Advisory Conversations with Tim Seymour and Deb Halliday

Deb Halliday
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Advisory Conversations with Tim Seymour and Deb Halliday is a podcast for accounting professionals and financial coaches who are stepping into advisory and building something beyond compliance. This isn’t theory, and it’s not surface-level advice. Each episode is a real conversation between Tim and Deb, sharing their experience of moving from technician work into advisory, and what it actually takes to make that shift stick. From leading better client conversations, to developing commercial thinking, to building a team that can deliver advisory without the business owner being the bottleneck. You’ll also hear from occasional guests, including industry specialists, suppliers, and fellow professionals, offering practical insights you can apply straight away. If you’re looking to strengthen your advisory skills, build confidence in client conversations, and create a more scalable, team-led practice, this podcast will give you the perspective and direction to do it. Simple, honest, and grounded in real experience.

  1. 3d ago

    Unlocking Advisory Potential: How to Price with Assurance

    In this episode of Advisory Conversations, Tim Seymour and Deb Halliday tackle one of the questions they hear more than almost any other. How do you price advisory services with confidence? For many accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals, pricing advisory can feel uncomfortable. There's often uncertainty around what to charge, whether clients will see the value, and whether you're experienced enough to justify the fee. The reality is that confidence in pricing rarely comes first. Confidence comes from experience, results, and seeing the impact your advice has on clients over time. Throughout this episode, we explore why advisory pricing is not about copying what someone else charges or trying to jump straight to premium monthly fees. Instead, it's about building confidence, capability, and value gradually. We also discuss the important difference between education and advisory. Education gives clients knowledge, frameworks, and understanding that can be applied by many businesses. Advisory is different. Advisory is bespoke. It focuses on the individual challenges, opportunities, and decisions facing a specific business at a specific point in time. When practitioners blur the lines between the two, clients can struggle to understand why one conversation is free while another carries a fee. We explore practical ways to introduce advisory conversations, create value for clients, and begin building an advisory offering that feels both commercially viable and personally comfortable. Because advisory isn't about charging more for the work you're already doing. It's about creating outcomes that clients value enough to invest in. In this episode you'll learn: • Why so many professionals struggle with pricing advisory confidently. • Why confidence usually follows experience rather than preceding it. • The difference between educational support and bespoke advisory services. • Why comparing your fees to others can hold you back. • How strategy sessions can help introduce advisory conversations naturally. • The role of case studies and client outcomes in building pricing confidence. • How to increase advisory fees over time as your experience and impact grow. Most successful advisory firms didn't start by charging premium fees from day one. They built confidence, created results, developed case studies, and increased value over time. If pricing advisory has ever felt uncomfortable or uncertain, this episode will give you a practical framework for getting started and growing your confidence along the way. Mentioned in this episode: APX Advert Business Course Library

  2. Aug 11

    Beyond Reports: Delivering True Advisory Value to Business Owners

    In this episode of Advisory Conversations, Tim Seymour and Deb Halliday explore one of the biggest misconceptions in advisory. Management accounts are not advisory. Neither are KPI dashboards, spreadsheets, or beautifully designed reports. Because if a client doesn't understand what they're looking at or know what action to take next, the report itself has very little value. For many accountants and bookkeepers, producing management accounts has traditionally been seen as the end of the process. The reports are prepared, sent to the client, and the job is considered complete. But true advisory starts where the reports finish. The real value comes from helping clients understand what the numbers are telling them, why they matter, and what decisions they should make next. Throughout this episode, we discuss the difference between delivering information and creating understanding. We explore how better conversations around the numbers lead to better decisions, stronger businesses, and deeper client relationships. We also look at the role of education in advisory. Business owners don't need more reports. They need clarity, confidence, and context. Whether you're reviewing profitability, cashflow, margins, or growth plans, your role as an advisor is not simply to present the numbers. It's to translate them into meaningful actions that move the business forward. Because advisory isn't about producing reports. It's about creating better decisions. In this episode you'll learn: • Why management accounts alone do not create advisory value. • The difference between reporting information and creating understanding. • How to turn financial data into meaningful conversations. • Why client education sits at the heart of great advisory. • How regular conversations create stronger client relationships and better outcomes. • Why the future of advisory lies in interpretation, leadership, and action rather than reporting alone. If you've ever wondered why clients aren't excited by the reports you produce, this episode may change the way you think about management accounts forever.

  3. Aug 4

    The Art of Encouraging Client Action in Advisory Services

    In this episode of Advisory Conversations, Tim Seymour and Deb Halliday tackle one of the biggest frustrations for advisors everywhere. Why do clients agree with the advice, leave the meeting motivated, and then do absolutely nothing? As advisors, it's easy to assume that if a client isn't taking action, they don't value the advice. In reality, the reasons are usually far more complex. Business owners are juggling competing priorities, constant interruptions, operational pressures, and an endless list of decisions. Even when they know exactly what they should do, implementation often gets pushed down the list as urgent issues take over. Throughout this episode, we explore why great advisory is not simply about giving good advice. It's about creating the accountability, structure, and support that help clients turn decisions into action. We discuss the importance of breaking larger goals into manageable steps, creating clear ownership around actions, and helping clients build momentum through small wins rather than overwhelming change. We also explore the role of the advisor in creating accountability without creating dependency. True advisory should empower clients to move forward confidently rather than relying on the advisor to drive every decision. Ultimately, advisory is not measured by the quality of the recommendations we make. It's measured by the actions clients take and the results they achieve. In this episode you'll learn: • Why clients often fail to implement advisory recommendations, even when they agree with them. • The psychological and operational barriers that prevent business owners from taking action. • How accountability can dramatically improve implementation and results. • Why breaking actions into smaller steps creates greater momentum. • How to support clients without becoming the bottleneck in their progress. • The difference between giving advice and creating lasting change. If you've ever left an advisory meeting wondering why nothing happened afterwards, this episode will help you understand what may be getting in the way and what you can do differently to help clients move forward. Mentioned in this episode: APX Advert Business Course Library

  4. Jul 28

    Identifying Future Advisors: Strategies for Empowering Your Team

    Who should become an advisor in your practice? It's a question we hear all the time. Many practice owners assume the most technically capable person will naturally become their best advisor. But that's not always the case. In this episode of Advisory Conversations, Tim Seymour and Deb Halliday discuss how to identify the people in your team who have the potential to deliver great advisory. Sometimes it's the person with years of experience who isn't interested. Other times it's the less experienced team member who's curious, eager to learn and ready to grow. We explore why technical knowledge alone doesn't create a great advisor, and why curiosity, communication and a genuine desire to help clients often matter far more. We also discuss why advisory shouldn't sit with one person. Building an advisory team creates better outcomes for clients, removes the business owner as the bottleneck, and gives your team a clear pathway for growth. If you're wondering who in your practice could become an advisor, this episode will help you start looking beyond qualifications and towards potential. In this episode you'll learn:How to identify future advisors within your team.Why technical ability isn't the only requirement for advisory.The importance of curiosity and confidence in client conversations.How to encourage team members to step into advisory roles.Why advisory works best as a team effort, not an individual role.Practical ways to develop advisory skills across your practice. 📘 Learn more about Advisory Teams: https://advisoryteams.co.uk 🌐 Find out more about APX Training: https://apxtraining.co.uk 👥 Join our free Advisory Teams community: https://facebook.com/groups/advisoryteams If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and share it with another accountant or bookkeeper who wants to build an advisory practice that grows beyond them. #Accounting #Advisory #AdvisoryTeams #Accountants #Bookkeepers #PracticeGrowth #Leadership #BusinessAdvisory #TeamDevelopment #APXTraining Mentioned in this episode: Business Course Library APX Advert

