​The Business Growth
Accounta​​​​​nt

‘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.’

“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.”

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.

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.

“Brilliant. I have sent this book out to the board of directors and all our team leaders.

The timing of this book is excellent as I have just started HIT (Hallidays Internal Training) which is a course on training client facing team members on how to be a great business advisor (not an accountant). This book reinforces and supports the learning in this programme. It is going to be essential reading for everyone attending.

This is incredibly valuable. I thought the chapter on questions was really interesting as I hadn’t come across question frameworks before (maybe some of us don’t need them!) and I think this will be a really useful chapter for the team members who choose to move from accountant to advisor.

I 100% endorse everything Paul talks about in this book – It felt strangely as if he’d been rummaging around in my mind and pulling loads of stuff out and putting it on paper!

But to summarise…

…essential reading for any accountant who truly cares about their clients and has a burning desire to do something to help clients more. The No 1 handbook for moving from accountant to (growth) advisor.”

The Business Growth Accountant is a comprehensive, plain-speaking guide to profitability and advisory business growth. Many theorise about this – Paul tells you how!

“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.”

“Paul has interviewed some remarkably smart practitioners, and blended their remarkably practical insights with his own, to produce a remarkably useful book”

“I worked with Paul for a number of years. He was coach, consultant, adviser, friend and trusted aide all at the same time. Paul’s knowledge, experience and expertise of the accountancy profession is simply brilliant.

He helped transform our firm and I’m forever indebted to him for all his support. I’m thrilled that Paul has written this book where he openly and transparently shares key insights into how to create an exceptional accountancy firm.

I think the book is a must-read for all accountants who are serious about running a remarkable practice.”

“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."

“Having worked with him for a number of years it’s great to see Paul’s book bring together superbly many insights into how an accountancy firm can address the core challenges now facing the profession.

In a constantly and now rapidly changing environment Paul shows how you can lay sound foundations on which to build a great accountancy practice.

This book is a must read for any practice that wants to grow, adapt and achieve its goals and will inspire you to do so”

“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.”

“If you want off the hamster wheel of endless tax returns for unappreciative clients, and if you want to make a real difference in the lives and businesses of your clients, read this book.

While there’s plenty of buzz out there that accountants need to add advisory services to their firms, there aren’t too many sources that actually demonstrate how to do that.

Based on real world examples of accountants and advisors from around the world who are doing this work and on Paul’s years of experience guiding firms, this book lays out the steps you’ll need to take to transform your firm into Business Growth Accountants.”

“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.

“Paul’s timely book – very readable and well presented – is another wake up call to the accountancy profession.

Change fast or become irrelevant. Your call. Simple as.

And Paul shows you how you can make significant change quickly so you will thrive. His guidance and advice has always been first class.”

“The effort, energy and passion that Paul has put into creating this go-to book for any serious accountant has been clear to see over the last year or so.

We meet with Paul every quarter and feel his inspiration! His enthusiasm transports itself across our team and fills us all with joy, anticipation and most importantly of all…drive. This is what the book does too. Paul’s book is full of inspiring, yes, literally awe-inspiring thought and insight into how you can make your accountancy business a better business by helping your clients, by caring.

Top tip, once you have read the book, pick one thing, just one thing and do it…this will make you feel good and will encourage you to pick another one thing to do, before you know where you are you will have done lots! Small steps!”