Hi, I’m Dan Clapham, the numbers guy in your corner
I’m a finance director who’s lived the growth journey from the inside. I trained in practice and worked up through bookkeeping, personal tax, year-end accounts and audit, then spent the growth years as Finance Director at Nadine Merabi as it went from £2m to over £40m. Now I bring that experience to ambitious e-commerce founders who want their numbers to actually drive decisions.
How I got here
Growing up in Stockport
I grew up in Stockport and always had a thing for numbers, data and businesses, how they work and what makes them tick. I studied maths, economics and business at college, then headed into accountancy.
Accountancy from the ground up
I worked my way through the profession, from bookkeeping and personal tax returns to year-end accounts and audit, before moving into finance director work. Starting at the bottom means I understand what sits underneath every number, not just the headline.
Finance Director at Nadine Merabi
I became FD at Nadine Merabi and got to help steer the business through an amazing growth period, from £2m to £40m in turnover while keeping a healthy bottom line. We secured funding, moved into bigger warehouses and offices, and grew the team from a handful of people to more than ninety.
Time to back myself
Then, of all things, I got hit on the head with a golf ball. Daft as it sounds, it made me stop and think. I'd seen first-hand how much a proper finance function changes a business, and I'd also seen how badly most e-commerce brands were being served by their accountants. So I backed myself to do it properly.
The gap I set out to fix
Here's the honest truth. Most accountants don't understand e-commerce. They don't know Shopify, they don't grasp how fast these businesses move, and the exams never taught them about AI or how to steer a brand through a cashflow crunch. So founders get someone who files last year's accounts and disappears, while money quietly leaks out of the business every single month. That's exactly what I fix. If you're serious about growing, you can't afford to fly blind, and you certainly can't afford to leave that money on the table.
Most e-commerce brands are overpaying, under-reported and flying blind, and they don’t even know it. We make sure you’re not one of them.
The same finance discipline that took one brand from £2m to £40m, applied to yours.
Fractional FD work, in plain English
A finance director does a lot more than the accounts. Here's what it means to have one in your business.
Management reporting
Monthly accounts and dashboards that show exactly how the business is doing, and what to do next.
Profit and margin
Digging into product, channel and customer margins so you keep more of what you earn.
Cashflow and funding
Rolling cash forecasts, working capital planning, and help raising or restructuring finance.
Budgeting and forecasting
Budgets, scenarios and models so the big decisions are made with a clear head.
Systems and controls
Tightening up the finance function, the tools, processes and controls that keep a growing business in good shape.
Strategy and the board
Being a proper sounding board on pricing, expansion, hiring and the calls that shape where you're headed.
A bit about me outside of work
The best working relationships come from knowing the person, not just the professional.
Music and DJing
I produce music that's been released and streamed on Apple Music and Spotify, and I've DJ'd at gigs and festivals.
Sport and fitness
Golf, padel, football and keeping fit. Always up for a bit of competition, golf balls to the head aside.
Travel and people
I love seeing the world, meeting new people, hearing their stories and getting a look at how life works in other places.
Let’s build something that lasts
If you want a finance partner who genuinely cares how your business does, let’s have a chat.