I’m a Finance Transformation Consultant and Strategic Project Lead with over 20 years of experience helping businesses improve performance, reduce risk, and scale sustainably. I work with individuals, founders, CFOs, and senior leadership teams to deliver change across finance, operations, compliance, and reporting.
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3 customer reviews
Marc Hughes
Working with Catherine Shawcross has been an absolute pleasure and a crucial turning point for our business. Her expertise in accountancy procedures is unparalleled, and she did an incredible job of overhauling our entire system to make it more efficient, streamlined, and user-friendly. The business finance training she provided was insightful and tailored to our needs, empowering us with the knowledge to make informed financial decisions. Catherine's work on our financial projections and the redevelopment of our reporting process has been invaluable, giving us a clear roadmap for our business's future. Her attention to detail, professionalism, and dedication to our success have made her an integral part of our team. We highly recommend Catherine Shawcross to any business in need of top-notch financial consulting services. More...
Lesley Howard
Consultancy was definitely the direction I needed for my business. The partnering understanding of the business and progression advice have proved valuable to myself and colleagues. We are looking forward to the ongoing reviews and further benefits I am sure they will provide. More...
Sabina
Fantastic service. Professional and accurate advice. Friendly and understanding owner providing high quality of service. Highly recommend.
What kind of accounting services do you provide?
Budgeting, forcasting, reporting, business partnering, cost reduction, process efficiency. Driving the business forward inline with strategic aims. I can provide any finance service however I specifically prefer the ones I have listed.
Why is it so important for businesses to hire a great accountant?
Finance is the hub of every business. A good accountant with my experience knows how all the various finance functions work and can work with every operating department to improve operations affecting their numbers, as a whole throughout the business, and this then helps drive the business forward. Good recording = good forcasting and budgets = better informed strategic decisions based on useful, relevant data, which reduces risk.
What do you love most about your job?
I love being able to step into any business and quickly understand how it operates — then see whether the numbers reflect that story. It’s rewarding to uncover a company’s strategic goals, assess where they are now, and bridge the gap between ambition and reality. I enjoy using logic, insight, and structure to help businesses move forward with clarity and confidence.
What inspired you to start your own business?
After many years working in senior finance roles across a range of industries, I reached a point where I wanted to use all the skills I’d built — not just the financial ones — to help businesses improve in a more holistic way. Starting my own business allowed me to do just that. I enjoy the variety of working with multiple clients and the impact I can make by helping each one grow, streamline, and succeed.
Why should our clients choose you?
I’m a fully qualified Chartered Global Management Accountant with over 20 years of experience, including senior roles in finance. I bring a strategic, logical approach and a strong work ethic, always focused on helping clients reach their goals.
My experience spans multiple sectors, which means I adapt quickly to new industries and understand how to tailor solutions to different business models. I’m personable, approachable, and known for building trust with teams at all levels. I pride myself on being able to explain financial and strategic concepts clearly — without jargon — and without judgment.
Whether a business needs to understand its numbers better, review its processes, or plan for growth, I offer high-quality support that’s practical, professional, and grounded in real-world experience.
Can you provide your services online or remotely? If so, please add details.
Yes, I offer services both online and remotely. In most cases, I can work entirely off-site, but for more complex businesses, a short on-site visit may be beneficial to fully understand how the business operates. I’m happy to travel within the UK if needed to ensure I provide the most effective support.
What changes have you made to keep your customers safe from Covid-19?
My consultancy business was launched after the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it was set up with flexible, remote working in mind from the start. I continue to offer remote consultations and virtual support as standard, and where on-site visits are necessary, I follow any relevant health and safety guidelines in place at the time.
✅ Finance Process Review
Identify inefficiencies, duplication, and bottlenecks in your current finance processes. I’ll assess your workflows and controls to recommend improvements that save time, reduce risk, and support scalable growth.
✅ Gap Analysis & Strategic Roadmapping
Understand where your business is now versus where you want to be. I’ll map out the gaps in your systems, reporting, people, or controls — and create a step-by-step plan to move you forward.
✅ Management Reporting & Insight
Turn your numbers into meaningful insight. I’ll help you design or improve your monthly reporting so it supports better decisions — from cash flow visibility to board-level performance tracking.
✅ Project Delivery (Finance & Cross-Functional)
Need someone to lead or support a project? Whether it’s a finance system upgrade, payroll transformation, or post-acquisition integration, I’ll bring structure, clarity, and cross-team collaboration to deliver outcomes — not just actions.
✅ Cost Review & Efficiency Planning
If your overheads are creeping up or margins are tighter than expected, I can help you review your cost base, identify inefficiencies, and recommend sustainable cost-saving opportunities without harming performance.
✅ Investment & Project Appraisal
Thinking about launching a new service, expanding into new regions, or investing in tech? I can provide financial modelling and scenario analysis to help you understand the risks, returns, and breakeven points before you commit.
✅ Risk & Compliance Assessment
Avoid nasty surprises. I’ll help you assess operational and financial risks, check compliance gaps (e.g. VAT, payroll, GDPR, controls), and suggest simple, proportionate actions to protect your business as you grow.
✅ Cross-Functional Business Partnering
Growth doesn’t happen in silos. I partner across Finance, HR, Legal, and Operations to ensure your plans are financially sound, legally compliant, and commercially viable — with buy-in from the people who’ll deliver them.
