Building Onside Tax: Four Years On

Our vision has always been to make life simpler for ambitious founders

Four years ago, that meant taking the next step in our evolution by bringing specialist tax expertise into the business. It wasn't just about adding another service; it was about creating a more joined-up experience for our clients and laying the foundations for the wider business we've continued to build ever since.

Ryan has been central to that journey.

Accounting and Tax Together Under One Roof

Martin Brennan, Founder, Onside Accounting

Why did you bring Ryan into the business?

"Not long before Ryan joined, I was the only person in the business, juggling client work alongside a growing amount of specialist tax advisory including share option schemes, EIS and SEIS, R&D tax credits. It was clear this needed a dedicated expert, not something squeezed in around everything else.

From day one, the ambition was to build a firm where accounting and tax sat under one roof, genuinely joined up. With Ryan and our accounting leaders, that's exactly what we've built."

Looking back over the last four years, what has Ryan helped build?

"A genuinely brilliant team. Ryan's grown Onside Tax from a team of one (him) to 10 specialists covering R&D relief, EMI schemes, SEIS/EIS, Restructuring, Transfer Pricing, Personal Taxes and wider advisory work.  That team has been a real driver of growth, both for Onside and for our clients - whose founders come to us for tax support regularly."

What makes Ryan such an effective leader?

"Ryan has the perfect blend of strong client relationships paired with proactive technical knowledge, and a genuine and deep understanding of the tech sector our clients operate in. That combination is rare, and it's exactly what founders need from a tax adviser.

He also lives and breathes Onside's values, which isn't a coincidence, he helped build them. That authenticity is a big part of why the team trusts him and why clients do too.

And how many tax advisers can also sing and play guitar? Ryan brings a personality to the role that makes him properly memorable, in the best possible way!"

Four Years On: Ryan Reflects

Ryan Snape, Managing Director, Onside Tax

What achievement are you most proud of?

"We’ve built a fantastic culture centred on support, growth and high-quality service.

We now have around ten times the number of people we had when I joined, so maintaining that culture has been no small achievement. It belongs to every person, past and present, who has contributed to Onside’s values and success, but it is something I am incredibly proud of."

"We've built a fantastic culture centred on support, growth and high-quality service."

How has Onside changed since you joined?

"The foundations of what Onside is today were there from the start: strong service, broad expertise and a supportive culture.

Those things have not changed, but maintaining them within a business that has grown so much has required us to continually evolve. We've rebuilt systems, changed team structures, introduced new tools and accepted that some things simply don't scale and need to be approached differently.

That mindset of constant improvement has been a big part of our growth."

Looking to the Future

Ryan, what has surprised you most?

"The pace at which technology and AI have developed across so many industries is not something I could have predicted four years ago.

Working with companies at the forefront of innovation has given me an incredible insight into what is already possible, and what could be possible in the future. We are now seeing that same transformation within professional services and beginning to understand where technology can add genuine value."

What excites you most about the next chapter?

"I have the privilege of working with a varied team of intelligent, ambitious and driven accounting and tax professionals. Being able to create opportunities for people to develop, take on new roles and embrace new challenges gives me a huge amount of satisfaction.

At the same time, working alongside Multiplier to build the next generation of tools and technology for accounting, finance and tax is something that excites me every day."

And finally, what is the biggest lesson you have learned from working with so many ambitious founders?

"Change is inevitable.

Once you have built something great, start thinking about how you can make it even better.

And always stay a little outside your comfort zone. That is where you grow."

The Next Chapter

Martin Brennan, Founder, Onside Accounting

Martin, looking ahead what excites you most?

"As we continue building our technology platform with Multiplier, we're creating a more efficient way of working that will free our teams to spend even more time delivering strategic advice and building stronger client relationships. Ryan will play an important role in shaping how our tax services evolve as part of that journey.

Ryan's appointment marked an important chapter in Onside's evolution. Four years on, we've continued to build on that vision, bringing accounting, tax, strategic finance and US expertise together under one roof.

As we enter our next phase alongside Multiplier, we're excited to continue building on the foundations Ryan has helped create."

Congratulations on four years, Ryan. Here's to the next chapter.