Welcome to the Business Advisor Podcast, the go-to show for accountants, bookkeepers and CFOs tired of the grind of client work and eager to step into the role of a business advisor.
This podcast is designed for those looking to increase their income and impact by transforming businesses and lives. Each week, we bring you practical, workshop-style episodes, insightful conversations, and a good dose of humor to equip you with the confidence, clarity, and cash flow strategies you need.
So, hit that subscribe button and join us on this journey to becoming a successful business advisor. New episodes every week, and you won’t want to miss what we have in store!
Welcome to the Business Advisor Podcast, the go-to show for accountants, bookkeepers and CFOs tired of the grind of client work and eager to step into the role of a business advisor.
This podcast is designed for those looking to increase their income and impact by transforming businesses and lives. Each week, we bring you practical, workshop-style episodes, insightful conversations, and a good dose of humor to equip you with the confidence, clarity, and cash flow strategies you need.
So, hit that subscribe button and join us on this journey to becoming a successful business advisor. New episodes every week, and you won’t want to miss what we have in store!
Welcome to this episode of The Business Advisory Podcast and today, I'm getting brutally honest with you. Have you ever felt that creeping dread, that little whisper in your gut telling you "this isn't it," even as you nod and smile and say "yes"? I know I have, and I bet you have too. We've all been there – taking the meeting we don't need, saying yes to the client who doesn't quite feel right, joining that program that doesn't light us up. We tell ourselves it's "just one yes," but soon, it becomes a slow leak, one yes turning into five, then ten, until suddenly, you're suffocating under a mountain of polite agreements. Your dream business, the one that was supposed to give you freedom, has become a prison. I call it "death by a thousand polite yeses."
This episode isn't about productivity hacks; it's about reclaiming your precious life. It’s about a simple, powerful filter that can transform your business and your personal life: If it's not a hell yes, it's a no. "Maybe" is often just a lie we tell ourselves because we're afraid to say no, silently draining our joy. Every "yes" comes with a cost – your time, your peace. The most expensive things in your life aren't your mortgage or your car; they're the "yeses" that keep you tied to things you no longer want to do. I'll share the "Three Fs" to help you make aligned decisions. Imagine the clarity and confidence to say no, and watching as the right opportunities show up. If you're ready to build a business and a life that truly feels like yours, this episode is your wake-up call.
Key Takeaways
1. Saying "yes" to misaligned opportunities, even small ones, can lead to overwhelming dissatisfaction and turn a dream business into a prison.
2. Genuine freedom comes from consciously choosing what aligns with your goals and having the courage to decline everything else.
3. Using "maybe" often masks a fear of saying "no" and allows unwanted commitments to drain your energy and joy.
4. Implementing a "hell yes or hell no" filter in decision-making enhances clarity, boosts confidence, and attracts ideal opportunities.
5. The "Three Fs" – Freedom, Fit, and Future Value – provide a clear framework for evaluating opportunities to ensure they support your personal and business aspirations.
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In this episode, I pull back the curtain on the single most powerful shift you can make in your business: leveraging your unique intellectual property (IP). For too long, I've seen brilliant accountants, bookkeepers, and CFOs stuck in the "trading hours for money" trap, feeling like they're just one bad month away from panic mode. The constant hustle is exhausting, and let's be honest, it's not why you started your firm.
Many of you are turning to AI, hoping for a magic solution, only to get generic, "beige" content that doesn't sound like you. The secret isn't just using AI; it's what you feed it. I share my own "aha" moment when I went from getting crickets on my posts to creating content that truly connected. I break down how to stop selling time and start building a scalable, profitable business by combining your unique expertise with the power of AI. This is how you move from being an overworked service provider to a sought-after, in-demand business advisor.
Key Takeaways:
1. Intellectual Property is the Foundation of a Scalable Business. Without documenting and packaging your unique expertise, you are stuck in a cycle of customized, one-off work that prevents growth.
"In every single business I've helped grow, IP is the turning point. It's the moment you stop selling time and start building something that lasts." - Amanda C. Watts
2. AI's Effectiveness is Determined by the Quality of Your Input.
"AI follows the oldest rule in computing. Garbage in, garbage out. And if you put in weak, vague, generic input, you're going to get weak, vague, generic output." - Amanda C. Watts
3. Your IP is the Key to Authentic and Powerful AI-Generated Content.
"The difference between garbage and gold is your intellectual property, your ip, your frameworks, your process, your proof. It's the ingredients list. And without it, AI is just stirring an empty pot." - Amanda C. Watts
4. Leveraging IP with AI Streamlines Every Aspect of Your Business.
"Your assets are your ip... AI is the tool that takes these assets and turns them into content proposals, tools that you use, reports, all of your marketing, all of your client delivery." - Amanda C. Watts
5. AI is a Tool for Amplification, Not Replacement.
"AI isn't here to replace you. It actually enables you to be amplified, but you can only amplify what you give it." - Amanda C. Watt
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Are you trapped in the belief that growing your financial advisory business means more clients, more hours, and more stress? I'm here to tell you that is a story you've been sold, and it’s not the truth. You can scale without the burnout, and in this episode, I'm showing you exactly how.
I’m pulling back the curtain on my proven "Scalable Six" system—the exact framework I use to help financial professionals hit the 500-200-10 target: that’s £500k in revenue, £200k take-home pay, and just 10 hours a week on client delivery. I’ll walk you through all six essential steps: Profile, Productize, Price, Position, Promote, and Profit. Each step is a link in a chain that, when connected, creates a smooth, predictable, and highly profitable business.
Forget the hustle culture. It's time to build a smarter, leaner business that gives you both the income you deserve and the freedom you crave. This episode is your practical roadmap to transforming your practice from a source of stress into a vehicle for your ideal life. Let’s dive in and build the business you've always dreamed of.
Key Takeaways
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This week, I created 11 pieces of content in just seven days. And no, it’s not about burnout—it’s about being strategically visible in today's advisory era. If you're still relying on referrals and your good work alone, you're falling behind.
In this episode, I pull back the curtain on my exact strategy. I’ll show you how to use psychological triggers like the 'Mere Exposure Effect' to turn visibility into trust and attract high-value clients. I break down how to leverage the raw power of live video, repurpose one core idea into a dozen assets, and show up consistently where your dream clients actually spend their time.
Learn why posting once a week isn't enough and how strategic content creation is the non-negotiable business development tool for building a thriving advisory practice. Ready to stop being a best-kept secret and start dominating your niche? This episode is your blueprint.
Key Takeaways:
1. Be Present on Multiple Platforms to Maximize Reach : You cannot rely on a single channel to find your ideal clients. To build trust and authority, you must show up where they spend their time
"Pick three places where your ideal clients spend time. Show up regularly there sharing some great content." - Amanda C. Watts
2. Live Content Builds Trust Faster Than Polished Videos : It allows your audience to see you think on your feet, making you appear more genuine and authoritative.
"Even a five minute live video can build more trust than a perfect recorded longer one." - Amanda C. Watts
3. Turn One Core Insight into Many Pieces of Content : Draw from your years of experience and repurpose a single powerful idea into various formats like videos, podcasts, and articles to reinforce your message.
"You can turn one core insight into many pieces of content." - Amanda C. Watts
4. Consistency is the Ultimate Separator : Sporadic content creation won't deliver results.
"Consistency is what separates advisors from who grow their advisory practice from those who don't and struggle." - Amanda C. Watts
5. Your Visibility is More Important Than Your Work Ethic : Your success depends on being seen as a thought leader, which is achieved through consistent, strategic content creation.
"Success as an advisor today isn't about you doing great work. Sadly, it's about you being seen as a thought leader in your field." - Amanda C. Watts
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I have a confession: I used to wear my ability to execute everything like a badge of honor. I built a successful six-figure business that looked impressive from the outside, but on the inside, I had created a prison. I call it the "monster business," and it demanded I feed it with my personal time and energy every single day, leaving me burnt out and trapped on a hamster wheel.
In this episode, I share the raw story of my breaking point and the single most important shift I ever made: I stopped being an executor and became a strategic thinker. I’ll show you how to stop selling your time and start selling your thinking as a productized system. You’ll learn how to command premium prices, deliver better results for your clients, and finally build a business that gives you real freedom. It’s time to stop feeding the monster and reclaim your life.
Key Takeaways
1. The "Executor's Trap" creates a monster business that consumes your life.
"You've created what I call a monster business, and it demands that you feed it with your personal time and energy every single day." - Amanda C. Watts
2. The path to freedom is transitioning from a hands-on executor to a strategic designer.
"The ones thriving aren't the best executors anymore. The ones who are thriving have transformed how they think about their role and how they think about strategic thinking." - Amanda C. Watts
3. Clients don't want to buy your time; they want to buy certainty and a guaranteed solution to their problem.
"Your clients don't want more of your time. They want certainty. They want to know that their problem is going to be solved." - Amanda C. Watts
4. Productizing your thinking into a system turns your expertise into intellectual property that commands premium value.
"When you say, this is exactly how we solve this problem, this is what happens at each step, and this is the result you'll get, clients stop shopping around because they feel very safe and secure." - Amanda C. Watts
5. Your unique strategic insight is your most valuable asset, not your ability to complete tasks.
"The reality is your thinking is what makes you special, not how you decide to do the bookkeeping." - Amanda C. Watts
Upcoming Episode Preview:
Episode 102: Building Authority In The New Advisory Era.
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I’m thrilled to hit the 100th episode of the Business Advisor Podcast! Starting this journey, I dreamed of inspiring advisors, accountants, and coaches to break free from the grind of compliance work and embrace their potential. I never imagined it would spark over 25,000 downloads across the UK, USA, Australia, and beyond in just 18 months. Your heartfelt DMs, reviews, and emails fuel my drive. For 20 months, I’ve shown up weekly—through sickness, burnout, and doubt—learning that consistency, not perfection, builds trust and authority. From Episode 4’s content marketing gems to Episode 28’s freedom practice blueprint and my six-part advisory conversation series, I’ve poured real-world insights into every episode. This podcast has sharpened my expertise and ignited my passion for turning complex ideas into actionable frameworks. Want to transform your advisory business? This episode is a must-listen to learn more on how consistency compounds and discover strategies to productize, price, and position your services for freedom. Join me for the next 100 episodes as we dive deeper into courage, clarity, and impact!
Key Takeaways
1. Consistency Over Motivation: Showing up weekly, even when unmotivated, drives impact.
“Consistency isn’t about feeling motivated every single week. It’s about showing up anyway, even when you don’t feel motivated.” - Amanda C. Watts
2. Repetition Builds Authority: Repeating core messages helps them resonate over time.
“Repetition isn’t boring; it’s essential.” - Amanda C. Watts
3. Authenticity Trumps Perfection: Imperfect but genuine content connects deeply with listeners.
“Sometimes authenticity is more valuable than perfection.” - Amanda C. Watts
4. Value-Driven Content Converts: Focusing on value, not virality, attracts high-value clients.
“You don’t need to go viral. You just need to bring value.” - Amanda C. Watts
5. Commitment Sustains Impact: Finishing what you start, despite challenges, builds trust.
“Consistency isn’t just about showing up every week. It’s about finishing what you start.” - Amanda C. Watts
Upcoming Episode Preview:
EP 101: The one where you are stuck doing the work.
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Ever felt that selling a £2,000 service is an uphill battle? In this eye-opening episode, I dismantle the myth that lower prices mean easier sales. She reveals why selling a £20,000 advisory offer is not only more profitable but also psychologically easier for both you and your client.
I show you how premium pricing fundamentally shifts the dynamic from a transactional cost to a committed investment, attracting clients who respect your expertise and are ready for transformation. I also explain how charging what you're worth doesn't just change your clients; it changes you, compelling you to step up as a confident leader. Learn to escape the compliance hamster wheel by building an offer that solves major problems and positions you as the strategic partner you were meant to be. This is a must-listen for any advisor ready to stop undercharging and start building a more respectful and manageable business.
Key Takeaways
1. Low pricing attracts problematic, transactional clients.
"When you price low, you don't make it easier for the client. You actually make it harder for both of you." - Amanda C. Watts
2. Premium pricing commands commitment and builds stronger relationships.
"Someone investing £20,000 or dollars doesn't want to bargain. They're actually wanting a result. They have got skin in the game." - Amanda C. Watts
3. The price you set determines the leader you become.
"When you charge £20,000 or $20,000 a year, you actually start to lead... you speak with more confidence because you're finally being paid in alignment with your value." - Amanda C. Watts
4. High-value offers are about selling transformation, not time.
"If you price low, people treat you like a pair of hands. If you price high, they trust you to help them with the big decisions." - Amanda C. Watts
5. Confidence is a result of raising your prices, not a prerequisite for it.
"You don't raise your prices when you feel confident; you feel confident when you raise your prices. And people say, 'Yes.' That is the shift." - Amanda C. Watts
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Does the thought of "selling" make you feel awkward, pushy, or fake? You're not alone. Many advisors love helping clients but dread the sales process. In this episode, I flip the script on selling, reframing it not as a necessary evil but as a powerful form of service.
I introduce the "SELL Method," a four-part framework designed to help you approach every client conversation with confidence and integrity. You'll learn why your discomfort is actually a sign of your integrity and how to turn it into a strength. Discover how to build unshakeable belief in your services, lead conversations with clarity, and make a decisive ask without feeling like a hard-nosed salesperson. I also feature the memorable "Lighthouse" analogy; this episode provides the mindset shift and practical steps you need to stop hiding your value and finally become the trusted guide your clients are searching for.
Key Takeaways:
1. Reframe Selling as an Act of Service: Your primary goal isn't to win a deal but to genuinely help the person in front of you.
"When you show up to help instead of to win, people really feel it. And energy in everything changes." – Amanda C. Watts
2. Build Confidence from Evidence, Not Hype: Systematically collect proof of your impact to anchor your belief in the value you provide.
"People buy your certainty before they buy your solution. And if you don't believe in how great you are, why would anybody else?" – Amanda C. Watts
3. Lead the Conversation with Clarity: Clients are often overwhelmed. They don't need another option; they need a clear path. Your role is to listen, diagnose, and confidently recommend a plan.
"In the absence of guidance, people default to what they know, which usually means nothing or picking the cheapest option." – Amanda C. Watts
4. Failing to Ask is a Disservice: If you genuinely believe you can help someone, it's your professional duty to make a clear and direct offer.
"You are not here to make friends; you are here to make change. So you close the deal, not by being pushy, but by being decisive." – Amanda C. Watts
5. Withholding Your Help is Neglect: The most significant shift is realising that hiding your valuable services to avoid discomfort is ultimately selfish.
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I’m here to save you months of frustration and guesswork when launching your advisory offer. I've seen too many brilliant advisors create services that nobody buys, or worse, that lead to complete burnout. I know this pain firsthand—my first offer had me driving three hours each way for a client and earning next to nothing. It was messy and unsustainable, and I was miserable.
That experience forced me to develop a system, my 7-step Launch Ready Method, that I'm sharing with you today on this episode of the Business Advisor Podcast. This isn't about selling fluff or just "building a funnel". It's the essential groundwork for creating a profitable, scalable advisory service that clients are genuinely eager to buy. I’ll walk you through everything from validating the real problem to marketing with purpose, so you can build a “Freedom Practice” that serves you, not a “Monster Business” that drains you. Let’s build something that truly works.
Key Takeaways
1. Start with the Client's Pain, Not Your Product.
"Great advisory offers aren't built in your head. They're built in response to what your clients actually want and what others aren't giving them." - Amanda C. Watts
2. Package Transformation, Not Time: Clients don't purchase hours, tasks, or a list of deliverables; they invest in a clear and desirable outcome.
"People don't buy time; they buy results. They buy momentum, they buy clarity and progress, and they buy transformation." - Amanda C. Watts
3. Price on Impact, Not Effort: Your fee should be a reflection of the value and transformation you create, not the hours you work.
"Your clients... don't want to buy hours. They want to buy the result, the return, and the relief that they get from actually working with you." - Amanda C. Watts
4. Intentionally Design Your Business Model for Freedom.
"If you don't stop to think about your business structure, the monster business builds itself." - Amanda C. Watts
5. Never launch a new offer to the public without first testing it in a controlled environment.
"The goal here is not for you to be perfect. It's about feedback, its proof, and its confidence in what works and clarity on what doesn't." - Amanda C. Watts
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Have you ever quoted a price and instantly regretted it? I know that feeling—the knot in your stomach when you know your services are life-changing, but you lower the fee just to get the “yes”. It’s a cycle that traps so many of us in an overworked, underpaid, and unfulfilling business.
In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on why this happens and how to fix it for good. It's not about being greedy; it's about being smart and pricing with purpose. I’ll introduce you to my simple but powerful framework, the Value Triangle, which aligns your self-belief, the results you deliver, and how clients perceive you. This is the key to confidently charging what you're truly worth and finally building a business that gives you the freedom, energy, and income you deserve. It’s time to stop guessing and start earning.
Key Takeaways:
1. If an advisor doesn't fundamentally believe in their own value, no pricing strategy will work, as they will always find a way to discount or undercharge.
"Your pricing will never rise higher than your self-worth." - Amanda C. Watts
2. Clients Invest in Outcomes, Not Effort.
"They actually care about what is going to be different after they work with you. They care about the transformation." - Amanda C. Watts
3. How an advisor is branded and positioned can be more influential on their fee than the service itself.
"The work might be the same that you're doing, but that perceived value – that is where the profit lives." - Amanda C. Watts
4. Premium clients are looking for a confident expert to solve their problems, and an unusually low fee signals a lack of confidence and value.
"When your prices are too low, high-value clients don't take you seriously. They actually want results, and they want to feel confident when they make a buying decision." - Amanda C. Watts
5. Productising Your Service Creates Clarity and Confidence.
"When you productise your value, you stop guessing, and you start building a business around what actually works." - Amanda C. Watts
Preview for Next Week!
Get ready for Episode 97: 7 Steps to Creating & Launching Your Advisory Offer
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In this episode, I’m tackling a topic I'm incredibly passionate about: why short-form content platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Reels are a trap for serious business advisors. I know it might sound controversial, but I believe these platforms, which are built for distraction and escapism, are the wrong place to build the deep trust required to attract premium clients.
When you pour your valuable insights into 60-second videos or catchy carousels, you're whispering in a hurricane. You're showing up where your ideal clients go to switch off, not to make critical business decisions. Instead of chasing fleeting visibility and "fire emoji" engagement, I want to show you a better way. I share the power of the "Netflix Effect"—creating long-form, binge-worthy content that allows potential clients to connect with your expertise on a deeper level. I share real-life stories, from my own experience buying a treadmill to clients who followed my work for years before hiring me, to prove that authority and trust are built through depth, not just frequency. My goal is to help you shift your strategy from being just another face in the scroll to becoming a respected authority whose future clients are pre-sold on your value before they even book a call.
🧠 Key Takeaways:
1. Short-form content creates a false sense of productivity without delivering real clients.
"I can guarantee these things are not bringing you leads, sales, or real results from business advisory clients." - Amanda C. Watts
2. The context of a platform is more important than the content itself.
"Even the most brilliant insight is going to fall flat if it's delivered at the wrong time in the wrong place or to the wrong mindset." - Amanda C. Watts
3. Meaningful trust cannot be built in 60-second increments.
" Trust doesn't come in 60 seconds or less. It comes when people feel like they are truly understood." - Amanda C. Watts
4. Advisors should leverage "binge-worthy" long-form content to build deep connections.
"Just like watching six episodes of a series makes you feel emotionally connected to the characters, long-form content helps people feel emotionally connected to you." - Amanda C. Watts
5. The primary marketing goal for an advisor should be authority, not visibility.
"authority comes from showing your thinking, not just your face." - Amanda C. Watts
Preview for Next Week!
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In this episode, I tackle one of the most requested topics from our community: how to create content that cuts through the noise and builds trust with premium advisory clients.
I reveal why most advisors are stuck in a cycle of inconsistent posting and ineffective marketing—and how to break free. I’ll walk you through a clear, actionable strategy for creating content that doesn’t just get seen, but actually converts leads into high-value clients.
Whether you're struggling with what to say or frustrated that your content isn’t bringing in the right people, this episode gives you the tools to build a powerful content system that works for you, even on repeat.
🧠 Key Takeaways
1. Focus your content on solving your client's real problems at every stage of their journey, not on showcasing your own expertise.
“Content has to speak to real problems. It has to show that you understand what your clients are going through.” -Amanda C. Watts
2. Use your content as a pre-sale system to build trust and prove your value long before you ever ask for the sale.
“Great content isn't a one-hit wonder. It's a drumbeat of trust.” -Amanda C. Watts
3. Avoid common mistakes like using industry jargon or over-relying on AI, as authentic content is what builds true authority.
“Authority isn't loud. It is earned.” -Amanda C. Watts
4. Follow a proven formula (Problem, Perspective, Proof, Practice, Presence) to create magnetic content that connects and converts.
“The more you ground your content in experience, the more magnetic you become.” -Amanda C. Watts
5. Overcome your fear of video by shifting your focus from performance to genuinely serving your audience with helpful answers.
“If you focus on helping someone else, it gets easier.” -Amanda C. Watts
Preview for Next Week!
Get ready for Episode 95: “Instagram Is Where Good Businesses Go to Die.”
