In this episode of A.S.S. we speak to Nicola Mason who has come on a long and very successful journey. From deciding to go it alone and taking a "job" from Indeed to building up to 11 clients over one year, Nicola is now in a partnership of 3 with massive growth plans and quite a challenge to manage her time. You'll hear about working 7 days a week, despite her best intentions, managing a young baby and also growing in such a way that she's looking to recruit and quickly. This is a story of 3 people working well together with complementary skills plus some of the mistakes she's made over th ..read more

In this episode Mark Lee and Philippa Haynes review the latest 5 episodes of A.S.S and pull out some of the fantastic learnings   One of the key themes is being a business as well as an accounting firm with the understanding that "if you can't manage your own business, how can you manage someeone elses" There's a strong theme around communiction and relationships too which is something that some accountants confess to struggling with. If you're looking for a quick catch up, this is definitely for you ..read more

In this episode we talk to Pavan who has only been in business for 5 years but who brings a wealth of knowledge around the softer skills which many accountants may lack. Good with communication and excellent at explaining the data to clients, Pavan has niched in a difficult space - creative agencies! Not know for their financial acument, Pavan has got his work cut out with agencies but thrives on talking face to face or on zoom and turning difficult financial data into clear and actionable insights. If you're looking at how AI can be your friend in the accounting world, Pavan has it cracked ..read more

In this episode we talk to Graeme Tennick. Graeme describes himself as Chief Impact Officer at Tennick Accountants, a multi award winning accounting firm. He’s from the North East, grew up with a Dad who had a forklift business and prides himself on being hands on and not afraid to do some hard graft.  Business first and accountants second. There are some fabulous insights for other bookkeepers and accountants but the thinking around the broken relationship between client and accountant is an interesting one.  So is the strong message around collaboration which is driving the firm ..read more

In this episode of A.S.S we are delighted to be talking to Mitch Hahn, CEO of Nordens.    Having joined the firm in its earliest days, Mitch has been instrumental in its phenomenal growth. From helping to write the first chapter of the Nordens’ story, Mitch has risen to his current position of CEO, overseeing Business Development with a role that focuses on introducing and nurturing new clients and helping businesses grow and navigate through any issues they may be facing with specific strategic advisory.    Outside of Nordens Mitch is an ex professional footballer who curr ..read more

In this week's episode of A.S.S we will be discussing our last 6 interviewees pulling out a treasure trove of insights that we think are worthy of further discussion.    This is where podcast meets learning as we digest what we've heard and bring our own perspective to the important themes that have discussed.    If you want a shortcut to insight, this is for you    If you don't know who to listen to first, this will give you a head start    If you want to hear our analysis to add further value and strategic thinking, this is a must have too    ..read more

In this episode we speak to Glenn Martin Glenn is a North East based accountant and FD who has supported owner managed businesses for over 30 years, his firm Avery Martin Accountants focuses on helping business owners get the lifestyle they deserve with the client centric approach.  This time we hear some gems around client portfolio management and a tried and tested approach to building a client base that you want rather than what you get landed with. Glenn talks about his red, amber, green system and how learning to deal with difficult clients can yield fruit. In this candid intervi ..read more

We are thrilled to announce our next guest to the ASS Podcast series!    This time we'd like to introduce Kieran Phelan, CEO and founder at Satori Accounting.    In his own words:    "In 2010, I broke the mould in our profession by becoming the first Xero Advisor in Northern Ireland and founding the first ever cloud accounting firm in Northern Ireland.    Since then I have been at the forefront of the cloud accounting scene here, bringing the latest and greatest cloud tech to small businesses to help them  I have helped the accounting profession in ..read more

We are thrilled to welcome Vanessa Fuller to this episode of A.S.S. Vanessa Fuller initially pursued a career in law, studying law and business at university with the aim of becoming a solicitor. However, after struggling to secure a training contract, she decided to explore other career options and found herself drawn to accountancy. Vanessa eventually landed a training contract with a top 10 firm and began her career in audit, but later transitioned to tax when she became pregnant with her daughter. This move allowed her to work in a more office-based role, where she discovered her passion ..read more

Nicky founded Goringe Accountants in 2007 and Succession Planning in 2022. with a  vision is to take its clients from their early days through each stage of their lifecycle. That lifecycle includes access to finance, funding rounds and succession planning. But this episode is more than this.  It's the story of one woman's mission to be in the Top 100 accounting firms as the original female founder. On the way you'll experience several lightbulb moments including an enlightening take on Marketing.  Yes Marketing! This lady is strong in communication and will deliver some very ..read more