Smithink - helping accountants turn their practices into great businesses
By David Smith + Mark Holton, Smithink
Smithink - helping accountants turn their practices into great businessesNov 17, 2020
Business Advisory Software – what the industry is using in 2024
There is a vast array of software and solutions in the market all designed to assist accountants in providing initial and engaging business advisory services to their clients. Understanding the differences and how products fit into the business advisory process is critical if firms are to select the right tools for their firm. This session will provide some insight into some of the key solutions available in 2024.
PRESENTED BY:
Mark Holton
How a focus on quality reviews can generate work
Every practitioner knows the importance of quality but many have not realised that quality reviews can be a very effective way to not only ensure clients are receiving high-quality service but to unlock other service opportunities. David will highlight how firms are achieving success in developing new work from their quality reviews in this webinar.
PRESENTED BY:
David Smith
The Crunch
Smithink is proud to launch The Crunch, a new benchmarking service for accounting firms, in partnership with The Benchmarking Group. If there is one take-home message from the first Crunch Report, it’s quality over quantity. In this session, David will highlight key results from the first survey and discuss the issues behind the stand-out firms.
PRESENTED BY: David Smith
How to be a financial storyteller
Today’s accounting advisor must provide high-level advisory services as well as simple accounts management. Learn how to be a proficient storyteller, extracting meaning from the numbers and helping clients understand their financial story, using powerful web-based techniques like the 4 Chapters for Success, the Power of One and the 3 Big Cash Flow measures.
Presenter: Mark Holton, Smithink
How to be a greater leader
For an accounting firm to be successful there are a large number of systems, people and processes that need to be effectively lead and managed. This session will focus on what makes a great leader. We will also cover the 10 common mistakes managers make and how to overcome them.
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton
Navigating Success in Offshoring: A Comprehensive Blueprint
In an age where the boundaries of business are being redefined, offshoring emerges as a pivotal strategy for accounting firms to harness global talent and drive economic efficiency.
That said, the success in offshoring is not merely about transferring tasks overseas; it demands a meticulous approach, profound understanding, and nuanced organisation.
This webinar will share:
- Key preparatory steps to ensure offshoring seamlessly integrates into your existing business model.
- How to recognise and adapt to cultural, operational, and technological nuances inherent in offshoring.
- Best practices for communication, training, and continuous improvement to ensure enduring success.
- Real-world examples and interactive discussions, offering attendees actionable takeaways.
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton, Smithink + Boobalan Madhavan, Founder and Director of AccSource
If you would like to contact Boobalan directly here are his details:
BOOBALAN MADHAVAN
Founder & Managing Director
M +61 40 672 7061
Leadership team performance reviews – getting the most from your key people
Clearly, the leaders of the firm have a huge influence over the success of the business whether it is growing the business, managing client relationships or managing the practice. Yet, all too often, unlike employed team members, performance reviews do not occur and performance targets are not set. This can result in the firm not optimising the contribution from these valuable leaders. This session will explore how firms can work to optimise the performance of their leaders.
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink
Estate Planning and Management – what an opportunity!
As the baby boomers move to retirement and the hereafter we are going to see an enormous transfer of wealth to the following generations. Yet, family structures have become more complex so it is not a simple task to create appropriate plans. Often beneficiaries are not aligned with their goals. Estates can sometimes need to continue for many years after death.
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink
Navigating the Future: Insights from Key Leaders in the Accounting Profession
Join us for a compelling panel discussion webinar featuring esteemed leaders in the accounting profession as they share their valuable insights and highlight essential practices they feel should be prioritised over the next 12 months. Gain exclusive access to expert perspectives and actionable recommendations to stay ahead in the evolving landscape of accounting.
PRESENTED BY:
Mark Holton + David Smith with David Francis, The Access Group; Petris Lapis, Artisan of Change; Matthew Feehan, Salt Financial and John Tsoulos, Global Business Camps + Indigo Financial
Unleashing the Potential: Exploring How Technology Propels Accounting Advisory Business to New Heights
Join us for an exclusive webinar featuring an insightful interview with Maree Jones, Manager at McKinley Plowman who has leveraged technology alongside her team to help fuel the organisation’s thriving accounting advisory business! Discover the secrets behind their success and gain valuable tips for implementing technology-driven strategies in your own practice.
PRESENTED BY:
Mark Holton with Tom Bilton, Fathom and Maree Jones, McKinley Plowman
Cross selling your services – ensuring clients are utilising more of your services
Every professional service firm acknowledges that there are extra services they provide that many of their clients need but do not use. This is particularly the case when someone else in the firm provides the other service. This session will explore how firms can unlock these extra opportunities and achieve effective cross selling in their business.
PRESENTED BY: David Smith
Accounting industry trends and benchmarks
Measuring performance in an accounting firm is a critical task. This session will examine the recent Accountants Pulse Report 2022 that details the industry the challenge now is measuring how we compare to our peers. This session will review the latest industry trends and benchmarks and how they relate to the performance of your firm.
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton, Smithink
Making performance reviews more effective
A common theme when we interview team members in firms is dissatisfaction with their performance reviews and how their performance is being measured. In this world where recruiting team members is often a challenge, retaining strong performers is critical. This webinar will consider effective ways to provide feedback and assist individuals to grow and develop.
