The Authentic Advisor

Peter Longhurst, a long-time Mindshop advisor, shares his wisdom on the keys to happiness and success in business and life with Mindshop’s James Mason. He discusses his journey from accounting to advisory, the impact of his book 'A Simple Thank You,' and the importance of core values and client-centricity. He emphasises the power of listening, simplicity, and the concept of 'value to others' in business. Takeaways The importance of core values and client-centricity in business success. The power of simplicity and 'value to others' in business relationships. The impact of listening and the role of authenticity in building trust with clients. Chapters 00:00 The Keys to Happiness and Success in Business and Life 03:04 The Journey from Accounting to Advisory 08:13 The Impact of Core Values and Client-Centricity 14:44 The Role of Core Values in Business Success 25:12 Final Tips for Advisors

Chris Black, a Director of Advisory Business, Purpa, shares insights on mental health challenges and leadership. He discusses the impact of mental health on business, the role of leaders in addressing mental health, and practical strategies for mitigating negative impacts. The conversation emphasises the importance of vulnerability, empathy, and creating a safe space for conversations around mental health. Takeaways • Mental health challenges have a direct impact on business performance, including absenteeism and presenteeism. • Leaders play a crucial role in creating a safe space for conversations around mental health and promoting a culture of empathy and vulnerability. • Practical strategies for mitigating negative impacts of mental health challenges include building emotional intelligence, setting boundaries, and creating a third space for mental well-being. • Investing in mental health awareness and well-being programs within organisations can have a positive return on investment, both financially and socially. Chapters 00:45 The Journey of Purpa and Understanding Mental Health Challenges 03:45 The Impact of Mental Health on Business Performance 06:31 Drivers of Mental Health Challenges and Accelerating Factors 09:19 The Role of Leaders in Addressing Mental Health Challenges 11:45 Practical Strategies for Mitigating Negative Impacts of Mental Health Challenges 23:06 Future Outlook: Mental Health Challenges in usiness Leadership

Kirsty Bullen, a director at Campbell Tyson, discusses how she has been accelerating internal referrals and greater advisory success in the firm. Around for over 100 years, Campbell Tyson is based in Pukekohe, New Zealand and has a varied client base, including the agricultural, commercial, and investment sectors. Mindshop tools have been used in the firm to bring consistency to the advisory services with a focus on workshops and business health checks to provide value to their clients. In this podcast Kirsty talks about how they cultivate referral relationships and focus on storytelling to deliver services.  Chapters 00:10 Introduction and Background of the Firm 06:35 Getting Others to Refer the Firm 13:05 Cultivating Super Referrers Takeaways Internal referrals and word-of-mouth are key for business growth. Using Mindshop tools brings consistency to advisory services. Workshops and business health checks provide value to clients. Cultivating referral relationships and storytelling are effective strategies for accelerating referrals.

Neal Morrison, partner at McInerney Saunders in Dublin, Ireland, shares insights on successfully selling an accounting firm. He discusses the background of his firm and the factors that led to their decision to sell. Neal emphasises the importance of culture, succession planning and alignment when choosing a buyer and highlights the benefits of partnering with a private equity firm. He also advises practitioners to get their own house in order before considering a sale and to ensure that key team members are incentivised. Neal concludes by offering his tips for others considering selling.  Takeaways  Culture and alignment are crucial when choosing a buyer for your accounting firm.  Partnering with a private equity firm can provide opportunities for growth and a second exit.  Get your own house in order before considering a sale, including working capital management and debtors.  Ensure that key team members are incentivised and motivated to stay after the sale.  Consider the long-term vision for your firm and whether remaining independent or selling is the best path forward.  Chapters  00:20 Introduction and Background  09:20 Choosing a Buyer: Culture and Alignment  13:39 Preparing for the Sale: Getting Your House in Order  27:42 Final Tips for Selling Your Accounting Firm 

Tony Szczepaniak, CEO of LEA Global, shares insights on the pathway to partner in accounting firms. Topics include challenges in talent attraction, traits of high-performing leaders, career development programs, building business advisory skills, and creating a strong pathway to partnership through a people-first culture and alignment with organizational goals.

Learn the secrets of turning around underperforming businesses with insights from Peter Lucas. Discover key topics like early warning signs, conducting waste audits, involving the team, and maintaining cash flow. Get tips on insolvency laws, avoiding time-based billing, and offering upfront payment for advisors to help troubled clients.

Business Health Checks are a great foot-in-the-door business advisory offering for professional service firms wanting to add client value and bridge the gap between 'the numbers' and more intensive advisory services such as strategic planning workshops & implementation.     But where do you start? Sharing her playbook, Lisa Wilson talks about how professional service firm Morrows design, price, deliver, promote and resource business health checks and why using Mindshop diagnostics, the Now-Where-How methodology and one page plans are integral to their success. Touching on how to generate internal referrals, Lisa also talks about capacity issues, reveals the power of 'BAMFAM' and shares ideas on how to use business health checks as a springboard into further advisory work.      Time Codes  00:00:51 Lisa's background and business advisory journey  00:02:40 Morrow's business advisory service range  00:03:41 Maturity of client base wanting business advisory services  00:04:47 Who's delivering business advisory services at Morrows?  00:05:38 Types of Business Health Checks  00:06:15 Pricing Business Health Checks   00:08:13 Weaving in financial insights  00:09:27 Internal referrals & marketing  00:12:22 Getting further advisory work  00:15:38 Managing capacity  00:16:33 Emerging demand for advisory services  00:18:47 Final tips & thoughts 

Can a business get away with operational deficiencies if they're run by a passionate group of people? Jason Langford-Brown shares his experience as a senior business advisor and coach as to whether culture is a bigger contributor to success than a winning strategy (as the well-known aphorism suggests).  Do most organisations have an accidental culture? How is it businesses with seemingly toxic cultures still succeed?  Jason and James Mason discuss what problems arise if a business holds onto staff that don't align with core values and how culture can be fit for purpose, ultimately posing the question, 'can culture be too perfect?'     Time Codes  00:00:42 Jason's background and business advisory journey.  00:02:27 Is culture a bigger contributor to success than a winning strategy?  00:04:54 Can you succeed with an amazing culture but poor strategy?  00:06:17 Can having a deep passion for what you do compensate for a lack of execution?  00:07:24 What are the keys to a high performing culture?  00:10:26 Is culture the fashionable silver bullet?  00:12:13 Poor performance v bad behaviour.  00:13:22 What are the first steps an advisor should take with a client when addressing culture and strategy?  00:19:17 Aligning core values throughout an organisation.  00:20:32 Can a culture be too perfect?  00:23:22 Does culture eat strategy for breakfast? 

Rod Willers, an independent advisor, and James Mason discuss the shift towards profitable and purposeful growth in businesses. They explore the differences between low and high growth organizations, emphasizing the importance of sustainability, commitment, and alignment of values. The speakers highlight the significance of continually evolving and innovating in a dynamic business operating system with the support of advisors and a supportive community.

How did a firm of 500+ staff go about identifying £1.5m of potential savings by finding opportunities to increase productivity and reduce waste? Lynsey Light of Kreston Reeves takes James Mason on a step-by-step journey through a far-reaching efficiency project using Mindshop tools & resources combined with business advisory know-how. Resulting in not only process efficiency, but also building credibility, skills and confidence to roll waste reduction services to clients over time. With Lynsey's top tips on communication, getting senior buy-in and staff ownership and engagement.