Business Advisor Podcast

Amanda C. Watts
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to the Business Advisor Podcast, the go-to show for accountants, bookkeepers and CFOs tired of the grind of client work and eager to step into the role of a business advisor.  This podcast is designed for those looking to increase their income and impact by transforming businesses and lives. Each week, we bring you practical, workshop-style episodes, insightful conversations, and a good dose of humor to equip you with the confidence, clarity, and cash flow strategies you need.  So, hit that subscribe button and join us on this journey to becoming a successful business advisor. New episodes every week, and you won’t want to miss what we have in store!

  1. 1d ago

    144. Keep Clients For Years (Relationship Activator 5)

    Imagine you've just won an election. The votes are in, and the morning after, you walk in as the person in charge. The goodwill is at its absolute peak, people are hopeful, and they are giving you the benefit of the doubt. This is the exact moment a new client signs with you. In politics, every new leader gets 100 days to prove themselves—to show what they're made of and get things moving. It's the yardstick by which their entire term will be judged. The same is true for your advisory practice. The day a client pays you is their election day. In this episode, we're diving into Relationship Activator Number Five: Win the First 100 Days. Most advisors think the job is done when the proposal is signed, and they go back to chasing the next prospect, leaving their brand-new client sitting in the quiet. This is the most expensive mistake you can make. The moment they pay, "buyer's remorse" creeps in. They wonder if they've made the right decision. I’m going to show you exactly how to kill that buyer's remorse in the first 48 hours, how to deliver an "early win" in week one, and how to use this critical 100-day window to map their transformation and set the boundaries that will keep them happily paying you for years. Key Takeaways Why the real client journey doesn't end when they sign the proposal—it actually begins the moment they say "yes"—and why ignoring this leads to a revolving door of clients. Discover the "First 100 Days" concept borrowed from 1930s politics and why your client's verdict on your entire relationship is decided in these opening weeks. What is "buyer's remorse," why does it happen to even your most excited clients the moment they pay you, and how can you kill it in the first 48 hours? Why you must deliver an "early win" in week one (and what that actually looks like) instead of saving your best value for month six when they are already frustrated. Are your clients emailing you at 11 PM? Learn why this is almost always a failure of the first 100 days, and how to gently but firmly install the rules of working with you. Want more freedom and higher profits in your firm? Download the free Value Pricing Toolkit here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://info.businessadvisoracademy.com/toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ It gives you the complete proven system to break free from hourly billing, charge for impact, and grow your advisory firm to £500K+

    16 min

  2. Jun 22

    143. Seven Relationship Activators To Get & Keep Clients

    Back in 2018, I noticed a heartbreaking pattern: brilliant accountants and bookkeepers were doing amazing work, but absolutely no one was getting paid their true value. You were attracting clients who questioned you on price and only wanted traditional compliance work. The answer was marketing, but it was like wading through treacle to get you to show up and position yourselves. Then, the pandemic hit, and showing up was no longer an option—it was a necessity. Now, we are facing an even bigger shift: the relentless rise of AI. Compliance-only firms are being squeezed like never before. To survive and thrive in this new landscape, you must position yourself as VITAL (Valuable, Impactful, Trusted, Agile, Lucrative), and you must flip your practice from 90% compliance to at least 50% advisory. In this episode, I’m sharing the two foundational frameworks you need to future-proof your firm, your income, and your legacy. We'll break down the V.I.T.A.L. framework and dive deep into the Seven Relationship Activators. This isn't about sleazy sales tactics; it's about building genuine, lasting relationships from the "Zero Moment of Truth" all the way through to creating a powerful marketing flywheel that brings you your ideal clients on repeat. Key Takeaways Why is AI a completely different threat than the pandemic, and why does it mean that positioning yourself as "VITAL" is no longer optional for accounting firms?Discover the V.I.T.A.L. Framework (Valuable, Impactful, Trusted, Agile, Lucrative) and why embodying these five traits is the key to attracting the best opportunities and the highest-paying clients.What is the "Zero Moment of Truth," and why does your relationship with a client actually start long before they ever sign a proposal?Learn how to "sell without selling" by doing 70% of the work before you ever get on a call, eliminating awkward price objections and pushy sales tactics forever.Why does winning a new client often trigger "buyer's remorse," and what specific relationship activator must you use in the first 100 days to prevent it and secure their loyalty? Want more freedom and higher profits in your firm? Download the free Value Pricing Toolkit here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://info.businessadvisoracademy.com/toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ It gives you the complete proven system to break free from hourly billing, charge for impact, and grow your advisory firm to £500K+

