From The Trenches

David Boyar

In the age of FAKE NEWS, brave souls are needed to fight through the noise and give accountants in practice the support and information they deserve. David Boyar and Paul Meissner share a passion for the role Accountants play in the Australian economy. As the engine room of the economy, small - medium businesses rely on their accountant for technical knowledge, business acumen and professional (and often personal) support. As the way accountants work (through technology) and service (through new services like Virtual CFOs) changes, we have to ask If accountants are helping their client’s, who is helping Accountants? If you read the Accounting Industry news and listen to the industry leaders then the Accounting industry is at war. It’s a war against technology, the ATO and even UBER (apparently). The problem is that most of the leaders have never worked in practice. They are subject matter experts but can't offer the perspective of someone who had to actually have conversations with clients about implementing technology, actually moved to value pricing, actually compared technology features and how an entire team may be impacted by them. Each week in this podcast, 2 plucky Chartered Accountants will bring you the real stories ‘from the trenches’. This no holes barred, feisty, yet humorous take on the Accounting landscape will be entertaining while sending a message to the scaremongers, that the FAKE NEWS must end. By following a simple podcast formula, David and Paul will deliver rapid value straight to your earphones. With segments like ‘best and worst of the week’, ‘Fake News exposed’ and a the rapid format ‘5 questions in 5 minutes’ special guest interviews, what more could you want. This podcast won’t be for the faint hearted. https://www.fromthetrenches.com.au/

  1. 9 SEPT

    Xerocon 2025 | Where the Sun Shines | The AI Race

    Who knows what the future of From the Trenches is? Not us. But when Dave posted about a Xerocon Trenches recording it performed better than other linked in posts actual thought went into.    BEST ON GROUND Paul Meisner Xero Bank Rec AI automation - biggest update since Find and Recode OpenAI integration into Xero ecosystem - Xero might catch up to the Access Groups Evo AI but either way, the race for the AI Kingdom is on The people - face-to-face networking away from online negativity David Boyar Paul Meisner the men's health role model Expecting a big ROI Quality of content - sessions packed, people wanting solutions ahead of activations  Industry positivity - stark contrast to toxic online communities that make you feel the sky is turning into flowing lava WORST ON GROUND Paul Meisner Professional bodies completely absent - CPA, CA, IPA nowhere to be seen at 3,500 person event Welcome to Country interrupted for product pitch David Boyar Less "woke agenda" = more product focus (actually good) CEO compensation optics but loved the confident "double down" From Dave "The online accounting world has become incredibly negative... but they're smiling, they're wearing shorts, having a great year, but here, Accounting has sun shining on it at the moment" From Paul "Industry bodies, where the bloody hell are you? 3,500 of the accounting and bookkeeping community in one room and you can't even show up"   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    22 min
  2. 18/02/2024

    Can CA regulate the profession? | MYOB's ripper new add | The biggest innovation in 10 years

    As Statler said to Waldorf, the witty old blokes in the VIP box on the Muppet show; “There’s a lot to be said about this program.” To which Waldorf quipped back; “Too bad you can’t say it on a family show!” The bothed harrumphed and probably cut to a clip of Kermit trying to get animal ready for his next scene. And in the spirit of that nostalgia Trenches starts it's 8th year. Paul and David say a huge THANK YOU for investing some of your time listening to us. Because of you we are earn the meaningless perk of being ranked in the top 20% most listened to podcast on earth. Not bad for a show about real life in the accounting industry. Best on Ground David CAANZs budget submission covers everything - but will Canberra listen? - CAs influence has to be at a weak point  https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/news-and-analysis/advocacy/policy-submissions/pre-budget-submission-2023-24  Karbons payments product was bigger than expected https://karbonhq.com/feature/billing-and-payments/  Fox Sports - Stick to highlights of the 2016 and 2023 Grand Finals, leave the balance sheets to us https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7163833930805096449/    Paul  Paul hit the ChangeGPS National tour to see the launch of Protect - David calls it the biggest innovation in accounting in a decade  https://changegps.com.au/apps/protect  DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE - David did not ask Paul to cover this, in fact David has begged Paul to talk about ChangeGPS in the past and he has said no. The comments in the show are 100000% because Paul chose to share them.  MYOB lampoons instant invoicing in the best way https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVzPKz_Uz2M  Worst on Ground Paul Flexible Hours will suffer thanks to the right to switch off https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/business-fights-back-against-right-to-disconnect-from-work-20231220-p5esol#:~:text=%E2%80%9CA%20legislated%20right%20to%20disconnect,are%20unreasonable%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20said.  Agent Linking- David completely misunderstood the issue but Paul was in the room when it was workshopped….what actually happened is worse. Ethics and the insane tokens accountants need to jump through as CA clings to a belief it can regulate the profession. Pledges, dobbing in peers increased ethics training.  David Media reports of 150 ATO agents linked to tik tok GST fraud is good ol fashioned clickbait See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    29 min
  3. 31/08/2023

