Your next great advisor might already be sitting in your team.

They might not have the title of advisor. They might not be the most senior person in the firm. And they may never have been given the opportunity to have an advisory conversation with a client.

But that doesn't mean the potential isn't there.

In this episode of Advisory Secrets, I look at how to recognise the advisory potential that may already exist within your accounting or bookkeeping team.

Traditionally, we've trained people to complete tasks accurately and efficiently. But advisory requires us to look for something more — curiosity, judgement, communication skills and the ability to notice when something doesn't quite add up.

It might be the bookkeeper who spots a pattern in a client's cash flow. The team member who asks a really good question. Or the person who understands the client's business incredibly well because they're working with their numbers every day.

Those are advisory skills starting to show.

The important thing is creating an environment where people feel confident enough to speak up, share what they've noticed and contribute their ideas.

Because building an advisory team doesn't mean turning everybody into a lead advisor.

It means recognising the capability you already have and giving people the opportunity to develop it.

And sometimes, the person with the greatest advisory potential isn't necessarily the person you would have expected.

Takeaways

• Your next advisor may already be working in your firm.
• Advisory potential isn't necessarily linked to seniority or job title.
• Look for people who are curious, observant, good communicators and willing to ask questions.
• Team members working closely with the numbers can often spot things that create valuable client conversations.
• People need to feel safe to say, "I've noticed something here..." without worrying that they're stepping outside their role.
• Not everyone needs to become a lead advisor — advisory capability can exist at different levels across the team.
• Developing advisory capability isn't simply about delegating more work. You're developing people's thinking, judgement and confidence.

Find Out More

To find out more about developing advisory capability across your team, visit APX Training.

You can also join our free Advisory Teams Facebook community for more conversations around building advisory teams.

This episode looks at one of the biggest challenges with the traditional advisory model: what happens when all of the advisory knowledge, client relationships and decision-making sit with one person?

Very often, the business owner or senior advisor becomes the person every client wants to speak to and every team member turns to for answers. It can feel like a sign that advisory is working — until that person becomes the bottleneck.

In this episode, I talk about why I believe we need to build advisory capability across the team, rather than simply creating one brilliant advisor.

I share some of my own experience of building an accountancy, bookkeeping and financial coaching firm where advisory skills existed across the team. Different people could contribute to client conversations, recognise opportunities, understand the story behind the numbers and help clients move forward.

That doesn't mean everyone needs to become the lead advisor. It means the knowledge and capability shouldn't live inside one person's head.

I also leave you with a question that really gets to the heart of this series:

If you stepped away from your client work for three months, how much of your advisory service would continue without you?

If the answer is very little, perhaps you don't have an advisory service yet.

Perhaps you have an advisor.

And there's a big difference.

Takeaways

• Advisory becomes difficult to scale when everything depends on the business owner or one senior advisor.
• Being the person every client wants can feel like success — but it can also create a bottleneck.
• Advisory skills and knowledge can be developed across the wider accounting or bookkeeping team.
• Not everyone needs to become a lead advisor; different team members can contribute at different levels.
• Building capability across the team gives clients access to more knowledge while creating capacity for the owner.
• A useful test is to ask how much of your advisory service would continue if you weren't there.
• Throughout this series, we'll explore the skills, confidence, leadership and culture needed to move from one trusted advisor to a capable advisory team.

Find Out More

Visit APX Training to find out more about developing advisory capability across your team.

Join the free Advisory Teams Facebook community for more conversations and resources around building team-delivered advisory.

Episode Summary

In this final episode of Advisory Secrets, I bring together the key themes we've explored throughout the series and reflect on what it really means to become a trusted advisor.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that becoming an advisor isn't something that happens overnight. There isn't a single moment where everything suddenly changes. Instead, it's a gradual process that develops through experience, conversations, reflection, and a genuine desire to help clients succeed.

Throughout this series, we've talked about confidence, communication, advisory conversations, client relationships, mindset, and the importance of looking beyond the numbers. Whilst these are all important skills, becoming a trusted advisor is about much more than learning a new approach or offering a new service.

It's about how you show up for your clients.

It's about being curious, asking better questions, listening carefully, and helping people make better decisions.

I've found that the most successful advisors aren't necessarily the people with the most technical knowledge. They're often the people who take the time to understand what really matters to their clients. They understand that behind every set of accounts is a business owner trying to solve problems, achieve goals, and build a better future.

