The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast

"Your data is good to go. Customer comes into Hub Analytics and starts chatting with the chat bot to ask questions about the data, get visualized charts and graphs, and really have kind of this virtual CFO experience, which is cool." -Tommy Vincent Tommy Vincent, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Hub Analytics, returns to explain how AI is reshaping analytics, advisory, and the bookkeeper's role. He shares how data diagnostics improve pricing confidence, why early forecasting matters, and how AI tools give clients clearer financial insight without added complexity. In this interview, you'll learn: How AI checks bookkeeping work in seconds & catches errors early Why forward-looking analytics matter more than past reports How to deliver CFO-level insight without becoming a CFO To learn more about Hub Analytics, click here. Connect with Tommy on LinkedIn. Time Stamp 00:00 - How AI scans bookkeeping data & flags issues 02:13 - Why AI fits naturally into accounting & finance 05:01 - Using AI to validate work & reduce review time 06:22 - Moving from historical reports to forward-looking insight 08:37 - Why many bookkeepers don't want to deliver CFO services 09:13 - How the Hub Analytics partner program works 11:45 - Using data diagnostics to check & price new clients 14:22 - Catching errors & unknowns before onboarding 16:10 - Why small businesses need forecasting earlier 19:36 - Cash flow forecasting & scenario planning 20:34 - Using AI chat tools as a virtual CFO 22:32 - Turning insights into real business decisions 25:02 - How bookkeepers stay connected to advisory work 29:57 - Making CFO-level insight affordable for small businesses 32:14 - How to get started with Hub Analytics

" I'm not gonna say people can't change. What I will say is that it is hard work to change attitude. Changing skills, super simple. Attitude, it's a losing battle for the vast majority of business leaders." -Mark Murphy Welcome to 2026 and the 10th anniversary year of our podcast! In this episode, Mark Murphy, founder of Leadership IQ, shares how to hire better and build teams that actually work. He explains why most hiring problems come down to attitude and outlines the five roles every strong team needs. In this interview, you'll learn: •The five roles every winning team needs • How to ask interview questions that reveal real behaviour • Why attitude—not skills—is behind most failed hires To learn more about Mark and Leadership IQ, click here. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Time Stamp 00:00 Mark shares why attitude makes or breaks new hires 04:10 The real reasons nearly half of new hires fail 08:30 How to ask interview questions that reveal the truth 14:30 Why managers ignore red flags & how to stop 20:20 The five roles every winning team needs 29:30 How business owners can stop trying to be "everything" 33:40 Adaptive hierarchy & better decision-making 37:50 Leading remote teams with clearer roles 44:10 Where to learn more about Mark Murphy & Leadership IQ

"Ethics and integrity are a bookkeeper's superpower." -Heather Smith Kick off your new year with clarity and momentum in this special Year-In-Review episode! Host, Michael Palmer brings together an international panel of leaders to unpack the biggest wins, surprises, and lessons from 2025. This conversation gives you a grounded look at what actually changed in the bookkeeping world and what you can expect moving into 2026. You'll hear real stories from Canada, Australia, and the United States about technology shifts, economic pressures, client transformations, team challenges, and the rising demand for advisory. Our final episode of 2025 is packed with insights that you don't want to miss! Thank you so much for listening to our show and being a part of our community! Your support is the reason this podcast continues to grow. Wishing you a HAPPY and SUCCESSFUL 2026! To find out more about our guests, click below: Lisa Campbell Teresa Slack Heather Smith Christina Springstead Time Stamp 01:11 – Michael introduces the Year-In-Review panel 03:38 – Biggest surprises from 2025 04:51 – How bookkeepers embraced AI 05:12 – Personal breakthroughs & executing on training 07:04 – Economic pressures & global ripple effects 11:24 – Setbacks bookkeepers faced this year 16:41 – Capacity challenges & communication gaps 19:22 – Heartwarming client wins 23:05 – Helping clients understand their numbers 27:23 – The ripple effect bookkeepers create 30:03 – Why new bookkeepers matter 32:16 – Heartbreaks & financial vulnerability 34:06 – Ethics as a bookkeeper's superpower 39:26 – What worked well in 2025 40:10 – Hiring support to free up time 42:12 – Workflow systems paying off 46:11 – What didn't work & lessons learned 49:26 – Overwhelm from too much change at once 50:59 – Trends shaping 2026 54:58 – The rising need for human connection 1:02:37 – Personal focus areas for 2026 1:05:05 – Closing thoughts & New Year wishes

