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. 5d ago

    155. The Grudge Economy And How It Affects The Professions Future

    Have you ever wondered why a client will happily spend thousands on a business coach to help them grow, but expects you to spend an hour talking through the exact same business problem for free? Why do clients who have worked with you for years suddenly question a tiny, inflation-matching increase in your monthly fee? The answer lies in what I call the "Grudge Economy." For decades, the accounting profession has occupied a dangerous position in clients' minds: something they have to buy, rather than something they want to buy. When a client pays from a place of obligation, they resent it. They experience it as money leaving their bank account, not as an investment. In this episode, I’m exploring why the old model of relying on compliance work is breaking, accelerated by AI and offshoring. The biggest danger isn't that technology will replace you; it's that you will keep competing on the parts technology is getting good at, while continuing to give away your most valuable asset—your human judgment—for free. I’ll show you how to change the position you occupy in your client's mind, moving from recording decisions to shaping them, and how to stop operating in the grudge economy once and for all. Key Takeaways What is the "Grudge Economy," and why is it the secret reason your long-term clients push back on small fee increases but happily pay business coaches thousands of pounds? Discover the difference between being a service your clients have to buy (obligation) and a service they want to buy (investment), and why this distinction dictates your pricing power. Why does adding "business advisory" to your website rarely attract clients, and how do you actually change the "position" you occupy in a client's mind? Are you giving away the work that changes your client's life for free? Learn why the profession accidentally trained clients not to pay for strategic conversations and how to start packaging that value. Why the most common solutions to feeling "squeezed" (more software, offshoring, more staff) just build a "Monster Business," and the one deeper question you must ask to truly fix your margins. 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+

  2. Sep 7

    154. Why Every Advisor Needs A Brand Story

    You’re probably rolling your eyes right now. A "brand story"? It sounds like something an influencer does, not a serious accountant or bookkeeper. You don't want to write a tear-jerking autobiography or share every painful moment of your life on LinkedIn. I completely agree—because that is not what a brand story is. For most of your career, you haven't needed a story. Compliance work is a logical purchase; clients just want to know if you're qualified, what it costs, and if you can hit the deadline. But advisory is fundamentally different. When a client buys advisory, they are making an emotional decision. They are buying your judgment, your perspective, and trusting you with their deepest fears and ambitions. They don't just want to know what you do; they need to know why you care. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what a brand story is and why it's the missing bridge between the generic "We're more than just accountants" website copy and the high-value clients you want to attract. I’ll share how my own story—watching my tax technician father give away his most valuable advice for free—shaped my entire business, and I'll give you a simple framework to find the quiet, powerful turning points in your own career that will make your ideal client say, "This person truly gets me." Key Takeaways Why didn't you need a brand story when you were just doing compliance, and what fundamental shift happens in a client's mind when they decide to buy advisory? Are you using generic marketing phrases like "We provide proactive business advisory services" or "We're more than just accountants"? Learn why these phrases make you invisible and what to do instead. Discover why a powerful brand story isn't a timeline of your life or a Hollywood drama, but a curated collection of turning points that give meaning to your expertise. Why the best brand story isn't actually about making people interested in you, but about helping your ideal client recognize a piece of themselves in you. Learn the simple, step-by-step exercise to find your brand story by connecting your past experiences, your emotional turning points, and a central "theme" (like freedom, security, or clarity). 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+

  3. Aug 31

    153. The Client Promise: The Document Every Advisory Relationship Needs

    You take on a new advisory client. You send the proposal, sign the engagement letter, and agree on the deliverables and the price. But then... the unspoken expectations kick in. You expect them to turn up on time and implement your advice; they expect you to remind them. You expect them to communicate if they are struggling; they assume you'll ask if you need to know something. Eventually, these tiny unspoken differences become massive frustrations. You end up chasing them, worrying about them on your weekends, and caring more about their goals than they do. This is exhausting, and it is not good advisory. In this episode, I’m sharing the secret to preventing these relationship breakdowns before they ever start: The Promise. This isn’t a contract or a list of rules putting your client on the "naughty step." It is a powerful, two-sided agreement outlining exactly how you will work together. I'll explain why you cannot hold a client accountable to an agreement you never made, and I'll give you the exact questions to ask yourself so you can draft a Promise document that protects your time, your energy, and the success of your clients. Key Takeaways Why an engagement letter and a signed proposal are not enough to guarantee a successful advisory relationship (and the crucial agreement you're missing). How "unspoken expectations" quietly destroy your relationships, turning small differences in communication into massive, exhausting frustrations. Discover why true advisory is something you do with a client, not to a client, and why you must stop carrying the emotional weight of their business goals. Learn how a simple "Promise" document gives you permission to hold your clients accountable with care, without ever feeling like a nagging parent or a school teacher. The "A4 Paper Rule": Why the list of promises you make to your client must be significantly longer than the list of promises you ask them to make to 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+

