Accounting Voices Podcast

In this special bonus episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, host Rob Brown is joined by Vipul Sheth, Paul Shrimpling, Aynsley Damery, and Dermot Hamblin to discuss their recent event focused on the future of accounting firms. The event aimed to provide ideas and insights to keep accounting firms at the forefront of the industry. The speakers covered diverse topics, and the event attracted a diverse audience from the larger accounting firms in the UK. Discussions revolved around creating sustainable and prosperous firms, addressing talent shortage challenges, and effectively managing technology adoption.Key takeaways from the event included the importance of challenging the status quo and embracing change, engaging and sharing best practices among industry professionals, and the need to articulate the value of services to clients beyond pricing conversations. Attendees were receptive and eager to explore new ideas and strategies for their firms' future success. The event fostered meaningful conversations and encouraged collaboration among accounting professionals.Guest BiosVipul Sheth, Paul Shrimpling, Dermot Hamblin, and Aynsley Damery are renowned industry leaders who recently attended and reviewed the esteemed "Accounting For Your Future" conference hosted by Advance Track Outsourcing. Held on 9th May 2023 at the iconic British Museum in London, this conference provided invaluable insights into shaping the future of accounting. With a focus on adaptability and leveraging technology for optimal efficiency, these experts recognize the crucial role of passing on their learnings to help clients envision a promising future. Emphasizing the unwavering support of the accounting industry, Vipul, Paul, Dermot, and Aynsley are dedicated to guiding clients through challenging times and ensuring their long-term success.

"The Future of Accounting Qualifications: Brian Hock." Host Rob Brown welcomes guest Brian Hock, a seasoned accounting professional with expertise in training and certifications. Brian shares his journey from auditing to establishing his own successful training company. He discusses how accounting certifications have changed over the years, driven by evolving standards and the significant influence of technology.Brian emphasises the role of technology in transforming the accountant's role, particularly in data utilisation, auditing, and management decision-making. He highlights the need for certifications to adapt to these changes and equip aspiring professionals with the necessary skills to navigate and leverage technology effectively. Brian also reflects on his experience working with talented students preparing for the CPA exam.The conversation briefly touches on the geopolitical situation between Russia and Ukraine, with Brian expressing concerns about the misrepresentation of the Russian government and the impact on global supply chains. Lastly, he discusses the current state of American politics and the importance of shared values and the need for open dialogue and compromise.Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of accounting certifications, the influence of technology, and the challenges and opportunities accounting professionals face in today's interconnected world.Brian Hock is the President of HOCK International, a global leader in professional accounting and finance certifications. With strong expertise in small business and international business in regions like the Middle East, India, and Eastern Europe, Brian has helped countless professionals achieve their certification goals.Having founded HOCK Training in Moscow in 2000, Brian initially focused on live course training for the CMA, CPA, and CIA exams. Recognizing the need for comprehensive study materials, he established HOCK International in 2003, providing candidates worldwide with high-quality study materials that prioritize clear explanations and practical examples.Brian holds Bachelor's degrees in Accountancy and History from Miami University, Oxford, OH. His extensive experience includes working with prestigious firms such as Price Waterhouse, ATC International, and Arthur Andersen.Based in Columbus, OH, Brian resides with his wife and three children. With a passion for online education and a drive to empower aspiring professionals, Brian continues to impact accounting and finance certifications significantly.https://www.hockinternational.com/https://hockstream.com/https://www.cma720.com/◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast drops every Monday to accounting professionals, finance specialists, software vendors, tech providers and influencers across 150 countries in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space. To participate in our international virtual speed networking events for the accounting community, go to https://accountinginfluencers.com/events and book your place at the next gathering. Great to build your personal brand and make valuable industry connections. ◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢You can watch this episode and more on our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@accountinginfluencersJoin the Accounting Influencers community and get invitations to our international speed networking events to build your personal brand and network in the accounting, finance and tech world: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubeThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comACCOUNTEX. Join us at Accountex London, the pinnacle of fintech innovation, May 15-16, 2024! Discover ground-breaking solutions from 295+ brands and gain invaluable insights at our CPD-accredited sessions. Connect with 10,000+ finance professionals. Elevate your practice – attendance is free, plus earn up to 16 CPD points! https://www.accountex.co.uk/londonDEXT. Streamline your accounting practice with Dext! Our cutting-edge tools, Dext Prepare, Commerce, and Precision, revolutionize data handling, saving you precious time and ensuring accuracy. Connect seamlessly with leading software like Xero and QBO. Join 500,000+ customers transforming their practices. Start your free trial and embrace efficiency today! https://dext.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

