About Birdswell Partners
WhyBirdswellPartnersexists
Birdswell Partners was set up to give growing businesses the kind of financial support founders actually want — clear, experience-led, and grounded in the reality of running a business.
Too often, finance functions grow accidentally. Bookkeeping starts for the right reasons, layers get added over time, and before long the business has a finance operation that records what's happened — but doesn't really support what comes next.
Founders end up with numbers they don't fully trust, advice that arrives too late to be useful, and senior financial input that feels either out of reach or disconnected from the day-to-day reality of the business.
Our view on finance
"The sales prevention officers"
Early in my career, I joined a business where the finance team was jokingly referred to as the "sales prevention officers".
That phrase stuck with me — because it perfectly captured what happens when finance becomes a barrier rather than an enabler.
At Birdswell Partners, we believe finance should:
Enable good decisions, not block them
Protect the business without slowing it down
Bring control and momentum
Support growth in a well-managed, commercially sensible way
Good finance should make running a business easier — not harder.
Our team
The people behind Birdswell Partners
A small, experienced team that works closely together — and closely with you.
Founder & CFO
Dave Eaton
I've spent my career working closely with founders and leadership teams as businesses grow, raise investment, navigate complexity, and face moments where the right financial judgement really matters.
I've built and run finance functions inside businesses, not just advised from the outside. That experience shapes how we work at Birdswell Partners — practical, embedded, and focused on what actually helps founders move forward.
Clients work with me because they want someone who understands the numbers, but also understands the pressure of making decisions when there isn't a perfect answer. Someone calm, commercially minded, and comfortable being involved when the stakes are high.
Outside work, I live in North Devon with my wife, two boys, and our pointer Geoffrey. We spend most of our free time outdoors — on the coast path, in the sea, or away in the camper van. I'm treasurer of Woolacombe Surf Life Saving Club, where the whole family are members.
Finance Assistant
Tersia Oosthuizen
Tersia keeps the foundations solid. She runs the bookkeeping across our client base, making sure the day-to-day is accurate, up to date, and actually useful — not just filed away.
Good management information starts with clean books, and Tersia takes that seriously. She'll always ask nicely for what she needs. Once……
Outside the office, she's happiest outdoors — walking her dog and in the garden.
How we work with clients
We become part of the team
When we work with a business, we become part of the team. We don't sit on the sidelines or operate as external accountants. We take responsibility for the finance function — running the day-to-day properly, while also providing experienced CFO input into planning, strategy, and decision-making.
Support flexes as the business changes, with the finance function evolving alongside it — without constant restructuring or handovers.
The aim is simple: to give founders clarity, confidence, and a finance partner they can rely on as their business grows.
Based in North Devon
Our location shapes our approach, not our reach
Birdswell Partners is based in North Devon, where we're building a business rooted in long-term relationships and straightforward conversations.
While many of our clients operate nationally or internationally, being here reflects how we choose to work — accessible, grounded, and invested for the long term.
Let'shaveaconversation
If this way of working resonates, the best next step is a conversation. A straightforward discussion to understand where your business is today, and whether Birdswell Partners might be a good fit.