Hnry

Find out how Hnry has revolutionised how sole traders think about tax.

One of the biggest headaches and causes of sleepless nights for self-employed contractors, freelancers and tradies, is the process of working out what tax you owe. And when to pay it. And when to file it. Couple this with the hassle of invoicing customers, chasing late payers, and accurately tracking expenses and it’s a wonder anyone starts out on their own at all! New Zealand’s fastest growing accounting firm Enter <a href="https://hnry.co.nz/" target="_blank">Hnry</a>, a unique one-stop shop accounting firm started by James and Claire Fuller, to solve all these problems for contractors and freelancers who want to focus on what they’re good at. It’s revolutionised how sole traders think about tax and cemented Hnry as a major player in the tech sector, known for its friendly culture and quirky marketing campaigns. With Hnry, your taxes are calculated and paid automatically. Whenever you get paid, Hnry instantly calculates and pays your income tax, GST, ACC, and student loan, which means you’re always up to date on your tax obligations. Hnry will then do all the accounting things you’d expect an accountant to do –  file your tax returns whenever they’re due and approve your expenses, getting you the right tax relief as you go. Plus they’ll do extra things you don’t expect – like chase down your overdue invoices if your clients are late paying. It’s the ultimate accountant and financial service, all in your pocket. Through the Hnry app you can raise expenses and send invoices (or integrate with your preferred invoicing platform), and your clients have the option to pay your invoices by credit card, at no extra cost to you. A dashboard then gives insights on your income and expenses over time, so you can look ahead and plan for the future. And if you have a gnarly tax question, Hnry’s local accountants are ready to help. Finding a solution to a real problem ‘We didn’t really set out to conquer the world of tax and financial administration’, says James, ‘or start a massive business. We just thought, this is annoying, I bet other people find this annoying’. James rightly concluded if they had these issues, so would other people like them. Suddenly they realised it was a global problem. ‘Hnry was born from our experience as freelancers and contractors’, says Claire. ‘Navigating tax through spreadsheets isn’t much fun’.  Talking concept vs. reality It wasn’t always plain sailing, though. Getting support as a start-up in the Wellington tech scene was a much harder sell than now. ‘Talking conceptually about what we wanted to achieve wasn’t easy’, says James. ‘Today, with so much established history behind us, people can see the global opportunity’. Both James and Claire acknowledge that part of their business model requires complexity from a banking perspective. When a fellow Wellington tech start-up recommended ASB, the team were quick to connect. ‘Despite all the API-centric chat, ASB has been transformational in our business, understanding our business right from day one’, says James. Playing an educational role As Hnry continues to expand its customer base, there is increasingly an educational role in helping people learn what self-employment looks like and overcoming some of the misconceptions. ‘Sole traders often don’t have lots of staff, complex inventory, thousands of creditors, or multiple locations. Our customers are physiotherapists, personal trainers, gig workers, and consultants. Their needs have been misunderstood and we all have the opportunity to learn more’, says James.  To help businesses across New Zealand, Hnry provide several practical help guides from their <a href="https://hnry.co.nz/freelancer-resources" target="_blank">resource area</a>, including information on pricing as a freelancer, building a sales pipeline, business news, updates, tax resources, and contractor tips and tricks.  ASB’s support role James values the bank-wide relationships and believes together, they’re creating something truly unique. ‘ASB has been and continues to be a huge partner to us and we couldn’t have done it without them’, says Claire. ASB’s Head of Consultancy & Business Development Garett Hines, agrees. ‘It has been awesome for us to be part of the Hnry story from the start. A real example of a true partnership and shows how we can support customers beyond just core banking. I can’t wait to see them continue to grow’.  See how Hnry can help you never think about tax again <a href="/content/asb/businesshub/en/businesshub/offers/hnry.html">here</a>, or check out how our ASB Transaction Banking team could help your business get one step ahead <a href="/content/asb/commercial-corporate-banking/en/commercial-corporate-banking/transaction-banking.html">here</a>.