M & J Fireplaces is a leading manufacturer, installer and supplier of beautiful fireplaces. Based near Glasgow, the business has gone from strength to strength since its founding by James Mulheron in 2010.
He has been in the fireplace industry for over 23 years, starting in manufacturing before moving into sales and then opening his first shop in 2005 and latterly M & J Fireplaces.
However, the business’s road to success has not always been simple and it has relied on the services of Benson Wood to provide the certainty needed to overcome some challenging periods.
James said: “I have worked with Benson Wood since 2006 through my former company and was always pleased with the work they provided. So, when I set up my latest manufacturing business 16 years ago, I continued to use their services.
“I originally employed the services of a bookkeeper alongside Benson Wood to manage my business’s finances, but a few years ago my regular contact at Benson Wood retired and my Bookkeeper offered to take on all of the work on their own.
“Over time I moved the work from Benson Wood to my bookkeeper. This turned out to be one of the biggest mistakes I have made in my business career, and I might not be here were it not for the work that Benson Wood has done.
“For several years I relied on my bookkeeper, without Benson Woods’s assistance, and during that time I built up many fines for failing to maintain the company’s tax, VAT and pension compliance. They got me into so much trouble during such a short time.
“Every day I was receiving emails and brown letters through my door. My life was in misery and my business and mental health really suffered as a result.
“It was at this point that I turned to Benson Wood for help. During my previous time with them, everything was dealt with quickly and efficiently, but I returned to them with a mess.
“In reality, I didn’t realise just how much they had done for me before, but that quickly became clear when they sprang into action to resolve all of the issues that had been created.
“The team there were welcoming and did their best to put me at ease. I can’t speak about how much they did for me in such a short time. My bookkeeper had muddied the waters so much that I thought there’d be no fixing it, but Benson Wood started making things so much better for me in such a quick period of time. Their actions gave me the certainty that my business would be just fine.
“They brought me into the office, sat me down and continued to reassure me that everything would be fixed. Over time, thanks to their efforts, the emails and letters with fines and threatening actions stopped coming in and I went from a state of fear to one where I no longer worry about opening up my mail.
“The whole team went over the odds for me, even after I got myself into this situation by reducing my services with them.
“If it wasn’t for the team at Benson Wood, I can confidently say that I would no longer be in business. That is how significant their advice and support were to me.
“Now they keep me really well informed on everything. I no longer feel in the dark about my finances and compliance. I went from not getting told anything, to knowing everything about my business.
“They have great systems and software in place that make my life as a business owner much simpler, and they are always in contact with me about new developments that I should be aware of.
“If I ever have any problems at all, I can phone them up and they get back to me right away with useful advice and solutions. It is reassuring that they do exactly what they say.
“They have bent over backwards for me, and I feel like I am part of their team. It never feels like I am putting anyone out.
“When I moved away from Benson Wood, things became confusing quite rapidly, but returning to them gave me the certainty and peace of mind I was in desperate need of.
“They have helped me go from misery and hell to running and overseeing my successful business once again. I don’t know how I could ever pay them back.
“I would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone in business.”
