Accounting technology leader Ben Richmond joins the podcast to discuss his remarkable journey from regional accounting practice in New Zealand to becoming President and CEO of WagePoint in Canada. Drawing on decades of experience across public practice, corporate finance, Xero’s international expansion and payroll technology, Ben shares lessons on leadership, customer relationships, change management and the future of accounting. The conversation explores how accountants can broaden their career horizons, embrace public speaking, leverage AI effectively and build more meaningful advisory relationships with clients. Ben also reflects on what it takes to grow software businesses across different countries and why the accounting profession remains one of the most impactful careers available today.

• Ben Richmond's career journey from public accounting to Xero and WagePoint.
• Lessons learned scaling accounting technology across New Zealand, the US and Canada.
• Why public speaking, emotional intelligence and relationship skills matter more than ever.
• The opportunities and challenges AI presents for accountants and bookkeepers.
• How payroll, advisory and specialist services create valuable growth opportunities.

Ben’s perspective offers a refreshing blend of optimism and realism. While acknowledging the disruption created by AI and rapid technological change, he argues that accountants and bookkeepers who embrace innovation, strengthen their advisory capabilities and invest in relationships are exceptionally well positioned for the future. The discussion highlights the importance of curiosity, adaptability and customer-centric thinking in both accounting and software businesses.

Ben Richmond : https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-richmond-ca-b8794220/

WagePoint https://www.wagepoint.com/

Xero https://www.xero.com

Stripe https://stripe.com/

QuickBooks, https://quickbooks.intuit.com

Episode resources and links:

If this episode helped you, the best way to support the show is to leave a review somewhere as it helps more people find us. And if you want to continue the conversation, come find me Heather Smith | Accountant and Storyteller on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/

Accounting Apps newsletter: http://accountingapps.io/

Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting

X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU

I sat down with Paul Wittich, General Manager APAC at Dext, to explore how the platform is evolving beyond document capture into a fully automated bookkeeping workflow. We discuss AI Assist, payments, underused features, pricing transparency and what 2026 looks like for the profession.

• Paul’s career journey from management accountant to APAC leader at Dext
• Dext’s evolution from OCR tool to end-to-end bookkeeping automation platform
• AI Assist and how it learns user behaviour to reduce repetitive work
• Underused features: Vault, supplier statements, supplier rules and practice insights
• Pricing transparency, ecosystem competition and what is coming next in 2026

The profession is shifting rapidly. As AI accelerates change, the firms that embrace automation thoughtfully and strategically will be best positioned to move beyond compliance and into higher-value advisory services.

Episode resources and links:

https://dext.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwittich/

If this episode helped you, the best way to support the show is to leave a review somewhere as it helps more people find us. And if you want to continue the conversation, come find me Heather Smith | Accountant and Storyteller on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/

Accounting Apps newsletter: http://accountingapps.io/

Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting

X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU

This episode is a personal and confronting reflection on how quickly even a cyberaware professional can lose control of a long-standing Gmail account. What began as a seemingly legitimate brand collaboration unfolded into a carefully orchestrated phishing attack that removed all security measures within seconds. The experience highlights how modern cybercrime blends patience, credibility signals, automation and psychological triggers to bypass even cautious users.

• The phishing grooming process and credibility signals used • The red flags hidden in plain sight • What happened in the 60-second account takeover • The recovery journey and escalation through professional networks • Three essential security measures: 2FA, passkeys and backup codes

This story is not about fear. It is about awareness, practical action and understanding how sophisticated attacks have become. The lesson is simple: five minutes of security setup can prevent four days of stress.

1Password, LastPass Authenticator, Coursera, Impact, Google, Gmail, Revolut, Claude, ChatGPT, LinkedIn, Twitter, TeamYouTube

Episode resources and links:

Alex falcon Huerta’s story : https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alexfalconhuerta_fraud-alexfalconhuerta-share-7394786345610682370-s-49/

https://cyberwardens.com.au partners with the Australian Government to deliver free online security courses with verifiable CPD.

If this episode helped you, the best way to support the show is to leave a review somewhere as it helps more people find us. And if you want to continue the conversation, come find me Heather Smith | Accountant and Storyteller on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/

Accounting Apps newsletter: http://accountingapps.io/

Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting

X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU

This episode explores how a Chartered Accountant can move beyond traditional finance roles to create meaningful community impact. Josh Hickford shares his journey from Big Four accounting and banking to founding a cancer support app and leading Taranaki Foundation. It is a conversation about resilience, technology, philanthropy and the evolving role of accountants in a digital world.

• Josh Hickford’s career journey from PwC and TSB Bank to CEO of Taranaki Foundation
• Founding Ripple after a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis in partnership with the Cancer Society
• Building a donor journey using digital tools like Raisely and Stripe
• Technology, automation and trust in community foundations
• Why human connection remains central to the future of Chartered Accountants

This episode reminds us that accounting is not just about compliance or reporting. It is about leadership, confidence and using financial skills to build stronger communities. Technology may accelerate the journey, but purpose and people still lead the way.

Apps & Tools Mentioned:

Raisely - https://www.raisely.com/

Sharesies https://sharesies.com.au/

Stripe, GoFundMe, Otter.ai, Xero,

Episode resources and links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshhickford/

https://taranakifoundation.org.nz/

If this episode helped you, the best way to support the show is to leave a review somewhere as it helps more people find us. And if you want to continue the conversation, come find me Heather Smith | Accountant and Storyteller on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/

Accounting Apps newsletter: http://accountingapps.io/

Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting

X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU

In this episode, I sit down with Trent Yesberg, founder of Twine Apps and director of Regional Business Services in Townsville. We explore the realities of subscription billing, SaaS development, and what AI means for accounting firms today. This conversation moves from practical billing frustrations to the future of automation in our profession.

• Trent’s journey from banking to building Regional Business Services and launching Twine Apps
• The problem Twine Biller solves around subscription billing and margin recovery
• Fixed fees vs mixed fees and passing on vendor price increases
• Launching at Accounting & Business Expo and navigating Pitch Fest
• AI, agents, automation and real examples saving hours inside a bookkeeping firm

This episode is a grounded, practical look at innovation from inside the profession. It is about solving real problems, protecting margins, and staying curious in a rapidly shifting tech landscape.

Apps & Tools Mentioned

Twine Biller – https://twineapps.co Twine Apps – https://twineapps.co Regional Business Services – https://www.regionalbusinessservices.com.au Ignition – https://www.ignitionapp.com QuickBooks – https://quickbooks.intuit.com Xero – https://www.xero.com MYOB – https://www.myob.com Zoho – https://www.zoho.com Uber Eats – https://www.ubereats.com DoorDash – https://www.doordash.com Deliveroo – https://deliveroo.com Employment Hero – https://employmenthero.com Claude – https://claude.ai OpenAI – https://openai.com Substack – https://substack.com LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com Facebook – https://www.facebook.com Otter.ai – https://otter.ai

Episode resources and links:

Twine Biller : https://twineapps.co Twine Apps : https://twineapps.co

Trent Yesberg : https://www.linkedin.com/in/trent-yesberg-52b35366/

If this episode helped you, the best way to support the show is to leave a review somewhere as it helps more people find us. And if you want to continue the conversation, come find me Heather Smith | Accountant and Storyteller on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/

Accounting Apps newsletter: http://accountingapps.io/

Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting

X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU

In this episode, I share a practical and grounded introduction to the Second Brain concept, tailored specifically for accountants and bookkeepers. Originally delivered at the Sydney Accounting and Business Expo, this session explores how to better capture, organise and leverage the constant stream of information we face every day. If you are feeling overloaded, context switching constantly, or struggling to retrieve your best ideas when you need them, this conversation will resonate.

• The Second Brain concept popularised by Tiago Forte and why it matters for accounting professionals
• The CODE framework: Capture, Organise, Distil, Express
• Practical tools including Obsidian, Google Keep, Evernote and voice memos
• Using platforms like LinkedIn and newsletters as part of your knowledge system
• How a trusted external system reduces decision fatigue and creates space for strategy, creativity and better advisory

A Second Brain is not about adding complexity. It is about creating a reliable system that supports your professional thinking. When you trust where your knowledge lives, you free up energy to serve clients, think strategically, and innovate with confidence.

Book

Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte

Apps & Tools Mentioned

• Obsidian – https://obsidian.md
• Google Keep – https://keep.google.com
• Evernote – https://evernote.com
• Otter.ai – https://otter.ai
• LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com
• ChatGPT – https://chat.openai.com

Episode resources and links:

Accounting & Business Expo : https://www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/accounting-business-expo/index.stm

If this episode helped you, the best way to support the show is to leave a review somewhere as it helps more people find us. And if you want to continue the conversation, come find me Heather Smith | Accountant and Storyteller on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/

Accounting Apps newsletter: http://accountingapps.io/

Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting

X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU