​The Business Growth
Accounta​​​​​nt

“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.

‘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.’

“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.”

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.

“Just read Paul’s book through and found it to be very engaging and, in places, challenging (in a good way). I think the footnotes with links to online material really add to the value and I really liked the section on “Numbers To Grow By”. Lots of material there that I will use. I thought the Rugby story was a particularly excellent example of how changing the scoring (measuring) can change behaviour.”

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

"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."

I was inspired to be a Chartered Accountant by seeing what a business-savvy accountant called David did for my parents and their business. My parents worked hard, but the success of their business enabled me to enjoy a better life and certainly an upgrade on my holidays! They never made a major decision without David’s input. He was their sounding board, corporate finance man and friend.

One summer in his office David showed me he had a team delivering numbers. A team that meant he could spend his time understanding the numbers, talking to clients and using them to bring greater success to his clients.

Firms need to understand that being just an accountant was never enough and now, in the world of cloud accounting, the need to demonstrate you add value is more important than ever.

This book won’t make you into a business savvy accountant, but it will challenge everything you’ve learnt and done in the profession to date. And then show you how others have done it successfully so that you can follow their lead.”

"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."

“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.”

Having read Paul’s book this has opened my eyes to the clear challenges that the profession faces. New technology and new competition mean firms need to seriously review what they do and how they do it.

The book clearly identifies these issues and provides guidance on how you can turn these into opportunities for the practice. This has inspired me to make the necessary changes in my practice to ensure its future and the exciting growth that can be achieved.

If you want to safeguard what you have and build on it, this book is a must read.”

“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.”

“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!”

“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.”

“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”

“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.”

“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.”