Episode 2

Leading Business Development in a Large Accounting Firm

Dave Fisher

Dave Fisher is Director of Business Development in one of the country’s premier accounting firms, Duncan and Toplis. With a strong local presence across 11 offices throughout the region, the firm offers accounting services and specialist business advice to a range of clients in retail, manufacturing, technology, IT, GP practices, leisure, academies, nursing homes, engineering, agriculture, logistics and transport. Listen to this engaging interview with a battle-hardened BD heavyweight and discover:

  • The two things a good BD director in a large accounting firm is actually responsible for
  • The role of mindset and importance of ‘being fearless’ for accountants in winning work
  • How accounting BD has changed over the years, particularly in the many routes to market
  • The two distinct approaches to the BD Director role in large accounting firms – collegiate vz gorilla
  • Why a pure BD ‘hunting’ approach to handing work over can often be flawed in accounting firms
  • The key differences between sales, marketing and business development in accounting
  • The attributes and skills that make a great accounting work winner or business developer
  • What a ‘no’ really means when selling accounting services and winning new work
  • Why accountants are not mentally resilient enough, and what to do about it
  • Why it’s everyone’s job in your accounting firm to win business and create new opportunities
  • The power of the accounting BD Director, and how it can be good and bad
  • How winning work is different across professional services, say in accounting and law
  • Tips for setting growth targets in a large accounting firm
  • The importance and tools for tracking growth and new business in a large accounting firm
  • How accounting technology is changing the work winning game in accounting firms
  • Tips for hiring talent if accounting firms want to push BD and enhance work winning capability
  • Where the opportunities lie for the most lucrative business development activity in accounting firms
  • Relationship building tip for accountants: a simple measure of whether you like somebody or not
  • The challenges of GDPR and BREXIT in changing how accounting business is won
  • How far ahead plans are made when it comes to strategic growth in accounting firms
  • The importance of succession planning, not just for the accounting firm but for the work winning effort
  • The ONE THING accounting firms fall foul of in developing their people to win work
  • “You win or you learn‘ – an extremely effective philosophy for winning work in a large accounting firm.

To contact Dave:

07860 711 053 or Liked your PFA Podcast Interview with Rob Brown" target="_blank">email him directly>>

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About the Podcast

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Accounting Voices Podcast
Accounting Voices helps people in the accounting world stay relevant visible and vocal. Host Rob Brown interprets trends reshaping the profession and gives listeners insight to build authority influence and a stronger voice in firms and markets.

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About your host

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Rob Brown

Rob Brown is the founder and host of the Accounting Voices Podcast, the flagship solo show of the Accounting Voices Network. Each episode offers sharp analysis and commentary on the trends, ideas and people shaping the global accounting profession.

Through this Accounting Voices Podcast, Rob helps accounting firm leaders, decision makers and professionals stay relevant and make sense of disruption in areas like AI, automation, M&A, private equity and soft skills beyond the tech. His perspective blends clarity, insight and curiosity, making complex issues relevant and practical for professionals and decision makers across accounting and finance.

He also leads two monthly panel shows, Accounting M&A and Accounting AI, which bring together senior voices to explore consolidation, strategy and the impact of technology on firms and people.

Rob is the author of the bestselling book Build Your Reputation (Wiley) and a TEDx speaker whose talk The Personal Brand of You has more than 400,000 views. Over his career he has hosted and moderated more than 1,000 conversations with accounting and fintech leaders worldwide.

Based in Nottingham UK, Rob is a stroke survivor living with epilepsy, a black belt in kickboxing, a decent chess player and an average player of four musical instruments.