After years of operating as Heaton Vences, we've launched under a new name: Runway. This isn't a cosmetic change. It reflects a genuine evolution in how we think about the firm, what we've built, and the clients we exist to serve.
Where we started
Heaton Vences was founded on a simple belief: that business owners deserve better than the traditional accountancy model. Most firms hand clients off to junior staff, show up once a year at year-end, and charge more than they're worth. We wanted to do the opposite — senior people, proactive advice, transparent pricing, and a real relationship.
That belief hasn't changed. What's changed is our ambition for what that looks like at scale.
Why the name needed to change
Heaton Vences is a co-founders' surname. It works well when you're a small firm built on two people's reputations. But as we grew — more co-founders joining as hub owners, more clients, a bigger team — the name started to feel like it was describing where we came from rather than where we're going.
More importantly, it didn't communicate anything about who our clients are or what we do for them. When you're building a firm for ambitious founders, your brand should reflect that energy.
"Runway" is the word founders use when they talk about how long they can keep going. It's also what you need before you take off. That felt right.
What Runway means
In aviation, a runway is the infrastructure that makes flight possible. In business, runway is the oxygen that keeps you alive while you build something worth building — the cash, the time, the strategic clarity to make good decisions.
We chose the name because it sits at the intersection of what we actually do: help founders understand their financial position clearly, make better decisions, and grow with confidence. Not just accounts and tax returns. The full finance function — compliance, advisory, and strategic thinking — all in one place. That includes everything from bookkeeping and year-end accounts to our CFO Advisory service for founders who need senior financial leadership without the full-time hire.
What hasn't changed
Everything that made Heaton Vences worth building is still here. The same co-founders. The same hub model — where every client works directly with a qualified, experienced advisor, not a rotating cast of junior staff. The same commitment to proactive, honest advice. The same five-star track record.
If you're an existing client, nothing changes about how we work together. Your co-founder is still your co-founder. Your service is the same. The only thing that's different is the name on the door — and what it now signals about the kind of firm we're building.
What comes next
The rebrand is the beginning of a bigger chapter. We're growing the hub model across the UK, bringing in co-founders who share our values and our approach. We're building the kind of firm that ambitious founders actually want to work with — one that grows with them from first hire to exit.
If you've been thinking about working with a firm that takes your business as seriously as you do, now's a good time to have that conversation.