
Smithink - helping accountants turn their practices into great businesses
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.
Latest episodes

May 12, 2022 • 33min
Getting the right structure and process to deliver more advisory services in 2022
How do professional service firms re-focus from compliance services to value-added reliance services? Mark shares his innovative 7-step to success divisional advisory process that includes insight on the correct firm structure, infrastructure requirements, turning numbers into knowledge, action planning and identifying your clients' additional needs through innovative engagement strategies.
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink

Apr 13, 2022 • 32min
Help your self-directed clients make better investment decisions - without giving financial advice
David Smith discusses with OpenInvest co-founder Andrew Varlamos how clients unwilling to pay for financial advice often make poor investment choices, potentially damaging their chances of a financially secure retirement. The webinar will highlight how accounting firms can help while also avoiding the regulatory burden that comes with the financial advice regime.

Mar 23, 2022 • 34min
Facilitating your client's monthly management meetings
Many small businesses struggle with the strategic management of their business. They are often in the here and now of solving today's issues. Yet, we all know that taking a regular step back to review progress, set targets and develop plans is highly beneficial to ensure focus is maintained on the issues that matter over the longer term.
Many small business people do not have the skills to establish an appropriate framework for monthly management meetings, governance and accountability. This session will outline how, as your client's key adviser, you can assist in creating and participating in these important meetings.
PRESENTED BY: David Smith

Dec 7, 2021 • 28min
How to be a financial storyteller
Today's accountants and consultants need to consider providing high-level advisory services as well as compliance services to their selected clients. In this webinar we will cover how to be a proficient financial storyteller, extracting meaning from the numbers and help clients understand their financial story, using web-based techniques like the 4 Chapters, the Power of One, and the 3 Big Cash Flow measures. Turn numbers into knowledge using simple strategies that will really impress your clients and help develop your firm's advisory services.
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink

Nov 16, 2021 • 41min
Creating a culture of delegation
Most firms find their senior people are often overloaded with work and have very little spare time. Yet it is these same people that need time to drive further growth and development of the firm. This webinar will highlight how firms can improve delegation so that additional capacity can be unlocked for your senior people.
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink

Oct 26, 2021 • 32min
The keys to quality client service
Having completed the Exceptional Leadership, Recruitment, Selection and Training and Exceptional Customer Service programs at Disney University in Anaheim, California, Mark shares his insights on the hugely successful Disney management model of "on stage and off stage" service delivery and "over managing" through an attention to detail that drives success. Mark will also articulate the learnings into how they can be applied to an accounting firm staff, operations, efficiencies and client service standards.
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink

Sep 21, 2021 • 31min
Rocks to look under as you hunt for staff
Recruitment seems to be getting harder and harder. Traditional channels have dried up. This webinar will explore different alternatives firms can consider as they hunt for staff and how firms can be positioned to give a competitive edge in recruitment.

Sep 3, 2021 • 28min
How to see the financial impact of key financial decisions before you make them
Being in business is a constant battle of key decision making for an accounting firm's clients. Decisions like; "should I or should I not?" or "do I commit or do I not?" are often a regular occurrence. This session will show you the impact of key financial decisions before they are made using a simple graphical software solution. Any debit or credit can be shown and the consequences considered before a decision is made. You and the client need to know in advance!
Presented by: Mark Holton

Jul 20, 2021 • 35min
KPIs that work
Driving the right behaviours from your people should be the objective of any accountability framework. In this webinar, David will highlight the accountability measures that firms can adopt that can be readily managed and drive desired outcomes.
PRESENTED BY: David Smith

Jun 16, 2021 • 37min
The Firm of the Future - Part One
What will an accounting firm look like in the future? What will clients expect from us? Let's look forward and consider the future of the profession and what firms should be doing now to be successfully positioned in the years to come.
Presented by: David Smith + Mark Holton, Smithink