"Developing Talent in Accounting Firms", Jeremy Hyman shares valuable insights for accountants looking to grow their firms. He emphasizes the changing recruitment landscape due to technology's increasing influence. While recruitment may not be their area of expertise, Hyman believes that the resource needs of accounting firms will change as more technologies become mainstream.He highlights that the pressure points for firms lie in delivery rather than sales or winning clients. To address this, firms need to provide more enablement at lower levels within the organization or automate lower-level tasks. By doing so, they can unlock growth potential, reduce costs, and improve profitability. Hyman also discusses the impact of COVID-19 on firms, including increased demand for assistance and a backlog of work.The conversation delves into the role of automation in removing drudge work and improving efficiency. By automating tasks like data transformation or pushing certain work back to clients through cloud accounting, firms can free up resources and enhance client satisfaction. Hyman warns against relying solely on offshoring as a short-term solution, highlighting potential cost increases and client objections.Regarding recruitment, Hyman emphasizes that job quality is crucial. Firms need to showcase the use of technology, offer modern tools and systems, and provide meaningful and fulfilling work to attract top talent. Technology can enhance the job specification and improve the perceived value of the role for potential recruits and clients.Key Takeaways➤ The pressure points for accounting firms lie in delivery, not sales or winning clients. Firms should focus on enabling lower-level employees and automating tasks to reduce costs and improve profitability.➤ COVID-19 has increased the demand for assistance from state bodies, and firms are struggling to keep up with a backlog of work.➤ Remote work and changing client needs require firms to adapt their technology requirements and work patterns.➤ Automation can remove drudge work from the stack, benefiting clients and staff by saving time and increasing satisfaction.➤ Strategies like pushing work back to clients through cloud accounting can alleviate workload and improve efficiency.➤ Offshoring may provide short-term cost benefits but can increase costs and client objections in the long run.➤ When recruiting, the quality of the job, including technology and fulfilling work, plays a crucial role in attracting top talent and enhancing client perception.➤ Growth opportunities for accounting firms lie in remaining independent and impressing clients through innovative approaches rather than relying on consolidation.➤ Technology can enhance job specification and be perceived as valuable by both recruits and clients, leading to a more successful and proactive firm.Jeremy Hyman is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the professional services sector. With a background in law and expertise as an IT manager, partner, software developer, and management consultant, Jeremy brings a wealth of technical, practical, and commercial skills to the table.Having started his career at a prominent London-based accounting firm, Jeremy made significant contributions by chairing the UK200 IT Group, developing a document management system for accountants, and establishing an IT business within the firm. He later ventured into operating an IT services business before returning to his consulting roots and founding Jeremy Hyman Associates in 2017.Jeremy is highly regarded for his comprehensive understanding of professional firms, technical expertise, and pragmatic approach. He provides IT leadership and guidance to more than 20 of the top 60 accountancy firms in the UK. Known and respected among larger accounting firms, Jeremy is recognized for his solution-oriented advice, strategic planning, team leadership, system design, and dispute-resolution skills. He also excels in vendor management and appointment.Overall, Jeremy Hyman is a trusted professional who combines his extensive industry knowledge with a proactive and practical approach to support the IT needs of leading accountancy firms.◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast drops every Monday to accounting professionals, finance specialists, software vendors, tech providers and influencers across 150 countries in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space. To participate in our international virtual speed networking events for the accounting community, go to https://accountinginfluencers.com/events and book your place at the next gathering. Great to build your personal brand and make valuable industry connections. ◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢You can watch this episode and more on our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@accountinginfluencersJoin the Accounting Influencers community and get invitations to our international speed networking events to build your personal brand and network in the accounting, finance and tech world: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubeThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comACCOUNTEX. Join us at Accountex London, the pinnacle of fintech innovation, May 15-16, 2024! Discover ground-breaking solutions from 295+ brands and gain invaluable insights at our CPD-accredited sessions. Connect with 10,000+ finance professionals. Elevate your practice – attendance is free, plus earn up to 16 CPD points! https://www.accountex.co.uk/londonDEXT. Streamline your accounting practice with Dext! Our cutting-edge tools, Dext Prepare, Commerce, and Precision, revolutionize data handling, saving you precious time and ensuring accuracy. Connect seamlessly with leading software like Xero and QBO. Join 500,000+ customers transforming their practices. Start your free trial and embrace efficiency today! https://dext.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

Nick Huber shares valuable insights on thought leadership and content marketing for accounting firms aiming to grow their businesses. Nick, an experienced journalist and content consultant, emphasizes the importance of thought leadership as a powerful marketing tool for promoting brand authority and generating sales leads.Nick discusses his background as a journalist, including his early experiences reporting on the accountancy sector. He highlights the transition of accounting firms from traditional audit-focused services to positioning themselves as management consultancies. He notes the media profile of top accounting firms and their adeptness in media relations and content creation.The conversation delves into the trends that have shaped the content landscape in recent years, such as the rise of cloud computing, analytics, blockchain, and AI. Nick emphasizes the growing influence of big tech companies and the increasing integration of technology in our lives. He highlights the significance of smartphones in driving this transformation.Regarding content creation, Nick explains various forms of content, including social media posts, blogs, and white papers. He provides insights into white papers as a combination of journalism, marketing, and advertising, offering in-depth analysis on specific subjects while maintaining impartiality.When asked about accounting firms and their approach to thought leadership, Nick expresses his observation that many accounting firms, particularly smaller and medium-sized ones, often fall short in producing high-quality content. He mentions a lack of contact details for press officers on their websites, hindering media relations. He also notes that some firms' content may come across as generic or disguised sales pitches, lacking the depth and uniqueness necessary for effective thought leadership.Throughout the episode, Nick stresses the importance of understanding the value of content marketing and thought leadership for accounting firms. He highlights the potential benefits in terms of brand awareness, business growth, and increased sales. By providing valuable and insightful content, accounting firms can position themselves as industry leaders and attract potential clients.Overall, this episode provides accountants with practical insights and tips on leveraging thought leadership and content marketing to drive their firms' growth and success.Nick Huber is an experienced freelance business journalist and content consultant specializing in business technology and the accountancy sector. With a career spanning 25 years, he has reported for renowned media organizations like the BBC, Financial Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian, and trade magazines such as Accountancy Age and Accounting WEB. Nick helps companies grow their brand through thought leadership content and has worked with accounting firms, start-ups, and Fortune 500/FTSE 100 companies. He can provide insights on thought leadership, content marketing for accounting firms, common mistakes to avoid, content improvement strategies with limited resources, the role of AI in thought leadership, and improving media coverage for accounting firms.◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast drops every Monday to accounting professionals, finance specialists, software vendors, tech providers and influencers across 150 countries in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space. To participate in our international virtual speed networking events for the accounting community, go to https://accountinginfluencers.com/events and book your place at the next gathering. Great to build your personal brand and make valuable industry connections. ◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢You can watch this episode and more on our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@accountinginfluencersJoin the Accounting Influencers community and get invitations to our international speed networking events to build your personal brand and network in the accounting, finance and tech world: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubeThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comACCOUNTEX. Join us at Accountex London, the pinnacle of fintech innovation, May 15-16, 2024! Discover ground-breaking solutions from 295+ brands and gain invaluable insights at our CPD-accredited sessions. Connect with 10,000+ finance professionals. Elevate your practice – attendance is free, plus earn up to 16 CPD points! https://www.accountex.co.uk/londonDEXT. Streamline your accounting practice with Dext! Our cutting-edge tools, Dext Prepare, Commerce, and Precision, revolutionize data handling, saving you precious time and ensuring accuracy. Connect seamlessly with leading software like Xero and QBO. Join 500,000+ customers transforming their practices. Start your free trial and embrace efficiency today! https://dext.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

