Founded in 2008 by Dave Gibson and Jon Dudgeon, Blu Sky, Chartered Accountants has just celebrated its 10th anniversary, after a series of highs in 2018.
2018 began with an office relocation to Ye Olde Hundred, a well-known pub in North Shields that locals refer to as the Tun, barely a stones-throw away from Blu Sky’s home of the previous decade.
Jon Dudgeon, co-founder, commented: “We’re delighted with how the Tun has transformed from a closed down pub into the contemporary office space at the very heart of where our business first started, North Shields.”
The Hundred provides the team of 20+ with a flexible working environment that offers privacy, social interaction and agile working space.
The Hundred also provided much-needed space for growth plans, and has given Blu Sky the space needed to accommodate the 4 new team members recruited since moving in. The addition of Silvia Anghel, James Rees, Navid Moalemi and Ying Guo to the team allows Blu Sky to cater for more clients but more importantly, providing more personal and value-added services to existing clients on areas such as investment readiness.
The last half of the year has provided internal opportunities for growth, with 5 promotions this year. Growing talent from within forms part of Blu Sky’s culture, as Sam Wood, recently promoted Director of Digital Innovation and Transformations can attest to. Upon winning Accountant of the Year at the North East Accountancy Awards this year, Sam commented: “Without the full support of the Blu Sky team, I wouldn’t be able to push the business forward as I have done.”
The last month alone celebrated another three promotions for Nathan Embleton, James Rees and Jaspreet Lally through all levels of the business. Progression is demonstrated by clear role definitions and plans to point those interested in moving further within Blu Sky in the right direction. The full team also receives individual quarterly reviews, meaning that personal development is addressed frequently.
Blu Sky, being at the forefront of the revolution in accountancy, is dedicated to providing a forward-looking, reliable and efficient service to clients, and adding real value to them. Embracing tools available, Blu Sky understand that a modern finance function should be at the heart of every business. Interconnected cloud systems allow deeper collaboration and better, richer information to be served to business owners and decision makers. Ultimately, this helps to get cash in clients banks faster.
The last month has been topped off by a win at Xerocon for the Xero Awards – Blu Sky scooped the Mid-Sized Firm of the Year Award, a year ahead of plans for being ready for national awards. Dave Gibson, Co-founder, commented: “This is a fantastic achievement for the team, to deservedly win a national award and have it announced in front of 3,000 peers!”
Looking ahead, the next few years should prove equally as exciting for Blu Sky.
