Jo West

For more than 20 years, finance has been at the heart of Crystal Clear Advisory Limited, but for founder Jo, it has never simply been about numbers. It has always been about helping people understand them.

Having worked across the public, SME and not-for-profit sectors, she saw a common challenge. Many business owners had the passion, ambition and expertise to build successful organisations, but often lacked the financial confidence needed to make informed decisions and achieve sustainable growth.

Determined to change that, she launched Crystal Clear Advisory Limited with a simple mission: to make finance accessible, understandable and less intimidating. Whether supporting a start-up founder navigating their first tax return or advising established organisations on strategy and governance, her goal is always the same, helping people gain clarity and control over their finances.

One experience that reinforced this mission was seeing her 19-year-old nail technician successfully build her own business. Despite her talent and entrepreneurial drive, she struggled to find straightforward guidance on accounting and tax matters. It highlighted just how difficult financial information can be to navigate and strengthened the desire to support entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.

Today, through Crystal Clear Advisory Limited, she provides finance leadership, practical tools and tailored advice to individuals, start-ups and established organisations. By breaking down complex financial concepts into clear, actionable information, she enables businesses to make better decisions, improve performance and focus on achieving their goals.

Running her own business has also brought the freedom to shape a career around what matters most. The variety of working with different organisations, the ability to choose projects that inspire her, and the flexibility to balance work with family, hobbies and personal time are among the most rewarding aspects of entrepreneurship.

Like any business owner, she has faced challenges along the way. Managing the demands of multiple clients required strong communication, careful time management and finding pricing models that worked for businesses with different needs and circumstances. These experiences have strengthened both her business and the value she delivers to clients.

Today, Crystal Clear Advisory Limited supports organisations with a wide range of financial and strategic services, including financial governance, board advisory, budgeting and forecasting, management accounts, strategic planning, risk and compliance, cash flow management, grants and funding, accounting and tax support, audit services, and support for start-up businesses.

Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is simple: 

don't let finance become a barrier. When you understand your numbers, you gain the confidence to make better decisions, seize opportunities and build a stronger future for your business.