Optimum: LIVE! Episode 24 - Christmas Musings of New Year Business Plans

In this festive edition of Optimum: LIVE!, Chris Dawes of Visual PR Productions is joined by Optimum Professional Services' Michael Blaken for a relaxed end-of-year conversation about planning ahead for 2026.

As the year winds down, the team reflect on some of the big themes and common challenges faced by business owners in 2025, while looking ahead to how individuals and organisations can get a head start on the new year

From tax deadlines and business structure reviews to personal finance checks and goal setting, this episode offers a mix of insight, advice, and a bit of light-hearted chat to wrap up the year.

In that period between Christmas and New Year, it is often an ideal time for business owners to think and doodle or brainstorm frank and creative thoughts and ideas down on paper. What is working and what isn’t? What new ideas do you have for the new year? What could that new business idea look like? And so many more thoughts that could spark in that quiet moment at this time of year.

In this episode:

• Reflections on the year in business
• What to consider before your financial year-end
• The benefits of forward planning in business and tax
• Creating achievable personal and business goals
• Allow your Christmas musings to be free and creative, but don’t try to come to conclusions on your own
• The importance of regular conversations with your accountant

Whether you're winding down or gearing up for a busy January, this is a timely and useful listen for business owners, sole traders and anyone managing personal or company finances.

To speak with the team or get ahead with your plans, visit www.optps.co.uk

Subscribe to the channel, leave a comment with your business goals, and follow us for more practical insights in 2026.

#NewYearBusinessPlanning #YearEndAdviceUK #TaxPlanning2026 #OptimumLive

The episode can be watched and listened to from any of the following locations:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OptimumPS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OptimumProfessionalServices/live

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimum-ps

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1xHt43HDhn7SipOn9euUTx?si=bd239b1d0dc2497d

This is a Visual PR Productions broadcast – “At Visual PR Productions, we produce authentic, engaging, conversation-led video content and broadcasts. No scripts, no hard sell, just genuine, credible dialogue. Whether it’s for marketing, podcasts, training, panel shows, live events, or inductions, we help everyone feel at ease on either side of the camera. Then, with smart automation, we repurpose and share your content across the platforms that matter.”

https://www.visual-pr.co.uk/
enquiries@visual-pr.co.uk

@visualpruk

What did the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget 2025 actually deliver, and how will it affect you or your business?

In this episode of Optimum: LIVE, recorded the morning after the Budget announcement, host Chris Dawes of Visual PR Productions sits down with Michael Blaken (Accounts Director) and Jon Lacey (Finance Director) from Optimum Professional Services to explore the key takeaways and their real-world impact.

This is a free-flowing, one-take conversation that cuts through the headlines and soundbites to bring you practical insight and plain-English analysis. Whether you're a business owner, company director, landlord, employee or self-employed, this episode breaks it all down into bite-sized, easy-to-digest chunks.

We cover:

· Headline tax and allowance changes for individuals and businesses

· What it means for employers and the self-employed

· National Insurance, pensions and investment-related updates

· Impacts on property, inheritance, and capital gains

· What steps should you consider now and in the months ahead

This is your opportunity to hear professional insight from Optimum’s finance experts just hours after the Autumn Budget was delivered.

To speak to the team or find out how the Budget changes may affect your circumstances, visit www.optps.co.uk

Subscribe, comment and share for more timely financial insight and guidance.

#AutumnBudget2025 #UKTaxUpdate #BusinessFinanceUK #OptimumLive

The episode can be watched and listened to from any of the following locations:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OptimumPS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OptimumProfessionalServices/live

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimum-ps

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1xHt43HDhn7SipOn9euUTx?si=bd239b1d0dc2497d

This is a Visual PR Productions broadcast – “At Visual PR Productions, we produce authentic, engaging, conversation-led video content and broadcasts. No scripts, no hard sell, just genuine, credible dialogue. Whether it’s for marketing, podcasts, training, panel shows, live events, or inductions, we help everyone feel at ease on either side of the camera. Then, with smart automation, we repurpose and share your content across the platforms that matter.”

https://www.visual-pr.co.uk/
enquiries@visual-pr.co.uk

Optimum: LIVE Episode 22 - MTD for ITSA – What it really means for you

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self-Assessment (MTD for ITSA) is coming, and if you’re self-employed or a landlord, the rules are changing significantly. In this episode of Optimum: LIVE, hosted by Chris Dawes from Visual PR Productions, we are joined by Optimum’s Kaci Luker (Accountant) and Mandy Gibson (Tax Supervisor) to explain what this major change means for you.

From whom it affects to what you’ll need to do differently, we break down MTD in simple, practical terms. This is essential viewing for anyone earning income outside of PAYE, especially sole traders, property landlords, and anyone currently submitting self-assessment tax returns.

In this episode, we cover:

• What MTD for ITSA actually is
• Who needs to comply and when it starts
• What quarterly submissions will look like in practice
• The impact on software, bookkeeping and deadlines
• Why acting early could save you time, money and stress

Whether you’re an individual preparing for the change or a business advising clients, this conversation will give you clarity and confidence ahead of the new requirements.

For help getting MTD-ready, visit www.optps.co.uk to speak with the team at Optimum Professional Services.

Subscribe, follow and share if you found this useful, and let us know your questions in the comments.

The episode can be watched and listened to from any of the following locations:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OptimumPS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OptimumProfessionalServices/live

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimum-ps

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1xHt43HDhn7SipOn9euUTx?si=bd239b1d0dc2497d

This is a Visual PR Productions broadcast – “At Visual PR Productions, we produce authentic, engaging, conversation-led video content and broadcasts. No scripts, no hard sell, just genuine, credible dialogue. Whether it’s for marketing, podcasts, training, panel shows, live events, or inductions, we help everyone feel at ease on either side of the camera. Then, with smart automation, we repurpose and share your content across the platforms that matter.”

https://www.visual-pr.co.uk/
enquiries@visual-pr.co.uk