Accountants help get local entrepreneur’s show on the road

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 30 October 2017

UPDATED: 30 October 2017

A young Leicester entrepreneur who started a bike accessories business from scratch at age 17 has launched his latest venture, with the help of local chartered accountants Newby Castleman.

James Langton, now 23, set up his new firm No Quarter Sport in February 2017. The business will produce and sell officially licensed cycling jerseys, bearing the branding of some of the world’s most iconic music artists.

Among those who have signed up to work with No Quarter Sport are The Rolling Stones, Guns ‘n’ Roses and Black Sabbath.

Keen cyclist James has a burgeoning reputation within the bike accessories scene, having started a small operation buying, refurbishing and selling vintage bikes after leaving school.

His talent for these renovation jobs led to him establishing his business No Quarter Paint, creating custom-designed artwork on bike frames. No Quarter Paint now employs a team of painters, pinstripers and airbrush artists, and also retails products such as DIY detailing kits and protective ‘cycle shampoo’.

After deciding to take his growing merchandise portfolio in another direction with licensed jerseys, James was keen to create a separate identity for his latest project. He set about searching for a local accountant to advise him and quickly settled on Newby Castleman.

He explained: “I chose Newby Castleman because when I spoke to them I quickly got the feeling they know how to support entrepreneurs.

“I liaised with John Griffin, a Partner at the firm, when starting my company. He went over all the finer details of the business and made sure I had everything sorted before launching.

“I was given a great structure to start this company and I also received important advice on the best way of setting up. I was a little unsure about registering a new company at first, but with the help I received from Newby Castleman, the process went really smoothly.”

Less than a year after No Quarter Sport began trading, James is already inundated with interest.

“Our best-selling product is the official cycling jersey for The Rolling Stones, but we also sell a lot of our premium cycle care kits, particularly the detailing kit, which a lot of people with high-end bicycles love to use,” he said.

“My aim is to grow No Quarter Sport into a global brand in the sports sector, with influences from the music industry, collaboration which is official and licensed will always prove popular.

“Spotting opportunities within different generations of music fans will therefore be key to building this business but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

James continues to work closely with Newby Castleman and has no doubt that his choice of accountant has given him a good grounding.

He added: “I would recommend entrepreneurs use Newby Castleman on the basis that they are not old-fashioned or stuffy, as I’ve found many accountants to be. They acknowledge and appreciate the value of technology and have been extremely helpful throughout.

“I use their book keeping and tax return service, but I also regularly ask for advice via email and telephone. I occasionally receive an email to see how I’m getting on and I also meet quite a few members of the Newby Castleman team at networking events around Leicestershire. They are easy to speak to and are always happy to answer any questions I may have.”

John Griffin, Partner at Newby Castleman, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with such a driven, aspirational entrepreneur as James and to see his new venture flourish. We will continue to support him in whatever way we can.

“If you’re seeking advice on getting your idea off the ground, there really is no substitute for experience and we have it in abundance. We’ve been working closely with entrepreneurs for over 60 years, ensuring that they are well-equipped to take their concept or inspiration and turn it into a viable and successful business.”

Newby Castleman is one of the Midlands’ leading independent accountancy firms, with offices in Leicester and Loughborough. It offers a range of specialist financial services, business and tax advice for individuals and businesses. For further information, telephone the Leicester branch on 0116 254 9262, the Loughborough branch on 01509 263500 or visit the website at www.newbycastleman.co.uk.

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