Welcome to the Accounting Influencers Podcast, going live every Monday to 150 countries and 30,000 accounting practitioners, fintech specialists and influencers in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space.You can also watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/bkcp0JFm_IwIn this Talent Special bonus, "Understanding the Needs of Your Talent", host Rob Brown welcomes Robyn Clark, the founder of WinningWise, an HR/Talent Management company, to share her expertise and insights on talent management and organisational success.With over 30 years of experience working with renowned companies such as L'Oreal and the Federal Reserve Bank, Robyn brings a wealth of knowledge in designing and delivering solutions in talent management.In this episode, Robyn will delve into various topics essential for organizations and individuals.From an organisational perspective, Robyn will discuss the importance of succession planning and how to grow a strong bench of talented individuals within a company. She will shed light on employees' evolving needs and what people seek in their professional lives today. Furthermore, Robyn will emphasize the significance of building a positive organisational culture and why it matters for long-term success.Switching gears to an individual perspective, Robyn will provide valuable insights on how employees can navigate their career growth effectively.Listeners will gain practical advice on securing promotions, obtaining more rewards, and taking charge of their career trajectories.Robyn will also address the challenges that arise when disagreements occur and share strategies to align with one's boss for greater harmony and success.Guest BioRobyn Clark is the Founder and President of WinningWise, Inc., a company dedicated to developing leadership and driving sustainable change and growth. With over 30 years of experience in talent management, transformational change, and culture building, Robyn brings energy, positivity, and innovative thinking to her work. She has worked with top-tier organizations such as The Federal Reserve Bank, L'Oreal, and Discover Financial Services, helping leaders and teams achieve new outcomes. Robyn's exceptional facilitation skills, commitment to learning, and personal investment in her clients' success make her a trusted partner in driving individual and organizational capability.Robyn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynrclark/WinningWise LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/winningwise/Website: www.winningwise.com◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢If you like the show, we'd truly appreciate a review on whatever platform you listen. We'd love to get to know you!Main show website. For access to every single show with full shownotes: https://accountinginfluencers.com/podcastFor announcements of published shows, tagging guest so you can build your network and offer feedback on the show: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubehttps://www.instagram.com/accinfluencershttps://twitter.com/accinfluencershttps://www.facebook.com/accountinginfluencersThanks to our sponsors:Accountex. Accountex will return to ExCeL London UK on the 10-11 May 2023. Bringing together 250+ top fintech companies and cutting-edge start-ups, visitors can browse new software and stay up to date with the latest technology, tools and ideas in accountancy and finance. Alongside the exhibition, attendees will take away actionable tips from the CPD-accredited seminar programme, led by 200+ thought leaders shaping the profession.Accountex is Europe’s largest annual event for the accounting and finance profession. It attracts 8,000+ attendees and 250+ exhibitors. Attendees can get up to 16 CPD hours with 200+ free seminar sessions across 12 theatres.https://www.accountex.co.uk/london/

Randy Johnston takes listeners through the history of artificial intelligence (AI) and its relevance to accountants. He shares insights on the development of computer vision, voice recognition, and neural networks over the years. Randy highlights key milestones such as Microsoft's AI-based operating system in 1995 and the emergence of generative AI with OpenAI's ChatGPT models. He explains how these models utilize large language models to produce accurate answers by analyzing vast internet content. Randy emphasizes the importance of accountants researching and using AI while acknowledging the risks associated with privacy and confidentiality. He discusses the concerns and debates surrounding AI regulations and encourages listeners to stay updated on the rapidly evolving landscape of AI.Randy Johnston is a nationally recognized educator, consultant, and writer with over 40 years experience in Strategic Technology Planning, Systems and Network Integration, Accounting Software Selection, Business Development and Management, Disaster Recovery and Contingency Planning, and Process Engineering.◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast drops every Monday to accounting professionals, finance specialists, software vendors, tech providers and influencers across 150 countries in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space. To participate in our international virtual speed networking events for the accounting community, go to https://accountinginfluencers.com/events and book your place at the next gathering. Great to build your personal brand and make valuable industry connections. ◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢You can watch this episode and more on our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@accountinginfluencersJoin the Accounting Influencers community and get invitations to our international speed networking events to build your personal brand and network in the accounting, finance and tech world: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubeThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comACCOUNTEX. Join us at Accountex London, the pinnacle of fintech innovation, May 15-16, 2024! Discover ground-breaking solutions from 295+ brands and gain invaluable insights at our CPD-accredited sessions. Connect with 10,000+ finance professionals. Elevate your practice – attendance is free, plus earn up to 16 CPD points! https://www.accountex.co.uk/londonDEXT. Streamline your accounting practice with Dext! Our cutting-edge tools, Dext Prepare, Commerce, and Precision, revolutionize data handling, saving you precious time and ensuring accuracy. Connect seamlessly with leading software like Xero and QBO. Join 500,000+ customers transforming their practices. Start your free trial and embrace efficiency today! https://dext.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

Mark Fritz shares valuable insights on effective leadership and driving change within accounting firms. Drawing from his extensive international experience, Mark discusses the importance of adaptability in leadership and the need to embrace evolving leadership roles.Mark highlights how the pandemic has intensified the demand for effective leadership, particularly in leading across different generations. He emphasizes the role of leaders as role models and the significance of being forward-thinking to engage and empower teams. The conversation also explores the challenges of remote work and the importance of fostering informal connections within organizations.Furthermore, Mark delves into the psychology behind micromanagement and the need for leaders to trust their teams and let go of control. He provides practical strategies for gaining trust and fostering a culture of accountability through asking the right questions and focusing on progress.This episode offers valuable insights for accountants looking to enhance their leadership skills and drive positive change within their firms. Mark's expertise in leadership development and his unique perspectives provide actionable strategies for accountants aiming to become effective and adaptable leaders in an evolving business landscape.Mark Fritz is an accomplished leader with a focus on leading change across distances and cultures. With an extensive international career, Mark has led enterprise-level change programs in diverse markets such as Egypt, Netherlands, Italy, and Japan. He has excelled in driving transformation and reengineering efforts, successfully leading virtual organizations and building strong, diverse teams.As a leadership specialist, Mark has worked with executives and organizations worldwide, helping them transform their leadership habits and achieve better results. With mentoring and masterclasses delivered in over 50 countries, Mark brings his expertise to prestigious business schools, including IE Business School and HEC, teaching courses on leadership and influence. He also designs bespoke leadership programs within organizations to strengthen leaders and equip them with the tools for growth and success.Mark's personal journey has taken him across the globe, living in various countries and working in over 50 countries. Currently based in London with his Japanese wife, Mark finds joy in playing golf and cherishes the opportunity to work with people from different cultures and backgrounds, recognizing the value of learning from such experiences.Known for his focus on empowering leaders to stop micromanaging and instead foster a mindset of ownership and achievement, Mark helps leaders unlock their team's potential. Through impactful keynotes and masterclasses, he delivers inspirational experiences packed with practical advice and actionable steps.With a dedication to driving performance, influencing others, and mentoring, Mark's thought-provoking sessions and ongoing support make him an integral part of any organization's growth journey. His unique blend of inspiration and practicality leaves audiences with clear actions and a desire to become the leaders they aspire to be.◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast drops every Monday to accounting professionals, finance specialists, software vendors, tech providers and influencers across 150 countries in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space. To participate in our international virtual speed networking events for the accounting community, go to https://accountinginfluencers.com/events and book your place at the next gathering. Great to build your personal brand and make valuable industry connections. ◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢You can watch this episode and more on our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@accountinginfluencersJoin the Accounting Influencers community and get invitations to our international speed networking events to build your personal brand and network in the accounting, finance and tech world: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubeThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comACCOUNTEX. Join us at Accountex London, the pinnacle of fintech innovation, May 15-16, 2024! Discover ground-breaking solutions from 295+ brands and gain invaluable insights at our CPD-accredited sessions. Connect with 10,000+ finance professionals. Elevate your practice – attendance is free, plus earn up to 16 CPD points! https://www.accountex.co.uk/londonDEXT. Streamline your accounting practice with Dext! Our cutting-edge tools, Dext Prepare, Commerce, and Precision, revolutionize data handling, saving you precious time and ensuring accuracy. Connect seamlessly with leading software like Xero and QBO. Join 500,000+ customers transforming their practices. Start your free trial and embrace efficiency today! https://dext.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

Mark Fritz shares valuable insights on effective leadership and driving change within accounting firms. Drawing from his extensive international experience, Mark discusses the importance of adaptability in leadership and the need to embrace evolving leadership roles.Mark highlights how the pandemic has intensified the demand for effective leadership, particularly in leading across different generations. He emphasizes the role of leaders as role models and the significance of being forward-thinking to engage and empower teams. The conversation also explores the challenges of remote work and the importance of fostering informal connections within organizations.Furthermore, Mark delves into the psychology behind micromanagement and the need for leaders to trust their teams and let go of control. He provides practical strategies for gaining trust and fostering a culture of accountability through asking the right questions and focusing on progress.This episode offers valuable insights for accountants looking to enhance their leadership skills and drive positive change within their firms. Mark's expertise in leadership development and his unique perspectives provide actionable strategies for accountants aiming to become effective and adaptable leaders in an evolving business landscape.Mark Fritz is an accomplished leader with a focus on leading change across distances and cultures. With an extensive international career, Mark has led enterprise-level change programs in diverse markets such as Egypt, Netherlands, Italy, and Japan. He has excelled in driving transformation and reengineering efforts, successfully leading virtual organizations and building strong, diverse teams.As a leadership specialist, Mark has worked with executives and organizations worldwide, helping them transform their leadership habits and achieve better results. With mentoring and masterclasses delivered in over 50 countries, Mark brings his expertise to prestigious business schools, including IE Business School and HEC, teaching courses on leadership and influence. He also designs bespoke leadership programs within organizations to strengthen leaders and equip them with the tools for growth and success.Mark's personal journey has taken him across the globe, living in various countries and working in over 50 countries. Currently based in London with his Japanese wife, Mark finds joy in playing golf and cherishes the opportunity to work with people from different cultures and backgrounds, recognizing the value of learning from such experiences.Known for his focus on empowering leaders to stop micromanaging and instead foster a mindset of ownership and achievement, Mark helps leaders unlock their team's potential. Through impactful keynotes and masterclasses, he delivers inspirational experiences packed with practical advice and actionable steps.With a dedication to driving performance, influencing others, and mentoring, Mark's thought-provoking sessions and ongoing support make him an integral part of any organization's growth journey. His unique blend of inspiration and practicality leaves audiences with clear actions and a desire to become the leaders they aspire to be.◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast drops every Monday to accounting professionals, finance specialists, software vendors, tech providers and influencers across 150 countries in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space. To participate in our international virtual speed networking events for the accounting community, go to https://accountinginfluencers.com/events and book your place at the next gathering. Great to build your personal brand and make valuable industry connections. ◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢You can watch this episode and more on our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@accountinginfluencersJoin the Accounting Influencers community and get invitations to our international speed networking events to build your personal brand and network in the accounting, finance and tech world: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubeThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comACCOUNTEX. Join us at Accountex London, the pinnacle of fintech innovation, May 15-16, 2024! Discover ground-breaking solutions from 295+ brands and gain invaluable insights at our CPD-accredited sessions. Connect with 10,000+ finance professionals. Elevate your practice – attendance is free, plus earn up to 16 CPD points! https://www.accountex.co.uk/londonDEXT. Streamline your accounting practice with Dext! Our cutting-edge tools, Dext Prepare, Commerce, and Precision, revolutionize data handling, saving you precious time and ensuring accuracy. Connect seamlessly with leading software like Xero and QBO. Join 500,000+ customers transforming their practices. Start your free trial and embrace efficiency today! https://dext.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

