bonus

Global Business Opportunities for Accountants with Simon Smallwood (Uncut)

Published on: 7th November, 2021

On today's deep dive bonus UNCUT episode, Rob Brown of the Accountants Influencers Podcast interviews Simon Smallwood of WorldFirst on how accountants help their clients with international growth.

Simon Smallwood is Head of Partnerships for WorldFirst UK, working with accountants to assist their clients on international business. Previously he worked for a VC backed fintech start up in the AI and Open banking space so knows the regulated financial services market. Simon is also an entrepreneur, co-founding with his wife a financial services business delivering the dream for UK buyers of second homes in France, Spain and other European markets. That business has been a client on WorldFirst since 2008 and had referred in 1,000+ private clients.

Key takeaways from the whole interview include:

➜ A brief overview of the global business that is WorldFirst and how it helps businesses save money

➜ What is involved in making it easier for businesses to trade internationally

➜ How international trade has grown massively over the last couple of years

➜ The biggest challenges facing companies who do business internationally

➜ The importance of the accountant as trusted advisor to business clients who want to grow

➜ The thinking behind partnering directly with accountants to add value to their business clients

➜ How WorldFirst helps accountants to provide additional advice and support to business clients

➜ Questions an accountant might ask clients to uncover or expand international trade opportunities

➜ How technology has changed and helped the way businesses trade internationally

➜ Signs that a business might benefit from exploring opportunities to expand beyond domestic markets

➜ The common mistakes companies make when considering international markets for their products and services

➜ What a conversation with potential new accounting partnerships looks like for WorldFirst

➜ Advice for accountants who want to push a stronger international business agenda in their firm

➜ What's most exciting about global trading and international business in the next few years.

When not working, Simon's entrepreneurial exploits include gardening, breeding ducklings and working the pub/restaurant trade. He loves playing sport, being outdoors reading books about high performance in sport and the cross over in terms of high performance in business.

WorldFirst website: https://www.worldfirst.com

Simon Smallwood on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-smallwood

NOTE TO LISTENERS:

This is a full-length interview (usually 20-30 mins long) from which the highlights show earlier in the week was taken. You can listen to this on a previous episode.

Martin and Rob love to hear from the show's 6000+ listeners in 140 countries around the world. If you like the show, leave a review wherever you listen, and please recommend the show to your friends and colleagues.

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About the Podcast

Accounting Voices Podcast
Accounting Voices helps people in the accounting world stay relevant visible and vocal. Host Rob Brown interprets trends reshaping the profession and gives listeners insight to build authority influence and a stronger voice in firms and markets.
Accounting Voices, hosted by Rob Brown, helps decision makers and leaders in accounting and finance stay relevant, visible and vocal in a profession being reshaped by technology, private equity, regulation and shifting client expectations. Each episode interprets the trends disrupting accounting and finance such as AI, automation, M&A, talent and the move to advisory and translates them into practical insight that strengthens authority and influence.
Accounting Voices is also a platform for the wider ecosystem of networks, associations, educators, consultants, software vendors and technology experts who serve accountants and finance professionals worldwide. It extends into regular Accounting Voices networking sessions that connect this audience and amplify ideas that move the profession forward. With its international reach and long shelf life the show delivers credibility and commercial value for listeners and sponsors alike. Search for "Accounting Voices" on YouTube for all episodes and connect with Rob Brown on LinkedIn to find out more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

About your host

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Rob Brown

ob Brown is the creator and host of the Accounting Voices Network, a media platform that includes the flagship solo podcast Accounting Voices and the panel shows Accounting M&A and Accounting Tech. He chairs conferences, panels and virtual events worldwide and is recognised as a leading advocate for the accounting profession.

He is an accomplished speaker and authority on trust, reputation, employer brand, talent, succession, executive presence and the forces shaping the future of accounting. Rob is the author of the bestselling book Build Your Reputation (Wiley) and his TEDx talk The Personal Brand of You has been viewed more than 400,000 times.

A former co-founder of the Accounting Influencers Roundtable, Rob now focuses on amplifying the voices of leaders, firms, networks, vendors and influencers across the global accounting ecosystem.

Outside of work he is a stroke survivor, lives with epilepsy, holds a black belt in kickboxing and is based in Nottingham, UK. He plays chess and backgammon, loves orange chocolate and is allergic to grapefruit.