In this episode, we speak to Graham Shapiro, Founder of Myccountant, about New Year's resolutions for small businesses ranging from finding the right tech to solve common problems to implementing attainable goals. Some of the topics discussed include: - The importance of understanding how you generate income - The difference between income and cash flow - Planning your cash flow - The hard work involved in running a successful business

- Goal-setting for business success - Dealing with setbacks

The book Graham mentioned is The Gold Mine Effect: Crack the Secrets of High Performance by Rasmus Ankerson

In this episode, we speak to Jim Leeves, Co-Founder and Head of Numbers at Shapes, about design thinking and how this can be used by accountants and businesses more broadly. Some of the topics we cover include: - The role of design thinking and how to apply it - Collaborating across the disciplines of accounting and marketing - The intersection between marketing and accounting - The importance of doing a pre-mortem (as opposed to a post-mortem) on your business

- Success stories and lessons learned - The future of advisory - Why you shouldn't "stay in your lane" - How to bring delight into business

Jim also mentions the following books, if you're interested in checking them out:

- The Design thinking Playbook by Michael Lerwick, Patrick Link and Larry Leifer

- The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni

Happy new year to all our listeners! Today, we are looking at the hidden power of administration in accounting practices. Our guest speaker is Susan van der Valk, a Partner at MGI Bass Gordon and Xero's MVP of the Year 2024.

We'll cover topics including:

• Core admin and management skills
• Balancing admin responsibilities with high-level strategic goals
• The role of team and culture
• Why admin tasks are overlooked - and why they shouldn't be
• The evolution of admin in the tech-driven future
• Non-negotiable admin tools
• Continued admin problems in the future
• And some rapid fire questions to end with!

In this episode, we are joined by Bongi Mokoena, a Senior Manager at Sage who has over 10 years of experience in software and SaaS sales. We discuss Bongi's personal and career journey as a woman in tech, what the landscape looks like for women in the field, especially in South Africa, and how tech and innovation impact opportunities for the future.

We also consider the role of mentorship in leading the way for women in management positions in the future and consider what the future of tech - and women in tech and data analytics - might look like.

Variety is the spice of life - it's a well-known phrase but not necessarily something you may immediately associate with accountants. Yet, here we are - speaking to an accountant about the importance of variety.

In this episode, we spoke to Johann Goree, Managing Director at Onpoint Accounting Group, Chief Growth Officer, Head of Community & Co-founder at Engager.app. about his experience wearing many different hats and making his way from accounting to software and entrepreneurship.

We cover ways to bridge the gap between accounting and tech, Johann's lessons in entrepreneurship, and how software can empower small businesses.

You can learn more about Engager.app here.

In this episode, we are joined by Willem Haarhoff, the founder of DoughGetters Accounting. Willem's team is spread across South Africa, embracing remote and flexible work. With many companies returning to in-office models, we wanted to speak to Willem about his views on remote work post-pandemic and where he sees the future of work, especially for accountants.

You can find out more about DoughGetters here: https://www.doughgetters.co.za/

What does it mean to systemize your business and why should business owners do so? How do you decide which accounting or payroll software to implement? How do you know when to upgrade, when should you outsource a task? These are some of the questions we address in this week's episode of Beyond Insights, featuring Travis Sinclair, a Systems Consultant based in Durban, South Africa.

Travis specializes in many different software solutions and is one of our more prolific students on Syft Campus. He is primed to recommend the best products for an organization and to help and sell, install and give training these products. He can also set up products in order to optimize efficiencies and provide ongoing support.

Find out more about Travis's services at Trailblazer Systems by visiting the website here: https://www.trailblazersystems.co.za/consulting/

In this episode, we talk about strategies to overcome adversity. We speak with Jameel Khan, one of SAICA's Top 35 Under 35 winners from 2023. Jameel is a CA (SA), mentor, business coach, and recovering addict committed to inspiring entrepreneurs with his story of hope and purpose. We cover:

• Strategies to overcome adversity and addiction
• How to build resilience
• Finding purpose in serving others
• Learning to trust and rely on others
• Why entrepreneurs should focus more on personal development
• What Jameel has learned from business coaching
• Finding the spark within a small business

Find out more about Jameel and his work at the Unconventional CA by visiting their website: https://www.theunconventionalca.org/