Welcome to the Accounting Influencers Podcast, going live every Monday and Thursday to 150 countries and 30,000 accounting practitioners, fintech specialists and influencers in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space.In this episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, guest John Fenton shares valuable insights on how accountants can attract and retain top talent to grow their firms. John emphasizes the importance of measuring success based on the quality of relationships with customers, employees, and vendors. He advises accountants to create white space on their calendars to reflect on their firm's direction, clients, and ongoing projects.The conversation delves into the challenges faced by accounting firms in the current talent landscape. John discusses the battle for talent and the push and pull dynamics related to remote work and the return to office dilemma. He acknowledges the changing expectations and desires of the workforce, highlighting the importance of work-life balance and well-being. John also explores the concept of culture and its impact on the success of firms, emphasizing that the "soft" skills related to people, relationships, and culture are essential bedrocks for thriving businesses.In addressing the talent challenge, John suggests that firms need to focus on creating an environment where individuals can contribute to something bigger than themselves and align their values with the firm's values. He emphasizes the need for critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills in the profession, given the advancements in AI and technology.Listeners will gain valuable insights into talent retention strategies, creating a positive work culture, and addressing the evolving needs of the workforce. John's expertise provides actionable advice for accountants looking to attract and retain top talent while positioning their firms for growth in a competitive industry.You can watch this episode and more on our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@accountinginfluencersGuest BioJohn Fenton is a seasoned executive coach, speaker, and author who specializes in helping leaders navigate tough and complex situations. With a black belt in tai chi and over two decades of experience as a managing partner at BDO USA, John brings a unique perspective to leadership development.As the founder of John J Fenton Executive Coaching, John has worked with a diverse range of leaders, from managing partners at professional firms to board executives and CEOs. He understands the inner game of leadership, and his methodology focuses on developing the mindset, purpose, and culture necessary for success in today's rapidly changing world.John is also the author of the best-selling book 5 Minute MasteryTM, which provides practical advice and strategies for leaders who want clarity and more freedom. He is an award-winning speaker on executive leadership excellence, having spoken at conferences and events around the world.In addition to his professional accomplishments, John is a heart attack survivor and a strong advocate for wellbeing in the workplace. He is passionate about helping leaders overcome imposter syndrome, manage overwhelm, and develop emotional intelligence.John's three specialty topics are leading in challenging times, winning the talent battle, and the top five challenges for modern-day leaders. In all of his work, he emphasizes the importance of purpose, culture, diversity, equity, and trust, and provides actionable insights for leaders who want to thrive in 2023 and beyond.◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢If you like the show, we'd truly appreciate a review on whatever platform you listen. We'd love to get to know you!Main show website. For access to every single show with full shownotes: https://accountinginfluencers.com/podcastFor announcements of published shows, tagging guest so you can build your network and offer feedback on the show: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubehttps://www.instagram.com/accinfluencershttps://twitter.com/accinfluencershttps://www.facebook.com/accountinginfluencersThanks to our sponsors:Accountex. Accountex will return to ExCeL London UK on the 10-11 May 2023. Bringing together 250+ top fintech companies and cutting-edge start-ups, visitors can browse new software and stay up to date with the latest technology, tools and ideas in accountancy and finance. Alongside the exhibition, attendees will take away actionable tips from the CPD-accredited seminar programme, led by 200+ thought leaders shaping the profession.Accountex is Europe’s largest annual event for the accounting and finance profession. It attracts 8,000+ attendees and 250+ exhibitors. Attendees can get up to 16 CPD hours with 200+ free seminar sessions across 12 theatres.https://www.accountex.co.uk/london/

