Human Too Podcast

Hannah speaks with Avivah Wittenberg-Cox about the future of work through the lens of longevity, gender balance, and culture. Avivah shares why organisations need to rethink talent beyond the old career model, how 'Q3' —the years from 50 to 75—can be a powerful and fulfilling life stage, and why businesses that adapt to demographic change will be better positioned for the future. It’s a thoughtful conversation about what longer lives mean for individuals, leaders, and the workplace.

For more information or to sign up to Avivah's MidLife Rethink Programme, click here.

Most accounting students and professionals overlook the emotional and mindset hurdles standing between them and exam success — until now! Edel Walsh shares her journey from a Big4 tax career at KPMG to pioneering a niche coaching and accountancy firm support-service supporting trainees with mindset, well-being, and exam preparation strategies.

She's the Irish Accountancy Hub (well I'm the Irish Edel Walsh really!).

Gareth John is the Director of Policy at First Intuition, with over 20 years’ experience transforming accountancy education and training. Gareth dives into the importance of resilience, the lessons from overcoming mental health challenges, and why asking for help is a true sign of strength.

You'll discover three awesome tips for those in their early careers and Gareth's stories of perseverance and vulnerability will inspire anyone feeling overwhelmed by their professional or personal setbacks. Enjoy!

In this episode, Krutika Adatia shares her journey from growing up in India to becoming an accountant and educator in the UK and then Digital Delivery Lead at the ACCA.

She discusses the importance of empathy in her professional life, her love for podcasting with 'Journeys with Krutika', and challenging taboos in the South Asian community.

Check out her podcast here!

Krutika also reflects on the impact of AI on the accounting profession and emphasises the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace. The conversation highlights the non-linear career paths that accountants can take and the significance of enjoying the journey of personal and professional growth!

In this episode of the Human Too Podcast, I interview Rajesh Shah, a seasoned finance professional with over 31 years of experience at Costco. We discuss Rajesh's journey from his early career in accountancy to his leadership roles, emphasising the importance of empathy in management, the impact of AI on the accounting profession, and the value of mentorship.

Rajesh shares insights from his extensive career, including the challenges of making tough decisions in corporate settings and the rewarding aspects of developing talent within his teams. As he reflects on his retirement, he highlights the importance of maintaining a balance between work and personal life, and the continuous journey of learning and growth!

Manj is a consultant in the public sector, having had a varied career spanning 30+ years which has included senior roles at ACCA and CIPFA as well as the civil service. 

She’s also a CIPFA Apprentice Coach and, as you will hear in this podcast, Manj is a brilliant supporter of trainees as a coach and mentor, drawing on her own experience of sitting exams and navigating the working world. She’s particularly passionate about supporting trainees with diverse characteristics and in this podcast we touch on how her upbringing influenced her work persona. 

Just to add - Manj hosted an insightful webinar for accountancy hub last year which was all about career growth for finance professionals - you can catch up on this on the AH platform.

Manj is one of those really special people who I’ve been delighted to meet through this Accountancy Hub venture - she’s inspirational, kind and she cares - whether that’a about people or the public sector or apprenticeships. I’m sure you will see what a gem she is in this episode - enjoy!

In this episode of the Human Too Podcast, host Hannah Macdonald chats with Andy Fitzsimmons about his unique journey from a chemistry degree to becoming the Commercial Director at Kaplan. Andy shares insights into his career path, the challenges of balancing work and study, and the importance of being authentic and empathetic in both personal and professional life. Tune in to hear about his experiences, the evolving landscape of the finance industry, and the role of community and creativity in his life.

In this episode of the Human Too Podcast, I chat with Libby Walklett, known as The Ethical Bookkeeper. We discuss Libby's journey from her early career in various jobs to becoming a qualified accountant and business owner. We discuss many topics including the importance of community, ethics in bookkeeping, and the challenges faced in the accounting profession. Libby reflects on her achievements, the significance of hobbies outside of work, and emphasises the need for resilience and support for young people in the industry.

In this episode I talk to Nikki Richmond, who is a Tax Exam Coach (on the AH platform), Career coach & Accounting, Maths & VAT Tutor! She’s also a Voiceover artist and she’s hosted a radio show. 

After many years’ experience working in tax advisory at PwC (and a year teaching ACA) Nikki has turned her skills and experience towards coaching and training tax professionals so that they can thrive in their careers.

Nikki has over a decade’s experience working in VAT and also works as a freelance VAT specialist. 

We had a wide ranging chat on this episode. I particularly enjoyed learning about some of the unspoken rules to progress and thrive in the Big4 environment. We also talked about returning to work after a career break, which is something she supports professionals with now. 

And of course, we talked about a challenging time in Nikki’s life and what she learnt from that experience. 

Nikki’s passion for tax really comes across and she’s the perfect person to speak to if you are struggling with a tax exam resit, whether through ATT/CTA or as part of ACCA and ACA exams!

Zoe Tanner is Founder and CEO at Sytrus, and a dabbling Angel Investor. 

Zoe, decided not to go to university and instead studied AAT then went on to complete her ACCA studies. 

In this episode we discuss exam fails, apprenticeships, becoming an entrepreneur, angel investing, the gender VC investment gap and more!