Cheylesmore Chartered Accountants, a Coventry accountancy firm doubled its staffing levels just a month after receiving a grant which allowed them to move from a home-run business into a state-of-the-art office.
The firms founder, Manny Rai, previously worked with firms such as Goldman Sachs, KPMG, and the National Audit Office before founding Cheylesmore Chartered Accountants from his Coventry home in July 2020.
Commenting on this, Rai said: “When I hired my first member of staff, I could fit one or two employees in another little room I had.
“It grew from there. Most of my employees were working from home but we really needed business premises to allow us to continue to grow.”
In December 2022, Cheylesmore Chartered Accountants moved into a stand-alone office at Edison Buildings in Electric Wharf, Coventry.
This huge move was made possible after Linda Savitri from the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub introduced Manny to the Coventry and Warwickshire Investment Fund Programme, which is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataHe was awarded a £50,000 grant that went towards the £280,000 cost of securing the two-storey 320 square foot office space for Cheylesmore Chartered Accountants to move into its new home.
Rai further added: “The number one reason we couldn’t push on is because we didn’t have anywhere to put new members of staff. I’ve gone from a small business with four or five people that I could manage directly to needing a middle manager for us to get to 10.
“I wasn’t going to get someone of real quality working from my home! You’ve got to have a place where they feel proud to come in. Since moving into the Edison Buildings, we’ve taken on five new recruits.
“We were told recently by a specialist that we did a presentation for that we’ve achieved five years’ worth of growth in one year.
“Gaining the grant has helped massively and fast tracked this by at least two years. It’s a multiplier effect, it’s going to lead to a lot more jobs coming out.
“That’s what this grant has done, without it we wouldn’t have anywhere to put all our staff. We’ve repaid the investment already in terms of the amount of people we have hired since moving in.
“Before when you Google mapped the business you saw my house, now you Google map us, you see this amazing office. With the pandemic over and people now wanting to meet face-to-face, we want to see people and have them come into the office.”
CWLEP Growth Hub account manager, Linda Savitri, said: “The impact the grant had on Cheylesmore Chartered Accountants is a perfect example of the importance the Coventry and Warwickshire Investment Fund Programme can have on a growing business.
“By being able to move into a larger premises a year ahead of schedule after they were successful with their grant application, the business was able to double its workforce within a matter of weeks which is fantastic.”
Coventry City Council cabinet member for jobs, regeneration, and climate change, Jim O’Boyle, said: “It’s wonderful to see Manny grow his business from a start-up that was based at his home to one that is now in a new office and is employing increasing numbers of local people.
“I’m pleased we’ve been able to help Manny to accelerate his growth plans for Cheylesmore Chartered Accountants and I am delighted to see the business go from strength to strength.”
The Growth Hub is supported by funders including Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire’s District and Borough Councils.
