Here’s what you’re looking for: Martin Bissett

PRO Member Exclusive

Why Accounting Firm Culture Matters

Our exclusive expert council offers insight.

By Martin Bissett
Passport to Partnership

The Passport to Partnership study collated a number of responses from existing partners of accounting practices in a conversational style.

Examples that really stood out on the realities of individual variances in firm culture are showcased below.

MORE by Martin Bissett
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

“Our partners have articulate minds, and that’s what we want to be demonstrated by any new appointees.” Meaning, can they hold their own intellectually in more senior circles?

How would they then behave when meeting with other senior executives as a contemporary of theirs?
READ MORE →

ABOUT US

Bissett Bullet: Who Are Your Sales People?

Today’s Bissett Bullet: “It’s often a controversial point but some partners in our firms don’t want to learn how to sell. Invest your time and effort in those who do.”

By Martin Bissett

In today’s world of political correctness, I am about to violate the rules of ageism, sexism and probably racism. But, if you have got a 59-year-old white male tax partner in your firm it is unlikely, based on evidence, that they will want to learn new tricks. Therefore, leave them alone. They bring their own value to the firm.

Work on the partners, or senior managers, or up-and-coming rising stars and future leaders who show genuine hunger and desire for developing their rainmaking capabilities. Just because an existing partner is well established or is very good at what they do, it does not mean they have to be forced into a discipline that they are uncomfortable with.

Today’s To-Do:

Today, select the sales team of your firm. That might just be you, that might be you and colleagues, but form the team of the ones who are the hungriest, the most caring and the most ambitious, and get them the help they need to win new fees for your firm.

See more Bissett Bullets here

READ MORE →

MANAGEMENT

Are You Aware of Your Firm’s Culture?

four colleagues chatting around a water cooler

Five ways to make it work for you.

By Martin Bissett
Passport to Partnership

Cultural issues are dynamic, very broad and unique in each firm. As such it is a challenge to summarize them accurately and comprehensively.

From our research, however, the wise choice for anyone wishing to get their passport to partnership appears to be to study

  • their firm’s existing culture,
  • that of its senior individuals and
  • that of those who have the ear of those senior individuals

to understand not only the route to partnership, but the terrain that they need to cross too.
READ MORE →

ABOUT US

Bissett Bullet: What Are The Outcomes?

Today’s Bissett Bullet: “Listing the services of your firm – bad. Demonstrating the outcomes in clients’ lives as a result of the implementation of your expertise – good.”

By Martin Bissett

Hopefully, this needs little more of an explanation than you see above. If we decide to talk about services, expect the prospective client to glaze over. If we talk about their lives and how we can get them closer toward their dreams, expect to win high-quality new Grade A fees. It is no more complicated than that.

Today’s To-Do:

Today’s action point is to review your last meeting with a potential client. Did you talk about the features and services that you provide or did you talk about the client and their ambitions? Which was the greater of the two? If it is the first, change it. If it is the second, you are on the right track.

See more Bissett Bullets here

READ MORE →

SPECIAL

Answer Three Questions about Your Leadership

confident businesswoman seated at desk

Do others think you’re ready to be partner?

By Martin Bissett
Passport to Partnership

The Passport to Partnership study collated a number of responses in a conversational style.

MORE by Martin Bissett
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

But two brief but succinct examples on the realities of how a firm assesses an individual’s “competence” for leadership are showcased really stood out:

  1. They need to explain technical data to me in a way that I know they understand.
  2. What kind of lifestyle does this person have outside of work? We’ll be looking at Facebook, X and Google to find out.

READ MORE →