The Business Growth
Accountant
TRANSFORM YOUR ACCOUNTANCY PRACTICE INTO A PROFITABLE AND VALUABLE ADVISORY BUSINESS
Paul Shrimpling has done an awesome job. This is essential reading if you want your accounting practice to thrive in the future.

The Business Growth Accountant is a treasure trove of advice on how to move your firm up the value curve – by giving your customers the services they need and want. In addition to Paul Shrimpling’s sage advice – and here I will reveal my bias – be sure to pay particular attention to three more Pauls quoted in the book: the late Paul O’Byrne, RIP, and his partner, Paul Kennedy, who continues to run what I believe is the most innovative accounting firm in the world, O’Byrne & Kennedy; and, of course, Paul Dunn, the man who blazed the trail and helped thousands of firms fulfill the transformational journey that is energetically articulated throughout this book.
“For any firm that is looking at staying ahead of the inevitable ‘march of automation’, this is the book for you.
Sharing knowledge and facts is no longer the role of the advisor, Google will do that far better. Your ability to remain relevant in the new digital age will depend on your skills in questioning, building rapport and connecting with your clients at a far deeper level.
As machines get better at answering questions… you need to get better at asking them. Paul’s book shows you just how to do that.”
‘If you’re serious about growing and developing your accounting business, then Paul Shrimpling’s book is essential reading. Don’t just read it, take action. Do nothing at your own peril.’
Paul highlights in his book how the accountancy profession is changing and changing at a rapid pace. He highlights that fact that to be a successful accountant in the ever-changing technological world, that you will need to adapt quickly or you will become extinct. As a profession, we have to reinvent ourselves to be more valuable to our clients. His book takes you on a journey of how to embrace technology and utilize it together with a mindset of developing great questions to be an invaluable resource and advisor to your clients. The age of compliance as a value service to a client is coming to an end. However, the age of our true value is just beginning if you want to embrace technology, are forward thinking and enjoy helping your clients become really successful. If you want to be an accountant of the future, Paul’s book is a must read to help you on that journey.
“Paul has packed this book with great detailed practical advice on a modern accounting business. It's jam-packed with insights on what you need to do to take your accounting business from where you are today, to where you want to be in the future. It's a must read, but more importantly, must action.”
The Business Growth Accountant is a comprehensive, plain-speaking guide to profitability and advisory business growth. Many theorise about this – Paul tells you how!
“In my opinion this book is essential reading for any owner of an accountancy practice in these times where the pace of change is the fastest it has ever been. I have read a few books on the current issues facing the accountancy profession by different authors. The way this book has been put together, pooling a vast range of resources, ideas and research, provides a very good framework for re-modelling a traditional accountancy practice into a relevant advisory service business.
Paul’s undoubted knowledge, experience and passion to help improve the accountant’s role comes across in every chapter of this book.”
"Having worked with Paul from afar, I can see that the dedication to his work is truly making a difference and inspiring the accountant's he works with. Which in turn is having an amazing impact on the client's that those accounting firms are working with. Do yourself a favour, pick up this book and learn how you can create meaningful impacts in your accounting business which allow you to grow profitably. "
“In his book Paul does not set out to be popular. He challenges you to be so much more than just another beige accountant. And let me tell you, the world doesn’t need any more of them!
In your hands is the book that every dull, boring accountant should read so they get a sense of what the wise ones are doing. Then why wouldn’t you leave mediocre and run-of-the-mill accounting behind you and take the actions and insights suggested by all the contributors to Paul’s book?
If I were an accountant I’d buy every available copy of this book so that the competition can’t get hold of a copy.
Paul, and the firms he’s interviewed for the book, re-invigorate my belief that the accountancy profession can deliver on its potential to change the way that businesses perform.”
"Paul Shrimpling has done an awesome job of identifying what it takes to be a Business Growth Accountant and how important it is as accountants to embrace the change from compliance work to business advisory. Whilst it's easy to read, it's packed full of detailed information. This is essential reading if you want your accounting practice to thrive in the future."
“This is the book that the Accountancy Profession needs to wake itself up to what clients want.
It’s all in the book - how you start and deliver Business Growth Consultancy to your clients. It’s simply invaluable for those accountants that want to BE the change.
Well done Paul and this book needs to be read by every team member.”
“This is a truly brilliant Inspiring, Challenging and Supporting book from Paul that is a must read for every accountant in practice.
Even if you are not looking to become a “Growth Accountant” there are masses of ideas, tools, and tips you can implement in your practice to make your life easier and deliver a better experience to your clients.
Paul’s story around “Canary-like” KPIs will stick with me forever and the section on “Blind, deaf and dumb pricing” has helped me challenge the team on their communication skills. If you are in practice and want to make more of an impact in the lives of those around you this is a must-read book.
In this book Paul brilliantly articulates the key issues facing our industry and the most effective solutions to them from people who have done it already.
“A lot of “Has Beans” style accountants are blindly burying their heads in the sand, blind to the fact that traditional accountancy work is rapidly disappearing out of their to do list. Paul’s book provides a practical route map to a valuable way of delivering profitable advisory services to business clients.”
I have just read your fantastic book and have been inspired to re-write completely our internal business advisory manual.
The firm has 58 staff now and we are attacking the MTD market at the moment with a training package for clients using Quickbooks, Sage and Xero together with an in-housed data processing solution using the same software but within LP.
We have been providing outsourced FD services for over 12 years with 80% of the practice now providing higher level tax planning (30%), business advisory(30%) and financial services advice (20%) to the client base.We are exploring creating two brands/practices - one for compliance services and the other Business Advisory first and accountancy a close second.
I am really inspired by your book and thank you so much for writing it, it has been a life changing experience.
“It’s time for accountants to do more for business owners than just do accounts and tax returns! Wherever you are in your career, this book will give you the confidence, insights and knowledge to do just that. Easy to ready, it builds on your existing skill set. And, if you implement the ideas in the book, not only will it will position you as the go-to accountant, it will help you to make an incredible impact on your clients’ businesses and the lives of so many, ultimately creating a better World.”
"The Business Growth Accountant is a game-changer for the accounting profession. It's a 'call to arms' for accountants everywhere to move from the 'bean-counter' to the strategic trusted advisor. Technology is inexorably advancing client expectations and redefining what they deem to be of value.
To get ahead of the game, Paul Shrimpling's Higher Value Route Map is a powerful framework that charts the optimal path for accountants to be the difference makers needed by today's business owners. A terrific 3-hour read and a must for forward thinking accountants throughout the world."
“This book tells you everything good about Paul Shrimpling’s approach and contribution to the accountancy profession. Anyone who has seen him present would vouch that Paul can never be accused of being half-hearted, and this book oozes passion and wholehearted advice from the first page. The book is filled with straightforward and common-sense advice, and Paul’s credibility comes not only from his thousands of hours one-to-one with accountants looking to improve their businesses but also his ability to get others to open up about the secrets of their success. This is a must-read for any accountant looking forward to the digital age with a little trepidation.”