Kaplan‘s Learn Better Podcast

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, looks at the relationship between technology and the accountancy and finance marketplace.  Neil Bertram is our guest today, Consultant, Board Director and a Chief Financial Officer for SMEs. Neil has a significant amount of experience in the finance sector that he has put to good use to build a portf...

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, looks at personal and professional failures, and how this has a significant factor on success. Our guest in this episode is Asif Muhammad, CEO of a company called Main Course Associates with offices in London, Italy, Spain and the USA. The company specialises in providing financial, accounting and ma...

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, looks at Charlotte Lewis’ career in finance paired with her life in sports. Our guest for this episode is Kaplan’s very own, Charlotte Lewis. She has managed to combine a very successful career as a tax lecturer with her love for sport and competition and will be representing Great Britain in the Wor...

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, discusses how to cope with stress and reach out for help when needed. Our guest is Gareth Winters, Relationship Development Officer for CABA - the independent occupational charity for the ICAEW community. In his role, Gareth gets to talk to a whole variety of different people, at different stages in...

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, looks at crypto and digital assets in the world of tax. Our guest is Chris Smith, Personal Tax Director at BKL - an accountancy, advisory and tax support firm in Finchley, North London. This episode is all about crypto and digital assets in the tax world, as Chris goes well beyond what most people wo...

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, looks at city life as a financier.  The guest for this episode is Gabriel Osamor, Business Intelligence Analyst at Brown Advisory, an investment management firm in the City of London. Be careful not to judge Gabriel on the basis of his current role (as impressive as it is), as what sets him apart fro...

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, discusses Neurodiversity and study tips for anyone with additional learning needs. We have two guests for this episode, Kirsty Gibson and Abigail Nolan. At the time of recording the podcast, Abigail and Kirsty both worked within Kaplan’s Quality Development and Improvement Team, with expertise in inc...

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, looks at social mobility and leadership investment. Our guest is Justin Onuekwusi, Head of Retail Investment and Fund Manager at Legal & General Investment Management. He is also Founder of EnCircle Mentoring, the Rolling Start Podcast, a member of the City of London social mobility taskforce and a n...

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, looks at digital transformation in the world of accountancy. Our guest is Kat Bond, Head of Partner Consulting and Verticals at Xero, who develop cloud based accounting software for small businesses. Kat explains how digital transformation is about improving our processes rather than replacing people...

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, looks at the future of Accountancy and Finance careers and recruitment. Our guest is Caroline King, Director of permanent talent solutions at Robert half, a specialist talent solutions consultancy. With 7 years experience changing finance professionals' lives by getting them their dream jobs, she sha...

In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, explores how food and nutrition impacts your well-being, mood and cognitive performance. Our guest is Anjanette Fraser, an expert in Nutrition and founder of company The Natural Alternative Health & Wellbeing Ltd. For more information on her teachings you can visit her youtube channel, Bitesize Nutri...

In this week's episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, takes a look at entrepreneurship and how to succeed in your career. Our guest is Paul Cheetham-Karcz, Founder of Sedulo Group, an award winning advisory firm and investment house. He is also the author of Taking Care of Business and host of the namesake podcast.

In this week's episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, discusses careers in tax and the routes you can take towards this area of finance. Our guest is Neil Da Costa, Senior Tax Tutor at Kaplan, well known for the advice and resources he provides his students. Neil explains his personal journey into a career in tax, what makes tax professionals so...

This episode our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, explores the connection between resilience, compassion and overcoming failure. Our guest, Kirsty Lilly, is a Mental Health expert who specialises in helping people develop their compassionate self. Kirsty talks about the importance of resilience when it comes to failure and how self compassion is integral...

In this episode our guest is Anthony Clarke, Business Development Manager at AAT.  Anthony covers the versatility finance qualifications can give your career, the current hot jobs in the finance sector and how to approach your applications and interviews. Anthony also talks about how the sector has made a commitment to drive diversity and social mobility and how this has changed the way businesses...

Finding motivation can be difficult, but when you learn how to apply your strengths you can begin to tap into your intrinsic motivation.  This week our host looks at motivation and how you can learn to lead a more engaged life. Our guest is Ross Anderson, an expert in well being sciences and human optimisation, also known as The Motivational Dude. Ross shares details of his past involving drugs, c...

We are back! Kicking off series 2 of our Learn Better Podcast, host Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, explores career planning and how to find a job that you enjoy. Guest Sarah Pritchard, Head of Banking, Finance & Management Design at Kaplan, tells her own personal journey from studying Set Design at university to finding passion in education. Sharing what she discovered to be impo...

Find out how the accountancy profession embracing AI technology could benefit society and give employees in the sector an instant promotion. In the final episode of the Learn Better Podcast first series, our host Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of learning here at Kaplan, talks about AI in Accountancy and its implication on jobs in the sector. Guest Ben Grubert, CEO at Inevitable, helps break down the t...

In this episodes our host Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of learning here at Kaplan, explores accountancy around the world and how you can work abroad after qualifying in the UK. Kaplan’s learn better podcast covers topical subjects to support our past, present and future learners to succeed in both their studies and careers. Alex Swift, Insurance Director at R5 and former Kaplan student, highlights th...

This week our host Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of learning here at Kaplan, explores the topic of wellbeing and it’s impact on your studies and working life.  Kaplan’s learn better podcast covers topical subjects to support our past, present and future learners to succeed in both their studies and careers. In this episode, mental health speaker, Ross McWilliam of Mindset Pro talks through the importa...

In this episode , our host Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of learning here at Kaplan, looks at the Digital Skills Gap and the opportunity it has presented for those willing to upskill. Kaplan’s learn better podcast covers topical subjects to support our past, present and future learners to succeed in both their studies and careers. Our guest is Jason Moss, who is the Apprenticeship Development Director...

In this episode we discuss why sleep can impact how we learn and why it is fundamental to our mental health. Kaplan’s learn better podcast covers topical subjects to support our past, present and future learners to succeed in both their studies and careers. Guest Dr Nishi Bhopal , Psychiatrist and Sleep Specialist, explains how fundamental sleep is to your mental health and in turn how we learn. F...

This week we explore the question “Why does accountancy continue to be important?” with guest, Paul Barnes, Managing Director of MAP. Here he speaks about personal development, computerisation within the industry and value perception. This episode summarises ways in which accounting will continue to be important and how to make it a successful career path for you. 

Our host Stuart Pedley-Smith, Head of learning here at Kaplan, helps to tackle the subject of sustainability within the world of accounting. Kaplan’s learn better podcast covers topical subjects to support our past, present and future learners to succeed in both their studies and careers. This week Richard Barker, Professor of Accounting at Oxford University, joins us to explore sustainability. Wi...

In this episode our host Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of learning at Kaplan, explores the topic of diversity within the accountancy profession. Guest Alice Olafare, Co-found of New Gen Accountants (NGA), shares her experiences and what led her to co-founding the NGA community initiative. Alice discusses the challenges diverse candidates may face, the resources they can lean on for support and the ben...