  5. Jul 21

    Unlocking Business Potential: Why Only 20% of Firms Thrive

    If 80% of businesses aren't making a profit, and 60% are simply breaking even, we have to ask an uncomfortable question. Are accountants really making the difference they could? In this episode of Advisory Conversations, Tim Seymour and Deb Halliday explore what those statistics mean for the accounting profession and why compliance alone isn't enough to help business owners build stronger, more profitable businesses. We discuss why the future of accounting isn't about producing better reports. It's about having better conversations. The most valuable advisors don't just explain the numbers after the event. They help business owners make better decisions before problems arise. That means moving from reporting the past to influencing the future. We also introduce the Advisory Pyramid and explore how accountants can help clients move from surviving to thriving through proactive advice, stronger relationships and structured advisory conversations. The episode also looks at why advisory shouldn't depend on one expert. Building an advisory team allows practices to deliver consistent, scalable support that creates better outcomes for clients while removing the business owner as the bottleneck. Whether you're just starting your advisory journey or looking to build an advisory-led practice, this episode will challenge the way you think about the role of today's accountant. Key takeawaysWhy so many businesses remain unprofitable despite having accountants.The difference between reporting numbers and creating business change.How the Advisory Pyramid helps identify where clients need the most support.Why better conversations create better business decisions.How advisory teams deliver greater value than relying on a single advisor.Why technology and AI should free up time for advisory, not replace it.Practical steps to move from compliance work into genuine advisory. Mentioned in this episode: 📘 Advisory Teams by Tim Seymour & Deb Halliday Mentioned in this episode: Business Course Library APX Advert

  6. Jul 14

    The Business Course Library - A resource for Accounting Professionals and their clients

    This episode is all about one of the biggest time drains in practice: answering the same client questions over and over again. From “How do I pay myself?” to “What does VAT actually mean?” and “How do I read my numbers?” these are the questions that keep business owners stuck and keep accountants trapped in reactive mode. In this conversation, Tim and Deb break down why client education is one of the most overlooked parts of building an advisory-led practice. Deb shares how her own experience in practice led to the creation of the Business Course Library, a structured collection of on-demand learning designed to give clients the knowledge they need before they need to ask. Because advisory is not about becoming the answer to everything. It is about creating systems that help clients think better, understand more, and make stronger decisions. The Business Course Library was built to do exactly that. It gives firms a way to separate education from advisory, reduce repetitive conversations, and free up time for higher-value work. Instead of spending hours explaining the basics, advisors can focus on the conversations that actually move businesses forward. Inside this episode, we talk about: • Why repeated client questions create bottlenecks in growing firms • How education can improve the quality of advisory conversations • The difference between teaching and advising • Why clients make better decisions when they understand the numbers • How giving clients access to structured learning builds trust and authority • How the Business Course Library can become part of your advisory delivery model This is a powerful conversation for accountants, bookkeepers and financial coaches who want to move beyond compliance and build a more scalable, proactive advisory practice. Key takeaway: If you are still answering the same questions manually, you are not building advisory. You are building dependency. Real advisory starts when education is systemised. Mentioned in this episode: APX Advert Business Course Library