As your advisory skills develop, something interesting starts to happen. Clients begin involving you earlier in their decision-making. Conversations become more strategic. Trust deepens. And the relationship moves beyond reporting what has happened to helping shape what happens next.

That's where advisory becomes truly valuable.

Ultimately, becoming a trusted advisor isn't about having all the answers.

It's about helping clients gain clarity, confidence, and direction.

And whilst the journey may be gradual, the impact can be significant, both for your clients and for your own professional fulfilment.

Key Takeaways

• Becoming a trusted advisor is a gradual journey built through experience, conversations, and consistency.

• Advisory is not simply a service you offer. It's a different way of thinking and working with clients.

• Strong advisory relationships are built on trust, understanding, and genuine interest in helping clients succeed.

• The most valuable advisors focus on helping clients make better decisions rather than simply providing information.

• Confidence grows through practice and experience, not by waiting until you feel completely ready.

• Effective advisory requires curiosity, listening, and the ability to ask meaningful questions.

• Clients value clarity, guidance, and support when navigating important business decisions.

• Looking beyond the numbers helps uncover the opportunities, challenges, and goals that drive business performance.

• Small improvements in how you communicate and engage with clients can create significant long-term results.

Resources Mentioned

Website: debhalliday.co.uk

Website: theaccountsoffice.co.uk

Facebook Community: Advisory Teams

About Advisory Secrets with Deb Halliday

Advisory Secrets is the podcast for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals who want to move beyond compliance, build stronger client relationships, and become trusted advisors.

Through practical insights, real-world experiences, and honest conversations, this series has explored the skills, mindset, and confidence required to create greater value for clients and build a more rewarding professional future.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Advisory Secrets, I explore one of the most important shifts accountants and bookkeepers need to make if they want to move beyond compliance and become trusted advisors.

It's not a new qualification.

It's not another service.

And it's not about learning more technical knowledge.

It's about mindset.

Throughout my career, I've seen many talented professionals struggle with advisory, not because they lack expertise, but because they're still thinking like technicians rather than advisors.

Technicians focus on completing tasks, meeting deadlines, and getting things right. Advisors look beyond the task and ask a different question:

"What does this mean for the client?"

That simple shift changes everything.

In this episode, I discuss why advisory is less about providing answers and more about helping clients think through decisions, opportunities, and challenges. We explore the role curiosity plays in great advisory conversations, why the best advisors look beyond the numbers, and how understanding the bigger picture can uncover opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

I also share why becoming comfortable with uncertainty is such an important part of advisory. Unlike compliance, there isn't always a single right answer. Often our role is to help clients explore options, weigh up decisions, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.

Ultimately, becoming an advisor isn't about changing what you know.

It's about changing how you think.

Because the most valuable advisors aren't simply focused on completing work.

They're focused on helping clients achieve better outcomes.

Key Takeaways

• The transition from technician to trusted advisor begins with a shift in mindset rather than a change in technical ability.

• Advisory is about understanding what the numbers mean and helping clients make better decisions as a result.

• Great advisors focus on outcomes, not just tasks and deliverables.

• Curiosity is one of the most valuable traits an advisor can develop because it leads to deeper conversations and better insights.

• Business owners often need a thinking partner more than they need another expert with all the answers.

• Advisory requires becoming comfortable with uncertainty and exploring possibilities rather than looking for perfect solutions.

• Information is readily available, but insight remains incredibly valuable.

• Understanding the person behind the business is often just as important as understanding the financial information.

• The most successful advisors help clients think differently, act confidently, and move towards their goals.

Resources Mentioned

Website: debhalliday.co.uk

Website: theaccountsoffice.co.uk

Facebook Community: Advisory Teams

About Advisory Secrets with Deb Halliday

Advisory Secrets is the podcast for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals who want to move beyond compliance, develop stronger advisory skills, and become trusted advisors to their clients.

Each episode shares practical insights, lessons learned, and real-world experiences to help you build confidence, improve client conversations, and create greater value through advisory.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Advisory Secrets, I explore the hidden cost of staying in compliance.

Now, before anyone misunderstands me, this isn't about criticising compliance work. Compliance is incredibly important. Businesses need accounts, tax returns, bookkeeping, payroll, and all the services that help keep them on track.

The challenge isn't compliance itself.

The challenge is becoming trapped in it.

Many accountants and bookkeepers find themselves caught in a cycle of deadlines, submissions, and reporting. They're busy, often overwhelmed, and working incredibly hard. Yet despite all that effort, they can feel stuck, with little time to have the meaningful conversations that create real impact for clients.

