How can bookkeepers become financially essential in 2026?

In this episode, we dive into the changing landscape for bookkeepers and how to ensure you are an indispensable asset to your clients.

With the economy shifting and small businesses becoming more selective, it’s crucial to articulate the value you bring. You need to be seen as a finance lead, not just someone who checks boxes.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome

00:00:17 - Understanding the Current Situation

00:01:20 - Value of Bookkeepers

00:03:03 - Role of a Finance Lead

00:04:01 - Becoming Indispensable

00:06:25 - Understanding the Business Environment in 2026

00:08:05 - Positioning as a Finance Lead

00:08:32 - Showing Your Value

00:10:45 - Leveraging Software and Tools

00:11:30 - Developing a Gold Standard Service

00:14:19 - Avoiding Burnout

00:15:14 - Setting Boundaries with Clients

00:17:29 - Repositioning the Value of Your Service

00:18:48 - Becoming Financially Essential

00:20:58 - Moving Towards Business Coaching

00:21:44 - Becoming an Essential Finance Lead

00:22:30 - Redefining Advisory Services

00:24:39 - Transitioning from Transactional Bookkeeping to Essential Finance Lead

00:25:07 - Conclusion

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

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About our Sponsor

This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6figurebookkeeper

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Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

Most bookkeepers struggle with pricing, not because they lack skill, but because they don’t understand how smart bookkeepers actually think about value.

In this episode, I break down:

- How bookkeepers should approach pricing

- Why bookkeepers often undercharge

- What separates confident bookkeepers from hesitant bookkeepers.

If you’re a bookkeeper or working with bookkeepers, this conversation will change how you see pricing forever.

You’ll learn how bookkeepers can price services more strategically, position themselves more confidently, and stop competing with other bookkeepers on price alone.

This episode is essential viewing for bookkeepers who want to charge what they’re truly worth!

Access the pricing report for yourself, here: subscribepage.io/Fi6w9A

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

-----------------------------------------------

About our Sponsor

This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6figurebookkeeper

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Promotion

This video contains paid promotion.

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Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:00:28 - Pricing History and Current Situation

00:01:47 - Understanding the Value of Bookkeeping

00:02:41 - The Problem with Hourly Rate

00:05:35 - The Importance of Confidence in Pricing

00:07:04 - Survey Findings and Analysis

00:08:59 - The Need for Fixed Pricing

00:13:17 - Moving from Admin to Finance Lead

00:13:55 - How to Calculate Your Minimum Hourly Rate

00:15:08 - Building Packages and Productizing Services

00:16:55 - Differentiating Yourself from Other Bookkeepers

00:18:34 - The Correlation Between Confidence and Pricing

00:21:26 - The Role of Confidence in Sales Calls

00:23:48 - Moving from Fear to Confidence

00:25:20 - The Importance of Niching

00:27:10 - The Value of Niching Based on Personal Experiences

00:29:37 - Efficiency Through Focused Niching

00:30:15 - Efficiency Through Replicable Processes

00:30:49 - Understanding Client Needs for Package Design

00:31:38 - The Role of Confidence in Service Delivery

00:32:03 - The Impact of Niching on Pricing

00:32:37 - Invitation to Learn More and Reflect on Pricing

00:33:19 - Closing Remarks

#bookkeeping

In this episode, Jo and Zoe dive deep into the realities of selling bookkeeping services—a topic that makes many bookkeepers uncomfortable. They explore why sales often feels awkward, how mindset plays a crucial role, and why reframing the process as helping, not selling instantly changes how conversations feel. Using relatable real-life examples—from a perfume shop to car buying—they break down what good and bad sales experiences teach us about trust, rapport, and confidence.

The hosts outline the differences between marketing and sales, explain how to guide prospects with empathy and clarity, and share practical tips for managing discovery calls. They also discuss rapport building, understanding buyer psychology, using “with-or-without-you energy,” and designing a sales process that leads to long-term client retention. The episode closes by highlighting the value of the Sales Collection inside The Bookkeepers Collective.

