The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast

Michael Palmer
  • 4.8 (84)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast is a weekly show to help increase your confidence, work smarter and build a business you love. Each week you'll listen to inspiring guests who will share their success secrets, so you can take your bookkeeping enterprise and life to another level. Some of them include New York Times Best-Selling Author of E-Myth, Michael E. Gerber, Pure Bookkeeping Co-Founder, Debbie Roberts, the host of The Productive Woman podcast, Laura McClellan and the author of *I Know How She Does It*, Laura Vanderkam. If you're a bookkeeping business owner who is looking for an uplifting, entertaining and informative podcast exclusively for YOU then you have arrived at the right place! Get ready because your journey towards success begins — now. Your Host Michael Palmer is an acclaimed business coach who has helped hundreds of bookkeepers across the world push through their fears and exponentially grow their businesses and achieve the quality of life they've always wanted.

  1. 10H AGO

    EP514: Spotlight - Syvonia Brown - Emotional Intelligence Every Bookkeeper Needs

    "Slow down. I think we move so fast and we're trying to go in straight to the solution and there could be multiple things that the customer needs and we miss opportunities when we move too fast." -Syvonia Brown  In this Spotlight episode, Syvonia Brown, Director of Sales at Sage 50 US, talks about emotional intelligence and why it matters more than most bookkeepers realize. She shares practical ways to handle tough client conversations, slow down reactive thinking, and build trust without taking on unnecessary stress. In this interview, you'll learn: How active listening changes difficult client conversations Why silence can be a powerful communication tool How to show empathy without absorbing client emotion To learn more about Syvonia, click here. Explore Sage at this link. Time Stamp 01:20 – What emotional intelligence really means in client work 02:10 – Checking in with yourself before client conversations 02:55 – Why jumping to solutions causes problems 04:25 – Using silence to help clients feel heard 05:17 – Simple techniques to avoid filling the silence 06:46 – Phone, video, or email how & tone changes everything 10:42 – Empathy without taking issues personally 12:21 – Why apologizing can make things worse 14:06 – De-escalating upset clients without matching their tone 16:14 – Taking accountability when mistakes happen 18:30 – Handling issues when you don't know the full story 20:01 – Embedding emotional intelligence into firm culture 21:22 – Training teams to lead with empathy 23:21 – How emotional intelligence drives loyalty & referrals 25:29 – Practical habits bookkeepers can apply immediately Your expertise has more value than you think, so Own Your Authority at The Successful Bookkeeper Summit 2026! It's a high-energy two-day virtual experience for bookkeepers ready to lead with confidence and elevate their impact. Join inspiring leaders on November 4th–5th to gain actionable strategies, powerful tools, and the clarity to shape the work you want, not just keep up with it. Don't miss this incredible opportunity! REGISTER TODAY!

    29 min

  2. 2D AGO

    EP513: Salim Omar - The Smart Way To Exit Without Burning It Down

    " Selling is not necessarily the answer. Exit can mean continuing to be part of it, but in a different way." –Salim Omar In this episode, Salim Omar, CPA and author of The CPA Firm Exit Playbook, shares what it takes to build a firm that works without constant owner involvement. Drawing from 30 years as a firm owner, Salim explains how systems, marketing, and leadership shape firm value and future options. In this interview, you'll learn: Why owner dependency limits growth & firm value How systems & teams prepare your firm for the next chapter What buyers actually look for in an accounting firm To learn more about Salim, click here. Get a copy of his book, The CPA Firm Exit Playbook. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Time Stamp 01:49 – Salim's journey from CFO to firm owner 04:22 – Discovering The E-Myth & changing how he ran his firm 06:03 – Shifting from technician to business owner 08:49 – Leading with curiosity & leaving ego behind 12:37 – Why Salim wrote The CPA Firm Exit Playbook 14:14 – The biggest exit planning mistakes firm owners make 16:15 – Removing owner dependency years before selling 18:21 – Why growth & marketing matter to buyers 22:49 – Education-based marketing & attracting better clients 29:01 – Redefining exit without fully stepping away 30:59 – Straight Talk Transitions & available resources Your expertise has more value than you think, so Own Your Authority at The Successful Bookkeeper Summit 2026! It's a high-energy two-day virtual experience for bookkeepers ready to lead with confidence and elevate their impact. Join inspiring leaders on November 4th–5th to gain actionable strategies, powerful tools, and the clarity to shape the work you want, not just keep up with it. Don't miss this incredible opportunity! REGISTER TODAY!