  7. Jul 7

    Guest Special: - APX New Partnership with Hetty Verney

    Hetty Verney is The Conscious Accountant - a financial mentor who has spent nearly 30 years helping business owners understand their numbers and make them work properly. She began her career as a single mum building a practice around 3 children, determined to provide for them without missing the nativity plays and the football matches. That early pressure shaped how she works today: practical, honest, and focused on building a business that actually pays you. What makes Hetty different is that she doesn't stop at the spreadsheet. Alongside her accountancy work, she uses cognitive rewiring to get underneath the patterns that quietly shape financial decisions - the undercharging, the avoidance, the confidence to change our identities, the overworking, the second-guessing. Her view is simple: the numbers tell a story, but your patterns shape the outcome. So she brings the two together, helping established entrepreneurs read what their numbers are really saying while clearing the hidden blocks affecting how they earn, price, lead, and grow. Over the years she's helped business owners go from start-up to seven and eight figures, supported some through selling their businesses, and mentored young entrepreneurs through The King's Trust. Above all, she's passionate about helping people become consistently profitable - so they can build the life they want, on their terms, and sleep better at night knowing their figures are under control but by clearing those underlying patterns that hold us all back. In this episode of Advisory Conversations, we explore one of the biggest shifts accountants and bookkeepers face when moving from compliance into advisory, the shift in identity. Because becoming an advisor is not just about learning new skills. It’s about thinking differently, showing up differently, and often challenging the beliefs that have kept you playing small. We’re joined by Hetty Verney, an accountant with over 30 years of experience and founder of the belief coding approach at hvassociates.co.uk. Hetty shares her journey from traditional practice work into helping business owners and accountants uncover the subconscious beliefs that shape their decisions, behaviours, and confidence. Together, we unpack how those hidden beliefs can affect everything from pricing and client conversations to leadership and growth. This conversation goes deeper than strategy. We talk about why so many accountants struggle to fully step into advisory, not because they lack the knowledge, but because their internal beliefs still keep them tied to old roles, old habits, and old ways of thinking. Hetty explains how belief coding can help identify and remove those blocks, creating more confidence, clarity, and momentum — both for accountants and for the clients they support. Because the move from technician to advisor isn’t just operational. It’s personal. And if you want to build an advisory practice that grows beyond you, it starts with changing the way you see yourself first. In this episode we cover: • Why the move from compliance to advisory is an identity shift • How limiting beliefs can affect pricing, confidence, and client relationships • What belief coding is and how it works • Why accountants often know what to do but still don’t do it • How to create stronger advisory conversations by understanding behaviour first • The role self-awareness plays in leadership and team growth Links mentioned in this episode: hvassociates.co.uk apxtraining.co.uk Mentioned in this episode: APX Advert Business Course Library

  8. Jun 30

    Why Collaborative Advisory Teams Outperform Individual Advisors

    The big conversation in this episode is simple: Advisory should never depend on one person. Too many firms build advisory around the owner or one key advisor, and whilst that can work for a while, it eventually creates a ceiling. The business slows down, clients wait longer for answers, and the owner becomes the bottleneck. Real advisory is not about being the smartest person in the room. It is about building a team that can think, support, and guide clients together. In this episode, we unpack why advisory teams are the future of modern accounting firms and why relying on one advisor keeps firms stuck. We talk about the shift from individual expertise to collaborative delivery, where multiple people can support the client, bring different perspectives, and create stronger outcomes. Because when advisory is shared across a team, everything changes. Clients get better support. Response times improve. Confidence grows across the firm. And the owner finally gets space to lead instead of carrying it all. We also talk about the culture behind it — trust, leadership, and giving your team permission to step into bigger conversations. This is not about replacing the owner. It is about building something bigger than the owner. That is where scalable advisory begins. Takeaways: • Advisory becomes limited when it depends on one person. • The bottleneck in most firms is often the owner themselves. • Clients benefit more when they have access to a team, not just one advisor. • Strong advisory teams create better conversations, better decisions, and better results. • Building trust in your team is essential if you want advisory to scale. • The future of advisory is collaborative, not individual. Links mentioned in this episode: apxtraining.co.uk Mentioned in this episode: APX Advert Business Course Library

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Advisory Conversations with Tim Seymour and Deb Halliday is a podcast for accounting professionals and financial coaches who are stepping into advisory and building something beyond compliance. This isn’t theory, and it’s not surface-level advice. Each episode is a real conversation between Tim and Deb, sharing their experience of moving from technician work into advisory, and what it actually takes to make that shift stick. From leading better client conversations, to developing commercial thinking, to building a team that can deliver advisory without the business owner being the bottleneck. You’ll also hear from occasional guests, including industry specialists, suppliers, and fellow professionals, offering practical insights you can apply straight away. If you’re looking to strengthen your advisory skills, build confidence in client conversations, and create a more scalable, team-led practice, this podcast will give you the perspective and direction to do it. Simple, honest, and grounded in real experience.

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