Paving professional futures: ethnic minority accountants in the United Kingdom

There are some signs that ethnic minority entrepreneurs, particularly in the UK, are gradually diversifying into potentially more rewarding economic activities in the 'professions'. Yet, the experiences of these professional ethnic minority entrepreneurs have rarely been documented. This article explores the case of ethnic minority accountants operating as entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom. The results highlight the importance of the small ethnic minority accountancy practice as a stepping-stone for ethnic minorities seeking to establish themselves in the profession. An unanticipated finding is the potential importance of the ethnic minority accountants as a business resource for their ethnic minority clients. Finally, although ethnic minority accountants appear to be operating successfully, continued reliance on such firms may prove problematic.