There's No Right Time: Anne Wright on Starting From Scratch, MTD and Building a Business You Love

In this episode of Scale HER Up, I'm joined by Anne Wright, Finance Director of FBD Consultancy — a husband-and-wife accounting practice that started with no clients, no money and a house with no gable end, and has grown into a team of nine over nearly 20 years.Anne is a CIPFA-qualified accountant and a passionate advocate for small businesses. She's also spent 15 years as a QuickBooks software trainer, delivering sessions from Northern Ireland to Orkney — a journey that transformed her confidence and proved that an accountant who says yes to opportunities can end up doing far more than pushing spreadsheets.In this conversation, Anne shares honest reflections on the realities of running a finance business alongside her husband, the financial pressures hitting small businesses right now, and the simple advice she'd give to any business owner: just don't give up.We cover:- What FBD Consultancy does and the clients they work with- The real financial challenges facing small businesses right now — including rising costs, employers' national insurance and Making Tax Digital (MTD) explained clearly- The story of how FBD Consultancy started (hint: it wasn't planned)- Why there's no such thing as the right time to start a business- What nearly 20 years of working alongside your husband actually looks like- The biggest obstacle in running any business: getting paid- Why you have to build a team if you ever want your time back- How Anne went from accountant-behind-a-spreadsheet to confident public trainer- The importance of grabbing opportunities even when you're not sure you can do it- What Anne would tell her 18-year-old self — and why it's advice that's still relevant today- What's next for Anne and for FBD Consultancy**Quote of the episode:** *"Just don't give up. Put one foot in front of the other and see it through."* — Anne WrightIf you're a small business owner who wants to understand your numbers better, or you're thinking about building a team and taking a step back — this episode is full of grounded, practical wisdom from someone who has lived it.