PRESENTED BY: David Smith
Business Advisory Tools Update
There is a vast array of software and solutions in the market all designed to assist accountants in providing initial and engaging business advisory services to their clients. Understanding the differences and how products fit into the business advisory process is critical if firms are to select the right tools for their firm. This session will provide some insight into some of the key solutions available in 2023.
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton, Smithink
Building an effective training program
In an era of acute labour shortages, it is critical that there is a strong focus on training to ensure not only high efficiency and technical competency but to also provide team members with the knowledge they need to advance their careers. This webinar will outline the topic categories that should form part of any training program, how training should be managed and how suggestions for training topics can be fed into the system.
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink
Strategic planning for your client’s business success
Strategic planning starts with aligning your client’s business with its vision, mission and values. Then taking the time to think through where it makes sense to focus energy and resources in order to reach intended outcomes and results, and ensure all stakeholders are aligned and working toward common goals. This session will help you determine where your clients are today, where you want to get them tomorrow and more importantly how and when to get them there.
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink
The quality vs efficiency war – getting the balance right
Utopia is to never have any mistakes and all the work is produced with maximum efficiency. Unfortunately, the reality is that often some trade-off is required between efficiency and the possibility of error. In this session, we will review how firms endeavour to maintain operating efficiency while effectively managing the risk of errors and the resulting consequences.
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink
Practice KPI’s that really drive accountability
There are many key performance indicators that can assist accounting firms in monitoring performance and efficiency. This session will look at some of the common compliance performance drivers, how they are used, monitored and what to measure your team against. We will also examine other “non financial” engagement KPIs that can help monitor activity and delivery of more diversified services.
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink
Maximising your resources in a world of labour shortage
There are only two ways to solve resource shortages. Find more labour and/or get more production from existing labour. In this session, we will review how firms are addressing the labour shortage with strategies to unlock new sources of labour. We will also review how firms are using resourcing planning and other tools to boost productivity.
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink
Firm of the Future – Part Two
What will an accounting firm look like in the future? What will clients expect from us? Let’s look forward and consider the future of the profession and what firms should be doing now to be successfully positioned in the years to come.
Presenters: Mark Holton + David Smith, Smithink
Business Advisory Software – what is the industry using in 2022?
There is a vast array of software and solutions in the market all designed to assist accountants in providing initial and engaging business advisory services to their clients. At first glance, many appear to do the same things. Understanding the differences and how products fit into the business advisor process is critical if firms are to select the tools for their firm. This session will provide some insight into some of the solutions that can assist in your advisory service delivery.
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink
Process automation - how it will change the accounting profession
Why the accounting profession is a perfect fit
Real-life examples
Different approaches/leading vendors
Pitfalls to avoid
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink + Rob Cameron, FYI
Getting the right structure and process to deliver more advisory services in 2022
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink
Help your self-directed clients make better investment decisions - without giving financial advice
Facilitating your client's monthly management meetings
Many small business people do not have the skills to establish an appropriate framework for monthly management meetings, governance and accountability. This session will outline how, as your client's key adviser, you can assist in creating and participating in these important meetings.
PRESENTED BY: David Smith
How to be a financial storyteller
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink
Creating a culture of delegation
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink
The keys to quality client service
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink
Rocks to look under as you hunt for staff
How to see the financial impact of key financial decisions before you make them
Presented by: Mark Holton
KPIs that work
PRESENTED BY: David Smith
The Firm of the Future - Part One
Presented by: David Smith + Mark Holton, Smithink
Business advisory tools update
Presented by: Mark Holton, Director
Turning compliance data into innovative advisory services
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink
Team Structure
PRESENTED BY: David Smith
What's your SMSF audit plan?
PRESENTED BY: David Smith
The need for a business advisory implementation plan
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton
Using strategic planning to leverage advisory services
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton, Smithink
How to grow your firm - simple marketing that works!
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink
Business Advisory Software - what is the industry using in 2020
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton, Director
Buying a practice - issues to consider
PRESENTED BY: David Smith
The benefits of doing charity work
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton
Learnings from COVID-19 to permanently change your practice
PRESENTED BY: David Smith
Business Advisory in a COVID-19 world
Presented by: Mark Holton, Smithink
What's working / what's not
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink
Pain free practice succession
PRESENTED BY: David Smith
The risks of using compliance data when offering business advisory services
PRESENTED BY: Mark Holton
Holistic advice - how to embed in your practice
Presented by: David Smith, Smithink
Getting the right structure and process to deliver more advisory services in 2020.
•Do I have the right structure in my firm and if not what do I need to do?
•What infrastructure changes do I need to make to ensure I have the right people and the right levels doing the right tasks?
•How do I build a client engagement system that really works? and
•What delivery models do I need to build when I have the clients signed proposal in hand?This session will address all these issues and we will start to build the Trusted Advisor model in your firm.
Presenter: Mark Holton, Smithink
Another year of change in financial planning
PRESENTED BY: David Smith, Smithink