    33 min

  3. JAN 13

    EP512: Sharrin Fuller - Scaling Smarter: Why Systems Matter More Than Headcount

    " We need to do things that the other people aren't doing because that's how you make ways, that's how you revolutionize, that's how you pave a new path for the other people that think like you, but maybe don't have the strength at this point yet to pave the way." -Sharrin Fuller In this episode, Sharrin Fuller, strategic advisor and founder of Glass Wallet Ventures, shares why she believes the future of bookkeeping is client-facing, relationship-driven, and systemized. She breaks down how she scaled smarter, reduced her team, embraced technology, and rebuilt her firm to run smoothly with less effort. Sharrin also shares the thinking behind her book, Unfollow The Rules: The Messy Truth About Burnout, Bad Decisions And Building Until It Worked and why challenging traditional models matters more than ever for firm owners. In this interview, you'll learn: Why scaling smarter beats hiring more staff How technology replaces tasks but not relationships What bookkeepers must do to stay relevant as AI advances To learn more about Sharrin, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Buy her book, Unfollow The Rules, at this link. Time Stamp 00:00 – Why only client-facing roles matter in the future 01:03 – Sharrin's career journey & building multiple firms 03:47 – What inspired her book Unfollow The Rules 11:23 – Scaling smarter without adding people 12:23 – Reducing a team from 12 to 2 without losing clients 14:45 – Challenging traditional business models 19:53 – How to decide what to outsource or automate 24:08 – The downside of fast-changing technology 27:56 – What Sharrin is building next & where to find her  Your expertise has more value than you think, so Own Your Authority at The Successful Bookkeeper Summit 2026! It's a high-energy two-day virtual experience for bookkeepers ready to lead with confidence and elevate their impact. Join inspiring leaders on November 4th–5th to gain actionable strategies, powerful tools, and the clarity to shape the work you want, not just keep up with it. Don't miss this incredible opportunity! REGISTER TODAY!

    33 min

  4. JAN 8

    EP511: Spotlight - Tommy Vincent - How AI Is Changing Analytics For Bookkeepers

    "Your data is good to go. Customer comes into Hub Analytics and starts chatting with the chat bot to ask questions about the data, get visualized charts and graphs, and really have kind of this virtual CFO experience, which is cool." -Tommy Vincent Tommy Vincent, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Hub Analytics, returns to explain how AI is reshaping analytics, advisory, and the bookkeeper's role. He shares how data diagnostics improve pricing confidence, why early forecasting matters, and how AI tools give clients clearer financial insight without added complexity. In this interview, you'll learn: How AI checks bookkeeping work in seconds & catches errors early Why forward-looking analytics matter more than past reports How to deliver CFO-level insight without becoming a CFO To learn more about Hub Analytics, click here. Connect with Tommy on LinkedIn. Time Stamp 00:00 - How AI scans bookkeeping data & flags issues 02:13 - Why AI fits naturally into accounting & finance 05:01 - Using AI to validate work & reduce review time 06:22 - Moving from historical reports to forward-looking insight 08:37 - Why many bookkeepers don't want to deliver CFO services 09:13 - How the Hub Analytics partner program works 11:45 - Using data diagnostics to check & price new clients 14:22 - Catching errors & unknowns before onboarding 16:10 - Why small businesses need forecasting earlier 19:36 - Cash flow forecasting & scenario planning 20:34 - Using AI chat tools as a virtual CFO 22:32 - Turning insights into real business decisions 25:02 - How bookkeepers stay connected to advisory work 29:57 - Making CFO-level insight affordable for small businesses 32:14 - How to get started with Hub Analytics

