When It Matters

At 15, Em Manchee left home with no real qualifications and was homeless for a period of time. She went out to work and, almost by accident, kept finding herself drawn towards the numbers — whether she was working in a clothing store or a nightclub, she somehow ended up cashing up or in the finance office. That eventually became a career in bookkeeping and accountancy, and the beginning of Jems Bookkeeping & Accountancy.
In this episode of *When It Matters*, Mark Costello sits down with Em to talk about the journey from those early years to building an accountancy firm of her own, the clients who encouraged her to move from bookkeeping into accounts, and why, after more than two decades in the profession, she still sees bookkeeping and close client relationships as fundamental to what she does.
They also get into how technology has changed the profession, why Em doesn't believe everything should be automated, the importance of actually understanding a client's business rather than simply processing their numbers, and why she's deliberately building Gems around personal service rather than growth for growth's sake.
Em also talks candidly about the challenges facing small businesses, the increasing consolidation of the accountancy profession, developing younger people, and why she believes there is still enormous value in being able to pick up the phone and speak to someone who genuinely knows your business.

Technology is making accounting faster, more visible and increasingly automated. But if clients can see more of the work being done — and technology can do more of it — what are they actually paying their accountant for?
In this episode of *When It Matters*, Mark Costello and Ryan Pearcy are joined by Dayle Rodriguez to talk about how technology is changing the value proposition of an accounting firm, and why accountants need to get much better at communicating what they really bring to the table, because in truth, they are irreplaceable.
They explore why clients increasingly question the cost of traditional accounting services, why sales and commercial skills haven't historically been a big enough part of an accountant's training, and what it means to move from being seen as the person who “does the tax” to becoming a genuine financial partner to the business.
A must-watch for any future-facing accountants 🎧

Bringing you a VERY special episode of When It Matters - Elle is joined by a wonderful co-host and returning guest, Ryan Pearcy of the Digital Transformers for a special trio of episodes all about AI, tech and the future of accounting.
For episode 1, we had the wonderful Jordan Vickery and Chloe Britnell on. We went deep into whether we need to move from simply being “AI curious” to actively planning for how AI will change their business model, from team structures and training to pricing, service delivery and the work clients will continue to value.
Jordan shares why he thinks accounting firms could increasingly recruit people from outside the profession as relationships become an even bigger part of the value they provide, while Chloe explains how that is already happening at PJCO, having started her own accounting career with no previous accounting experience after working as a kitchen designer at B&Q.
They also get into the realities of experimenting with AI, the tension between innovation and guardrails, whether firms will start building more of their own technology, the importance of trust in new products, and why expecting AI to be 100% accurate may be missing the point. We loved this one - hope you enjoy!

Ben and Crystal are both building accountancy firms of their own, but what does the future look like for smaller, independent practices in a profession being reshaped by AI, private equity and changing client expectations?
In this episode of When It Matters, Mark sits down with Ben and Crystal to talk about their journeys from established accountancy firms to going out on their own, and why they believe there could be more space than ever for smaller, boutique practices.
They also talk candidly about the reality of starting a firm, escaping the traditional 9–5 mindset, building flexibility into the way you work, and what happens as growing practices reach the point of hiring their first team members.
A really interesting conversation about where the profession is heading — and why its future might actually be smaller, more collaborative and more human.

What changes when you stop treating your business as something you can walk away from and decide to really make it work? 💡
In this episode of When It Matters, Elle sits down with Jo Querelle and Sarah Hands to talk about their very different journeys from corporate careers to building businesses of their own.
Sarah shares the moment she realised that giving herself a “Plan B” was holding her back, why she decided to go all in on her practice, and what happened when a change in mindset helped her triple her revenue in just two months. Jo shares the other side of that experience: how having financial security gave her the freedom to build gradually, but also meant it took her much longer to start treating her business as a business.
The conversation gets into building confidence around money and numbers, finding the clients you're genuinely best placed to help, the importance of community and collaboration, and why good bookkeeping should be about far more than simply keeping a business compliant.
Jo and Sarah also reflect on what success means to them now — from creating a business that supports the life you want to having the freedom to choose who you work with.
A really warm and practical conversation about building confidence, backing yourself and creating a business on your own terms.

Is AI really coming for accountants — or could it create a bigger opportunity for the firms willing to adapt? 🤔
In this episode of When It Matters, Derek and Mark are joined by Laura McKenzie of Bright Flamingo, and Angela Brown of FinFlare, for a conversation about where the accounting profession is heading and what the firms of the future might look like. They explore why compliance-led firms could find their margins increasingly squeezed, while advisory-led accountants have an opportunity to become even more valuable. Laura and Angela also discuss the rise of the fractional CFO, virtual finance departments, where AI genuinely improves efficiency, and why relationships, judgement and difficult conversations remain much harder to automate.
Laura also shares lessons from growing her own accounting firm to seven figures before selling and exiting, and how she now helps other firm owners step out of the day-to-day “hamster wheel” and think more strategically about where their business is going. 💡

Will AI replace accountants, or could it actually make the best accountants more valuable? 🤔
In this episode of When It Matters, Derek Granger sits down with Alastair Barlow and Bepi Jones to explore what AI really means for the future of the accounting profession — beyond the hype, fear and predictions of accountants disappearing altogether.
They discuss which parts of the accountant’s role are most likely to change, why firms need to think strategically about AI rather than simply experiment with new tools, and why the human side of accountancy could become even more important as technology takes care of more of the transactional work.

Why do so many businesses plateau, even when they're doing everything they think they should be?
In this episode of When It Matters, Elle Noble and Mark Costello sit down with James Davenport, Partner at Moore Kingston Smith, to discuss what really drives sustainable business growth.
Drawing on years of experience working with owner-managed businesses, James explains why most companies don't have an innovation problem—they have a clarity problem. From setting a clear vision to making better decisions with better information, he shares a practical framework for helping businesses unlock their potential. We also explore the changing role of accountants, why advisory is about far more than numbers, how to build strong client relationships, and what business owners can do to create long-term value.
In this episode, we cover:
🧭 Why most businesses don't know where they're going
📈 The four-stage framework for sustainable growth
💡 Why insight leads to better decisions
⚠️ The biggest mistakes business owners make when growth stalls
🔄 The evolution of accountancy from compliance to advisory
⚙️ How data, people and process combine to drive long-term success

What does it really take to build a business from scratch? 🤔 🚀
In this episode of When It Matters, we sit down with Luc Janssens to explore the realities of startup life—the incredible highs, the inevitable lows, and the mindset required to keep moving forward.
We discuss why resilience and resourcefulness are essential traits for founders, how AI is reshaping the opportunities and challenges facing businesses today, and why solving meaningful problems is at the heart of entrepreneurship.

In this very special episode of When It Matters, James Sundin and Kieran James sit down with Derek Granger to share what it really takes to build an accounting business that stands out in 2026.
 
From starting with just four lines on a Post-it Note to growing a seven-figure business, they discuss the realities of entrepreneurship, the lessons learned from commission-only sales, why branding is far more than just a logo, and the importance of finding what truly makes your business different.
 
📈 Building a brand from scratch
💡Sales lessons every founder should know
🧐 Why most businesses struggle to stand out
🚀 Growing a business without losing sight of what matters
🧘‍♀️The mindset behind long-term success
 
Whether you're building a startup, growing an agency, or looking to sharpen your positioning, this conversation is packed with practical insights for founders and business owners alike 💡