Episode 117

Lessons Learned from a Lifetime in the Accounting World

Paul Dunn holds a Lifetime Service Award to the Accounting Profession in the UK and he’s been honoured as a Social Innovation Fellow in Singapore. He first rocked the Profession through the radical Accountants’ Boot Camp where over 17,000 Accountants found new ways to work with clients. He’s in Forbes Magazine with Sir Richard Branson as a ‘disrupter’ in business and his ‘Firm of the Future’ book, (with Ron Baker) is known as a breakthrough tool for professional firms. AccountingWeb honoured Paul with their Inaugural ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Profession Award. Shownotes:

  • How the globally successful Accountants Bootcamp was born in 1992 and what has changed since
  • Why it took a pandemic like covid to show the true value accountants can provide for their clients
  • The one thing that makes many accountants struggle to be trusted advisors
  • The most important thing accountants should be 'doubling down on' in these turbulent times
  • How accountants need to recognise the shift from value to values that the pandemic has caused
  • How income follows impact and profit follows purpose
  • The primary thing good accountants should be doing for their clients instead of merely reporting history
  • How effective the movement started by Ron Baker and others has been in moving accountants away from the billable hour
  • What makes leadership so critical in uncertain times
  • The three types of leaders who have emerged in all businesses, not just accounting firms
  • What it takes to lead a fulfilling life and make a difference in the world
  • Shout out to Steve Pipe, another accounting legend and dedicated servant to the profession
  • Why there are no silver bullets any more with accounting software
  • How alarmingly little entrepreneurs know about the numbers in a business, which is why they need accountants.

Paul Dunn on the Accounting Influencers podcast with BD Academy founder Rob Brown

Paul is the co-founder of Accountants for Good and the revolutionary B1G1, enabling businesses to connect in new ways creating over 209 Million giving impacts globally. He is based in Singapore and makes a point of running 5K every day. Contact Paul here:

Website and blog

LinkedIn

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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.