

Smithink - helping accountants turn their practices into great businesses
David Smith + Mark Holton, Smithink
We provide practical firm innovations, based on the decades we have spent as practicing accountants and business consultants. We know what works best, because we've done it. Smithink provides a wide variety of consulting services and educational events, tools and resources under the one roof. Now including a monthly podcast.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 19, 2023 • 49min
Unleashing the Potential: Exploring How Technology Propels Accounting Advisory Business to New Heights
Join us for an exclusive webinar featuring an insightful interview with Maree Jones, Manager at McKinley Plowman who has leveraged technology alongside her team to help fuel the organisation’s thriving accounting advisory business! Discover the secrets behind their success and gain valuable tips for implementing technology-driven strategies in your own practice.
PRESENTED BY:
Mark Holton with Tom Bilton, Fathom and Maree Jones, McKinley Plowman

Jun 23, 2023 • 30min
Cross selling your services – ensuring clients are utilising more of your services
Every professional service firm acknowledges that there are extra services they provide that many of their clients need but do not use. This is particularly the case when someone else in the firm provides the other service. This session will explore how firms can unlock these extra opportunities and achieve effective cross selling in their business.
PRESENTED BY: David Smith

Jun 1, 2023 • 29min
Accounting industry trends and benchmarks
Measuring performance in an accounting firm is a critical task. This session will examine the recent Accountants Pulse Report 2022 that details the industry the challenge now is measuring how we compare to our peers. This session will review the latest industry trends and benchmarks and how they relate to the performance of your firm.
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton, Smithink

Apr 20, 2023 • 31min
Making performance reviews more effective
A common theme when we interview team members in firms is dissatisfaction with their performance reviews and how their performance is being measured. In this world where recruiting team members is often a challenge, retaining strong performers is critical. This webinar will consider effective ways to provide feedback and assist individuals to grow and develop.
PRESENTED BY: David Smith

Mar 22, 2023 • 31min
Business Advisory Tools Update
There is a vast array of software and solutions in the market all designed to assist accountants in providing initial and engaging business advisory services to their clients. Understanding the differences and how products fit into the business advisory process is critical if firms are to select the right tools for their firm. This session will provide some insight into some of the key solutions available in 2023.
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton, Smithink

Feb 22, 2023 • 37min
Building an effective training program
In an era of acute labour shortages, it is critical that there is a strong focus on training to ensure not only high efficiency and technical competency but to also provide team members with the knowledge they need to advance their careers. This webinar will outline the topic categories that should form part of any training program, how training should be managed and how suggestions for training topics can be fed into the system.
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink

Jan 23, 2023 • 28min
Strategic planning for your client’s business success
Strategic planning starts with aligning your client’s business with its vision, mission and values. Then taking the time to think through where it makes sense to focus energy and resources in order to reach intended outcomes and results, and ensure all stakeholders are aligned and working toward common goals. This session will help you determine where your clients are today, where you want to get them tomorrow and more importantly how and when to get them there.
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink

Dec 14, 2022 • 34min
The quality vs efficiency war – getting the balance right
Utopia is to never have any mistakes and all the work is produced with maximum efficiency. Unfortunately, the reality is that often some trade-off is required between efficiency and the possibility of error. In this session, we will review how firms endeavour to maintain operating efficiency while effectively managing the risk of errors and the resulting consequences.
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink

Nov 14, 2022 • 32min
Practice KPI’s that really drive accountability
There are many key performance indicators that can assist accounting firms in monitoring performance and efficiency. This session will look at some of the common compliance performance drivers, how they are used, monitored and what to measure your team against. We will also examine other “non financial” engagement KPIs that can help monitor activity and delivery of more diversified services.
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink

Oct 27, 2022 • 33min
Maximising your resources in a world of labour shortage
There are only two ways to solve resource shortages. Find more labour and/or get more production from existing labour. In this session, we will review how firms are addressing the labour shortage with strategies to unlock new sources of labour. We will also review how firms are using resourcing planning and other tools to boost productivity.
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink