Kelly Barker is the owner and sole operator of The Hatch barista coffee bar in Brighouse.
Open 9.00am to 2.00pm Monday to Saturday, The Hatch is perfectly positioned next to Brighouse Bus Station, serving coffee and a range of other drinks, bacon and sausage sandwiches, as well as specials including soups, pulled pork and Greek salads.
Kelly’s customers include busy commuters on their way to work or between meetings, tradespeople hungry for their lunch, as well as local residents and shoppers eager to take the weight off their feet for a few minutes.
The Hatch boasts an open outdoor seating area, making it the perfect spot to unwind on a sunny morning, although many customers choose to take away and enjoy their purchase on the go.
After opening her doors in January, Kelly quickly realised the importance of finding support for her business’s accounting and bookkeeping needs.
She explained: “I bought the business in January and it was something I wanted to do for a long time. I just thought I’d bite the bullet and go for it.
“I spotted some of Samantha’s posts on social media and then she reached out to me, and I knew straight away that it would be the perfect support for me and my business.
“The accounts side of things was always the scariest part for me, so it was such a relief to get chatting with Samantha and to understand how she could relieve some of that stress.
“The money side, the maths, the paperwork – I knew I needed somebody to help me.
“Samantha has explained everything and has been absolutely brilliant. I had all this confusion in my head and I didn’t know what to do.
“I was genuinely having sleepless nights and even getting into bad habits of putting it to one side, which I knew wasn’t going to solve any problems!
“But Samantha advised me, guided me and been there with me every step of the way. She’s been like a guardian angel for my business.
“And ultimately it’s allowed me to focus on the stuff that I’m good at, to grow my business and provide the best possible service to my wonderful customers.”
Like many businesses, Kelly felt the impact of the recent Coronavirus lockdown – but she also spotted an opportunity for growth.
She added: “I was the only coffee place that stayed open in Brighouse around the height of the lockdown.
“I had to put a lot of procedures in place to ensure everybody’s safety, but it helped me build up a great customer base.
“The lockdown has been a difficult time for everybody, but I have worked hard to create opportunities and find something positive in a tough situation.
“I am on my own and it is hard work, but this is why people like Samantha are brilliant for small businesses and sole traders.”
Cooper Accounting offers Bookkeeping services in Brighouse, Halifax, Huddersfield and all surrounding areas.
Founder Samantha Stokes explained: “I helped Kelly with her self-assessment tax return and we’re now exploring the ongoing bookkeeping support that I can provide.
“With it still being a relatively new business there are still quite a lot of unknowns for Kelly, as there would be for anybody starting out.
“The tax return was a great first step where I could support Kelly, and we’ve now set up a structure where we get together once a month for a friendly chat.
“Kelly can flag anything up to me that’s on her mind, I can collect any relevant paperwork and keep on top of the bookkeeping as we go forward.
“But the essence of our partnership is flexibility and we’ll review how we work together so that I’m best meeting the needs of the business and providing the best possible value.
“It’s about reducing stress, making things a little less daunting and giving businesses the reassurance that everything is being taken care of.
“I’m so pleased to have been able to help Kelly and her fantastic barista coffee bar, and I look forward to helping her grow even further in the months and years ahead.”
