Liquid founder named as top entrepreneur

Liquid founder and current Marketing Director, Lisa Kendrick, has been named as one of Yorkshire’s top entrepreneurs in a recent publication by the Yorkshire Post.

Yorkshire Post’s ‘Top 100 Entrepreneurs’ publication last week identified Yorkshire’s most influential and inspirational business leaders, with Lisa being named alongside the likes of Ajaz Ahmed (founder of Freeserve), Dierdrie Bounds (successful internet entrepreneur), Richard Reid (founder of Innocent Smoothies) and Dean Hoyle (owner and founder of Card Factory and Chairman of Huddersfield Town FC).

Lisa set up Liquid Accounts alongside co-founders and software experts, Jon Wright and Matt Holmes. Whilst they focussed on the technology and programming side of things, Lisa very quickly took charge of everything else, became a driving force behind the business and set about building a nationally-recognised brand. Lisa realised that her strength in the business, as well as her journalistic training and communication skills, was the fact that she herself was the average ‘start-up business owner’ (and therefore Liquid’s average customer) who didn’t really understand accounting, found it difficult, time-consuming and laborious, and so she set about turning Liquid into an essential business tool and the sort of software that she herself would like to use. Her influence makes Liquid stand out from the average technology company who have a great idea but can’t articulate it and she has had a direct impact on Liquid’s success so far.

Drawing on her own previous experiences of dealing with accounts and accountants, her first innovation was to translate all the accounting terminology in the software into everyday English. This means that business owners can really understand what they’re doing and use the information to run their businesses. She also suggested that the software should be more visually appealing and added colour, icons and a dashboard.

In 2010, Lisa was key to the Liquid’s investment deal: 40% of the funding came from the Government’s Aspire Fund for women-led businesses, and 60% came from a syndicate of business angels and private investors. Since then she has overseen a complete rebrand, new website and change in strategy, and is ready for the next challenge in Liquid’s journey.

Lisa is regularly booked to speak about her inspiring story and last month was keynote speaker at Connect Yorkshire’s ‘Aspire to Inspire’ event, which aimed to encourage women in Yorkshire to grow their businesses and raise investment, and offer advice and support. Lisa was speaking alongside Melanie Perkins from The Aspire Fund; a government-backed investment fund which supports women-led businesses.

If you have any marketing-related enquiries or would like to get in touch with Lisa, email lisa.kendrick@liquidaccounts.net or call 0845 450 7304. Alternatively, visit Lisa’s LinkedIn profile, speak via Skype or follow her on Twitter (@LisaAtLiquid).

Liquid is currently looking for new partners as part of our Accredited Partner Programme. For further information on how to become a partner of Liquid Accounts, contact our Director of Strategic Partnerships, Richard Holmes, by emailing richard.holmes@liquidaccounts.net or visit the Partners page on our website.