Rob Brown of the Accountants Influencers Podcast interviews Bobby Lane on what's inside a business owner's head and how accountants can best serve them - Accounting Influencers Podcast

Episode 60

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Published on:

26th Nov 2021

What Accountants Need to Truly Serve Clients with Bobby Lane (Highlights)

Episode 60. On today's show, Rob Brown of the Accountants Influencers Podcast interviews Bobby Lane on what's inside a business owner's head and how accountants can best serve them.

Bobby Lane is a SAGE Global Business Influencer and was voted No 1 in the Top 50 most influential sources of finance news and information on social media by Economia. A chartered accountant with over 25 years’ experience in professional practice, he built the first multi award-winning outsourcing team at SSH before their sale to top UK accounting firm Blick Rothenberg in 2017.

As Chief Executive Officer at multi-disciplinary outsourcing practice Factotum, he is an experienced keynote speaker, panellist and expert on all issues facing growing businesses. Bobby regular contributes to many trade and national media titles including The Mirror, The Times and Economia and previously BBC Radio London’s Business Agony Uncle. A former member of The Accountancy Age Advisory Panel, Bobby has a large international network and was formerly a member of the Global Advisory Board of Abacus Worldwide. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a registered ICAEW Business and Finance Professional

Key takeaways from the full uncut interview include:

➯ What has changed most dramatically in the accounting profession over recent years

➯ How accountants can really support their business clients beyond supplying compliance services

➯ How clients are driving greater value, skills and advice for the accounting fees they are paying

➯ What value truly looks like for accountants who serve their clients in the best possible ways

➯ Why technology and automation are just enablers for accountants to help them perform better

➯ What questions business owners ask of their accounting advisors that need good answers

➯ When it's okay and when it isn't for accountants to claim 'trusted advisor' status

➯ Why accounting firms must identify the best people for specific roles vz expecting everyone to be good at everything

➯ The different ways accounting professionals can generate new business for their firm

➯ How accountants have developed their personal brands on social media in recent years

➯ How coachable accountants really are and what appetite they have to develop their skills

➯ The biggest mistake accounting firm leaders make in developing their people

➯ What some accounting firms have got wrong over the last couple of years

➯ Solving the dilemma of having too little time to win new work and do business development

➯ A recruitment tip way for accounting firms to acquire more entrepreneurially minded accountants

➯ Advice for attracting and developing Gen Z staff for your accounting firm

➯ How younger accounting professionals differ and even outshine their older counterparts

➯ Why most business set ups are extremely inefficient in sourcing professional services

➯ What makes many accountants fail in signposting good contacts for their business clients

➯ How a reluctance to change holds many accounting professional back in their career

➯ Where covid has actually been good for some business owners

➯ The ONE THING the accounting profession needs to do to be successful in the next few years.

Connect with Bobby on LinkedIn

Bobby's website: https://www.wearefactotum.com

NOTE TO LISTENERS:

This is a condensed highlights version of the full interview (usually 20-30 mins long), which you can catch as a bonus UNCUT episode at the weekend.

Martin and Rob love to hear from the show's 7000+ listeners in 144 countries around the world. If you like the show, leave a review wherever you listen, and please recommend the show to your friends and colleagues.

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About the Podcast

Accounting Influencers Podcast
Host Rob Brown shows accounting professionals and leaders how to be more influential, grow their personal brand and be more authoritative, relevant and high profile in their roles..
The Accounting Influencers Podcast, hosted by Rob Brown, is a must-listen for accounting professionals looking to strengthen their leadership presence, stay informed on disruptive forces in accounting and build credibility within their firms. Geared toward firm leaders, managers, partners and influencers, the show covers key topics like career development, influence, personal branding and interpreting the evolving trends impacting the accounting world. Rob brings his expertise to each episode, offering insights and guidance on how to grow your personal brand and stay strategically important in a rapidly changing profession. Whether you're aiming to influence within your firm or expand your reputation outside of it, this international podcast offers practical advice and forward-thinking insights that will keep you informed and prepared for the future.
Accounting leadership
Executive presence for accountants
Building influence in accounting
Accounting industry trends
Personal branding for accountants
Accounting firm strategy
Accounting business models
Leadership in accounting firms
Talent management in accounting
Authority in accounting profession
Career development for accountants
Accounting firm growth strategies
Influencers in accounting
Accounting firm management
Disruptive forces in accounting
Accounting leadership strategies
Accounting career success
Accounting firm decision-makers
Accounting business trends
Building credibility in accounting

About your host

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Rob Brown

Rob Brown hosts the multiple accounting podcast and chair conferences, panels and events globally for the accounting and fintech profession. He is co-founder of Accounting Influencers Roundtable (AIR) which helps vendors, experts and influencers serve the accounting and finance world. He is a dynamic speaker and accomplished expert on trust, reputation, employer brand, talent, career development, succession, gen z/generations, employee advocacy and executive presence. Rob is author of the bestselling book Build Your Reputation (Wiley) and his TEDx talk ‘The Personal Brand of You’ has been viewed 400,000 times on YouTube. He is a stroke survivor, has epilepsy, is a committed Christian and has a black belt in kickboxing. He is based in Nottingham UK, home of Robin Hood, plays chess and backgammon, loves orange chocolate and is allergic to grapefruit.