  4. Aug 24

    152. How to Market Your Firm to Attract Better Team Members

    We talk a lot about marketing to get clients, but there's a huge, hidden opportunity most firms are completely ignoring: marketing to attract top talent. When I ask accountants and bookkeepers what their biggest challenge is, the answer is almost always finding good people. You might feel like the best candidates already have jobs, or that you can't compete with the salaries of the Big Four. But is salary the only thing brilliant people care about? When you look at your website or your LinkedIn profile from the perspective of a potential employee, what does it tell them about what their life would be like if they worked for you? If it’s just a list of services and a dusty photo from a bowling trip three years ago, you don't have a recruitment problem; you have a marketing problem. In this episode, I’m introducing the T.A.L.E.N.T. Framework—a six-part strategy to make your firm a magnet for brilliant people long before you actually need to hire them. We’ll explore why relying on frantic job boards when you're overwhelmed is a trap, and how to build a talent pipeline by showing the "behind-the-scenes" reality of your firm. If you want to stop settling for the "best available" candidate and start attracting the exact people you want to work with, this episode will show you how. Key Takeaways Why are you treating recruitment like an emergency instead of a pipeline? Discover the danger of waiting until a team member quits before you start looking for their replacement. If you can't compete with the Big Four on salary, what can you offer? Learn why "Employee Promise" is about much more than money, encompassing flexibility, progression, and culture. Discover the 6-part T.A.L.E.N.T. Framework (Tell your story, Always be hiring, Life at the firm, Employee promise, Network & community, Talent campaign) designed to attract brilliant candidates before you ever post a job listing. Why corporate perfection is boring, and how showing the messy, human, "behind-the-scenes" reality of your firm (like leaving early on a Friday or celebrating wins) is your strongest recruitment tool. Take the 20-Post Audit: What do your last 20 pieces of marketing tell a prospective employee about working for your firm? (And what to do if the answer is "absolutely nothing"). 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+

  5. Aug 17

    151. How to Get Clients to Take Action: The Four Conditions of Change

    You’ve done it a hundred times. You show your client the numbers. You explain exactly where their profit is leaking, why their pricing is wrong, or how a specific team member is costing them dearly. They nod, they agree, and they say, "Yes, that makes total sense." But three months later, you meet again, and nothing has changed. It’s maddening. But before you send them another 42-page report or another color-coded dashboard, you need to hear this: More information is never the answer. The problem isn't that they don't understand; the problem is that they are emotionally paralyzed. They are stuck in the "knowing-doing gap," trapped by fear, guilt, or identity. In this episode, I’m sharing the secret to getting your clients (and yourself!) out of their own way. We're diving into the Four Conditions of Change from my new book, The Relationship Economy. I’ll explain why AI can never replicate the true magic of advisory, and how providing Safety, Borrowed Belief, Caring Accountability, and Grounded Hope is the only way to turn your brilliant insights into real-world action. Key Takeaways Why throwing more data, software, and dashboards at a stuck client is a complete waste of time, and what you must do instead to close the "knowing-doing gap." Discover the incredible power of "Safety," and why your clients will never take action on your advice if their brain is operating in "threat mode." Learn how to provide "Borrowed Belief" for a client whose confidence has dipped, and why this deeply human connection can never be replicated by AI or a motivational quote. What is "Accountability that comes from care," and how is it different from the school-teacher nagging that makes clients build excuses before you even finish your sentence? Why reading 50 successful case studies will never convince a scared client to change, and how providing "Grounded Hope" based on their specific, messy reality is the key to unlocking action. 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+

