Growth

Coaching isn’t defined in the accounting industry as clearly as the likes of accounts preparation or cashflow forecasting.

We all know the secret to success is to work smarter. Yet we still get stuck in the day-to-day emails, client queries, file reviews, and activities that are highly important to others, but not necessarily to ourselves. Working smarter becomes a pipe dream as we can’t see the wood for the trees.

Sales is the primary driver for all businesses. Yet somehow, accountants have historically found their bread and butter without the help of a sales team.

Speaking to an accountant recently, I had a chuckle when she mentioned her service plans all included one baseline service – “Keep you sweet with the Tax Man”. For many accountants, the tax department has been their sales driver. For others,...

It's human nature to avoid change. Change requires action, effort, and sometimes pain.Often change can feel like a rollercoaster. We can start off nervous but excited, with a bit of uninformed optimism, perhaps even butterflies in our stomach. Then reality kicks in and we can come crashing down into the valley of despair – a common place to quit, revert and retreat to safety in familiarity.

Our industry has experienced an unexpected and rapid shift to providing online education to clients. There’s nothing like a crisis to force change and accelerate adoption.  What was consigned to the too hard basket before lockdown, has become a necessity, as accounting firms scramble to support their clients.

They say never waste a good crisis…

About 10 years ago I was having lunch with a friend (let’s call her Jane) when she asked, 'why should I come to you as a client Mark?'.  I started my usual and practised patter about quality, professionalism, great team, great service…   Jane basically then told me to shut up.  I’m sure that if we weren’t having lunch, she would have walked off to find someone else to talk to!  Instead she said...