Accounting Apps Podcast

Exploring Zoho’s Integrated Platform🐝 | Val Steed

Today I’m speaking with Val Steed, Director Accountants, Zoho Corporation  In this episode, we talk about . . . Zoho Corporation's journey in the accounting technology industry, from its founding in 1996 to its current position as a leading provider of integrated business solutions The company's focus on privacy, security, and long-term vision, with a family-like culture and commitment to employee retention Zoho's conservative management approach and profitability since day one, even during challenging times like the pandemic The challenges of working as a US-based employee for an Indian-based company, including navigating cultural nuances and time zones Zoho's integrated platform, which offers a suite of over 55 web apps and 75 mobile apps, including accounting, CRM, and other business tools Zoho's efforts to adapt its products to local markets, such as incorporating Australian tax and payroll requirements The company's annual Zoholics conference, including the partner-focused Inspire event, and its plans for AI integration in its products Insights into Zoho's growth and competitive landscape in the accounting industry, as well as the challenges of reaching the target audience in the Australian market   Contact details:   Val Steed https://www.linkedin.com/in/valsteed/  Zoho Corp https://www.zohocorp.com/  Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU 

Accounting Technology Updates: 🌐 Bridging the Technology Learning Gap, Zoho Expansion, the Evolving Payroll Landscape, and More

Heather Smith and Tyler Caskey, Partner at The Bean Counters discuss features, functionalities and updates in the Accounting Apps from June July 2024. Highlights from this episode include: A discussion around the importance of Apps offering training, ongoing training and training to meet different learning styles. Zohos expansion plans into Australia, and its vast platform offerings. Employment Hero's Smart Match system which checks candidate interest levels for your new jobs and auto-shortlist those interested. A potential competitor to Seek & LinkedIn. The payroll solution Gusto’s launch into the Australian market with an all-in-one platform for all-over-the-world teams. The data quality tool XBert has released the ability to develop customisable XBerts, giving you the ability to monitor areas of interest to you. Contact details: Tyler Caskey https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylercaskey/  The Bean Counters https://www.thebeancounters.com.au/  Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU

🏆 Developing and Keeping a Competitive Advantage | Philip Fierlinger

Today I’m sharing with you a recording of a keynote entitled "Developing and Keeping a Competitive Advantage," given by Philip Fierlinger, co-founder of Upstock and co-founder of Xero.   Philip Fierlinger discusses his experiences and insights on developing and maintaining a competitive advantage in the technology and accounting sectors. He shares his journey from working on the first smartphone at General Magic to co-founding Xero and Upstock. The talk focuses on the importance of creating extraordinary user experiences, transforming pain points into pleasurable experiences, and adhering to a strong vision and values.   Highlights from the session include:   Philip Fierlinger shares insights on developing and maintaining a competitive advantage, drawing from his extensive experience in the tech and accounting industries.   Discusses his journey from working on General Magic's first smartphone to co-founding Xero and Upstock, highlighting key milestones and lessons learned.   Emphasises the importance of transforming technology into "magic" through exceptional user experience design, making technology seamless and user-friendly.   Explains how Xero succeeded by turning the painful process of bank reconciliations into a pleasurable and engaging experience, fundamentally changing the perception of accounting software.   Describes the creation of Upstock to address friction in the B2B supply chain for foodservice, offering a digital platform that levels the playing field for small suppliers.   Highlights the significance of having a clear vision and strong values as the foundation for business operations, ensuring long-term success and competitive advantage.   Shares lessons on the critical role of customer research and feedback, and the importance of early adopters in refining and validating the product.   Discusses how cultivating a positive company culture and retaining employees can be achieved through adhering to guiding principles and providing support, such as coaching and counselling.   This is the third podcast I’m bringing to you from the 2024 Tropical Innovation Festival held in June, in Cairns, in beautiful Far North Queensland. If you are interested in the topic or the vibe of the event, I encourage you to go back and listen to the other two episodes and reach out to the Tropical Innovation Festival if you want to be part of future festivals. I will drop their contact details in the show notes.   The audio was recorded during a lunchtime session. At the start, you can hear the emcee of the event, who is also the conference co-organiser, Tara Diversi.    Contact details:   Tropical Innovation Festival: https://www.tropicalinnovationfestival.com.au/speakers   Phil Fierlinger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fierlinger/  UpStock: https://www.upstock.app/  Xero: https://xero.com/  Tara Diversi : https://www.linkedin.com/in/taradiversi/  Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU    Other podcast episodes of interest   Building Your Startup’s Profile with Media | TIF24 https://heathersmithsmallbusiness.com/2024/07/18/building-your-startups-profile-with-media-tif24/    MediaPhones, Accounting Dashboards & Digital Marketplaces: The Design Journey of Xero’s Co-Founder | Philip Fierlinger https://heathersmithsmallbusiness.com/2023/11/30/mediaphones-accounting-dashboards-digital-marketplaces-the-design-journey-of-xeros-co-founder-philip-fierlinger/ 

