Business Development Blog for Accountants in Practice
Every week Mark provides fresh, practical and commercial business development related insights and advice
Latest Posts
Are you accidentally running a wantrapreneur practice?
The term *wantrapreneur* is usually credited to Noah Kagan. It describes someone who loves the idea of running a...
Why accountants should learn to speak with confidence
I have lost count of how many times I have heard stories about accountants who failed to make the most of a speaking...
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Do you really need more clients, or just a better practice?
It still surprises many salespeople and advisers outside the profession that not every owner of an accountancy firm wants to continually grow their practice. In wider business circles, growth is treated as an unquestioned good. More clients, more turnover, more...
The CLEAR equation: a practical way to get better results from AI
There is a curious divide in the profession. Maybe there always has been. It's most apparent these days in the contrasting attitudes to Large Language Models (LLMs), often referenced as AI. Among the most well know are ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. On one side of the...
Has your ambition plateaued? And does it matter?
Here’s a conversation I’ve had more than once recently. An experienced sole practitioner describes a stable, well-run practice with decent fees, good clients and just about manageable stress. And then, as an aside, they admit it feels as though momentum has slowed....
A realistic LinkedIn strategy for UK accountants with limited time and who hate hype
One of the most common questions about Linkedin that I hear from accountants is along the lines of, how can they get real value from the time they spend on the site? One specific such question I was asked was: “How can I actually make LinkedIn work for me, without...
How to feel more confident in your accountancy services (and how you promote them)
Some people might assume that anyone who’s set up their own accountancy practice would be brimming with confidence. And yet, from countless conversations I’ve had with accountants over the years, I know that’s often far from the case. In fact, many accountants...
How to stop losing prospects who should have become clients
Whether you rely on advertising, marketing, networking or referrals, one thing remains true. You need to be able to communicate effectively with prospective clients. Most accountants I know are keen to avoid coming across as ‘sales’ people. And rightly so. When...
Why your marketing and website aren’t attracting the clients you really want
This is not a blog post about advisory vs compliance. Though, now I’ve said that, you may assume I’m about to wade into that debate. And I will — but only in passing. This post is really about your marketing messages and the related conversations you have. What you...
How to reduce overwhelm when running your own accountancy practice
I'm embarrassed to realise that I've not previously addressed the issue of 'overwhelm' specifically on this blog. That's quite an omission given how often it comes up in conversations with accountants. I'm also aware that a sense of overwhelm is what holds some...
If nothing changes, nothing changes: 7 things to do differently in 2026
If you run your own accounting practice and want things to be different in 2026, guess what? You’re going to need to do some different things. (Yes, yes — I know. Groundbreaking advice. But stay with me.) This isn’t about grand gestures or sweeping reinventions....
25 things I’ve learned about accountants (that might surprise you)
As 2025 winds down, I’ve been reflecting on the insights I’ve gained from three main sources: Over 60 accountants I’ve interviewed for the Accountants' Success Secrets podcast Dozens of conversations with members of my online Sole Practice Club Hundreds of...
What business are you really in? (Clue: It’s not tax and accounts)
John Russell, former MD of Harley Davidson Europe, was once asked how the motorcycle business was going. He replied: “I don’t know. We’re not in the motorcycle business.” A strange answer — until he explained: “Harley Davidson sells 43-year-old accountants the...
How to future-proof your compliance-focused firm
I’ve been debunking the “compliance is dying” hype since at least 2011. It wasn’t true then, and it’s still not true now. But that doesn’t mean everything’s staying the same. The loudest voices promoting this nonsense still tend to come from software vendors and...
The hidden struggle behind sole practitioner success stories
You wouldn’t believe how many accountants I’ve met who think they’re “not good enough”. It doesn’t matter how qualified, experienced or respected they are. Impostor syndrome doesn’t discriminate. It sneaks in quietly. It shows up as self-doubt. And it tends to...
The hidden cost of misunderstanding who your best clients are
Not all clients are worth your energy. You probably know that; although you hate to admit it. Many accountants seem to spend far too long servicing clients who: - drain time and never refer anyone - pay late (and not that much to begin with) - don’t respect you or...
What accountants get wrong when marketing to people they don’t know
Probably the most common view shared by accountants is that most of their new clients come through warm referrals. And for good reason. These prospects tend to come pre-sold. An existing client, trusted friend, colleague or contact has already vouched for you. All...