Derby company Vibrant Accountancy have won a top national award, beating off strong competition from some of the most respected names in the business.
Vibrant, who are based in Duffield Road, were named New Firm of the Year at the Accounting Excellence Awards in London.
They went head-to-head with Alchemy Accountancy, Gareth Lawrence Ltd, Gravitate Accounting Lit, Heaton Vences and Kennedy Accountancy but judges praised the way they ‘continue to disrupt the market and raise the bar’ as they handed out the award to Co-Founders Bev Wakefield and Ian Ball, and the rest of the Vibrant team.
Bev said: “We were delighted just to be shortlisted is such a strong category but to actually win the award is something else.
“Ian and I are so proud of the team and just how far Vibrant Accountancy has come since forming, just over two years ago.
“We set up Vibrant to shake up the ‘traditional’ view of the industry as stuffy, impenetrable and dominated by well-established, big-name players.
“Our aim is to be more accessible and brighter, while aiming to become the first accountants of our size in the Midlands to supplement core bookkeeping, tax advice, VAT and year-end cloud-based accounting services with mentoring, coaching and general business support as part of a holistic approach to our clients.
“We now serve 100 individuals alongside around 100 companies or partnerships, largely SMEs, in the East Midlands.
“With hard work, imagination, skill and a desire to offer business advice beyond simple finance, we emerged from COVID far stronger than when we went in.
“We have grown substantially – we’re currently recruiting for an eighth member of the team – but our core values remain the same; to dream big, empower, celebrate and have fun.
“That’s something which we take great pride in.”
The national awards recognise the most innovative, ambitious and successful accounting firms, individuals and vendors in the UK.
Vibrant Accountancy are also shortlisted in the East Midlands Chamber Derbyshire Business Awards, which take place next month. They are in the Collaboration of the Year category for their work with fellow small businesses Colleague Box and Penguin PR.
The Chamber Awards will take place at Derbyshire County Cricket Club on Friday, November 12.
