The Wize Way

Wize Mentoring for Accountants and Bookkeepers
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Feeling stuck in your firm or on the edge of rapid growth but don't know how to build the business so that it’s not reliant on you?  Join Bren Ward as he shares the insights, stories, strategies and tools that have helped transform the businesses and lives of our Wize Guys and hundreds of Accounting, CPA and bookkeeping firm owners around the world.  In each episode, Bren dives into the leadership, marketing, sales, systems and mindset tactics that'll get you to your goals without burning out.  His interviews with his Wize co-founders and community of Wize firm owners are inspiring and transformational.  Subscribe to transform your challenges into opportunities and build a business that can run without you. 

  1. 22H AGO

    Episode 190: Why Your Team Is Out of Sync and How Daily Huddles Fix It in 15 Minutes a Day

    Is your team “busy” but still out of sync, because nobody has a simple daily rhythm to align priorities and surface issues early? Most firm owners try to fix productivity with bigger meetings, more tools, or more chasing. The result is the same: scattered communication, silent bottlenecks, and leaders carrying the mental load of the whole firm. A Daily Huddle solves that by creating a short, repeatable moment where the team reconnects every morning. In this episode of The Wize Way Podcast, the Wize coaching team breaks down how 15 minutes a day can reset alignment, improve follow-through, and build a calmer operating rhythm, sharing practical insights on: ✅ Why the huddle must stay short and structured. ✅ The three questions that keep everyone aligned: what’s on today, what roadblocks are you facing, and who can help  ✅ How daily huddles reinforce your team structure by keeping work and communication in the right lanes  ✅ Why owners must show up early to cement the habit, before handing it off with confidence  ✅ A simple add-on that stops “quick questions” from derailing the day If you want a team that feels aligned, accountable, and clear every day, and a firm that runs smoother without you needing to be everywhere at once, this conversation is essential listening. ________________ PS: Whenever you’re ready… here are the fastest 4 ways we can help you fix and grow your accounting firm: 1. Download our famous Wize Freedom Map for FREE - Find out the 96 projects every firm owner must implement to build a $5M+ firm that can run without them - Download here 2. Need to Hire right now? Book a 1:1 FREE discovery call with our WizeTalent hiring coaches to help find your next team member the Wize Way – Click Here 3. Work with Jamie and our mentors for 8 weeks - Build a custom business plan for your firm - Apply here

    1 hr

  2. FEB 5

    Episode 189: Building a Strong Team Connection in 30 Minutes a Week

    Is your firm suffering unnecessary churn because you’ve lost real connection with your staff? Most firm owners try to grow their teams without ever building the connection rhythms that actually keep people engaged. The result? Surprise resignations, scattered communication, and leaders stretched thin trying to hold everything together. In this episode of The Wize Way Podcast, the Wize coaching team breaks down how just 30 minutes a week can transform retention, performance, and clarity across your firm, sharing practical insights on: ✅ Why weekly one-on-ones (through your leadership chain, not all on you) are critical to retention  ✅ How to structure simple, repeatable one-on-ones around wins, goals, productivity, and development  ✅ The meeting rhythm that creates calm: daily huddles, weekly manager touchpoints, and monthly all-hands  ✅ How to build real connection so issues surface early, not through surprise resignations  ✅ Practical ways to scale communication as your team grows, without burning yourself out If you want a team that feels supported, aligned, and accountable, and a business that doesn’t depend on you being everywhere at once, this conversation is essential listening. ________________ PS: Whenever you’re ready… here are the fastest 4 ways we can help you fix and grow your accounting firm: 1. Download our famous Wize Freedom Map for FREE - Find out the 96 projects every firm owner must implement to build a $5M+ firm that can run without them - Download here 2. Need to Hire right now? Book a 1:1 FREE discovery call with our WizeTalent hiring coaches to help find your next team member the Wize Way – Click Here 3. Work with Jamie and our mentors for 8 weeks - Build a custom business plan for your firm - Apply here