    24 min

  3. Jun 15

    142. Simple Marketing That Works: The 1-2-3 Marketing Rule

    If your referrals stopped tomorrow, what would you do to get new clients? For most advisors, the honest answer is, "I don't know." Relying on referrals is a "hope strategy," and you can't build a Freedom Practice on hope. In today's landscape, trust is at an all-time low. Prospects require far more touchpoints—Google's "Zero Moment of Truth" says it takes 7 hours of engagement across 11 interactions—before they'll ever book a call. You need a marketing system, but right now, you probably just have a collection of disconnected experiments spread across too many platforms, speaking to too many people, with content that isn't moving anyone toward a sale. In this episode, I'm boiling down 32 years of marketing expertise into the simplest system you can build: The 1-2-3 Marketing Rule. I'll show you why you need to go "hunting" for radiator clients (and stop attracting vampires), how to leverage just two specific platforms, and how to use the "Traffic Light Method" to create content that naturally guides a cold prospect into a booked call. This isn't about working harder at marketing; it's about working smarter. Key Takeaways Why relying solely on client referrals is a dangerous "hope strategy," and the scary reality of what happens to your practice the day that hope stops paying out.Are you making the three fatal marketing mistakes? (Speaking to everyone, spreading yourself across too many platforms, and creating content that doesn't follow a customer journey).Discover the "1-2-3 Marketing Rule": 1 Target Market, 2 Platforms (One Owned, One Earned), and 3 Stages of the customer journey.Learn the "Traffic Light Method" for content creation: Red (Illuminate the problem), Amber (Educate around the problem), and Green (Prove you're the one to fix it).Why your low "Green Light" content (case studies and calls to action) is the exact reason your pipeline is empty, and how to overcome the fear of sounding "pushy."Want more freedom and higher profits in your firm? Download the free Value Pricing Toolkit here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://info.businessadvisoracademy.com/toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ It gives you the complete proven system to break free from hourly billing, charge for impact, and grow your advisory firm to £500K+.

    20 min

  4. Jun 8

    141. Niche Your Marketing Not Your Practice

    You've heard it a million times from marketers: "You need to have a niche." But the thought of it probably terrifies you. You don't want to turn away good clients, you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket, and you certainly don't want to be bored. So, you stay a generalist, competing on price, overwhelmed by the hundreds of different clients and industries you're trying to serve. Today, I’m giving you a completely different way to think about this. It's a strategy that changed everything for me when I was burning out in my own "monster business" back in 2016. The secret is this: Niche your marketing, not your practice. In this episode, I'll explain what a "hunting niche" is and why it allows you to become the highly-paid, obvious choice for a specific group of people without having to fire your current clients or turn away good-fit prospects who fall outside that niche. We'll explore the three levels of niching (Horizontal, Vertical, and Micro) and the fascinating psychology—from Dunbar's Number to "prestige bias"—that proves why specialists close more sales, charge higher fees, and keep clients longer than generalists ever will. Key Takeaways Why the traditional advice to "niche your practice" creates unnecessary fear, and how adopting a "hunting niche" allows you to attract premium clients without turning away good business. Discover the crucial difference between a "Horizontal Niche" (specializing in an invisible problem) and a "Vertical Niche" (targeting a visible industry), and why a "Micro Niche" is the holy grail of high-value advisory. What is "Dunbar's Number" (150), and how does attempting to be a generalist accountant actually violate the limits of the human brain, causing your clients to feel like just another number? Learn about "Prestige Bias" and why 70% of a prospect's buying decision is based on your specialized expertise, explaining why generalists are forced to compete on price. The surprising statistics behind specialization: why specialists close sales at 67% (compared to a generalist's 20%), cut the sales cycle in half, and keep clients 2.7 times longer. Want more freedom and higher profits in your firm? Download the free Value Pricing Toolkit here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://info.businessadvisoracademy.com/toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ It gives you the complete proven system to break free from hourly billing, charge for impact, and grow your advisory firm to £500K+.

