In this episode of the SuperConnector Show podcast, host Paul Lancaster interviewed Lyndon Stickley (CEO, iplicit) to discuss the company’s rapid growth & its mission to disrupt the mid-market accounting software industry. iplicit has quickly made a name for itself, earning a Top 5 spot on the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list while scaling its team to over 230 people.
Here is a summary of the key discussion points regarding how iplicit is redefining the mid-market accounting landscape in the UK & Ireland.
The ‘Goldilocks’ Solution for Mid-Market Accounting
Stickley identifies a significant gap in the accounting software market. Organisations are often forced to choose between:
- Entry-Level Solutions (e.g., Xero, Sage, QuickBooks, FreeAgent): While excellent for small & micro-businesses, these lack the robust functionality (multi-entity, multi-jurisdiction, real-time consolidation) required by mid-sized organisations.
- Enterprise ERPs (e.g. NetSuite): These are often too expensive, complex & disruptive to implement for the average mid-market business.
iplicit positions itself as the ‘Goldilocks’ offering – not too big, not too small – providing enterprise-level capabilities with a rapid, low-disruption implementation process that typically takes only 16 to 20 days.
A Fair & No-Nonsense Business Ethos
A core differentiator for iplicit is its rejection of traditional industry practices, which Stickley describes as being deceptive & misleading. To build long-term trust, they have implemented a customer-centric model characterised by:
- No Multi-Year Lock-ins: Customers are free to leave iplicit any time, which Stickley believes forces the company to continuously deliver value rather than relying on captive audiences.
- Predictable Pricing: They pledge never to raise prices by more than 5% in a single year, contrasting sharply with some competitors that have pushed through double-digit increases in recent years.
- Transparency: They avoid ‘right-to-use’ fees, ensuring clients own their data & face no financial punishment for choosing to leave.
Culture as a Competitive Advantage
iplicit’s success is deeply rooted in its remote-first culture. With over 200 of its 230 employees working remotely, the company has accessed a high level of talent density across the UK. Stickley emphasises that this is not just a policy but a core belief system:
- Clarity & Consistency: Like raising children or training a dog, Stickley argues that successful management in business is about setting a clear vision & goals, maintaining clear communication, consistent expectations & rewarding behaviour that aligns with the ‘North Star’ values set by the leadership team.
- Team-First Mentality: By fostering an environment where employees feel secure, trusted & empowered, iplicit ensures that the team, in turn, provides exemplary service to customers.
Scaling through Partnerships
As iplicit looks to dominate the UK & Ireland markets, they are moving away from a direct-sales model toward a partner-centric strategy. This ecosystem includes three key pillars:
- Accountants: Leveraging the top 50 firms to provide aggregated data & improved security for their clients.
- Resellers: Engaging with experienced partners who previously supported legacy systems like Sage & Access.
- ISVs: Integrating with best-in-class software (such as Cin7 for stock management or Pleo for expenses) to provide a complete, true cloud ecosystem for customers.
What’s next for iplicit?
The company remains focused on migrating the estimated 100,000 UK organisations still trapped on legacy, on-premises accounting software. Stickley remains confident that by doing what is right for the staff, the partners & the customers – iplicit will continue to grow exponentially without needing to compromise their values or lean into the traditional, extractive industry model.
To learn more about how your business could use or partner with iplicit, visit www.iplicit.com
ps You can also listen to this interview (& more) on Paul’s ‘SuperConnector Show’ podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible or Spreaker via our ‘Podcasts‘ page.