Navigating the Startup Ecosystem: How Accountants Can Thrive in the High-Growth Tech Space 🚀 | TIF24

Marc Orchard and Heather Smith discussed the importance of accountants and bookkeepers in high growth tech companies, highlighting the challenges of serving early stage companies with complex needs. They emphasised the need for upskilling and capability building, as well as the importance of building relationships in the startup ecosystem. Marc Orchard added to the conversation by discussing the integration of accounting and finance with technology, and the potential for Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand to sponsor innovation events. Heather Smith and Marc Orchard later discussed the challenges professional service providers face in managing risk tolerance, emphasising the importance of differentiating between personal and business risk tolerance and valuing experience and wisdom in building up risk tolerance.   Marc Orchard Website: https://planetstartup.com.au/  Linkedin  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcorchard/    Contact details: Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU   

Building Your Startup’s Profile with 📺Media | TIF24

Join us for insightful discussion on how startups can effectively build their profiles through media.  I’m sharing with you a recording of a panel session entitled “Building Your Startup's Profile with Media” This was recorded at the 2024 Tropical Innovation Festival that is held in Cairns in June. Here are the top five takeaways from our expert speakers: Understand the Media Landscape: Modern media is diverse and accessible, ranging from traditional outlets like TV and radio to digital platforms like podcasts and social media. Recognising the right platform for your message is crucial. Craft a Compelling Story: Your story should be relevant, relatable, and engaging. Focus on the human element to make your narrative resonate with the audience. Build a Strong Founder Brand: Before seeking media attention, establish your own platform with clear, consistent messaging. This controlled content can attract media interest and help shape your public image. Focus on Trust and Integrity: Authenticity is key. Media interactions should demonstrate integrity and trustworthiness to build credibility with your audience and the media. Leverage Modern Media Tools: Use trending platforms like TikTok to share behind-the-scenes content and engage with a different audience. This can help you document your journey and create valuable content for future media opportunities.   This discussion, was part of the Tropical Innovation Festival #TIF2024. https://www.tropicalinnovationfestival.com.au/   Contact details: Carmen Braidwood : https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmenbraidwood/ Gemma Clancy : https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemmaclancy/ Accounting Apps newsletter:  http://accountingapps.io/  Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU   

Scaling to 7 Figure: 💡Enhancing Your Fractional CFO Services | Michael King

Today I’m speaking with Michael King: Michael is the CEO of KFE Solutions, which is the top rated Fractional CFO firm in Dallas, Texas. He’s also the creator of The CFO Accelerator, where he helps Accountants and fractional CFOs start, scale, and optimise their advisory services. He is also the host of, The CFO Report, where he shares tips, tricks, and hacks he discovered over the past 7 + years building his fractional CFO firm. https://www.linkedin.com/in/iammichaelking/ In this episode, we talk about . . . - Fractional CFOs should focus on providing insights, not just generating reports. - Accurate, timely financial data is critical for fractional CFOs to provide valuable insights to clients. - Automating financial reporting with tools like G-Accon can save time and reduce errors. - Building a simple, effective tech stack is crucial for fractional CFO success. - Partnering with the right technology, like G-Accon, is key for streamlining operations. - Fractional CFOs should start with simple, core financial metrics to empower clients for better decision-making. - The fractional CFO industry offers significant potential for impact and growth. - Leveraging pre-built templates and automation in tools like G-Accon can help fractional CFOs streamline report generation. - While emerging technologies like AI and ChatGPT have potential, they may not yet be ready for practical application in fractional CFO work.   Learn more about G-Accon: https://www.accon.services/  support@accon.services https://www.linkedin.com/company/g-accon  https://twitter.com/G_AcconServices  https://www.facebook.com/gacconaddons/    Contact details for Michael King: W: https://www.thecfoaccelerator.com L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iammichaelking/    Contact details for Heather Smith   Accounting Apps newsletter: http://AccountingApps.io  Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU  Earn CPE at EarMarkCPE https://www.earmark.app/course/6981af0c-7e4c-4b33-a47a-7a282678040f Webinar : https://streamyard.com/watch/ehqxCdXGcjAE 