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In this insightful episode of The Business Advisor Podcast, I dive deep into the often-avoided topic of client conflict—an issue every advisor faces but few discuss openly. I share personal experiences, expert insights, and a powerful framework called "GRACE" to help you navigate emotionally charged situations with empathy, curiosity, and professionalism.
I walk through a real-world example where a client stopped returning my calls after receiving tough feedback about letting go of an underperforming team member. Using the GRACE framework, I demonstrate how to reopen communication with empathy, curiosity, and collaboration.
Conflict isn’t a sign of failure; it’s an opportunity for deeper connection and growth. Whether you're dealing with silent clients, defensive reactions, or stalled progress, this episode will equip you with the tools to turn discomfort into trust.
Key Takeaways
“When your client becomes defensive or avoids your calls, they aren’t deliberately being difficult. Their brain is responding to stress or discomfort.” – Amanda C. Watts
“Conflict and resistance can deepen trust, strengthen relationships, and enable powerful breakthroughs for both you and your clients.” – Amanda C. Watts
“By naming these emotions, you help your client feel seen and understood. This builds trust and encourages them to open up.” – Amanda C. Watts
“The worst thing you can do is push harder, because this only heightens the client's defensive instinct.” – Amanda C. Watts
“It’s easy to take client resistance personally and feel rejected and frustrated. You have to remind yourself: this isn’t about you. It’s about them and their inner struggle.” – Amanda C. Watts
Preview for Next Week!
Get ready for Episode 94: “Creating Content That Stands Out and Gets Clients.” This is a highly requested topic from the community, and I can't wait to share it with you.
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This week's episode is all about moving beyond just knowing your stuff as an advisor and truly mastering the art of communication. I shared why saying the right thing isn’t enough—it’s about how, when, and with what intention you say it. I introduced my VOICE Framework, a five-part structure that helps advisors communicate in a way that creates safety, clarity, and action.
We explored how emotional intelligence trumps expertise when it comes to being heard and trusted. The brain doesn’t just process information—it scans for emotional safety first. That’s why purposeful communication matters so much. Whether you're delivering tough feedback or guiding a client through change, how your message feels determines whether it lands.
I walked through each step of the VOICE model: Validate, Own, Identify, Communicate, and Engage. And I shared practical tools like grounding check-ins, role resets, the one-thing filter, and the truth sandwich to help you apply these ideas immediately.
Key Takeaways
1. Advisors must validate the client's emotional state before offering insight to build trust and connection.
"Before you say anything, stop and tune in—what’s going on for them right now?" – Amanda C. Watts
2. Owning your role in each session ensures clarity, consistency, and confidence in your communication.
"Your job isn't to wear every hat—it's to know which one serves them best today." – Amanda C. Watts
3. Identifying the single most useful point prevents overwhelm and drives meaningful action.
"Just because it’s true doesn’t mean it’s helpful right now." – Amanda C. Watts
4. Truth must be delivered with care and confidence to ensure it is received and acted upon.
"Confidence doesn’t need to shout. It just needs to be anchored in intention." – Amanda C. Watts
5. Engaging in the moment allows advisors to observe reactions and adapt communication for deeper impact.
"Communication is a loop, not a monologue. Pay attention to what happens after you speak." – Amanda C. Watts
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This week’s episode is all about how less talking and more listening can transform you into a powerful, sought-after advisor. I shared how impactful advisory isn’t about dazzling clients with insights—it’s about creating space for them to hear themselves think.
I reflected on my work with advisors who believed their value came from being the smartest in the room. But the truth is, real connection comes from deep listening, not non-stop advice.
When advisors shift from expert mode to guide mode, they create safety, trust, and momentum. I shared James’ story—how he went from burnt-out expert to trusted guide simply by making space for his clients to speak.
I walked through how to become a better listener: choosing presence over performance, managing internal interference, using subtle signals to show engagement, and honouring silence as sacred space.
Listening is not passive—it’s leadership. And when you master it, your clients don’t just listen to you. They open up, lean in, and take action.