In this episode, I explore what happens when we spend all our time looking backwards and very little time helping clients look forwards.

We discuss how technology is changing the profession, why clients increasingly need guidance rather than information, and why the real opportunity for accountants and bookkeepers lies in helping clients make better decisions, not simply reporting what has already happened.

I also share why moving into advisory isn't about abandoning compliance. In fact, the strongest advisory relationships are often built on solid compliance foundations. The difference is that advisory allows us to use that information in a more meaningful way.

Ultimately, this episode is about recognising that whilst compliance will always have a place, the future belongs to professionals who can help clients interpret information, navigate uncertainty, and shape what happens next.

Because the biggest risk may not be stepping into advisory.

It may be standing still.

Key Takeaways

• Compliance work is essential, but relying on compliance alone can limit growth, impact, and professional fulfilment.

• Many accountants and bookkeepers become trapped in a cycle of deadlines and delivery, leaving little room for strategic client conversations.

• Clients increasingly need guidance, clarity, and support rather than simply access to information.

• Technology and automation are changing the profession, creating new opportunities for advisory services.

• Advisory is not about replacing compliance. It's about building on it.

• The most valuable client relationships are often created through conversations about decisions, opportunities, and future outcomes.

• Shifting from reporting information to helping clients interpret and act on it creates significantly more value.

• The future of the profession belongs to those who can combine technical expertise with advisory capability.

• The greatest opportunity may come from using the knowledge you already have in a different way.

Resources Mentioned

Website: debhalliday.co.uk

Website: theaccountsoffice.co.uk

Facebook Community: Advisory Teams

About Advisory Secrets with Deb Halliday

Advisory Secrets is the podcast for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals who want to move beyond compliance, develop stronger advisory skills, and become trusted advisors to their clients.

Each episode shares practical insights, lessons learned, and real-world experiences to help you create more meaningful client relationships, deliver greater value, and build a more rewarding and impactful practice.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Advisory Secrets, I explore one of the biggest mindset shifts accountants and bookkeepers need to make when moving into advisory.

Learning to see the business behind the numbers.

For many professionals, it's easy to become focused on the reports, the financial statements, and the numbers themselves. But whilst numbers are incredibly important, they only tell us what has happened. They rarely explain why it happened.

The real value of advisory comes from understanding the decisions, behaviours, systems, and challenges that sit behind the financial results.

In this episode, I discuss why advisory conversations need to go beyond simply reviewing reports and how understanding the bigger business picture can completely change the value we bring to clients.

We explore the importance of looking for patterns rather than isolated figures, understanding the business owner behind the business, and recognising that every number is usually the result of a decision, behaviour, or process.

I also share why some of the most valuable advisory conversations are not about the numbers at all. They're about the people, the goals, the frustrations, and the opportunities that ultimately drive those numbers.

When we learn to connect financial performance with what is happening inside the business, we move beyond reporting history and start helping clients shape their future.

And that's where advisory becomes truly valuable.

Key Takeaways

• Financial reports tell us what happened, but advisory helps uncover why it happened.

• The most valuable advisory conversations focus on the business behind the numbers, not just the numbers themselves.

• Every financial result is usually linked to decisions, behaviours, systems, or processes within the business.

• Looking for patterns often provides greater insight than focusing on individual figures in isolation.

• Understanding the business owner, their goals, challenges, and motivations is essential for meaningful advisory work.

• Advisory is about helping clients understand the story behind their numbers and what actions they should take next.

• Great advisors connect financial information to business decisions, opportunities, and future outcomes.

• The shift from technician to advisor happens when conversations move beyond reporting and towards understanding, improvement, and growth.

• The real value of advisory lies in helping clients build better businesses, not simply explaining financial results.

Resources Mentioned

Website: debhalliday.co.uk

Website: theaccountsoffice.co.uk

Facebook Community: Advisory Teams

About Advisory Secrets with Deb Halliday

Advisory Secrets is the podcast for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals who want to move beyond compliance, develop stronger advisory skills, and become trusted advisors to their clients.

Each episode shares practical insights, real-world experiences, and lessons learned from working with business owners, helping you create more meaningful conversations, deliver greater value, and build stronger client relationships through advisory.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Advisory Secrets, I explore one of the most powerful skills any accountant or bookkeeper can develop when moving into advisory: the ability to ask better questions.

