Episode 120. In today's interview, "How Clients Can Educate Accountants: Susan Bryant"

Susan Bryant is a CPA with a vision to help business owners achieve their dreams. She has been voted Top 50 Women in Accounting and works with the MB Group leading lead the Accounting Services team. Her favorite roles are being the architect of accounting processes, an M&A advisor and tax strategist. Susan’s passion is transforming the lives of business owners by bringing order to the finance function and alleviating stress around taxes through proper and timely planning.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

》shout out to Susan's previous interview on what makes a good accounting client https://bit.ly/38F7rdn

》what accountants should do to ensure their clients step up to be better clients

》top tips for accountants to manage the expectations of their client

》what makes the good accountants great in terms of going beyond compliance for their clients

》what turns a good accounting client into a great one - the dynamics of a great client-accountant relationship

》the importance of accounting clients treating their advisors as partners rather than mere suppliers of a service

》when accounting advice becomes more emotional and and relationship based for clients

》how very few business owners have a good knowledge of what their accountant actually does

》examples of questions accountants can ask their clients to improve their relationship and service

》the questions and topics business owners should be bringing up with their accounting advisors

》whether clients can and even should focus on making their accountants better advisors

》the options for accounting firm clients who are not happy with what their professional advisors are doing

》how coachable accountants and CPAs are as a breed and why few are interested in developing

》the importance for business owners to be clear on what they want from their accountant and vice versa

》the key elements of the discovery call for accountants and prospective clients

》what business owners should be asking a potential new accounting advisor before hiring them

》the kind of things that make business owners switch CPA firms or accounting advisors (and what doesn't)

》the biggest thing accountants and the accounting profession needs to work on to improve the sector's image

》what it means for accountants to actively help their clients to fulfil their dreams

》the need for accountants and CPAs to have their own dreams and visions so they transform themselves

》the difference between incremental change and significant transformation for accountants and their clients

Outside work, you'll find Susan whipping up new dishes in the kitchen, shopping at the mall with her teenage daughters, planning (in excruciating accountant-like detail) her next vacation and, if it's Christmas-time, glued to the Hallmark Channel. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanbryantcpa

https://twitter.com/MBGroupSusanB

https://www.mbgcpa.com

Check out Susan's previous interview on the show:

Accountants - Make Good Clients Great: Susan Bryant

https://bit.ly/38F7rdn

NOTE TO LISTENERS:

The Accounting Influencers Podcast is a daily radio-style show with four segments coming out every Monday which are repeated on the other 4 weekdays as standalone episodes, plus a bonus 'from the client's perspective' episode on Saturdays. On Sundays, listeners get a short min trailer for the coming week's episodes.

Every Tuesday the show gives you a relevant news topic from the accounting and fintech world with a direct application to accountants, CPAs and bookkeepers. Great to stay informed and build your commercial acumen.

Every Wednesday and Friday, we feature an uncut interview with top authors, leaders, thinkers and performers in the accounting and fintech world.

Every Thursday the show gives you a practical 'here's what works' tips concerning a key challenge, need or strategy for accountants, CPAs and bookkeepers. Great to stay current and keep your skills topped up.

Finally, every Saturday gives listeners a bonus episode which focuses on the buyers of accounting services - the clients themselves. In particular how they feel, react to and experience their interactions with accountants. That includes why they buy or don't buy, why they move or stay and why they think how they think about you, your firm, your prices and your offerings.

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