Key Takeaways:
1. Your value as an advisor comes from how well you hold space, not how much you say.
“Your value isn't how much you say; it's how well you hold the space.” – Amanda C. Watts
2. Listening is not passive—it’s a form of leadership that builds deep connection.
“Clients don’t need more noise and more to-do lists. They need someone who will really see them.” – Amanda C. Watts
3. Internal distractions during conversations prevent true connection with your client.
“Whilst your client is talking, if your attention is even slightly elsewhere, they will feel it.” – Amanda C. Watts
4. Small, intentional signals of listening create trust and open doors to deeper insight.
“It's about the subtle signals, the micro moments that tell your client, ‘I'm here; I'm with you.” – Amanda C. Watts
5. Silence is where breakthroughs happen, so resist the urge to fill every pause.
“Silence is where the gold lives… Some of the most powerful moments came after a long, quiet pause.” – Amanda C. Watts
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Welcome back to the Business Advisor podcast— this week we’re diving into a game-changer for advisors: understanding client behaviour through the lens of the six human needs. This is part four of our soft skills series, and it’s all about going beneath the surface to uncover what really drives your clients.
I share how recognising these core needs—certainty, variety, significance, connection, growth, and contribution—can transform the way you lead conversations and build trust. I walk through each need, explain how they shape behaviour, and offer practical questions you can use to uncover them in your conversations.
You’ll learn how to spot signs that a client’s needs are unmet and how to adjust your approach to support them more effectively. It’s not about meeting every need perfectly—it’s about awareness and emotional intelligence.
Key Takeaways:
1. Understanding the six human needs allows advisors to see beyond surface-level behaviour and connect with what truly motivates clients.
“When you understand what truly drives people beneath the surface, you can work with their real motivations, not just the goals that they say out loud.” – Amanda C. Watts
2. Clients resist change when their core needs aren’t met—not because they’re difficult, but because they feel unsafe or misunderstood.
“If a client has a very high need for certainty, they might resist new ideas simply because they feel unsafe, not because they're actually being difficult.” – Amanda C. Watts
3. Asking targeted questions helps uncover which needs are most important to each client.
“For significance, you could say, "What kind of impact do you want to be known for?’ These questions help uncover their deeper drivers.” – Amanda C. Watts
4. Recognising unmet needs early prevents breakdowns in communication and strengthens trust.
“What shapes their behaviour, their decisions and even their resistance… You can step back and ask, which need isn't being met right now?” – Amanda C. Watts
5. Advisors don’t have to meet every need perfectly—but awareness allows them to guide clients more thoughtfully and effectively.
“Your role as an advisor isn't to meet every need perfectly… but being aware of what is happening underneath the surface, you can guide conversations more thoughtfully.” – Amanda C. Watts
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On this week episode, I explored one of the most essential soft skills for advisors – building real rapport with clients. Rapport isn’t about impressing someone or pushing them forward; it’s about walking beside them, understanding their world, and supporting them at their pace. When you build that trust, conversations flow more naturally, decisions become clearer, and results happen faster.
I shared how easy it is to accidentally break rapport, especially when we fall into the trap of unconscious competence – assuming clients should understand things as quickly as we do. But true advisory work means stepping into their perspective, listening deeply, and reflecting back what they’re truly saying.
I also shared a personal story about my daughter to illustrate how different perspectives can shift an entire environment – and why fighting those differences only breaks trust.
Finally, I offered practical tips to help advisors build stronger connections with their clients, because when you lead with rapport, transformation follows.
Key Takeaways:
1. Stepping into your client’s world builds trust faster than any polished pitch.
"It's the difference between telling someone what they should see and actually stepping into their shoes to see it with them." – Amanda C. Watts
2. Matching your client’s pace is where real connection happens.
"Don't rush to the finish line while they're still lacing up their shoes." – Amanda C. Watts
3. Deep, respectful listening uncovers real challenges and creates meaningful breakthroughs.
"Don't just wait for your turn to speak. Truly listen to what they're telling you." – Amanda C. Watts
4. Curiosity builds bridges, not walls, especially when a client’s perspective doesn’t make sense to you.
"Curiosity builds bridges, not walls." – Amanda C. Watts
5. Reflecting back what you hear shows you’re paying attention and helps clients build confidence.
"Mirror back what you hear. It shows you're paying attention." – Amanda C. Watts
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Welcome back to the Business Advisor Podcast. This week we’re kicking off a brand-new series: The Soft Skills of Advisory. This series is all about the skills that go beyond technical expertise—the ones that help you build trust, deepen relationships, and truly impact your clients' lives.
In this episode, I dive into one of the most foundational soft skills for advisors: knowing when to coach and when to mentor. These two approaches are often confused, but understanding the difference gives you the confidence to guide your clients more effectively.