"Firing Grade D Accounting Clients: Jean Caragher."In this episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, host Rob Brown interviews Jean Caragher, the founder of Capstone Marketing, as she shares insights on growing accounting firms. Jean discusses her experience as an outsourced or fractional chief marketing officer for firms and highlights the range of services Capstone Marketing offers, including marketing plans, branding, content marketing, pricing, programs, and client satisfaction. She emphasizes the evolving landscape of accounting firm marketing and the opportunities for internal marketers to play a strategic role within their firms.Jean reflects on the progress made in the accounting industry in terms of recognizing the importance of marketing. She mentions the increased average tenure of marketing directors in CPA firms, with some marketers achieving partner or CEO status. While marketing principles remain the same, Jean emphasizes the expanded range of tools and techniques available today, such as digital marketing, social media, and data analytics.The conversation shifts to client selection and defining the ideal client for an accounting firm. Jean suggests that CPAs should clearly describe their ideal client based on financial factors, enjoyment of working together, and the level of challenge in work. She encourages accountants to analyze their existing client base and consider whether prospects align with their ideal client profile. Jean also highlights the benefits of letting go of clients who are not the right fit, including the ability to focus on and over-serve the best clients. She acknowledges that it may be a difficult conversation to have but emphasizes the importance of addressing the issue.The episode concludes with Jean explaining the process of client analysis and the criteria that can be used, such as annual revenue, payment history, growth potential, job complexity, and timing.By conducting a thorough analysis, accountants can make informed decisions about which clients to retain and which ones to transition out based on factors beyond the client's actions or behaviour.Overall, this episode provides valuable insights for accountants looking to grow their firms, covering topics such as outsourced marketing, evolving marketing strategies, defining the ideal client, and conducting client analysis. Listeners can better understand how marketing plays a crucial role in the accounting industry and learn practical steps to enhance their client selection process.Jean Caragher brings over 35 years of accounting marketing experience and is a trusted resource for CPA firms seeking to enhance their marketing strategies. As the founder of Capstone Marketing, Jean's expertise lies in helping growth-focused firms attract top clients and talent. With a practical approach and extensive knowledge of the challenges and opportunities faced by CPA firms, Jean offers invaluable guidance and implementation strategies. She is a Certified HubSpot Partner and a Certified Instructor of Advanced Pricing Methods®.Recognized for her contributions to the industry, Jean is an inaugural AAM Hall of Fame inductee, a multiple AAM-MAA award winner, and a CPA Practice Advisor Thought Leader. Her insights have been featured in various publications, and she has been named one of Accounting Today's 100 Most Influential People in Accounting. Beyond her professional pursuits, Jean enjoys reading, boating with her husband, and volunteering at her church. She is also a dedicated advocate for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.Connect with Jean Caragher:Website: www.capstonemarketing.comLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeancaragher/Twitter: @JeanCaragher◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast drops every Monday to accounting professionals, finance specialists, software vendors, tech providers and influencers across 150 countries in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space. To participate in our international virtual speed networking events for the accounting community, go to https://accountinginfluencers.com/events and book your place at the next gathering. Great to build your personal brand and make valuable industry connections. ◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢You can watch this episode and more on our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@accountinginfluencersJoin the Accounting Influencers community and get invitations to our international speed networking events to build your personal brand and network in the accounting, finance and tech world: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubeThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comACCOUNTEX. Join us at Accountex London, the pinnacle of fintech innovation, May 15-16, 2024! Discover ground-breaking solutions from 295+ brands and gain invaluable insights at our CPD-accredited sessions. Connect with 10,000+ finance professionals. Elevate your practice – attendance is free, plus earn up to 16 CPD points! https://www.accountex.co.uk/londonDEXT. Streamline your accounting practice with Dext! Our cutting-edge tools, Dext Prepare, Commerce, and Precision, revolutionize data handling, saving you precious time and ensuring accuracy. Connect seamlessly with leading software like Xero and QBO. Join 500,000+ customers transforming their practices. Start your free trial and embrace efficiency today! https://dext.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown