Ambitious Accountants Podcast

In this episode of the Ambitious Accountant Podcast, host Sumith Dissanayake sits down with Ian Black, Founding Director of Direct Advisory in Hamilton, New Zealand. 

They discuss the busy periods in accounting, the influence of Ian's sports background on his professional career, his initial aspiration to become a lawyer, and the roots of his shift to accounting. Ian elaborates on the motivations and challenges behind starting ...

Redefining the Role: Modernizing the Accountant's Image with Jared Le Roy

In this episode of the Ambitious Accountants Podcast, host Sumith Dissanayake sits down with Jared Le Roy, Director of Embark Accounting Limited in Dunedin, New Zealand. 

Jared discusses his mission to redefine the stereotypical image of accountants as boring number crunchers. He emphasises the importance of client relationships, innovative services, and l...

In this episode, Jay Wijesekare has a heartfelt chat with Nikhil Khatri, Principal of Worrells Queensland, about his fascinating journey into the world of insolvency accounting. Nikhil opens up about how his early experiences around family businesses sparked a passion for numbers, eventually leading him into accounting, banking, and finance.

He shares the pivotal moment when he stepped into the world of insolvency during the global ...

In this episode of Ambitious Accountants, host Jay Wijesekare sits down with Willie Eyles, Director of FreeUp, a firm based in Auckland that specializes in accounting for non-profits. Willie shares his unique journey into the accounting world, starting from a career choice driven by the promise of financial freedom, to discovering his true passion for helping non-profits succeed.

Willie takes us through his diverse career, from work...

In this episode of Ambitious Accountants, Jay Wijesekare sits down with Wayne Buck, Principal of Wayne Buck Consulting, to explore Wayne’s unique journey from city life to a peaceful rural setting while running his accounting consultancy. Wayne shares his rich experiences in the accounting world, from the traditional manual processes of the 70s to navigating today’s cloud-based accounting.

Listeners will gain valuable insi...

In this episode, Jay Wijesekare chats with Stephen Hill, Finance Director at Opportuna CA, about his inspiring journey in the world of accounting. Stephen shares his experiences working at big firms like EY and PwC, how he became CFO of a global company, and the importance of constantly learning and upskilling along the way.

We also dive into his work where he’s helping startups thrive in New Zealand’s Taranaki region. Stephen highl...

Join us as we chat with Adam Coleman, Managing Director of Neovia, in this special 25th episode. Adam shares his journey from leading a thriving accounting firm to overcoming challenges and the importance of going beyond just tax compliance.

We dive into how building long-term relationships and fostering a strong company culture have been key to Neovia’s success. Adam also speaks about his involvement as an active member of Russell ...

In this episode of Ambitious Accountants, our host Jay Wijesekare sits down with Nathan Watt, the Director of Watson and Watt. Nathan’s journey to a top-notch accountant is nothing short of inspiring.

From the challenges he faced to the lessons he learned, Nathan shares his unique perspective on the accounting profession. He emphasies the importance of being practical and understanding the real-life implications of numbers.

Whether y...

In this episode of Ambitious Accountants, Jay Wijesekare chats with Stephanie Crawford, an amazing bookkeeper and business coach from New Zealand. Stephanie’s switch from banking in the US to bookkeeping and coaching in New Zealand is truly inspiring. She shares her experiences of starting and growing her business, balancing family life, and tackling the challenges bookkeepers face today. 

Stephanie also talks about the im...

Join us on this episode as we sit down with Sam Harith, Director of SH Advisory from New Zealand. Sam shares his unconventional journey into the world of accounting, starting from practicality and evolving into a thriving business.

Listen in as he talks about launching SH Advisory during the COVID-19 lockdown, his unique management style, and the growth of his firm. Sam also dives into his creative project, “The Comic Acco...

 In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Nickie Sheehan, Chief Encouragement Officer of Trio Accounting, to discuss her journey so far and her initiatives addressing a crisis plaguing small-time accounting firm owners. 

Nickie sheds light on the disturbing increase in suicides within the profession and underscores the importance of building a strong support circle. Listen in as she shares her proactive efforts in the...

 Join us on this episode as we sit down with Shaye Thyer, Founder of Pallas. Shaye shares her heartfelt story of starting from scratch, growing her business, and her dedication to helping other women do the same. Listen in as she talks about her mission to bring equality to the workplace and support women-led businesses. 

It’s a conversation filled with genuine insights and inspiring stories into how Shaye and Pallas are m...

Simplify, Automate, Eradicate and Deligate, with Tyler Caskey, Partner at TheBeanCounters!

Jay Wijesekare chats with Tyler, who has a real knack for taking the risk out of business changes and making life easier for finance, HR, payroll, and IT professionals. He's all about cutting down time costs by automating those pesky manual processes and installing better systems.

Tyler's goal? To help teams shine by freeing...

Explore the intricacies of insolvency accounting with our distinguished guest, Declan Lane, of Cathro and Partners. In this insightful episode, Declan delves into his path to becoming an insolvency accountant and the complex challenges faced by businesses nationwide. 

Declan’s expertise offers a profound look into the adversities and victories within the insolvency sector, emphasizing how Cathro and Partners crucially influences bus...

Step into the world of insolvency accounting with our latest guest, Mark Pearce, Partner at Pearce and Heers Insolvency Accountants. In this engaging episode, Mark shares his journey to becoming an insolvency accountant, along with the myriad challenges faced by businesses across the country. Listen as he discusses how his firm assists these businesses, offering crucial support in times of financial distress.

Mark's insights pr...

Step into the world of accounting transformation with our latest guest, Lynda Steffens, Founder of The Small Business Project. In this dynamic episode, Lynda takes us on a journey through her extensive two-decade career in public practice, highlighting the pivotal moment when she decided to pivot into business improvement coaching.

Listen in as Lynda shares invaluable insights into the challenges faced by accounting firms and the ev...

In this episode of Ambitious Accountants, we're thrilled to welcome Murray Phillips, Managing Director of Insight CA, to the show.

Murray's career in accounting is driven by a mission to simplify the numbers and empower businesses. Through his roles at Insight CA and Cash Out Expert, he's dedicated to helping clients uncover the real worth of their ventures.

Join us as Murray shares his journey and reveals how he'...

In this episode of Ambitious Accountants, we're excited to welcome our first guest from the United States, Sean Healy, President of Accounted4 LLC.

Sean's journey in accounting is a testament to innovation and client-focused service. His leadership at Accounted4 LLC has revolutionized the way businesses, especially in healthcare, approach their financials. From automating manual processes to providing actionable financial ...