"You get to a place little by little of just working with these wonderful people that really appreciate what you're doing. They're paying top dollar and you love what you're doing." -Lisa Campbell Lisa Campbell, author of Beyond Bookkeeping and bookkeeping mentor, joins host Michael Palmer for part two of this special live series recorded at Accountex Canada 2025 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. She shares how to filter ideal clients, step into advisory with confidence, and build a business that supports your life—not drains it. In this interview, you'll learn: Why most bookkeepers already are doing advisory without realizing it One simple step you can take this month to start leading clients How boundaries create freedom and stronger client relationships To learn more about Lisa, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Order a copy of Beyond Bookkeeping. Time Stamp 01:09 – The biggest myths bookkeepers believe about advisory 02:25 – Why you're more qualified than you think 03:08 – The one conversation that can start your advisory journey 04:40 – How honesty builds trust & opens deeper client relationships 06:32 – Systematization as the path to freedom 07:36 – The emotional toll of staying stuck & overwhelmed 08:13 – Why boundaries matter & how to set them 09:36 – Stopping late-night messages, constant emergencies & scope creep 11:02 – Charging premiums for urgent work 11:50 – Seeing yourself as a leader, not a laborer 12:47 – The mindset shift that unlocks real advisory 13:39 – Why losing the wrong clients makes space for the right ones 15:24 – How ideal clients show up when you raise your standards 20:19 – Building your business mindset through learning and curiosity 22:01 – Differentiating yourself from low-cost competition 24:17 – How niching creates authority & demand 25:08 – The future of bookkeeping and the rise of AI-supported advisory

"You learn, you read, you surround yourself with other people. Don't stay isolated behind your computer. You come to things like this. You join groups, you learn what other people are doing, and a lot of it is just understanding the value yourself." -Lisa Campbell Lisa Campbell, author of Beyond Bookkeeping and longtime bookkeeping mentor, joins host Michael Palmer for a special two-episode series recorded live at Accountex Canada 2025 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. She shares how a single "midnight moment" pushed her to rebuild her business, break free from burnout, and step confidently into advisory work. In this interview, you'll learn: What finally broke the cycle of burnout & overwork How systemizing business unlocked time, freedom & new opportunities Why shifting from compliance to advisory starts with mindset To learn more about Lisa, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Order a copy of Beyond Bookkeeping. Time Stamp 01:16 – Lisa shares her "midnight moment" & the push to change everything 03:14 – The shift from having a job to building a business 06:16 – How burnout & overwork showed up in her daily life 07:03 – The mindset change that unlocked growth 08:12 – What "beyond bookkeeping" really means 09:17 – The moment she realized her systems were working 10:26 – How long it took to make the shift & why timing is different for everyone 11:46 – Breaking through time constraints & building structure 12:44 – How she stayed connected to her why during tough seasons 15:11 – How Profit First transformed her business & her clients' 16:20 – Why more clients doesn't equal more profit 18:10 – Moving from hourly work to value & subscription pricing 18:53 – The hidden gold bookkeepers give away for free 20:12 – Why learning, community & awareness help you charge your value 21:23 – Lisa's exercise to uncover value adds 24:12 – How she rewired her thinking & found new opportunities 25:16 – Shifting from compliance work to advisory 26:50 – Building an ecosystem for the entire client journey

" You do not want a business that is entirely dependent on you. You want an independent running business." -Ron Bester Ron Bester, VP of Client Experience at Successful Bookkeeper Global, breaks down why so many bookkeepers feel buried in day-to-day work and how the SODA framework helps you reclaim time, reduce stress, and build a business that doesn't rely on you to survive. In this episode, you'll learn… How to spot where your time is leaking & fix it Build simple systems that remove bottlenecks Use automation to cut repetitive tasks & free up hours Connect with Ron on LinkedIn. Time Stamp 00:00 – Why running a business is different from doing work you enjoy 03:00 – The common pitfalls small business owners face 07:00 – Why every business needs a plan, systems & an exit strategy 10:00 – Introduction to the SODA framework 12:00 – Systemize: building processes that create consistency 15:00 – Outsource: letting experts handle non-core work 17:00 – Delegate: breaking the "only I can do it" mindset 20:00 – Automate: using tech to remove repetitive tasks 23:00 – The biggest transformation bookkeepers experience with SODA 26:00 – Early wins & what shifts first 28:00 – Why most owners don't realize they are the bottleneck 30:00 – One small action you can take today 31:00 – How the SODA pre-checklist and intensive work 33:00 – Building a business that runs independently of you

"Like this is not just a gig, but this is my career. You grow into wanting more of that for your clients and you start recognizing if a client isn't about that. The last thing I want is just agree to do a subpar job because a client doesn't really care and then they decide to care in two years and they look back at the history and they're like, 'This has been a mess.'" -Christina Springstead Christina Springstead, owner and founder of Springstead Solutions, returns to share what she's learned from handling complex cleanups and growing her business with intention. From refining systems to managing client expectations, Christina explains how bookkeepers can balance quality, communication, and growth—without burning out. In this interview, you'll learn: How to spot hidden issues in cleanup projects before you quote Why communication & transparency build client trust How to manage pushback & set professional boundaries To learn more about Christina and Springstead Solutions, here. Connect with her on Linkedin. Time Stamp 02:13 – Christina shares her background & path back to bookkeeping 04:34 – Lessons learned from recent cleanup projects 06:00 – The hidden costs of missing bank feed data & auto rules 07:42 – When CPA journal entries hide deeper problems 09:51 – How cleanup checklists evolved into better systems 10:51 – Why deeper diagnostic reviews protect both client & bookkeeper 12:06 – Expecting problems: guilty until proven innocent approach 13:01 – When "accurate" AR & AP numbers aren't accurate at all 14:45 – The danger of ignoring small errors today 15:34 – How to handle client pushback with transparency & purpose 16:22 – Choosing clients who care about accurate books 17:13 – Why clean books protect long-term business value 18:20 – Setting boundaries & recognizing red flags in clients 19:47 – The difference between hobby clients & business-minded ones 20:26 – Holding clients accountable for financial quality 21:02 – Managing stress & staying flexible during heavy work periods 22:45 – Communicating delays honestly with clients 23:57 – Building trust through consistency & openness 25:41 – Why clear communication increases client value perception 27:01 – Real client story: turning nonprofit chaos into clarity 28:55 – How bookkeeping education empowers boards & leaders 31:21 – Hiring a VA and assistant to buy back time & focus 32:53 – Building a business around your lifestyle, not fear 33:41 – Manifesting growth & designing your dream business 35:03 – Recommended books: Who Not How & Buy Back Your Time 37:33 – Why mindset, focus& vision drive real success 40:12 – How the new Summit experience connects the bookkeeping community This episode is brought to you by our amazing friends at Hub Analytics! Imagine having all your financial data in one place, with real-time analytics and customized reports at your fingertips. Hub Analytics is a financial platform that streamlines bookkeeping operations, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering high-quality results for your clients. With Hub's easy-to-use tools, you'll save time, reduce errors, and gain deeper insights into your clients' financials! Ready to take your bookkeeping to the next level? Book a demo to learn more and start your FREE trial TODAY!

"Do not be tempted to undervalue yourself just because it happens to be something that's fast or easy for you to produce." -Casey Brown In the finale of this two-part series, pricing expert and president of Boost Pricing, Casey Brown, returns to share how bookkeepers can move from fear-based pricing to confident, value-driven conversations. She explains how to stop pre-discounting, test your true pricing ceiling, and communicate your worth with clarity and confidence. In this interview, you'll learn: Why pre-discounting hurts your profits How to identify & attract better, higher-value clients How to package & present your services with confidence Connect with Casey on LinkedIn. To buy her book, Fearless Pricing, click here. Watch her TED Talk, or video on 12 things I Hate About Hourly Billing. To learn more about Boost Pricing, click this link. Time Stamp 02:03 – The two types of discounting: negotiated & pre-discounting 03:52 – How to test your true price ceiling 04:54 – Overcoming scarcity mindset & fear of losing clients 06:02 – Why fewer clients at higher prices can be more profitable 08:44 – Letting go of price-sensitive clients who drain your energy 10:43 – Why bad clients cost more than they're worth 11:13 – The gender gap in business pricing & confidence 12:45 – How women undervalue their services & why it costs them 13:52 – Messaging & packaging your services for higher value 15:17 – Half of pricing success is the number; half is how you frame it 16:52 – Stop obsessing over numbers & focus on context 17:47 – The problems with hourly billing models 18:47 – Why fixed-fee & value-based pricing work better 19:26 – When & how to offer pricing packages 20:47 – Avoid overwhelming clients with too many choices 22:28 – Be the expert—guide your client's decision 24:31 – Why clear messaging builds trust & confidence 25:57 – The Picasso lesson: charge for your experience, not your time 26:58 – How to articulate the process & value you deliver 27:21 – Where to find Casey's free resources, book & programs 28:42 – Fearless Pricing community & how to join This episode is brought to you by our friends at Dext! Dext handles transaction capture, keeps your data accurate, and even simplifies e-commerce reconciliation, all in one place. Join thousands of bookkeepers and accountants who've already made the switch. If you're ready to save time, reduce errors, and make bookkeeping more efficient, Dext is for you! Go to thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/dext to book a demo TODAY and see how it can transform the way you work!

"Bookkeeping is a commodity. My accounting software can be a commodity. So how do we strike that emotional cord and how do we give the confidence that we are the right choice going forward? We're not a commodity. We are differentiating. We're building that difference." -Melanie Spillman Melanie Spillman, Vice President of Sales for Sage US Medium Businesses, shares practical ways bookkeepers can build stronger client relationships—through listening, follow-up, and authenticity. She explores how trust is earned, why active listening matters, and how to keep human connection alive in an increasingly automated industry. In this interview, you'll learn: How to build trust quickly & consistently with clients The art of active listening & letting silence do the work Why understanding your client's past & future builds connection Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn. To learn more about Sage, click here. Time Stamp 01:41 – How to build trust quickly with clients 03:34 – The power of timely follow-up 05:19 – Setting expectations & communicating clearly 06:33 – Teach, tailor & take control in client conversations 07:53 – How to ask better questions & listen actively 09:23 – Staying present & focused during meetings 12:22 – The value of silence in communication 13:54 – Showing authenticity & passion with clients 15:53 – How to build trust in the first meeting 17:22 – Asking about a client's past & future to deepen connection 20:09 – Why focusing only on history limits your impact 21:15 – How to stand out in a competitive market 22:29 – The "front door" story: lessons in emotional connection 25:39 – Why people buy with emotion & justify with logic 27:31 – Turning services from a commodity into a connection 29:34 – Keeping the human touch in an automated world 31:27 – Using AI to free time for more meaningful client work 33:22 – Understanding what really motivates clients 36:48 – Make every client interaction meaningful 38:46 – How Sage uses AI to empower bookkeepers

"It's the bookkeeper who has to sell his or her own services, and so they're not a professional salesperson. So a lot of times there's a lot of fear and we get in our heads, we get in our gut, we feel pushy, we feel salesy, we feel weird and we discount. And so to me, it's about arming the person whose job it is to sell this value with the skills and tools to do it." -Casey Brown In part one of this two-part conversation, pricing expert and resident of Boost Pricing, Casey Brown, joins the podcast to help bookkeepers overcome fear, self-doubt, and hesitation around pricing their services. Drawing from her journey as an engineer turned pricing strategist, she explains how your "money story" shapes your pricing decisions—and how to change it. In this interview, you'll learn: How mindset & money stories limit what you charge The biggest pricing mistake small firms make How to handle pricing objections without discounting Connect with Casey on LinkedIn. To buy her book, Fearless Pricing, click here. Watch her TED Talk, or video on 12 things I Hate About Hourly Billing. To learn more about Boost Pricing, click this link. Time Stamp 00:00 – Why pricing confidence matters for bookkeepers 02:10 – Casey's journey from engineer to pricing strategist 04:38 – Lessons from working at GE & entering the pricing world 05:56 – Shifting from big corporations to small businesses 07:14 – Why analytical pricing models don't work for small firms 08:13 – Helping bookkeepers sell their own value with confidence 10:24 – From pricing analytics to pricing mindset training 12:31 – How training teams led to massive profit increases 13:36 – Why pricing problems start between your ears, not in spreadsheets 15:14 – Common sales beliefs that hold business owners back 17:19 – The myth that "the market sets the price" 18:52 – How changing beliefs can boost profitability 20:18 – Why most people fear talking about price 21:01 – Understanding your personal money story 22:41 – How emotions affect pricing decisions 23:13 – Exercises to detach emotion from pricing 24:22 – Casey's advice for bookkeepers ready to charge more This episode is brought to you by our friends at Dext! Dext handles transaction capture, keeps your data accurate, and even simplifies e-commerce reconciliation, all in one place. Join thousands of bookkeepers and accountants who've already made the switch. If you're ready to save time, reduce errors, and make bookkeeping more efficient, Dext is for you! Go to thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/dext to book a demo TODAY and see how it can transform the way you work!