Episode 43

Success Insights from a Leading Small Accounting Firm Owner

Mark Telford

Mark Telford is an award-winning Chartered Accountant who works with ambitious business owners to help them achieve their goals, most importantly personal goals. He also coaches other accountants who are looking to start or grow a small practice run on their terms, to fit around their lifestyle.

An experienced Finance Director. Mark spent 16 years working in industry and commerce, 12 years in senior board level financial and commercial positions of large organisations. He founded Telfords Chartered Accountants to ensure that many small businesses were getting the business support and advice they needed from their accountant. Shownotes:

  • Why the accountancy profession is an exciting place to be
  • What makes technology exciting and how accountants can embrace it to maximise the opportunities it brings
  • How best to differentiate your accounting firm from your competition and stand out from the crowd
  • Why external expertise and coaching can be a life changing experience
  • The key questions to ask in order to find the right mentor and avoid falling prey to snake oil salesmen
  • Debunking the compliance vs. advisory myth and why there isn’t a ‘magic bridge’ to becoming an advisory accounting firm

Mark Telford on the BD Academy Accounting Influencers podcast with Rob Brown

'Accountants who just do compliance only offer the bare minimum. The best ones help clients achieve their personal goals' says @kent_accountant #accounting #accountex #AccountingTop100 #accountinginsight

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  • How to avoid being a ‘technology magpie’ and start building technology stacks that improve your accountancy firm and your client’s lives
  • Why the big accountancy firms’ move into cloud based technology is a great opportunity for smaller firms
  • The challenges faced by accounting firms of all sizes if they want to grow
  • How you can change your clients’ mind and behaviours to enhance your relationships
  • Defining value – work less hours, make more money, spend more time with the family or be less stressed
  • Why developing an accountants peer group can deliver significant personal and professional benefits
  • The three things that really work for successful accountancy firms and the opportunities it creates for them
  • The art of referrals and recommendations to help your accountancy practice attract new clients
  • A really powerful five word question to explore and deepen relationships.

Mark Telford on the BD Academy Accounting Influencers podcast with Rob Brown

When Mark isn’t working, he enjoy swimming, running, camping/activity holidays and keeping his (5 acre) ‘garden’ under control. To learn more about Mark, visit www.telfordsaccountants.com or contact him:

Phone (44) 01303 813159

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marktelford/

Twitter: @kent_accountant

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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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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.