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Accounting Apps Podcast| formerly Cloud Stories | Accounting Technology


“Cloud Stories is the world’s coolest accounting podcast” A guy on the Internet told me this once, and I choose to believe him!

The Cloud Stories podcast explores how business solutions integrate with online accounting software (Xero, MYOB and or QBO), and can, in turn, automate processes and improve productivity and profitability. By sharing Cloud Stories from the community listeners gain insights into how small businesses and advisory services can thrive in a brave new world of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robots.

Over the years, Heather Smith has interviewed Accountants • Bookkeepers • Business Consultants • Cloud Advisors • Cloud Integrators • Developers • Small Business Owners • and Solution Providers • who have generously shared their own Cloud Story on the popular podcast.

Contact Heather: https://heathersmithsmallbusiness.com/

May 10, 2023

In this episode I speak with Gareth Burton Founder of Assure UK and Progress Accountants.

  • 🤝 Why Gareth Burton decided to start two firms.

  • 💯💡 100 1% improvements in 100 days.

  • 💼 Why Gareth decided to start his own accountancy firm.

  • 📈 The 100 1% improvement.

  • 💻 Technology used in that business: Xero, Dext, Microsoft, BreatheHR, MyWorkPapers.

  • 🌎 How Microsoft’s change to Teams has changed the landscape of the industry.

  • 🎯 Finding a niche within a niche.

  • 🔄 The transition from commodity to service-based business.

  • 🚀 Key takeaway from attending the accountants bootcamp.

  • 🐭🎢 How Disney would run an accounting practice.

  • 🔑 Customer service and customer experience.

  • 💬 Gareth’s advice for new accountants: “Look for small gains”.

  • 📅 Making one small change each day or each week.

 

Today I’m bringing you an interview as part of a series of interviews I conducted at the Accountants BootCamp which was held in late April ‘23. I had the unique and rare opportunity to interview a few award winning UK accountants who travelled to Australia to attend the event.

 

The original Accountants BootCamp was held in the 1990’s at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast and this re:Boot was an opportunity to bring back many of the speakers and attendees from the original event, including a legend of the industry Paul Dunn. Along with the CEO of Clarity, Aynsley Damery, they delivered a three day workshop on how to deliver repeatable, scalable services that are profitable for the firm, valuable for the client and at a price they can afford to pay. Many of the attendees used the Clarity software platform, to assist them in delivering these services.

 

Also I wanted to let you know Aynsley Damery joined me on the Cloud Stories podcast, back in May 2021, the episode was called ‘How to double your clients profits in 5 easy steps’.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Hg2rYG7mxiVFf1OL7tHuG?si=507287dc1e5f42a2 

 

For today's episode, I’m joined by Gareth Burton (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gareth-burton/ )  the founder of two businesses, the first one is Assure UK which niches in the UK Pension market where they are Specialist Pension Scheme Auditors, and provide Assurance Reports for Independent Trustees, Master Trusts, Pension Scheme Administrators and other Service Organisations. While working in this field he recognised these professional practices were not being served appropriately by their accountants, and he drilled down into offering a double niched service, via his second business Progress Accountants: Accountants for forward thinking professional practices with more than three employees.

For all of these interviews, we are walking through the beautiful ground of Sanctuary Cove, so there is a little bit of ambient background noise, which I hope adds to the experience!

 

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ANISEConsulting/podcasts