    23 min

  3. JAN 29

    Episode 188: How to Run Your Firm in 5 Metrics

    Are you tracking dozens of numbers but still unsure how your firm is really performing? More data does not equal more clarity. What matters is knowing which five metrics actually drive decisions. In this episode of The Wize Way Podcast, Wize Mentor Thomas breaks down the Fab 5, the five high-level KPIs every firm owner should be watching if they want clarity, control, and sustainable growth: ✅ Why revenue and profitability only matter when viewed through the right lens  ✅ How fees won and lost reveal your future hiring needs months in advance  ✅ The hidden story behind WIP, lockup, and cash flow  ✅ Why client and team NPS quietly drive referrals, retention, and performance  ✅ How to use benchmarks to spot problems early without getting buried in numbers If you want to stop tracking everything and start focusing on what actually moves your firm forward, this conversation will give you a practical framework to lead with confidence. ________________ PS: Whenever you’re ready… here are the fastest 4 ways we can help you fix and grow your accounting firm: 1. Download our famous Wize Freedom Map for FREE - Find out the 96 projects every firm owner must implement to build a $5M+ firm that can run without them - Download here 2. Need to Hire right now? Book a 1:1 FREE discovery call with our WizeTalent hiring coaches to help find your next team member the Wize Way – Click Here 3. Work with Jamie and our mentors for 8 weeks - Build a custom business plan for your firm - Apply here

    37 min

  4. JAN 23

    Episode 187: Vanity Metrics vs Real KPIs: Which Are You Tracking?

    Are you keeping track of the metrics that actually drive profit and control…  or getting sidelined by vanity metrics that make you feel busy? In this episode of The Wize Way Podcast, Thomas breaks down the Fab 5 KPIs and why they’ve been refined over the last 10–15 years into a simple scoreboard that gives firm owners a full-spectrum view of how the business is really performing. You’ll learn: ✅ Why output metrics matter more than input metrics (and how to spot the difference)  ✅ The Fab 5: Revenue, Profitability, Lockup, Sales, and NPS, and what each one reveals  ✅ Why write-ons / write-offs is often the hardest KPI to track, but the most powerful for protecting margin  ✅ How KPI patterns tell a story and help you diagnose what’s actually happening inside the firm  ✅ The monthly manager meeting rhythm that turns KPIs into ownership, accountability, and calm leadership If you want to stop tracking numbers for the sake of it, and start using a KPI dashboard that makes decisions obvious, this episode is a must-listen. ________________ PS: Whenever you’re ready… here are the fastest 4 ways we can help you fix and grow your accounting firm: 1. Download our famous Wize Freedom Map for FREE - Find out the 96 projects every firm owner must implement to build a $5M+ firm that can run without them - Download here 2. Need to Hire right now? Book a 1:1 FREE discovery call with our WizeTalent hiring coaches to help find your next team member the Wize Way – Click Here 3. Work with Jamie and our mentors for 8 weeks - Build a custom business plan for your firm - Apply here

    56 min

  5. JAN 15

    Episode 186: The KPI Meeting Rhythm that Scales Your Firm

    Most firm owners don’t hit a growth ceiling because they lack talent in their team. They hit it because they haven’t built ownership in their team yet.  The result? Managers who stay dependent. Performance conversations that feel emotional. And a firm that can’t scale because everything still rolls back up to the owner. In this Wize Coaching Call, Tim breaks down the simplest (and most powerful) lever to create alignment and accountability in your firm: a monthly strategic meeting built on objective KPIs — plus the “no bypass” rule that stops you from accidentally sabotaging your leaders as they grow.  Inside the session, you’ll learn: ✅ Why most firms hit a real ceiling around $500k–$1M revenue (and what actually breaks through it)  ✅ The monthly KPI rhythm that builds ownership mindset in client managers  ✅ How to coach performance through the “story behind the numbers” (without personal conflict)  ✅ Why “no bypass” is the hidden skill behind scalable leadership and real delegation  ✅ The metrics that reveal whether your firm is truly healthy: revenue, productivity, write-offs, lockup, growth, and NPS  If you want a firm that grows beyond your personal capacity — and a team that performs without constant rescue — this is a must-listen.  ________________ PS: Whenever you’re ready… here are the fastest 4 ways we can help you fix and grow your accounting firm: 1. Download our famous Wize Freedom Map for FREE - Find out the 96 projects every firm owner must implement to build a $5M+ firm that can run without them - Download here 2. Need to Hire right now? Book a 1:1 FREE discovery call with our WizeTalent hiring coaches to help find your next team member the Wize Way – Click Here 3. Work with Jamie and our mentors for 8 weeks - Build a custom business plan for your firm - Apply here

