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Joining me today is Darren Glanville Country Manager - UK & EMEA @ Fathom. Darren is no stranger to the accounting profession and has more than twenty years experience helping accounting practices develop digital strategies and processes to drive efficiencies and profitability. Having worked for some of the biggest software providers including Sage, CCH, and Xero, Darren now heads up the EMEA region for Fathom and is passionate about leveraging technology to drive better business outcomes. Darren is a keen rugby fan (Newcastle Falcons), a self confessed coffee-holic and tech geek, you can find Darren walking his dogs on the beach near his home in Northumberland in the early morning and most weekends. And I’d also like to share with you that I strategically partner with Fathom, and have been good friends with the team since the very early days. In this episode, we talk about . . . The future of the technology landscape?  The rise of a more strategic view of forecasting. One in three businesses is running with less than six months cash. Introduction to Darren Glanville and his journey in the accounting technology space. The profitable and sustainable practice. What an extraordinary journey that you have taken.  The extraordinary journey of an extraordinary journey. The sad passing of Jason Forbes. Fond memories of Rod Drury, Xero founder. How has the accounting profession changed with the advent of digital technologies?  Pivoting from data-driven intel to data driven intel. The power of connecting with people. How the accounting profession has evolved with the advent of digital technologies. API's. Opportunities for accountants in Africa. Faster cadence of development and API's. What’s the biggest change in the last 12 months?  End user experience when the platform completely changes. Australia and New Zealand are ahead. The bank feeds are the secret sauce. Darren keeps a tally of conferences he attended. Top tips for other sales professionals in the accounting technology space. Advice for young vendors. What is Fathom’s purpose?  Being able to absorb information and connect with people. Collaboration and thought leadership. Fathom provides clarity and confidence to courageous business owners. The dikw model. What are some indicators that someone needs to move away from the spreadsheets?  The ladder from knowledge to actionable insights. Indicators to move from spreadsheets to reporting solutions. The difference between spreadsheets and distributed ledgers. The rise of the digital financial advisor. How do you get bookkeepers to listen to you? The rise of lotus 123 since 1990. The Australian Bas Agent regime. How to get consultants to revisit Fathom. The cyclical nature of the fathom industry. Micro-forecast and forecasting.  Fathom's micro-forecast feature and how it works. How the pandemic has changed the industry. Trends in the accounting tech space. The role of AI in the future of accounting. How clients will consume AI services. What excites Darren most right now?  How to get more information about Darren. What excites him about the next big thing. Darren is exploring how Chat GPT can help practices. Darren suggests starting a prompt club. The importance of being cynical about things. Physical presence changes everything.  I’m Heather Smith and you've been listening to the Cloud Stories podcast..    Connect with me here:  Newsletter https://heathersmithAU.com  LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU Medium: https://heathersmithau.medium.com/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ANISEConsulting/podcasts