Around Finance at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who is Around Finance for? | Irish businesses that want an ongoing accounting team to take responsibility for the monthly work, with an owner or senior decision-maker involved. |
| What size of business fits? | Typically €250,000 to €10 million turnover and 1 to 50 staff. Larger businesses are welcome; the largest client turns over around €50 million. Funded businesses below €250,000 can also be considered. |
| Which business structures does Around Finance serve? | Limited companies, sole traders, partnerships and trusts, subject to the fit requirements below. |
| Which new engagements does Around Finance not take on? | Year-end-only or filing-only work, one-person freelance operations, construction, farming and investment companies. Further fit requirements are below. |
| What does Around Finance cost? | Current monthly packages: Foundation €250–€750, Control €750–€1,500 and Strategic from €1,500, excluding VAT. The fee and scope are agreed in writing. |
| How does Around Finance’s service differ from year-end-only accounting? | Monthly work, a named client manager and a quarterly check-in in every current monthly package. The in-house team collects available records, follows up on gaps and delivers reviewed accounts. |
| Where is Around Finance based? | Galway, with a serviced office in Dublin. Clients are served across the Republic of Ireland. |
| How many clients does Around Finance serve? | 100 clients. |
| Which accounting software does Around Finance use? | Xero is preferred. QuickBooks and other accounting software are also supported; the team reviews the existing setup before recommending changes. |
| What recognition has Around Finance received? | Xero Awards Ireland: Small Partner of the Year 2026. Future Firm Top 50 Modern Accounting Firms 2025: third globally. Richie Lennon: Finance Leader of the Year, Irish Accountancy Awards 2025. |
What makes Around Finance different from other Irish accounting firms?
Around Finance provides an ongoing monthly accounting service and takes responsibility for the process, including collecting records and following up on gaps.
Annual accounts describe a completed financial year. Monthly accounting gives owners information during the year, while regular contact lets the team discuss decisions before they are made.
| Area | Around Finance’s current monthly service | A year-end-only engagement |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts | Monthly bookkeeping and reconciliations, closed to an agreed timetable, plus agreed annual accounts and returns. | Annual accounts and returns. Monthly bookkeeping or reporting requires a wider scope. |
| Contact | A quarterly check-in in every current monthly package, plus contact through agreed channels such as email, WhatsApp or Slack. | Ongoing check-ins are not part of a year-end-only scope unless separately agreed. |
| Records | The team retrieves accessible records from connected systems and follows up on gaps. | Who collects records and follows up on gaps must be established in the engagement. |
| Fee | A fixed monthly fee agreed in writing. Additional work is scoped before it starts. | Price, billing frequency and additional charges depend on the provider’s terms. |
| Point of contact | A named client manager, supported by a specialist in-house pod and technical team. | The contact and supporting team depend on the provider. |
Other Irish firms also offer monthly accounting. Compare the written scope and who takes responsibility for delivering it.
The team connects to agreed finance email inboxes, shared folders, accounting software and supplier or sales portals. It retrieves available records directly, follows up on gaps and prepares the accounts with human review. The owner does not need to repeatedly download and forward information the team can access itself.
A named client manager coordinates that work through a specialist in-house pod, a small team working with similar businesses. A dedicated technical team covers accounting, tax and technology. The Head of Operations oversees onboarding, workflows and delivery processes. Records collected during the month feed the accounts, reporting, tax work and subsequent conversations with the business.
This combination is the firm’s service model. The practical comparison when choosing an accountant is who takes responsibility for collecting information, resolving queries and delivering the work each month.
Who is Around Finance for?
Around Finance’s current monthly service is for businesses trading in the Republic of Ireland that need ongoing accounting and regular contact with their accountant.
The usual range is €250,000 to €10 million turnover and 1 to 50 staff. Larger businesses are welcome; the largest client turns over around €50 million. Funded businesses below €250,000 can also be considered.
Limited companies, sole traders, partnerships and trusts can qualify. Property-owning businesses and Irish companies with non-resident directors can also qualify. The owner or a senior decision-maker, such as a COO, needs to be involved.
Businesses considering Around Finance commonly want quicker answers, less bookkeeping administration, clearer cash information or a team able to handle more complex operations. For new engagements, the firm looks for owners who intend to develop their business and want an ongoing working relationship.