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

-----------------------------------------------

About our Sponsor

This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6figurebookkeeper

-----------------------------------------------

Promotion

This video contains paid promotion.

-----------------------------------------------

Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

In this episode, Zoe explores what bookkeepers must understand to strategically grow their bookkeeping practice in 2026. She encourages listeners to “break” their existing business model in order to rebuild a scalable structure that supports long-term goals. The discussion centres on revisiting your original vision, designing systems that function without you, choosing a defined niche, and developing a gold-standard service that truly adds value.

Zoe also highlights the importance of business planning, pricing confidently, strengthening sales and personal branding skills, and building scalable systems — including the adoption of automation and AI. She wraps up by reframing the bookkeeper as a CEO, not an employee, and invites listeners to develop their growth roadmap inside The Grace Collection and Success Programme within The Bookkeepers’ Collective.

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

-----------------------------------------------

About our Sponsor

This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6figurebookkeeper

-----------------------------------------------

Promotion

This video contains paid promotion.

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Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

Get your FREE 6 Figure Practice Planner at 6figurebookkeeper.com

In this episode, Jo and Zoe break down the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence and what it means for bookkeepers right now. They explore the opportunities, risks, and everyday use cases—from email management and strategic planning to research tools and AI agents. With their signature blend of humour and practical advice, they discuss the tools they personally use (such as ChatGPT, Claude, Notebooks and Perplexity), what they love about them, and how they’ve integrated AI into their workflows.

They also introduce their Seven-Step Prompting Framework, designed to help bookkeepers create accurate, tailored outputs that reflect their expertise and tone of voice. The episode closes by outlining how bookkeepers can use AI to add value to clients, streamline operations, reduce decision fatigue, and even support advisory conversations. AI isn’t here to replace bookkeepers—it’s here to elevate them.

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

-----------------------------------------------

About our Sponsor

This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6figurebookkeeper

-----------------------------------------------

Promotion

This video contains paid promotion.

-----------------------------------------------

Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

What does success look like for HMRC with Making Tax Digital – and what does it really mean for the bookkeepers doing the work on the ground? In this Leadership Takeover Session, Craig Ogilvie, HMRC’s Director for Making Tax Digital, explains the “why” behind MTD for Income Tax, how it will change the UK tax system, and why he believes bookkeepers are central to making it work for small businesses.

Get step by step guidance on MTD for Income Tax https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/making-tax-digital-for-income-tax?Utm_source=6fb

Craig shares his journey from a low-income upbringing in Scotland, through 20+ years in government delivery, to leading some of the UK’s biggest programmes – including the furlough scheme during the pandemic. He explains how his parents’ values around kindness and optimism shaped his leadership style, why he focuses so heavily on people and psychological safety, and how that translates into the way he runs the MTD team today.

You’ll hear a clear, human explanation of what MTD for IT actually is: digital record keeping, quarterly updates and software-based filing for millions of self-employed people. Craig talks about the three big reasons behind it – reducing errors in the tax gap, modernising the UK’s tax infrastructure, and creating better customer service through more timely data and nudges – and why he sees bookkeepers as uniquely placed to turn that into better conversations about cash flow, credit control and business performance.

He also explains the scale of the change: rebuilding core systems, working with third-party software through APIs, and designing multiple agent functionality so both accountants and bookkeepers can support the same client. Craig describes travelling around the UK to meet real practices, how those conversations led to changes like faster sign-up journeys and multiple agent access, and why HMRC is committed to genuine co-creation rather than “rubber-stamping” decisions already made.

The episode goes deeper into social mobility, confidence and financial understanding. Craig talks about seeing his dad’s January “bag of receipts”, the construction sector’s heavy representation in the first MTD cohort, and the financial literacy gap facing many sole traders. He reflects on sessions with unrepresented business owners, where a clear explanation – often from a bookkeeper or accountant – can quickly change how someone feels about digital tools, quarterly reporting and understanding their numbers.