    24 min

  5. Jun 1

    140. Crafting Your Brand Voice To Attract Higher Value Clients

    When you show up online—whether it's on LinkedIn, your website, or in an email—do you sound like everybody else? Do you find yourself defaulting to formal, corporate language because it feels "safe" or professional? If your marketing reads like the same textbook everyone else is using, you're not just blending in; you are actively attracting price shoppers. A bland brand creates a generic impression, leading prospects to assume your services are generic too. And if your online persona is completely different from your real-life personality, you risk breaking trust the moment a prospect finally meets you on a Zoom call. Your brand voice should be your hardest-working salesperson, doing 80% of the selling before you ever get on a call. In this episode, I’m walking you through a 5-layer Voice Blueprint designed to help you stop sounding like a traditional brochure and start sounding like the unique, high-value advisor you are. We’ll cover how to mirror your audience, define your personality DNA, and why trying to sound "professional" is often the biggest mistake you can make when trying to attract premium clients. Key Takeaways Why sounding "professional" and using corporate language (like "value-added services") is actually the biggest mistake making you invisible to high-value clients. Discover the "Meet Me In Person" Vibe Test: The crucial reason your online voice must match your real-life personality to avoid breaking trust on a sales call. How to create a "Tone Compass" and a "Word Bank" to ensure you are consistently using the phrases that make you unique and banning the cringe-worthy jargon that makes you sound like AI. Why using ChatGPT to write your website without feeding it your brand voice guarantees you will look and sound like every other firm in the market. Learn the 5-Layer Voice Blueprint—Audience Mirror, Personality DNA, Tone Compass, Language Rules, and the Vibe Test—to craft a brand voice that does 80% of the selling for you. Want more freedom and higher profits in your firm? Download the free Value Pricing Toolkit here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://info.businessadvisoracademy.com/toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ It gives you the complete proven system to break free from hourly billing, charge for impact, and grow your advisory firm to £500K+.

    20 min

  6. May 25

    139. The Authority Website - How to have a website that gets calls in the diary

    Is your website just sitting there, looking pretty, and bringing you absolutely nothing? If you have a stock photo of a handshake, a long list of services like "bookkeeping, VAT, payroll," and a generic headline that claims you are "trusted advisors since 1987," then you are blending in with every other firm. Your website is likely built backward—talking about you instead of your prospect—and it's the reason you aren't getting the right calls, or any calls at all. Your website should be your hardest-working salesperson, built to do one job: turn the right buyer into a booked call. In this episode, I'm walking you through the Authority Website Framework. We’ll cover the three major problems causing your website to fail (invisibility, confusion, and friction) and the three clear solutions (Positioning, Packages, and Pathways). In just 15 minutes, you'll learn how to stop sounding generic, how to package your offers correctly, and how to structure your website so it actually sells you while you sleep. Key Takeaways Why talking about yourself (your history, your values, your services) is the fastest way to make a prospect bounce off your website.Discover the "Catnip Headline" formula (Helping X do Y without Z) that instantly tells your ideal client you are the exact solution they need.Why offering Bronze, Silver, and Gold packages trains your buyers to shop on price, and how to create "full and remarkable" productized offers instead.The simple reason you must have your face (not a logo, not a stock photo) "above the fold" on your website to build immediate trust.Are you using five different buttons on your website? Learn why you need a "Pathway" with only one specific Call to Action to stop confusing your buyers. Want more freedom and higher profits in your firm? Download the free Value Pricing Toolkit here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://info.businessadvisoracademy.com/toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ It gives you the complete proven system to break free from hourly billing, charge for impact, and grow your advisory firm to £500K+.

