Mike Melling became a TaxAssist Accountants franchisee in 2012, after purchasing a franchise resale covering Harpenden and St Albans – the first £1m+ resale for the network. Pleased with the results he was generating, he bought a second franchise resale covering the High Wycombe and Beaconsfield area in 2015.
Keen to continue growing the practices, Mike invested in staff, technology and client acquisition marketing, to build his practice to a growing 20-person team. He now serves nearly 2,000 small businesses, Directors and individual clients from six shops and offices, with the combined businesses being one of the largest TaxAssist Accountants practices in the UK.
On his reasons for deciding to join TaxAssist, Mike explains, “having completed significant due diligence, including meeting with the Directors, I was impressed with the growth of the business and development of the TaxAssist brand and the potential to build a substantial family owned business asset for the longer term.
“The more I found out about the success of the TaxAssist Accountants model and the more I talked to people at the Norwich Support Centre and around the network, I became convinced that this was the business I wanted to buy into, invest in and grow. I had every confidence that the comprehensive franchising package would be very effective, which it has proven to be.”
Prior to joining TaxAssist Accountants, Mike had developed extensive international business expertise through a 35-year career as a senior financial services executive in the UK, USA and Asia for American Express, GE Capital and Marsh & McLennan including board-level roles for subsidiary companies. He also served as UK President for operational consultancy Alexander Proudfoot Company serving large and mid-capitalisation businesses.
When Mike learnt of the franchisor’s plans to expand to the USA, he was keen to be involved and is now one of the Directors of TaxAssist Direct USA Inc, which launched Area Representative and single-unit franchise rights to selected states in May 2020.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my International career and knew I could leverage my many years of corporate business experience with that as a TaxAssist franchisee in the UK to build a substantial business asset, supported by a terrific team of colleagues. I am now in the position where I have the time to assist with the launch and development of TaxAssist in the USA while continuing to oversee my growing franchise in the UK.”
Mike was also appointed as an Executive Director, on the TaxAssist Direct Group Board of Directors on 1st February 2022, becoming the first TaxAssist Accountants franchisee to serve as an Executive Director. He retains ownership of his franchise in conjunction with his director responsibilities.