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

-----------------------------------------------

About our Sponsor

This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6figurebookkeeper

-----------------------------------------------

Promotion

This video contains paid promotion.

-----------------------------------------------

Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

What does the future of bookkeeping actually look like when AI gets practical?

Sabby Gill (CEO of Dext) breaks down what’s changing, what won’t, and how bookkeepers stay indispensable.

You’ll hear how a SaaS CEO thinks about time-saving automation, why “customer voice” should shape your roadmap (even in a practice), and why the human relationship side of bookkeeping becomes more valuable as systems get smarter.

- Learn why Sabby speaks to 2–3 customers every day (and why he won’t “pre-prep” the calls).

- Use the “why + benefit + ROI” script to communicate change without losing clients.

- Understand why employees come first (and how that protects customers).

- Steal a leadership routine: town halls, skip-levels, surveys, and CEO onboarding 1:1s.

- See what Dext is building next: AI that learns your edits, plus payments and more.

- Reframe the real endgame: automation → advisory → better client outcomes.

Learn what AI and Automation mean for the future of Bookkeeping with Dext's free guide: https://info.dext.com/ai-and-the-future-of-accounting-report?UTM_Source=6fb

This conversation is for bookkeepers and accountants who feel the industry is in constant change (AI, HMRC updates, new processes) and want a clearer way to communicate value, without burning out.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

00:18 Sabby’s role at Dext and the business sale to IRIS

00:43 From finance admin to software leadership

02:35 What the gaming industry taught him about tech and sales

04:20 Psychometric insights: adapting your communication style

08:38 What a “normal day” looks like as CEO

09:21 The 2-customer-calls-a-day habit

10:54 “Time for business”: giving people time back

13:56 Time management and protecting your team from burnout

17:11 Engagement scores, surveys, and fixing the real issue

19:02 Communicating change: ask “why” and make the benefit simple

24:28 Small business lessons: why accountants become the first call

26:24 Hiring for diversity of thought (not just industry experience)

30:03 Calling lost customers: the feedback most leaders avoid

32:12 The Dext roadmap: AI that learns your repeated changes

36:06 What’s coming next

37:21 Advisory is the endgame, and why humans still win

39:06 Dext’s stance on direct vs partner relationships

40:03 Wrap-up

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

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Promotion

This video contains paid promotion.

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Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

In this Leadership Takeover Session, Jack Choppin – employee number one at GoProposal (now GoProposal by Sage) and long-time head of Client Success – explains how bookkeepers can build confident teams, challenge clients on pricing and create “shock and awe” experiences that drive loyalty and growth. For UK bookkeepers bringing in their first team member, or trying to get braver with fees, this is a practical look at what real client success and culture actually feel like day to day.

Download GoProposal's guide for running impactful client meetings: https://goproposal.com/blog/how-to-keep-your-client-at-the-heart-of-every-meeting-with-the-gloss-method/?UTM_Source=6fb

Jack shares how he joined GoProposal on trust in the people before he fully understood the mission, what it was like to be 50% of the company’s salary bill as the first hire, and how that level of transparency built belief and ownership. He talks about the famous “shock and awe” pack, why they poured huge energy into free trials, and how unscalable, high-touch onboarding helped them spot the right customers and turn them into raving fans long before they put card details in.

You’ll hear how GoProposal built a culture of caring deeply and challenging directly: sending physical packs, pre-branding apps, and offering training calls that didn’t just show people where to click, but helped them feel ready to sit in front of a client and say, “Your price needs to go up.” Jack explains why true client success means challenging beliefs, not just being nice, and why the real measure of success isn’t “do you understand the software?” but “are you willing to have that pricing conversation?”

Jack also talks about the emotional side of building a business from the inside. He describes working with founder James Ashford, carrying the pressure of personal goals (like helping Becky leave her job), and learning not to become an “accidental diminisher” who has all the answers. Instead, he shows how asking team members to bring problems with proposed solutions builds confidence, autonomy and genuine leadership capability – the same mindset bookkeepers can use with both staff and clients.