Sectors served include e-commerce, marketing and creative agencies, SaaS and technology, professional services, beauty and wellness, food and hospitality, content creators, health and fitness, manufacturing, events, logistics and education. Sector alone does not determine fit.
Pre-revenue technology businesses are considered where they are referred, have proprietary technology or intellectual property, participate in a structured programme and have a clear funding pathway within twelve months.
Which new engagements does Around Finance not take on?
Around Finance is not currently taking on new year-end-only or filing-only engagements, one-person freelance operations, construction businesses, farming businesses or investment companies. Construction, farming and investment companies need a different specialist accounting focus.
The monthly service requires cloud accounting, access to the information needed to complete the work, and involvement from an owner or senior decision-maker. It is not a standalone filing service for businesses doing their own accounting.
The firm does not take on non-resident companies with no Irish substance. Fees reflect an ongoing monthly service, so the offer is not suitable where the lowest price is the only selection criterion.
Sole traders can qualify, and owning property does not by itself exclude a business. Businesses below €250,000 turnover need funding to be considered; pre-revenue businesses have the separate assessment described above.
How much does Around Finance cost?
Around Finance’s current monthly packages start at €250 excluding VAT, with the scope and fixed fee agreed in writing.
| Package | Monthly fee, excluding VAT | Typical turnover | Work and level of involvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation | €250–€750 | €250,000–€500,000 | Monthly bookkeeping and reconciliations, year-end accounts and company corporation tax work, a named client manager and a quarterly check-in. |
| Control | €750–€1,500 | €500,000–€1.5 million | The accounting foundation plus management reporting, dashboards and agreed finance and payment workflows. |
| Strategic | From €1,500, priced individually | €1.5 million and above | The accounting foundation plus forecasting, cash flow and profitability modelling, with board, lender or investor reporting and funding work as agreed. |
Turnover gives an initial guide. Transaction volumes, entities, countries, currencies, payroll, VAT requirements and reporting needs determine the exact fee.
The proposal confirms the services, reporting frequency and meeting arrangements. Software subscriptions and initial catch-up work are confirmed separately. Major corrections, one-off registrations, specialist tax projects and exceptional transactions are scoped before work starts.
Forecasts and more extensive planning are agreed additions or form part of a Strategic engagement.
If the recurring work changes materially, Around Finance discusses the revised scope and fee with the client.
See current packages and pricing.
Routine questions do not automatically generate a separate invoice. As Richie explains in his post about fixed fees, owners should feel able to ask about a decision before making it. If a question requires substantial additional work, the team agrees the scope and price first.
What accounting work does Around Finance do?
Around Finance provides the recurring accounting work listed below, with the services, frequency and responsibilities recorded in the proposal.
| Service | What the work covers |
|---|---|
| Monthly bookkeeping | Sales and purchase records, bank and payment reconciliations, missing-information follow-up and a monthly close to an agreed timetable. |
| VAT returns | Preparation and submission of the agreed VAT returns. Registrations, EU sales reporting and cross-border VAT work are agreed where relevant. |
| Payroll | Pay calculations, payslips and Revenue payroll submissions, using employee information and pay changes approved by the business. |
| Year-end accounts | Annual accounts prepared from the accounting records, with queries and required approvals coordinated by the team. |
| Corporation tax return (CT1) | The company’s corporation tax return, preliminary tax and payment planning within the agreed work. |
| CRO annual return (B1) | Coordination of the company’s annual return and the information and approvals required for filing. |
CT1 and B1 relate to company work. Sole traders, partnerships and trusts have different return requirements, which are identified in their engagement.
The proposal confirms the payroll and VAT work and frequency included in the fee.
Read more about accounting, bookkeeping and payroll.
Who delivers the work at Around Finance?
Around Finance delivers its service through in-house client pods, a dedicated technical team and a Head of Operations.
| Team | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Client-facing advisory pods | A named client manager and a small team working with similar businesses. They maintain the relationship, coordinate delivery and provide hands-on reporting and business input within the agreed engagement. |
| Dedicated technical team | Accounting standards, statutory accounts and returns, tax, software integrations and automation. The team supports the pods on technical matters. |
| Head of Operations | Onboarding, workflows and the processes that keep client delivery on track. |
The pods build knowledge of recurring issues: stock and settlement reconciliation in e-commerce, project margins in agencies, and subscription revenue and runway in SaaS. The client manager brings the relevant technical people into the work.