Many professionals believe that becoming a trusted advisor requires more technical knowledge, more qualifications, or more experience. Whilst those things can certainly help, I've found that some of the most valuable advisory conversations begin with a simple question.

The reality is that advisory isn't about having all the answers. It's about helping clients think more clearly about their business, their challenges, and the decisions they need to make.

In this episode, I share why great advisory conversations start with curiosity, how asking the right questions can uncover opportunities hidden beneath the numbers, and why listening is often more important than speaking.

We explore practical questions that can help business owners think differently about success, profitability, growth, time, and decision-making. Most importantly, we discuss why understanding the person behind the numbers is often where the real value of advisory begins.

When we stop focusing on providing immediate solutions and start focusing on understanding the bigger picture, our conversations become more meaningful, our client relationships become stronger, and our advisory impact increases significantly.

Ultimately, the quality of your advice is often determined by the quality of the questions you ask first.

Key Takeaways

• Becoming a trusted advisor is not about having all the answers. It's about asking better questions.

• Great advisory conversations begin with curiosity and a genuine desire to understand the client's situation.

• The most valuable insights often come from the client's own answers rather than the advisor's recommendations.

• Understanding a client's goals and definition of success creates more meaningful and impactful conversations.

• Questions help uncover challenges, opportunities, and priorities that may not be visible in the financial reports alone.

• Listening is one of the most important advisory skills because it allows clients the space to think, reflect, and explore their options.

• Advisory conversations become more valuable when they focus on outcomes, decisions, and future goals rather than historical information alone.

• Curiosity creates better conversations, and better conversations create better advisory relationships.

• Understanding the person behind the business is often the key to delivering meaningful advisory support.

Resources Mentioned

Website: debhalliday.co.uk

Website: theaccountsoffice.co.uk

Facebook Community: Advisory Teams

About Advisory Secrets with Deb Halliday

Advisory Secrets is the podcast for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals who want to move beyond compliance, develop stronger advisory skills, and become trusted advisors to their clients.

Each episode shares practical insights, real-world experiences, and lessons learned from working with business owners, helping you build confidence, improve client conversations, and create more value through advisory services.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Advisory Secrets, I explore one of the most common frustrations accountants and bookkeepers face when they begin delivering advisory services.

You have a great meeting with a client. They agree with everything you're saying. They understand the recommendations. They can see the benefits of making a change.

And then they do absolutely nothing.

The reality is that most clients don't struggle because they lack information. More often, they struggle because they're dealing with uncertainty, fear, overwhelm, or a lack of confidence in the decisions they need to make.

In this episode, I explain why understanding and action are two very different things, and why simply giving better advice isn't always the answer.

We explore some of the real reasons clients get stuck, including fear of making the wrong decision, uncertainty about where to start, and the feeling that a problem isn't urgent enough to tackle right now.

I also share why accountability is such an important part of advisory, how simplifying recommendations can make action more likely, and why helping clients take the first small step is often more valuable than giving them a long list of things to do.

Ultimately, advisory isn't just about helping clients understand their numbers.

It's about helping them move forward.

Because real value isn't created when advice is given.

It's created when action is taken.

Key Takeaways

• One of the biggest frustrations advisors face is when clients agree with recommendations but fail to take action.

• Understanding a problem and doing something about it are two very different things.

• Clients are often held back by fear, uncertainty, lack of confidence, or feeling overwhelmed rather than a lack of knowledge.

• Effective advisory requires empathy and understanding, not just technical expertise.

• Accountability can be just as important as advice when it comes to helping clients achieve results.

• Breaking recommendations into smaller, manageable steps often increases the likelihood of action.

• Clients need clarity and confidence more than they need additional information.

• Progress is often achieved through small, consistent actions rather than major changes.

• Great advisors focus on helping clients move forward, not simply providing answers.

Resources Mentioned

Website: debhalliday.co.uk

Website: theaccountsoffice.co.uk

Facebook Community: Advisory Teams

About Advisory Secrets with Deb Halliday

Advisory Secrets is the podcast for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals who want to move beyond compliance, build stronger advisory relationships, and become trusted advisors to their clients.

Each episode shares practical insights, real-world experiences, and lessons learned from working with business owners, helping you develop the confidence, communication skills, and advisory mindset needed to create greater value and lasting impact.

Confidence Without Ego: The Advisory Mindset ShiftEpisode Summary

In this episode of Advisory Secrets, I explore one of the biggest barriers preventing accountants and bookkeepers from stepping confidently into advisory.

