Affinity Associates

They have built a well-earned reputation as one of the UK’s most dynamic and innovative accountancy firms, bringing value-added accounting and consulting services to individuals and businesses of any size.

There are also a number of reasons that make them stand out from other opportunities:

• An unbeatable reputation
• Local presence with global solutions
• The personal touch
• Services in continuous demand
• No accountancy experience required
• A highly experienced and knowledgeable team
• No expensive high street premises

Affinity Associates has not only proven successful in regularly attracting new customers and growing into a truly international presence, but also in retaining loyal customers for many years. They are proud of the long-lasting relationships they have formed with all their clients, and the high numbers of recommendations and referrals they receive.

Affinity Associates have an extensive (and growing) range of services to cover the needs of virtually all SMEs in the UK and beyond, including (but not limited to); accounts preparation, audit services, bookkeeping and VAT, payroll, tax planning, and managed IT services.

Creating a Winning Formula

Affinity Associates began as a small, family run firm, launched in North London in the 1960s; offering small scale, but essential, accountancy services to small and medium businesses in their local community. As the firm began to grow, they took on more and more skilled partners, expanded their services, and began to move out further into the capital, eventually expanding into the rest of the UK.

Through a combination of acquisition, joint ventures, and partnerships, Affinity Associates now has a total of 12 UK offices, plus 5 in India, and 1 in Dubai. They currently serve over 6,000 clients. In 2023, the annual group turnover was in excess of £10m, and the company expect to reach position 44 in the prestigious Accountancy Age “Top 50 + 50” rankings. Affinity Associates now has an executive committee of 4 directors, 12 partners and 7 practice managers, with a total worldwide staff of 240 people (and rising).

Franchise Opportunity

This franchise offers you a way to be a part of the local business community, at the head of your own successful enterprise, but also working under the umbrella of a well-known and respected brand. You’ll be able to work with business owners and individuals on their level, offering a personal and tailored service, but with the backing of an extensive network of experts.

With this tried and tested model, the experience, and support of Affinity Associates, they are confident that they can help you build a fulfilling and rewarding new future.

Your role as a franchisee

The Affinity Associates franchise is one of a very small number of accountancy franchises that can offer such a comprehensive, in-depth range of outsourced services. What really sets Affinity apart, is that you do not need to be an accountant; your role will be one of marketing your services and being the public ‘face’ of the business.

Aspiring accountants and established accountancy practices, who want to expand their services far beyond anything they could offer alone, are welcome.

Your primary role will be networking and building relationships of trust. Businesses are always looking for accountants they can trust, and with Affinity‘s reputation behind you, you can expect to become the go-to provider of comprehensive accountancy solutions in your area.

A background in business, and a basic knowledge of company accounting, would be advantageous, as you will be speaking to other local business owners on their level. The Affinity training will provide you with both a good working knowledge of the services, and how they can help your clients, however, you will need to demonstrate that you understand their fundamental needs.

Much of your success will depend on networking and building relationships, so you must be someone who is confident in communicating with others, and marketing yourself. Affinity can give you plenty of help and advice in this area, but a great deal will be down to your natural ability to promote yourself, and become an integral part of your local business community.

Your Investment

The Affinity Associates Franchise Fee is £24,495 + VAT

You will also need to factor in the cost of setting up your office. This may be home-based to start with, but sourcing a dedicated space as soon as possible is recommended. We also advise that you have a certain amount of working capital available to you whilst you are building your business. Affinity are happy to offer you some advice and guidance on this based on existing operations.

Financing is not provided directly, however there are a number of attractive options to help you with your investment. It may be possible to obtain funding from most major high street banks for some of the amount, and there are also government funded loans which could be available; Affinity are happy to point you in the right direction for more information.

Training & Support

The training programme is designed to give you all the knowledge and tools you need to launch and grow with confidence.

All new franchisees attend an initial training course at the head office in Wembley, which lasts for 4-5 days. The exact content will depend on your existing knowledge and experience, Affinity will make sure that you have a familiarity with how accountancy works in the wider business world, and how to market yourself to clients.

As a partner, you will have the best potential for success in your new business. Affinity work very closely with you in the lead up to launching your business, and in the first few critical weeks; you’ll be able to call on them for advice and guidance as required. Affinity also set up regular review meetings with you to make sure they are doing all they can to help you achieve your goals. You’ll be an important part of the wider network, and have plenty of opportunities to share ideas, problem solving techniques, and best practices with both your fellow franchisees, and key personnel in the company.

Contact Affinity, and become the local face of a global brand offering essential services…