Coaching is future-focused and non-directive and empowers clients to find their own solutions through thoughtful questioning. Mentoring, on the other hand, involves sharing your experience and offering guidance based on what’s worked before.
I also introduce a simple yet powerful tool called the GUIDE Framework, which helps you decide in the moment whether to coach or mentor. It stands for:
- G: Goal vs. Guidance
- U: Uncover vs. Understand
- I: Independence vs. Instruction
- D: Discovery vs. Direction
- EE: Elicit vs. Equip
This framework makes it easy to switch between coaching and mentoring fluidly and intentionally during advisory sessions.
Key Takeaways
1. Coaching empowers clients to find their own answers.
“Your job when you're coaching is to guide those answers to the surface.” - Amanda C. Watts
2. Mentoring involves offering insights from your own experience.
“You're not delivering a lecture—you're offering guidance based on what’s worked before.” - Amanda C. Watts
3. Knowing when to coach versus mentor builds advisor confidence.
“By understanding the difference between mentoring and coaching, you gain the confidence to handle any situation with clarity.” - Amanda C. Watts
4. The GUIDE Framework helps advisors choose the right approach in real time.
“Run your conversation through GUIDE—it’ll help you make the right call in the moment.” - Amanda C. Watts
5. Great advisors flex between coaching and mentoring within the same session.
“A big part of being a great advisor is learning to switch gears consciously and confidently.” - Amanda C. Watts
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In this episode, we kick off a six-week series on the often-overlooked power of soft skills in the accounting and advisory world. This isn’t just fluff — it’s foundational to how you deliver value. As advisors, many of us have been trained to be technicians, but now it’s time to step into leadership, build trust, and create transformation for our clients. Without strong soft skills, your advice can fall flat, no matter how accurate it is. I introduce the CORE framework — Connection, Ownership, Relationship, and Elevation — to help you build these skills intentionally and confidently over the next few weeks.
Key Takeaways:
1. Connection is essential before advice can be heard.
“Real connection happens long before a client follows your advice. It happens when they feel seen.” – Amanda C. Watts
2. Encouraging ownership helps clients become confident decision-makers.
“When you stop trying to give the right answers and instead start asking the right questions, something changes in your relationship with your clients.” – Amanda C. Watts
3. Strong relationships transform transactional interactions into meaningful partnerships.
“Relationships are built through presence and a relationship with a person. They are about showing up with curiosity and not your ego.” – Amanda C. Watts
4. Elevation shifts clients’ mindset, helping them think bigger and act bolder.
“You elevate how they see themselves. You help them think bigger, dream again, and make bolder moves.” – Amanda C. Watts
5. Soft skills turn technical expertise into transformational impact.
“Soft skills shift your work from informative to transformational.” – Amanda C. Watts
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This week's episode dives into how vanity metrics—likes, follows, and views—can mislead business owners into feeling successful while draining their energy and stalling growth. As someone who’s coached countless advisors, I’ve seen how chasing these empty metrics leads to burnout, not revenue. The truth? Real success isn’t about viral content; it’s about building trust with silent lurkers—the high-value clients who consume your content quietly before converting.
In this episode, I share the WATCH method: a framework to track sanity metrics (calls booked, email replies, DM conversations) that actually move the needle. I’ll challenge you to stop measuring claps and start measuring credibility. My own journey mirrors this—my podcast and posts rarely go viral, but my calendar stays full of clients who’ve been “watching” for years. If you’re feeling stuck despite consistent posting, this episode is your reset. Focus on nurturing relationships over likes, and let your content plant seeds for long-term growth.
Key Takeaways:
1. Vanity metrics (likes, shares, followers) don’t translate to revenue.
“Unless those numbers are turning into sales… You’re measuring noise, not results.” - Amanda C. Watts
2. Silent lurkers—not loud engagers—are often your ideal clients.
“The best clients… aren’t liking your content. They’re watching silently and deciding you’re the one for them.” - Amanda C. Watts
3. Track sanity metrics: calls booked, email replies, DM conversions.
“Focus on how many emails get replied to… Are you onboarding clients? These are sanity metrics.” - Amanda C. Watts
4. Use the WATCH method to identify and nurture quiet leads.
“Watch for signals: Who’s opening emails? Who viewed your LinkedIn profile three times this week?” - Amanda C. Watts
5. Your Content should build trust, not chase virality.
“Your job isn’t to go viral. It is to become invaluable—relationships do, built one quiet moment at a time.” - Amanda C. Watts
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