Mark Jenkins has had over 20 years in Public Practice in New Zealand. In 2014, he sold his firm so that he could focus on his true passion - helping accountants to accelerate small business success. Mark joined forces with Viv Brownrigg, together creating The Gap so that Accounting firms throughout NZ, Australia and the UK can use Business Development content to maximise income without having to re-invent the wheel. Selected shownotes:

A throwback to accountants writing cheques and processing bank statements manually to the digital world

The challenge for accountants in staying current with technology and maintain learning to serve clients

The dangers for accountants of losing relevance with clients and the marketplace

The foundational skill accountants need to be 'in the game'

The different communication skills accountants should master

A great communication technique to set up a conversation about tax or payments

Ways for accountants to improve their communication and people skills

The four stages of learning using the example of diving a car and then for accountants calling clients

The importance for accounting professionals to develop their own communication style

Why accountants struggle to master selling skills and what they can do about it

Simple ways to find out what clients actually want so accountants can position and sell comfortably

The 3 key skills or responsibility required to make partner for accounting

professionals

OPPSS explained as a process for accountants to make the most of opportunities to bring in new work

Why accountants need to develop the ability to speak beyond the numbers and forecasts

What business acumen and commercial awareness looks like for accountants and how they can develop it

The power of empathy if accountants want to properly relate to their clients

Words of wisdom for accounting professionals to help clients better and be as good as they can be.

In his downtime, Mark likes nothing more than getting up at the crack of dawn, pulling out his kayak, catching, filleting and BBQing his catch of the day. Contact him here:

https://www.thegapportal.com/ (Website)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-jenkins-59872a42/ (LinkedIn)