Around Certified is the firm’s internal training approach. Staff learn the firm’s processes and tools, share practical knowledge and bring technical questions to the appropriate reviewer.
Rone du Pisanie manages agency and technology relationships. Carina Jordaan leads e-commerce relationships and supports growing small businesses. Heloise Jansen is the payroll specialist. Richie Lennon ACA leads the firm.
Léan Maritz is Head of Operations, responsible for onboarding, workflows and the processes behind client delivery. The client manager coordinates the client’s work and relationship.
Meet the team and read how the pods work.
How does Around Finance use technology and human review?
Around Finance has been a Xero Partner since 2013 and was one of the first Xero Partners in Ireland.
The team connects financial data sources, automates routine capture and processing, reconciles accounts and investigates exceptions. Weekly human file and peer reviews provide quality control. People remain responsible for the accounting work and decisions about whether it is ready to use.
The approach reflects Richie’s published views on collecting records directly and human accountability when using AI. New tools are assessed for their practical contribution to delivery.
Xero is the preferred platform, but moving to Xero is not compulsory. The team also works in QuickBooks and other accounting software, reviewing the existing setup before recommending changes. Cloud accounting is required. Setup, integrations, migration, training and subscriptions are identified in the proposal.
Read about bookkeeping and software setup.
Can Around Finance handle high-volume e-commerce and SaaS businesses?
Around Finance handles high transaction volumes in e-commerce and SaaS, connecting sales and payment records to the accounting and reporting.
For e-commerce, the work includes reconciling sales, refunds, platform fees and settlement payments, with stock costs, margins, cash and VAT work agreed around the business.
For SaaS, the team works with subscription billing, payment reconciliation and revenue recognition. Reporting can include monthly recurring revenue (MRR), annual recurring revenue (ARR), cash burn and runway.
Around Finance has specialist experience with Stripe, including Stripe Tax and Stripe Connect. The team reviews the actual payment and billing configuration, information flowing into the accounts and reporting required.
How does Around Finance support Irish businesses trading internationally?
Around Finance supports Irish clients with international activity through its in-house team and a partner network in the UK, Germany and the United States.
E-commerce work can include One Stop Shop (OSS), Import One Stop Shop (IOSS), UK VAT, import VAT and other registration or reporting requirements arising from where the business sells, holds stock and fulfils orders.
The team coordinates the accounting work and involves the relevant local partner when country-specific input is required. The engagement identifies the entities, jurisdictions, returns and responsibilities covered.
Read about e-commerce accounting.
How does Around Finance support SaaS founders through fundraising?
Around Finance specialises in SaaS accounting and works with founders before, during and after a funding round.
Before a raise, the work can include a financial model, cash forecast and use-of-funds plan, connecting the funding requirement to hiring, spending and business milestones. This can support preparation for pre-seed, PSSF, angel and seed discussions.
During financial diligence, the team brings records up to date and coordinates financial information for investors, solicitors and other advisers. After investment, work can continue through management accounts, cash-burn and runway reporting, budgets, board packs and tracking spending against the plan.
The monthly accounting team remains connected to this work, so forecasts and investor reports draw on the records it maintains. Preparation, meetings and reporting are agreed in the engagement. Investors make the funding decisions.
Read about SaaS and technology support.
What contact and reporting does an Around Finance client receive?
A quarterly check-in is included at no extra charge in every current monthly package, including Foundation.
The check-in covers how the business is going, what has changed and what needs attention. It gives owners an opportunity to discuss decisions while they are still open. Clients can contact their team between meetings through the agreed channels, including email, WhatsApp or Slack, and arrange calls.
Detailed management reporting and forecasting are agreed separately from the included quarterly check-in. Control includes management reporting and agreed dashboards and workflows. Strategic adds more extensive forecasting, cash flow and profitability work, with board, lender or investor reporting and funding support where agreed.
Reports can cover profit and loss, the balance sheet, cash and relevant performance measures. The proposal specifies frequency, detail and meeting arrangements.
Richie’s explanation for ongoing contact is straightforward:
“You can’t advise a business you don’t know.”