  6. Aug 10

    150. Language For positioning Your Firm As Premium

    Imagine two advisory firms. They do identical work and serve similar clients, but one charges three times more than the other. What's the difference? It isn't the quality of their spreadsheets; it's the language they use long before the work actually begins. Your words carry your price tag. Clients read your words before they experience anything else, and those words immediately tell them whether you are a high-value advisor or a cheap commodity. If your website is full of phrases like "friendly," "proactive," or "tailored service," you have what I call a "Magnolia" brand. It's painted a color that offends no one, but it also attracts no one—except the bargain hunters. In this episode, I’m sharing the five specific language shifts you need to make to elevate your firm's positioning. We'll cover why you must stop selling generic services and start selling specific outcomes, how to frame your fees as an "investment" rather than a "cost," and why you must audition your clients instead of offering "free quotes." If you want to stop competing on price and start commanding premium fees, this episode will teach you the exact language to use. Key Takeaways The "Magnolia" Problem: Why the safe, corporate language you think makes you look professional (like "proactive" or "tailored service") is actually making you invisible and commoditized. Sell the Outcome in Their World: Nobody wants to pay for a tax return. Learn the specific language shift from "We prepare management accounts" to selling the clarity and confidence your clients actually crave. Be Specific (The Who and the What): Why saying "We work with small businesses of all shapes and sizes" makes you sound desperate, and how naming your proprietary intellectual property puts you in a category of one. Talk Investment, Not Cost: Stop using "supermarket shelf" language like "Fees start from £99." Discover how to frame your fees so the client stops asking "How do I spend less?" and starts asking "What will this make possible for me?" Qualify and Diagnose: Why premium advisors never offer a "free quote" in the first five minutes, and how treating your sales calls like a doctor's consultation immediately raises your perceived value. 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+

  7. Aug 3

    149. The Hill You Will Die On

    If you've ever found marketing difficult, or if you feel like your content is just blending in with the noise, it's likely because you haven't answered one crucial question: What is the hill you will die on? I'm not talking about your niche, your list of services, or a generic mission statement like "we are a proactive, forward-thinking firm." The hill you will die on is the core belief that holds your entire business together. It shapes your marketing, your sales, your offers, and the clients you attract. In this episode, I'm going to explain why "bland" is the enemy of a successful advisory practice and why you must risk rejection to avoid invisibility. I’ll share my own "hill" (and the painful burnout that led me to it), and give you a simple, four-question framework to help you uncover your own. If you want to stop sounding like a traditional accounting brochure and start building a tribe of clients who truly believe what you believe, this episode is your starting point.  Key Takeaways What exactly is "the hill you will die on," and why is not having one the secret reason your marketing feels impossible and your brand is ignored? Discover why "bland" marketing feels safe but actually costs you clients, and why risking rejection is the only way to avoid invisibility. How can you tell the difference between a genuine, foundational belief that will build your business and a fleeting "marketing gimmick" or trend (like talking about AI)? Use my simple 4-sentence prompt—including "I'm tired of seeing..." and "I learned the hard way that..."—to uncover the deep frustrations and experiences that will form your core message. Learn the four "tests" (Energy, Conviction, Resonance, and Decision) to prove whether you've actually found your hill or if you're just sharing a mild opinion. 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+

  8. Jul 27

    148. The Knowing Doing Gap

    Have you ever given a client the absolute perfect advice, showed them exactly where their profit is leaking, watched them nod in total agreement... and then three months later, nothing has changed? It drives you bonkers, right? You sit there thinking, "What more do I need to show you?" So, you send another email, build another dashboard, and present another color-coded spreadsheet. But here is the hard truth I’m sharing in today's episode: your clients don't need more data. They already know what they need to do. They are just terrified to do it. The problem isn't logical; it's emotional. They are stuck in the "Knowing-Doing Gap." While you are looking at profit and pricing opportunities, they are looking at risk, fear, guilt, and shame. In this episode, I’m showing you why throwing more information at a stuck client is a total waste of time, and how you can step into the true magic of advisory. I'll share the exact story of how one simple question unlocked months of paralysis for a client, and break down the three psychological elements you must provide—Safety, Borrowed Belief, and Caring Accountability—to finally get your clients to take action. If you want to future-proof your practice against AI and actually change lives, this episode will completely shift how you run your client meetings. Key Takeaways Why throwing another color-coded spreadsheet or 42-page report at a stuck client is completely useless, and the real, emotional reason they are ignoring your expert advice. What exactly is the "Knowing-Doing Gap," and how are hidden fears, guilt, and identity issues secretly sabotaging your client's business decisions behind the scenes? Discover the powerful four-word question one advisor asked that instantly got her client to take action after a year of ignoring the financial data. What are "Safety," "Borrowed Belief," and "Caring Accountability," and why are these three deeply human elements the only things that turn insight into action? Why AI can easily replicate your financial analysis and spit out a list of recommendations in seconds, but will never be able to do the true, transformational work of a business advisor. 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+

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out of 5
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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
    155
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Amanda C. Watts
  • Show Website
    Business Advisor Podcast

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