    34 min

  5. JAN 6

    EP510: Mark Murphy - The Five Roles Every Winning Team Needs

    " I'm not gonna say people can't change. What I will say is that it is hard work to change attitude. Changing skills, super simple. Attitude, it's a losing battle for the vast majority of business leaders." -Mark Murphy Welcome to 2026 and the 10th anniversary year of our podcast! In this episode, Mark Murphy, founder of Leadership IQ, shares how to hire better and build teams that actually work. He explains why most hiring problems come down to attitude and outlines the five roles every strong team needs. In this interview, you'll learn:  •The five roles every winning team needs  • How to ask interview questions that reveal real behaviour   • Why attitude—not skills—is behind most failed hires To learn more about Mark and Leadership IQ, click here. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Time Stamp 00:00 Mark shares why attitude makes or breaks new hires 04:10 The real reasons nearly half of new hires fail 08:30 How to ask interview questions that reveal the truth 14:30 Why managers ignore red flags & how to stop 20:20 The five roles every winning team needs 29:30 How business owners can stop trying to be "everything" 33:40 Adaptive hierarchy & better decision-making 37:50 Leading remote teams with clearer roles 44:10 Where to learn more about Mark Murphy & Leadership IQ

    48 min

  6. 12/30/2025

    EP509: 2025 Year-In-Review Show!

    "Ethics and integrity are a bookkeeper's superpower." -Heather Smith Kick off your new year with clarity and momentum in this special Year-In-Review episode! Host, Michael Palmer brings together an international panel of leaders to unpack the biggest wins, surprises, and lessons from 2025. This conversation gives you a grounded look at what actually changed in the bookkeeping world and what you can expect moving into 2026. You'll hear real stories from Canada, Australia, and the United States about technology shifts, economic pressures, client transformations, team challenges, and the rising demand for advisory. Our final episode of 2025 is packed with insights that you don't want to miss! Thank you so much for listening to our show and being a part of our community! Your support is the reason this podcast continues to grow. Wishing you a HAPPY and SUCCESSFUL 2026! To find out more about our guests, click below: Lisa Campbell Teresa Slack Heather Smith Christina Springstead Time Stamp 01:11 – Michael introduces the Year-In-Review panel 03:38 – Biggest surprises from 2025 04:51 – How bookkeepers embraced AI 05:12 – Personal breakthroughs & executing on training 07:04 – Economic pressures & global ripple effects 11:24 – Setbacks bookkeepers faced this year 16:41 – Capacity challenges & communication gaps 19:22 – Heartwarming client wins 23:05 – Helping clients understand their numbers 27:23 – The ripple effect bookkeepers create 30:03 – Why new bookkeepers matter 32:16 – Heartbreaks & financial vulnerability 34:06 – Ethics as a bookkeeper's superpower 39:26 – What worked well in 2025 40:10 – Hiring support to free up time 42:12 – Workflow systems paying off 46:11 – What didn't work & lessons learned 49:26 – Overwhelm from too much change at once 50:59 – Trends shaping 2026 54:58 – The rising need for human connection 1:02:37 – Personal focus areas for 2026 1:05:05 – Closing thoughts & New Year wishes

    1h 6m

  7. 12/23/2025

    EP508: Lisa Campbell - How To Build A Business Beyond Bookkeeping - Part 2

    "You get to a place little by little of just working with these wonderful people that really appreciate what you're doing. They're paying top dollar and you love what you're doing." -Lisa Campbell Lisa Campbell, author of Beyond Bookkeeping and bookkeeping mentor, joins host Michael Palmer for part two of this special live series recorded at Accountex Canada 2025 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. She shares how to filter ideal clients, step into advisory with confidence, and build a business that supports your life—not drains it. In this interview, you'll learn: Why most bookkeepers already are doing advisory without realizing it One simple step you can take this month to start leading clients How boundaries create freedom and stronger client relationships To learn more about Lisa, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Order a copy of Beyond Bookkeeping. Time Stamp 01:09 – The biggest myths bookkeepers believe about advisory 02:25 – Why you're more qualified than you think 03:08 – The one conversation that can start your advisory journey 04:40 – How honesty builds trust & opens deeper client relationships 06:32 – Systematization as the path to freedom 07:36 – The emotional toll of staying stuck & overwhelmed 08:13 – Why boundaries matter & how to set them 09:36 – Stopping late-night messages, constant emergencies & scope creep 11:02 – Charging premiums for urgent work 11:50 – Seeing yourself as a leader, not a laborer 12:47 – The mindset shift that unlocks real advisory 13:39 – Why losing the wrong clients makes space for the right ones 15:24 – How ideal clients show up when you raise your standards 20:19 – Building your business mindset through learning and curiosity 22:01 – Differentiating yourself from low-cost competition 24:17 – How niching creates authority & demand 25:08 – The future of bookkeeping and the rise of AI-supported advisory

    27 min

  8. 12/16/2025

    EP507: Lisa Campbell - How To Build A Business Beyond Bookkeeping - Part 1

    "You learn, you read, you surround yourself with other people. Don't stay isolated behind your computer. You come to things like this. You join groups, you learn what other people are doing, and a lot of it is just understanding the value yourself." -Lisa Campbell Lisa Campbell, author of Beyond Bookkeeping and longtime bookkeeping mentor, joins host Michael Palmer for a special two-episode series recorded live at Accountex Canada 2025 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. She shares how a single "midnight moment" pushed her to rebuild her business, break free from burnout, and step confidently into advisory work. In this interview, you'll learn: What finally broke the cycle of burnout & overwork How systemizing business unlocked time, freedom & new opportunities Why shifting from compliance to advisory starts with mindset To learn more about Lisa, click here. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Order a copy of Beyond Bookkeeping. Time Stamp 01:16 – Lisa shares her "midnight moment" & the push to change everything 03:14 – The shift from having a job to building a business 06:16 – How burnout & overwork showed up in her daily life 07:03 – The mindset change that unlocked growth 08:12 – What "beyond bookkeeping" really means 09:17 – The moment she realized her systems were working 10:26 – How long it took to make the shift & why timing is different for everyone 11:46 – Breaking through time constraints & building structure 12:44 – How she stayed connected to her why during tough seasons 15:11 – How Profit First transformed her business & her clients' 16:20 – Why more clients doesn't equal more profit 18:10 – Moving from hourly work to value & subscription pricing 18:53 – The hidden gold bookkeepers give away for free 20:12 – Why learning, community & awareness help you charge your value 21:23 – Lisa's exercise to uncover value adds 24:12 – How she rewired her thinking & found new opportunities 25:16 – Shifting from compliance work to advisory 26:50 – Building an ecosystem for the entire client journey

    29 min
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4.8
out of 5
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About

The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast is a weekly show to help increase your confidence, work smarter and build a business you love. Each week you'll listen to inspiring guests who will share their success secrets, so you can take your bookkeeping enterprise and life to another level. Some of them include New York Times Best-Selling Author of E-Myth, Michael E. Gerber, Pure Bookkeeping Co-Founder, Debbie Roberts, the host of The Productive Woman podcast, Laura McClellan and the author of *I Know How She Does It*, Laura Vanderkam. If you're a bookkeeping business owner who is looking for an uplifting, entertaining and informative podcast exclusively for YOU then you have arrived at the right place! Get ready because your journey towards success begins — now. Your Host Michael Palmer is an acclaimed business coach who has helped hundreds of bookkeepers across the world push through their fears and exponentially grow their businesses and achieve the quality of life they've always wanted.

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