🌟 Scale your business on Xero without needing a dozen other Apps and Add-ons

AI will increase software productivity and enable users to create their own apps, multiplying software abundance I’m sharing with you the audio from a session I hosted as part of the Australian CFO Summit 2024 produced by the Australian spend management platform Weel. It’s called:  “Scale your business on Xero without needing a dozen other Apps and Add-ons” The presenter is Michael Wood, the Founder and CEO of Translucent. - Michael Wood discusses the exponential growth of software in businesses from the desktop era to the cloud and AI eras - Wood argues AI will increase software productivity and enable users to create their own apps, multiplying software abundance - The challenges of fragmented data, security, cost and vendor management with abundant software apps are highlighted - Compound startups are presented as a solution, exemplified by Translucent, consolidating finance apps and data into a unified platform - Benefits of the compound startup model include reduced cost, streamlined management, improved productivity and AI readiness Contact details:   Australian CFO Summit https://summit2024.australiancfo.com/  Australian Spend Management Platform https://letsweel.com/ Michael Wood : https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwood/  Translucent https://www.translucent.io/  Accounting Apps newsletter: http://accountingapps.io/ Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU 

How to Protect 🛡️ Your Business with Stronger Financial Controls | ApprovalMax + Xero

Financial controls enable accountable growth by distributing responsibility across teams… Today I’m speaking with: Meena Berry, Senior Partnership Manager, Xero  Cassandra Scott, Head of Bookkeeping, ApprovalMax Brendan Lucas, Head of Accounting, ApprovalMax In this episode, we discuss: - ApprovalMax & Xero survey results revealing many businesses lack key financial controls - Stories of businesses defrauded due to inadequate internal verification processes - How financial controls enable accountable growth by distributing responsibility across teams - The importance of supplier verification and approval processes in mitigating fraud and non-compliance risks - The role of audit trails, budget checks, and real-time alerts in enhancing financial oversight - Case studies demonstrating how ApprovalMax and Xero streamline approval workflows - The significance of continuously improving controls as businesses scale Key takeaways: - Revisit and continuously improve your financial controls - Discuss the value of financial controls with clients - Check E-invoicing capabilities in Xero and get registered Contact details: Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU  Brendan Lucas https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlucasca/ Cassandra Scott https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandrascott/ Meena Berry https://www.linkedin.com/in/meenaberry/   