For practice owners, Jack shares what he learned as GoProposal grew and then moved through acquisition into Sage: how openness around targets builds buy-in rather than fear, where to draw the line between healthy pressure and stress, and how small firms can use their size as an advantage by involving team members closely in the journey. He also talks honestly about self-doubt, fear of getting it wrong, and how focusing on intent rather than outcome helps him act even when confidence feels shaky.

This is essential viewing for bookkeepers who want to move beyond “just doing the work” and build a business where clients, team and founder are all truly invested in the same mission.

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

-----------------------------------------------

Promotion

This video contains paid promotion.

-----------------------------------------------

Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

Be honest: have you set up automation… but not really adopted it?

In this episode of our Leadership Series, Paul Lodder (VP of Accounting & Product Strategy at Dext) breaks down how to use Dext automation to create capacity, improve real-time reporting, and move clients from reactive to in control.

Download Dext's Compliance to Advisory Guide, here: https://info.dext.com/compliance-to-advisory-guide?UTM_source=6fb

Paul shares what he saw moving from practice to product: most firms sign up to tools but don’t adopt features deeply enough to get the outcome. You’ll hear what “real-time bookkeeping” actually means, why regularity matters, and how to structure people, processes and products so automation sticks.

What you’ll learn:

- Spot why firms “go digital” but still don’t get full tool value (feature adoption is the gap).

- Build a Dext champion role that improves automation performance across your client base.

- Shift clients from quarterly compliance to real-time bookkeeping and decision-making.

- Use automation and regularity to unlock dashboards, insights, and proactive conversations.

- Understand where AI helps (proactivity and capacity) and where it won’t replace you (relationships and empathy).

Try Dext as a partner: https://dext.com/uk/partner?utm_source=6fb and explore how automation creates capacity.

This episode is for bookkeepers and accounting firms who want to stop chasing paperwork, reduce admin, and deliver real-time value, without adding headcount.

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

-----------------------------------------------

Promotion

This video contains paid promotion.

-----------------------------------------------

Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

In this Leadership Takeover Session, Stuart Miller, Director of Public Policy and Technology Research at Xero, shares what’s really happening behind the scenes with MTD, AI and financial literacy – and what it all means for UK bookkeepers. If you’ve ever wondered who sits in the rooms with government, regulators and tech companies speaking up for small businesses and their advisers, this episode joins those dots.

Stuart didn’t set out to be an accountant. He fell into practice to avoid paying rent to his parents, trained through AAT, and built his career in firms where tattoos, shaved heads and “not fitting the mould” were still frowned upon. He talks about the managers who backed him, the crying client whose tax-return anxiety helped him find his purpose, and the R&D projects where better tax advice funded real-world change – like extracting myrrh oil to support schools in Africa.

Today, his role at Xero spans smart data, late payments, e-invoicing, unique business identifiers, AI policy and MTD. He explains what his week actually looks like: responding to consultations, sitting on smart data groups, meeting departments like Business and Trade, and feeding the voice of accountants and bookkeepers into policy.

Find out about the benefits of becoming a Xero Partner, here: https://www.xero.com/uk/partner-programme/?UTM_Source=6fb

The conversation also tackles AI. Stuart sees AI as an efficiency driver, not a replacement for bookkeepers. He talks about using AI to speed up reconciliation, summarise long email newsletters and surface insights, while the real value sits in the 20% of work that is deeply human: handling ambiguity, context and emotion.

A big theme is financial literacy and social mobility. Stuart is passionate about closing the gap for people who were never taught about interest rates, APR or cash flow at home or at school. He talks about Xero’s financial literacy campaign, which offers bite-size guidance and mentoring for people from disadvantaged backgrounds or those starting a business with no financial training. Crucially, it’s open to everyone, not just software users, and supported by accountants and bookkeepers who volunteer their time to help.

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About us

We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective

-----------------------------------------------

About our Sponsor

This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6figurebookkeeper

-----------------------------------------------

Promotion

This video contains paid promotion.

-----------------------------------------------

Disclaimer

The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.