Confidence.

Many professionals assume they need another qualification, more experience, or greater expertise before they can truly call themselves an advisor. But in my experience, that's rarely the real issue.

Most accountants already know far more than they give themselves credit for.

The challenge is having the confidence to share their perspective, ask better questions, and guide clients through important decisions.

In this episode, I discuss why confidence is often misunderstood, why waiting until you feel "ready" can hold you back for years, and the difference between confidence and ego in advisory relationships.

We also explore why clients aren't looking for perfection. They're looking for clarity. They want someone who can help them think through challenges, weigh up options, and move forward with confidence.

The reality is that advisory isn't about having all the answers.

It's about helping clients make better decisions.

And often, the most valuable thing you can offer isn't certainty about the outcome, but confidence in the process.

If you've ever questioned whether you're experienced enough, knowledgeable enough, or ready enough to step into advisory, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways

• Confidence is one of the biggest barriers preventing accountants and bookkeepers from developing advisory services.

• Most professionals already have the technical knowledge required to become advisors.

• Confidence is built through action and experience, not by waiting until you feel ready.

• Advisory often requires judgement and discussion rather than perfect answers.

• Clients are not looking for perfection. They're looking for guidance, perspective, and clarity.

• Confidence and ego are very different. The best advisors remain curious, collaborative, and open-minded.

• Strong advisory relationships are built on trust, listening, and thoughtful conversations.

• Clients often borrow confidence from their advisor when making important decisions.

• Becoming a trusted advisor starts with being willing to have the conversation, even when you don't feel completely ready.

Resources Mentioned

Website: debhalliday.co.uk

Website: theaccountsoffice.co.uk

Facebook Community: Advisory Teams

About Advisory Secrets with Deb Halliday

Advisory Secrets is the podcast for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals who want to move beyond compliance, develop confidence in advisory conversations, and become trusted advisors to their clients.

Each episode shares practical lessons, real-world experiences, and actionable insights to help you build stronger client relationships, create greater value, and grow your confidence as an advisor.

Episode Summary

In this episode of Advisory Secrets, I explore what it really means to become a trusted advisor.

It's a phrase that gets used a lot in our profession, but becoming a trusted advisor isn't something you can simply decide to be. It's not a title you give yourself, and it certainly doesn't happen because of the letters after your name.

Trust is earned.

It's built through consistent conversations, genuine interest in your clients, and a willingness to help them make better decisions.

Many accountants and bookkeepers believe that authority comes from technical expertise alone. Whilst knowledge is important, I've found that the strongest advisory relationships are built on something much deeper. Clients want to know that you understand them, their business, their goals, and the challenges they're facing.

In this episode, I share why trust develops gradually over time, how the relationship changes when clients start involving you in decisions before they make them, and why listening is one of the most valuable skills any advisor can develop.

We also explore the difference between confidence and ego, the role consistency plays in building authority, and why the most trusted advisors aren't necessarily the people with all the answers. They're often the people who help clients think more clearly and move forward with confidence.

Ultimately, becoming a trusted advisor isn't about demonstrating how much you know.

It's about building relationships that make clients feel understood, supported, and confident in the decisions they make.

Key Takeaways

• Becoming a trusted advisor is a journey built through consistency, trust, and meaningful client relationships.

• Trust cannot be claimed. It is something clients decide based on their experience of working with you.

• The strongest advisory relationships develop when clients start seeking your advice before making important decisions.

• Technical expertise is important, but trust is built through understanding, communication, and genuine interest in the client.

• Listening is one of the most valuable advisory skills because it helps uncover concerns, challenges, and opportunities that may not be immediately obvious.

• Authority is built over time through small, consistent actions rather than one-off conversations or meetings.

• Confidence helps clients feel supported, while ego can create barriers to trust.

• The most effective advisors help clients think more clearly rather than simply telling them what to do.

• Strong advisory relationships are built on trust, understanding, and a commitment to helping clients achieve their goals.

Resources Mentioned

Website: debhalliday.co.uk

Website: theaccountsoffice.co.uk

Facebook Community: Advisory Teams

About Advisory Secrets with Deb Halliday

Advisory Secrets is the podcast for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals who want to move beyond compliance, build stronger client relationships, and become trusted advisors.

Each episode shares practical lessons, real-world experiences, and proven strategies to help you develop the confidence, communication skills, and advisory mindset needed to create greater value for your clients and build a more rewarding practice.