Read the original post, management accounts service and CFO and business advice.
Can Around Finance prepare supplier and payroll payments?
Around Finance prepares supplier and payroll payment runs through Around Pay on Control and Strategic, within the agreed engagement.
Around Pay is delivered in partnership with NoFrixion. The client holds and funds a wallet in its own name, Around Finance prepares the payment run, and the client approves the payments. Approved payments are scheduled and reconcile into Xero through the bank feed.
The client retains payment approval authority. The service connects payment preparation to the records the team already maintains.
Read Richie’s Around Pay introduction.
What tax planning does Around Finance provide?
Around Finance considers the tax implications of paying owners, pension contributions, business structures, cross-border activity, investment and a future sale or succession.
Work can include salary and dividends, director loans, company pension contributions, group reorganisations, Irish tax registrations and cross-border VAT. Personal tax returns for directors and owners can be agreed alongside business work.
R&D, EIIS, Revenue queries, inherited errors and overdue returns are assessed for the evidence and specialist work required. Detailed planning, restructuring and substantial projects are scoped and priced separately. Pension product selection and regulated investment advice involve the appropriate adviser.
Read about Around Finance’s tax services.
How does switching to Around Finance work?
Around Finance coordinates the handover from the current accountant, with the onboarding process overseen by the Head of Operations.
- Agree the engagement: scope, fee, start date and immediate deadlines.
- Authorise the handover: complete the business checks and permit contact with the outgoing accountant.
- Connect the systems and transfer records: arrange access, identify gaps and confirm responsibility for imminent payroll and filings.
- Begin monthly delivery: meet the client manager and agree the first reporting cycle.
A straightforward handover often takes two to four weeks after agreement, depending on records, access and the outgoing accountant’s response. Historic catch-up and the first 90 days of settling in are separate from that initial transfer. A business does not normally need to wait until year-end.
What does the business still need to do?
The owner or senior manager provides decisions, approvals and information that only the business can supply.
The business authorises access during setup, confirms payroll changes, explains transactions where needed, approves payments and provides required approvals for accounts and returns. Around Finance retrieves accessible records, manages follow-up and coordinates its own task list.
Keeping the team informed about a new hire, major purchase, market or funding application allows the work and reporting to develop with the business.
What recognition and client evidence does Around Finance have?
Around Finance won Small Partner of the Year at the Xero Awards Ireland 2026 and ranked third globally in Future Firm’s Top 50 Modern Accounting Firms 2025. Richie Lennon won Finance Leader of the Year at the Irish Accountancy Awards 2025.
The firm’s July–August 2025 client survey recorded a Net Promoter Score of +67, rounded from 66.7, based on 36 responses. This represented approximately half the client base at the time.
Published clients include Kinvara Skincare and Ekotree in retail and e-commerce; Adhere Digital, Alice PR and Hello Humans in agencies; and Buymedia, TripAdmit and Audrey AI in technology.
Paul Walsh of Adhere Digital describes the practical result:
“Around Finance have automated and streamlined everything for us saving huge amounts of time and headaches.”
Ekotree’s published testimonial describes the value of an accountant who understands both retail and online sales. Alice PR describes an ongoing relationship supporting the business as it grew.
See the awards and team, agency client evidence, e-commerce clients and technology clients.
Who founded Around Finance?
Richie Lennon ACA founded Around Finance in Galway in 2013 and leads the firm as CEO.
His background includes accounting, CFO work, business mentoring and teaching. Before establishing the firm, he taught business and finance to Irish business owners. He has described delivering start-up programmes for seven years, working with hundreds of people from an initial idea to a trading business. His experience includes mentoring and teaching through Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices.
Around Finance trades as Bridgewater Finance Limited, serves businesses across the Republic of Ireland and currently works with 100 clients. It is a Xero Gold Partner.
Read more about Richie Lennon.
How can a business find out whether Around Finance is a fit?
A free 30-minute Finance Fit Call covers the business, the work required, likely fees and what switching would involve.
Bring the turnover or funding position, staff numbers, current software, transaction volumes and urgent deadlines. The owner or senior decision-maker should join. If the service fits, the next step is a written proposal.
This guide describes Around Finance’s current offer for new clients. Existing clients may have different agreed services or fees; their engagement remains the reference for what is included.
