Making a fresh start

Richard Brewin • February 9, 2019

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. How easy would running a business be if we could look forward with the same clarity that we have when we review the past.

Hindsight can be used in two ways. We can use it to beat ourselves up about mistakes that we’ve made, mistakes that we didn’t necessarily spot at the time, maybe didn’t even have the opportunity to avoid.

We can also use it to grow our wisdom, experience and expertise. The real power of learning from the past comes when we bring it into the present and use it to shape our future. Nothing is wasted.

Knowing what you know now, if you were to start your firm again today then what would you do differently? The old joke, of course is, “well, I wouldn’t start from here, I can tell you that!” but, given that ‘here’ is reality, let’s park that for a moment and think of what you would do if you were starting your firm again today.

Chances are that you start from a strong place compared to first time around. You’re wiser, more experienced, better connected and probably better resourced. Yes, you’ve got a load of baggage now but let’s look past that.

List out what you would do if you were starting your firm today. What would you do differently? How would you better prepare for the future as it now looks compared to back when you started? What have you learned?

Now, what’s to stop you building your list into your goals and actions? Okay, we now have practicalities to address but isn’t that what goals and actions are all about anyway.

We talk about getting stuck in a rut, in other words being trapped in your current passageway. It’s easy to make the mistake of seeing your firm in the context of a single journey that you set out on back in the past and must continue to follow. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can change your route today, and tomorrow, and the day after. If you’re driving your business then you can change the direction of your firm whenever you wish.

Your list of what you would do in starting a new firm today could just be another turn of the page in your journey if you want it to be.

Take a fresh look at where you are and where you want to go next.

Being proactive is a culture, not a slogan

By Richard Brewin • June 27, 2025
Look at any accounting firm website and there is a fair chance that the word ‘proactive’ will be prominent. Ask some business owners and taxpayers whether they consider their accountant to be proactive.  There is commonly a gap between the two, between the intent of the accountant and the expectations of the client.

How tech helps us to rebuild our trusted advisor role

By Richard Brewin • June 23, 2025
The tag ‘Trusted Advisor’ gets bandied around a lot. Without trying to be deliberately contentious, I often challenge its use. Undoubtedly, accountants were once the trusted advisor to their clients. When I came into the profession 44 years ago now, the older partners, especially, were seen by their clients as their trusted advisor, their ‘go to’ person on any issues, business, family or personal, that were troubling them. Without the filing deadlines of today, these clients were with their accountant primarily because they valued the relationship rather than the products.

Why your accounting firm is unique

By Richard Brewin • June 5, 2025
All accountants are the same! We’ve all heard it said. It’s nonsense, of course, but, when you are asked what it is that your firm does that differentiates it from other accounting firms, it can be a challenge to come up with something tangible.  Accounting firms tend to offer similar services, that’s what makes them accounting firms. Differentiating from competitors based upon services provided is therefore an issue.