Accounting Apps Podcast

Guest: Daniel Little, Co-founder and CEO of Link My Books What happens when an entrepreneurial e-commerce seller discovers that inaccurate bookkeeping could derail the sale of his business? For Daniel Little, that realisation helped spark the creation of Link My Books, an automation platform designed to simplify e-commerce accounting. In this episode of the Accounting Apps podcast, Heather Smith s...

Reporting from SuiteWorld and AIWorld 2026 in Las Vegas, Heather Smith shares insights from Jack Harrington, Head of Technical and Performance Partnerships at Oracle Red Bull Racing, and Matt Lord, Group Technology Director at SailGP. The discussion covers race strategy, equipment maintenance and talent development, alongside Heather’s question: with so much technology involved, where does that le...

AI and automation are changing accounting, but the bigger opportunity is not simply automating individual tasks. In this episode of the Accounting Apps Podcast, I speak with John Munden, Chief Strategy Officer at Cloud Office, about rethinking workflows, connecting fragmented data and preparing accounting firms for a world where more compliance work happens automatically. We explore why successful...

Are You Proud to Call Yourself an Accountant? As AI and automation become increasingly embedded in accounting workflows, we spend a lot of time asking what technology can do. But perhaps there is another question worth exploring: what does using AI do to us as accountants and bookkeepers? In this thought bubble episode of the Accounting Apps Podcast, I explore professional identity and why being p...

Is AI Making Accountants Less Intelligent? AI is helping accountants and bookkeepers work faster, automate repetitive tasks and reduce cognitive load. But as AI moves beyond calculation and automation into writing, analysing, explaining, brainstorming and reasoning, an interesting question emerges: what happens to the thinking skills we developed by doing those things ourselves? In this episode of...

How a Monthly Calendar Audit Improves Productivity When was the last time you looked back at your calendar and asked whether all those meetings, commitments and hours were actually a good use of your time? In this episode of the Accounting Apps Podcast, I unpack the monthly calendar audit I use to understand where my time has gone, identify follow-ups that may have slipped through the cracks, and...

Working overseas brings unexpected opportunities and challenges. Discover practical digital nomad lessons about connectivity, co-working spaces, travel, banking, medication, client meetings and making technology work anywhere. Technology and business transformation are not simply about making businesses more efficient. They can also enable us to work differently and create more flexible lifestyles...

Great client relationships start with curiosity. Discover how Louis Theroux’s interviewing techniques can help accountants listen deeply, ask simple questions and understand the person behind the numbers. Heather Smith and Alex Falcon Huerta explore lessons from Louis Theroux’s London Xerocon keynote. What can accountants and bookkeepers learn from one of the world’s most recognisable interviewers...

Discover the biggest announcements from XeroCon London 2026, including Xero Force, Partner Hub, Smart Document Capture, AI-powered automation, and what's next for accountants.   At XeroCon London 2026, Xero unveiled a wave of AI-powered innovations designed to help accountants and bookkeepers work more efficiently while supporting the needs of increasingly complex businesses. In this episode, Heat...

The second quarter of 2026 has delivered another wave of innovation across the accounting technology landscape. In this episode, Heather Smith is joined by Tyler Caskey from The Bean Counters to unpack the recent product releases, AI developments, payroll changes, reporting enhancements, and practice management updates shaping the profession. Alongside practical commentary on the latest features f...

Not every opportunity that lands in your inbox is the right fit. In this episode, Heather (me!) explores the concept of "handball referrals" and why passing opportunities to the right person can strengthen relationships, build trust, and create value across the accounting profession. Drawing on real-world examples from speaking engagements, networking experiences, and community involvement, she sh...

Technology should make accounting firms more efficient, but many firms have accumulated layers of disconnected tools that create complexity rather than clarity. In this discussion, Heather Smith is joined by Tyler Caskey from The Bean Counters and John Munden from Cloud Office to explore how firms can simplify their technology stack, improve workflow visibility, reduce manual work and make better...

Accounting technology leader Ben Richmond joins the podcast to discuss his remarkable journey from regional accounting practice in New Zealand to becoming President and CEO of WagePoint in Canada. Drawing on decades of experience across public practice, corporate finance, Xero’s international expansion and payroll technology, Ben shares lessons on leadership, customer relationships, change managem...

I sat down with Paul Wittich, General Manager APAC at Dext, to explore how the platform is evolving beyond document capture into a fully automated bookkeeping workflow. We discuss AI Assist, payments, underused features, pricing transparency and what 2026 looks like for the profession.   Paul’s career journey from management accountant to APAC leader at Dext Dext’s evolution from OCR tool to end-t...

This episode is a personal and confronting reflection on how quickly even a cyberaware professional can lose control of a long-standing Gmail account. What began as a seemingly legitimate brand collaboration unfolded into a carefully orchestrated phishing attack that removed all security measures within seconds. The experience highlights how modern cybercrime blends patience, credibility signals,...

This episode explores how a Chartered Accountant can move beyond traditional finance roles to create meaningful community impact. Josh Hickford shares his journey from Big Four accounting and banking to founding a cancer support app and leading Taranaki Foundation. It is a conversation about resilience, technology, philanthropy and the evolving role of accountants in a digital world. Josh Hickford...

In this episode, I sit down with Trent Yesberg, founder of Twine Apps and director of Regional Business Services in Townsville. We explore the realities of subscription billing, SaaS development, and what AI means for accounting firms today. This conversation moves from practical billing frustrations to the future of automation in our profession. Trent’s journey from banking to building Regional B...

The first quarter of 2026 has delivered an extraordinary wave of AI-powered enhancements, mid-market strategy shifts and workflow automation upgrades across the accounting technology ecosystem. This session, presented at the Sydney Accounting and Bookkeeping Expo, dives deep into what matters, what is hype, and where firms should pay attention. MYOB Solo, MYOB AI BAS checks and Intuit Accountant S...

In this episode, I share a practical and grounded introduction to the Second Brain concept, tailored specifically for accountants and bookkeepers. Originally delivered at the Sydney Accounting and Business Expo, this session explores how to better capture, organise and leverage the constant stream of information we face every day. If you are feeling overloaded, context switching constantly, or str...

This special panel episode, recorded live at Accounting Business Expo, explores AI tools that are genuinely useful right now for accounting firms. With perspectives from firm owners and a software vendor, the discussion covers practical implementation, guardrails, and real-world results. Chris Wheatley, Kylie Baxter, and Tim Garth share how AI fits into their tech stacks Liam Hindle shares MYOB’s...

The Sydney Accounting & Business Expo 2026 was one of the most energised and well-attended events I have seen in years. AI dominated the conversation, AML reform is reshaping workflows, and innovation across practice management, tax research, onboarding and payments is accelerating fast. This episode captures conversations directly from the expo floor. You will hear insights from keynote takea...

This episode was recorded on the way to the Sydney Accounting & Business Expo, offering a candid and practical conversation about AI in practice, peer communities, vendor relationships and the evolving accounting profession in Australia. Chris Wheatley shares insights into running a 10 FTE suburban accounting practice with 1,900 clients Discussion on AI in accounting tools and how most firms a...

A practical conversation, with Tyler Caskey, Dan Osborne and Heather Smith, hosted by John Munden, on how accounting firms can grow through better systems, small efficiency improvements and intentional technology adoption including AI, automation and advisory insights. Presented by Cloudoffis . Cloud Office is an Australian cloud-based platform that helps accountants and auditors streamline SMSF a...

Fast-growing businesses eventually reach a point where their finance systems struggle to keep up. In this episode, CFO Anita Chow shares how Acusensus moved from a Xero and spreadsheet-based environment to a full ERP Oracle Netsuite platform to support rapid growth and international expansion. The discussion explores what triggers the shift to ERP, the challenges of managing multiple entities and...

How do you modernise a family business when the older generation resists change? This episode explores emotional barriers, trust, and a practical tiny pilot approach to digital adoption. Summary In this episode, I explore the challenge of introducing new technology into long established family businesses. Inspired by a LinkedIn post from Tony Harcourt, we unpack why tech resistance is often emotio...