Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
What outsourced payroll and finance solutions do members recommend for SMEs?
Members recommend a few established providers that cater to smaller businesses: - **Sage** — mentioned as a straightforward option for payroll and finance. - **SD Worx** — noted for having a decent SME offering. Members flagged a comparison site where you can input employee numbers and the platform will match you with suitable providers and arrange contact. - **Penrhos** — one member offered a direct introduction to the founder and sales director for those interested in exploring this option further. Members suggest leveraging existing LinkedIn connections when possible, or requesting introductions within the community if you know someone with a relationship to a provider.
What payroll and accounting software do members recommend for small drinks businesses?
Members recommend a few proven combinations for small teams. **Sage** is praised for being very good and easy to run in-house. The most commonly cited pairing is **Xero** combined with **Telleroo** for payments—members report these two integrate seamlessly and work well together for managing payroll files. This setup appears to be the preferred route among the community.
What are typical salary ranges and costs for hiring marketing managers, production managers, and marketing agencies for a growing drinks brand?
Members report the following ranges for key hires and services: **Marketing & Brand Management:** - **Brand Manager (in-house)** — £40–45k for decent candidates; £50–60k+ for strong performers. **Marketing & PR Services:** - **PR Agency** — Starting around £3–5k for passable service, though members note this is often not worth the investment. - **Freelance PR Expert** — £1–2k per month, often preferred over agencies as they offer flexibility and can be highly effective. - **Social Media Agency** — Around £4–5k, though members note these struggle to combine strategy, copywriting, and design well. - **Freelance Social Media Specialists** — More difficult to find as a single person rarely combines all required skills (strategy, copywriting, design); members suggest dissecting your priorities and finding specialists in those specific areas rather than expecting one person to do it all. **Key Caveat:** Members emphasise that "cheap" agencies (£1–2k) will be "pointless" — quality work requires appropriate investment. The fractional/freelancer route is often more cost-effective than full-service agencies, provided you can clearly define what you need.