BOTAC

Botac is an accounting and tax firm on Anthonis de Jonghestraat in Sint-Niklaas, at the heart of the Waasland, with a second office on Antwerpsesteenweg in Aartselaar. Its founder, Nicolas Bogaerts, spent years in larger firms, where he missed personal contact: too many clients, too little attention and too many transfers to people who did not know the file. In 2023 he set up Botac as a firm that genuinely thinks along and stays reachable. With his team, he now supports more than a hundred SMEs in the provinces of Antwerp and East Flanders.

The firm deliberately stays small: no big office with waiting times and changing contacts, but a team that takes time for each file. It makes three concrete promises: a real-time financial dashboard, an answer to questions within one working day and a fixed personal contact. It describes the situation it wants to spare its clients: an entrepreneur who has to decide on an investment without being able to reach their accountant, with no view of their finances, surprises at year-end and missed tax deductions or grants.

The first pillar of the offer is digital accounting and tax. Clients follow their balance, costs and profit every month through the firm's portal, instead of waiting for their annual figures. The stated aim is to avoid surprises at closing, missed deductions and fines. Tax advice looks for missed deductions, grants and the right timing for investments, based on continuous training in current legislation. Clients review their figures regularly with the firm, often quarterly, to look at opportunities.

The second pillar concerns start-ups and takeovers. Botac coordinates everything from the financial plan to the company number, and provides a clear roadmap with intensive support in the first years. A client in hospitality says she was helped with her business plan, her company number application and all the paperwork. The third pillar covers estate planning and wealth building: mapping assets, optimising the tax burden, supporting pension building and preparing the long-term continuity of the business.

Switching to the firm is presented as simple: an introductory meeting on the situation and pain points, then the handover from the previous accountant or support with incorporation, followed by regular review meetings. According to the firm, most clients are fully up and running within a week, with two more intensive weeks for set-up. The published testimonials come from a digital printing company, a construction firm that moved to an ERP with post-calculation, and two hospitality businesses. The firm is recruiting junior, mid-level and senior file managers.