    Joseph Boyar Z"L

    My Father was a public practitioner for 40 years and my family lost him this year.  One day, everyone of your families will be in this position. This episode, might be important to them. At some point in your life, it might be important for you.  The first 8.5 minutes of this episode I talk about Dad. He came to Australia with very little, was brought up through welfare homes and then together with my mum raised my sister and I, while building an accounting practice that sustained my family through millions of happy moments. If it is too heavy for you, I understand, sharing this is an indulgence for me, you can skip it if you want to.  If you skip it, you need to know this bit.  Regular listeners would knowhow influential Dad was on my career and values. He is the reason I understand what you do so well. And why I realised I was better placed to help you rather than small business clients.  Paul and I then talk through the first two weeks, the transition to get Paul control to service clients, and how he navigated the day to day while managing his practice and his family.  Finally we talk through the sale process and what it means for for my family While dealing with the grief, Paul stepped in as director and ran the day today while I worked through a sale process. Not every family has a Paul or a son like me, our knowledge of the industry helped.  And not everyone has a friend like Paul, who stepped up the way the very best of friends do, when you are at your lowest.  I hope when reading this  line, you appreciate my lesson here. I develop, sell and support accounting technology for a living, so it is with honesty that I say:- The tech you use doesn't matter.  All that matters. Is your health, and your relationship with your clients. Yes, you're all that matters.     ______________________   Cultural Note Z"L is an English rendering of a common Hebrew posthumous honorific. ז״ל‎ (Z"L) is the acronym of זיכרונו לברכה‎ (zikhronó liv'rakhá, literally “may his memory be a blessing”. - wikipedia.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    45 min
  4. 14/03/2023

    Death of Accountants Exemption | Economic Own Goals | Xero's state of the union

    This show was recorded in mid February but thanks to Dave being busy getting the ChangeGPS new TaxPlan Advanced product ready we had a delay getting it out. Oh how we long for the days 6 years ago when we'd record and publish in a 2 minute workflow.    Before we begin.....To The Xero's...https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7039489285565161472/  Best A very simple explanation about why we don’t know what to do in the current Australian Economy Australians head for their first endogenous shock in 30 years - MacroBusiness   Tips for Xero Roadshow for exhibitors and why we need an active ecosystem Xero Roadshow Playbook | App Partner Edition (letsjourney.com.au)   Worst Dext are determined to reinvent an accounting role Pre-Accounting: Why Small Businesses Can’t Ignore It - Dext Blog Death of the Accountants Exemption Michelle Levy advice review: Labor to ‘stress-test’ plan to overhaul financial advice (afr.com)   Xero State of the Union Report Take Aways Dave Surprised how popular mergers are in shifts in practice structure is 40% of practices offer employee benefits 40% dev and training, 33% track employee wellbeing, if you aren't happy leave….we don’t need to constantly berate the business model of accounting firms, enough firms are progressive to give staff choice and it's the laggards loss.  Only 19% are home office only, that convo is dead, move on  Paul Bookkeepers don’t equal accountants in any sense of practice but the report, like so many other strip both of their individual identities and can get the conclusion wrong More services doesn’t mean more service Surveys are always an issue   Dave's not so new Trench   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    38 min
  5. 11/11/2022

    CAANZ Can Canvass (during the AGM) | Trenches Awards | RIP Simple Fund Desktop

    We are brought to you by ChangeGPS LIVE FROM BRISBANE https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/changegps-live-from-brisbane-tickets-460588100407  Best on Ground Trenches Award Finalists https://awards.fromthetrenches.com.au/  GET YOUR TICKETS NOW and enjoy some early bird pricing  Could the real CAANZ Members please stand up? YES!!!!! https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6995548683614253056/  Work from Home For Ever is done  https://twitter.com/ShaanVP/status/1588589924072443904  Sensationalist Click Bait our way https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-11-01/the-accountant-shortage-threatens-capitalism-s-future  Conor Clune published a paper on the governance of professional accounting bodies and he's coming on trenches https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/AAAJ-08-2020-4756/full/html  Xero small business insights is finally getting the recognition it deserves https://www.linkedin.com/posts/louise-southall-2038b6157_policymaking-at-the-reserve-bank-speeches-activity-6988004559528861697-0YO0/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android  Great engagement from Tax Institute to a member concern https://twitter.com/austaxter/status/1582505298010382337  RIP Simple Fund Desktop https://www.bglcorp.com/2022/09/19/simple-fund-desktop-end-of-product-life-date-set/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io&utm_campaign=newsletter  Worst on Ground Early proof quality of work is declining due to staff shortage crisis https://www.afr.com/companies/professional-services/deloitte-calls-crisis-meeting-blames-staff-turnover-for-poor-audit-results-20221025-p5bsn8  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    34 min

About

In the age of FAKE NEWS, brave souls are needed to fight through the noise and give accountants in practice the support and information they deserve. David Boyar and Paul Meissner share a passion for the role Accountants play in the Australian economy. As the engine room of the economy, small - medium businesses rely on their accountant for technical knowledge, business acumen and professional (and often personal) support. As the way accountants work (through technology) and service (through new services like Virtual CFOs) changes, we have to ask If accountants are helping their client’s, who is helping Accountants? If you read the Accounting Industry news and listen to the industry leaders then the Accounting industry is at war. It’s a war against technology, the ATO and even UBER (apparently). The problem is that most of the leaders have never worked in practice. They are subject matter experts but can't offer the perspective of someone who had to actually have conversations with clients about implementing technology, actually moved to value pricing, actually compared technology features and how an entire team may be impacted by them. Each week in this podcast, 2 plucky Chartered Accountants will bring you the real stories ‘from the trenches’. This no holes barred, feisty, yet humorous take on the Accounting landscape will be entertaining while sending a message to the scaremongers, that the FAKE NEWS must end. By following a simple podcast formula, David and Paul will deliver rapid value straight to your earphones. With segments like ‘best and worst of the week’, ‘Fake News exposed’ and a the rapid format ‘5 questions in 5 minutes’ special guest interviews, what more could you want. This podcast won’t be for the faint hearted. https://www.fromthetrenches.com.au/

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