Are you a business owner? How good with money are you really?

I like to think I’m reasonably disciplined with money, particularly in business. We generally run a pretty tight ship.

Years ago, our accountant told me that one of the tell-tale signs of a business heading for trouble was the arrival of company flagpoles and flags — a sign that management had started spending because they could, rather than because they should.

I have seen something similar with large local employers spending heavily on impressive new headquarters shortly before running into financial difficulties.

When we first had a really good financial year, we spent some money on new office furniture and external signage. It was all perfectly legitimate, but I remember stopping myself and thinking: “Are these our flagpoles?”

That was probably 15 years ago, but I have never forgotten it. Success can make businesses less disciplined with money, not more, and once spending becomes about image rather than purpose, it is worth asking some hard questions.

In business, I am ruthless with money. I will question subscriptions, negotiate contracts, scrutinise cash flow and ask whether every expense genuinely earns its place.

Personally? Football absolutely ruins the system.

I can spend half an hour arguing over a £20 business cost, then somehow convince myself that match tickets, travel, food and everything around a game are “essential”.

The most embarrassing part is that I genuinely do not know what football costs me over a year because I have never been brave enough to total it up. That probably tells you everything.

My accountant would probably say: “Nouran, supporting women’s football is admirable. It is still not an allowable business expense.”

The contradiction has actually taught me something useful as an adviser: everyone has one category where logic disappears.

Mine just happens to involve a pitch, 22 players and absolutely no financial discipline.