    21 min

  7. May 18

    138. Stop Competing For Scraps - How To Price Your Way To Freedom

    Are you accidentally competing for scraps? Many accountants, bookkeepers, and CFOs are racing to the bottom on price, slicing fees thinner and thinner to win clients who only shop on cost. This is the hallmark of the "Monster Business" model—more clients, more revenue, but ultimately, less profit and zero freedom. The truth is, we don't have a "clients can't afford it" problem; we have a "selling to the wrong client" problem. Most accountants are fighting over the bottom 50% of the market, completely ignoring the clients who would happily pay £2,000 a month for advisory without blinking. In this episode, I’m showing you how to break out of the Monster Business cycle and build a Productized Freedom Practice by fundamentally changing how you price. We'll explore the shocking reality of the 80/20 rule in your client base, how your close rate reveals exactly how much you're undercharging, and the 7-step action plan to price your way to freedom. If you're ready to stop selling from your own wallet and start charging for the transformation you deliver, this episode is your roadmap. Key Takeaways Why are you accidentally fighting for "pennies" with every other firm in your area, and how does the 100-person economy model prove you're simply targeting the wrong clients?Discover the shocking profit reality: why just 4% of your clients are likely generating 64% of your profit, and what this means for the other 96% dragging you down.Is your sales close rate too high? Learn the counterintuitive reason why a 100% close rate means you have a massive pricing problem, and discover the "sweet spot" percentage you should aim for.Why pricing too low is actively repelling your ideal, high-value clients, and how serious business owners use price as a signal of quality.Get the complete 7-step action plan to raise your prices, including how to "anchor high" with a premium tier that makes all your other offers look like a no-brainer. Want more freedom and higher profits in your firm? Download the free Value Pricing Toolkit here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://info.businessadvisoracademy.com/toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ It gives you the complete proven system to break free from hourly billing, charge for impact, and grow your advisory firm to £500K+.

    23 min

  8. May 11

    137. Burnout Is Real, Do This Instead

    The traditional business formula we’ve all been taught is simple: "More clients + more revenue = more success." But there’s a massive problem with that formula. When it works, it breaks everything else. You end up trapped inside a "Monster Business"—high revenue, hundreds of clients, tiny profit margins, 60-hour workweeks, and absolute exhaustion. You've built a prison for yourself. In this episode, we're talking about the antidote to the Monster Business: The Productized Freedom Practice. But to build it, you have to undergo a critical identity shift from an invisible "technician" hiding behind a generic firm brand, to a known, trusted "advisor" with a powerful Personal Brand. With the rise of AI, information is now worthless. ChatGPT and Claude can give your clients business advice for free in seconds. What AI cannot do is care. It can't build a deep relationship, it can't create an experience, and it can't foster a community. Today, I'm sharing why building your personal brand and a client community is your ultimate survival strategy in the age of AI, and how doing so will actually protect your energy, prevent burnout, and give you your life back. Key Takeaways Why is the traditional "more clients, more revenue" formula actually a trap that creates a "Monster Business," and what is the 5-10 Freedom Model that replaces it? Discover the crucial identity shift from "Technician" to "Advisor" and why hiding behind a polished but forgettable business brand is dangerous in the age of AI. Information is now worthless because AI provides it for free. Learn the three things AI cannot replicate that you must build your Personal Brand around to survive. Why being "fine" is no longer good enough, and how shifting your focus from delivering information to creating a "remarkable experience" and a community will build an unshakeable moat around your business. Burnout affects 78% of entrepreneurs. Discover why self-care is not selfish but a strategic necessity, and how building the right community actually gives you energy instead of draining it. Want more freedom and higher profits in your firm? Download the free Value Pricing Toolkit here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://info.businessadvisoracademy.com/toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ It gives you the complete proven system to break free from hourly billing, charge for impact, and grow your advisory firm to £500K+.

    22 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Business Advisor Podcast, the go-to show for accountants, bookkeepers and CFOs tired of the grind of client work and eager to step into the role of a business advisor.  This podcast is designed for those looking to increase their income and impact by transforming businesses and lives. Each week, we bring you practical, workshop-style episodes, insightful conversations, and a good dose of humor to equip you with the confidence, clarity, and cash flow strategies you need.  So, hit that subscribe button and join us on this journey to becoming a successful business advisor. New episodes every week, and you won’t want to miss what we have in store!

Information

  • Creator
    Amanda C. Watts
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    144
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Amanda C. Watts
  • Show Website
    Business Advisor Podcast

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