In this 30-minute reflections episode, Philippa Haynes and Mark Lee revisit inspiring interviews with Richard Wilson Artus (MWA Accounting), Stuart Harris (the Friendly Accountant), Penny Allard (Her Wild Bookkeeping), and Nicky Gentle (Thrive Bookkeeping). As you listen, you’ll... 🔹 Discover how Richard Wilson Artus navigated losing 85% of his hospitality clients during COVID and why having “bread and butter” clients as a safety net matters. 🔹 Hear Stuart Harris’s secrets to genuine ne...

This week’s Accountants’ Success Secrets episode features Nicky Gentle, founder of Thrive Bookkeeping in Devizes, Wiltshire. Nikki’s journey is anything but typical. Originally aiming for Olympic stardom in equestrian sport, Nicky’s career path took unexpected turns through health challenges and corporate life, before she found her calling in bookkeeping. Her story speaks to the resilience and adaptability accountants need when building a practice from scratch. Now AAT-licensed and with clien...

This week’s episode welcomes Stuart Harris, the man behind Stuart Harris Associates and known to many as “the Friendly Accountant”. With 30 years in the profession, Stuart’s story moves from a South London family firm, through specialist partnerships, all the way to building his own practice in North London. Now, with a small but tight-knit team, Stuart supports clients on everything from emigration tax and trusts to charity and solicitor accounts—always leaning on his own experience as a sm...

Richard Wilson-Artus started MWA Accounting in Manchester city centre back in 2014, and has grown a thriving practice with a focus on e-commerce, food & drink, content creators, and property businesses. In this 30-minute episode, Richard shares how he went from redundancy to building a successful ACCA-regulated firm with a small but dedicated team. As you listen to this episode, you’ll... 🔹 Discover Richard’s journey from a corporate role to entrepreneurship, including the challenges of f...

🚀 Reflections from the Latest Accountants’ Success Secrets Podcast! 🚀 In this special Reflections episode, co-hosts Mark Lee and Philippa Haynes take a lively look back at insights from four recent interviews with standout accountants and bookkeepers. Together, they unpack memorable lessons from Steph Beeston Clark, Simon Mason, Andrew Coombs, and Arun Mehra, drawing out stories of grit, growth, and the odd marketing mishap. Philippa and Mark discuss everything from embracing failure and ment...

Arun Mehra left a successful career in investment banking to build his own specialist accountancy firm from scratch. Over the past 23 years, he’s grown Samera into a thriving business advising dental practices across the UK and beyond, with a unique team split between the UK and India. In this 30-minute episode, Arun shares: 🔹 Why he left the City and what inspired him to niche down in the dental sector 🔹 How personal insight and teamwork with his dentist wife shaped the business 🔹 Hone...

Welcome to another episode of Accountants' Success Secrets, the podcast that shines a light on the stories of real accountants and bookkeepers making a difference in the profession. In this milestone 75th episode, hosts Mark Lee and Philippa Haynes sit down with Andrew Coombs, who shares his unique journey from financial services to taking the reins at Kings Oak Accountancy—his family’s practice in Somerset. You'll hear Andrew’s honest reflections on stepping into succession, expanding the bu...

This week’s episode welcomes Simon Mason, the founder of Simas Accounting and Tax in Bedford. Simon’s journey is a powerful blend of experience-driven practice, tenacity, and genuine care—for clients, colleagues, and the future of accountancy. Having started his career at a top 30 firm, he rose to senior manager and partner-designate before bravely launching his own firm in 2017. Now leading a close-knit team, Simon brings lessons from the frontline—learning as much from mistakes as from the ...

Today on Accountants’ Success Secrets, Mark Lee and Philippa Haynes sat down with Steph Beeston-Clarke, who’s built an inspiring practice serving charities and non-profits across the UK - all from Winsford and sometimes sunny Lanzarote! Steph shared her journey from kitchen-table bookkeeping to leading a remote team of eight. We talk honestly about overcoming setbacks, the importance of mindset, and why looking after people - both clients and your team - makes business truly rewarding. ...

🚀 Reflections from the Latest Accountants’ Success Secrets Podcast! 🚀 We've just dropped the 72nd episode of the Accountants’ Success Secrets Podcast, and we’ve loved reflecting on some truly inspiring stories from accountants and bookkeepers across the UK. From home offices taking over the house to big decisions about growth and team building, this episode is packed with insights for anyone in the profession looking to stand out and grow smarter. Here are three key takeaways you can put into...

Welcome to another episode of Accountants' Success Secrets! This week, hosts Mark Lee and Philippa Haynes sit down with Sudipta "Sid" Moore of Moore Accountancy for an inspiring and refreshingly honest conversation. Sid shares her journey from training in London to setting up her own thriving practice in Altrincham, Cheshire right from her home. She opens up about the realities of juggling motherhood, building a business from scratch, and the unique culture that’s developed when y...

Welcome to another episode of Accountants' Success Secrets! This week, hosts Mark Lee of Bookmark Lee and Philippa Haynes of Insight101 sit down with Mark Melville, the founder of Concept Accountancy in Newcastle upon Tyne. Mark shares his journey from working in a local firm to launching his own practice back in 2014. He gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how Concept Accountancy has grown to a six-figure business, with a dedicated team serving hundreds of clients. Listen in as Mark talks a...

This week’s episode features Nick Heaney, the founder behind CWH Accounting, based near Carlisle in Cumbria. Nick’s journey is anything but ordinary. From an ambitious show jumper with 15 horses under his care, he made a dramatic leap into accountancy at age 30—after a bad fall changed his course. He’s since built his own thriving practice and now leads a growing, fully-remote team. Tune in as co-hosts Philippa Haynes and Mark Lee FCA chat with Nick about: Starting a Practice from Scratch: Ho...

Welcome to another episode of Accountants' Success Secrets! This week, your co-hosts Mark Lee and Philippa Haynes are back from their (very brief!) podcasting holiday and ready to dive into inspiring stories from the world of UK accountancy. In this episode, they sit down with Kirsty Chaplin, founder of Flourish Accounting, who shares her remarkable journey from aspiring school-age accountant, to mum at 16, to successful practice owner and team leader in Yorkshire. Kirsty opens up...

Welcome to another episode of Accountants' Success Secrets! In this special Reflections instalment, co-hosts Philippa Haynes and Mark Lee look back on some of their favourite recent interviews with inspiring UK accountants and bookkeepers. Drawing on conversations with Sharon Baker, Jon Norton, Noel Guilford, and Kath Docherty, Philippa and Mark share standout insights ranging from personal branding and recruitment strategies to pricing, client selection, and the power of embracin...

We welcome Kath Docherty from Hydref Accounting to the podcast chair! In this episode of Accountants' Success Secrets, hosts Mark Lee and Philippa Haynes chat with Kath about her journey from running a compliance-heavy practice to creating a firm focused on building strong client relationships and delivering real value. Kath shares honest insights on finding her niche, the joys, and challenges, of bookkeeping, and why confidence in pricing is key for accountants who want to stand out. W...

"I try and only do what only I can do... If I can share some of the knowledge and experience that I've gained in my career, then that's a good way to round off my career, perhaps put it that way. Not that I'm looking to retire anytime soon." — Noel Guilford In this episode of Accountants' Success Secrets, we sit down with Noel Guilford of Guilford Accounting, a seasoned accountant with a passion for empowering small businesses. Noel shares his fascinating journey from corporate finance ...

We welcome Jon Norton from Barefoot Accounting to the podcast chair! "All you can do is worry about your next step. That’s all you can do." This beautifully sums up the organic, adaptable way Jon has approached his career - moving from one opportunity to the next, learning and evolving as he goes, and focusing on practical progress rather than having a rigid, long-term plan. His story is a reminder that success often comes from being open to change and taking things one step at a ti...

In this episode, Sharon Baker, founder of Kinder Accountants, shares her inspiring journey from starting her own practice to building a thriving, award-winning firm with a focus on kindness, innovation, and client relationships. Sharon reveals the highs and lows, the importance of saying no, the impact of technology, and her approach to building a supportive team and meaningful advisory services. Hosts Mark Lee and Philippa Haynes dig into what makes Kinder Accountants unique, off...

🎉 Podiversary Reflections! 🎉 In our latest episode of Accountants’ Success Secrets, we’re celebrating TWO years of inspiring interviews with accountants and bookkeepers who are changing the game. Join Philippa Haynes and Mark Lee as they reflect on four standout guests—from trauma-informed CFOs to niche ecommerce experts—and share what’s really making accountants shine in today’s world. Ready for fresh insights, real stories, and practical ideas to help YOU stand out? Tune in now and get insp...