The loneliness of the practicing accountant

Richard Brewin • May 18, 2019

Running your own business can be a lonely place. Sharing the frustrations, challenges, fears and pressures isn’t easy when everyone is looking to you for the answers to their own problems. Family, team and colleagues can try but all have their limitations around understanding, confidentiality and what you are willing to share.

Now add the digital world. Remote working, less people around you, a more consuming 24/7 market place and less face to face contact can all add to a sense of isolation.

Feeling lonely, isolated, detached is not a good place to be. How can you avoid it? How can you get out of it?

If you are in that place already then there is only one answer. Talk to someone and do it now! Don’t avoid it by the excuse of “what can they do?”. Just talk. It is the start of your way out. If a face doesn’t leap to mind then there are plenty of organisations from The Samaritans, MIND, Anxiety UK to your professional body, local church, Royal Voluntary Service and community café. Just talk to someone and start the process.

Do it now!

If you’re not there yet then lets avoid the path. Act now before things start to close in on you. Here are some tips:

  • Don’t work with people (clients or team) who bring you down
  • Put personal rules in place in your business for family time and own time. Diarise them and make it happen
  • Have communication as the No 1 priority in your business
  • Keep track of when and where you work. Don’t allow yourself to become isolated
  • Make time to meet other people. Value the coffee moments
  • Before you sleep at night, don’t go through the pressures of the day but instead list in your mind all that you have to be thankful for
  • Think collaboratively in your work. Multiple minds are better than one alone
  • Focus on your health….it’s just work, remember!

Most importantly, remind yourself of what makes you happy and what matters to you most. Don’t let workload or perceived ambition stand in the way of these.

I hope that this helps you.

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.