    34 min

  6. JAN 8

    Episode 185: Authority Flows Where Accountability Lives

    Most firm owners try to scale by tracking more numbers yet still feel stuck in the weeds. The result? KPI overload, inconsistent results, and a business that still depends too heavily on the owner. In this episode of The Wize Way Podcast, we unpack how SOPs are the missing link between KPIs and real performance. Not as paperwork, but as the operational muscle that turns targets into daily behaviour. Drawing from a live Wize coaching session, this conversation explores: ✅ Why KPIs fail when systems don’t support them  ✅ How SOP ownership drives accountability for results  ✅ The link between micro-training and consistent KPI outcomes  ✅ How to get buy-in so teams act on the numbers, not just report them If your KPIs look good on paper but don’t change how work gets done, this is a must-listen. ________________ PS: Whenever you’re ready… here are the fastest 4 ways we can help you fix and grow your accounting firm: 1. Download our famous Wize Freedom Map for FREE - Find out the 96 projects every firm owner must implement to build a $5M+ firm that can run without them - Download here 2. Need to Hire right now? Book a 1:1 FREE discovery call with our WizeTalent hiring coaches to help find your next team member the Wize Way – Click Here 3. Work with Jamie and our mentors for 8 weeks - Build a custom business plan for your firm - Apply here

    57 min

  7. JAN 2

    Episode 184: The Real Legacy of Leadership with Jane Pollard

    Most firm owners think leadership is about driving harder, fixing problems faster, and holding everything together themselves. But real freedom doesn’t come from doing more, it comes from lifting others to lead. In this episode of The Wize Way Podcast, Jane Pollard shares an honest reflection on leadership, legacy, and what changes when a firm owner stops centering the business around themselves and starts building people instead. You’ll hear Jane unpack: Why leadership is about impact, not controlThe mindset shift from serving clients to developing leadersWhat it means to paint a future your team can’t yet seeHow building yourself first creates a better life for everyone around youWhy it’s never “too late” to lead differently - or more meaningfullyIf you’re building a firm and wondering what your work is really for, this conversation will challenge how you think about leadership, success, and the legacy you’re creating through your team. This is one for firm owners who want their business to mean something, not just run. ________________ PS: Whenever you’re ready… here are the fastest 4 ways we can help you fix and grow your accounting firm: 1. Download our famous Wize Freedom Map for FREE - Find out the 96 projects every firm owner must implement to build a $5M+ firm that can run without them - Download here 2. Need to Hire right now? Book a 1:1 FREE discovery call with our WizeTalent hiring coaches to help find your next team member the Wize Way – Click Here 3. Work with Jamie and our mentors for 8 weeks - Build a custom business plan for your firm - Apply here

    28 min

  8. 12/18/2025

    Episode 183: The Four Step Pricing Playbook for Accounting Firms

    Most firm owners think pricing is a “numbers problem”… so they copy what the last accountant charged, slap on a fixed fee, and hope it works out. The result? Scope creep, shrinking margins, and a team that’s flat-out busy while the profit quietly disappears. In this episode of The Wize Way Podcast, Bren Ward sits down with Jamie Johns to break down the Wize approach to pricing, including: ✅ Why COGS % is the KPI that decides whether you live or die  ✅ The real truth about value pricing vs fixed fees vs time billing (all can work, if you do it right)  ✅ The 4-step pricing playbook to price jobs with confidence  ✅ Why timesheets aren’t “dead” - they’re your efficiency and accountability dashboard  ✅ How to increase fees without shocking clients (and why annual rises matter) If you want pricing that protects profit, sets expectations, and scales with your team, this conversation is a must-listen. ________________ PS: Whenever you’re ready… here are the fastest 4 ways we can help you fix and grow your accounting firm: 1. Download our famous Wize Freedom Map for FREE - Find out the 96 projects every firm owner must implement to build a $5M+ firm that can run without them - Download here 2. Need to Hire right now? Book a 1:1 FREE discovery call with our WizeTalent hiring coaches to help find your next team member the Wize Way – Click Here 3. Work with Jamie and our mentors for 8 weeks - Build a custom business plan for your firm - Apply here

    28 min
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About

Feeling stuck in your firm or on the edge of rapid growth but don't know how to build the business so that it’s not reliant on you?  Join Bren Ward as he shares the insights, stories, strategies and tools that have helped transform the businesses and lives of our Wize Guys and hundreds of Accounting, CPA and bookkeeping firm owners around the world.  In each episode, Bren dives into the leadership, marketing, sales, systems and mindset tactics that'll get you to your goals without burning out.  His interviews with his Wize co-founders and community of Wize firm owners are inspiring and transformational.  Subscribe to transform your challenges into opportunities and build a business that can run without you. 

Information

  • Creator
    Wize Mentoring for Accountants and Bookkeepers
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    190
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Wize Way
  • Show Website
    The Wize Way