Episode 8

full

Published on:

9th Sep 2021

Overcoming sabotage

Without a clear vision, and your constant leadership your team can sometimes get led astray buy other team members with their own agenda. As the the business owner you can't delegate this leadership responsibility. If it's not constant and consistent, someone will fill this void for you.

Penny shared an email she received this week from a client with an internal saboteur. Unfortunately the owner lost a couple of longstanding employees because of them, and now faced potentially losing clients if they were to fire that employee. The business owner got themselves into this pickle because they had allowed the employees (or rather employee) to take control of the business. Unfortunately this scenario is all too common in accounting firms and so we spend the rest of the episode discussing strategies on how to overcome these employee-led firms. Be ready for some collateral damage in terms of other staff members or clients leaving if you don't take responsibility for leading your business.

If you have questions about anything discussed in this episode, please do get in touch with us via LinkedIn.

Be sure to check out the book that gave us the inspiration for this podcast: Strategy and the Fat Smoker. Buy it on Amazon.

Penny Breslin - LinkedIn | @PennyB57

Damien Greathead - LinkedIn | @Damien_GH

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About the Podcast

It's not Just the Numbers

Focused on CAS, this accounting podcast helps firm owners build their accounting and bookkeeping business with intention

It’s Not Just the Numbers is a podcast for accounting firm owners, leaders, and professionals building modern firms beyond compliance.

Hosted by Damien Greathead and Penny Breslin, the show explores what it really takes to create a sustainable, advisory-driven accounting practice in a profession undergoing rapid change. From technology, systems, workflow, and pricing strategy to leadership, client experience, staffing, and the future role of the accountant — this podcast goes beyond the spreadsheets and into the real conversations shaping the profession.

Each episode features practical insights, honest discussions, and lessons from firm owners, industry experts, technology leaders, and operators working at the forefront of modern accounting.

Whether you’re building a Client Advisory Services (CAS) practice, refining your operations, navigating AI and automation, or simply trying to build a better firm, It’s Not Just the Numbers delivers thoughtful conversations grounded in real-world experience.

Because the future of accounting isn’t just about compliance.

It’s about strategy.
It’s about relationships.
It’s about systems.
It’s about leadership.
And ultimately, it’s not just the numbers.

A Beyond Numbers podcast.

About your hosts

Penny Breslin

Penny Breslin is the founder of MoneyPenny, a consulting firm specializing in helping accounting firms and other businesses embrace the power of technology to simplify their operations and increase their profit margins.

Drawing on her years of experience and her knowledge of what it takes to run a successful business, Penny oversees the development of back office processes for her client firms. From the initial evaluation of the firm’s workflow, to technology selection, and assisting in the on-boarding of the firm’s clients, Penny works with her clients to maximize the benefits of a paperless and cloud-based firm.

Damien Greathead

Damien has been working in the accounting industry for more than 15 years. In addition to getting his hands dirty preparing tax returns and doing bookkeeping, but the bulk of his experience comes from consulting to both accounting firms and the technology companies that serve the industry.

He set up 2020 Group USA which was a membership group for small and medium sized accounting firms and then went on to set up Receipt Bank (now Dext) in North America.

He regularly speaks to industry bodies on technology, marketing and change management.