🌍 A Global Journey in Accounting Technology Marketing | Damien Greathead

Today I’m speaking with Damien Greathead Head of Marketing - Accountant & Advisor Group, Intuit Australia Our guest is a dynamic sales and marketing leader who excels in helping venture-funded software companies build robust sales and marketing functions. With a specialised focus on the accounting and fintech verticals, he has a proven track record of establishing brands and expanding customer bases across North America, EMEA, and Asia Pacific regions. He has successfully collaborated with both small and large teams across various time zones, driving impressive growth in scale-up companies, achieving over 70% growth year-on-year. He is the co-host of the Podcast: Strategy and the Virtual Controller with Penny Breslin. He worked at Ignition when it was called Practice Ignition and Dext when it was called Receipt Bank and now he is Head of Marketing - Accountant & Advisor Group, Intuit Australia.   Damien discusses his career in accounting technology marketing across the globe. He shares updates to QuickBooks features and upcoming events in Australia. He emphasised the importance of customer empathy and stories in SaaS marketing. We discuss how the Apps do have insightful data, and can truly partner with businesses, to help them grow. In this episode, we also talk about . . . - Damien Greathead's background in the accounting industry across multiple global roles - Early experiences recognising technology potential in accounting firms   - Embracing change management processes with clients at Receipt Bank - Navigating the complex US tax system and state compliance - Iterating Receipt Bank's value proposition without a GST/VAT system - Opening and growing Receipt Bank's US office - Returning to Sydney after 15+ years abroad - Leading Intuit Australia's adviser marketing team - Educating on QuickBooks features to boost confidence and adoption - QuickBooks Tax powered by Logic for seamless tax integration - Highlighting QuickBooks Online Advanced capabilities - Launching the QuickBooks Go community platform - Getting customer feedback through workplace observations - Marketing advice for Apps who want to connect with Intuit Australia, and their customer base. - Understanding problems through deep customer empathy - Sharing customer stories to fast-track app development   - The podcast, "Strategy and the Virtual Controller," Damien co-hosts with Penny Breslin, the CEO of MoneyPenny, which focuses on intentional planning through small goals inspired by Strategy and the Fat Smoker: Doing What's Obvious But Not Easy by David H. Maister   Contact details: Damien Greathead : https://www.linkedin.com/in/damiengreathead/ Intuit Australia : https://quickbooks.intuit.com/au/  Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU

Unravelling the future of AccounTech Sydney Xerocon 2023 🌐

Today, I’ve something exciting to share with you. You know how you get excited when a lost Beatle or Nirvana track is found, well the extraordinary Alexi Boyd uncovered the audio of a panel discussion from Sydney Xerocon PreXerocon 2023. I honestly thought I’d never hear it again, and then mid March she sent me a copy - making me a very happy podcaster cause I get to share it with you. The panel discussion was held at the beautiful Hinchcliff House at Circular Quay. Unfortunately the room was a little noisy on the day of the event. However much to my surprise the audio quality is really quite good.     The topic for discussion was “Unravelling the future of AccounTech”.   If you are a regular listener you will know, I value bringing diversity to these tech conversations: The moderator Alexi Boyd ran a BAS and Bookkeeping business for 8 years. She is the Radio Show host of Small Biz Matters and now works in policy strategy and government relations. Her background led her to take the conversation in an interesting direction, consumer data rights and restrictions on data and innovation and the differences between data protection laws in Europe, UK, and Australia.   This event was the first time Sabby Gill, the new Dext formerly Receipt Bank CEO, had spoken in Australia. Sabby had literally just got off the plane. London based Sabby Gill brought an overseas perspective, as well as his 35 years in the UK technology sector. Aly Garrett is a modern, technology savvy accountant, from South Australia. She represented accountants, their small business clients, and living outside the major Australian cities, brought a regional perspective to the conversation.   Roger Gregg brought that unique energy that comes with being a Fintech founder, plus his expensive knowledge of the hospitality and brewing industry, which certainly flavoured the conversation.    I shall add in some recent relevant news, congratulations are in order, 10 months after recording this, it has been announced that the Access Group Has Entered Into an Agreement to Acquire Pioneering AP Automation Provider, Lightyear    Let me fill you in on a bit of a backstory. The Gregg brothers were one of the original App partners, with their solution InvitBox. I’m thinking within the first ten years? InvitBox won Xero emerging app partner in 2013. Then in May 2014 Intuit acquired InvitBox. The very blue boys turned green overnight. Several years later, in quite an unprecedented move, they bought InvitBox back from Intuit for a single dollar! And relaunched as LightYear.    Here we are ten years later, and they have sold again, this time to The Access Group.    Read more here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7194623580830105601/  https://heathersmithsmallbusiness.com/2024/06/06/unravelling-the-future-of-accountech-sydney-xerocon-2023/ Contact details: Alexi Boyd https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexiboyd/  Small Biz Matters https://smallbizmatters.com.au/  Aly Garrett https://www.linkedin.com/in/alygarrett/  Sabby Gill https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabbygill/ Roger Gregg https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogergregg/  Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU