New entrepreneurs are firm’s life blood

Jul 4 2007 by Tony McDonough, Liverpool Daily Post

Sean Beech

SEAN BEECH is a tax partner at the Liverpool office of accountants Deloitte, from where he deals with businesses of all shapes and sizes. Some of his more high-profile clients include Everton Football Club, developer Beetham and Mersey Docks owner, Peel Ports. This was a recent day in his working life.

6.20am: My alarm goes off on my mobile phone and I'm first in the shower, as usual. I wake my 16-year-old son, then sort our breakfast, which normally consists of a glass of orange and a bowl of Coco Pops; having a two-year-old son at home is great for my sweet tooth.

7.10am: I leave my house in the centre of Chester, drop my elder son off at Chester Business Park where he catches his school bus, then head into the office, which is a 35-minute drive or so down the M53 and through the tunnel to our city centre office on Water Street. Catch up on phone and voicemail messages (hands free, of course), or listen to Radio Five Live. Sport is a big passion of mine, but I also want to hear breaking news and the business stories before reaching the office.

8.30am: Conference call with our regional real estate leadership, chatting today about the impact of Real Estate Investment Trusts and current Stamp Duty land tax planning.

9.30am: Head out to Goodison Park. It’s not a matchday, but I have a tax meeting with the finance director, as the club is one of my clients. No insights into any impending transfers, far too confidential to share with me. But, and I have to whisper this, it would be of little interest as I’m an avid Man Utd fan.

11.15am: Back to the office, trying to catch up with phone messages and emails on the way. Driving while using my Blackberry isn’t very clever. Thankfully, I've got a great PA, Ann, who manages my diary.

12noon: I head over to Beetham Plaza for a lunchtime meeting with Hugh Frost and Stephen Beetham. I remember winning this account for Deloitte in September, 2003, and I've been delighted at how Beetham has grown since then. I’d like to claim that it's all down to me, but that simply wouldn't be true. The family's drive to move the group forward and take on new challenges is immense.

2.30pm: Back to the office, where there’s another raft of phone and email messages to follow up. I’ve had a cold call from an interesting technology business owner who wants a meeting, which I happily squeeze into my diary for later this week. The real lifeblood of my firm is meeting new entrepreneurs who are looking to expand and who may need our help for the next decade.

4.15pm: I drive out to the Mersey Docks Freeport for a tax meeting with the management of Peel Ports. Mersey Docks became a client of mine last year when Peel acquired them (Peel has been a client for over 10 years). Working with a property visionary such as John Whittaker is truly inspiring – he has a vision reaching 30 and 40 years into the future. I have to remind John when we meet in the Isle of Man that I will be well and truly retired, and hopefully living in the beautiful Italian countryside, before those plans are all realised.

7.30pm: Today I hit my target to arrive home in time to bath my two-year-old before he goes to bed. I set myself a New Year’s resolution to get home two days per week before 7.30pm, and, sadly, I don't always make it. On top of my client and other office demands, the job carries a fair amount of after-work entertaining. I know that I'm privileged to be able to attend many functions and events, although equally I'd like to be able to spend more time with my family.

8pm: Dinner and a glass of Pinot Grigio with my fiancée Debbie and my elder son, with conversation ranging from his day at school and his cricket match, to Debbie's day at her hair salon in Chester. I try not to talk about work too much over dinner, otherwise I'd never switch off.

8.30pm: Catch up on some evening TV and the newspapers, then phone my daughter to see if she's got any more of her exam results – she’s at the University of Liverpool studying law, and makes me feel a very proud dad.

11pm: My normal time to go to bed. I’m addicted to my Blackberry, so there's always a last-minute check to ensure there are no urgent emails needing my attention.