Marketing agency builds a high-yield cash portfolio with no extra admin
Guy Levine, Managing Director of Return, used to juggle accounts across several banks to chase better rates. Here's how building a portfolio with Flagstone gave him more interest, less admin, and peace of mind.
This article is not advice. If you would like to receive advice on your savings and investments, consider speaking to a Financial Adviser.
Guy Levine
Managing Director, Return
Guy Levine received a voucher for participating in this case study. His opinions are his own.
In conversation with Guy Levine, Managing Director of Return
As the Managing Director of Return, an AI and digital marketing consultancy, Guy has spent eight years helping growing businesses find and retain new customers and use AI to help them do more with less. But scaling his own business raised a different question: how could his company's cash earn more than it would sitting in a current account?
We spoke to Guy about his cash management challenges, how he discovered Flagstone, and the impact it's had on his business.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your business?
I'm the managing director of Return. We combine marketing and AI to help companies win new business. We're based in Manchester, but our clients are spread across the UK, and we've been operating since 2008.
We work with what we call 'Premier League SMEs’ – owner-managed businesses on a growth path, looking for their next step up. We help them find new customers online, across Facebook, Google, TikTok, and now ChatGPT. But making that first sale is only part of the journey.
With the rise of AI, we make sure we not only offer advice on how to win customers, but also on how to keep them and how to reduce the cost it takes to deliver a product or service.
What challenges were you facing with managing your cash before Flagstone?
Cash differs depending on what stage you're at with your business. In the early days, we always held as much as we could, so we'd have quick access if an opportunity came up, or if an unexpected bill landed.
As we matured, we started looking for ways to make our cash work harder for us, and that always involved a juggling act. The bank we had your current account with never seemed to have good savings accounts. So, we'd have to find a third party with a better rate, separate from our current account – and constantly felt like we were missing out somewhere.
As a small, lean company, we didn't have the time to take advantage of the opportunity.
You'd feel that heart-sink moment at the end of the year when you'd be having dinner with a friend, and they'd tell you how much interest they got for the year. And you'd barely be making your bank fees back. That didn't sit well.
How did you find out about Flagstone?
I first heard about Flagstone at a business seminar, and one of the speakers made a passing comment about it. So, I went to the website and had a look.
My first reaction was that it seemed too good to be true. But the entry point felt reasonable, so I decided to give it a try. It turned out to be a really smart decision.
One of the things that was great about Flagstone is that you could see multiple accounts across a range of institutions. They have this really cool ‘Flagstone Best Rate’ where it suggests the best offer open to you, based on the term you want.
I've been using Flagstone to manage Return’s cash for three years now, and I also use it for my own personal savings.
How do you choose your savings accounts with Flagstone?
When it comes to choosing the accounts that I want to open, I always check the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection limit.
We’ve built up a portfolio approach to using Flagstone. Our strategy involves using a:
High-interest Instant Access account for our day-to-day cash needs.
Three- or six-month Fixed Rate account for our medium-term cash.
12-month Fixed Rate account to get a higher rate on things like corporation tax, or other longer-term needs.
Discover how segmenting funds into operating, buffer, and strategic reserves can help your business protect liquidity and improve returns.
What impact has Flagstone had on your business?
The biggest impact has been the amount of interest we receive, and how easy it’s been to achieve that. I only have one platform to log into. I can see everything on one screen. I can open and close accounts within 24-48 hours. I get reminders when interest rates are going up or coming down.
It's five less things to worry about because everything's in the same place.
When I started my business, I never started it so that I could spend time glued to an interest rate screen or an account opening form. Having everything in one place allows me to spend time doing what adds value for me, rather than doing admin.
When you wake up in the middle of the night, wondering about your cash situation, you can roll over, check the app, and go back to sleep. Everything's taken care of, and you're only one click away from having the cash where you need it, when you need it.
It's really nice to have peace of mind that your money is safe, and that while it's out there, it's working for you – not just sitting there doing nothing.
Secure higher interest rates for your business's cash with Flagstone
Guy used to juggle accounts across multiple banks to stay within FSCS limits and make the most of the rates available to him. Now, he manages a full portfolio from one platform, gaining peace of mind, visibility, and greater control over his company's cash.
With Flagstone, you can let your cash earn high interest in secure accounts with over 50 banks – more than any other business cash platform. All with one sign-up, and a minimum deposit of £100,000.
Use our portfolio builder to see how you could protect and grow your cash with Flagstone.
Open a Flagstone account today
Spread your cash between hundreds of high-interest accounts, from over 60 banks. All in one platform, with one password.
