A bids and tender specialist has seen a dramatic increase in small to medium accounting firms bidding for government contracts in the past year. In this episode, Jason Cooney, director at The Tender Team, explains why smaller accounting firms have become more courageous with bids for government contracts more recently and some of the reasons for their success. Cooney discusses the types of contracts that smaller accounting firms are winning and how they can stand out from other competing firms. He also offers tips and considerations for the tender process and how firms can prepare to make the ..read more

Michael Fingland explains the vital role that stress testing can play for businesses in an economy "teetering on the edge of recession". In this latest episode, Vantage Performance chief executive Michael Fingland gives a rundown on the concept of stress testing and how businesses can utilise this strategy to prepare for further headwinds in the year ahead. Fingland explains that with consumer spending pulling back and the economy softening, businesses should be analysing what outcomes might arise with a dip in cash flow, a drop in revenue or with other, more specific, challenges. Businesses c ..read more

Heather Smith and Tyler Caskey delve into the latest technology transformations and feature and functionality updates for the start of the year. In this episode, accounting apps specialist Heather Smith and Tyler Caskey, partners at TheBeanCounters, discuss recent developments in real-time banking transactions, direct digital receipting and multi-currency transactions. They also explore updates and new features in the reporting space across cash flow forecasting, automatic workflows, intercompany loan reconciliations and ESG. Heather and Tyler also chat about some of the big announcements in t ..read more

There are so many amazingly successful women in the finance industry, but only a small number have a strong brand and online presence in this traditionally male-dominated industry.    As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we want to help more women raise their profile and showcase the incredible professionals in this space.   In this episode, partnered by Mortgage Choice (part of the REA Group), we’re picking the brain of its executive manager, corporate communications, events & franchise marketing, Sally Chadwick, to find out: How to build a brand presence.  The ..read more

Family businesses ripe to pass on often need help after getting stuck in their ways, says the principal of a financial advisory firm.   A spike in succession planning in the wake of COVID has created a wealth of opportunities for advisers and virtual CFO services, says one finance specialist.   Principal of iFin Capital and iFin Advisory Nathan Hogan said some strong family businesses got stuck in their ways and needed a bit of help make the transfer.   “We're seeing a real spike in the last 12 months of this activity of passing on things to generations,” he said on the latest A ..read more

Outsourcing will be part of the answer for some, but finding a senior locally will remain a problem, says Trent McLaren. The accountancy profession looks in vain for a talent shortage silver bullet and some firms face a tough decision about whether outsourcing is part of the answer, according to the co-founder of marketing and sales consultancy, Journey, Trent McLaren. “When we say there is a shortage of accountants, we're saying there's a shortage in Australia, right?” he said on the latest Accountants Daily Insider podcast. “There are people in other countries that are happy and willing to d ..read more

Following the Women in Finance Summit and Awards 2023, we’re catching up with some of the leading women in the financial services space. In this episode, we chat to Rebecca Warren, executive general manager of small-business banking at CommBank, about how she navigated a historically male-dominated industry over her 20-year career and why she believes inclusion and diversity are not just morally imperative, but key to achieving superior business results. Tune in to find out: Why she loves commercial finance. The secret power of ‘quiet achievers’. How CommBank is creating a more inclusive and ..read more

Following the Women in Finance Summit and Awards 2023, we’re catching up with some of the leading women in the financial services space. In this episode, we chat to Suzanne Wood, state general manager residential broker Victoria/Tasmania at Westpac Group (and state chair of the Women of Westpac employee advocacy group), about how she climbed the career ladder in banking and the power of having strong female role models. Tune in to find out: How she learnt the art of having difficult conversations. The perils of unconscious bias and how to tackle them. How Westpac is supporting women through t ..read more

Undermine the long-term confidence of big institutional investors at your peril, says Charter Hall chief executive. States need to tread carefully with taxes and policies designed to free up housing supply because they risk having the opposite effect, says the CEO of direct property at Australia’s biggest landlord, Charter Hall. Speaking on the latest Accountants Daily podcast, Steve Bennett said proposals such as rental freezes could backfire. “It may suit some people in accommodation,” he said. “It’s not going to do anything to help the supply issues. In fact, it’ll likely reduce supply in t ..read more

Grammatical errors and other easy signs of fake messaging are gone and “wealthy, trusting” Australia has become a favourite target. AI has taken the rough edges off cyber scams and removed the easy “tells” in fake messages such as typos or grammatical errors, says one digital security specialist. “Now they just have ChatGPT correct the text – they just say ‘write this email as an Australian business person,” said Niek Dekker of Eftsure on the latest Accountants Daily podcast. “That was done the moment it came out.” He said AI had also made some countries that were difficult to hack, such as Ja ..read more