Alchemy blog
Honest opinion and illuminating comment
At Alchemy, we believe in clarity and honesty, and the blog is where we put that into practice. We’ll keep you updated on the latest developments in tax law and government legislation, unpicking what each change really means for you and your business.
How to calculate royalties on digital music
Knowing how to calculate royalties on your digital music can be tricky to navigate. Here’s a step by step guide.
Cross-border VAT for digital music sales
Clear details of the VAT rules on cross-border sales of music downloads and streaming in Europe and beyond.
Essential bookkeeping tips for your photography business
Bookkeeping is far less glamorous than some of the shoots your photography business might be used to, but you need to make sure you stay on top of yours.
5 steps to setting up a photographic agency
If you’re a photographer, you might be thinking about taking the next step and working as a photographic agent. Here’s how to get started.
Bookkeeping for the creative sector
Bookkeeping: not exactly flashy but absolutely necessary. What can businesses in the creative industry do to help the process? And should they hire a bookkeeper?
Running the numbers: how many leads does your agency need to thrive?
Working out how to get more leads needs to be as far away as guesswork as possible. Here’s how to succeed in that.
How your media business can get paid and keep the lights on
Businesses that operate on a project-by-project basis must have a robust payment plan in place to keep business running. Here are some ways to make that happen.
How to start, grow and sell a creative agency
Starting your own creative agency is always going to feel like something of a leap of faith. From startup to exit, here’s how to build an agency that thrives.
How to run and grow a profitable app development business
There’s an app for everything, or so they say. There are ones that complement a service, like online banking apps, while others are the foundation of a company’s business. And it’s a potentially lucrative business.
Are those freelancers really employees?
As of 6 April 2021, businesses are responsible for determining workers’ employment status for tax purposes. Could your contracts be affected?
Squeeze out efficiencies in your creative business by automating and integrating everything
Like it or not, automation already plays a big part in the creative process, and it looks like it’s here to stay. By using it in your business and linking your systems together, you can free up your time for more interesting projects.
What are allowable business expenses for video production?
If you run a video production company producing promotional films, commercials or digital content, keeping your tax bill down can make a big difference to your business’s viability.
5 smart systems for creative businesses
A lot of people say creative work has to be messy, but I don’t think that’s always true. Here are five ways you can improve your systems and processes to impress current and potential clients.
Risk registers are boring until they save your business from failure
The chances are that 2020 was a lot less scary for people who’d anticipated the worst-case scenario and put contingency plans in place.
How project accounting empowers talented managers and makes your creative agency stronger
With campaigns and projects, creative agencies operate differently to other types of business and could benefit from a different approach to accounting.
See how we can help
Find out more about how Alchemy can help you and your business, from tax planning to bookkeeping, via cloud accounting.